A website may cost little after launch, but that depends on what you manage yourself and which services you outsource. Domains, hosting, email, software, backups, updates and support are separate cost areas. The build price is not the same as the yearly cost of owning and managing the site.
Which costs can continue?
| Cost | When is it charged? | Who manages it? |
|---|---|---|
| Domain | Usually yearly | You, your host or your web designer |
| Hosting | Monthly or yearly | You or your provider |
| Business email | Depends on the chosen plan | You or your provider |
| CMS, plugins and licences | According to the supplier | You or your manager |
| Backups and security | Ongoing or within support | You or your manager |
| Updates and technical maintenance | When updates or checks are needed | You or your manager |
| Content changes | Per change or by agreement | You or your web designer |
| Shop costs | Per use, transaction or integration | You and the relevant providers |
Not every website has every cost. A lightweight site without paid software has a different structure from a WordPress site with plugins or an online shop.
Manage it yourself or outsource support?
Self-management gives you control and may limit fixed costs. It also makes you responsible for knowing when software needs updates, whether backups work and who fixes a form or integration when it breaks.
At OROS, Care & support starts at €99 per month excl. VAT, for a minimum of 3 months; after that it can be cancelled monthly with 1 month’s notice. It includes up to 30 minutes of small changes per month; unused time does not carry over. New pages, design and larger changes are not included. That is the OROS package price, not a market average. In a proposal, check exactly which hosting, updates, backups, checks and changes are included.
The right choice depends on the project. A simple site that changes rarely may be manageable by the owner. A site with forms, integrations or frequent changes needs clearer responsibility.
How do you compare yearly costs?
Use this simple formula:
one-off work + recurring services × 12 + licences and usage costs
Check the billing period. A domain is often billed yearly, while support may be monthly. Ask whether prices include VAT and whether a displayed price is only a starting price.
Example: a campaign landing page with twelve months of support
Here is a calculation using OROS’s current starting prices: a campaign landing page from €900 once, plus Care & support from €99 per month. With twelve months of support, that is €900 + (12 × €99) = €2,088 excl. VAT for the first twelve months. This combines two starting prices for illustration; it is not a fixed bundle or a market average. Domain, email, paid software, usage charges and extra work are excluded. Check the proposal for exactly what the support package includes.
Before you agree, ask:
- Who owns the domain and accounts?
- Where are backups stored?
- Who runs updates and tests the site afterwards?
- How quickly are problems handled?
- Are small content changes included?
- What happens when support ends?
- Can you take the site and data to another provider?
A low monthly price is not useful if essential work is billed separately. A more complete package may be sensible when responsibility is clear.
How is this different from development cost?
Website development covers strategy, structure, design, content, technology, testing and launch. Recurring costs cover keeping the published site available, maintained and supported.
For development costs, read what a website costs in the Netherlands. For preparation, use the website preparation checklist.
FAQ
Does every website need a maintenance subscription?
No. You can maintain it yourself or agree on support when needed. Make sure someone is responsible for updates, backups and incidents.
Can I pay for hosting myself?
Often yes, if the setup allows it. Agree who needs technical access and who is responsible for the working site.
What happens if I stop Care & support?
The proposal or agreement should say. Ask where the site lives, which access you receive and what handover or backups are provided.
Are text changes part of support?
With OROS Care, small changes of up to 30 minutes per month are included; unused time does not carry over. New pages, design and larger changes are not included. With other providers it depends on the package. Ask how many changes are included and when work becomes separately billable.
Want to know what your project needs? Describe your project in the enquiry form to define the scope.
About the author
Daniel Orosz
Daniel builds websites and digital systems from Kerkrade and has worked with web technology since 2009. Since 2018 he has worked for dental practices. He explains technical choices in plain language.
More about Daniel →A useful next step
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