Summary
Learn how to charge more for WordPress maintenance with managed security: 3 tiers, SLA, evidence-based reports and a monthly deliverable that retains clients.
If your WordPress maintenance service boils down to “updates + backups + support”, you are competing in a price war you cannot win. Clients see it as a commodity — automated, interchangeable, pressurable.
The key to charging more for WordPress maintenance is adding a layer clients cannot easily compare: managed security.
Why Basic Maintenance Gets Commoditized
Clients do not pay for “doing things”. They pay to avoid problems and have visible control. That is where managed security comes in.
Without managed WordPress security:
- Clients call you when an incident has already happened.
- You enter firefighting mode.
- You lose unplanned, unbilled hours.
- And the client does not see the value — only the problem.
What Is Managed Security (Simple, Sellable Definition)
Managed security means: continuous monitoring + early detection + defined response + evidence.
Simple pitch — no fluff: You do not promise “impossible to get hacked”. You promise to detect earlier, respond faster, and prove it with data.
How to Package It in 3 Tiers (Basic / Pro / Premium)
Do not sell “security” as a single vague thing. Sell tiers with deliverables and defined response times.
Basic: Visibility and Reporting
For clients who do not pay for emergencies but want control. Includes key event monitoring, monthly security report with evidence, and prioritized recommendations. Suggested SLA: 24–48h response for critical alerts.
Pro: Prevention and Response
For clients who want to avoid incidents. Everything in Basic plus critical alerts with immediate notification, same-day response for P1 incidents, and basic hardening within scope. Suggested SLA: P1 under 6–24h, P2 under 48h.
Premium: Real Managed Security
For ecommerce, membership sites or brands. Everything in Pro plus priority response channel, weekly security review, executive monthly report, and continuous hardening improvements. Suggested SLA: P1 under 1–6h (only if you can deliver it).
Golden rule: If you cannot meet an SLA, do not sell it. It will destroy your reputation on the first incident.
What to Include and What NOT To (So You Do Not Burn Out on Support)
Include: 24/7 monitoring, P1 alert response per SLA, automatic mitigation where it makes sense, monthly report with security evidence, prioritized recommendations.
Do NOT include (or charge separately): Unlimited malware cleanup and forensics, unlimited full site recovery, functional development inside the security plan, anti-hack guarantees (that is just noise).
Profitable package = clear scope + clear deliverables.
How to Justify Price with Evidence (Not Promises)
This is where most agencies fail: they say “we protect you” and leave it there. You justify price with: threats blocked count, critical alerts detected and resolved, incident timeline, critical changes logged, actions taken and pending recommendations.
Example phrase that sells: This month we blocked 73 automated attack attempts and detected 2 critical events. 3 preventive measures were applied and we left 4 prioritized recommendations. Client understands value. That is what retains clients in WordPress agencies.
Common Objections and Answers
“I Already Have Backups”
Backups do not prevent incidents — they only reduce damage after the fact. Backup is the airbag. Managed security is braking before the crash.
“I Have Cloudflare”
Cloudflare helps but does not see what happens inside WordPress: admin roles and users, critical file changes, internal risk and inventory. Cloudflare is the perimeter. We control what happens inside the site.
“I Have Never Been Hacked”
That is not proof of security — it is luck and low profile. The right question is: would you know if you got hacked today? The goal is not “it never happens”, it is detecting it in time when it does.
Conclusion
To charge more for WordPress maintenance you do not need to invent anything new. You need to structure what you already do, add visibility with real data, and deliver it with a name and price that reflects the actual value.
If you want to charge more for WordPress maintenance without selling hype, you need measurable deliverables. Vulnity helps you detect critical alerts, block clear threats and generate evidence-based reports so clients understand — and pay for — the real value of your work.
About Vulnity
If you manage a WordPress site, situations like the one described in this article are more common than they seem. Vulnity monitors your installation in real-time and alerts you before they happen.
