Renting a website instead of buying it - when the model works and where it ends
Table of contents 5 sections
'Renting a website' - clarifying the term before you decide
Anyone in Austria searching for 'rent a website' or 'rent a homepage' usually does not have the precise legal concept of a lease in mind. What searchers want to describe is something else: they do not want to spend one large amount up front, but rather a predictable monthly cost in which the website is included with everything that comes with it. Hosting, maintenance, support, ongoing changes - all from a single source, with one contract and one monthly invoice.
Technically and contractually, what we offer as a website subscription is not a classic lease in the legal sense. It is a service package: you enter into a service contract with a minimum term and a defined scope of services. The website is built for you, operated by us and kept up to date on an ongoing basis. You pay monthly for the use and the ongoing service, not for a leased object in the classic sense.
The colloquial term 'renting' nevertheless captures the economic reality well: you have no acquisition costs on your balance sheet, no separate maintenance contract, no separate hosting - the website is at your disposal as long as the contract runs. That is exactly what most SMEs are looking for when they google this model.
How the model works in practice
Three points define day-to-day operation.
First, setup and build. You pay a one-time setup fee of €390. For this we advise you on the concept, build the website with text, images and the functional logic you have chosen, and put it online. Depending on scope, the lead time is two to four weeks.
Second, the monthly cost. You choose the package that suits your company size and your requirements - €99 for our Starter package, €149 for Business, €249 for Professional. Every package includes web design, hosting on servers within the EU, technical maintenance, support and ongoing content changes within the defined scope.
Third, the minimum term. It is 24 months. During this time the monthly cost is fixed and predictable, with no indexation or surprise surcharges. After the 24 months the contract continues on a monthly basis until you cancel, continue the model or take over the website.
For a complete list of what is included in each package and what is deliberately not included, see the article Which services are included in the rental model. The contract details, including notice periods and service descriptions, are set out on the page covering the contract details and minimum term.
Ownership and takeover - no lock-in beyond the minimum term
A legitimate question that comes up in every initial conversation: what happens to the website if I want to step out at some point? The honest answer is clearly structured.
During the minimum term, ownership of the code and the hosting infrastructure remains with us. You have full usage rights, can promote, link and embed the website in print materials without restriction. Your content - text, images, logos - always remains your property.
After 24 months you have three options.
First, continue the model monthly. You keep the all-inclusive service, the contract continues with a monthly notice period, and the monthly cost remains unchanged.
Second, take over the website. For a one-time buyout of €690 we transfer ownership of the code and the necessary configurations to you. You can then host it yourself, commission another provider to maintain it, or continue running the content unchanged. From the point of takeover, hosting and maintenance become your responsibility - that is no longer part of our service.
Third, cancel. The website is switched off and, on request, you receive your content in a structured export.
This takeover logic is the point at which 'renting' differs from a classic lease: at the end of the term you can acquire the leased object at a clearly defined, transparent price. There is no lock-in beyond the minimum term.
Limits of the model - when 'renting' does not fit
There are three situations in which a classic one-time purchase or your own hosting is structurally a better fit than the rental model.
First, an existing IT team with its own hosting infrastructure. If your business has internal developers or administrators who cover hosting and maintenance anyway, in the subscription you are paying for services that already exist internally. Here a one-time purchase or a pure web design service without hosting and maintenance is more economical.
Second, a one-off campaign or event project with a defined end date. A landing page for a trade fair that is over in six months cannot be forced into a 24-month model without producing surplus. For such projects, fixed-price offers are the clean choice.
Third, compliance or group requirements that demand ownership of the code, data residency on your own servers or specific security audits. Some regulated industries or parent groups do not permit a rented setup. Here a one-time purchase with your own hosting is the only suitable route.
In all three cases it is more honest to clarify this in the initial conversation than to choose a model that later has to be rebuilt. You will find the full comparison between subscription, one-time purchase and fixed price - with a cash-flow example calculation over 24 and 36 months - in the article Subscription or one-time purchase - the model comparison.
Who the model works for
Three profiles for which the rental model works particularly well in practice.
SMEs without their own IT resources. Anyone who does not have an internal employee to take care of hosting, updates and maintenance gains an orderly day-to-day routine without surprise invoices thanks to the all-inclusive logic.
Owner-managed businesses that value liquidity. An acquisition of €8,000 or €12,000 burdens the cash position at a moment when you already have effort tied up in briefing and internal coordination. A predictable monthly cost spreads this burden cleanly.
Practices, law firms and consulting businesses with ongoing update needs. Anyone who regularly announces new staff, maintains job postings, adds new events or updates content benefits from the all-inclusive logic of ongoing changes. With a one-time purchase, these adjustments are billed individually at an hourly rate, which over the year quickly costs more than the all-inclusive monthly fee.
For all other profiles the rule is: an honest diagnosis in the initial conversation clarifies which model structurally fits your business - 'renting' is one option among several, not a cure-all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'renting a website' legally the same as a classic lease?
No. Contractually it is a service contract with a minimum term, not a lease in the legal sense. Economically, however, it behaves similarly: you pay monthly for the use and the ongoing service, with no acquisition outlay.
Who owns the website during the minimum term?
The code and hosting remain our property, while your content (text, images, logos) remains your property throughout. You have full usage rights over the website as long as the contract runs.
What does taking over the website after 24 months cost?
A one-time buyout of €690. With it we transfer the code and the necessary configurations to you. From takeover, hosting and maintenance are your responsibility.
Can I simply switch provider after 24 months?
Yes. You can cancel, take over the website and hand it to another provider, or continue the model. There is no obligation to renew and no hurdles that make switching difficult.
Is there an exit option for use shorter than 24 months?
The minimum term of 24 months is binding. Anyone planning a shorter project - for example a trade fair landing page over six months - is better served by a fixed-price offer. We discuss this openly in the initial conversation.
