The verdict in three sentences
A site delivered without a maintenance contract loses value every month: security updates, backups and enhancements do not happen on their own. A serious maintenance retainer runs from EUR 90/month for basic to EUR 1,200/month for premium with an SLA. The point to negotiate is not the monthly fee but the included hours and the overage day rate (EUR 550 to 750 in 2026).
The three maintenance tiers in 2026
A retainer reads on two axes: what is covered routinely (security, backups, uptime) and the volume of enhancements included. Here are the 2026 ballpark figures in Dublin.
| Service | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | EUR 90 – 200 | EUR 250 – 500 | EUR 600 – 1,200 |
| Security / CMS updates | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Automated backups | Weekly | Daily | Daily + tested restore |
| Uptime monitoring | Basic | Yes | 24/7 with alerting |
| Included enhancement hours | 0 | 2 – 4 h/month | 6 – 12 h/month |
| Priority support | No | Email + phone | |
| SLA response time | — | 24 – 48 h | 4 business hours |
| Guaranteed uptime | — | 99.5 % | 99.9 % |
Basic is the bare minimum (security + backups); standard suits a site that evolves a bit each month; premium fits critical sites where downtime is expensive.
Included hours and overage costs
The real variable is enhancements beyond the included hours. Budget a developer day rate.
| Element | 2026 detail |
|---|---|
| Developer day rate | EUR 550 – 750/day |
| Overage hourly rate | EUR 70 – 95/h |
| Small change (form, page) | 1 – 3 h |
| Medium change (module, integration) | 1 – 3 days |
| Urgent out-of-hours intervention | +30 to 50 % |
A standard EUR 350/month plan with 3 included hours covers routine upkeep; beyond that, each billed hour costs EUR 70 to 95. Over a year, this stays far cheaper than an emergency fix after a hack.
Mini case study
Julien, managing partner of a consulting firm in Dublin, hesitates between nothing and a standard EUR 380/month plan (4 included hours, monitoring, daily backups). Without a retainer, an unpatched flaw causes a defacement: cleanup, restore and lost trust budgeted at EUR 3,500, plus 4 days of downtime. With the retainer at EUR 380/month, i.e. EUR 4,560/year, he gets security, tested backups and 48 hours of annual enhancements. Over three years the retainer costs EUR 13,680 but has spared him at least two major incidents: the insurance is worth it.
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FAQ
Is maintenance really essential?
Yes. CMS and plugins ship security patches continuously; an unmaintained site is hacked or broken within months. A basic retainer (security + backups) is the strict minimum for any professional site.
What happens if I exceed the included hours?
Extra hours are billed at the hourly rate (EUR 70–95/h in 2026) or day rate (EUR 550–750/day). A good contract caps emergencies and warns before any overage.
Which tier for a marketing site?
Standard (EUR 250–500/month) suits most SMEs: security, daily backups, monitoring and a few enhancement hours. Basic is enough if your site never changes.
What does a 99.9 % SLA cover?
It guarantees under ~8.8 hours of downtime per year and a defined response time (often 4 business hours). It matters for sites generating revenue or leads continuously.
Can I cancel easily?
Good retainers are commitment-free or carry a one-to-three-month notice. Be wary of 24-month lock-ins not justified by a strong SLA.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your site's criticality and your monthly change volume: we propose the right maintenance tier without over-selling. 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.
