# Ready-made news script or cloud news software?

> Ready-made news script or cloud news software? Compare licensing, hosting, updates, security and total cost of ownership side by side.

Buying a script is only the beginning: hosting, updates, security and traffic spikes are on you. With cloud news software, infrastructure, maintenance and new features are part of the subscription. Compare the two, point by point.

## News script vs cloud news software

| Topic | Ulakom (cloud) | News script |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pricing model | Monthly or yearly subscription | One-time license, often a yearly support fee |
| Server and hosting | Included | Rented and managed separately |
| Setup | Minutes, no technical skills | Server installation and configuration |
| Updates | Automatic; everyone on the latest version | Manual; customizations may break |
| Security patches | Central and instant | Depends on the vendor and on you |
| Traffic spikes (breaking news) | Scales automatically | Limited by server capacity |
| Google News technical setup | ✓ Yes | Partial |
| Web push, news bots, analytics | Built in | Often add-ons or extra fees |
| Source code access | ✗ No | Usually (sometimes encrypted) |
| Content export | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |

*Note: Features and license terms of news scripts vary by vendor; the table summarizes the typical case.*

## What is a news script and how is it different from cloud software?

A news script is a packaged software you buy to run a news website. It is usually written in PHP, licensed once, installed on a server you rent, and keeping it running is your responsibility.

Cloud news software (SaaS) lets you use the software as a service instead of buying it. The provider runs servers, security, backups and updates; you publish from the dashboard and new features arrive automatically.

The difference rarely shows in the first month; it shows over the years, as hosting, update and support fees and the cost of security incidents add up. Use the news site cost calculator to compare with your own numbers.

**Ask before buying a script**

- How many domains does the license cover?
- For how long are updates and support free?
- When was the last security update released?
- Are a news sitemap and structured data included?
- What server will you need when traffic grows?

## When to choose which

- **A script may make sense:** If you have your own developers, need deep source code changes and can take on server management.
- **Cloud software fits better:** If your team wants to focus on journalism, you have no technical staff and staying online during breaking news is critical.
- **If you run several sites:** Every script install means another server and more maintenance. In the cloud, you manage all your sites from one dashboard.

## Common problems with news scripts

### Nulled scripts

- **Problem:** Cracked scripts shared for free can hide malicious code; the site may serve spam, get flagged by Google and raise copyright issues.
- **On Ulakom:** No license hassle; your site always runs the official, current version.

### Fear of updating

- **Problem:** Customized scripts can break on update, so sites stay on old versions and vulnerabilities stay open.
- **On Ulakom:** Updates are automatic; your design settings and content are preserved.

### Crashing on breaking news

- **Problem:** A script on shared hosting slows down or goes offline exactly when traffic peaks.
- **On Ulakom:** Runs on Cloudflare Workers and scales automatically with traffic spikes.

### Missing modules

- **Problem:** Web push, news bots and advanced ad management are sold separately or missing.
- **On Ulakom:** Web push, news bots, analytics and ad management are included.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why do news script prices vary so much?

Price depends on how many domains the license covers, support and update periods, included modules and the number of themes. Add hosting, SSL, CDN, security and maintenance to the license fee; the cost calculator shows the total.

### Is using a free or nulled news script risky?

Yes. Unlicensed scripts infringe copyright and often contain backdoors or hidden spam links. The site can be taken over, readers redirected to harmful pages and Google may flag your site.

### Can I move from my current news script to Ulakom?

Yes. Articles, categories, images and authors are migrated, and old URLs are redirected so your search traffic is preserved.

### Does Ulakom provide source code?

No, Ulakom is a cloud service. Instead, you can connect your own apps via API and MCP and export your content at any time.

### Which is cheaper, a script or cloud software?

A script can look cheaper in month one, but once hosting, updates, security and support are added, the multi-year total often exceeds a cloud subscription. Calculate with your own traffic and needs.

---

Source page: https://ulakom.com/en/compare/news-script-vs-saas