Top 10 WP Update Services

Maintaining and updating a WordPress site can be a daunting task. Each new update brings a variety of challenges. You can face compatibility issues, broken plugins, or potential security vulnerabilities. You must navigate it cautiously because one wrong move can crash your site.

For many website owners, these hurdles consume precious time and resources. So they run the whole drill: when updating plugins, themes, or the WordPress core, take a full backup and test updates on a staging site first. These precautions are essential to prevent downtime, data loss, or broken site functionalities. But, this painstaking process can be time-consuming and distract you from other business tasks.

Enter WP update service. They handle all day-to-day maintenance tasks for your website, including updates, security, performance optimization, and backups, including how to update your WordPress site manually. They also offer development services for tasks that are not within your skill set. Simply said, you give them the reins to take care of your site.

TL;DR: GoWP is a great WP update service. But, if you’re looking for more affordable options, consider BlogVault. BlogVault has a vulnerability scanner and automatically takes backups. There is also a staging site that you can test updates on. The Expert Updates feature takes all these precautions and you just have to select the option when you update your site.

Whether you’re a seasoned administrator or just dipping your toes into website management, you know that updates are tough. Maybe an Elementor update crashed your site. Maybe some theme updates failed. Updates can be terrifying. 

So, why go through the hassle? Because ignoring updates can lead to far greater issues. The worst of these issues is that tyler site is susceptible to hacks. 

In this article, we’ll introduce you to the top 10 WordPress update services that can take the stress out of maintaining your site. 

1. GoWP

GoWP offers a unique but effective approach to WordPress maintenance. Instead of hiring their services, you hire a dedicated developer, designer, or assistant. They work as an extensionpart of your team.

This personalized service is particularly well-suited for agencies looking for expert, hands-on management. It also ensures that you are not stuck waiting in support ticket queues.

Location: USA
Support timings: Dedicated support, since you hire a team member
Pricing: The price varies depending on what you want to use GoWP for. For example, a dedicated developer will cost you $1299/month.

2. WP Buffs

WP Buffs is an exceptional service provider for robust WordPress site maintenance and security. One of their standout features is their 24/7 unlimited website edits. This ensures that any issues or updates are promptly handled, keeping your site in top shape.

Their proactive security measures are impressive. They continually track and address potential threats before they become problems. We were particularly impressedpleased with their comprehensive initial site audit. It provided a clear picture of our site’s health and areas for improvement.

Additionally, their regular, detailed reporting keeps you informed about your site’s status. They also mention the proactive steps they have taken to address any issues. This adds a significant layer of transparency and confidence in their capabilities.

Location: Completely global team to cater to different time zones
Support: Comes with 24/7 support via email or their support dashboard
Price: Plans start at $79/month and go up to $447/month for a custom plan

3. Seahawk

Support and feature sets are two factors to consider when choosing an WP update service. We found that Seahawk does both well.

Their onboarding is a quick process, like many others on this list. They start by assessing your site. Next, they install the required updates. Finally, they conduct a complete security check and create a backup strategy.

You also get a dedicated team of project managers, developers, QA testers, and support.

Seahawk can handle diverse websites. Their clients include eCommerce, LMS, multilingual, membership, and portfolio sites. So, whatever your WordPress site is, Seahawk can help you maintain it. 

Location: USA, Canada
Support timings: Round-the-clock, dedicated support
Pricing: Ranges from $49/month to $999/month

4. ThriveWP

ThriveWP stands out as a comprehensive WordPress maintenance service. It offers a robust suite of tools and support to ensure your website remains secure and up-to-date.

Based in the UK, ThriveWP specializes in managing WordPress updates and security. It offers features like advanced malware scanning and removal services.

In addition to their security services, ThriveWP offers flexible backup options that depend on the kind of site you have. For example, they will take backups for a WooCommerce site, at an hourly rate. Additionally, these backups are also stored in different servers, following the 321 backup strategy. 

ThriveWP also has great WordPress support that you can reach out to at all times. This is great, because you can’t schedule mishaps for business days. 

Location: UK
Support: Round-the-clock support
Price: There are three plans for £45, £70, and £90 per month.

