Guide · Updated October 2026

How Much Does a WordPress Website Cost?

WordPress itself is free, but a WordPress website is not. See the real costs: hosting, themes, plugins, design, security and maintenance over time.

How Much Does a WordPress Website Cost?

Short answer: WordPress software is free, but running a WordPress website costs money: hosting, a domain, often a premium theme and plugins, plus someone to build and maintain it. A small business site can be cheap to start yet surprisingly expensive to keep healthy over a few years.

WordPress.org vs WordPress.com

This trips up a lot of people. WordPress.org is the free open-source software you install on your own hosting. WordPress.com is a hosted service with its own paid plans. The costs below focus on self-hosted WordPress, which is what most designers mean when they say "a WordPress site".

The cost layers

Hosting

You need a server to run WordPress. Cheap shared hosting is very low cost but can be slow and crowded. Managed WordPress hosting costs more and handles updates, backups and security for you. Introductory prices often jump at renewal, so check the renewal rate.

Domain

A yearly fee for your web address. Usually modest, but watch renewal pricing.

Theme

Free themes exist. Premium themes are a one-off or yearly licence. Page builder plugins such as Elementor often have their own subscriptions on top.

Plugins

Plugins add features: forms, SEO, caching, booking, security, backups. Many have free versions with paid upgrades billed yearly. Five or six paid plugins can add up fast.

Design and build

A freelancer or agency will charge for setup, design and content entry. This is usually the biggest upfront cost.

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The hidden cost: maintenance

WordPress is the most popular content management system in the world, which also makes it the biggest target for hackers. Core, theme and plugin updates come out constantly. Skip them and you risk a hacked site. Apply them carelessly and something can break.

That means you either spend your own time on maintenance or pay someone a monthly fee to do it. Many small business owners only discover this after their site is defaced or stops loading. If that has happened to you, Website Rescue can clean it up.

A realistic three-year view

  • Year one: build fee, hosting, domain, theme and plugin licences.
  • Years two and three: hosting renewal (often higher), domain renewal, plugin renewals, maintenance or your time, and any paid fixes.

Add those up and compare against an all-inclusive plan. WordPress often stops looking "free" by the end of year one.

When WordPress makes sense

  • You publish a lot of content, such as a busy blog or news site.
  • You need a specific plugin ecosystem, like a complex membership site.
  • You or someone on your team is comfortable maintaining it.

When it is overkill

For a five-page site for a cleaner, plumber or salon, WordPress brings more moving parts than you need. A lean, fast site that someone else hosts and secures is often simpler and cheaper. SiteDrum builds lightweight sites that score well on speed, with hosting and security on one monthly plan.

The bottom line

WordPress is free software, not a free website. Budget for hosting, licences and, above all, ongoing maintenance. If you do not want to manage updates and security yourself, factor that cost in from day one.

Frequently asked questions

Is WordPress really free?

The software is free, but hosting, domains, premium themes, plugins and maintenance are not.

What is the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org?

WordPress.org is free software you host yourself. WordPress.com is a paid hosted service.

Why do WordPress sites get hacked?

Mostly outdated plugins, themes or weak passwords. Regular updates and security monitoring reduce the risk.

Do I need a developer to run WordPress?

Not always, but you need someone to keep it updated and fix issues when they arise.

Want a website that brings you customers?

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