Website maintenance: what you need and what it costs

Last updated: 23 October 2026 · By Maurice, freeehouse team · About 3 minutes to read

What does technical care include?

• Updates of the system and all extensions
• Backups that you can actually restore in an emergency
• Security certificate, so the site runs over https
• Checking forms, booking and shop
• Monitoring loading time and how the site looks on a phone

With website builders like Wix, Jimdo or Squarespace, the provider handles most of this within the subscription. With a self-hosted WordPress site it is your job or a service provider's. The WordPress documentation names current versions as the most important step for security.

What does content care include?

• Keeping opening hours, prices and services up to date
• Holiday and public holiday notices
• New photos and references
• Updating the Impressum and privacy policy when something changes, for example when a new service is added
• Removing or reworking outdated pages

For Google, what counts most is that content is correct. A page with wrong opening hours costs trust, and customers call for nothing.

What does website care cost?

The costs consist of your time or a service provider's fee. We have not found reliable average prices for maintenance contracts in Germany with a sound method. Monthly flat rates with a fixed scope or billing by the hour are common. With website builders the technology is in the subscription and you maintain the content yourself.

Calculate for your own situation like this:

1. 1

   How many hours a month go into the site today? Estimate honestly.

2. 2

   What is an hour worth to you, for example your own hourly rate?

3. 3

   What does a service provider cost for the same scope?

What should I look for in a maintenance contract?

• What exactly is included: technology only, or content changes too?
• How many minutes or hours of changes per month?
• How quickly do they respond when something breaks?
• How often is it backed up, where is the backup stored, who can restore it?
• Term and notice period
• Can the price rise?
• Are hours beyond the allowance agreed beforehand?

Can I do the care myself?

Content, yes, if the system has simple admin. In our conversations in October 2026 this was the most common question of all: can I still change texts and images myself? For many it is a deal breaker. Maintaining the technology yourself only pays off if you have experience and do it regularly.

How much care does a small website really need?

Less than many think. A well-built site without many extensions needs little technical attention. For content, a quick look once a month and a change whenever something happens is enough for most businesses. Most effort comes from sites with many extensions that each have to be maintained separately.

At freeehouse, care is included in hosting: technology, security, updates and 10 minutes of changes a month by us. You change texts, images and appointments yourself at any time in your admin area. What it costs

What should I check every month?

• Are opening hours, prices and services correct?
• Do enquiries arrive through the form? Test it yourself once.
• Are there new reviews you should reply to?
• Does Search Console show errors?
• Is there news that belongs on the site?

For a small site this takes a quarter of an hour and prevents most problems.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• WordPress Developer: Hardening WordPress, accessed 23 October 2026
• Let's Encrypt: Über uns, accessed 23 October 2026
• web.dev: Core Web Vitals, accessed 23 October 2026

Providers' prices and terms change often. What counts is what's in your customer account and your contract. Not legal advice.

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