Last updated: 23 October 2026 · By Maurice, freeehouse team · About 3 minutes to read
Why three years?
Because almost every offer looks different in the first year than afterwards. Promotional prices run 6 to 12 months, free domains one year, and some agency offers are expensive to build and cheap afterwards. Three years even this out and roughly match the time after which many businesses rethink their site.
Which items belong in the calculation?
| Item | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Build | one-off, including your own time if you build it yourself |
| Subscription or hosting | per year, after all promotions end |
| Domain | from the year it is no longer free |
| Mailboxes | per year |
| Extensions, apps, licences | per year |
| Care | your own time or a service provider |
Example 1: IONOS Plus website builder
According to the plan page of 22 October 2026, including VAT, with a mailbox in the plan:
| Year | Subscription | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 × €1 | €12 |
| 2 | 12 × €18 | €216 |
| 3 | 12 × €18 | €216 |
| Total | €444 |
On top, from the second year, the domain and your time. Let's say you build the site over three evenings and spend one hour a month maintaining it. Over three years that is around 50 hours.
Example 2: Jimdo Grow website builder
According to the price page, €20 per month on a 12-month term, including VAT, no mailbox in the plan:
| Year | Subscription | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | 3 × €240 | €720 |
On top, a mailbox with another provider, possibly the domain from the second term, and again your time.
Example 3: WordPress with a service provider
There is no provider price we can quote here, because hosting, licences and maintenance can be combined freely. Calculate with your own quotes: the build once, then three years of hosting, licences and maintenance. With WordPress your own time is lower if a service provider does the upkeep, but the amount of money goes up.
How do I value my own time?
The simplest way is the hourly rate you charge your own customers, or what a free evening is worth to you. 50 hours over three years sounds like little, but it is more than a full working week. In our conversations, many businesses told us they sit at the website in the evening instead of finishing for the day.
What does the result tell you?
With website builders, the money over three years is usually between roughly €300 and €750, plus domain, mailbox and time. With agencies the amount is higher and the time lower. Which solution is cheapest depends on how you value your time and how much owning the site matters to you.
Put freeehouse into the same table: build €0, your own time close to zero because we take over the content, and a fixed yearly price for hosting with care that is below what you pay today and never goes up. You get your exact price in writing. Claim your spot on the waiting list
Your own calculation as a template
| Item | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build or your own build time | |||
| Subscription or hosting | |||
| Domain | |||
| Mailboxes | |||
| Apps, licences | |||
| Care, your own time or a service provider | |||
| Total |
Fill in a separate table for each offer. Only the total over three years shows what is really cheaper.
Frequently asked questions
What does a website cost over three years?
With website builders, roughly €300 to €750 according to the price pages, plus domain, mailbox and your own time. With agencies, the project budget comes on top.
How do I count promotional prices?
By their actual term. €1 for 12 months is €12, after that the regular price applies.
Should I count my own time?
Yes. With website builders it is often the biggest item, even though it is not on the invoice.
Which solution is cheapest?
In money, usually the website builder with a low ongoing price. Counting your own time, a looked-after solution can be cheaper.
Sources
- IONOS: Homepage-Baukasten, Tarife, accessed 23 October 2026
- Jimdo: Preise und Pakete, accessed 23 October 2026
- STRATO: Homepage-Baukasten, Tarife, accessed 23 October 2026
Providers' prices and terms change often. What counts is what's in your customer account and your contract. Not legal advice.
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