Comparison

Care plan vs hosting only

Hosting keeps a website online. Maintenance keeps it updated, backed up, secure and working. Most business websites that run on WordPress need both, but not every site needs a full care plan. Hosting only can be enough if someone capable is already doing the upkeep, or if the site is simple and low risk.

Last reviewed 10 October 2026

Hosting and maintenance are two different services. Hosting is the server that keeps a website online. Maintenance is the work of keeping the site updated, backed up, secure and working properly. A WordPress site that earns enquiries or bookings needs both. Whether you need to pay for a care plan depends on who is doing the maintenance now, and what a day of downtime would cost you.

What hosting covers

A hosting plan gives your website a place to live. It usually covers:

Server space and the software the site runs on.
The connection that delivers pages to visitors.
An SSL certificate, in most cases.
Some level of server-side backup, depending on the host.

Hosting does not look inside your website. If a plugin update breaks the booking form, or a contact form quietly stops sending email, the server is still running and the host has done its job. Nobody is told that something is wrong unless someone is checking.

What maintenance covers

Maintenance is the ongoing care of the site itself. On a WordPress site that normally means:

Applying updates to WordPress, plugins and the theme, and checking the site afterwards.
Keeping backups that are tested and can be restored.
Watching for downtime.
Scanning for malware and fixing weak points.
Keeping the server software, such as PHP, on a supported version.
Fixing things when they break.

WordPress does some of this alone. Its update documentation explains that minor and security releases of WordPress itself are applied automatically in the background on most sites. Major releases still need someone to start them, and WordPress advises taking a backup first. Plugins and themes have their own updates on their own schedules, and these are where most conflicts come from.

The WordPress requirements page also notes that outdated PHP and database versions are end-of-life and may expose a site to security vulnerabilities. Upgrading them is a maintenance task, not something that happens by itself on every host.

The real question: who is doing the upkeep

A website on hosting only is not automatically neglected. It is neglected when nobody owns the maintenance. Three situations are common.

Someone in the business does it

A capable person logs in regularly, runs updates, checks the forms and knows how to restore a backup. Hosting only is fine here. The risk is that the task depends on one person's time and attention.

Nobody does it

The site was launched and left. Updates pile up, backups are assumed, and the first sign of trouble is a customer saying the site is down or showing a warning. This is the situation a care plan is meant to prevent.

The site needs very little

A static site, or a site on a hosted platform such as Shopify, Wix or Squarespace, has its platform maintained by the provider. A WordPress-style care plan is not relevant there, though someone should still check that forms, tracking and content are working.

What going without maintenance costs

The costs are irregular, which is why they are easy to ignore.

A hacked site has to be cleaned, and it may be flagged by browsers or search engines while it is infected.
A failed update with no recent backup can mean rebuilding pages by hand.
A broken enquiry or booking form loses business for as long as nobody notices.
Emergency repair work is unplanned and usually costs more than routine care.

None of these is certain to happen. A care plan cannot promise that they never will, either. What it changes is how quickly a problem is noticed and how prepared you are to recover.

Choose hosting only when

You or a staff member already maintain the site properly and will keep doing so.
The site is simple, changes rarely and is not a main source of income.
You have a tested backup and know how to restore it.
You accept that problems will be found by you, not flagged to you.

Choose a care plan when

The website brings in enquiries, bookings or sales that you would miss within a day.
Nobody in the business has the time or skill to run updates and check the results.
The site uses many plugins, a booking system or WooCommerce.
You want one accountable person to contact when something goes wrong.

How Stryx structures this

Stryx offers three care plans: Hosting, Premium and Pro. The plans are the same in every market. They run month to month and can be ended with 30 days' written notice. Clients choose the hosting region: the United States, Europe, the United Kingdom or South Africa.

The Hosting plan covers hosting. It does not include monitoring or malware scans, so it suits clients who are handling upkeep themselves. The website care plans page sets out what the Premium and Pro plans include.

For South African clients, Stryx acts as the client's operator under POPIA, and the operator agreement forms part of the service agreement. This is general information and not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need website maintenance if I already pay for hosting?

Usually yes, if the site runs on WordPress. Hosting keeps the server running. It does not update your plugins, test your forms or check for malware inside the site. Someone needs to do that work, whether it is you, a staff member or a care plan provider.

What is the difference between hosting and maintenance?

Hosting is the server and connection that keep a site online. Maintenance is the regular work on the site itself: updates, backups, monitoring, security checks and fixes. They are often sold together, but they are separate jobs.

Can I maintain my WordPress site myself?

Yes. Many owners do. It takes a regular routine: back up, update, check the key pages and forms, and review security. The guide to WordPress maintenance on this site lists the tasks. The main risk is that the routine slips when the business gets busy.

Does WordPress update itself?

Partly. According to WordPress.org, minor and security releases of WordPress core are applied automatically on most sites. Major releases need to be started by someone, and plugins and themes have their own updates. Each update should be followed by a check that the site still works.

Does Stryx's Hosting plan include monitoring and malware scans?

No. The Hosting plan does not include monitoring or malware scans. It is intended for clients who look after the upkeep of their own site.