Running a website is one thing — keeping it updated, secure, and performing at its best is another challenge altogether.
Many website owners overlook maintenance until things start breaking down: outdated content, slow loading times, broken features, or even security risks. And when those problems pile up, they often come with unexpected (and sometimes hefty) costs.
But here’s the thing — most of those issues can be avoided with regular website maintenance. Investing in upkeep today can save you from expensive fixes tomorrow. After all, prevention is always better (and cheaper) than a cure.
Think of your website like a car. If you skip oil changes and regular tune-ups, it might still run — but eventually, problems build up and repair costs soar. The same goes for websites. A little ongoing care can prevent expensive fixes down the road.
So, how much does website maintenance actually cost?
In this guide, we’ll break down the key factors that affect website maintenance costs — from hosting and updates to plugins and tech support. Whether you’re running a business site or managing an eCommerce store, you’ll get a clear understanding of what to budget for and how to keep your website running smoothly.
Tip: A little upkeep now saves a lot of stress (and money) later — your website will thank you for it.
Let’s dive in.
How Much Does it Cost to Maintain a Website?
Website maintenance costs range from $50 to $500 per month.
The exact cost depends on factors like your website’s complexity, features, traffic volume, hosting environment, and support needs.
For instance, maintaining a simple informational website will fall on the lower end of this range, while a high-traffic eCommerce platform like Amazon requires advanced infrastructure, frequent updates, and security, resulting in much higher costs.
Before diving into cost breakdowns, ask yourself these three questions:
- What type of website do I have?
(Blog, eCommerce, portfolio, business site, etc.) - How big is my business or audience?
(Solo freelancer, small business, medium/large company) - What platform is my website built on?
(WordPress, Shopify, Wix, Custom, etc.)
Based on your answers, refer to the sections below for cost estimates that match your situation.
- Website Maintenance Cost by Size of Business
- Website Maintenance Cost by Website Type
- Website Maintenance Cost by Platform of Website
Exploring these categories will help you estimate more accurately what your website may cost to maintain.
Let’s break down what that might look like based on different types of websites and businesses.
Website Maintenance Cost by Size of Business
1. Small Business Website
Small businesses often have basic websites, and their maintenance needs are very clear. Their primary focus is to keep the website running smoothly and content up-to-date. To achieve this, investing in a professional small business website design service makes ongoing maintenance easier and supports scalability as the business grows.
The average small business website maintenance can cost around US $50 to $200 per month.
2. Medium-sized Business Websites
Medium-sized businesses have a moderate level of complexity with affordable website maintenance services. It can cost, on average US $125 to $500 per month.
These websites require frequent updates, security monitoring, and performance optimization to keep up with the needs of the business and its targeted audience.
3. Large Business Websites
Large businesses’ websites need more maintenance due to their higher complexity. The average website upkeep costs around US $500 to $2,000+ per month.
These websites need to handle higher traffic, complex functionalities, and structures. Moreover, it also includes continuous monitoring, frequent updates, and a vast support system to ensure seamless operation.
In the table below, we have given a summary of maintenance costs based on the size of the business:
| Size of Business | Monthly Average cost |
|---|---|
| Small | $35 to $100 |
| Medium | $125 to $500 |
| Large | $500 to $2,000 or more |
Website Maintenance Cost by Website Type
Here is the table of website maintenance charges based on different types of websites.
These costs are approximate and can vary depending on various factors, such as the website’s complexity, the business’s size, the chosen technology stack, service providers you chose and additional requirements.
| Website Type | Website Maintenance Cost (Monthly) |
|---|---|
| Personal Websites | $5–$25 |
| Professional Blogs | $25–$75 |
| Multimedia Entertainment Websites | $300–$2,500 |
| Corporate Websites | $200–$4,500 |
| eCommerce Websites | $500–$5,000 |
It’s always recommended to consult a website maintenance company to get accurate cost estimates customized to your needs.
Website Maintenance Cost by Platform of Website
The platform you choose for your website has a big impact on how much you’ll spend to keep it running smoothly. Each platform has its features, technical demands, and maintenance requirements, and that means the cost can vary quite a bit.
Let’s break down what you might expect to pay for maintaining your website based on the platform you’re using:
1. WordPress Maintenance Cost
WordPress is one of the most popular CMS platforms. WordPress website maintenance cost usually ranges from $50 to $200 per month. That includes regular updates for plugins, themes, and core software, along with backups and malware scans.
