Insights — Digital Infrastructure — 3 min read
Ongoing Website Costs: Hosting, Maintenance and Hidden Fees
The build cost of a website is only the beginning. To remain secure, fast, and visible, every website requires ongoing investment. Here are the annual and monthly costs you should budget for.
In short
For a professional UK B2B website, ongoing costs typically range from £50 to £250 per month. This covers hosting, security updates, SSL certificates, and basic maintenance. Domain renewals add a small annual cost. Larger or more complex sites may pay significantly more for premium hosting and managed security services.
One of the most common frustrations for business owners is the 'surprise' cost that arrives months after a new website has launched. A professional website is not a static asset; it is commercial infrastructure that requires regular maintenance, security updates, and infrastructure fees to stay functional.
If you only budget for the initial build, you will eventually face security vulnerabilities, slow performance, or a site that stops working entirely. This guide outlines the ongoing costs of a professional website in 2026.
The essential monthly and annual costs
Every website, regardless of how it was built, has four unavoidable ongoing costs.
- Hosting: The fee for the server where your website files live. Cheap 'shared' hosting starts at £5–£15/month, but professional B2B hosting usually costs £30–£80/month to ensure speed and reliability.
- Maintenance and Security: Software needs updates. If you use a CMS like WordPress, plugins and the core system require regular patching to prevent hacking. Professionals typically charge £50–£150/month for this.
- SSL Certificates: These ensure your site is secure (the padlock in the browser). While many hosts provide free 'Let's Encrypt' SSLs, some premium providers still charge £50–£150/year for advanced certificates.
- Domain Renewals: The annual fee to keep your web address (e.g., .co.uk or .com). These are usually small, between £10 and £40 per year, but losing a domain because of a missed payment is a major commercial risk.
The 'hidden' costs most quotes omit
Premium plugin licences
Many professional websites rely on 'premium' plugins for features like advanced forms, SEO tools, or security. These often carry annual subscription fees ranging from £30 to £200 per plugin. If your agency used their own developer licence to build the site, you might find yourself needing to buy your own licences when the project ends.
Content updates
A website that never changes quickly loses its value. Whether you pay an agency for a few hours of work each month or invest your own time in writing new articles, content is a recurring commercial cost.
SEO and Visibility
Maintenance keeps the site alive; SEO keeps the site found. Monitoring your rankings, responding to new competitor activity, and adjusting for AI search engine changes is a separate, ongoing service. At Evans, Search & AI Visibility starts from £295 + VAT per month.
| Service | Basic DIY Site | Professional Agency Site | Managed Monthly Site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting | £10 – £20 | £30 – £100 | Included |
| Maintenance | You (Time) | £50 – £200 | Included |
| SSL & Security | Included/Extra | £10 – £50 | Included |
| Support | None | Hourly Rate | Included |
| Total Monthly | £10 – £40 + Time | £100 – £350+ | £249 – £349 |
The Managed Monthly Model
The alternative to managing these separate costs is a monthly managed website. In this model, the build, hosting, maintenance, security, and support are all bundled into a single fixed fee.
The Evans Launch products are built on this basis. For £249 or £349 + VAT per month, you get a professionally written and built website where all the ongoing technical 'headaches' are handled by Evans. There is no surprise hosting bill, no renewal fee for the domain, and no hourly charge for basic launch revisions.
Professional website. £0 upfront build cost.
Evans Launch is a fixed-scope business website for £249 + VAT per month. Evans Launch Plus is a larger search-focused commercial website for £349 + VAT per month. Both are built, hosted and maintained, with a 12-month agreement.
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