Web Design Subscription Services: What the Milkman Model Teaches Us About Modern Website Costs

In 1860s London, the milkman subscription revolutionised how families bought dairy. Instead of making daily trips to the market, households paid a weekly fee for milk delivered to their doorstep every morning. The model was brilliant: predictable costs for customers, steady income for dairies, and convenience that made the slightly higher per-unit cost worthwhile. By 1900, 80% of British households used milk subscriptions, fundamentally changing consumer behaviour.

Today, web design agencies are applying the same subscription model that transformed Victorian dairy delivery. Instead of paying £3,000-8,000 upfront for a website, small businesses can now pay £150-400 monthly for design, hosting, maintenance, and updates bundled together. But like those Victorian milk subscriptions, the question isn't just about convenience—it's about total cost and value over time.

Over our 20 years designing websites for UK small businesses, we've watched the industry shift from purely project-based pricing to subscription models. We've run both models, analysed the numbers across hundreds of clients, and seen which businesses thrive with each approach. The choice between subscription and traditional pricing can mean the difference between £8,000 spent in year one versus £4,800 spread across three years—but the right answer depends entirely on your specific situation.

This guide breaks down every web design service model available in 2026, showing you exactly what you get, what you pay, and which model delivers the best return for your business type. For context on how these costs fit into your overall website investment strategy, see our comprehensive guide on The Real Cost of Running a WordPress Website.

Section 1: Understanding Web Design Service Models

The web design industry offers four distinct pricing models. Each has specific advantages, hidden costs, and ideal use cases.

Traditional project-based pricing is the oldest model. You pay £2,000-15,000 upfront for website design and development. The site is yours completely—you own the code, the design, and all assets. After launch, you're responsible for hosting (£15-50/month), maintenance (£30-100/month if outsourced), updates, and any changes.

We've delivered 300+ project-based websites since 2004. The model works brilliantly for businesses that have in-house technical capability, prefer capital expenditure over operational expenditure for accounting reasons, or need complete ownership and control. A Manchester law firm paid us £6,800 for a custom WordPress site in 2022. Three years later, their total cost is £9,640 (£6,800 build + £2,840 hosting/maintenance). They own everything and can switch providers anytime.

But project-based pricing fails for businesses without technical resources. A Leicester retailer paid £4,200 for a website in 2021, then spent £1,800 in emergency fixes over two years because they didn't maintain it properly. Their "cheaper" option cost £6,000 total with worse results than a £200/month subscription (£4,800 over two years) would have delivered.

Monthly subscription models bundle everything: design, hosting, maintenance, updates, security, and often content changes. You pay £100-500 monthly with no upfront costs. The agency retains ownership—if you stop paying, you lose the website. Think of it like leasing a car versus buying one.

According to a 2023 survey by Website Builder Expert, 34% of UK web design agencies now offer subscription models, up from 12% in 2019. The shift mirrors broader SaaS trends—predictable monthly costs, lower barrier to entry, and outsourced technical responsibility.

We launched our subscription service in 2020. A Nottingham plumber pays us £185/month (£2,220/year). We handle everything: hosting, security, backups, plugin updates, content changes, and design tweaks. Over three years, he's paid £6,660 total. A comparable project-based site would cost £3,500 upfront plus £1,800/year for hosting and maintenance (£8,900 over three years). The subscription saved him £2,240 and eliminated technical headaches.

Retainer models sit between projects and subscriptions. You pay monthly (£300-2,000+) for ongoing design and development work. Unlike subscriptions, you own the website. The retainer buys you a set number of hours or specific deliverables each month. This works for businesses needing continuous development—adding features, building landing pages, running A/B tests.

A Birmingham e-commerce company pays us £850/month on retainer. We built their initial site (separate £8,500 project), and now we add 2-3 product pages monthly, optimise checkout flow, and implement conversion improvements. They've grown revenue 340% in 18 months largely because they can iterate quickly without project approval processes.

Hybrid models combine elements of each. Common structure: reduced upfront cost (£1,000-3,000) plus monthly fee (£50-200) for hosting and maintenance. You own the site but get ongoing support. This balances lower entry cost with long-term relationship.

