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WordPress is the most popular content management system and it’s been used by millions of websites to create blogs, magazines, and even entire businesses! It has one of the highest market shares in its category – so what are you paying for? How much does WordPress cost per month & how much will a website built with this CMS really cost?
Although WordPress is the world’s most popular free and open-source content management system (CMS), it is not free to create and maintain a WordPress website. In truth, there are a slew of expenses to consider, ranging from a domain name ($12 per year) and site hosting ($3 to $20 per month) to premium themes and plugins ($29 to $79). In general, expect to pay $50 to $300+ to create WordPress yourself, or $400 to $10,000+ for professional site design. Also plan on spending an additional $3 to $25 a month on hosting and upkeep.
How much does it cost to build and maintain a WordPress website?
The price of creating a WordPress website is determined by four factors: web hosting, themes, plugins, and design. The typical cost of a DIY WordPress site is between $50 and $300, but outsourcing to a web developer may cost anything from a few hundred to over a few thousand dollars.
- DIY site design costs $50 to $300+; professional web design costs $400 to $10,000+.
- Total monthly charges range from $3 to $20+ on average.
You may manage the website design yourself as the site designer and company owner. You may also hire a professional site designer to do it for you. DIY site design is prevalent owing to being one of the top website builders, which allows even individuals with no technical experience to create a website for free. Hiring a professional designer, on the other hand, will guarantee that your site is professional and appealing, but it will cost you thousands of dollars.
Let’s look at the expenses of WordPress site design by construction type:
- DIY: Typically free, however, there may be costs associated with developing your own site (for example, if you opt to utilize a premium page builder plugin like Elementor, which costs $49).
- Pay a pro: Prices vary widely, ranging from $400 to $10,000 or more, depending on a number of criteria like who you hire to construct it and your specific site needs.
The Price of a WordPress Website Theme
Themes, which act as templates, are used to construct WordPress websites. While there are hundreds of free themes available, WordPress and third-party developers provide thousands of premium themes (varying from $29 to $79+).
Premium themes are preferred by businesses because they frequently have a more professional appearance and more functionality, requiring fewer adjustments and therefore saving time.
The Price of a WordPress Domain
Every company website has its own domain name (e.g., yourbusiness.com). If you don’t already have one, you can get one for roughly $12 per year from a domain name registrar like Google Domains or Hover.
Alternatively, you may acquire a free domain name as part of a web hosting package, such as Bluehost’s, which you’ll need for your WordPress site to go live.
The top three domain name registrars are as follows:
- Google Domains: The best overall domain name registrar, providing transparent and reasonably priced domains starting at $12 per year.
- Hover: Best for bulk domain purchases (e.g., buying domain variations or your domain with various domain extensions).
- Bluehost: The best approach to acquire a free domain name is if you want to construct your blog using WordPress. WordPress needs web hosting, which starts at $2.95 per month and includes a free domain name.
The Price of WordPress Hosting
Site builders must put their website files on a hosting server, which is accessible through a domain name such as www.yourbusiness.com, in order for their website to be publicly accessible. This service is available from a variety of companies. The price varies from $3 to $25 a month, depending on a number of factors and features, including storage and bandwidth restrictions, as well as extras like a free domain name, business email, and an SSL certificate.
The following are the top three web hosting companies for small businesses:
- DreamHost: The best overall web hosting company, with plans starting at $2.59 per month and no long-term commitments.
- HostGator: Best for content-heavy sites since all hosting plans include unlimited storage and bandwidth. The monthly fee begins at $2.75.
- Bluehost: Its plans include everything you need to develop, publish, and manage a business website, making it ideal for enterprises and startups. Bluehost’s services are reasonably priced, starting at $2.95 per month.
The Price of a WordPress Website Plugin
Additional functionality on WordPress sites is provided via plugins, which range from search engine optimization (SEO) tools and site visitor statistics to payment processors and appointment scheduling systems. While the majority of plugins are free, some have premium versions that are accessible for a fee. They may cost anything from $5 to $100 or more every month. Furthermore, not all premium plugins are paid on a monthly basis. Rather, some are paid on a yearly or one-time basis.
Here are the prices of some of the most popular WordPress plugins:
- Akismet is free, but you can upgrade to premium for $8.33 per month.
- Yoast SEO is free; the premium is $89 for a one-time charge.
- Elementor is available for free, with a premium version available for $49 a year.
Do you want to view more photos? The greatest WordPress plugins for small companies may be found here.
Alternatives to WordPress: How Much Do They Cost?
Although WordPress is the most popular website content management system (CMS) platform, it isn’t the best option for every company website, nor is it the most user-friendly or cost-effective.
WordPress may be an unneeded barrier for those who have no prior site design skills, on top of being a more costly CMS. Squarespace sites, for example, cost nothing to create and $12 a month to maintain.
The following are the top three WordPress alternatives, along with their prices:
- Squarespace: Create a website for free with its simple editor and award-winning templates; one, all-inclusive monthly subscription starts at $12.
- Bluehost’s; web hosting services start at $2.95 per month with a 36-month commitment and include a free, easy-to-use site builder.
- Wix: Build a site for free using its drag-and-drop site builder, which is user-friendly and extremely customizable; one, all-inclusive monthly subscription starts at $14 per month.
Most Commonly Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the difference between Weebly and WordPress?
While both WordPress and Weebly are website-building systems, they are vastly different. Weebly is an all-in-one host and site builder with a straightforward drag-and-drop editor, while WordPress is a CMS that needs a certain amount of technical skill. Weebly makes it simple to create a professional website even if you have no prior web design knowledge.
Is WordPress available for free on Bluehost?
Bluehost is a web hosting company that provides free one-click WordPress installs with all of its plans.
What is the best way to create a WordPress website?
While creating a website using WordPress is very simple, it does include a number of steps, including choosing a host, installing WordPress, selecting a theme, and customizing the site’s content and appearance.
Conclusion
WordPress is an open-source platform that is free to use. It will, however, come at a price. WordPress may also be expensive, costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars in certain circumstances.
