{"id":27889,"date":"2023-06-28T18:55:40","date_gmt":"2023-06-28T18:55:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fireflywebstudio.com\/?p=27889"},"modified":"2023-06-28T19:13:55","modified_gmt":"2023-06-28T19:13:55","slug":"costs-of-owning-a-wordpress-website","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fireflywebstudio.com\/costs-of-owning-a-wordpress-website\/","title":{"rendered":"The Real Costs of Owning a WordPress Website"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"27889\" class=\"elementor elementor-27889\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5a03e44f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5a03e44f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;jet_parallax_layout_list&quot;:[],&quot;_ha_eqh_enable&quot;:false}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-28bd92d2\" data-id=\"28bd92d2\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3bb8cc5d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3bb8cc5d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.20.0 - 10-04-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>If you&#8217;re planning to create a website, WordPress is likely a platform you&#8217;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.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>However, before jumping into the WordPress world, it&#8217;s essential to understand the costs involved. In this guide, we&#8217;ll break down the expenses associated with owning a WordPress website, ensuring you have a clear understanding of what to expect.<\/p>\n<h2>The Costs of Owning A WordPress Website:\u00a0<\/h2>\n<h3>Domain Name<\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:list --><!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Before diving into WordPress, you&#8217;ll need a domain name \u2013 your website&#8217;s unique address. It&#8217;s crucial to choose a domain name that reflects your brand, business name or website&#8217;s purpose, as it&#8217;s an important part of your online identity. All websites, including non WordPress websites, need a domain name.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Estimated Price: $10-$15\/year<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We recommend: <a href=\"http:\/\/name.sjv.io\/q4zn4L\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Name.com<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/domain.mno8.net\/baOb69\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Domain.com<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Hosting<\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:list --><!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>To make your WordPress website accessible to visitors, you&#8217;ll need hosting. Hosting is like renting a space on the internet where your website&#8217;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&#8217;t necessarily better. As your website grows, you may consider upgrading to VPS or dedicated hosting for improved performance and scalability.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Estimated Price: $3-$30\/month or $36-$360\/year<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We recommend:\u00a0 <a href=\"\/wordpress-hosting-companies-2023\/\">WPEngine and Cloudways<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Themes<\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:list --><!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>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&#8217;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&#8217;s appearance and functionality.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Estimated Price: $00- $100 (typically a one time fee)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We recommend:\u00a0 <a href=\"\/best-wordpress-themes-for-elementor\/\">Hello Elementor theme<\/a> partnered with the Elementor Pro plugin (see below).\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>Plugins<\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:list --><!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Estimated Price: $00- $200+\/year<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We recommend:\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/be.elementor.com\/visit\/?bta=213754&amp;nci=5383\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Elementor Pro<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/wp-rocket.me\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WP Rocket<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/rankmath.com\/?ref=raynamcginnis1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">RankMath<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Customization &amp; Development<\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:list --><!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>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&#8217;s essential to define your requirements clearly and discuss the budget with potential developers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Estimated Price: $00 &#8211; $10,000+<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We recommend:\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.upwork.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Upwork<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>Maintenance and Security<\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:list --><!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>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.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Estimated Price: $00 &#8211; $200\/month<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We recommend:\u00a0 Hiring a professional to take care of this for you.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<h2>So how much does owning a WordPress Website Cost?\u00a0<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph --><!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Owning a WordPress website involves various costs, from domain registration and hosting to themes, plugins, customization, and maintenance. It&#8217;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&#8217;s functionality and aesthetics. By understanding the costs upfront, you<\/p>\n<h2>Breakdown of the Costs of Owning a WordPress Website<\/h2>\n<p>We&#8217;ve put together the chart below based on our professional recommendations for building a WordPress Website. These estimations are valid as of June 2023.\u00a0<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ac6001a elementor-widget elementor-widget-jet-table\" data-id=\"ac6001a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"jet-table.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-jet-table jet-elements\">\n\t\t<div class=\"jet-table-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<table class=\"jet-table jet-table--fa5-compat\">\n\t\t\t\t<thead class=\"jet-table__head\"><tr class=\"jet-table__head-row\"><th class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-4fbc1da jet-table__head-cell\" scope=\"col\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-text\">WordPress Costs: <\/div><\/div><\/div><\/th><th class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-7759f7b jet-table__head-cell\" scope=\"col\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-text\">Monthly Cost<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/th><th class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-02b7c77 jet-table__head-cell\" scope=\"col\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-text\">Annual Cost<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<tfoot class=\"jet-table__foot\"><tr class=\"jet-table__foot-row\"><th class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-7995ca1 jet-table__foot-cell\" scope=\"col\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-text\">Totals: <\/div><\/div><\/div><\/th><th class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-12dc065 jet-table__foot-cell\" scope=\"col\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-text\">$125\/month<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/th><th