Every website needs looking after. The question is how much, how often, and what happens if you skip it. For a lot of small teams, maintenance is the hidden reason a site becomes a burden: nobody owns the updates, they pile up, and eventually something breaks or gets compromised.
This article compares the ongoing work for a WordPress site and a static site, fairly, so you can see where the time goes.
What maintenance means
For any site, maintenance covers:
- Updates to the software the site runs on.
- Backups so you can recover from mistakes or attacks.
- Security monitoring and patching.
- Checks that everything still works after changes.
- Housekeeping: removing old users, unused features and stale content.
The difference between WordPress and static sites is mostly in the first three.
WordPress core, plugin and theme updates
A WordPress site is made of three layers of software that update independently:
- WordPress core. Minor security releases can install automatically; major releases are worth testing first.
- Plugins. A typical site has many, each from a different author, on its own release schedule.
- The theme, and often a page builder, with their own updates.
Underneath sits the server: PHP versions reach end of life and need upgrading, which can break older plugins.
Updates usually go smoothly. Occasionally, one plugin update clashes with another plugin or the theme, and a page breaks. The safe way to handle this is a staging copy where you apply updates first, check the site, then apply them to live. That takes time every month, and many small sites skip it.
Plugins that are abandoned by their authors are a particular risk: they stop receiving fixes but stay installed.
Backups
WordPress keeps content in a database and uploads in a folder on the server, so both need backing up regularly. Managed hosts often include this; otherwise a backup plugin or service is needed. Backups are only useful if restoring them works, so test them occasionally.
On a static site, the git repository is the backup. Every clone of it is a complete copy of the site’s templates and content, with full history. Restoring any previous version is a matter of checking out an earlier commit and rebuilding. Form submissions and any content in external services need their own backup plan.
Security patching
On WordPress, security depends on keeping everything updated quickly. When a vulnerability in a popular plugin is announced, automated attacks often follow soon after, so the window for patching is short. Security plugins, firewalls and login protection add layers, and each of those needs maintaining too.
A static site has no server-side plugins, no public admin login and no database, so most of these vulnerabilities do not apply. Security work shifts to keeping accounts secure: two-factor sign-in on your git provider, host, domain registrar and CMS. See static site security.
Static site maintenance
A static site still needs some care:
- Generator and dependency updates. Every few months, update the static site generator and any packages. Because the build happens before anything goes live, you can test updates on a branch with a preview build. A failed build leaves the live site untouched.
- Third-party services. Keep an eye on your CMS, form service and host for changes or notices.
- Account hygiene. Remove people who no longer need access.
- Content checks. Broken links and out-of-date pages, the same as any site.
Importantly, nothing urgent happens if you skip a month. The live site is static files, and an outdated generator does not expose visitors to anything. That makes maintenance something you schedule, not something you rush.
Who owns maintenance
Whichever platform you choose, maintenance needs a named owner. On many small sites it falls between roles: the agency assumes the client handles updates, the client assumes the agency does, and nobody logs in until something breaks.
Write down who does what, and how often:
- Who applies updates, and who checks the site afterwards.
- Who is told when a build fails or a security notice arrives.
- Who removes access when someone leaves.
- Who reviews the list of plugins, services and integrations once a year.
On a static site the list is shorter, but it still needs a name next to each line.
Time and cost compared
| Task | WordPress | Static site |
|---|---|---|
| Core and plugin updates | Monthly or more often | Not applicable |
| Generator and dependency updates | Not applicable | Every few months, tested on a branch |
| Server and PHP upgrades | Periodically, depending on host | Not applicable |
| Backups | Set up, monitor and test restores | Git history; back up external services |
| Security response | Urgent when vulnerabilities are announced | Rarely urgent; account security matters most |
| Testing after updates | Staging site recommended | Preview builds |
Put your own hourly rate against those rows, multiplied across the number of sites you look after, and the difference becomes clear. The hosting cost comparison folds this into a total cost of ownership.
My take
WordPress maintenance is not hard, but it never stops, and it scales with every site and every plugin. Static site maintenance is occasional and calm, because nothing on the live site depends on being patched quickly. For an agency looking after many small sites, or a marketing team with no developer on hand, that difference alone can justify the move. If you do stay on WordPress, give the updates a clear owner and a staging site, and keep plugins to the ones you truly need.