Want a site that’s scalable and flexible? WordPress is a strong choice — just be ready to stay on top of ongoing updates and security tasks.
2. Magento Maintenance Cost
Magento is a powerful platform for large online stores. Magento monthly website maintenance cost typically ranges from $200 to $800.Magento gives you powerful features and scalability, but it also requires more hands-on upkeep. You’ll need to manage your product catalog, handle secure transactions, and optimize performance during busy sales periods.
3. Shopify Maintenance Cost
Shopify is a simple and user-friendly eCommerce platform with built-in hosting. Shopify website maintenance typically costs between $50 and $300 per month. That covers app management, platform updates, and making sure your customers enjoy a smooth shopping experience.
4. Wix/Squarespace
Using Wix or Squarespace? These website builders are ideal if you want a low-maintenance solution. Expect to spend around $20 to $100 per month. Since these platforms handle most technical updates and hosting for you, your workload stays light. You get access to clean templates and easy editing tools, though customization options are a bit more limited.
| Platform | Estimated Cost Per Month |
|---|---|
| WordPress | $50 to $200 |
| Magento | $200 to $800 |
| Shopify | $50 to $300 |
| Wix/Squarespace | $20 to $100 |
Key Factors That Affect Website Maintenance Cost
There’s no one-size-fits-all price for website maintenance — your final cost depends on several factors, from hosting to content updates. Let’s break it down so you know exactly what to expect.
1. Domain Name
Estimated Cost:
$1 to $100 per year for registration
$10 to 129 per year for renewals
Domain is the mandatory cost for your website. It is the address that people use to get to your website. The cost of a domain name varies based on the extension (.com, .net, .co, .net, .in, etc.) and the registrar you choose for your business.
For example, GoDaddy website maintenance costs are between $5.99 and $24.99 monthly.
However, few hosting providers offer free domain registration with their hosting plans, which helps you save money.
In the table below, we have given a summary of the costs for popular extensions when purchased from different registrars.
| Registrar | .com | .org | .us |
|---|---|---|---|
| NameCheap | $8.88/year | $11.98/year | $3.88/year |
| GoDaddy | 99¢/year | $10.17/year | $7.99/year |
| HostGator | $12.95/year | $12.95/year | $5.95/year |
Note: We recommend including domain privacy protection service in your website maintenance plan. It helps you protect domain name and owner’s personal information.
2. Website Hosting
Estimated Cost: $2 to $80 per month
Website hosting is the place where all the details of the website are live and stored. The cost of web hosting and maintenance depends on the type of hosting and the service provider you choose.
Some of the most popular hosting types with their average costing available in the market are as follows:
- Shared Hosting: $1.99–$3.99 per month
- VPS Hosting: $6.49–$19.99 per month
- Dedicated Hosting: $80–$300 per month
- Cloud Hosting: $8.99–$29.99/month
Below, we have mentioned the cost of three shared hosting providers for your reference. So, choose the best website hosting and maintenance package type according to your business needs and future goals.
| Hosting Provider | Price/month | Uptime | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluehost | $2.95 | 99.98% | 50 GB |
| HostGator | $2.75 | 99.99% | Unmetered |
| InMotion | $2.49 | 99.97% | 10 GB |
3. SSL Certificate
Estimated Cost: $7 to $1000 per year
SSL stands for secure socket layer. SSL certificates encrypt information passing through your website, and keep visitors’ information safe.
No matter what type of website you’re running, security is one of the most worthwhile expenses that you’ll incur.
A single-domain SSL certificate costs $7 to $860 per year, and wildcard SSL certificates that protect multiple subdomains will cost you around $50 to $1000 per year.
To check whether your site has SSL or not, you need to check two things. First, the site should be ‘HTTPS’ & not ‘HTTP’ secure. Secondly, you have to check the padlock sign before the URL.
Various web hosting providers offer the SSL certificate for free. So save money by getting a web hosting plan with a free SSL certificate.
4. General Updates
Estimated Cost: $15 to $105 monthly
Keeping your site up-to-date and secure is necessary to attract new users and keep them hooked on the website. Whether you have a small or a big website, it is crucial to update the site regularly.
If you are using the CMS in your website, then ongoing website maintenance updates can be related to CMS, themes, and plugins. These are all included in the general website update.
