// Client guide
What it costs to keep your website running.
Building the site is a one-time cost. Keeping it online is not — and most agencies don't tell you that until the first surprise bill. This page is the whole picture, in plain English.
Why does a website have ongoing costs?
- Domain name — renews every year. Your address on the internet (like yourbusiness.com) is rented, not bought. It renews annually — typically around $20/yr — and if it lapses, your site and email go dark and someone else can take the name.
- Hosting — keeps the site online. Your website's files live on a server that runs 24/7. That server space is a recurring cost, monthly or yearly depending on the provider.
- Maintenance — keeps it fast and safe. Software ages: security patches, browser changes, content updates. An unmaintained site gets slower, breaks quietly, and becomes a target.
How I handle it — two options
Option 1 · Care Plan
$75/mo · all-inclusive
- Domain renewal — covered
- Hosting — covered
- Security updates & monitoring
- Small content edits, included
One predictable bill covers everything above. No renewal notices, no surprise invoices — ever. Larger sites quoted up front.
Option 2 · On-demand
$150+ per request
- Fixes & updates scoped and quoted per job
- You renew your own domain (≈ $20/yr, paid to the registrar)
- You manage your own hosting account
Full handover at launch — you own every account and maintain the site yourself, calling me only when something needs doing.
When do the fees hit?
On a Care Plan: the same amount, every month — that's it. On-demand: your domain renews once a year (your registrar emails you), hosting bills on whatever cycle your provider uses, and my work is invoiced per job after you approve the quote. Either way, nothing is charged without you knowing exactly what and why.
Questions? Ask me →