How Much Does Free Really Cost? Realistic New WordPress Website Expense Planning
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Due to the economy, people are increasingly looking to start a new website. As a result, many start side hustles to make ends meet.
All too often, people make choices based solely on price, much to their eventual detriment. I get that. It is difficult to determine if something costs too much when you know what things should cost or where best to invest your hard-earned dollars.
Yes, this is an investment. However, you should view the entire website process through that lens.
You have a budget, so why not cut corners? I get that, too. However, automatically gravitating to the least expensive option is not always the wisest choice.
With free, you get what you pay for when it comes to online success.
Most free services offer little to no support, at least not the fast and reliable support you can depend on if needed. Of course, there are a few exceptions, but I can count them on one hand.
Believe me, I’ve learned the hard way and made those mistakes, so you don’t have to. Before recommending anything to my clients, I use it for my websites. That can be risky, combined with a bit of baptism by fire, but that’s how I roll.
Some of my product choices were epic failures. I used them on my sites only to regret it.
Then, others exceeded my expectations, making me regret not considering them sooner. The good news is that, after going through that process, I can confidently tell clients what services are worth what they charge and, more importantly, why.
So, what should a new WordPress website cost?
It depends on what you want to do, how much you want to do, and how much you want to learn yourself. It is that simple.
Do you want customized features, layouts, and functionality? How many professionals will you need to rely on? Are you doing e-commerce?
Most new business owners have no problem planning for phones, business cards, internet, utilities, supplies, and inventory. However, many are unaware of all the new online-related expenses that often come as a surprise. In some cases, they jump at the chance to get those costs for free or at a discount without reading the terms of price increases after the initial purchase. Conversely, others throw money at services they don’t need, which can add up over time.
To help you out, I’ll cover the key information you need to consider before spending a single penny of your hard-earned money. Additionally, we’ll clarify the fees and expenses associated with your new website project.
A Great Domain Name
You want a dot-com if possible. That is what is seared in online brains. Don’t get distracted by all those cool extensions that are now available. It just makes your marketing job harder.
Suppose you buy a less popular top-level domain, and someone else owns the .com. In that case, you risk potential visitors not remembering your “dot whatever” and reverting to the .com version. They then land on a competitor’s website. For this reason, you want to avoid using a .net, .org, .biz, .info, or other top-level domain unless you can also own the corresponding .com domain.
Using any other domain extension means you’ll have to work even harder to ensure your “dot whatever” is where people will know to go. So here are some domain registration tips for your consideration.
Get creative, use your personality, and be memorable! If you can’t get the domain you want and it’s not currently live on a website, you can try making an offer to buy it from the current owner. But be prepared—good domains do not come cheap!
BUDGET: Starting at $10.00/annually to purchase an unregistered domain.
Website Hosting
You want to host with a company that will accommodate you as your site grows. Support is crucial, regardless of price.
What happens if your site or server is throwing errors? Do you have to be on hold for an hour? When you do get a support tech, are they courteous and knowledgeable? Believe it or not, that isn’t a given.
Is there live chat available? What about support tickets? Do you get templated responses or responses to your specific concerns? That’s when, or if, you ever get a response…
When evaluating website hosts, consider factors beyond price alone. Instead, review the product offerings and online reviews to ensure you can access the features you need. If you’re unsure of your needs, consider partnering with a professional to guide you.
Be cautious of review websites. Many of these so-called review sites are affiliate sites that make money when you click through to the products they are reviewing. They have no motive other than click-through earnings, and often haven’t used the products they are reviewing.
If you use WordPress, your host needs to offer Managed WordPress hosting. Managed WordPress hosting provides the configuration, resources, and security a WordPress website requires.
It’s a little more expensive, but well worth it, especially if you’re not a tech expert. [Here’s who I use and recommend.] Did I mention support is crucial?
BUDGET: Prices start at $25.00 and go up/month. With many hosting companies, you can get a special intro price or a few months free by paying annually.
Security: SSL Certificates
SSL Encryption (HTTPS) is now the standard and customary method. SSL protects the data between your visitors’ browsers and your website, providing the all-important green lock icon that many visitors look for in their browsers.
Many payment providers also require HTTPS connections to use their services. So, whether you’re doing e-commerce or not, you need to get an SSL Certificate and include that in your budget.
The WordPress hosting market now includes SSL as a website hosting feature at no extra cost. Many hosts already have basic domain-level SSLs, which most sites need, while others still charge a fee.
There are several levels of SSL, depending on the number of domains you want to secure and the level of enhanced trust you wish to provide in your security, identity, and warranty.
BUDGET: Included in Hosting or up to $650/annually, depending on certificate.
Premium WordPress Themes
Choosing the platform for your site should be based on your experience and technical ability. For example, are you a DIYer or more comfortable with a developer creating and maintaining your site?
The former is much less expensive than the latter. With WordPress, you no longer need a custom design-from-scratch approach and the associated cost for a professional and polished presentation.
You can choose from many premium themes based on your platform, with WordPress being one of them. Themes are established designs you can fill in with your logo and content.
You can arrange your information based on the design’s established spaces or widgets. Here are the premium theme companies I work with.
Free, visually appealing themes are available, which takes us back to that support question.
You will need support. With every theme I’ve used, I’ve needed to seek help with questions at some point, and so will you.
Carefully Review Themes
Getting a new look every year or two is a good idea to stay up with current trends. However, it’s best to do so on your terms rather than having to replace a broken theme in a panic.
