Do I Own My Website? 7 Questions to Ask Before You Hire
Domain, hosting, contract and cancellation: the questions to ask any web designer before you pay.
Read the 7 ownership questionsEthos Web Development & SEO is a family-owned web design and SEO company that builds fast, premium websites, found on Google and AI, for service businesses across the United States, ready in 7 business days and 100% yours.
Ethos offers three kinds of help: web design services that give you a fast, beautiful site, SEO and GEO services that get it found on Google and AI, and websites built for your industry.

A handcrafted, fast website with no page limit for $1,500. Built in clean code and 100% yours.
See the $1,500 custom website
One fast page with a contact form and basic SEO for $800, ideal when your business is just starting.
Start with a landing page for $800
Moving off Wix or an old agency site? We rebuild it, keep what already ranks and give you full ownership.
Plan your website redesign
Our complete $2,400 package: website, keyword research, SEO copy, schema and AI-ready content.
See what the $2,400 package includes
Keyword research, SEO copy, schema and Search Console built into your site, with no monthly fee.
See what our SEO setup includes
Prepare your business to be understood and recommended by ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity.
See how GEO gets you recommended
Show your work, earn trust and win more jobs, with the same approach that took Cornerstone to #1.
See websites for contractors and painters
A trustworthy, fast site that turns local searches into booked residential and commercial clients.
See websites for cleaning companies
High-end websites for salons, studios, designers and agents whose image is what sells.
See high-end websites for premium brandsIf customers can't find you on Google or in AI answers, they hire someone else, even when your work is better.
Most owners we talk to grew on word of mouth, and these are the signs it is no longer enough.
We answer each of those problems with one website built to be found, delivered fast and fully yours.
The ETHOS Method takes you from a free call to a live website in five steps and 7 business days: Explore, Target, Handcraft, Optimize and Ship.
A free Zoom call and a market study of your area, so we know what your customers search for.
We choose the keywords and pages that match how people look for your service and city.
We build your site in clean code, fast and mobile first, around your photos and your story.
SEO, GEO and three rounds of adjustments until every page says exactly what you want.
We launch on hosting in your name and hand you full ownership, in 7 business days.
You pay 50% to start and 50% at delivery, after three rounds of adjustments.
Book Your Free Website Strategy CallBusinesses choose Ethos for speed, a site that gets found, clear prices and full ownership, from a family that answers you directly.
From the day we receive your material to launch, for sites up to 10 pages. No months of waiting on an agency.
SEO, GEO and structured data (Schema.org code) come built in, so Google and AI tools understand what you do.
Every site is tested on Google PageSpeed Insights and built to WCAG 2.2 AA. All sites delivered score above 98.
Your site and hosting are in your name from day one. Nothing goes offline if you stop working with us.
Published prices, 50% to start and 50% at delivery. The Care Plan is optional and you can cancel anytime.
A family business that works with you in English, Spanish or Portuguese, directly with the founders.
Choose the company that shows you the full cost over time, puts the site and hosting in your name and builds SEO and GEO in from day one.
The cheapest option on day one is not always the cheapest after three years, and it rarely includes SEO or GEO.
| What you compare | Ethos Website + SEO & GEO | DIY builder (Wix, Squarespace) | Freelancer | Agency on a monthly plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | $2,400, one time | $0 to start | About $1,500 to $8,000 | Often bundled into the monthly fee |
| Monthly cost | $0. Optional Care Plan at $250, cancel anytime | About $16 to $139 per month | Varies, often $0 to $200 for upkeep | From about $449 per month at one large provider |
| SEO and GEO | Built in from day one | Up to you | Rarely included | Usually an extra monthly service |
| Who owns the site | You, from day one, on hosting in your name | You, but it lives on their platform | Depends on your agreement | Often only after the contract ends |
| Contract | None | Plan subscription | Per project | Commonly 6 to 12 months |
| Time to launch | 7 business days | Your own evenings and weekends | Usually several weeks | 4 to 10 weeks at one large provider |
Ask every provider these six questions; clear, written answers are the best sign you will not be surprised later.
Will the domain and hosting be in my name?
With Ethos, yes. Hosting is always bought in your name, and we only manage it if you choose the Care Plan.
What happens to my site if I stop paying?
Nothing. Your site stays online on your hosting. Ask any provider this before you sign.
What exactly is included for Google and AI search?
Ours: keyword research, SEO copy, schema, Search Console setup and AI-ready content.
Can I see real speed scores and results?
Ask for live PageSpeed tests and real client sites. Every site we have delivered scores above 98.
Is the full price written down before we start?
Our prices are public: $800, $1,500 or $2,400, paid 50% to start and 50% at delivery.
Is there a contract or a minimum term?
No contract. The Care Plan is optional, month to month, and you can cancel anytime.
Ethos works 100% online with businesses in every U.S. state, from our base in North Carolina.
We meet over Zoom, phone and WhatsApp, Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm Eastern, wherever your business is in the U.S.
Pick a time for your free callYour website is in English, and every call, message and adjustment can happen in the language you prefer.
Meet the family behind EthosThese are real reviews from business owners we have helped, quoted exactly as they appear on Google.
[PREENCHER: real Google review, quoted exactly as published]
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[PREENCHER: link to the Ethos Google Business Profile reviews]
Here are straight answers to the ten questions we hear most on our calls, from price and timing to ownership and AI search.
A Landing Page is $800, a Custom Website is $1,500 and a Website + SEO & GEO is $2,400, paid once. The Care Plan is optional at $250 per month. See all packages and prices, or read our 2026 website cost guide to compare the market.
Your website is ready in 7 business days after we receive all your material, for sites up to 10 pages. Larger sites get a timeline agreed on our call.
First signs usually appear in 4 to 8 weeks, and stronger results in 3 to 6 months, because SEO (search engine optimization) builds trust with Google over time. That is why our SEO & GEO package sets everything up on day one.
We don't promise a number, because it depends on your city and your competition. On our call, we show you a market study of your area so you can see what is realistic.
No. Your website is a one-time payment and the hosting is yours. The Care Plan is optional, at $250 per month, and you can cancel anytime.
You do, from day one. Your hosting is always in your name. Read the 7 ownership questions to ask any web designer.
GEO (generative engine optimization) prepares your website to be understood and recommended by AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity. It is included in the $2,400 package. Start with our plain-English guide to GEO or see how GEO works for your business.
No problem. We send you a simple guide to photograph your jobs with your phone, and we use professional stock images until you have your own.
Yes. A website redesign costs the same as our packages, and we keep what already ranks when we move your site.
Yes. We work online with businesses across the United States, Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm Eastern, in English, Spanish or Portuguese. Book a call in your language.
Our guides answer the questions owners ask before they hire anyone, in plain English and with real numbers.
Domain, hosting, contract and cancellation: the questions to ask any web designer before you pay.
Read the 7 ownership questions
The on-site and off-site checklist, based on studies of the sources AI tools cite.
Get the ChatGPT checklist
Three-year costs, speed scores and SEO limits side by side, so you can choose with real numbers.
Compare Wix and a custom websiteTell us about your business and we will reply within 24 hours, Monday to Saturday, to confirm a free Zoom call, in English, Spanish or Portuguese.