How much does website maintenance cost?
Short answerIt depends on three things: how much the platform needs looking after, how quickly you need help when something goes wrong, and how much ongoing change you want. A static site needs less upkeep than a plugin-heavy WordPress site. Plans that include regular improvements naturally cost more than plans that only keep the lights on.
Paying for maintenance and not sure why?
Tell me what your current plan includes. I’ll tell you plainly whether it fits your site, within two business days.
The longer answer
The platform sets the baseline
On Wix, Squarespace or Shopify, hosting and security are part of the subscription, so “maintenance” is mostly your own time on content. A WordPress site needs regular core, theme and plugin updates, testing and security monitoring, which is real ongoing work. A static or prerendered site has far fewer moving parts, so the baseline is lighter and more of the effort can go into improvements.
So comparing plans across platforms isn’t apples to apples. Compare the work involved for your site, not the headline figure.
Other things that move the price
- Response time. Same-day support costs more than “when we get to it”.
- Included edits. A bucket of hours each month versus billing per change.
- Hosting quality. Shared hosting, managed hosting or a global CDN.
- Extras like SEO reports, speed checks and analytics reviews.
- E-commerce or bookings, where downtime costs real money.
Two plans with the same name can differ widely on these points. One might include a monthly speed and Search Console review, while another only reacts when something breaks. Ask for the specifics in writing so you know which one you’re buying.
How to judge a plan
Ask what is done every month and what is only done on request. A plan that bills monthly but does nothing unless you ask is mostly insurance. That can still be fair, but you should know. Ask for a report or summary so you can see the work. And check that cancelling doesn’t mean losing your site. The free project estimator includes ongoing care as an option, so you can see it alongside the build.
What I’d do
Nick Lovett, founder of Tavro
I price the Pulse Plan around what the site needs and how much change the client wants, and I include it in the fixed quote so there are no surprises. For most of my clients, the hosting and security side is light because the sites are static, which leaves room for real refinements. I’d always ask a provider what they did last month. If the answer is vague, you’re paying for a promise. A good plan should leave a visible trail of small improvements.
Follow-up questions
If your site brings in business, usually yes. The cost of a hacked or broken site is often more than years of care.
Because themes and plugins need frequent updates and testing, and WordPress is a common target for attacks.
Some providers bill hourly on request. It can work for simple sites, but security updates still need to happen regularly.
Keep reading
- nick@tavro.ca
- 587-439-9994
- Calgary, Alberta