Ask who owns the domain, what you pay upfront and monthly, how long the contract runs, whether the site is a template, who makes updates, and what happens if you cancel. The answers tell you whether you are buying a website or renting one, and our answers are in the table below.
The ten questions, with our answers
| Question | Why it matters | Sunlift's answer |
|---|---|---|
| Who owns my domain? | If the designer holds it, leaving gets expensive. | You do, and we recommend buying it in your name before we start. |
| What will I pay upfront and monthly? | The upfront price hides the real cost when monthly fees appear later. | $49 Rise or $99 Shine, with hosting, maintenance and routine updates included and no hidden fees. |
| How long is the contract, and is there an exit fee? | Some plans we reviewed required 12 months, and one charged $2,000 to leave early. | No contract, cancel anytime. |
| Is it a template? | Templates decide what your content can say before you write it. | No. Every site starts from a blank canvas. |
| What does the mobile version feel like? | Most of your customers will only ever see the phone version. | An app-like experience with Add to Home Screen. |
| Who makes updates? | A site you cannot update becomes a site that is wrong. | We do. Routine updates are included, and Shine gets priority. |
| Are SEO and AI structure included? | Retrofitting structure costs more than building it in. | Yes, at launch on every plan. Ongoing SEO and AEO come with Shine. |
| What happens if I cancel? | This is where ownership clauses hide. | Your domain, content, photos and brand assets stay yours, and the site is hosted by Sunlift while your plan is active. |
| Can I see live sites you've built? | Screenshots flatter; live sites tell the truth. | Yes. Our work page lists live client sites you can open on your phone. |
| When does the timeline start? | A fast quote with a slow start is not fast. | Seven business days, starting once we have your materials and payment. |
1. Who owns my domain?
Your domain is your address on the internet, and it should be registered in your name, paid from your account. We ask every client to own theirs before we start.
2. What will I pay upfront and monthly?
Get both numbers in writing before anything starts. Ours are simple: $49 or $99 a month, first month to start, everything included.
3. How long is the contract, and is there an exit fee?
In the pay-monthly plans we reviewed, 12-month terms were standard and one charged $2,000 to leave early. Sunlift has no contract and no exit fee.
4. Is it a template?
A template is not automatically bad, but you should know when you are getting one. Ask to see the starting point, and ask what yours will share with other sites.
5. What does the mobile version feel like?
Open the designer's own site on your phone, then open sites they built. If those feel like shrunken desktop pages, yours will too.
6. Who makes updates?
Every site needs updates: hours, prices, photos, announcements. Know whether updates are included, billed hourly, or entirely yours to figure out.
7. Are SEO and AI structure included?
Structure is cheapest at build time. Ask whether headings, schema and page speed are part of the build or a separate line item later.
8. What happens if I cancel?
Ask before you sign, not after. You should leave with your domain, your content, your photos and your brand assets, every time.
9. Can I see live sites you've built?
Portfolios show screenshots; ask for addresses. Open two or three on your phone and try to do the thing the business wants you to do.
10. When does the timeline start?
A timeline without a start condition is a guess. Ours is seven business days, starting once we have your materials and payment.