Scorpion Marketing Review 2026: The $200K Website You'll Never Own
TL;DR: Scorpion builds custom websites for $20K-$200K with monthly retainers of $3K-$10K. The catch? Everything runs on their proprietary CMS. Leave Scorpion, and you leave your website behind. This "Landlord Trap" is the single biggest complaint across Clutch, G2, and BBB reviews.
What is Scorpion Marketing?
Scorpion is an enterprise-focused digital marketing agency (founded 2001, Valencia, CA) specializing in custom website development, SEO, and paid advertising for professional services: legal, medical, and home services (HVAC, plumbing, roofing).
What Makes Them Different
- • Custom website development (not templates)
- • Proprietary CMS platform (their own system)
- • Long-term contracts (12+ months)
- • Focus on enterprise clients
Target Market
- • Large law firms
- • Medical practices (10+ doctors)
- • Multi-location home services
- • $2M+ revenue businesses
Scorpion Pricing Breakdown (2026)
Website Development Costs
Monthly Retainers
- • SEO + Management: $3,000 - $10,000/month
- • Google Ads Management: Additional $1,500 - $5,000/month (plus ad spend)
- Total First-Year Investment: $50,000 - $150,000+
Contract Terms to Know
- • Typical Contract: 12-month minimum
- • Early Termination: Cancellation fees apply
- • Website Ownership: You do NOT own the website or code
- • Data Portability: Limited (CRM may export, website does not)
The Proprietary CMS Problem: The Real Cost of Leaving
How It Works
- Scorpion builds your website on their proprietary CMS platform
- You pay $20,000 - $200,000 for development
- You pay $3,000 - $10,000/month for hosting, management, and SEO
- You don't own the website code or design
- If you leave Scorpion, you start from scratch
"The biggest issue is that you don't own your website. You're essentially renting it from Scorpion. When we decided to leave after 4 years, we had to rebuild our entire site from the ground up."
— HVAC Business Owner, Clutch Review (2025)"Scorpion told us upfront we wouldn't own the site, but we didn't understand what that meant until we tried to leave. We lost all our custom design and had to start over. Cost us another $30K to rebuild."
— Legal Practice, Reddit r/SEO (2024)"Locked into a contract with a proprietary system. Can't take our website with us. This should be illegal."
— BBB Complaint (2025)Customer Reviews Analysis (2025-2026)
Key Pattern
Enterprise clients (law firms, medical practices) rate them 4-5 stars. Small businesses rate them 2-3 stars.
What Scorpion Does Well (Fair Assessment)
Custom Design Quality
"Our website is beautiful. Best-looking site in our industry."
Dedicated Account Management
"Our account manager is fantastic. Responsive and knowledgeable."
Proven SEO Results (Enterprise)
"Over 6 years, Scorpion took our firm from $1M to $5M in revenue."
Full-Service Convenience
"One vendor for everything - website, SEO, ads, social media."
Scorpion vs FlashCrafter Comparison
| Feature | Scorpion | FlashCrafter |
|---|---|---|
| Website Cost | $20,000-$200,000 | Included ($50/mo) |
| Monthly Cost | $3,000-$10,000/mo | $50/mo |
| Platform | Proprietary CMS | You own it |
| CRM Included | No (separate fee) | Yes (HighLevel) |
| Contracts | 12-month minimum | No contracts |
| Ownership | No - rented platform | Yes - full ownership |
Full disclosure: I run FlashCrafter. But the ownership difference is real and significant.
The Verdict: Is Scorpion Worth It?
Good Fit If:
- • Enterprise business ($2M+ revenue)
- • Need complex custom development
- • Value white-glove service
- • No plans to switch vendors
Poor Fit If:
- • Small-to-mid-sized business (<$1M)
- • Want to own your website
- • Need flexibility to switch vendors
- • Concerned about lock-in
For 95% of local service businesses, a platform like FlashCrafter ($50/month with full ownership) or a local SEO agency will deliver better ROI with greater flexibility.