WordPress is popular because you can manage your site’s content and layout without being tied to or relying on a programmer or developer. In addition, if you decide on WordPress, you can purchase a quality premium theme for much less than a custom website design.
The key is knowing how you want your website to look, what functionality you need, and how you prioritize your content. Here’s my article on what to consider when choosing a premium WordPress theme.
Themes offer live demos that you can review page by page to visualize how your content will display before making a purchase. Take the time to carefully review the theme demos before making your decision. It is time well spent!
A theme’s demo will show you where everything goes. Of course, you’ll need to provide graphics and photos in the designated sizes and content to fill your site.
However, once you start customizing an established theme, it may require a programmer and can get expensive quickly. So, taking the time to make the right choice in the first place will save you time and money.
BUDGET: $20-$150 per theme. Some theme companies offer support for a limited period after purchase. However, you must subscribe to get additional help when that time expires. Check out available support or membership packages before purchasing to know if you need to include extended support in your budget.
Custom Development / Coding / Coaching
Perhaps you’d like someone to handle the initial setup for you and then take it from there. You may also need a professional developer or coder to tweak or add features to your site.
Some need help integrating a plugin, feature, or strategy. This is why I became a WordPress coach. When hiring additional professionals, ensure that you provide precise details about what you need and that the terms of your partnership are well-documented in writing.
BUDGET: $50-$250/hour
Security, Optimization, and Maintenance
Having a WordPress website mandates that you keep it secure, backed up, and updated as required. Failing to do so opens your site up to malware and hacking. Consider services like my White Glove email support, which helps you learn what’s necessary while doing all the heavy lifting for you.
BUDGET: $99
Content Delivery Network (CDN)
Does your startup need a Content Delivery Network (CDN)? Probably not right out of the gate, but as your traffic grows, you may want to consider adding a CDN service for enhanced optimization and security. A CDN is especially beneficial for businesses that operate globally.
CDNs cache your site and then serve it up through the node on the network closest to the visitor to your site. The cost depends on your website’s traffic and any additional features you may need, such as SSL, regional reach, security, or mobile compatibility.
Some hosts even include CDN services in their packages. I also use and can recommend Cloudflare, which offers a free account. Ensure your host makes integrating a CDN easy and an available option.
BUDGET: Free, included in Hosting, up to $300/month
Email Expenses
You need to use your domain name for email (yo*@********in.com) to brand your new enterprise with every single email you send. Some hosting services include domain email hosting, while others do not.
I don’t want all my eggs in one basket, so I have a separate email provider. If your website server is down, so is your email. However, if you have a separate email service, as I do, and experience hosting problems, you can still communicate with customers and essential contacts. For this reason alone, it is best to separate the two services.
BUDGET: $4.95 and up/month
Email Marketing Services
Collecting email addresses, managing subscriptions, and handling unsubscribing requests can be tedious and time-consuming when creating great-looking newsletters. Additionally, you must comply with all applicable laws and regulations. Third-party services will not only help you with your email marketing efforts, but they’ll also make you look professional in the process.
Some providers offer free accounts, but they are limited in terms of features, support, and the number of subscribers and emails you can send. So read the fine print!
BUDGET: Free to $200/month
eCommerce Expenses
You can easily add an e-commerce shop to your WordPress website by purchasing separate plugins and extensions. I use WooCommerce, which currently has over 8 million active installs. You can also choose from a wide range of plugins or extensions that operate in concert with Woo for anything you want to do.
Detailed planning regarding how you want your shop to operate is imperative. I work on numerous WooCommerce WordPress sites, and it’s not uncommon to have anywhere from 5 to 15 e-commerce-related plugins.
Examples where you may want to add a plugin or extension:
You can check out the WordPress Plugin Repository for all the available plugins. Some are free, while others are “freemium.” Freemium plugins offer more functionality and support for a paid upgrade. Review each plugin carefully to determine if the free plugin is enough. Then, you can budget accordingly for the “pro” version upgrade.
BUDGET: Free to $249/annually
Credit Card Processing
Payment processors charge monthly and per-transaction fees. These fees vary significantly across providers, so it’s essential to research which company works best for you and perform the necessary calculations.
BUDGET: Average 2.9% plus .30 cents per transaction. 3.9% International payments. $0-30/monthly. Double-check for current rates and fees.
Marketing and Networking
Your new website will not rank on search engines for some time. It will be invisible without your aggressive efforts to get it “out there.” The reality is that many sites never reach the coveted top page. Besides utilizing social media and word of mouth, the fastest way to get exposure is to purchase advertising on Google, Bing, X, and Facebook.
But that can get expensive fast!
The amount you pay per click is based on the competitiveness of the term(s) you target—the more competitive, the higher the cost. Some are double-digits per click. (Forget about ever ranking for one-word terms.)
Pay-per-click advertising allows you to set a monthly budget. When your ad budget is used, the ads stop until your next billing date.
BUDGET: $100-200/month to start.
Social Media Management
After you have all your social media headers and profile graphics in place to ensure a consistent brand image, you can choose from many social media management tools. Each offers a package based on the number of administrators and the tasks you want to track and automate. The cost can also be determined by the number of social accounts, users, and the features included.
BUDGET: Graphic Creation: $200-500, Software: $10 – $200/month
Realistic Planning Leads to Success
Now you have a solid idea of what you need to budget for launching your online startup or side hustle website. However, your mileage will vary based on your products, the competitiveness of your market, and the services and providers you choose.
Do your due diligence, don’t cut corners, and make wise choices. Your new business venture’s success depends upon it.
At your service,
