FAQ
Common questions, honest answers.
If you don't see what you're looking for, just ask.
Getting started
How does the process work?
We start with a 30-minute call (or detailed brief). We learn your goals, audience, and what you sell. Then we design a custom preview around your brand. You review and give feedback. We refine and ship. Most projects launch in 4–8 weeks.
What do I need before we start?
Just your business goals and any existing brand assets (logo, photos). Don't have a logo? We can recommend a brand designer. Don't have copy? We help shape it. Don't have photos? We'll discuss options.
How long does a project take?
Starter sites: 3–4 weeks. Business sites: 4–6 weeks. E-commerce: 6–8 weeks. Anything more complex (custom platforms, course sites): 8–12 weeks. We give you a real estimate after the kickoff call.
Pricing
Why does it cost more than Squarespace?
Because it is more. Squarespace is a template you rent. We design a site around your brand, you own the code and design, and there are zero transaction fees or platform cuts. Over 3 years, a custom site usually costs less than a Squarespace + Shopify + Teachable stack.
What does "First year of CMS license included" mean?
Our setup price includes the first 12 months of access to the GoLive CMS — the tool you use to update your site. After year 1, the license renews at $600/year. You can cancel any time and keep your website (just on your own hosting).
Are there transaction fees on sales?
Zero from us. You'll still pay the payment processor (Stripe / Square / PayPal — usually 2.9% + $0.30) — but those go to the processor, not to a platform middleman.
Do you require a contract?
A short one-page agreement covering scope, timeline, and payment terms. No long lock-ins on the build itself. Monthly hosting / growth plans are month-to-month.
Ownership
What does "you own everything" mean?
You own the code, the design, the content, and the data. We hand over a Git repository at launch. If you cancel our monthly plan, your site keeps working — just deployed to whatever host you choose.
Can I leave and take my site with me?
Yes. We'll help you move it to a new host (DigitalOcean, Vercel, AWS — your choice). No lock-in.
Can I edit it myself?
Yes. The CMS is built for non-technical owners — visual editor, drag-and-drop blocks, no code required for everyday updates.
Maintenance & hosting
What if I cancel the monthly plan?
Your site stays yours. You'll need to move it to your own hosting (we can help, or recommend a developer). The CMS license renews annually at $600/year if you want to keep using our editor.
How does hosting work?
On our managed plans, we host on DigitalOcean droplets behind Cloudflare. Daily backups, SSL certificates, uptime monitoring, security patches — all included.
Who do I talk to if something breaks?
Email support on the Care plan (24-hour weekday reply), priority support on the Growth plan, plus a monthly strategy call. For emergencies (site down), we have a separate emergency contact regardless of plan.
Technical
What is GoLive CMS built on?
Next.js 16 (React), Go (the API), MySQL, Redis. Hosted on DigitalOcean, fronted by Cloudflare. All performance and security best-practices.
Where is my data stored?
On our managed servers in the US (or your choice of region for Enterprise clients). Daily encrypted backups. We never sell or share customer data.
What integrations are supported?
Stripe, Square, PayPal, Shippo, Mailchimp, Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, reCAPTCHA, and most major email providers. Custom integrations are scoped per project.
Can I see the code?
Yes — once your project ships, we hand over the GitHub repository for your site.