Are There Any Ongoing Costs for a Website?
Yes—and we’ll walk you through them from the start.
When planning a new website, most people think about the upfront cost. But just like a car or a house, your website comes with a few ongoing costs that keep everything running smoothly over time.
At shepx, we believe in radical transparency, so we make sure you know about these expenses before the project begins—not after.
Here’s a breakdown of the typical ongoing costs involved in owning and maintaining a professional website.
Every website needs a domain name (like yourbrand.com), and that comes with an annual renewal fee.
Expect to pay $10–$20 per year for most standard domains. If your brand uses a premium or specialty domain (like .ai or .agency), the cost may be slightly higher.
This is the space where your website lives online.
Hosting providers charge monthly or annual fees, and the price depends on the performance, security, and support level you need. While budget hosting exists, we recommend premium hosting to ensure your site stays fast, safe, and stable.
(If you’re interested, we’re an official WP Engine Agency Partner and can help you get discounted pricing and faster support.)
An SSL certificate secures your website with HTTPS (you’ve seen that little lock icon in the browser bar).
It’s essential for protecting user data and building trust. Many premium hosts include SSL for free, but in some cases, it may be an added fee.
Websites are never “set it and forget it.”
You’ll want to budget for occasional updates, plugin upgrades, backups, security monitoring, and small tweaks to keep your site current. We offer ongoing support options if you’d rather not manage these things yourself.
If your site connects to a CRM like HubSpot, Salesforce, or an email marketing platform like Mailchimp or Klaviyo, those tools often have separate monthly or annual fees—especially if you use advanced features.
Yes, websites have ongoing costs—but none of them should surprise you. At shepx, we outline every recurring cost from day one so you can budget with confidence and avoid unexpected fees.
P.S. Want to know what your brand’s ongoing website costs would look like? Ask Shep, our AI-powered search assistant. He’s ready with answers tailored to your setup.
® Brand Shepherd llc • shepx is a service of Brand Shepherd
