WordPress is easy to maintain — proven setup

A well-configured WordPress takes 2-4 hours of maintenance per month. Here's what those hours actually include:

Monthly checklist

1. Verify backups. Download the latest, open it, confirm it's not empty. 10 min.
2. Apply updates. Core, themes, plugins. With auto-updates enabled — just verify they applied. 20 min.
3. Review security logs. Wordfence or iThemes will show attack attempts. 10 min.
4. Performance check. Run PageSpeed Insights, look at Core Web Vitals. 15 min.
5. Functionality smoke test. Pages load, forms submit, payments process. 30 min.
6. Content audit. What needs updating — pricing, contacts, seasonal promos. 30-60 min.

What you should NOT do

• Change theme weekly. A theme is a long-term decision, not a toy.
• Install a new plugin "to try it out". Every plugin is a new attack vector and +20-50ms to load time.
• Edit theme files via FTP. Use a child theme or Code Snippets plugin.

When maintenance gets harder

• 30+ plugins — updating one breaks another.
• Custom theme not updated for 2 years.
• Cheap hosting can't handle traffic spikes.
• Content team isn't trained, asks devs for every edit.

Steady careful maintenance is cheaper than "scheduled rebuilds every 3 years".