A website care plan is what you pay each month to keep your site online, secure and working after launch. It's the least exciting part of having a website, and the part people most often get surprised by. This guide explains what a care plan should cover, what mine include, and the questions worth asking about any plan before you sign up.
Why a website needs looking after
A website isn't like a printed brochure. It sits on a server, talks to browsers that keep changing, and runs software that needs security updates. Forms can stop delivering messages without anyone noticing. Links break when other sites move.
The Australian Cyber Security Centre's small business cyber security guide (opens in a new tab) calls websites a prime target for cyber attacks. Its basic advice is to secure the website login, regularly update the site's software and plugins, and back the site up so it can be restored after an attack. A care plan is one way of making sure that happens without you having to remember.
What a website care plan usually covers
Hosting
Hosting is the server your site lives on. Without it, there's no website. Some plans list hosting separately and some bundle it in. Either is fine, as long as you know which.
A secure connection (SSL)
SSL is what puts the padlock next to your web address and the "https" at the start. Google Chrome's help page on site security (opens in a new tab) explains that a site without a private connection is labelled "Not secure", and that someone may be able to view or change the information sent through it. That's not a great look on a page with an enquiry form. Certificates need renewing, so check who looks after that.
Backups
A backup lets your site be put back after something goes wrong. Ask how often backups happen, how quickly a restore can be done, and what isn't backed up. Website backups usually cover the site's own code and content. They don't usually cover your email, your booking system's records or another company's software.
Updates and security
Most sites run on software that receives updates, some of them security fixes. Someone has to apply those updates and check nothing broke afterwards. On a hosted website builder, the platform runs the software for you as part of your subscription.
Checks
A broken enquiry form can quietly cost you work. Customers fill it in, nothing arrives, and they assume you weren't interested. A good plan includes regular checks that forms still deliver and links still work.
Small changes
Opening hours change. Prices change. You add a service or a new photo. Some plans include a set amount of time each month for small edits. Others charge for every change. Neither is wrong, but you should know which one you're on.
Replies when you need help
Look at how quickly someone replies, and what "reply" means. A reply that acknowledges the problem and gives a plan is different from a promise to fix it within a set time.
What my care plans include
Every site I build comes with one of three care plans. Any package can use any plan.
Essential, $79 a month. Managed hosting, a secure connection and recoverable versions of your site. A monthly check of your forms and links, a software and security review, and fixes for anything my work caused. It doesn't include time for content changes; those are quoted when you need them. Reply target: 2 business days.
Active, $149 a month. Everything in Essential, plus 30 minutes of small text and image changes each month, sent as one combined request. Reply target: 2 business days.
Grow, $249 a month. Everything in Essential, plus 60 minutes of small changes each month, and a 30-minute review every quarter with one prioritised improvement done within the included time. Reply target: 1 business day.
AUD. GST is not charged.
A few details apply to all three:
- Care is billed monthly, with 30 days' notice to cancel.
- Unused time doesn't roll over.
- I work Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm AEST, excluding Queensland public holidays. There's no 24/7 support.
- A reply means I've acknowledged your request and given you a plan. It isn't a promise of a fixed repair time.
- Once your build is paid, you can pay for care annually and get 12 months for the price of 11.
The plans don't include your domain name, email mailboxes, paid booking or shop software, new pages, redesigns or legal wording. They don't come with any promise about search rankings, because nobody can honestly make one. Bigger changes are quoted before any work starts.
As a starting point, I suggest Essential with Launch, Active with Local and Grow with Signature. That's only a suggestion. The pricing page has the full comparison.
How to compare care plans anywhere
Whoever builds your site, these questions will tell you what you're really paying for:
- What's hosted, and where? Is hosting included, or is it a separate bill?
- Who handles the secure connection? Is renewal included?
- How do backups work? How often, how fast to restore, and what's left out?
- Who applies updates? And who checks the site afterwards?
- How much change time is included? What counts as a "small" change, and does unused time roll over?
- How fast do they reply? During which hours? Is that a reply time or a fix time?
- What does it cost to leave? Is there a lock-in period, a notice period or an exit fee?
- Who owns what? Is the domain in your name? Can you take the site with you, and in what form?
- What's not included? Email, domain renewals and booking software are the usual extras.
If a plan promises unlimited changes for a small monthly fee, ask what the limits really are. If it promises top spot on Google, be cautious. For indicative market prices, see my guide to website costs in Australia.
When you might not need one
If you've built your own site on a hosted website builder, the platform runs the hosting for you as part of your subscription, and some include the secure connection too. Squarespace's help centre, for example, says SSL certificates are included (opens in a new tab) for domains that point to a Squarespace site. You may only need help now and then, and paying for changes as you go could suit you better. I've covered that choice in website builder vs web designer.
If you'd like to know how your current site is holding up, the free website check looks at the practical basics, including the secure connection and how it works on mobile. To talk about a new site with care included, start with the website brief.
Common questions
Do I need a care plan for my website?
Every website needs hosting, a secure connection and someone keeping it up to date. You can manage that yourself or pay someone to do it. With a site I build, hosting is part of the care plan.
What's the difference between hosting and a care plan?
Hosting is the server space that keeps your site online. A care plan usually bundles hosting with the upkeep: security, backups, checks and, on some plans, time for small changes.
How much are your care plans?
Essential is $79 a month, Active is $149 and Grow is $249. AUD. GST is not charged.
Can I cancel my care plan?
Yes. Care is billed monthly with 30 days' notice to cancel. If you're paying off a build over time, the build payments still follow the agreed term.
Do unused minutes roll over to the next month?
No. Active and Grow include a set amount of time each month for small changes, and unused time doesn't carry over.