How Much is WordPress Hosting?
Many people are still unaware of the cost implications that come with running a WordPress site. With the advent of shared hosting, it is now possible to offer websites with a free service at minimal costs. In this blog post, we will examine the various costs that are associated with setting up and operating a WordPress site.
The Cost Of Set Up
When launching a brand new WordPress site, you will be presented with a one-click install option that will set up the basic framework for your site. This will include downloading and installing WordPress to a webserver. As you can imagine, this step alone can consume a considerable amount of resources. To put this into perspective, a client of ours recently spent around £250 on just one click and the associated one-month fees with AWS.
You will also need to install a WordPress theme to give your site an appearance. This can be a costly proposition and one that can easily set you back thousands of pounds. Again, this is one cost that you won’t want to avoid.
The Cost Of Keeping It Running
If you are using a hosted WordPress service, then you will need to pay a small amount per month to keep the servers running. As with any other website, your WordPress site will eat into your CPU cycles as visitors come and go. Keeping a WordPress site up and running costs the provider about £10 per day. In other words, if you are using a shared hosting plan, you will need to budget about £30 per month for the site’s upkeep.
The great thing about this cost is that it’s relatively straightforward and easy to understand. You will also only have to pay for what you use. Finally, if you are worried about running up high charges on your credit card, then you can take comfort in the fact that many hosting providers offer a money-back guarantee. The bottom line is that maintaining a WordPress site is a cost-effective proposition when compared to other website platforms.
The Cost Of A Fresh Install
If you are looking for the absolute minimal costs associated with setting up a WordPress site, then you should opt for a hosted WordPress instance. What this means is that you won’t need to go through the one-click install process described above. Instead, you will need to purchase a fully pre-built WordPress site from a hosting provider. The great thing about this option is that you won’t need to worry about any of the technicalities involved with setting up a site. The reason this is such a popular choice amongst beginners is that it takes the stress out of the equation. When it comes to keeping your WordPress site running, you will only need to look after the content that you create.
However, there is a downside to this choice. You will need to keep shelling out for the monthly hosting fee whether or not you are using the site. In other words, you are not getting the flexibility of being able to cancel or change your plan whenever you want. Finally, many people find that the clean and well-designed templates chosen by the hosting providers become too restrictive when it comes to the customisation that they may want to do.
The Cost Of Extra Features
Everyone knows that WordPress is a versatile platform and it truly is, but this also means that it can do a lot more than just host your blog. If you are looking for a one-stop-shop for a personal website or looking for a way to provide extra functionality to your business’ website, then you should consider opting for a premium WordPress plan. What this means is that you will be paying a little more for the service and you will have access to extra features built into the platform. Most personal websites and business websites that get significant amounts of traffic will most likely require a custom plan as the standard service is not sufficient. For example, you may want to consider paying for a premium plan that offers free backups and restores, one that offers faster loading speeds, and one that provides additional storage.
In short, there are a lot of costs associated with running a WordPress site. Some of these are more significant than others, depending on your specific needs, but all of them add up to a decent sum. It is best to consider these costs when you are in the process of deciding what kind of hosting service to opt for. It may help to do a little research before making a purchase decision so that you are not tricked by false advertising and so that you are aware of the costs that come with the various hosting services that are on offer. In the next section, we will go over some of the more significant costs that you need to budget for when you are setting up a WordPress site.