class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-b0eb34a jet-table__foot-cell\" scope=\"col\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-text\">$428\/year<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/th><\/tr><\/tfoot>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<tbody class=\"jet-table__body jet-table__body_no-border-radius\"><tr class=\"jet-table__body-row elementor-repeater-item-659131e\"><td class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-bbc9535 jet-table__body-cell\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-text\">Domain: Name.com<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/td><td class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-51c6e11 jet-table__body-cell\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><\/div><\/div><\/td><td class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-a80d450 jet-table__body-cell\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-text\">$10<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr><tr class=\"jet-table__body-row elementor-repeater-item-d7f4a28\"><td class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-c415837 jet-table__body-cell\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-text\">Hosting: WP Engine<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/td><td class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-f92b35d jet-table__body-cell\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><\/div><\/div><\/td><td class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-e30614f jet-table__body-cell\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-text\">$300<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr><tr class=\"jet-table__body-row elementor-repeater-item-9bad5ac\"><td class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-81a17fd jet-table__body-cell\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-text\">Theme: Hello Elementor<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/td><td class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-3fe0f66 jet-table__body-cell\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><\/div><\/div><\/td><td class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-5521358 jet-table__body-cell\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-text\">FREE<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr><tr class=\"jet-table__body-row elementor-repeater-item-8c19ae1\"><td class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-59a955f jet-table__body-cell\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-text\">Plugin: Elementor Pro<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/td><td class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-5ec3ce9 jet-table__body-cell\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><\/div><\/div><\/td><td class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-ffc2592 jet-table__body-cell\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-text\">$59<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr><tr class=\"jet-table__body-row elementor-repeater-item-b34bc0f\"><td class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-94ee35b jet-table__body-cell\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-text\">Plugin: WP Rocket<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/td><td class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-d55875e jet-table__body-cell\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><\/div><\/div><\/td><td class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-0a15e0b jet-table__body-cell\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-text\">$59 <\/div><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr><tr class=\"jet-table__body-row elementor-repeater-item-7080f7f\"><td class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-66a29e3 jet-table__body-cell\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-text\">Plugin: Rank Math<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/td><td class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-f3d6b06 jet-table__body-cell\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><\/div><\/div><\/td><td class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-bc90583 jet-table__body-cell\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-text\">FREE<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr><tr class=\"jet-table__body-row elementor-repeater-item-3f769af\"><td class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-facfc87 jet-table__body-cell\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-text\">Maintenance &#038; Security: Outsource <\/div><\/div><\/div><\/td><td class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-3399cff jet-table__body-cell\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-text\">$125<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/td><td class=\"jet-table__cell elementor-repeater-item-f485ed3 jet-table__body-cell\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-inner\"><div class=\"jet-table__cell-content\"><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody>\n\t\t\t<\/table>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-eb5d894 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"eb5d894\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>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.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>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&#8217;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&#8217;re a tech savvy person, you may also consider learning how to do the maintenance and security work yourself (just don&#8217;t for go maintenance all together, or you could end up in a very sticky situation &#8211; <em>imagine your website breaking, not being able to log in, and having all of your clients personal information stolen. Eeek!<\/em>)). 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!\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Now that you know the costs of owning a WordPress website, <a href=\"\/how-to-know-if-wordpress-is-right-for-you\/\">it&#8217;s time for you to decide if a WordPress website is right for you<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you&#8217;re planning to create a website, WordPress is likely a platform you&#8217;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.&nbsp; However, before jumping into the WordPress world, it&#8217;s essential to understand the costs involved. In this guide, we&#8217;ll [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":27921,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[113,102],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fireflywebstudio.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27889"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fireflywebstudio.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fireflywebstudio.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fireflywebstudio.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fireflywebstudio.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27889"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/www.fireflywebstudio.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27889\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27922,"href":"https:\/\/www.fireflywebstudio.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27889\/revisions\/27922"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fireflywebstudio.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27921"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fireflywebstudio.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27889"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fireflywebstudio.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27889"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fireflywebstudio.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27889"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}