The cost of general website updates varies depending on the site you are using. If you are using free plugins and themes, it is absolutely free. However, if you have integrated paid themes, plugins, etc., it has its own license costs.
Want Estimated Cost For Your Website Maintenance?
Our web developers will analyze your site thoroughly from start to finish and provide you with the overall cost of maintaining your website.
5. Content Updates
Estimated Cost: $0.15 to $1 per word
$50 to $100 or more for the entire page
Quality content is the most important thing for a website. It needs to keep users engaged, whether it is website pages, blogs, etc.
Updated content will also help you rank high in the search engine. So, regular content update maintenance is necessary.
The cost of content depends on the way you generate it. If you want a new blog post multiple times or want the content to be written once, like a landing page.
6. Website Design
Estimated Cost: Self-designing costs will be around $5 to $17 per month
Hiring a professional web designer with a regular maintenance package costs you around $500–$1,000 annually.
Website design is one of the essential factors behind the success of any business. It indicates the visual representation of a brand. It is the first thing that users see before accessing content and other elements.
Web design costs vary depending on your approach, location and experience of web designers.
However, self-designing and maintenance are good for small to medium-sized websites. But it will consume a lot of your time & effort.
So, hiring a professional website design company is a great choice as they have years of experience designing websites for multiple industries.
7. Technical Support
Estimated Cost: $2 to $300 per month
There are times when you face issues related to website crashes, broken contact forms, or security breaches. These issues must be addressed immediately to keep users on the website.
Reliable technical support helps fix issues before they impact website traffic and customer experience. The cost of technical support relies on the amount of work you have.
For example, if you have a large website that needs 24*7 support, the cost of website maintenance will eventually increase.
However, it is better to consider hosting providers who provide technical support with their hosting plan to save money.
Need Help With Website Upkeep?
Reach out to us. Whether it’s regular updates, security monitoring, or troubleshooting issues, our team of experts is here to help.
8. Tracking and Analytics
Estimated Cost: $5 to $15
Even if you have a website maintenance service monitoring your site, you still want to understand tracking and analysis of the website.
The website tracking and analytics report helps you determine some of your website’s crucial metrics. A monthly analytic report offers insights into your site’s performance and marketing strategies.
It includes a total number of visitors, average session time, and average bounce rate. It can also help you make better decisions to achieve your business goals.
9. Marketing & SEO
Estimated Cost: $5 to $ 500 per month or more
It is essential to focus on your website’s effective marketing and SEO strategies. The ultimate goal of a business is to sell products/services through the website and reach a broader audience.
However, there are various methods through which you can do marketing of your website. It can be search engine optimization(SEO), email marketing, social media marketing, paid marketing (PPC), etc.
Hence, it is challenging to determine the exact cost of marketing a website. The amount of time and money you can invest in marketing is unlimited. However, your marketing cost must be in line with your business.
One effective way to market your website is through SEO. The cost of an SEO maintenance package can vary as it depends on the services it includes.
So, considering the website maintenance and seo packages, you need to create a goal-oriented approach to ensure that your marketing efforts are both effective and efficient.
To achieve this, you need to know your current position in the market and then set specific goals for the future. Based on your goals, you can allocate money for website marketing.
10. Plugins & Extension
The maintenance costs of paid plugins vary between $4 to $49 per month.
If your website is built in WordPress, there are over 59,000 plugins available in the official library. Although many are free, premium ones add cost to your maintenance.
If you use eCommerce plugins for payment gateways, membership, etc. the cost is around $20 to $1000 per month.
You can use free WordPress plugins first, and once your website grows, you can start investing in premium plugins and get extra benefits.
11. Security Monitoring & Malware Scanning
Estimated Cost: Free to $200/month
Security tools like Sucuri, Wordfence, and MalCare play a vital role in protecting your website from malware, brute-force attacks, and suspicious traffic.
- Basic Protection: Free versions typically offer firewall rules, basic scanning, and login protection.
- Advanced Protection: Premium versions include real-time threat detection, malware removal, server-level firewall, and priority support.
Investing in good security is far more affordable in the long run than recovering from a hacked site, lost customer data, or SEO penalties.
12. Backup & Disaster Recovery
Estimated Cost: $2 to $20/month
Backups are your website’s insurance policy. If something breaks — like a plugin conflict, user error, or hacking incident — you’ll need a recent backup to restore your site quickly.
