Three ways to get a website.
Build it yourself, hire an agency, or have me build it for $0 down. Typical figures for a Rockford service business, side by side. Agency pricing varies, so check any quote against this list.
Wix or Squarespace
- Up front
- $0
- Monthly
- $29 to $49, plus your evenings
- Who builds it
- You, from a template
- Who owns the site
- The platform; you cannot take it with you
- Contract
- Month to month
- Time to live
- Whenever you finish it
- See it before you pay
- Yes, you are building it
- Changes after launch
- You do them
- Google and AI search setup
- DIY
Typical web agency
- Up front
- Often $1,500 to $2,000 or more
- Monthly
- Hosting and changes on top; some agencies bill monthly with a minimum term
- Who builds it
- A team; you may never meet the builder
- Who owns the site
- Varies by contract
- Contract
- Often 12 months
- Time to live
- Weeks to months
- See it before you pay
- Rarely
- Changes after launch
- Billed per request
- Google and AI search setup
- Usually an add-on
N5 Studio
- Up front
- $0 down
- Monthly
- $99 Core, $179 Plus
- Who builds it
- Me, Ryan, by hand
- Who owns the site
- You do. Code, content and domain
- Contract
- None. Cancel anytime, full export
- Time to live
- About 7 days
- See it before you pay
- Yes, a demo of your own site
- Changes after launch
- Small updates included, within 48 hours
- Google and AI search setup
- Built in: schema, Google profile, plain facts AI can quote
Questions
Is a website builder like Wix or Squarespace good enough for a local service business?
It can work if you have the time to build it and keep it up. The trade-off is your own evenings, a template that looks like everyone else's, and a site you cannot take with you if you leave the platform.
Why does N5 Studio cost less up front than most Rockford web design agencies?
There is no build fee. The build is covered by the monthly plan, so you pay nothing until the site is live. If you cancel, you leave with the full site, domain and content.
What happens if I cancel N5 Studio?
You keep everything: the code, the content and the domain, which is always in your name. There is no contract and no cancellation fee.
See yours before you pay.
A free audit, then a demo of your own site. If you do not like it, you owe nothing.