Website maintenance

How much does website maintenance cost — what you get and why it matters.

Published April 24, 2026 · 6 minutes read · Happy Media

"The site is done, why pay monthly for something more?" — one of the most common questions we get. Answer: because a website isn't a product, it's a tool. And tools wear out, get used up, and fail when neglected.

In this article — real maintenance prices in 2026, what you get in which package, and what happens if you skip it.

Why websites even need maintenance

A website isn't a static document. It consists of:

• CMS system (WordPress, Shopify, or custom) — gets security updates nearly every week.
• Plugins and themes — updated regularly, and outdated versions are the most common attack vector.
• Server and database — subject to crashes, overload, disruptions.
• SSL certificate — expires, usually annually.
• Domain — expires, and every "late" payment can cost more.

Maintenance is essentially: someone regularly checks that everything is OK and responds before it becomes a problem.

Packages and prices (Basic / Pro / Business)

For 2026, real prices of quality maintenance:

Prices below €20 monthly usually mean tick-tock updates without monitoring — the site remains exposed.

What's specifically included

With a serious provider, a maintenance package covers:

• CMS, plugin, and theme updates — monthly (Basic) or weekly (Pro).
• Backup system — weekly (Basic) or daily (Pro), always off-server. Restore within 2 hours.
• Uptime monitoring — 24/7 checks whether the site is functioning. Alert when it drops.
• SSL and domain monitoring — alert one month before expiration.
• Security monitoring — malware scans, unusual activity detection.
• Content administration — 1 to 3 hours monthly for blog posts, images, minor changes.
• Core Web Vitals monitoring — speed and performance tracking (Pro package).
• Technical support — email (Basic) or email + phone (Pro).

What happens without maintenance

Real list of what we've seen with clients who came to us "for damage control":

• Hacked site due to outdated plugin — remediation: €200-500 and 3-7 days without site.
• Lost data without backup — unrecoverable, new site often the only solution: €1000+.
• Expired SSL — Chrome and Safari show "Not secure", clients leave: incalculable damage.
• Google ranking drop — Core Web Vitals decline without optimization, organic traffic sinks.
• Expired domain bought earlier — someone else takes it, and recovery costs hundreds of euros.

Average case: a client who didn't maintain their site for 3 years, remediation after one incident costs €500-1500. Maintenance on Basic package for 3 years = €1080. Often recovering from one attack costs more than 3 years of prevention.

Own IT vs. agency

Three models:

1. IT person in the company — makes sense if the company has 20+ employees and the site is critical. Below that, it's more expensive (salary + benefits).
2. Agency that built the site — fastest response, knows the structure. Most common and most cost-effective model for small businesses.
3. Different agency specialized in maintenance — works if the first agency isn't responsive, or if you want to separate "builder" from "maintainer".

Rule that always applies: admin access must be yours. Regardless who you hire, you must have full control over the domain, hosting, and admin panel.

Quick summary

• Basic maintenance — from €30 monthly.
• Pro package — from €60 monthly.
• Without maintenance — risk of €500-1500 per incident, plus potential unrecoverable losses.
• Most important — admin access must always remain yours, regardless of who maintains your site.

See our website maintenance packages. For a concrete plan — book a consultation.