If you’re planning to create a website, WordPress is likely a platform you’ve come across. As one of the most popular content management systems (CMS) available, WordPress offers a user-friendly interface, flexibility, and a plethora of features.
However, before jumping into the WordPress world, it’s essential to understand the costs involved. In this guide, we’ll break down the expenses associated with owning a WordPress website, ensuring you have a clear understanding of what to expect.
The Costs of Owning A WordPress Website:
Domain Name
Before diving into WordPress, you’ll need a domain name – your website’s unique address. It’s crucial to choose a domain name that reflects your brand, business name or website’s purpose, as it’s an important part of your online identity. All websites, including non WordPress websites, need a domain name.
Estimated Price: $10-$15/year
We recommend: Name.com and Domain.com
Hosting
To make your WordPress website accessible to visitors, you’ll need hosting. Hosting is like renting a space on the internet where your website’s files and data are stored. There are various hosting options available, such as shared hosting, virtual private servers (VPS), and dedicated servers. Shared hosting is the most affordable option, but remember, you get what you pay for in terms of performance and support, so cheaper isn’t necessarily better. As your website grows, you may consider upgrading to VPS or dedicated hosting for improved performance and scalability.
Estimated Price: $3-$30/month or $36-$360/year
We recommend: WPEngine and Cloudways
Themes
WordPress offers a wide range of themes, which control the overall design and layout of your website. There are both free and premium themes available. Free themes are a great starting point, offering basic customization options. If you’re looking for more advanced features and design flexibility, premium themes may cost anywhere from $30 to $100 or more. Remember, investing in a premium theme can enhance your website’s appearance and functionality.
Estimated Price: $00- $100 (typically a one time fee)
We recommend: Hello Elementor theme partnered with the Elementor Pro plugin (see below).
Plugins
Plugins are like add-ons for your WordPress website, allowing you to extend its functionality. They can range from simple features like contact forms to complex e-commerce solutions. Just like themes, there are free and premium plugins. Free plugins can serve your basic needs, but for advanced features and specialized functionality, premium plugins may be necessary. Premium plugins prices can vary a lot, depending on the complexity and capabilities they offer.
Estimated Price: $00- $200+/year
We recommend: Elementor Pro, WP Rocket and RankMath
Customization & Development
If you have specific design requirements or functionality needs, you might consider hiring a developer or designer to customize your WordPress website. The costs associated with customization and development can vary significantly depending on the complexity of the project and the expertise of the professional you hire. Rates can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand, so it’s essential to define your requirements clearly and discuss the budget with potential developers.
Estimated Price: $00 – $10,000+
We recommend: Upwork
Maintenance and Security
Once your WordPress website is up and running, ongoing maintenance and security are crucial. Regular updates, backups, and security scans help keep your website secure and functioning optimally. You can choose to handle these tasks yourself or hire a professional to take care of these tasks for you.
Estimated Price: $00 – $200/month
We recommend: Hiring a professional to take care of this for you.
So how much does owning a WordPress Website Cost?
Owning a WordPress website involves various costs, from domain registration and hosting to themes, plugins, customization, and maintenance. It’s essential to consider these expenses and plan your budget accordingly. While there are free options available for many aspects, investing in premium themes, plugins, and professional services can greatly enhance your website’s functionality and aesthetics. By understanding the costs upfront, you
Breakdown of the Costs of Owning a WordPress Website
We’ve put together the chart below based on our professional recommendations for building a WordPress Website. These estimations are valid as of June 2023.
WordPress Costs: | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|
Totals: | $125/month | $428/year |
Domain: Name.com | $10 | |
Hosting: WP Engine | $300 | |
Theme: Hello Elementor | FREE | |
Plugin: Elementor Pro | $59 | |
Plugin: WP Rocket | $59 | |
Plugin: Rank Math | FREE | |
Maintenance & Security: Outsource | $125 |
Technically, you could pay for hosting per month as well, if that works easier for you. However, we prefer paying for annual subscriptions as they tend to save you a little money upfront.
If you were to pay for your maintenance plan annually, the total cost of owning your WordPress website would be $1928 per year, or $160 per month. If you’re just starting out, you could go with the free version of Elementor, and forgo WP Rocket, bringing the cost of your website down to about $1810 a year or $150 per month. If you’re a tech savvy person, you may also consider learning how to do the maintenance and security work yourself (just don’t for go maintenance all together, or you could end up in a very sticky situation – imagine your website breaking, not being able to log in, and having all of your clients personal information stolen. Eeek!)). If you were to learn how to do the maintenance and security work on your site, that would bring your costs of owning a WordPress website down to $428 a year, or just $36 a month!
Now that you know the costs of owning a WordPress website, it’s time for you to decide if a WordPress website is right for you.
