Pricing and Contract Models
Transparent pricing is a core principle of our work. The following questions address the most common topics around costs, contract models and billing.
- What does a maintenance contract cost per month? Monthly costs depend on three factors: the scope of managed systems (the number and complexity of shops or websites), the desired SLA tier (Basic, Business or Enterprise) and the estimated ongoing update workload. A single manageable WordPress shop naturally sits well below a complex Shopware setup with several payment integrations and tight response times. We deliberately work with clearly defined services rather than flat rates that quietly produce extra invoices when it matters: there are no hidden costs for standard services. We name specific terms after a brief initial analysis of your project, so the quote matches actual demand. A first orientation is available via our services overview or directly in the initial consultation.
- Is there a minimum contract duration? We recommend a minimum duration of six months. There is a practical reason: the onboarding with audit, cleanup of critical points and setup of staging and monitoring requires effort at the start, and the full benefit of a managed service only unfolds over several months once updates, reports and reviews settle into a rhythm. The exact duration and notice periods are agreed individually and transparently. After an initial phase, many clients opt for annual contracts with automatic renewal because it makes planning easier on both sides. Rigid lock-in contracts are not our goal; what counts is a viable, sustainable collaboration. We are happy to discuss the details via contact.
- Are emergency deployments included in the price? Within the agreed SLA, emergency deployments are included in the monthly flat rate. This covers first response within the committed timeframe, diagnosis and recovery for outages and security incidents. You therefore do not pay extra per incident, which avoids the usual argument about cost at exactly the wrong moment. To be distinguished from the included deployments are demanding special cases, such as the complete cleanup after a major hack with a compromised database, or a system migration. Such work may incur additional charges, but it is always calculated transparently in advance and coordinated with you. How the exact emergency process works is described on the emergency support page.
- Are there additional costs for updates? No. Regular security updates and maintenance work are included in the contract and are not billed separately. This applies to core updates, plugin and theme updates, and server-side updates, each including the upstream staging test and a ready rollback scenario. This predictability is precisely the point of a flat rate. To be distinguished from this is work that goes beyond pure maintenance: feature extensions, a genuine platform migration to a new major version, or extensive performance projects. We quote such undertakings separately so that your ongoing maintenance price stays stable and comprehensible and you know the scope and cost before any larger measure. Which updates fall into your contract is defined during onboarding.
- Can I change the SLA tier during the contract term? Yes, the contract is meant to grow with your requirements. An upgrade to a higher SLA tier is possible at any time, for example when your shop grows, gets more traffic, or the response times need to tighten. The upgrade usually takes effect without a long wait, since monitoring and processes are already established. A downgrade is possible at the next renewal date, so both sides retain planning certainty. Which tier is right for your current requirement profile depends mainly on how critical an outage is for your business and which response times you genuinely need. We advise you on this honestly and without pushing the most expensive option, in the initial consultation.
- How is billing handled? The maintenance flat rate is billed monthly by invoice with payment due within 14 days of invoicing. This keeps administrative effort low and makes ongoing costs easy to plan. You receive a proper invoice with VAT shown. For additional services outside the contract, a clear principle applies: we create a separate quote in advance, so you know the exact scope and costs before commissioning. There are no surprises at the end of the month. For questions about invoicing or individual billing models, for example for agencies with several client projects, we will find a suitable solution together; just reach out via contact.