Back up first
Make sure there is a usable recovery point before routine software changes are made.
Maintenance you can verify
Paying for WordPress maintenance? Check what is actually being done.
WordPress maintenance should reduce risk, not become another monthly charge nobody can explain. Smarter Search includes standard WordPress update management with suitable hosted websites, while larger or more complex maintenance requirements are priced around the site. Our free checker gives any WordPress owner a useful first look at publicly visible versions without logging in or handing over an email address.
Free public checkerNo email requiredStandard updates included with suitable hosting
Quick enquiry
Need help with WordPress Maintenance?
Send us the website and a short description. We’ll take a look before we reply.
What exactly are you paying for?If the answer is unclear, that is a perfectly reasonable question to ask.Check the public website first →
Start with evidence
Your provider says WordPress is maintained. Let’s see what the public site can tell us.
The free checker looks for WordPress and plugin version information exposed publicly and compares visible plugin versions with WordPress.org. It does not log in, does not ask for an email address and does not need your password.
It is not a complete audit. A secure website may deliberately hide version information and the checker cannot see backups, hidden plugins, server configuration or whether forms have been tested. But obviously old visible software is a useful reason to ask your provider what is happening.
What routine maintenance actually means
It is more than clicking “Update”.
The value is in reducing the chance of an update becoming tomorrow’s website rescue.
Update sensibly
Review WordPress core, plugins and themes rather than blindly updating an unknown stack.
Check the website
Look for obvious page, form, checkout and functionality problems after routine updates.
Monitor the basics
Uptime, security concerns, backups and the server environment should not be completely ignored between updates.
Fix routine update faults
If standard maintenance causes a problem, the maintenance service should not simply leave the customer with a broken site.
Escalate real development
New features and unrelated faults are separate work, so the customer knows when something moves beyond routine care.
Smarter Search hosting
For a normal WordPress site, standard update management is already part of the hosting service.
Most small business websites do not need a mysterious second monthly maintenance subscription. Where the WordPress site is suitable for our standard hosting, routine update management sits alongside the hosting, cPanel, SSL, backups, security checks and uptime monitoring.
That applies whether the customer chooses annual or monthly hosting. If the website is unusually large, custom or business-critical, we assess the extra responsibility and quote it properly rather than pretending every WordPress installation is the same.
See website hosting & migration →Suitable standard WordPress sites include routine update management with the hosting service.
Standard stores can fit this package; larger or unusually complex WooCommerce sites may need a custom arrangement.
Memberships, custom integrations, busy stores and business-critical installations are assessed around the actual workload and risk.
Maintenance vs website changes
Updating WordPress software is maintenance. Updating your content is work on the website.
We keep the distinction simple. Routine WordPress maintenance is part of suitable hosting. If you want text changed, photos replaced, a new page added, products uploaded or development work carried out, that is charged separately.
£30 / hour
30-minute minimum. Small jobs are welcome and are normally added to your next invoice — even if you pay hosting annually.
Premium plugins & themes
Your licences should normally stay under your control.
Some WordPress websites rely on paid plugins, themes or extensions. Where possible, we normally ask the customer to purchase or renew those licences directly. It keeps ownership clear and is usually the most cost-effective arrangement.
There are cases where it makes more practical sense for us to arrange a licence, and we can do that when appropriate. But we do not build a business model around marking up licences the customer could own directly.
Questions
WordPress maintenance FAQs
Is WordPress maintenance included with Smarter Search hosting?
For suitable WordPress websites, standard update management is included with the hosting service. That includes routine WordPress, plugin and theme updates alongside backups, security checks, uptime monitoring and testing after routine updates. More complex sites may need a separately scoped maintenance arrangement.
How much does WordPress maintenance cost?
There is no single maintenance price for every website. Standard update management is included with suitable Smarter Search hosting, while larger or more complex websites are priced on application according to the work and responsibility involved.
Are content changes included in maintenance?
No. Content, layout, product and development changes are separate work charged at £30 per hour with a minimum charge of 30 minutes. Small jobs are usually added to the customer’s next invoice.
Who pays for premium WordPress plugin and theme licences?
We normally recommend that customers buy and renew premium licences directly so ownership remains clear and the cost is kept sensible. We can arrange them in some cases where that is more practical.
Can your checker prove my maintenance company is not doing its job?
No. The checker only sees version information the public website exposes, and some well-secured sites intentionally hide it. It is a useful first clue, not a complete maintenance audit.
What happens if a routine update causes a problem?
Routine update management includes sensible checking after updates and dealing with problems caused by the routine update process. Larger faults, unrelated development issues or changes outside maintenance would be discussed separately.
Do WooCommerce and larger WordPress sites cost more to maintain?
They can. Stores, membership sites, booking systems and custom integrations often need more testing and responsibility than a small brochure website, so we assess those sites individually rather than pretending one package fits everything.
Already paying for maintenance?
Let us look at what you are getting before you change anything.
Tell us the website, who hosts or maintains it, what you currently pay and what concerns you. We can inspect the public site before the call and give you a straight view on whether the current arrangement makes sense.