An AMC (annual maintenance contract) keeps your website updated, secure and working. But AMCs vary a lot in what they include.
Typical inclusions
- CMS, theme and plugin updates.
- Regular backups.
- Security monitoring and malware removal.
- Uptime monitoring.
- Minor content changes (text, images, prices) up to an agreed number of hours.
- Bug fixes.
- Hosting and domain renewal management.
Often excluded
- New pages or features.
- Redesigns.
- SEO and content writing.
- Third-party licence fees.
Questions to ask
- How many hours of changes per month are included?
- What is the response time for urgent issues?
- How often are backups taken and where are they stored?
- Will I get a monthly report of work done?
- What happens if the site is hacked?
- What is the cost of extra work?
Is it worth it?
For business-critical websites and online stores, yes. For simple sites, a basic plan or doing updates yourself may be enough. Compare costs with our website cost calculator.
See our website maintenance service and read the maintenance checklist.
Want the full picture? This article is part of Business websites: the complete guide, our in-depth guide with everything in one place.
