Your website is live—congratulations! But launching is just the beginning. Ongoing maintenance is essential for security, performance, and continued success. Here's what website maintenance really costs.
Website Maintenance Cost Overview
| Maintenance Type | DIY Cost | Professional Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Maintenance | $0 + your time | $50-$100/month |
| Standard Maintenance | $50-$100/month | $100-$300/month |
| Comprehensive Care | $100-$200/month | $300-$500/month |
| Enterprise Support | Not recommended | $500-$2,000+/month |
What Does Website Maintenance Include?
Security Updates
- WordPress core updates
- Theme updates
- Plugin updates
- Security patches
- Malware scanning
- SSL certificate management
Performance Optimization
- Database optimization
- Cache management
- Image optimization
- Speed monitoring
- Core Web Vitals tracking
Backups
- Daily or weekly backups
- Off-site backup storage
- Backup testing
- Disaster recovery procedures
Monitoring
- Uptime monitoring (24/7)
- Broken link checking
- Form testing
- Analytics review
Maintenance Costs by Platform
WordPress Maintenance
- Basic: $50-$100/month (updates, backups, monitoring)
- Standard: $100-$250/month (+ security, performance)
- Premium: $250-$500/month (+ content updates, SEO)
Shopify Maintenance
Shopify handles core maintenance, but you still need:
- App updates: Included in subscriptions
- Theme updates: $50-$150 when needed
- Content management: $100-$300/month
Squarespace/Wix Maintenance
Platform maintenance is included, but consider:
- Content updates: $50-$200/month
- Design tweaks: $50-$100/hour
DIY vs Professional Maintenance
DIY Maintenance Works If:
- You have technical skills
- Your site is simple (under 10 pages)
- Low traffic (under 1,000 visits/month)
- You have time for regular attention
Professional Maintenance Is Worth It If:
- Your website generates revenue
- Security is critical (e-commerce, client data)
- You don't have technical skills
- Your time is valuable elsewhere
- You need guaranteed uptime
Cost of NOT Maintaining Your Website
- Security breach: $3,000-$50,000+ for cleanup and recovery
- Downtime: Lost sales, damaged reputation
- Slow site: 40% of visitors leave if page takes 3+ seconds
- SEO decline: Google penalizes slow, outdated sites
- Complete rebuild: $5,000-$20,000 if site becomes unrecoverable
What to Look for in a Maintenance Plan
- Response time guarantees: How fast will issues be addressed?
- Included hours: How much work is covered?
- Backup frequency: Daily is ideal
- Security monitoring: 24/7 monitoring preferred
- Reporting: Regular updates on what was done
- Support channels: Email, phone, chat?
Our Maintenance Plans
Neon Digital Media offers comprehensive website maintenance for Las Vegas businesses. Contact us to learn about our care plans.
0 comments