What website maintenance costs.
Hosting alone runs about $5 to $50 a month. Maintenance plans that add software updates, backups and small content changes typically cost $100 to $500 a month, according to Grove Foundry’s 2026 pricing guide. Check what each plan actually covers before comparing prices.
On the SMB Sites plan, hosting, SSL and technical maintenance are included in the $99 a month + GST. See the plan details.
Separate hosting, maintenance and content work.
Hosting makes the site available online. Technical maintenance looks after the technology the site depends on. Content work changes what the site says and shows. Those jobs may be handled by one provider, but they should still be clear in the agreement.
| Area | What to clarify |
|---|---|
| Domain and email | Who renews them, who controls access and who handles account problems? |
| Hosting and SSL | Who keeps the site available and investigates a connection or certificate fault? |
| Software and recovery | Which components need updates, what backups exist and how would a restore work? |
| Content | Who changes services, photos, hours and contact details, and how is that work charged? |
| Enquiries | Who checks form delivery and fixes a failed submission? |
A simple static site and a WordPress site use different technology. A shop or booking system adds further dependencies. Ask about the system you actually have rather than buying a generic list of tasks.
A manageable monthly check for the owner.
Set aside 20 minutes once a month. If you run an online shop or change prices or schedules every week, do it weekly.
Open the key pages on your phone.
Check the homepage, main services and contact page. Look for missing images, unreadable text or buttons that no longer go where expected.
Check the business facts.
Make sure the services, service area, hours, contact details and any prices still reflect the business. Remove expired offers and outdated staff information.
Send a labelled test enquiry.
Confirm the form accepts the details, shows the right confirmation and delivers the message. Check that replying reaches the customer address.
Review last month’s enquiries and search clicks.
Look for changes worth investigating: missing messages, the wrong type of job or a page that used to get visits and now gets none. Avoid conclusions based on one quiet day.
Keep one short list of fixes.
Send the provider the page, problem and expected result. A screenshot may help, but include the link and the device where you noticed it.
Once a quarter, run the 12-point website checklist for a more detailed check. If the site looks fine but enquiries are missing, follow the form and traffic checks instead of only judging its appearance.
Check again when the business changes.
Do not wait for a routine review when you change your phone number, service area, booking system or main services. Those changes can affect several pages and outside listings, including your Google Business Profile. If the profile stops showing after an edit, see why a business isn’t showing on Google Maps.
For example, if a painter stops taking commercial work, check the homepage, services, gallery captions and enquiry options. If a roofer changes their call-out hours, update every page and profile that tells customers when to call.
Add two or three new job photos each quarter so the site shows current work. Give the person updating the site the job details and confirmation that the photos can be published. The service content guide explains how to turn those facts into page copy.
Ask the provider about updates, backups and access.
If your site uses software that needs updating, ask who performs the updates and how they check that the site still works afterwards. For WordPress, its official update guidance includes taking a backup before updating. That specific workflow does not describe every other website platform.
Ask what is backed up, how often, how long copies are kept and who can restore them. A statement that backups exist is different from knowing how recovery would happen. Check the arrangement rather than assuming it is included in basic hosting.
Keep account access limited to the people who need it. Use strong account protection and multi-factor authentication where available; the Australian Cyber Security Centre provides guidance on multi-factor authentication.
Know how to report a fault and which work costs extra. Ask about response arrangements directly. A general promise of “ongoing support” is not a defined response time or an allowance of unlimited changes.
What is included in the SMB Sites plan?
Our five-page website plan starts at $99/month + GST and includes hosting, SSL and technical maintenance, along with the design, build, copy help and SEO setup. There is no setup fee. Payment starts when you order, and you can cancel any time.
Domain registration and business email are separate. Extra pages, bookings, online shops and ongoing SEO campaigns are also separate. Discuss the content changes or additional features you need so their scope and cost can be confirmed.
Routine care and an ongoing SEO campaign have different purposes. Technical care keeps the agreed website functioning; an SEO campaign may involve further research, new content and other work. See the local SEO starting guide and the hosting-cost explanation for those distinctions.
If you are changing providers, first use the redesign and changeover checklist. Confirm that the new arrangements work before cancelling the old ones.