How much does website maintenance cost in Australia?
It depends on how the site is built. On a website builder, the monthly plan covers hosting, security patches and platform updates, so maintenance is mostly the subscription. Squarespace starts at A$17 a month on an annual plan and Shopify at A$42. A self-hosted WordPress site costs hosting plus the hours someone spends on updates, backups and fixes.
The real question is what you are paying for. A builder subscription pays the platform to look after the software. A maintenance package pays a person to look after your particular site: plugins, backups, small edits and fixing things when they break.
Many small businesses pay twice without realising it. If your site runs on Squarespace or Shopify, you do not need someone to patch the server. You may still want help with content changes, but that is a different job from maintenance.
Source: Squarespace pricing page (AUD), Shopify Australia pricing page (AUD), WordPress.com pricing page (USD, excludes taxes), checked October 2026.
What do website maintenance packages usually include?
A proper maintenance package covers hosting, domain and SSL renewals, software and plugin updates, regular backups you can actually restore, security monitoring, uptime checks and a small allowance for content edits. If a package does not say how often backups run and where they are stored, ask before you sign.
Get the scope in writing. The useful line items are: how often updates are applied, whether they test the site afterwards, backup frequency and storage location, how quickly they respond if the site goes down, and how many minutes or hours of edits are included each month.
Watch for packages that are mostly reporting. A monthly PDF showing your site was online is not maintenance. The value is in updates done safely and a backup that works on the day you need it.
Why do updates and security matter so much?
Because most attacks on small websites go after known holes in old software. Patchstack recorded 7,966 new vulnerabilities in the WordPress ecosystem in 2024, and 96% were in plugins. A third had no fix at the time they were disclosed, so someone needs to watch and act, not just click update once a year.
The cost of getting it wrong is real. In the Australian Signals Directorate's latest annual cyber threat report, the average self-reported cost of cybercrime per report for a small business was $56,600 in 2024-25.
Not every website problem costs that much, but a hacked site can mean lost enquiries, a Google warning on your listing and a clean-up bill. Keeping software updated is far cheaper than fixing a compromise.
Source: Patchstack, State of WordPress Security in 2025 (2024 data); Australian Signals Directorate, Annual Cyber Threat Report 2024-2025.
How often should a small business website be backed up?
Back up before every update and on a regular schedule that matches how often your site changes. A brochure site that changes monthly needs less than a shop taking orders daily. WordPress's own documentation says to back up before updating and to check the backup can actually be used.
Keep at least one copy away from your hosting account. If the host has a problem, a backup stored on the same server goes down with it.
Test a restore at least once. A backup that has never been restored is a hope, not a plan. WordPress.com's Business plan includes real-time backups, and site builders like Squarespace and Shopify handle platform-level backups, but you should still keep your own copy of key content and product data.
Source: WordPress Developer Resources, Upgrading WordPress; WordPress.com pricing page.
Is it worth paying for website hosting and maintenance together?
Usually yes for a self-hosted WordPress site, because the person who runs the server can also handle updates and restores without finger-pointing. For a site on Squarespace, Shopify or Wix, a bundled hosting and maintenance fee is rarely worth it, because the platform already hosts and patches the site.
Bundling makes sense when one party is clearly responsible if the site breaks. Separating them makes sense when you want to switch hosts without losing your maintenance provider.
Whatever you choose, make sure your business owns the domain and the hosting account, or at least has admin access to both. You should be able to walk away and take your site with you.
What website maintenance is worth paying for, and what isn't?
Pay for safe updates, tested backups, security monitoring and quick help when something breaks. Do not pay extra for vague monthly reports, SEO add-ons bundled without a plan, or hosting upgrades a small site does not need. A five-page site for a tradie does not need the same care as an online store.
Worth it: plugin and core updates with a check afterwards, off-site backups, uptime monitoring, SSL renewal and a named person you can call.
Usually not worth it: monthly reports nobody reads, premium hosting for a site with a few hundred visits, and anyone promising rankings as part of maintenance. Google itself says no one can guarantee a number one ranking.
Source: Google Search Central, Do you need an SEO?
Should you do website maintenance yourself or use a managed service?
DIY is fine on a website builder, where the platform handles the technical side and you only update content. On self-hosted WordPress with several plugins, a managed service is usually cheaper than your own time and the risk of a broken update. The deciding factor is how much the site earns you when it is working.
If your website brings in most of your enquiries, an hour of downtime costs more than a modest maintenance fee. If it is a simple online business card, a builder plan and a calendar reminder to review it every quarter may be all you need.
MarketingOnWeb quotes hosting and maintenance per site, because a five-page brochure site and a 150-page site with bookings need different care. Ask any provider to show you exactly what they will do each month.
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