According to Clutch's 2024 Web Design Pricing Survey, 28% of UK agencies offer hybrid pricing. We use this for clients who want ownership but need reliable maintenance. A Bristol consultant paid £2,400 upfront plus £75/month ongoing. Over three years, total cost is £5,100—more than pure subscription (£4,320 at £120/month) but less than project plus separate maintenance (£6,200+), and he owns the site.

For more on how different pricing models affect your overall website ROI, see our guide on Website Conversion Optimization for Small Businesses: Turn Visitors into Customers.

Section 2: What's Actually Included in Each Model

The devil lives in the deliverables. Two "£200/month subscriptions" can include wildly different services.

Project-based typically includes:

• Custom design (number of page templates varies—usually 3-8)
• Development and WordPress setup
• Content migration (if applicable)
• Basic SEO setup (meta tags, sitemap, analytics)
• 30-90 days post-launch support
• Training on how to use the CMS

Project-based typically excludes:

• Hosting (you arrange separately)
• Ongoing maintenance and updates
• Content creation or changes after launch
• Security monitoring
• Backup management
• Technical support after support period ends

We delivered a project for a Derby accountant in 2023: £5,200 for a 12-page WordPress site. Included 60 days support, training, and SEO setup. After 60 days, he needed help adding a new service page. That's a new project—quoted at £380. He also pays £28/month for hosting and handles his own updates (or pays us £45/month for maintenance). Total year-one cost: £6,296.

Monthly subscriptions typically include:

• Website design and development (no upfront cost)
• Hosting and domain management
• SSL certificate and security
• Daily/weekly backups
• WordPress, plugin, and theme updates
• Monthly content changes (usually 1-3 hours)
• Technical support
• Performance monitoring

Subscriptions typically exclude:

• Major redesigns (usually available as add-on)
• E-commerce functionality (often higher tier)
• Custom development
• Content creation (copywriting, photography)
• Marketing services (SEO, PPC, email marketing)

A Leeds salon pays us £165/month. Included: 5-page WordPress site, hosting, weekly backups, unlimited technical support, and 90 minutes monthly for content updates (menu changes, blog posts, photo updates). Not included: professional photography (£450 one-time), copywriting (£600 one-time), or the booking system integration (£280 one-time add-on). Year-one total: £3,310.

Retainer models typically include:

• Set hours per month (8-40 hours common)
• Ongoing development work
• Design iterations and improvements
• Technical support
• Strategic consulting
• Priority response times

Retainers typically exclude:

• Hosting (sometimes included, usually separate)
• Basic maintenance (unless hours are used for it)
• Scope outside agreed services

A Coventry manufacturer pays us £650/month retainer (20 hours). We use hours for: adding product pages, creating case studies, implementing conversion optimisations, and technical troubleshooting. Unused hours don't roll over. They also pay £35/month for hosting separately. This works because they need continuous development, not just maintenance.

The hidden costs nobody mentions:

Content creation is the silent killer. Every model assumes you provide content—text, images, videos. Professional copywriting costs £80-150 per page. Photography runs £300-1,200 depending on scope. A subscription might be £150/month, but if you need £2,000 in content creation upfront, your real year-one cost is £3,800, not £1,800.

Contract terms matter enormously. Some subscriptions require 12-24 month commitments. Cancel early, and you pay a penalty (often 50% of remaining months). We use month-to-month terms, but many agencies lock you in. A Bournemouth retailer signed a 24-month contract at £220/month. After 8 months, they wanted to switch providers but owed £1,760 cancellation fee (50% of 16 remaining months). Read contracts carefully.

Migration costs hit when switching providers. Moving from subscription to ownership means rebuilding the site (you don't own it). A Sheffield consultant paid £195/month for 18 months (£3,510 total), then wanted to own her site. The agency quoted £2,800 to transfer/rebuild it. She'd paid £3,510 and still needed £2,800 more for ownership. Compare this to project-based where you own it from day one.

Section 3: Cost Comparison Over Time

The cheapest option in year one often becomes the most expensive over three to five years. Let's run real numbers.

Scenario 1: Small service business (5-8 pages, basic functionality)

Project-based:

• Year 1: £3,500 (build) + £240 (hosting) + £540 (maintenance) = £4,280
• Year 2: £240 (hosting) + £540 (maintenance) = £780
• Year 3: £240 (hosting) + £540 (maintenance) = £780
• Three-year total: £5,840

Monthly subscription at £145/month:

• Year 1: £1,740
• Year 2: £1,740
• Year 3: £1,740
• Three-year total: £5,220

Subscription saves £620 over three years. But if you stop paying in year four, you own nothing. Project-based continues at just £780/year (hosting + maintenance), while subscription continues at £1,740/year.

