How to create website maintenance plans

1. Why care plans matter

The biggest mistake in web design is treating the launch as the finish line. The launch is the beginning of the real client relationship — and the real revenue.

A $3,500 website project is a one-time payment. A $3,500 project plus a $199/month care plan is a $5,888 first-year client. Over three years, that is $10,664 from a single relationship.

Agencies with care plans earn 3x more per client over 3 years than agencies that only do project work. Care plans are the difference between a job and a business.

2. What's included

Every care plan should cover the basics that keep a website alive and secure:

• Hosting: Fast, reliable hosting with SSL certificate
• Security: Malware scanning, firewall, and threat monitoring
• Backups: Daily or weekly automated backups with easy restore
• Updates: Core platform, plugin, and theme updates
• Uptime monitoring: Alerts if the site goes down
• Performance: Speed optimization and caching

Higher tiers add content updates, SEO monitoring, and strategy calls. The basics are non-negotiable — every site needs them.

3. Pricing tiers

Three tiers keeps it simple for clients and profitable for you:

• Basic ($79–$149/mo): Hosting, SSL, security, monthly backups, platform updates
• Standard ($149–$299/mo): Everything in Basic + 2 hours of content updates, priority support, uptime monitoring
• Premium ($299–$599/mo): Everything in Standard + SEO monitoring, performance reporting, quarterly strategy calls, 4 hours of updates

Your actual cost per site is roughly $9–$25/month for hosting and tools. The margin on care plans is 70–90%, making them the most profitable service you offer.

4. Selling care plans

Never present the care plan as optional. Include it in the proposal as a natural next step after launch.

Script: "After we launch, we keep your site secure, fast, and up to date with our Standard Care Plan. It includes hosting, backups, and up to 2 hours of content updates per month. Most clients stay on this plan for years."

• Frame it as insurance, not an add-on
• Show the cost of not having it (hacks, downtime, lost leads)
• Bundle the first month free with the website build
• Require a care plan for any site you build (non-negotiable)

5. Onboarding

A smooth onboarding sets the tone for the entire relationship:

1. Send a welcome email with login credentials and what to expect
2. Schedule a 15-minute kickoff call to review the plan details
3. Set up automated monthly billing (Stripe, Chargebee, or Lindo's built-in billing)
4. Add the site to your monitoring dashboard
5. Document any special client requests or preferences

First impressions matter. A professional onboarding makes clients feel they made the right choice — and reduces churn.

6. Delivering monthly value

Clients forget what they are paying for unless you remind them. Send a monthly report that shows:

• Uptime percentage (aim for 99.9%+)
• Backups completed
• Updates applied
• Security scans (clean)
• Performance score
• Content updates made (if applicable)

A 5-minute monthly report justifies the fee, reduces cancellations, and often leads to upsells. Clients who see value stay. Clients who do not see value leave.