For South African business · 2 minute read
Pay for your website in rand, not dollars
You earn in rand, pay your staff in rand and quote your customers in rand. Yet many website builders bill South African businesses in US dollars. That makes a small monthly cost something you cannot predict.
The short answer
Appetite Host is priced in rand: R5 000 to R15 000 once-off with your first year included, then R249 to R499 a month. The price on the page is the price on your statement, whatever the exchange rate does.
Who bills in dollars
When we checked, Wix and WordPress.com both showed South African visitors their prices in US dollars. Wix’s Core plan, for example, is $29 a month, billed yearly in full, before tax. WordPress.com’s plans start at $4 a month in the first year.
What that does to your costs
Over the year to 2 October 2026, the rand moved between R15.82 and R17.47 to the dollar, according to the US Federal Reserve’s daily rates. At those two rates, the same $29 plan works out to between R459 and R507 a month, before tax and before any fee your bank charges for paying in a foreign currency.
Billed yearly, in one payment, that swing lands all at once. You find out what you paid when the statement arrives.
Why rand pricing matters for a small business
- You can budget. The amount does not change because the rand had a bad week.
- No foreign payment fees. You pay a South African company, by card or instant EFT through Paystack.
- Clear records. A rand invoice from a South African company is simple for your bookkeeper.
- Local consumer protection. You buy under South African law, with South African terms.
What the rand price includes
A lower dollar price often covers only the tools. The Appetite Host price covers the whole job:
- Your website, built for you by Naya from a conversation.
- Your own .co.za, registered in your name and renewed every year.
- Keeping it online and safe, with every version saved and backed up daily.
- Changes when you ask: 20, 50 or 100 a month, depending on your plan.
- Your first year, included in the once-off price.
Questions
Is Appetite Host’s price in rand?
Yes, always: R5 000 to R15 000 once-off with your first year included, then R249 to R499 a month. Appetite Technology is not registered for VAT, so no VAT is added to the price shown.
How do I pay?
By card or instant EFT, through Paystack. Your first year is included in the once-off price; after that you pay monthly.
Will the price go up when the rand weakens?
No. The rand price does not follow the exchange rate. If we ever change a price, we give you a month’s notice and you can cancel without a penalty.
Prices checked on 8 October 2026, as each provider showed them to a visitor in South Africa. They change; check with the provider before you decide.
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