{"id":816,"date":"2016-06-21T12:35:56","date_gmt":"2016-06-21T09:35:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/?p=816"},"modified":"2024-05-11T02:50:16","modified_gmt":"2024-05-10T23:50:16","slug":"how-much-should-a-wordpress-site-cost","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/how-much-should-a-wordpress-site-cost\/","title":{"rendered":"How Much Should a WordPress Site Cost Me?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Despite the fact that setting up a self-hosted WordPress website or blog is one of the most inexpensive ways to create your very own site, it can be hard to know exactly how much a WordPress site should cost.<\/p>\n

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That’s because WordPress isn’t an “all-in-one” solution where you just sign up and everything is right there. This isn’t a bad thing though! It’s actually quite good because it puts you in control.<\/p>\n

Instead of being stuck with whatever the default options are, you get to choose all of the various components that will go into making your live website. And in this post we’re going to break down the cost<\/strong> of those components so that you have an approximate idea of how much you’ll need to spend to get your WordPress site up and running<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Oh, and in case you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to read everything, we’ve also provided a handy table below that summarizes everything.
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\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Cost component<\/th>\nBudget option cost<\/th>\nBudget examples<\/th>\nPremium option cost<\/th>\nPremium examples<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
WordPress software<\/strong><\/td>\nAlways free<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Domain name<\/strong><\/td>\n$10 – $15
per year<\/td>\n		.com, .net, .xyz<\/td>\n$24 – $100
per year<\/td>\n		.co, .online, .ai<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hosting<\/strong><\/td>\n$6 – $10
per month<\/td>\n		InMotion<\/a>
A2<\/a>
Dreamhost<\/a><\/td>\n		$30 – $400+
per month<\/td>\n		Kinsta<\/a>
WP Engine<\/a>
Rocket.net<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Themes<\/strong><\/td>\nFree<\/td>\nNeve FSE<\/a>
Variations<\/a><\/td>\n		$69 – $249
per year<\/td>\n		Neve PRO<\/a>
Divi<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Plugins<\/strong><\/td>\n$0 – $30
per year<\/td>\n		Thousands of options<\/td>\n$30 – $300+
per year<\/td>\n		Thousands of options<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Total cost range<\/strong><\/td>\n$82 – $180
per year<\/td>\n		<\/td>\n$540 – $5,400
per year<\/td>\n		<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
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WordPress website pricing in detail<\/h2>\n

Going by the table above, you should already have a pretty good overview of how much WordPress costs. In the following sections we’ll be taking a closer look at each of the WordPress pricing factors from that table to give you an even deeper understanding. These include domain name registration, hosting fees, themes, plugins, and other add-ons.<\/p>\n

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By the end of this article, you should have a clear answer to the question that brought you here in the first place.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

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\n\t\t \t\tHow much should a #WordPress #site cost me? \ud83d\udcb8<\/a>\n\t\t \t<\/div>\n\t\t \t
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1. How much does WordPress cost?<\/h2>\n

As you saw earlier, the WordPress software, available for download from WordPress.org<\/a>, is completely free to use. So you don’t have to worry about WordPress pricing.<\/p>\n

On its own, WordPress is powerful, but it is also incredibly customizable, allowing you to change almost anything about its appearance and the way it operates, through the use of themes and plugins. A large number of these are available for free, but many cost either a one-time or a subscription-based fee, which we will get to later.<\/p>\n

However, when it comes down to it, the backbone of your WordPress website or blog is free. This is great news for small businesses, individuals, or bloggers hoping to make their mark on the web.<\/p>\n

Cost:<\/strong> Always $0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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2. How much does a  domain name <\/span> cost?<\/h2>\n

One of the very first costs you’ll incur when launching a new WordPress site is a domain name. A domain name is used as the address of your website. For example our domain name is themeisle.com<\/code>, which consists of our website name (themeisle) and our domain extension (.com), which is also referred to as the TLD (short for top-level domain).<\/p>\n

Technically, it is<\/em> possible to skip this step (as well as the next one) by setting your website up as a free blog on WordPress.com<\/a>, but virtually every professional website on the internet has its own domain name and self-hosted website. Simply put, you and your blog or business will be taken far more seriously, and be easier for visitors to find\u00a0if you purchase a domain name.<\/p>\n

Domain names are available for registration from a domain name registrar<\/a>. While there are numberous options for where to purchase a domain name, the company I use and recommend is Namecheap<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Though .com is the most-recognized domain extension on the web, it is getting harder and harder to find available domains to register. However, there are now more than a thousand other interesting TLD options<\/a>. In many instances a TLD other than .com can work even better. For example if you have a brick-and-mortar business that operates in a specific geographical location then you could opt for a TLD that represents it (e.g., .nyc, .miami, .tokyo).<\/p>\n

Cost:<\/strong> Between $10 to $15 per year<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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3. How much does WordPress  hosting <\/span> cost?<\/h2>\n

If you are trying to keep your WordPress website costs minimal, hosting will most likely be the priciest part of your shopping list.<\/p>\n

Although there are a ton of options for the type of hosting you can use, entry-level shared hosting is generally adequate for bloggers and businesses creating their first website. This type of hosting means that your website will live on a server shared by many other websites like your own. If you are expecting huge bursts of traffic or need advanced security features, you may instead opt for dedicated hosting, where your website is the only one on the server.<\/p>\n

Hosting prices range widely from service to service. You can generally expect to pay between $6 and $15 a month to host a beginner-level WordPress website on a shared server. Almost all hosts will offer you cheaper pricing for the first year (starting from around $2 – $3 per month) if you pay for the whole year in advance. If you can afford to do this, I would recommend it\u00a0since it results in a cheaper bill overall.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udca1 Editor’s note: We regularly test the most popular hosting options for WordPress and publish the results in this in-depth article<\/a>. It includes performance tests, how much load can a given host withstand, plus how much value you get for your dollar.
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\nDon’t have time to go through it all? The companies that usually perform well are SiteGround<\/a>, A2 Hosting<\/a>, and InMotion<\/a>.<\/div><\/div>\n

Cost:<\/strong> Between $6 \u2013 $15 per month (budget), or $30 \u2013 $100+ per month (premium) – initial contract prices for both are even lower<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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4. How much does a WordPress  theme <\/span> cost?<\/h2>\n

Your theme is ultimately what controls the look and feel of your site, so be sure to invest the time into finding something that’s just right.<\/p>\n

These days, probably the most important decision you’ll need to make with regards to choosing a theme, is whether to go for a classic theme or a newer block theme<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Classic WordPress themes<\/strong> represent the legacy approach to theme design. They rely on the theme interface and the WordPress Customizer<\/a> to adjust things like color schemes, typography, and other elements. In contrast to block themes, they don’t offer as much granular control (unless you know how to code). With that said, there are some really good, highly developed classic themes available. In other words, don’t discount them just because they are “old school.”<\/p>\n

Block themes<\/strong> are the modern way to build your WordPress site. They work seamlessly with the WordPress Block Editor through a mechanism called full site editing (or FSE)<\/a>. With FSE, you can visually adjust every part of your site using simple building blocks. Plus there are lots of pre-made templates that you can simply insert into your pages or posts. This saves a lot of time from a design perspective because all you need to do is substitute your content for the placeholder content and you’re done. You can even create and save your own reusable blocks for elements that you frequently use (e.g., call to action banners).<\/p>\n

Both classic themes and block themes come in free and premium versions.<\/p>\n

Below are a few recommendations for themes to keep your WordPress pricing budget to a minimum:<\/p>\n