Comparing Pricing Models & Hidden Costs

Explore the various pricing models in the market, uncover hidden costs, and understand why the free upfront model is a game-changer in today's competitive landscape. Discover how this disruptive approach can benefit you.

12/1/20255 min read

black smartphone near person
black smartphone near person

Free Website vs. ₱20,000 Agency Build: What Every Cavite SME Needs to Know Before Choosing

If you run a small business in Cavite—whether in General Trias, Imus, Dasma, or Tanza—you’ve probably heard all sorts of website offers:

“Sir, ₱25,000 po ang website.”
“Ma’am, one-year hosting included na po ’yan.”
“Pag gusto niyo po ng edits, may additional…”

And if you’ve never built a website before, lahat parang mahal, magulo, at nakaka-intimidate.

But now, a new option is becoming popular among Cavite SMEs:

👉 A free professional website build… with only monthly maintenance to pay.

For many business owners, this sounds suspiciously good.
For others, finally—the solution they’ve been waiting for.

So which is actually the better choice?

Today, we break down the real difference between a free website build and a traditional ₱20,000–₱35,000 agency build, with full transparency on:

  • Pricing

  • Hidden costs

  • Hosting fees

  • Maintenance

  • Long-term total cost

  • Which model fits which type of business

And most importantly…

💡 Why the free-upfront model is becoming disruptive for local businesses in Cavite.

1. The Cavite SME Reality: “Gusto ko ng website… pero ang mahal!”

For years, local agencies have charged:

  • ₱20,000 – ₱35,000 upfront for a basic website

  • ₱3,000 – ₱10,000 for annual hosting

  • ₱1,000 – ₱5,000 per edit or revision

  • Extra fees for backups, security, speed improvement, migration, etc.

Most Cavite businesses simply cannot justify dropping ₱20–₱30k upfront, especially if:

  • Bagong bukas pa ang negosyo

  • Income is still inconsistent

  • Walang in-house tech team

  • They don’t fully understand what they’re paying for

Result?

❌ Walang website
❌ FB page lang umaasa
❌ Business looks less credible online
❌ Lost customers searching on Google

This is the exact pain point the Free Website Build + Monthly Maintenance model aims to solve.

2. The Traditional Agency Build (₱20,000–₱35,000 Upfront)

How it works:

You pay a large one-time fee so the agency builds your site.
After that… halos lahat ay add-on cost.

Pros

  • Full ownership from Day 1

  • Customizable

  • No lock-in

Cons (the usual complaints of Cavite SMEs)

High upfront cost
Hosting usually NOT included
Maintenance NOT included
Edits are always paid
If the site breaks, ikaw bahala
No performance guarantee

And the biggest issue?

⚠️ You only paid for the build. Not the upkeep.

Which means kahit professional website pa ’yan, kung walang maintenance, it will eventually:

  • Slow down

  • Break plugins

  • Lose security updates

  • Crash

  • Become vulnerable to malware

For a lot of small Cavite businesses, hindi sulit.

3. The Free Website Build Model (Zero Upfront Cost)

This is the model used by RichardzOne Solutions.

How it works:

✔ The build is 100% free
✔ You only pay for a monthly maintenance contract (₱3,000–₱10,000 depending on tier)
✔ Minimum of 6 months lock-in
✔ Hosting is affordable and optional
✔ All maintenance tasks are included

This completely removes the barrier of:

  • large upfront investment

  • risky one-time cost

  • fear of “mahal agad” na agency

Pros

Zero upfront cost
Includes hosting setup
Includes backups, security, monitoring
Includes content edits monthly
Built in 7 days
Perfect for SMEs who want predictable monthly expenses

Cons

⚠ Requires a 6-month commitment
⚠ Not ideal if you want a super custom-coded website

But for 95% of Cavite SMEs?
This is exactly what they need—simple, fast, affordable, and maintained.

4. Hidden Costs You Must Watch Out For (Important!)

Whether you choose 20k upfront or free build, you will always need:

1. Hosting

Typical cost in the Philippines:
₱3,000–₱6,000 / year

RichardzOne hosting:
Affordable web hosting Philippines tier (optional but highly recommended)

2. Domain

Typical cost:
₱700–₱1,200 / year

This is always separate. Any agency saying “free domain for life” is lying.

3. Maintenance

This is the part most business owners don’t understand.

A website is like a vehicle.

Building it is one thing.
Maintaining it is another.

Without maintenance, your website will break eventually.