5. Newt Labs

Newt Labs is the next WordPress update support service on our list. They offer a range of services that help you navigate WordPress maintenance. 

For starters, they conduct regular updates safely. Updates undergo compatibility checks before being applied to your live site to avoid any disruptions.

Security is a major focus at Newt Labs, with regular malware scanning to detect and eliminate potential security threats. They implement web application firewalls to block malicious traffic and apply security patches.

They offer automated backups that are performed daily, weekly, or in real-time and are stored securely offsite. Restoration from backups is also quick and hassle-free.

Their performance optimization services ensure fast load times through various speed enhancements. This includes website caching, and regular cleaning and optimization of your WordPress database.

Newt Labs provides 24/7 uptime monitoring to ensure your site remains online. However, they only offer email and live chat support. So you have to take a call on whether that is enough for your site.

Location: UK
Support: Only email & live chat support available; may not be enough in an emergency
Pricing: Plans start at £79/month and go up to £239/month

6. SiteCare

SiteCare is another popular WordPress maintenance service.

When it comes to updates, they follow all the recommended protocols and ensure safe updates. They also maintain regular backups to safeguard your data.

Additionally, they offer a zero-risk, money-back guarantee. So you can rest assured if you’re nervous about diving in. This also underlines how SiteCare stands by its quality of service.

The only problem we found was that priority support is only available for higher plans. Everybody else gets added to a queue of support tickets. If you’re going with SiteCare, invest in the plans with great support. 

Location: USA
Support timings: Priority support is only for the higher plans
Pricing: Plans start at $95/month and go up to $965/month

7. WP SitePlan

WP SitePlan offers a range of services to maintain and optimize your WordPress site. This includes security measures, update management, and optimized hosting.

The onboarding process is thorough. It starts with a comprehensive site audit to identify any potential issues. This lays the groundwork for ongoing maintenance. After this initial setup, you’re free to sit back and relax, knowing that your site is being well taken care of.

However, WP SitePlan has an average turnaround time of 8 hours for support tickets. This is quite slow, especially in case of emergencies that need immediate attention. This delay could be a significant drawback if you need rapid responses to critical problems. Despite this, the quality of their maintenance services and their proactive security measures make WP SitePlan a reliable choice for website updates.

Location: USA
Support: Priority support is only available for their highest plan. You can submit an unlimited number of support tickets. Each ticket is limited to 30-minute tasks.
Price: Plans start at $59/month and go up to $229/month

8. WP Maintainer

WP Maintainer is a reliable service for anyone looking to keep their WordPress site smooth and secure. Their comprehensive maintenance plans cover everything from regular updates to thorough security scans. Their meticulous approach to safely applying updates is a standout feature. This includes compatibility testing to prevent any potential conflicts. This attention to detail ensures that your site remains functional and secure after every update.

The level of support provided by WP Maintainer is impressive. Their team is not only responsive but also knowledgeable. They offer swift resolutions to any issues you may encounter.

Their initial site audit provides valuable insights into your website’s health and performance. It also provides actionable recommendations for improvement. With its regular performance and security reports, you can rest easy knowing that your WordPress site is in expert hands. Overall, WP Maintainer delivers a robust, hassle-free service to ensure a reliable and secure online presence.

Location: USA
Support: On-demand site support at $99/hour
Price: Their core WordPress maintenance services, which include updates and security monitoring, cost $99/month. Additional performance and security services cost $12/month and $49/month respectively. 

9. WP Tech Support 

WP Tech Support helps maintain a secure and robust WordPress site. They include unlimited bug fixes as their standout feature. This ensures that any issues are swiftly addressed, especially post-update. This level of service is crucial for maintaining a seamless user experience.

WP Tech Support’s focus on exceptional customer support is impressive. This is evident in their day-to-day interactions and their comprehensive maintenance plans. Their proactive approach to security is commendable. They can guard against potential threats before they can impact your site.

Our journey with WP Tech Support began with a meticulous manual health check. In this, they assessed the current condition of our site and identified any weak points. Next, they provided tailored recommendations to bolster our site’s security and performance.

What sets WP Tech Support apart is their regular reporting. These insightful reports inform you about your site’s health and the improvements they have made. This gives you peace of mind and a clear understanding of your site’s maintenance.