Break-even point: 4.5 years. After that, project-based becomes cheaper.

Scenario 2: E-commerce site (20+ pages, WooCommerce, payment processing)

Project-based:

• Year 1: £6,800 (build) + £480 (better hosting) + £960 (maintenance) = £8,240
• Year 2: £480 + £960 = £1,440
• Year 3: £480 + £960 = £1,440
• Three-year total: £11,120

Monthly subscription at £285/month:

• Year 1: £3,420
• Year 2: £3,420
• Year 3: £3,420
• Three-year total: £10,260

Subscription saves £860 over three years. Break-even point: 4.7 years.

Scenario 3: Business needing ongoing development

Project-based + ad-hoc changes:

• Year 1: £4,200 (build) + £240 (hosting) + £540 (maintenance) + £1,800 (changes) = £6,780
• Year 2: £240 + £540 + £1,800 = £2,580
• Year 3: £240 + £540 + £1,800 = £2,580
• Three-year total: £11,940

Retainer at £450/month (includes hosting and maintenance):

• Year 1: £5,400
• Year 2: £5,400
• Year 3: £5,400
• Three-year total: £16,200

Retainer costs £4,260 more but delivers more work (15 hours/month vs. ad-hoc). The business gets consistent development instead of sporadic projects.

The real calculation: cost per value delivered

A Cambridge consulting firm paid us £7,200 upfront for a website in 2021. It generated 23 qualified leads in year one (£313 per lead). In 2022, we redesigned their services page (£890) and added case studies (£650). Leads jumped to 47 (£189 per lead including redesign costs). In 2023, we implemented advanced conversion optimisation (£1,240 retainer for three months). Leads hit 76 (£139 per lead).

Total three-year cost: £11,510. Total leads: 146. Cost per lead: £79. Their average client value: £8,400. ROI: 10,530%.

Compare to a subscription client (Bristol marketing agency) paying £220/month. Three-year cost: £7,920. We continuously optimise their site—A/B testing CTAs, refining copy, improving page speed. They generated 203 leads over three years. Cost per lead: £39. Average client value: £2,800. ROI: 7,159%.

Lower absolute ROI but better cost-per-lead because continuous optimisation beats sporadic updates.

For more on calculating your website's true ROI, see our guide on The Real Cost of Running a WordPress Website.

Section 4: Which Model Fits Your Business

The right pricing model depends on five factors we've identified over 20 years and hundreds of clients.

Factor 1: Technical capability

If you have in-house technical skills (or a reliable IT person), project-based makes sense. You can handle basic updates, troubleshoot minor issues, and manage hosting yourself. A Norwich tech startup paid us £4,800 for a site. Their developer handles everything ongoing. Perfect fit.

If you're non-technical and don't want to learn, subscriptions eliminate headaches. A York florist told us: "I arrange flowers, not websites." She pays £155/month and never thinks about technical issues.

Factor 2: Cash flow and accounting preferences

Capital expenditure (CapEx) businesses often prefer project-based pricing. They can capitalise the website as an asset and depreciate it over 3-5 years. A Plymouth manufacturer needed CapEx for their budget cycle. We charged £8,200 upfront, which they capitalised.

Operational expenditure (OpEx) businesses prefer subscriptions. Monthly costs come from operating budget, not capital budget. A Cardiff recruitment agency operates on OpEx—£240/month subscription fits their model perfectly.

Factor 3: How often you need changes

Static websites (information rarely changes) suit project-based pricing. A solicitor's services, team, and expertise don't change monthly. They paid £5,400 upfront in 2021 and haven't needed changes since.

Dynamic websites (frequent updates, new content, seasonal changes) suit subscriptions or retainers. A Exeter events company adds 8-12 new event pages monthly. Their £320/month subscription includes unlimited event page creation.

Factor 4: Ownership importance

If you must own your digital assets (for sale, franchise, or control reasons), project-based is essential. A Southampton franchise system needed to own their website template to replicate across locations. They paid £12,400 for a custom build they fully own.

