A website is not finished when it launches. Domains renew, software ages, forms break, addresses change, content goes out of date. Someone has to look after it, and that has a cost, even if it appears as your own time.
What maintenance can cover
- Hosting and domain. Renewals, uptime and the server the site lives on.
- Updates and security. For a system with plugins, keeping them current. For a static site, far less.
- Backups. Regular copies, and knowing how to restore.
- Content changes. Updating a phone number, a price, a team member, a new service.
- Checks. Forms send, tracking records, pages load, no broken links.
- Small improvements. Based on what the numbers show.
Three common ways to price it
| Structure | How it works | Suits | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly plan | A fixed fee for a defined set of tasks and hours | Sites that change often | Unused hours that expire, vague coverage |
| Per change | A price for each edit or task | Sites that change rarely | Small charges adding up, no proactive checks |
| Hours bank | A set of hours bought in advance | Irregular but real needs | How unused hours are treated |
A published per-change example
The Medora doctor website package, as published in September 2026, includes two free revisions and then charges Rs 500 per element change. That is a per-change model: predictable for small edits, and it shows what a straightforward change can cost when the site is built simply. Check the Medora page for current terms.
Why the build affects the upkeep
A site with many plugins and a database has more to keep secure and updated. A simple static site has less to go wrong, but changes need a developer or an editing tool. There is no free option. The work is shifted around. See WordPress or custom.
Questions to ask before you sign
- What is covered each month, in specific tasks?
- How quickly are urgent problems handled?
- Who owns the domain, hosting account and files?
- What are the terms for leaving, and what do I receive?
- Who checks that forms and tracking still work after changes?
A minimum routine for a small site
- Monthly: check that forms send, tracking records and key pages load.
- Quarterly: review content for accuracy, contact details and offers.
- Yearly: renew the domain and hosting, review the design against current needs.
Even this light routine catches the problems that quietly cost enquiries.
Who is responsible
Write down who owns each task: the business, the developer or the agency. Ambiguity is the most common cause of a neglected site. If everyone assumes someone else is watching, nobody is.
Signs your site needs attention
- Enquiries have dropped and nobody knows why.
- The site looks different on different phones.
- Pages load slowly.
- Information about prices, hours or people is out of date.
- Your tools warn about errors or security.
Any one of these is a reason to look, and a routine check can spot them before customers do.
What happens if you skip it
A neglected site tends to fail quietly: a form stops sending, an address expires, an old offer stays up. The cost of discovering that late is usually larger than the cost of a modest routine. Before any large change, follow the redesign checklist, and keep tracking in the routine.