Location: Global team
Support timings: Available 24/7; severe support tickets get flagged as higher priority 
Pricing: Plans start at $55/month and go up to $175/month

10. WP Depend

WP Depend provides a holistic maintenance solution for WordPress sites. It takes care of the entire range of updates, including core, theme, plugin, and PHP updates.

WP Depend has been designed with agencies in mind and offers white-label update services. It is an excellent choice for businesses that provide maintenance solutions under their own brand, and require an extension of their team. Additionally, they provide robust enterprise-level solutions. These are tailored to meet the demands of larger and more complex websites.

The range of services offered by WP Depend is impressive. They cover security patches, regular backups, app integrations, and speed optimizations. They also provide emergency support via email or phone. This ensures that your website remains both secure and high-performing. Their prompt and professional emergency support adds an extra layer of confidence. You can rest easy knowing that expert help is a call or email away whenever a critical issue arises. 

Overall, WP Depend provides a comprehensive and reliable service package. It addresses the various maintenance needs of WordPress sites, making it a top choice for both individual website owners and agencies alike.

Location: USA
Support timings: All plans offer 24/7 support; but higher the plan, higher you are on their priority list
Pricing: Plans start at $49/month and go up to $349/month

What to consider in a WP update service?

Choosing a good WP update service can make a huge difference in maintaining a website. With numerous providers available, it’s crucial to know what to look for to make an informed decision.

Here are some key factors to consider when selecting a WP Update service:

Price

Cost is often the primary concern when choosing a WP update service. Evaluate the pricing models of different providers to ensure you are getting value for your money. Some services offer tiered pricing based on the complexity and requirements of your website. So it’s important to find a plan that fits your budget while still meeting your needs. Be wary of services that seem too cheap, as they might cut corners on quality or support.

Location of employees

The geographical location of a service provider’s employees can significantly impact service quality and response times. A US-based team, for example, may offer faster response times during American business hours and better cultural alignment. Conversely, offshore teams might be more economical but could face challenges like time zone differences and language barriers. Consider what works best for your business operations and client interactions.

Support

Exceptional customer support is crucial for minimizing downtime and resolving issues promptly. Look for services that offer multiple communication channels, such as email, phone, and live chat. It’s also important to check if they provide 24/7 emergency support for critical issues. A service with a responsive support team can ensure smooth update management.

Alternatives to using these services

A WP update service can be expensive. It may not be affordable for small businesses on a budget. In that case, you may want an alternative that requires some hands-on maintenance from your end, and better prices. 

BlogVault stands out as an excellent alternative. While, they are a backup plugin that offers a whole suite of maintenance features. BlogVault handles everything from malware scanning to Expert Updates. Expert Updates, in particular, is helpful because it makes updates much safer. First, it will test the update on a staging site, which is highly recommended. Then, it does visual tests that check for differences in pages, before and after the update. 

Here is how you would perform an Expert Update on BlogVault:

1. Start by signing up for a BlogVault account, and adding your site.Give it a minute to sync and audit your site. It checks to ensure everything is in proper order.
2. Once the initial scan is done, head over to the Updates section. This widget will help you identify all updates available, and call out any updates that address security risks.
3. Select what you want to update.Click on the Update button to start the process. Here, you will see a summary of updates.
4. Select Proceed to move forward, then opt for Expert Updates. Click on Update. 
5. Once the tests are complete, BlogVault generates a comprehensive report detailing any issues encountered. You can then choose to proceed, with the surety of how the updates will fare on your live site.

Expert updates

In the background, BlogVault takes a complete backup of your site before applying any updates. This offers a fail-safe in case something goes wrong. It then updates your site on a staging environment. Finally, BlogVault conducts visual regression tests to highlight any changes or disruptions caused by the updates on the staging site, ensuring nothing gets overlooked.

Because all of these changes happen on a staging site, it lets you preview and test the updates without risking your live site. If the visual regression tests fail—which means that there is a visual mismatch on the staging site before and after the update—you can review those differences and determine how to proceed.

Staged updates

As an alternative, you can also use their one-click staging site feature to test out the updates yourself. Update whatever you want on your staging site first. If everything goes well, replicate the changes on your live site in just one click. 