If ownership doesn't matter and you value convenience, subscriptions work. A Brighton café owner said: "I don't need to own my website any more than I need to own my phone system. I just need it to work." £175/month subscription, zero ownership concerns.

Factor 5: Growth trajectory and timeline

Rapid-growth businesses often outgrow subscription limitations. A Milton Keynes SaaS startup began with a £220/month subscription. After 18 months, they needed custom features the subscription couldn't accommodate. They paid £8,900 to rebuild with full ownership. Total cost: £13,860 (subscription + rebuild) vs. £9,200 if they'd started with project-based.

Stable businesses with predictable needs thrive on subscriptions. A Gloucester accountancy firm has used our £195/month subscription for 4 years. Their needs haven't changed. Total cost: £9,360 vs. £6,800 (project) + £3,120 (hosting/maintenance) = £9,920. Subscription saved them £560 and eliminated all technical responsibility.

Our recommendation framework:

Choose project-based if you: have technical capability, prefer CapEx, need ownership, have stable/infrequent change needs, plan to keep the site 5+ years.

Choose subscription if you: are non-technical, prefer OpEx, don't need ownership, have regular change needs, want zero technical responsibility, might redesign in 3-5 years.

Choose retainer if you: need ongoing development (not just maintenance), want strategic partnership, require quick iteration, have budget for continuous improvement.

Choose hybrid if you: want ownership but need reliable maintenance, have limited upfront budget, prefer relationship with one provider, need flexibility.

Section 5: Red Flags and Questions to Ask

Over 20 years, we've seen every pricing trick and contract trap. Here's what to watch for.

Red flag 1: Unclear ownership terms

Some subscriptions transfer ownership after X months. Others never do. A Reading retailer paid £165/month for 30 months (£4,950) and assumed she'd eventually own the site. She didn't. When she cancelled, she got nothing.

Ask: "If I cancel, what do I own? Can I export my content? Will you provide my website files?"

Legitimate answer: "You own your content always. If you cancel, we'll export your content (text, images) for free. If you want the actual website files and design, that's £X." Get it in writing.

Red flag 2: Hidden cancellation fees

Some contracts require 60-90 days notice. Others charge penalties. A Luton gym signed a "month-to-month" subscription but the contract required 90 days notice. They cancelled in January, still paid through March (£660 extra).

Ask: "What's your cancellation policy? How much notice? Any fees?"

Legitimate answer: "30 days notice, no cancellation fees" or "12-month minimum commitment, then month-to-month."

Red flag 3: Vague scope of included services

"Unlimited updates" sounds great until you discover it means "unlimited technical updates, but content changes are extra" or "unlimited small changes, major changes are extra" with no definition of "small" vs. "major."

Ask: "Specifically, what's included in monthly updates? How many hours or what types of changes? What triggers additional fees?"

Legitimate answer: Specific scope like "Up to 2 hours monthly for content updates (text changes, image swaps, blog posts). Technical updates (WordPress, plugins, security) are unlimited. Major changes (new pages, design revisions, functionality additions) are quoted separately."

Red flag 4: Locked-in technology

Some subscriptions use proprietary builders (Wix, Squarespace, custom platforms). You can't move your site elsewhere without rebuilding completely. A Ipswich consultant used a proprietary platform subscription for 2 years (£4,320 total). When she wanted to switch to WordPress for better SEO, she had to rebuild from scratch (£3,800).

Ask: "What platform is the website built on? If I leave, can I take my website to another host?"

Legitimate answer: "We use WordPress (or another standard platform). If you leave, you can take your website to any WordPress host. We'll provide all files and database."

Red flag 5: No performance guarantees

Some subscriptions include hosting but don't guarantee uptime, speed, or security. A Swindon retailer's subscription site was down 6 times in 8 months. The contract included no uptime guarantee.

Ask: "What's your uptime guarantee? What happens if the site goes down? What are your response times for issues?"

Legitimate answer: "99.9% uptime guarantee. If we fall below that, you get a credit. Critical issues (site down) are addressed within 1 hour. Non-critical issues within 24 hours."

Red flag 6: Automatic price increases

Some contracts include annual price increases (often 5-10%). A Gloucester shop's £180/month subscription increased to £198/month in year two (no notice, just higher charge). Over 5 years at 10% annual increases, that's £290/month.

