WordPress hosting is one of the most important aspects of running a WordPress site.
It’s what makes your site run smoothly and keeps it up and running.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at the WordPress hosting cost.
You’ll learn how much you can expect to pay for different WordPress hosting plans, what factors will affect your costs, and whether or not it’s worth it to pay for WordPress hosting.
How Does WordPress Hosting Work?
WordPress hosting is a type of web hosting designed to work with the WordPress content management system.
WordPress hosting providers offer optimized servers and enhanced security features specifically for WordPress websites.
While you could technically host a WordPress website, it’s not ideal.
WordPress sites require special attention to run smoothly and efficiently.
WordPress hosting providers offer resources and support specifically for WordPress websites.
Does WordPress Hosting Cost Money?
Yes, WordPress hosting costs money.
However, the cost is relatively affordable, especially when you compare it to the cost of traditional web hosting.
The price of WordPress hosting will vary depending on the hosting plan you choose, the features you need, and the size of your website.
Some WordPress hosting providers offer discounts for first-time customers or long-term contracts.
Shop around and compare prices before making a decision.
How Much Does WordPress Hosting Cost?
WordPress hosting can cost anywhere from free to several hundred dollars per month.
The price will depend on your needs, website traffic, and required features.
You can get a basic WordPress hosting plan for as little as $5 to $10 per month.
However, as your traffic and needs grow, you may need to upgrade to a more expensive plan.
Here is a breakdown of different WordPress hosting plans and the usual prices to expect to pay.
1. Personal Plan
A personal plan is the most basic type of WordPress hosting plan.
With some hosts, it might start at approximately $5 to $10 per month and include a small amount of storage and lower bandwidths.
A personal plan works well for beginner sites with low traffic.
2. Premium Plan
Most hosts offer a premium plan that medium-sized sites with moderate traffic can use.
You will typically see these plans start at $10 per month, go up to about $25 to $30 per month, and offer you more storage and bandwidth.
3. Business Plan
A business plan is the next step up from a premium plan.
These plans are typically for sites with high traffic and need more storage and bandwidth than what a premium plan offers.
A business plan can start at around $30 per month and go up to $500 per month or more.
4. eCommerce Plan
An eCommerce plan is a WordPress hosting plan specifically designed for sites that sell products online.
These plans will offer you features such as a shopping cart, SSL certificate, and more.
An eCommerce plan can start at around $25 per month and go up to several hundred dollars per month.
Can You Host Your Own WordPress Site?
You can host your own WordPress site.
Hosting your WordPress site requires you to have some technical knowledge and expertise.
When you host a WordPress site on your own, you need solutions for the following factors.
- Web hosting: You’ll need to set up your WordPress site on a host’s servers to deliver it to your visitors. You will have to download the WordPress software to the server side.
- Domain name: You must use a domain name to host a WordPress site.
- SSL certificate: If you plan on capturing data on lead capture pages or making sales, you’ll need to purchase an SSL certificate.
- Maintenance: You’ll need to keep your WordPress site updated and secure.
- Backups: Hosting your WordPress site requires a way to run regular backups to protect your data.
Other Types of WordPress Hosting
As you consider the best way to secure hosting for your WordPress, know that you can select one of the following methods.
Your selection depends on your business and how you will use your website.
1. Cheap WordPress Hosting
Some hosting companies specialize in offering the cheapest WordPress hosting.
These companies might offer a lower price by not including certain features or by packing many sites onto one server.
Understand that cheap WordPress hosting comes at a cost.
You might not get adequate security and support.
Your site’s loading speed could suffer if the host doesn’t properly maintain its servers.
2. Managed WordPress Hosting
Managed WordPress hosting removes the hassle of running a WordPress site.
The best-Managed WordPress hosts offer WP hosting that takes care of everything for you, from updates and security to performance and backups.
Managed WordPress hosting is more expensive than other types of WordPress hosting.
However, it’s worth it if you want someone else to handle the technical side of things.
3. Enterprise WordPress Hosting
Enterprise WordPress hosting is for large organizations that need to run multiple WordPress sites.
It is a more expensive type of hosting, but it offers the advantage of running multiple sites on one account.
Additionally, enterprise WordPress hosting typically comes with more features and better support than other types of WordPress hosting.
4. Cheap WordPress Hosting for Education
Education-focused WordPress hosting companies provide lower-cost WP hosting to students, teachers, and staff.
If you are part of an educational institution, check with your school or department to see if they have a preferred WordPress host.
WordPress Cost Comparisons
You might wonder how the WordPress hosting cost compares to other hosting solutions.
Let’s review how the four following options look in this area.
WordPress Cost vs Wix
When you compare the basic WordPress hosting cost to Wix, you’ll find that WordPress is usually a more affordable long-term option.
Wix plans start at $16 per month.
You can find WordPress plans that start at only $3.95 per month and offer unlimited storage.
A Wix plan comes with a free domain name for one year.
Unlike most hosting plans associated with using WordPress, Wix is one of the free blog sites.
You can begin using Wix under a 14-day free trial.
If you’re not happy with Wix within that period, you can cancel.
WordPress vs Squarespace Hosting Cost
Like Wix, Squarespace also offers a more expensive hosting solution than WordPress.
Squarespace plans start at $16 per month for a Personal account.
A Business account begins at $23 per month.
If you choose to use WordPress with a host like SiteGround, for instance, you can start for as low as $4.99 per month before it rises to $29.99 per month in year two and beyond.
WordPress vs Bluehost Hosting Cost
In reality, the Bluehost hosting cost is the same as WordPress hosting cost.
That’s because you will typically use WordPress alongside a Bluehost account.
You can start with Bluehost for as low as $2.99 per month.
You will then load WordPress into the Bluehost dashboard for free.
WordPress vs GoDaddy Hosting Cost
Using WordPress and GoDaddy works the same as with Bluehost.
Start a GoDaddy hosting account for as low as $9.99 per month.
Then, you can add WordPress for free or use the GoDaddy website builder to create your website’s pages.
Is It Worth It To Pay For WordPress Hosting?
Let’s review the advantages and disadvantages to paying for WordPress hosting.
Pros of Paying for WordPress Hosting
There are several advantages to paying for WordPress hosting, including the following.
- Receive a free domain name and SSL certificate
- Your WordPress site will run quickly
- WordPress hosting offers high-quality security
- You’ll have access to quality support if you need it
- Managed WordPress hosts take care of updates
Cons of Paying for WordPress Hosting
Consider these disadvantages when it comes to paying for WordPress hosting.
Managed WordPress hosting is typically more expensive than some other types of web hosting.
Additionally, if you’re comfortable with managing your own WordPress site, you might not need the added support that comes with a managed host.
Conclusion: Should You Pay For WordPress Hosting?
Paying for WordPress hosting is worth it if you value your time and want peace of mind knowing that your website is in good hands.
As well, WordPress hosting offers some of the fastest website speeds available.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you still have a few WordPress hosting cost questions, here are the answers to two common questions.
What does a WordPress domain cost after one year?
Most hosts charge about $12 to $15 per year for a WordPress domain.
They will usually give it to you for free in the first year.
Is WordPress free?
Yes, WordPress is free. You can download it into most hosting accounts.
However, if you want to use WordPress to build a website, you’ll need to pay for hosting and a domain name.
Wrapping Up
WordPress hosting will provide you with all of the features and tools you need to run a successful website.
It can also help you to save time and money in the long run.
If you have further WordPress hosting cost questions, ask us in the comments below.
Ultimately, you want to use one of the solutions we’ve detailed above to get started with your new blog.
