Buying a website or a subscription: the cost over three years

You'll now find this calculation, expanded and updated, in our pricing guide: How much does a website cost in Belgium? (2026).

Buying a website feels like an investment: you pay once, and it's yours. A subscription feels like a cost that never stops. But if you do the maths over three years, the picture often looks different.

Why three years?

A website rarely lasts more than three to five years before it looks dated again. And the costs after the build, such as hosting, maintenance, updates and new texts, keep running every month. Only after a few years do you see what a site really costs.

Buying: the bill

A site from a Belgian agency, excluding VAT, over three years:

• Five pages, one language: €1,500 to €3,500 for the build, plus €1,440 to €5,400 for 36 months of maintenance. In total: €2,940 to €8,900.

• A larger site, two languages: €4,000 to €12,000 for the build, plus the same maintenance. In total: €5,440 to €17,400.

New texts, extra pages and major changes come on top of that.

A subscription: the bill

At a subscription agency, you pay €49 to €450 a month, or €1,764 to €16,200 over three years. Often for a smaller site, in one language. At Kintsu, the subscription includes a full site in three languages, with a new text every month: see pricing.

What makes a subscription better

• No big invoice up front. You keep your money for your business.

• Your site stays up to date. Updates, security and hosting are included.

• You know what you'll pay. No quote for every change.

What to watch out for

A subscription is only a good deal if you can leave. Read the small print:

• Term: a year is common; two years or longer also occurs.

• Ownership: is your site yours if you leave, and from when?

• Buy-out: do you have to pay to leave?

• Offline: does your site go offline if you cancel?

At Kintsu, if you pay monthly, you can cancel effective at the end of the month. If you pay yearly, you need to cancel at least one month before the renewal date. You take your site with you as files, and your domain is in your name. Read the frequently asked questions.