Website maintenance is the work that keeps a site secure, fast and up to date after launch: software updates, backups, security checks, bug fixes and small content changes. For a small business WordPress site it usually costs between €30 and €150 a month, depending on how complex the site is and what the plan includes. An online store needs more checks than a brochure site, so it costs more.
I’m Toure Tia Kevin, a web developer in Bassano del Grappa, Italy: I maintain the sites I build and sites built by others, on dedicated servers in Europe.
What does website maintenance include?
| Task | Why it matters | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Updating WordPress, theme and plugins | closes security holes as soon as they’re found | weekly or monthly |
| Backing up files and database | lets you restore the site after a mistake or an attack | daily |
| Uptime monitoring | alerts you straight away if the site goes down | continuous |
| Security scan | finds modified files and malicious code | weekly |
| Speed and SSL certificate checks | a slow or “not secure” site loses visitors and rankings | monthly |
| Fixing errors | forms that don’t send, pages that won’t open | as needed |
| Small content changes | text, photos, opening hours, prices | on request |
| Report | knowing what was done | monthly |
Check what a quote really covers: “maintenance” sometimes means only automatic updates, with no tested backups and nobody to step in when something breaks.
How much does website maintenance cost?
| Type of site | Typical monthly cost | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Brochure site | €30–60 | few pages, content that rarely changes |
| Site with blog or members’ area | €50–90 | more plugins, content and users |
| Online store | €80–150 and up | payments, orders and customer data to protect |
On top of that comes hosting, which some include in the price and others charge separately. My maintenance and hosting service costs €30 to €80 a month and includes hosting on dedicated OVH servers, daily backups, updates tested before they’re installed and a monthly report.
What happens if you skip maintenance?
An outdated site works, until it doesn’t. The most common problems I find on neglected sites:
- The site gets hacked: an old plugin with a known flaw is the most common way in. The result can be spam, hidden pages or Google flagging the site as dangerous.
- A rushed update breaks everything: after months without updates, updating everything at once often causes conflicts.
- No usable backup: there was one, but it was old, incomplete or never tested.
- The site slows down: a bloated database, heavy images, unused plugins. Visits drop and nobody notices.
- The contact form stops sending: and for weeks no enquiries arrive.
Fixing a compromised site usually costs far more than a year of maintenance, and meanwhile the site brings in no customers. If it has already happened, the WordPress support service starts at €50 per job.
Can you do maintenance yourself?
Yes, if you have the time and some confidence with WordPress. The basics:
- Take a full backup before every update and check now and then that you know how to restore it.
- Update one plugin at a time and check the site after each one, especially the cart and forms.
- Delete plugins and themes you don’t use: even deactivated, they can be a risk.
- Use strong passwords and two-factor login for administrators.
- Check every month that the site loads, the forms send and the SSL certificate is valid.
It’s worth handing it to a professional once the site brings in customers or sales: your time and the risk of mistakes are worth more than the monthly fee.
How to choose a maintenance service
- Ask what happens if the site goes down: who steps in and how fast.
- Check where the backups are kept: on a different server from the site.
- Ask whether updates are tested before they go on the live site.
- Insist on a report: if you don’t know what was done, you don’t know whether it was done.
- Check where the servers are: for customer data, a European provider is better.
If you run an online store, the running costs are covered in how much a WooCommerce store costs.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a WordPress site be updated?
Security updates should be installed as soon as they’re released, after testing. In practice, a weekly check is the minimum for a site that brings in customers.
Does maintenance improve SEO?
Indirectly, yes: a fast, secure, error-free site is rated better by Google and keeps visitors longer. On its own, though, it won’t bring new rankings: for that you need an SEO strategy.
Can I move maintenance over from another provider?
Yes. It starts with a check of the site and its existing backups, then the hosting moves if needed, making sure everything works before switching the domain.
If you want to know what state your site is in, get in touch: the first check is free.
