The short answer
Basic website maintenance plans typically cost around $50–$150 a month, and fuller plans $150–$400 a month, according to published maintenance guides. What you need depends mostly on your platform: a WordPress site needs regular updates and checks, while Squarespace and Shopify handle the technical side for you, so maintenance there is mainly content edits and keeping things working.
A website isn’t finished the day it launches. Software needs updating, backups need checking and something always needs changing. This guide explains what maintenance actually involves, what it costs, what changes the price and how to decide between doing it yourself, relying on your host or paying for a care plan.
What website maintenance actually includes
“Maintenance” covers a handful of jobs. A good plan should spell out which of these it includes:
- Updates. Keeping WordPress core, themes and plugins up to date, and testing afterwards so nothing breaks.
- Backups. Regular copies of the site stored somewhere other than your server, so it can be restored quickly.
- Security monitoring. Malware scans, login protection and fixes if something looks wrong.
- Uptime monitoring. An alert when the site goes down, ideally before your customers notice.
- Speed checks. Making sure pages stay fast as you add images, posts and features.
- Form and link checks. Testing enquiry forms so leads don’t silently stop arriving.
- Content edits. Text, images, prices, team members and small page changes, done for you.
- Reporting. A short summary of what was updated, fixed and checked.
How much website maintenance costs
| Option | Typical cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself | Your time | Whatever you remember to do and know how to fix |
| Hosting company support | Often bundled into hosting, basic | Automated updates and backups on some hosts; content edits not included |
| Basic care plan | Around $50–$150 a month | Updates, backups, security and uptime monitoring, a few small edits |
| Fuller care plan | Around $150–$400 a month | More edit time, more frequent backups, speed work, faster response |
Ranges from published maintenance guides by UENI and WPX. Hosting support varies a lot by provider.
What changes the price
Your platform
This is the biggest factor. A WordPress site runs on plugins and a theme that all need updating, and each update can occasionally clash with something else. That’s where most maintenance time goes. Squarespace and Shopify update and secure the platform for you, so maintenance is mostly content changes, apps and checks. If you’re still choosing a platform, see Squarespace vs WordPress.
How often you change the site
A five-page brochure site that changes twice a year needs much less than a site with weekly blog posts, new offers and seasonal prices. Most plans price by how much edit time is included each month.
Online selling
Stores have more moving parts: payment gateways, stock, shipping rules and apps. A broken checkout costs money by the hour, so store owners usually need faster response times.
How quickly you need help
Plans that promise faster responses or priority fixes cost more. If your site is your main source of leads or sales, it’s usually worth it.
What happens if you skip maintenance
Nothing, at first. That’s the problem. Skipped maintenance tends to show up all at once:
- An outdated plugin opens a security hole, and the site gets hacked or flagged by Google.
- An update finally gets installed months late and breaks the layout or a key feature.
- The contact form stops sending emails and nobody notices for weeks.
- The site slowly gets heavier and slower as images and plugins pile up.
- There’s no recent backup when something goes wrong.
Fixing these after the fact usually costs more than a year of preventive care, and lost enquiries while the site is down are harder to put a number on.
DIY, your host or a care plan?
- Do it yourself if your site is simple, you’re comfortable with your platform and you’ll actually set aside time each month. On Squarespace, this is often enough.
- Rely on your host for basic automated backups and updates, but remember that automatic updates aren’t tested and content edits aren’t included. Host support works alongside a care plan, it doesn’t replace one.
- Use a care plan if your website brings in leads or sales and you’d rather spend your time running the business. You get someone who knows the site, checks it regularly and answers when you message.
Website maintenance with Aman Web Designs
My website care plans run month to month, with no long contracts:
| Plan | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | $79 a month | Brochure websites that need to stay updated, backed up and secure. Includes updates, off-site backups, security and uptime monitoring, small content edits and a monthly report. |
| Growth | $149 a month | Businesses that update their site often and rely on it for leads. Everything in Essential, plus more frequent backups, more edits, speed checks and form checks. |
| Priority | $299 a month | Busy or e-commerce sites. The most edit time and the fastest response. |
I look after WordPress and Elementor sites, WooCommerce and Shopify stores and Squarespace sites, including sites I didn’t build. If you cancel, you keep full access to your website, hosting and backups.
Frequently asked questions
Do Squarespace and Shopify sites need maintenance?
Less than WordPress, because the platform handles updates and security. You still need content kept current, apps and integrations checked, forms tested and someone to make changes when your business changes.
How often should a WordPress site be updated?
Check for updates at least monthly, and apply security updates as soon as they’re released. Always take a backup first and test the site afterwards.
Is maintenance included in my hosting?
Sometimes partly. Many hosts include automated backups and some automatic updates, but not testing, content edits or someone who knows your site. Check exactly what your plan covers.
What counts as a small edit?
Typically text and image changes, price updates, adding a team member or blog post, or swapping a section. New pages or features are usually quoted separately.
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Founder of Aman Web Designs. I have designed and built 150+ websites since 2023 for small businesses in the US, UK, Canada and Australia, mostly on WordPress, Squarespace and Shopify.