- Automatic Backups: Services like Jetpack Backup, CodeGuard, or BlogVault allow daily or real-time backups.
- One-Click Restore: Many services include instant restoration options to minimize downtime.
Without backups, you risk losing critical data, SEO rankings, and user trust.
13. Performance Optimization & Speed Enhancements
Estimated Cost: $10 to $100/month
Website speed affects user experience, conversions, and SEO. Performance optimization ensures your site loads fast and functions smoothly.
Key tasks include:
- Caching (using tools like WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache)
- Image Compression (via TinyPNG, ShortPixel, etc.)
- Database Cleanup
- Content Delivery Network (CDN) integration, like Cloudflare or BunnyCDN
- Regular performance tests via Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, or Pingdom
A delay of even 1 second in load time can reduce conversions by 7%.
14. Platform & Core CMS Updates
Estimated Cost: $20–$100/month (or included)
Whether your website runs on WordPress, Shopify, Magento, or a custom CMS, platform updates are essential to keep your website stable and secure.
Includes:
- CMS core updates
- Plugin and theme updates
- Compatibility checks after each update
Ignoring these updates can lead to broken features or vulnerabilities exploited by hackers.
15. Legal Compliance (GDPR, CCPA, ADA)
Estimated Cost: $5 to $100+/month
Websites need to comply with privacy and accessibility laws:
- GDPR and CCPA require cookie notices and privacy policies.
- ADA compliance ensures accessibility for users with disabilities.
You can use:
- CookieYes, Termly, or Iubenda for privacy tools.
- Accessibility tools like UserWay or AccessiBe for ADA compliance.
Non-compliance can result in hefty fines and lawsuits, especially for businesses serving international audiences.
16. Browser & Device Compatibility Testing
Estimated Cost: $20–$150 per test cycle (or included)
Your site must look and function properly across all devices and browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, mobile, tablets, etc.).
This testing includes:
- Cross-browser rendering checks
- Responsive design validation
- Functional testing of key elements (forms, CTAs, etc.)
Tools used: BrowserStack, LambdaTest
Inconsistent UX on different devices can increase bounce rate and lower conversions.
17. Third-Party Integrations & API Maintenance
Estimated Cost: $10 to $200/month
Modern websites often integrate tools like:
- CRMs (e.g., HubSpot, Salesforce)
- Payment gateways (Stripe, PayPal)
- Email marketing tools (Mailchimp, Klaviyo)
- Booking systems
These APIs need regular updates and troubleshooting when platforms evolve or deprecate features.
A broken integration can halt customer journeys, disrupt sales, or lead to data loss.
18. Spam Prevention
Estimated Cost: $5 to $25/month
Spam can clutter your inbox, damage your SEO, or even expose your site to security threats.
Tools that help:
- Akismet for WordPress spam filtering
- Google reCAPTCHA to prevent bot activity
- Honeypot fields in forms
Effective spam prevention keeps your site clean, user-friendly, and professional.
19. Custom Code Maintenance
Estimated Cost: $20 to $100+ per hour
If your site includes custom-built functionality (in JavaScript, PHP, etc.), you’ll need occasional help from a developer to:
- Fix bugs or compatibility issues
- Add new features
- Refactor outdated code
This is especially critical for older websites or platforms with frequent updates.
20. Uptime Monitoring
Estimated Cost: Free to $50/month
Downtime = lost revenue and credibility. Uptime monitoring tools like:
- UptimeRobot
- Pingdom
- StatusCake
… notify you instantly if your site goes down so you can act before users notice.
Especially important for eCommerce stores, SaaS businesses, or high-traffic sites.
21. Downtime Monitoring & Root Cause Analysis
Estimated Cost: $5 to $50/month
Beyond just alerting you about downtime, advanced tools help diagnose:
- Server failures
- DNS misconfigurations
- Resource overloads
- Hosting issues
These insights allow you to fix problems faster and prevent future outages.
Should You Maintain Your Website Yourself or Hire a Professional?
When it comes to keeping your website running smoothly, one question probably crosses your mind:
“Should I handle the maintenance myself, or bring in a pro?”
Both options have their advantages — it just depends on how much time, budget, and technical know-how you have. Let’s break it down so you can decide what’s best for you.
