Two maintenance quotes can cover different services. Compare the included tasks, support hours, incident process and exclusions before comparing the price. The word "maintenance" alone does not define the agreement.
The four things sold under one word
Corrective — diagnosing and fixing defects. Specify whether investigation, repair, regression testing and deployment are included, and how existing defects are treated.
Adaptive — keeping the application working as the world around it changes. Operating system updates, browser changes, third-party API versions, library security patches, certificate renewals. This is the part clients do not expect and the part that makes an untouched application break.
Preventive — work to stop future problems. Dependency updates, refactoring, performance tuning, improving logging.
Perfective — small improvements and new features. Frequently mixed into a maintenance retainer, and the main reason quotes differ so widely.
A quote covering only corrective work is a different product from one covering all four. Asking which of the four are included turns two incomparable numbers into a comparison.
Why an untouched application still breaks
Clients reasonably ask why software that is not being changed needs ongoing spend. The honest answer is that the environment changes underneath it:
- Mobile operating systems can change behaviour or deprecate APIs. Define the devices and versions supported and the testing needed for an update.
- App stores can change submission and availability requirements. Check the current platform rules and relevant deadlines for the specific app; determine who monitors and performs the required work.
- Third-party APIs version and retire. A payment or maps provider deprecating an old version forces an update on its schedule, not yours.
- Security vulnerabilities are found in libraries constantly, and some are serious enough to require prompt patching.
- Certificates expire, on a known date, and take the site down when they do.
None of these is caused by the application. All of them require work on it.
Response time and resolution time
These are different and quotes often state only the first.
Response time measures acknowledgement or the start of investigation, depending on the contract. Define which event stops the response clock and how the customer receives updates.
Resolution time measures completion of the fix. Also define restoration time for returning a core workflow to use, possibly through rollback or a temporary workaround. A service can be restored before the root cause is permanently resolved.
A workable structure ties both to severity:
The following is a scoping template, not a Manboo SLA or promised recovery time. Put measurable acknowledgement, update and restoration targets, supported hours and escalation contacts into the actual agreement. Distinguish a target from a guaranteed resolution.
| Severity | Meaning | Response controls to agree | Restoration planning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical | Application unavailable or data at risk | Named coverage, acknowledgement target and escalation path | Containment, rollback or workaround; record a recovery target and update schedule |
| High | Core workflow broken without a workaround | Agreed priority and progress-update frequency | Assess dependency and repair effort; confirm an incident-specific estimate |
| Medium | Impaired function with a workaround | Agreed business-hours response window | Plan the fix after impact and release review |
| Low | Cosmetic or minor issue | Backlog acknowledgement and prioritization process | Schedule through the agreed release plan |
State the supported time zone, working hours, holidays and any out-of-hours coverage. Confirm the price and escalation arrangements for additional coverage instead of assuming an industry default.
Common commercial models
- Monthly retainer with an hour allowance. Predictable for both sides. Ask what happens to unused hours and how overage is charged.
- Pay as you go. Authorize work against a scoped estimate as needs arise. Confirm availability and any response commitment separately; this model does not inherently guarantee the lowest cost or a particular queue position.
- Annual budget. Estimate the included effort, support coverage, incident allowance and scheduled platform/security work. Identify hosting and third-party costs separately. A percentage of the original build cost can be a comparison metric, but it is not evidence of the work needed and has no universal 15–25% rate.
Questions that make quotes comparable
- Which of the four maintenance types are included?
- What are the response and resolution commitments, by severity?
- What hours does the commitment cover?
- Are hosting and third-party fees included or billed separately?
- Are OS and store compliance updates included, or quoted when they arise?
- How many hours of small changes are included, and what happens when they run out?
- What is the notice period to end the arrangement?
Use those answers to compare the actual service and total budget. Record exclusions and overage charges; a lower headline price alone does not establish better value or a narrower scope.
Related Manboo Services
- Flutter App Development for iOS and Android MVPs.
- Business Software Development for CRM, booking, inventory and workflow systems.
- Admin Panel Development for operations dashboards and backend management.
- AI API Integration when your product is ready for smart search, chat or automation.
- Request a scope review and project estimate when you are ready to plan the first version.