In general, the costs of a website can be broken down into two categories:
one-time costs and ongoing costs.
Maintenance and Care: The Monthly Costs of a Website
1. Domain
The costs for the domain are unavoidable and are typically due monthly or annually. On average, you can expect to pay around 10–20€ net per year.
2. Hosting
Hosting is also unavoidable and refers to the rental of the server where your website “lives” and where all the data is stored. These costs are typically billed monthly or annually as well. Depending on the requirements, the cost can range from 50–300€ net. Larger, high-traffic websites may incur higher costs, as more powerful hosting is required.
3. Maintenance & Upkeep
These optional costs apply when, for example, a web designer or web agency is hired to handle the upkeep of the website. This could include updates, backups, or adjusting content. The exact services provided depend on the provider and the client’s needs. Depending on the scope and necessity, maintenance contracts can range from 50€ to 400€ net per month.
4. Plugins, Licenses, or Subsequent Changes (Outside of a Maintenance Contract)
Optional. External integrations for functionality (such as plugins: e.g., a contact form, cookie banner, or an online calculator) can include one-time or ongoing costs. Additionally, post-launch changes to the website (e.g., adding a new page for a new service offering) can occur. These costs are difficult to estimate, as they vary from project to project.
5. Advertising & Marketing
If you decide to generate more traffic to your website through advertising (e.g., via Google Ads or Facebook & Instagram ads), this also falls under optional website costs. Whether and how much you spend here is entirely up to you. There may also be other types of ongoing costs associated with a website. The specifics and price range can vary depending on the case. If in doubt, we recommend seeking personal advice from an expert.
Of course, there are more potential ongoing costs that could arise when operating a website.
These can include search engine optimization (SEO), content creation, or article maintenance for online shops, depending on the requirements.
Titelbild: Fabian Blank / unsplash.com