Compare the full cost of a website move
A cheaper hosting line does not necessarily make a website move cheaper. Compare the one-time migration cost and all recurring services over the same period. If the new setup is simpler but costs more, make that tradeoff explicit.
Start with comparable costs
Use actual invoices for your current setup and written quotes for the proposed one. Convert annual charges to a monthly equivalent by dividing by 12. Use the same currency and tax treatment on both sides. Keep services you still need, such as domains and mailboxes, in both totals.
| Cost | Current website | Proposed website |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting or website plan | Current invoice and renewal rate | Agreed recurring hosting charge |
| Maintenance and platform support | Retainer or service charges | What support includes and excludes |
| Human content updates | Actual or expected paid update work | Separately quoted work you expect to request |
| Domains and email | Registration, renewals, mailbox services | Services retained or replaced |
| Other functionality | Plugins, booking, forms, stores and tools | Any retained or replacement service |
| One-time work | Exit fees or work required to keep the old site | Migration, custom design, integrations and launch work |
Download the website cost worksheet (CSV). Fill in your own invoices and quotes; blank entries are not assumed to be free.
Calculate the first-year cost
Let C be the current total monthly equivalent, N the proposed total monthly equivalent, and M all one-time switching costs. For a simple comparison with stable monthly costs:
Current first-year cost = 12 × C Proposed first-year cost = M + 12 × N First-year difference = (M + 12 × N) − 12 × C
A positive difference means the proposed setup costs more in the first year. A negative difference means it costs less under those assumptions. Add any overlap period, cancellation charge, tax or service you did not include in the monthly totals.
When would lower recurring costs pay back the migration?
If the recurring saving C − N is positive, a simplified break-even estimate is:
Months to recover switching cost = M ÷ (C − N)
If the proposed recurring cost is equal to or higher than the current one, there is no cost-only break-even under this model. You may still value a different workflow, but do not call it a financial saving.
Apply this to a SiteSnug quote
SiteSnug's published migration starting prices are $499 for up to 10 pages and $999 for up to 100 pages, per site, subject to review and a written quote. More involved work needs a custom quote; requests above 100 pages also require capacity confirmation. Hosting is separate.
The homepage's monthly packages are proposed plans, not a current offer, and paid subscriptions are not open yet. Do not treat a draft package as an approved recurring quote. Managed content updates include no promised editing-time allowance and are quoted separately. Domain, mailbox and other vendor charges may continue after the move.
For planning, use the final migration quote and the agreed recurring arrangement. Migration payment is 50% before work and 50% after preview approval, before launch; this affects cash timing, not the total cost. Read the migration pricing and scope and service terms.
Compare the workload as well as the invoice
List what you want to simplify: editing hours, plugin upkeep, coordinating vendors or approving changes. Compare those needs with SiteSnug's supported dashboard, private previews and optional API access. Account for features that need a separate service or cannot move unchanged.
The WordPress migration guide helps identify those dependencies. Use the migration checklist to agree the inventory and acceptance checks before committing.