The verdict in three sentences
A maintenance retainer for a brochure site costs between EUR 150 and 600/month in Dublin in 2026 depending on the SLA level. The retainer covers security updates, daily backups, a target recovery time under 4 hours and a pool of evolution hours (2 to 8 h/month). Against ad-hoc maintenance, the retainer becomes profitable as soon as you need more than 2 interventions per quarter.
The three retainer tiers in 2026
A maintenance contract is not just "doing the updates". It combines security, availability, backups and a right to evolve the site. Here are the standard B2B market tiers.
| Tier | Price/month EUR | Recovery SLA | Hours included | Backups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | 150 - 250 | < 48 business h | 2 h | Daily, 7 days |
| Business | 300 - 450 | < 8 business h | 4 h | Daily, 30 days |
| Premium | 500 - 600 | < 4 h (24/7) | 8 h | Hourly + 90 days |
| Custom | 700+ | < 2 h guaranteed | 12 h+ | Real-time |
The Business tier is the best seller for SMEs: it covers 95% of a brochure site's needs without overpaying for 24/7 on-call.
Ad-hoc or monthly retainer
Ad-hoc maintenance looks cheaper on paper, but it bills every intervention at a day rate (EUR 450-650) and includes no preventive monitoring. The retainer smooths the cost and turns security into a continuous process.
| Criterion | Ad-hoc | Monthly retainer |
|---|---|---|
| Headline cost | EUR 0 fixed | EUR 150 - 600/month |
| Cost per intervention | EUR 450 - 650 (day rate) | Included in pool |
| Security monitoring | None | Continuous |
| Response time | Variable (days) | Guaranteed by SLA |
| Backups | Your responsibility | Automatic |
| Typical annual cost | EUR 2,700 - 5,200 | EUR 1,800 - 5,400 |
In practice, a site that suffers a single unanticipated attack costs more to fix than 12 months of the Business retainer.
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Mini case study
Sophie runs a 12-person consultancy in Dublin. Her WordPress brochure site ran without maintenance; in 2025 an outdated plugin allowed an injection that took the site down for 3 days, with EUR 2,800 in emergency remediation and lost contact requests. She signs a Business retainer at EUR 380/month (EUR 4,560/year). Since then, zero incidents, daily backups, and the 4 included hours are used to publish her case studies. The retainer costs less than the single emergency fix she paid the year before.
FAQ
What is the floor price for a serious retainer? Expect EUR 150/month for an Essential tier with daily backups and security updates. Below that, the provider proactively monitors nothing.
Is the 4-hour recovery time guaranteed? On a Premium tier at EUR 500-600/month, yes, with 24/7 on-call. Lower tiers target recovery within 8 to 48 business hours.
What do the included hours cover? The 2 to 8 h/month are used for small changes: a new page, content updates, adding a form. They usually cannot be rolled over to the next month.
Can I host elsewhere and take only the retainer? Yes, but most providers require compatible hosting. A managed hosting + retainer bundle costs between EUR 200 and 700/month depending on traffic.
Is the retainer binding? Standard contracts are monthly or annually cancellable. A 12-month commitment often gives 1 to 2 months free.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your CMS, your traffic and your availability requirement: we will propose the best-fitting retainer tier. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
