WordPress maintenance packages all sound similar on a pricing page: updates, backups, security, support. The differences that matter, whether backups are tested, whether updates are staged, what “support” includes and how fast someone responds when the site is down, are usually in the fine print. This guide explains what the tiers typically include, how to match a package to your site and exactly what is in each of our own plans so you can compare like with like.
For what maintenance costs across the Australian market, see our maintenance costs guide. For what the work itself involves month to month, see WordPress maintenance in Melbourne. This page is about choosing a package.
What maintenance packages typically include
Most providers structure their plans in three or four tiers. The names vary but the pattern is consistent.
Basic or starter plans cover the essentials: WordPress core, theme and plugin updates, automated backups, security monitoring and uptime checks. They suit brochure sites with low traffic and few changes. The questions to ask at this tier are how often backups run, where they are stored and whether anyone ever tests a restore.
Standard or business plans add performance work (caching, image optimisation, database cleanup), priority support and often a small allowance for content edits. This is the right tier for most business websites that generate enquiries. The question here is whether updates are tested on a staging copy before going live, because that is what stops an update breaking your contact form on a Friday.
Premium plans add malware scanning and removal, advanced security hardening, faster response windows and more hands-on optimisation. They suit sites where downtime or compromise is expensive: high-traffic sites, sites handling customer data, membership or booking sites.
eCommerce plans are a category of their own. WooCommerce stores need payment and checkout monitoring, more frequent updates because the plugin stack is larger and testing of the full purchase path after every change. A general business plan is not enough for a store that takes money.
Our WordPress maintenance packages
All plans are delivered by our Melbourne team, billed monthly or annually with no lock-in and prices are plus GST.
| Starter | Business | Premium | eCommerce | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price per month | $32.95 | $49.95 | $69.95 | $149.95 |
| Core, theme and plugin updates | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes, more frequent |
| Automated backups | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 24/7 security monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Uptime monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Performance optimisation | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Priority support | No | Yes | Yes, priority response | Yes, priority response |
| Malware scanning and advanced hardening | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Payment and checkout monitoring | No | No | No | Yes |
| Best for | Brochure sites, low traffic | Most business websites | High-traffic sites, customer data, bookings | WooCommerce stores |
A one-off site health check is around $350 and is the usual starting point for a site we have not looked after before. Current inclusions are confirmed on our WordPress maintenance page.
How to choose the right package
Start from what the site is worth to the business, not from the price. If the site produces no enquiries and a week of downtime would go unnoticed, a Starter plan is enough. If it produces leads or bookings every week, the cost of a broken form or a day offline is more than a year’s difference between Starter and Business, so Business is the sensible floor. If a compromise would expose customer data or a slow site would cost sales at peak, Premium. If it takes payments, eCommerce, without exception.
Then check the site’s complexity. A site with thirty plugins, custom code and several integrations needs staged updates and more testing than a five-page brochure site, whichever tier you pick. And consider how much you change the site yourself: if you regularly need small edits made, a plan with a content allowance saves you paying hourly.
Questions to ask any maintenance provider
How often are backups taken, where are they stored and when did you last test a restore? Are updates applied on a staging copy first or straight to the live site? What exactly does “support” include and is a small content change covered or billed? What is the response time for a site that is down or hacked and is malware cleanup included or an emergency fee? Is hosting bundled and if not, who is accountable when the problem is on the server? Who do I actually speak to and in what timezone? Can I cancel monthly and do I keep the site? Straight answers to all of these are the mark of a provider worth using.
Outsource or do it yourself
Doing it yourself is viable if you are comfortable running updates on staging, verifying backups and rolling back, reading security scan results, troubleshooting plugin conflicts and testing forms after every change. Budget two to four hours a month. Outsourcing costs from $32.95 a month and buys a process, a tested backup and someone accountable. For most business owners the hourly value of their own time settles it; for a handful with technical skills and a simple site, DIY is fine.
Frequently asked questions
What is a WordPress maintenance package?
A monthly or annual plan under which a provider keeps your WordPress site updated, backed up, secure and monitored, usually with support and performance work included at higher tiers.
How much do WordPress maintenance packages cost?
Across Australia, from about $30 a month for automated basic plans to $400 or more for agency retainers and higher for eCommerce. Our plans run $32.95 to $149.95 a month plus GST. The costs guide linked above covers the ranges in detail.
Which package do most small businesses need?
A business-tier plan: updates, tested backups, security and uptime monitoring, performance work and priority support. Starter plans suit sites that don’t generate enquiries; eCommerce stores need an eCommerce plan.
Is hosting included in a maintenance package?
Usually not; hosting and maintenance are separate services. We offer both and bundling them simplifies accountability, because there is one team responsible whether the problem is the server or the software.
Can I switch packages later?
Yes. Sites change; a brochure site that adds a booking system or a store should move up a tier. There is no lock-in on our plans.
Do I need a maintenance package if my site is new?
Yes. A new site is out of date within weeks as plugins release patches and the habit of tested backups is worth having from day one rather than after the first problem.
Not sure which tier fits? Get in touch and we will tell you honestly, or start with a site health check.
