MAKIN 
The cost does not stop at launch
Most website quotes in India cover the build. What happens next is often left vague, and that is where small surprises add up. Before you choose a website, it helps to know which running costs every site has, which ones depend on how it was built, and which you can avoid altogether.
Costs every website has
- Domain renewal: your web address renews every year. Keep it in your own name and turn on auto-renew so it never lapses
- Hosting: the server the site runs on. Simple sites can run on low-cost or free tiers; sites with logins, payments or heavy traffic need more
- Security certificate: the padlock in the browser. Many hosts now include it at no extra cost, so check before paying for one
- Business email: if you use an address on your own domain, that is usually a per-user yearly or monthly charge from the email provider
Costs that depend on how the site was built
- Theme and plugin licences: template sites built with paid themes or plugins need yearly renewals to keep receiving security updates
- Software updates: a site on a content system with many plugins needs regular updates, and someone to test that nothing breaks
- Backups: if your host does not keep automatic backups, you need a service that does
- Changes and new pages: if your team cannot edit the site, every change is paid work
How to keep maintenance cheap
The cheapest maintenance is the maintenance you do not need. A fast, simple site with few moving parts needs far less looking after than one with a dozen plugins. Ask for an editor your team can use for text and photos, so routine changes cost nothing. Keep the domain, hosting and email accounts in your own name and pay them directly, so nobody adds a margin on top.
Then decide what you want help with. Many small businesses only need someone to call when something breaks. Others want regular improvements: new pages, search work, speed checks and reports. Those are different jobs and should be priced differently.
What to ask before you sign
- Which yearly costs will I pay, to whom, and in whose name are the accounts?
- Are there any paid themes, plugins or tools, and what do they cost each year?
- Can my team edit text and images without help?
- How long is support included after launch, and what does it cost after that?
- Who takes backups, and how quickly can the site be restored?
How we handle it
Our website packages include support after launch: 7 days on the One-Page Website and 30 days on the Business Website. The domain and hosting are in your name, and the Business Website comes with an editor your team can use. If you want ongoing improvements after that, Managed Support & Growth starts at ₹14,000. See our website development cost guide for build prices.