We confirm scope and price in writing. The main factors are:
- Site size and storage needed.
- Backup frequency, especially for stores.
- Number of sites covered.
- Restore testing and documentation.
- Ongoing monitoring, if wanted.
Storage and plugin subscriptions are paid to the providers and are separate from our fee. Many sites can be covered by modest storage costs, and we show these clearly.
Tell us about your site and how often it changes, and we will reply with a plan and a quote.
Before major changes, an extra backup is wise. Updating a theme, installing a large plugin, changing the checkout or editing code can all go wrong. We set up a simple habit of taking a manual backup immediately before any significant change, and many tools can do this automatically before updates. If something breaks, the previous state is minutes away instead of hours.
Backing up an online store has special points. Orders, customer accounts and stock levels change constantly, so restoring an old full backup can erase recent orders. We discuss how to handle this, for example by taking frequent database backups, keeping order notifications as a second record and restoring only the affected parts when possible. We also test that payment settings and webhooks still work after a restore.
Email and DNS are not part of a website backup unless included deliberately. Mailboxes, DNS records and domain settings live elsewhere, and losing them can be as damaging as losing the site. We list where each of these is held, note login details securely and recommend keeping a copy of DNS records, so that they can be recreated if needed.
We pay attention to who can access backups. A backup holds everything an attacker would want, so storage logins should use strong passwords and two-step verification, and access should be limited to those who need it. When a staff member or freelancer leaves, their access is removed. Keys and tokens used by the backup tool are stored securely and rotated when people change.
Compliance and customer trust are also served by good backups. Customers expect their data to be treated carefully, and a business that loses it suffers reputation damage as well as inconvenience. Documented backups, restore tests and clear responsibilities show that you take that duty seriously, although we are not a substitute for legal advice about the rules that apply to your business.
Choosing the right tool is a practical decision. Some backup plugins are simple and suit small sites. Others offer incremental backups, which copy only what changed and use less storage and server load, and some include one-click restore and staging. We compare the options on reliability, support, cost, storage choices and how easy it will be for your team to use, then we configure the one that fits.
Storage choices include cloud object storage, a cloud drive account or a second server. We prefer a service with versioning and, where possible, protection against accidental deletion. We set storage lifecycle rules so that old copies are removed on schedule and costs stay predictable. Monthly storage costs for small sites are usually modest, but they grow with site size and retention, so we estimate them in advance.
A realistic recovery plan sets out what happens in each type of incident: a bad update, a hacked site, a deleted file, a database error or a hosting failure. For each, the guide says which backup to use, how far back to go and what to check after restoring. Having this written down reduces stress and saves time when an incident happens at an inconvenient hour.
We recommend a short practice drill once or twice a year. A team member follows the guide to restore a staging copy, notes any confusion and updates the document. This keeps knowledge fresh, shows whether staff changes have left gaps and confirms that credentials still work. It takes very little time and prevents surprises during a real emergency.
