How Much is a WordPress Website?

Bruce Thede

You’ve made the decision to start a brand new WordPress website.

Now the question is, “How much is a WordPress website going to cost?” While it would be great if you could get this new site up and running without it costing a dime, that’s not a reality.

Familiarizing yourself with the various website expenses you’ll incur will prepare you for what’s ahead. Then, you can set a budget that will allow you to build an incredible site without breaking the bank.

This post covers what you should know before you begin working on your new site. It also shares the four most common expenses that you’ll want to budget for.

Creating a WordPress Website Isn’t Free

When building a site with WordPress, the most popular option is the WordPress.org version. This platform gives you full control over your website. That means you can really do anything you want without limitations (including using plugins and custom themes). Because this version is self-hosted, there will be some additional costs in building and managing your site.

Here are three things to consider before diving in:

Familiarize Yourself With the Expenses: Knowing where you’ll have to spend money allows you to research different companies to see all the options (and price points) available to you.
Set a Realistic Budget: Determine how much money you’re comfortable with spending on your site. You don’t need to break the bank, although you do want to make sure you work with reputable companies that will deliver quality service you can count on.
Decide if You’ll DIY or Hire a Professional: If you want to save money and you’re feeling capable of the task, you may want to get your website up and running on your own. However, if you find it all a little stressful, it would be wise to look into hiring a web developer for assistance.

4 Expenses You’ll Incur When Building Your Website

How much is a WordPress website? It all depends how much you choose to invest on the four main expenses you’ll encounter. Here’s everything you’ll need to get your brand new site off the ground:

1. Web Hosting

With a WordPress.org website, web hosting is one expense you can’t avoid. With web hosting, a provider essentially reserves space on their server for your website and all of its files. And you’ll need to choose a reliable company to ensure you don’t have hosting issues, like your site frequently going offline.

Luckily, there are a variety of options and different price points that are suitable for your budget. You can also choose between shared hosting, hosting on a virtual private server, or even cloud hosting, depending on your needs. SiteGround is a favorite and offers WordPress hosting starting at $4.99/month. (The first year is FREE with a BruceThede.com web development agreement.)

2. Domain Registration

A domain name is the web address (also known as a URL) that visitors will use to access your website. Domain registration typically costs around $12 per year. (The first year is FREE for startups with a BruceThede.com web development agreement.) This isn’t a one-time fee, though, and must be paid for annually. If you don’t renew your domain, you’ll lose your URL and the website you worked so hard to build.

3. Premium Themes & Plugins

WordPress offers some free themes you can use to spruce up your website, but you may choose to invest in other options for a more custom look. There are plenty of designers out there that make WordPress themes you can install on your site. The average price for a pre-made theme is about $75, although some can cost upwards of $100.

You may also want to invest in some plugins that will add additional features to your site and keep things running smoothly. For instance, Yoast SEO is great for optimizing your content, while UpdraftPlus maintains backups so you never lose your data. Many plugins are free, while others can cost up to $100+ annually. Be sure to factor this into your budget.

4. Professional Web Development

If you’re finding the process of building your WordPress site a little overwhelming, you may want to hire a professional web developer to handle the task. This is a great option if you’re not confident in your web skills, or if you don’t have the time to dedicate to it personally. A developer will get your site up and running, and can even maintain it over time to ensure everything is secure and performing at its best.

This will likely be one of the bigger investments you make when it comes to your website since it can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. It ultimately depends on what your needs are when hiring a developer. Having a developer handle the technical side of things takes all that stress off your plate, so you can focus on creating content and building your online presence.

"I offer a web development service where you’ll receive a custom site that looks great and performs well on both desktop and mobile."

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Need Help With Your WordPress Site?

If you’re looking for someone who can build your WordPress website from the ground up, you’re in the right place. I offer a web development service where you’ll receive a custom site that looks great and performs well on both desktop and mobile.

Learn more about my WordPress website development services.