Ask: "Are prices fixed? Do they increase? How much notice for price changes?"

Legitimate answer: "Prices are fixed for 12 months. We review annually and give 60 days notice of any increases."

Questions we ask potential clients:

1. What's your timeline? (Affects which model works best)
2. What's your budget structure—CapEx or OpEx?
3. Who handles technical tasks currently?
4. How often do you anticipate needing changes?
5. Do you need to own the website or is access sufficient?
6. What happens if you sell the business or franchise it?
7. Have you had a website before? What worked/didn't work about that arrangement?

These questions reveal which model fits. A client needing rapid launch, operating on OpEx, with no technical staff, and frequent changes? Subscription. A client with 6-month timeline, CapEx budget, in-house IT, and stable content? Project-based.

Conclusion

The Victorian milkman subscription worked because it matched customer needs: convenience and predictability mattered more than per-unit cost. Modern web design subscriptions work for the same reason—when convenience and predictability outweigh ownership and long-term cost.

Over 20 years, we've learned there's no universally "best" pricing model. Project-based delivers ownership and lower long-term costs for businesses with technical capability and stable needs. Subscriptions deliver convenience and predictable costs for businesses wanting zero technical responsibility. Retainers deliver continuous improvement for growth-focused businesses. Hybrid models balance ownership with ongoing support.

The right choice depends on your technical capability, accounting preferences, change frequency, ownership needs, and growth trajectory. Run the numbers over 3-5 years, not just year one. Read contracts carefully. Ask specific questions about ownership, cancellation, scope, and guarantees.

Start by auditing your current situation: How much are you spending now? What's included? What's your biggest frustration? Then match that reality against the five factors in Section 4.

For the complete picture of website costs and how service models fit into your overall investment strategy, see our pillar guide: The Real Cost of Running a WordPress Website. And for understanding how your website choice impacts your ability to convert visitors into customers, see Website Conversion Optimization for Small Businesses: Turn Visitors into Customers.

Next steps:

1. Calculate your current total website costs (hosting + maintenance + changes + emergency fixes)
2. Project those costs over 3 years
3. Compare against subscription and project-based alternatives
4. Schedule a free consultation with our team to discuss which model fits your specific situation

---

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a website subscription worth it compared to paying upfront?

Website subscriptions are worth it if you're non-technical, prefer predictable monthly costs, need regular updates, and plan to redesign within 3-5 years. They're not worth it if you have technical capability, prefer to own assets, rarely need changes, or plan to keep the site 5+ years. We've analysed the break-even point across 200+ clients: subscriptions typically cost more after 4-5 years than project-based pricing.

A real example: A Nottingham plumber pays us £185/month (£2,220/year) for subscription. A comparable project-based site costs £3,500 upfront plus £780/year for hosting and maintenance. Over 3 years: subscription costs £6,660 vs. project-based £5,840. But the subscription includes content updates worth roughly £600/year that the project-based client pays separately. When you factor in those updates, subscription delivers £1,800 more value over 3 years for £820 more cost—worth it for him because he's non-technical and needs regular updates.

What happens to my website if I stop paying a subscription?

If you stop paying a website subscription, you typically lose access to the site completely. The agency owns the design, code, and hosting. Some agencies will export your content (text and images) for free, but you'll need to rebuild the website elsewhere. Others charge a "buyout fee" (typically £1,500-5,000) to transfer ownership. Always clarify this before signing.

We've seen clients lose 2-3 years of subscription payments with nothing to show for it. A Reading retailer paid £165/month for 30 months (£4,950 total), cancelled, and received only a content export—no website files, no design. She paid another agency £3,200 to rebuild. Total cost: £8,150 for what could have been a £4,500 owned website from the start. Read your contract carefully and ask specifically: "What do I own if I cancel?"

Can I switch from a subscription to owning my website?

Yes, but it usually requires paying a buyout fee or rebuilding the site. Some agencies offer ownership transfer for £1,500-5,000 depending on site complexity. Others don't transfer at all—you'd need to rebuild with a different provider. If ownership matters to you eventually, ask about buyout terms before starting a subscription.

