Why does Sjems work without a subscription?
At Sjems you pay once for the website, and after that only for hours you request yourself. No monthly fee, no minimum, no contract that auto-renews.
The reason is simple: most websites need little maintenance after delivery. A subscription makes you pay every month for something you often do not touch. At Sjems you only pay when something actually happens, and you see up front how many hours it will take.
What does an average agency subscription cost?
Agencies usually charge €30 to €99 per month for 'hosting and maintenance'. That is €360 to €1188 per year. Over three years that adds up to €1080 to €3564, whether or not anything changes on your site.
For that money you could get a whole new website at Sjems. People who pay a subscription pay for peace of mind. Fine choice if you think it is worth it, but many small businesses do not know it can be done differently.
What do you pay at Sjems after delivery?
Only hours for work you request yourself, €75 ex VAT per hour. An hour usually covers a batch of changes: copy edits, replacing photos, adding a section, updating prices.
Hosting and domain are registered in your name and paid directly by you, usually €10 to €15 per year for the domain and free hosting via Vercel's Hobby tier. For larger sites or webshops, hosting can go up to €20 per month, again directly with Vercel. I sit alongside during setup, but the costs do not run through me.
When does a subscription make sense?
When your site literally gets updated every week, with new products, blogs, prices or promotions. Think a large webshop or a news platform. Then there is so much work that a flat monthly fee can be more efficient.
That does not apply to the average small business. That kind of site changes a few times a year. A subscription is then paying for nothing.
What does this mean long term?
Quick example. A €1495 website at Sjems, plus an average of three hours maintenance per year. That is €1495 one-off, plus €225 per year. Over five years: €2620 total.
Same website at an agency with a €59 monthly subscription. Often there is a starting fee of around €995 to €1500 too. So €1200 one-off, plus €708 per year. Over five years: €4740 total, and the site usually is not even yours.
Are you always cheaper at Sjems? No, only if you do not really need that extra service. And that applies to most small businesses.
So I am not locked into anything?
Correct. The site is yours from the day you pay. Domain, hosting and logins registered in your name. Want to continue with another party later? You take everything with you and are switched within an afternoon.
I use standard tech that every web designer knows, so you are not locked into my way of building either. That is intentional. You build trust by not tying people down.
Practical experience at DCT B.V., a supplier of welding tables and clamping tools for the steel industry. Daily conversations with business owners about their websites, what works and what does not. Complemented by hands-on experience building websites for small businesses through Sjems.