Everyone knows that hosting your blog can become a costly affair, and the question of cost arises in every new blogger’s mind.
How much is it going to cost to create a self-hosted WordPress blog?
There is no upper limit when it comes to blog investment, and in this guide, I will share the minimum amount you need to spend to create a professional blog which you can proudly share with the world.
How much does it cost to start a WordPress Blog?
With WordPress, you can start a blog with very little money.
The WordPress software is free. You can download it from the WordPress.org page.
Still, there are some other necessary elements that you will have to pay for (such as a domain name and a hosting space). These extra costs will depend on your specific requirements.
You may also choose to invest in customization, SEO, or other factors along the way. These things may also cost money.
If your intent is simply to start a blog on WordPress, you can start with a minimal cost of $60 for unlimited hosting and a free domain with Bluehost hosting. The best part, Bluehost will auto-install WordPress software for you.
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Domain Cost: $12
The first element you need to shop for is a domain. Having a domain name is like buying property and giving an address for your new website.
You need to make sure that your domain name is brandable or, at least, keyword rich.
You should choose a domain with either .com, .org, or .net. If you purchase through Bluehost, you will get a free domain and that is a decent amount of saving.
In case you need to buy additional domains, GoDaddy is one of the better cheap registrars.
Here are some guides which will help you in selecting your domain name:
Web-Hosting Cost: $56-$100
This is one major investment that you will be making in the process of starting your own WordPress blog.
I would suggest that you do not compromise on the quality of your hosting service. You should try to get reliable (yet affordable) web-hosting. For a new blog, shared hosting is best.
Here are some recommended WordPress hosting services along with prices for one year:
Set-up cost: (Free [DIY] or $99)
There are many tutorials and resources available on the internet that will let you learn how to install WordPress.
Here are some of the tutorials I’ve written which you can use to guide you through the process of installing WordPress and setting up your blog:
You can easily follow our DIY guides above to get everything done.
However, if you find that this requires too much technical knowledge for you at this point, or you don’t have the time, you can take advantage of ShoutMeLoud’s WordPress services.
You can also refer to our WordPress guide page for more WordPress resources.
WordPress Theme Cost: (Free to $86)
From my experience, the toughest task is to choose the right theme for your site in terms of speed, price, and functionalities. There are many free WordPress themes, but they are missing some of the important aspects of premium WordPress themes.
If you are looking for a low-cost solution, I suggest Genesis Theme or Astra theme.
WordPress Premium Plugins: ($47-$200)
One of the major benefits of WordPress is its great list of free plugins, many of which can be found at the WordPress plugin repo.
There are also many premium plugins that are available at varying costs.
Technically, as a new blogger wanting to start your blog with minimal investment, you may not need any premium services or plugins. But if you don’t have an investment issue, you can grab some of the premium plugins to help you increase your site’s functionality (like boosting your on-page SEO optimization).
Now let’s figure out how much WordPress blog cost (where you will be doing everything on your own):
- Basic setup with free theme: $70
- Basic setup with premium theme: $110
- Professional setup with Astra theme: $399
- Professional setup with various premium elements: $499-$1499
As a new blogger, you can also consider using a basic setup with a premium WordPress theme.
Let me know if you have any other questions regarding the setting up of your new self-hosted WordPress blog!
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Keep reading the article at ShoutMeLoud. The article was originally written by Harsh Agrawal on 2020-01-02 00:56:00.
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