Start with the job the website needs to do
A brochure website explaining a tradesperson’s services is different from a shop managing stock, payments and delivery. A link to an existing booking system is different from building a booking application. Those differences affect scope and cost.
Before comparing quotes, write down the pages, required functions, who supplies the content, where the website will be hosted and who will update it. Ask every provider to price the same brief. A large “from” price range is less useful than a clear answer about your own business.
MadeReal’s two options
Both start with a free homepage preview. You only choose a paid route if you want to proceed.
| What is included | £35 monthly plan | £197 one-off build |
|---|---|---|
| Website design and build | Agreed website included | Agreed website included |
| Ongoing managed hosting and SSL | Included while active | Arrangements confirmed before purchase |
| Direct ongoing website support | Part of the plan; larger work agreed first | Future work and costs agreed separately |
| When you leave | Cancel anytime; site goes offline when plan ends | You keep the finished website files |
Domain registration and renewal, business email, full shops and specialist integrations are discussed separately. Do not assume an extra is included simply because it appears on another provider’s package.
What does £35/month add up to?
The plan costs £420 over 12 months or £840 over 24 months, before any separately agreed extras. That arithmetic is useful for budgeting, but it is not a like-for-like comparison with a £197 build: the monthly route includes an ongoing managed service.
If you want someone to handle the website and be available for changes, that service may be worthwhile. If you prefer managing the arrangements yourself after handover, a one-off build may be the better fit. Neither payment model is automatically better for everyone.
Ownership, access and cancellation are separate questions
Owning a domain is not the same as owning website files or paying for hosting. Keep your domain account under your control and understand who can change its settings. Your Google Business Profile should remain owned by your business too.
With MadeReal’s monthly plan, cancellation ends the managed website service and the website goes offline when the plan ends. A transferable site is not automatically part of that arrangement. If you expect to move later, discuss the options before buying or cancelling.
With the one-off build, you keep the finished files. That does not make domain renewals, email, hosting or future development universally free. Get those arrangements in writing so there is no surprise later.
What should a Lancashire business compare?
For a business in Colne, Burnley or Pendle, the useful questions are practical: can the designer explain your work, show real examples, make mobile contact easy and respond when details change? Being local is helpful context, not proof of quality by itself.
Compare the real MadeReal projects and the full monthly plan. Ask about anything outside a straightforward business website before committing, especially payments, stock, customer logins or complex booking flows.
You can also view the £197 one-off option or see a homepage preview for free. The first decision is whether you like the design, not which payment link to click.