Typical maintenance cost:
➡ ₱3,000–₱10,000 monthly

Most agencies do NOT include this.
This is why traditional builds become more expensive later.

5. Which One Costs More Long-Term? (Breakdown)

Scenario A — Agency Build (₱20,000 upfront)

Year 1 Total Cost:

  • ₱20,000 build fee

  • ₱5,000 hosting

  • ₱3,000 domain + security tools

  • ₱12,000 maintenance (1,000/month basic)

  • ₱6,000 revisions (₱500–₱2,000 per request)

₱46,000 total in the first 12 months

And that’s conservative.

Scenario B — Free Website Build + Maintenance Plan

(Using the Standard ₱5,000/month plan as example)

Year 1 Total Cost:

  • ₱0 build cost

  • ₱5,000/month x 12 = ₱60,000

  • Hosting optional but affordable

₱60,000 total — but includes EVERYTHING:

✔ Build
✔ Hosting setup
✔ Backups
✔ Security
✔ Monitoring
✔ Unlimited small edits within minutes allocation
✔ Tech support
✔ Performance upgrades

No surprise cost. No add-ons. No hidden fees.
Simpleng fixed monthly lang.

6. Why the Free Upfront Model is Disruptive for Cavite SMEs

1. Removes the #1 barrier: high upfront fees

Most SMEs can afford ₱5,000 monthly…
But not ₱25,000 in one go.

This democratizes access to websites in Cavite.

2. Predictable monthly budgeting

No surprises.
No sudden ₱3,000 revision fees.
No “Sir, may additional…” every month.

3. The agency becomes accountable long-term

Because the client pays monthly,
the agency MUST keep the site performing well.

With a one-time build?
After delivery, ghosting happens often.

4. Businesses get results faster

RichardzOne Solutions uses a 7-day build workflow:

  • Day 1: Setup

  • Day 2–5: Build

  • Day 6: Review

  • Day 7: Go live

Local SMEs love fast turnaround.

5. More SMEs in Cavite can finally compete online

This model brings professional digital presence to:

  • Carinderias

  • Clinics

  • Salons

  • Home service providers

  • New cafés

  • Sari-sari stores leveling up

  • Real estate agents

  • Tutors

  • Local consultants

  • Barbershops

  • Freelancers

It’s digital equality.

7. So Which One Should You Choose? (Clear Recommendation)

Choose ₱20,000 Agency Build IF:

✔ You want a custom-coded website
✔ You have a large budget
✔ You have your own IT specialist
✔ You don’t need monthly support
✔ You prefer one-time payments

Choose Free Website Build + Monthly Maintenance IF:

✔ You want zero upfront cost
✔ You want fast results
✔ You need a simple but professional website
✔ You want someone to maintain it monthly
✔ You prefer predictable budgeting
✔ You want modern hosting + security
✔ You don’t want technical headaches
✔ You’re a Cavite SME looking for the most practical option

For 90% of SMEs in Cavite, the free upfront + monthly plan is the smarter long-term decision.

8. Why Cavite SMEs Choose RichardzOne Solutions

Because the offer is simple, honest, and fair:

  • Free basic website build

  • Affordable web hosting Philippines tier

  • Professional monthly maintenance

  • Simple 6-month lock-in

  • Fast 7-day build

  • No hidden charges

And everything is built for Cavite SMEs—your real needs, real budget, real context.

SEO FAQ (Optimized for Cavite Business Website + Affordable Web Hosting Philippines)

1. Totoo ba talaga na FREE ang website build?

Yes. You only pay the monthly maintenance plan (₱3,000–₱10,000 depending on your tier).

2. Kasama ba ang hosting?

Hosting is optional but highly recommended.
RichardzOne offers affordable web hosting Philippines plans.

3. Ilang days bago matapos ang website?

7 days following a proven workflow.

4. Puwede ba magpa-edit ng content?

Yes, each plan includes monthly minutes for content changes.

5. Ano ang difference ng free build vs. ₱20k agency?

₱20k agency = large upfront cost + paid edits
Free build = no upfront + monthly maintenance + free edits

6. Do I own the website?

Yes—full ownership after the lock-in.

7. Puwede ba ’to sa clinics, salons, restaurants?

Absolutely. This model was built specifically for local SMEs.

8. May contract ba?

Yes, simple 6-month commitment to protect both sides.

9. Do you accept businesses outside Cavite?

Yes—but Cavite SMEs are prioritized.

10. How do I start?

Just message RichardzOne Solutions for onboarding.