Pricing · 6 min read · Updated
Website monthly fees explained: what a small business should get for the money
A website monthly fee should pay for things that keep the site working and useful: hosting, security certificates, backups, software updates, small content changes and some form of reporting. Before agreeing to one, check exactly what's included, how changes are handled, how you can leave, and what you'll own if you do.
Why many web designers charge monthly
Building a site is only part of the work. It has to be hosted somewhere, kept secure, backed up and occasionally changed. A monthly fee spreads that cost, and often lets the designer charge less up front.
That arrangement is fine — as long as you know what the fee buys and you're not locked in to paying it forever.
What a monthly fee usually covers
Hosting and SSL. The server your site runs on and the certificate that gives it https.
Backups. Regular copies of the site so it can be restored if something goes wrong. Ask how often, and how quickly a restore happens.
Updates and security. Keeping the underlying software patched.
Small content changes. New prices, opening hours, a photo, a line of copy. Ask what counts as “small” — and what happens when a request is bigger.
Reporting. Some sense of how the site is performing: visits, enquiries, search visibility.
Five questions to ask before you agree
1. What exactly is included each month? Get it in writing, item by item.
2. How are changes handled, and what's out of scope? A clear line avoids surprise invoices.
3. How long is the contract, and how do I end it? Look for the notice period and any minimum term.
4. What do I own, and when? The design, the copy, the code, the domain. See our guide to who owns your website.
5. What happens to my site if I leave? Can you take an export, and in what form?
Our own monthly fees, in full
Starter is £97/month: hosting, SSL, daily backups, a monthly performance report and reasonable content updates. Growth is £147/month and adds a quarterly SEO and AI visibility review. Authority is £247/month and adds monthly tracking, conversion improvement cycles and priority support with a named contact. Prices exclude VAT.
The monthly service is rolling: either side can end it with 30 days' written notice. The full comparison is on our pricing page.
Published 27 September 2026 by Quality Website. General guidance, not legal or financial advice.