ABSTRACT We explore to what extent simple algebraic models can be used to describe H ii regions when winds, radiation pressure, gravity, and photon breakout are included. We (a) develop algebraic models to describe the expansion of photoionized H ii regions under the influence of gravity and accretion in power-law density fields with ρ ∝ r−w, (b) determine when terms describing winds, radiation pressure, gravity, and photon breakout become significant enough to affect the dynamics of the H ii region where w = 2, and (c) solve these expressions for a set of physically motivated conditions. We find that photoionization feedback from massive stars is the principal mode of feedback on molecular cloud scales, driving accelerating outflows from molecular clouds in cases where the peaked density structure around young massive stars is considered at radii between ∼0.1 and 10–100 pc. Under a large range of conditions the effect of winds and radiation on the dynamics of H ii regions is around 10 per cent of the contribution from photoionization. The effect of winds and radiation pressure is most important at high densities, either close to the star or in very dense clouds such as those in the Central Molecular Zone of the Milky Way. Out to ∼0.1 pc they are the principal drivers of the H ii region. Lower metallicities make the relative effect of photoionization even stronger as the ionized gas temperature is higher.