Quick answer: WordPress software is free, but a WordPress website still has costs. You pay for a domain and hosting every year, possibly a premium theme and plugins, and the time to set up, design, build and fill the site with content. A simple DIY site on a ready-made theme costs little beyond hosting and your own time. A custom designed business site with integrations costs considerably more. After launch, budget for updates, backups and security every month.
WordPress is now the most widely used content management system on the web, and one reason is that the software costs nothing to download. That leads to a common misunderstanding: if WordPress is free, why do quotes for a WordPress website vary so much? This guide breaks down where the money goes so you can plan a realistic budget and compare quotes fairly.
WordPress.com vs WordPress.org
Before talking costs, it helps to know there are two versions.
- WordPress.com is a hosted service run by Automattic. You sign up, pick a theme and start publishing. There are free and paid plans. You get less control: you cannot install your own plugins or upload custom themes.
- WordPress.org is where you download the software to install on your own hosting. This is what most businesses use, and what most agencies mean when they say “a WordPress website”. You have full control, but you are responsible for hosting, updates and security.
The rest of this article is about self hosted WordPress from WordPress.org.
The fixed running costs
These costs apply to almost every WordPress site, however it is built.
Domain name
Your web address, renewed every year. Prices vary by extension (.com, .co.uk and so on) and registrar. Register it in the business’s name, with an account the business controls.
Hosting
Hosting is where your site lives. The main types are:
- Shared hosting. Your site shares a server with many others. It is the cheapest option and fine for small, low traffic sites, but performance can suffer when neighbouring sites get busy.
- Managed WordPress hosting. Companies such as WP Engine specialise in WordPress. They usually include automatic backups, caching, security scanning and WordPress specific support. It costs more than shared hosting, but saves time and often makes the site faster.
- VPS or dedicated servers. You get your own server resources. This suits busy sites or online shops, but someone needs the skills to manage the server.
Cheap hosting can be a false economy. A slow site loses visitors and rankings, and poor support costs you time when something goes wrong. Our guide to WordPress speed optimization explains how much hosting affects load times.
SSL certificate
An SSL certificate lets your site run on HTTPS. Google has used HTTPS as a light ranking signal since 2014, and it is essential for any site that takes payments or logins. Paid certificates have been the norm, but Let’s Encrypt began offering free certificates in public beta in December 2015, and some hosts are starting to support it.
Theme costs
The theme controls how your site looks. You have three broad choices.
Free themes
The WordPress.org theme directory has thousands of free themes. They are reviewed before listing, which is reassuring, but they tend to be simple. Fine for a personal blog, often limiting for a business.
Premium themes
Premium themes, sold on marketplaces such as ThemeForest or directly by theme shops, are a one off purchase that usually includes a period of updates and support. Many come with demo content and built in page builders such as Visual Composer, which let you lay out pages without code.
They are good value, but be careful. Some multipurpose themes pack in so many features that they slow the site down and make it hard to switch themes later, because your content gets tied to the theme’s own shortcodes.
Custom themes
A custom theme is designed and coded for your business. It costs the most, but you get exactly the layouts you need, cleaner code and nothing you do not use. For a business that relies on its website for leads or sales, this is often worth it. Our post on WordPress development explains what goes into a custom build.
Plugin costs
Plugins add features. Many excellent plugins are free. Others use a “freemium” model, with a free version and a paid one with extra features and support. Common paid plugins for business sites include:
- Form builders such as Gravity Forms
- SEO plugins in their premium versions
- Backup and security services
- Ecommerce extensions for WooCommerce, such as payment gateways, subscriptions and bookings
- Membership plugins
Most premium plugins are licensed yearly. You can often keep using them if you stop paying, but you lose updates and support, which is a security risk. Add up the yearly renewals when you plan your budget.
Design and development costs
This is where the biggest differences between quotes come from. What you pay depends on:
How many unique page layouts you need
A site with a home page, service page, about page, blog and contact page has a handful of templates. Each extra layout adds design and build time.
How custom the design is
Adapting a premium theme with your logo and colours is quick. Designing from scratch takes much longer, especially with rounds of feedback.
What features you need
Every feature beyond standard pages adds time. Examples include:
- Online shop with WooCommerce
- Booking or appointment systems
- Custom post types, such as properties, case studies or team members, with their own fields
- Members only areas
- Multiple languages
- Integration with your CRM, email platform or accounting system
How much testing goes in
A thorough build is tested on different browsers, phones and tablets. Every form and checkout step is tested from start to finish. Less testing is cheaper at launch and more expensive later.
For a broader view of what drives build prices, including for non WordPress projects, see our guide to website development cost.
Content costs
Content is the cost most people forget. Someone needs to:
- Write the copy for every page
- Source or take photographs
- Prepare logos, icons and graphics
- Move content from an old site and redirect old URLs
If you supply finished content, the build is quicker and cheaper. If you need copywriting or photography, budget for it as its own line.
Ongoing maintenance
A WordPress site needs regular care. WordPress releases updates throughout the year, and version 4.4 arrived in December 2015. Themes and plugins also update regularly, often to fix security issues. Ongoing tasks include:
- Updating WordPress core, themes and plugins
- Daily or weekly backups stored away from the server
- Security monitoring and malware scanning
- Checking that forms and checkout still work after updates
- Uptime monitoring
- Small content changes and fixes
You can do this yourself if you have the time and are comfortable fixing problems when an update clashes with a plugin. Many businesses prefer a monthly maintenance plan with a developer or agency so it is handled consistently.
Three typical budgets
Without quoting figures, here is how the pieces usually combine.
The DIY site
Shared hosting, a free or premium theme, a few free plugins and your own content and time. Lowest cost in money, highest cost in time. Good for very small businesses and testing an idea.
The theme based business site
A developer sets up a premium theme, adjusts it to your brand, installs and configures plugins, adds your content and handles SEO basics. Moderate cost, quick to launch, and a sensible choice for many small businesses.
The custom business site
A custom design and theme, custom post types and fields, integrations with your other systems, careful SEO setup and thorough testing. Highest cost, but built around how your business works and easier to grow over time.
How to keep costs under control
- Write a clear brief. List pages, features, integrations and examples of sites you like.
- Prepare your content early. Delays waiting for copy are one of the most common reasons projects overrun.
- Launch with the essentials. Add nice to have features in a second phase.
- Choose fewer, better plugins. Every plugin is something to update and a possible conflict.
- Ask what is included. Hosting, SSL, training, SEO setup and post launch support should be clear in the quote.
- Make sure you own everything. Domain, hosting account, theme files and admin login should be in the business’s name.
FAQ
Is WordPress really free?
The software is free and open source. The costs come from hosting, premium add ons and the time to build and maintain the site.
Why do WordPress quotes vary so much?
Usually because suppliers are quoting for different things. One may be installing a theme, another designing and coding a custom one. Ask for an itemised quote.
Can I move my WordPress site to a different host later?
Yes. Self hosted WordPress can be moved between hosts. It needs care to avoid downtime, but it is routine work.
Is a page builder theme a good idea?
It can be, if you need to make layout changes often. The trade-offs are speed and being tied to that theme or builder.
Plan your WordPress budget
If you want a WordPress site priced line by line, with no surprises after launch, we can help you scope it. See how we build sites that turn visitors into customers.
