Who pays for hosting after launch?
Normally the client, because the software and its data are the client's. The cleanest setup is for the hosting, domains and third-party services to be on accounts in the client's name, billed to the client, with the vendor added as a user. Agree this in the contract before the build starts.
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Why the accounts should be yours
Whoever holds the hosting account controls the system. If the vendor opens it in their own name and re-bills you, you depend on them to move it later. Holding the accounts yourself makes ownership, handover and switching vendors simple, and it shows you the real running costs.
What to agree
- 1Which accounts exist: cloud hosting, domain and DNS, email, app stores, payment providers, monitoring, AI APIs.
- 2Whose name and card each one uses, and who gets admin access.
- 3A budget and alerts for usage-based services, so a bug or a spike does not cause a surprise bill.
- 4Who watches costs and suggests savings after launch.
- 5What happens to access when the contract ends.
Common follow-up questions.
Can the vendor host it for us?
Yes, as a managed service, if the contract says so. Make sure you can export the code, data and configuration, and move the system if you need to.
Who pays for hosting during the build?
Agree it up front. Often the client opens the accounts at the start, so development, staging and production costs are visible from day one.
How do I estimate hosting costs?
Start from expected users and traffic, then add storage, data transfer and per-use services. Our cloud and hosting tools give a first estimate.
Related questions and guides.
- Who owns the code when you hire a software agency?Question
- How do I avoid vendor lock-in?Question
- How do I hand over a software project?Question
- AI agent vs workflow automationComparison
- RAG vs fine-tuningComparison
- GlossaryEvery term, in plain words.
- Vendor lock-inGlossary
- HandoverGlossary
- Pricing librarySoftware and API prices, each with its source and date.