BlogVault also automatically takes backups of your site every day. These backups are stored on BlogVault servers and can be accessed from your dashboard. This way, even if an update crashes your site, you can restore it in one click. 

Now, let’s talk about pricing. The lowest plan, with automatic daily backups, visual regression testing, a staging site, and more, is priced at $149/year. If you’ve not noticed yet, the lowest plan of any of the WP update service on our list was $49 a month. This translates to $588 a year. In comparison, BlogVault is a steal. 

Why are updates necessary?

Regular updates help maintain a healthy, secure, and high-performing WordPress website. Here are several key reasons why updates should never be overlooked:

Security vulnerability patching

Software vulnerabilities can be exploited by hackers to gain unauthorized access to your site, steal data, or perform malicious activities. Regular updates patch these vulnerabilities, keeping your site secure against the latest threats.

Performance improvements

Over time, developers identify ways to enhance the performance and efficiency of their software. Updates often include optimizations that make your site run faster and smoother, providing a better experience for your visitors.

Bug fixes

No software is perfect. Bugs can affect functionality, cause errors, and create frustrating user experiences. Updates typically address known bugs, fixing issues that could potentially disrupt your site’s operations.

New features

The digital landscape is constantly evolving, and staying competitive means leveraging the latest tools and functionalities. Updates often bring new features that can improve your site’s capabilities and offer more value to your users.

Ensuring compatibility

WordPress is a diverse ecosystem with themes, plugins, and integrations from various developers. Updates ensure that all components of your site remain compatible with each other. This reduces the risk of conflicts that could cause parts, or the whole of your website to break or malfunction.

Compliance requirements

Legal and regulatory requirements, such as GDPR or ADA compliance, can change. Updates may include adjustments that help your site adhere to the latest standards and regulations, reducing the risk of legal issues.

User experience enhancements

User expectations are constantly evolving, and updates often include enhancements to the user interface and user experience. These improvements can make your site more intuitive, engaging, and enjoyable for visitors.

Code optimization

Well-optimized code improves your site’s performance and makes it easier to maintain and troubleshoot. Updates often include code optimizations that enhance both the back-end and front-end of your website.

Final thoughts

Using a WP update service can take the hassle of updates out of your hands. It can provide peace of mind while ensuring that your site runs smoothly and securely. However, the convenience often comes with a significant and recurring cost, which may not be justifiable for everyone.

A good middle ground between handling updates yourself and paying a premium for a maintenance service is to use BlogVault. BlogVault offers a robust solution with Safe and Expert Updates. They deliver the same level of professionalism and reliability as an WP update service, but at a more affordable price. It has a beginner-friendly dashboard that makes it easy to keep your sites updated, even if you have limited technical skills. Simply select the updates you need and opt for the Expert Updates feature to ensure everything is handled seamlessly.

FAQs

How to safely update your site?

1. Always create a complete backup of your site, including files and the database, before performing any updates.
2. Test all updates on a staging site first to catch any potential issues before they affect your live site.
3. Ensure that the updates are compatible with your current WordPress version, theme, and plugins.
4. Perform updates in the following order: core WordPress, themes, then plugins. This helps you identify the source of any issues.
5. After updating, thoroughly check your site to ensure it functions correctly.
6. Have a rollback plan in case the update causes issues. Be ready to restore your site from a backup if needed.

Why are updates risky?

Updates are risky because of any of the following reasons:

• Updates may not be compatible with your existing plugins, themes, or even the WordPress core.
• New updates could introduce bugs or glitches that weren’t present before.
• If an update causes issues, your site could experience downtime, affecting user experience and business operations.
• Incorrect update procedures could lead to data loss or corruption, especially if a backup is not performed.

Why are updates necessary?

Updates are important because they: 

• often contain patches for security vulnerabilities. Keeping your site updated minimizes risks of attacks and data breaches.
• include performance enhancements that make your site faster and more efficient.
• bring new functionalities and features that can enhance the user experience and expand site capabilities.
• resolve existing bugs and issues, ensuring your site functions smoothly.
• ensure that all components work well together and with the latest web technologies.