Website maintenance: what it costs and what a care plan covers
What ongoing website maintenance involves, what it typically costs, and how to decide between doing it yourself and paying for a care plan.
By the WeBuildYours team · October 14, 2026 · 3 min read
The short answer
Basic website maintenance typically costs between nothing, if you do it yourself, and $50 to $200 a month for a care plan, plus about $20 to $60 a year for your domain and hosting. Maintenance covers hosting, security updates, backups, and small content changes like new photos, prices, or hours.
A website isn’t a print ad. Once it’s live, it needs a little ongoing care to stay secure, fast, and accurate. The question is who does it, and what it should cost.
What website maintenance actually involves
- Hosting. Keeping your site online and fast.
- Security updates. Patching software so your site stays safe.
- Backups. Regular copies so nothing is lost if something breaks.
- Monitoring. Noticing if the site goes down.
- Content updates. New prices, new photos, changed hours, a new service.
- Small fixes. A broken link, a form that stops sending, a layout issue after a browser update.
What it typically costs
| Approach | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Do it yourself | Your time, plus domain and hosting |
| Pay per change | Often $25 to $100 per small update |
| Monthly care plan | Commonly $50 to $200 a month |
| Agency retainer | Often several hundred dollars a month and up |
Ranges vary widely depending on the site and the provider.
Doing it yourself
If your site is simple and you’re comfortable with technology, doing it yourself is reasonable. Budget an hour or two a month, and make sure you know:
- Where your domain and hosting are, and the logins
- How to make a backup and restore it
- How to update your content without breaking the layout
The risk is that small tasks get skipped when you’re busy, and security updates are the ones you can’t afford to skip.
Paying per change
Good if you rarely change anything. Less good if you update often, because small charges add up and every request waits in someone's queue.
A monthly care plan
A care plan bundles hosting, updates, backups, and a set amount of small changes for a fixed monthly price. It suits owners who would rather not think about the website at all.
When comparing plans, check:
- What is included each month, and how much change work
- How fast requests are handled
- Whether you can cancel any time
- Whether you keep ownership of your site and domain if you leave
That last one matters most. Never sign up for a plan that holds your site hostage.
How to decide
Choose do-it-yourself if your site rarely changes and you’re confident with the tech. Choose a care plan if your time is worth more than the monthly fee, or if you update prices, menus, or photos regularly.
Our approach
WeBuildYours offers an optional Care Plan for $49 a month: hosting, security updates, backups, and small monthly changes. It renews monthly and you can cancel any time from your dashboard. You own your site either way, and if you cancel we hand over everything you need to move it. See pricing for details.
Common questions
Is website maintenance really necessary?
For security and reliability, yes. At minimum, someone should keep software updated and keep backups. A neglected site can become slow, broken, or insecure.
What happens if I stop paying for maintenance?
That depends on your provider. With a fair provider, you keep your site and can move it or maintain it yourself. Always confirm this before signing up.
How often should my website be backed up?
At least weekly for most small business sites, and before any significant change.