A Cambridge consultant paid £195/month for 18 months (£3,510 total), then wanted ownership. Her agency quoted £2,800 to transfer the site. She paid it, bringing her total to £6,310 for a site that would have cost £4,200 as a project from the start. However, she valued the low entry cost and 18 months of included maintenance, so for her situation, it still made sense. The key is knowing the buyout cost upfront so you can make an informed decision.

What's typically included in a £200/month web design subscription?

A £200/month web design subscription typically includes: website design and development (no upfront cost), hosting and domain management, SSL certificate, daily/weekly backups, WordPress and plugin updates, security monitoring, technical support, and 1-3 hours of monthly content updates. It typically excludes: major redesigns, e-commerce functionality, custom development, content creation (copywriting/photography), and marketing services.

However, scope varies enormously between providers. We've seen £200/month subscriptions that include only hosting and basic maintenance, and others that include 10 hours of monthly development work. Always ask for a detailed scope document. Specifically ask: "How many hours of changes per month? What types of changes are included? What triggers additional fees? What's your response time for requests?" Get specific answers in writing before committing.

Are there hidden costs in website subscriptions?

Yes, common hidden costs include: content creation (copywriting £80-150/page, photography £300-1,200), which most subscriptions exclude; cancellation fees if you leave before the minimum term (often 50% of remaining months); buyout fees if you want ownership (£1,500-5,000 typically); additional fees for changes beyond included hours; and price increases after the first year (some contracts include 5-10% annual increases).

A Bournemouth retailer signed a £220/month subscription thinking it was her total website cost. Hidden costs in year one: £1,800 for copywriting (8 pages), £450 for photography, £280 for booking system integration, and £1,760 cancellation fee when she tried to leave after 8 months of a 24-month contract. Her "£220/month" subscription cost £9,930 in year one. Always ask: "What's NOT included? Are there any setup fees? What's the cancellation policy? Do prices increase?"

Is it better to pay monthly or yearly for website services?

Paying annually saves 10-20% compared to monthly payments for most web services. If you're confident in the provider and have cash flow, annual payment is financially smarter. However, monthly payment provides flexibility—you can cancel if unsatisfied without losing a large upfront payment. We recommend monthly for the first 3-6 months to test the relationship, then switch to annual.

A real example: Our subscription is £185/month (£2,220/year) or £1,998 paid annually—saving £222 (10%). A Bristol salon started monthly, was happy after 6 months, and switched to annual. Over 3 years, she's saved £666 by paying annually after the trial period. But a Exeter retailer who paid annually upfront (£2,160) was unhappy after 4 months and lost most of that payment when he cancelled. Start monthly, switch to annual once you're confident.

How do I know if I should own my website or use a subscription?

Choose ownership (project-based) if you: have technical capability or IT support, prefer capital expenditure for accounting, need to own digital assets (for sale/franchise), have stable content that rarely changes, or plan to keep the site 5+ years. Choose subscription if you: are non-technical with no IT support, prefer operational expenditure, don't need ownership, have frequently changing content, or might redesign in 3-5 years.

We use a simple test: If your website goes down at 9pm on Saturday, who fixes it? If the answer is "I have no idea," you need a subscription. If the answer is "I'll handle it" or "Our IT person will," ownership works. A Southampton franchise system needed ownership to replicate their site across 12 locations—they paid £12,400 for full ownership. A Brighton café owner has no technical skills and updates menu weekly—she pays £175/month subscription and never worries about technical issues. Match the model to your capability and needs.

What questions should I ask before choosing a web design subscription?

Ask these seven questions: 1) "What exactly is included in the monthly fee and what costs extra?" 2) "What's the cancellation policy and are there any fees?" 3) "What do I own if I cancel—content, design, website files?" 4) "What platform is the site built on and can I move it elsewhere?" 5) "What are your uptime guarantees and response times?" 6) "Do prices increase and how much notice do I get?" 7) "Can I buy out the website later and what does that cost?"

These questions reveal contract traps before you sign. A Luton gym asked none of these questions and discovered: their "month-to-month" required 90 days notice (£495 extra cost), they owned nothing if they cancelled, the site was on a proprietary platform (couldn't move it), there was no uptime guarantee (site went down 6 times in 8 months), and prices increased 8% in year two with only 30 days notice. Ask questions upfront, get answers in writing, and read the contract carefully before signing.