Option 1: Hiring a Professional
Estimated Cost:
- $200 to 4,500 per month of hiring a website maintenance company
- $18-20 per hour for hiring a freelancer expert
If you’d rather focus on your business instead of technical tasks, hiring someone to handle your website maintenance could be a smart move.
You have two popular choices here:
- Hire a website maintenance company
- Work with a freelance expert
A professional website maintenance company gives you a full team to manage everything — from updates and security monitoring to performance optimization and technical support. These services are especially helpful if your site is complex or business-critical.
Freelancers, on the other hand, are more affordable and ideal if you need occasional help or have a smaller website. But you’ll rely on one person for everything.
Tip: Freelancers work solo, may miss deadlines, and often lack deep expertise. Companies provide expert teams, timely delivery, and reliable support.
Option 2: Maintaining the Website Yourself (DIY)
Estimated Cost: Under $100/month
If your website is simple and you’re comfortable with basic tasks, you can manage it yourself.
Platforms like WordPress make it easy to handle updates, backups, and content changes, especially with plugins and built-in tools that simplify the process.
But remember, you’re responsible for everything — security, performance, uptime, backups, and content. So, make sure you have the time and interest to stay on top of it.
DIY works best if:
- You’re running a small website
- You want to save money
- You enjoy learning and managing tech tasks
So, What’s Right for You?
Ask yourself:
🔹 How complex is my website?
🔹 Do I have time to manage updates and fixes myself?
🔹 What’s my monthly budget for maintenance?
If you’re tight on time or want peace of mind, hiring a pro is worth it. But if your site is small and you’re comfortable handling the basics, going DIY can save you a good chunk of money.
How Often Is Website Maintenance Required?
Website maintenance is a regular task, but how often it’s needed depends on your site.
Basic, low-traffic websites usually need updates once a month, while larger sites or online stores may need maintenance weekly or bi-weekly to run smoothly.
Here’s how often some common website tasks are needed:
- Domain and hosting usually need renewal once a year.
- Content updates, security checks, and backups are often done weekly or monthly.
- Marketing strategies should be reviewed and adjusted regularly as trends change.
If you’re not sure where to start, follow a website maintenance checklist with timelines for each task. That way, you’ll stay on top of everything — and avoid costly issues down the road.
For business owners who are short on time or prefer to avoid technical hassles, choosing a professional website maintenance service can be a wise decision.
With a sufficient budget, you can bring in a professional team that takes care of everything — from core updates and security scans to backups and troubleshooting — letting you focus on growing your business while your website runs smoothly and securely.
Wrapping Up
You’ve now seen the key factors that influence website maintenance costs. By understanding these, you can make smarter budgeting decisions and keep your website running smoothly for the long haul.
As a general rule, expect to invest around 10–20% of your website’s original development cost in ongoing maintenance. Your exact budget should align with your goals and the level of support your website needs.
Still unsure about what your maintenance costs might look like? Reach out to us.
At WebyKing, we offer reliable website maintenance services tailored to businesses and startups like yours. Whether you need full support or just expert guidance, our team is here to help you choose the right maintenance plan, with no guesswork.
FAQs on Website Maintenance Cost
How much does website maintenance cost per year?
The average cost of website maintenance is between $100 to $6000 per year. It is based on the site’s size and the website service provider you select. You can spend on website maintenance based on your goals and requirements.
What is website maintenance?
Website maintenance involves finding various errors in the website and resolving them regularly. Also, it includes keeping the website updated as per the latest trends in the industry. If you want to understand its importance in detail, check out What is Website Maintenance and it’s importance.
What happens if you don't maintain your website?
If you don’t maintain your website, then your site will become slow and will have bugs. Further, your sales will decrease and in the end, your site will stop working. You can read more on risks of ignoring website maintenance.
How hard is it to maintain a website?
Maintaining a website requires some time and effort every week/month. Therefore, if you don’t have time for the same, then you can outsource this work to a website maintenance service provider. They will keep your site up-to-date.
How long should it take to maintain a website?
It can take from a few minutes to hours or more. Depending on your website goals, you can decide how much time to allocate to website maintenance.
How much does website maintenance cost per hour?
On average, website maintenance costs per hour can be around $15 to $25.
How much does website maintenance cost per month?
The average website maintenance cost per month is around US $5 to $5,000.
How much does ecommerce website maintenance cost?
The average ecommerce website maintenance cost can be in the range of $500 to $5,000 monthly. Know in detail about Ecommerce Website Cost.
