Key takeaways
- UK malware removal is sold either as a one-off clean-up or as a monthly plan that includes clean-ups.
- Cost depends on scope: one site or a whole server, file-only or root-level compromise, urgency and whether a blacklist review is needed.
- The hidden cost of one-off clean-ups is re-infection: check exactly what happens if the malware comes back.
- PatientZero's Single Site plan is £99 a month plus a one-off £129.99 security audit and setup, with unlimited malware removal and no contract.
- Whole-server plans are priced on application (POA); white-label agency plans start from £299 a month.
How much does malware removal cost in the UK?
Malware removal in the UK is usually priced one of two ways: a one-off fee per clean-up, or a monthly subscription that includes clean-ups, monitoring and hardening. One-off prices vary widely with scope and urgency. PatientZero uses the subscription model: £99 a month per site, plus a one-off £129.99 security audit and setup.
Published prices across the market are hard to compare because providers define "a clean-up" differently. Some quote per site, some per infection, some per hour. Some include blacklist removal and hardening; others charge extra. Emergency or out-of-hours work often carries a premium. Rather than quote other providers' prices, which change often and depend on the job, this guide explains what drives the cost so you can compare like with like.
Tip: when comparing quotes, ask each provider the same four questions: What is the scope (site or server)? What happens if it comes back? Is the entry point fixed? What evidence and report do I get?
What affects the cost of malware removal?
The main cost drivers are scope, depth and urgency. A single WordPress site with injected spam is quicker to clean than a server with dozens of sites, cron-based re-infection and root-level backdoors. Emergency response, blacklist reviews, card skimmer investigations and evidence for insurers or the ICO all add work.
| Factor | Lower effort | Higher effort |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | One site on managed hosting | A VPS or shared server with many sites |
| Depth of compromise | Injected code in WordPress files | Webshells, reverse shells, rogue users, systemd or cron persistence |
| Re-infection | First infection, entry point obvious | Malware that keeps coming back after previous clean-ups |
| Urgency | Scheduled clean-up | Emergency, out-of-hours response |
| Knock-on effects | No warnings | Google blacklist, hosting suspension, card skimming, data breach reporting |
| Access | Full SSH access available | Limited panel access, missing credentials, no backups |
Server-level compromises cost the most to clean properly because every site and the operating system must be checked. They are also where cheap, file-only clean-ups most often fail. See our guide to why one hacked site infects the rest.
Is a one-off clean-up or an unlimited plan better value?
A one-off clean-up suits a site that is rarely updated, low risk, and where you are confident the entry point has been fixed. An unlimited plan is better value when re-infection is likely, when the site earns money, or when you manage several sites, because every repeat clean-up, the monitoring and the hardening are already included.
| One-off clean-up | Unlimited monthly plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | A single fee for that job | Setup fee plus a monthly charge |
| If malware returns | Often a new fee, or a limited guarantee period | Cleaned again at no extra cost |
| Monitoring | Usually none after the job | Continuous |
| Hardening | Sometimes included, sometimes extra | Included and maintained |
| Detection speed | You notice when customers or Google do | Alerts when something changes |
| Best for | Low-risk, low-change sites | Shops, lead-generating sites, agencies, servers |
The deciding question is what happens next month. A pattern we see often is a site cleaned once, the backdoor or vulnerable plugin left in place, and the infection back within days. If a one-off quote does not explain how re-infection is prevented and what a repeat clean-up costs, factor that risk into the price. Our guide to why malware keeps coming back explains why.
Security triage
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How much does PatientZero cost?
PatientZero has three plans. Single Site is £99 a month plus a one-off £129.99 security audit and setup. Server / Multi-site covers a whole VPS or shared server and is priced on application. Agency (white-label) starts from £299 a month. Every plan includes unlimited malware removal, with no contract.
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Single Site | £99/month + one-off £129.99 security audit and setup | One website, unlimited malware clean-ups, 24/7 monitoring and uptime alerts, hardening and reinfection prevention, incident reports |
| Server / Multi-site | POA, scoped to your server | Whole VPS or shared server, all sites included, unlimited clean-ups, full-server monitoring and hardening, firewall and SSH lockdown, priority response |
| Agency (white-label) | From £299/month | Whole-server protection for client sites, white-label, shareable client reports, updates across client sites, priority emergency response |
For most single WordPress sites, the Single Site plan is the right starting point. If you run several sites on one VPS, the Server / Multi-site plan is usually better value, because every site on the server is covered and the operating system itself is monitored and hardened, which is where re-infection often starts. Agencies managing client servers should look at the Agency plan.
No contract, cancel any time. Fair use applies to full server rebuilds. Full details are on the pricing page.
What does the £129.99 security audit and setup include?
The one-off £129.99 security audit and setup is how every new Single Site account starts. It establishes exactly what we are protecting and cleaning before the first removal: we connect to the server, run a full scan, record the baseline, identify the entry points and apply initial hardening, so ongoing clean-ups start from known ground.
- Secure connection to your server over SSH and deployment of the scan engine.
- A Forensic scan (
dfir-fast) and Malware sweep (malware-intelligence). - Clean-up of any infection found, with evidence kept.
- Fix entry points and apply Harden playbooks.
- Monitoring switched on, and your first report in Reports.
If you are hacked right now, you do not need to wait for a sales conversation. Go to emergency help or call 01932 593642 and we start triage as soon as you get in touch.
How do you avoid paying for malware removal twice?
You avoid paying twice by making sure the clean-up covers the whole server, removes persistence such as cron jobs and rogue users, fixes the entry point, and is followed by hardening and monitoring. Ask for a written report of what was found and changed, so you can verify the work rather than trust it.
- Insist on root cause. A clean-up that does not name the entry point is incomplete.
- Check the scope. Every site on the server, plus the operating system, not just the site with symptoms.
- Ask about repeat clean-ups. Get the re-infection terms in writing.
- Get a report. Files removed, accounts deleted, changes made, remaining risks.
- Keep monitoring on. The cheapest clean-up is the one caught early.
Not sure if you are infected? Start with our two-minute security triage and we will scope the right plan.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to remove malware from a WordPress site in the UK?
Prices vary with scope, depth of compromise and urgency, and providers price per job, per hour or monthly. With PatientZero, a single WordPress site is covered by the Single Site plan at £99 a month plus a one-off £129.99 security audit and setup, which includes unlimited malware removal.
What does "unlimited malware removal" mean?
It means that if your covered site or server is infected again while you are on a plan, we clean it again at no extra cost, however many times that happens. Fair use applies to full server rebuilds, which are scoped separately.
Is there a contract?
No. All PatientZero plans are monthly with no long-term contract, and you can cancel any time. New Single Site accounts start with the one-off £129.99 security audit and setup, which lets us establish exactly what we are protecting and cleaning before the first removal.
Why is the Server / Multi-site plan priced on application?
A server can host one site or hundreds, with very different levels of risk and complexity. We scope the server first so the price reflects the real work of monitoring, cleaning and hardening every site on it, rather than a guess.