Rent or own

Rent or own: what really changes

A subscription platform or a site in your name: seven concrete criteria to make an informed choice.

Comparison by type of tool. Each platform has its own plans: read its terms before you decide.

The principle

What ownership changes

On a subscription platform, the code, data and hosting stay with it. With SOGNI DIGITALI, domain, server, accounts and code are created in your name. After the key handover, you only pay your suppliers, on accounts in your name.

Code and data: with the platform, or with you
Hosting: on its servers, or on an account in your name
Recurring cost: a subscription, or supplier costs written into the quote
Changing provider: rebuild everything, or nothing to migrate

Rent or own

Six criteria, two ways of working

Rent or own comparison, horizontal scrolling possible
Rent or own comparison, horizontal scrolling possible	Subscription platform	With SOGNI DIGITALI
Code and database	With the platform	Yours, handed over with a guide
Domain, server, accounts	With the platform; the domain can be transferred	In your company's name
Your customers' data	On the platform's servers	On your server, in Europe
Lock-in	Rules and features set by the platform	Suppliers in your name, replaceable
Commission on sales	Possible, depending on the plan and payment method	No platform commission
The day you leave	Export what you can, then rebuild	Nothing to migrate: it is all yours already

The tinted column describes SOGNI DIGITALI

Speed and accessibility

Two criteria your visitors feel

Speed on a platform

It depends on the theme, the apps you add and the settings the platform allows.

Speed with SOGNI DIGITALI

Light pages, code written for your site, performance measured on Core Web Vitals at delivery.

Accessibility on a platform

It depends on the template you choose and the care given to each piece of content.

Accessibility with us

AA level targeted from the mockup: contrast, keyboard navigation, alt text.

The other routes

What each tool leaves you

Website builder (Wix, Squarespace…)

What you own: Your content is yours; the site runs on the platform's technology and servers.
When you leave: The domain can be transferred; the site itself usually has to be rebuilt elsewhere.
Its strength: Visual editor, fast launch, managed hosting and security.

Hosted e-commerce platform (Shopify…)

What you own: The store runs on the platform, with its theme and apps.
When you leave: The catalogue can be exported; the store is rebuilt elsewhere.
Its strength: Quick start, built-in payments, a wide choice of apps.

WordPress with an agency

What you own: Free software; theme, hosting and accounts as per the contract signed with the agency.
When you leave: Portable if the accounts are in your name: check it in the contract.
Its strength: Wide choice of agencies and plugins.

In plain terms

When renting still makes sense

A subscription platform is a good tool in many cases. If yours is one of them, we will say so on the free diagnostic, without trying to sell you a pack.

You are testing an idea and want to be online fast, without a long-term commitment.
You are opening a small store with a handful of products.
The site is for a short-lived event or campaign.
You have no time to manage supplier accounts in your name.
Owning the code and data does not matter to you today.
You accept rebuilding the site the day you leave.

The day the site becomes central to your business, the ownership question comes back. We can then bring your content over.

Questions about the comparison

Why a comparison without figures?

Platform plans change often and vary by country. The criteria that last lie elsewhere: who owns the code, the domain and the data, and how much effort it takes to leave.

Why compare with Wix, Shopify, WordPress?

These are the tools businesses most often use or consider. The comparison shows what you own, where your data lives and what you take with you when you leave.

What does a site in your name cost?

It depends on the scope. The written quote, sent after the free 30-minute diagnostic, sets the scope, the timeline in weeks and the year-2 cost.

Can I bring over my current site's content?

Yes. Moving content over from your old site is an option, written into the quote. The free diagnostic first looks at what can be brought over.

What if I want to change provider later?

Nothing to migrate: it is all in your name already. The handover file explains how your site is built, for another provider as for any AI.

Do I need Sogni Care to stay the owner?

No. Sogni Care is optional: ownership of your site, server and data never depends on Care.

How we compare

Qualitative criteria only: ownership, data location, lock-in, commission, exit, speed, accessibility. No platform price is quoted.

Public terms and help centres of the platforms named, consulted on [date à compléter avant publication].

Platforms change: if a line is no longer accurate, write to us and we will fix it.

What do you rent today?

A free 30-minute diagnostic: what you rent, and what you could own.

Book a free 30-min diagnostic

See what you own