Does WordPress Cost Money? The Clear Answer
So—does WordPress cost money? WordPress can be free to use, but most real websites still have costs. The WordPress software (especially WordPress.org) doesn’t require a license fee, but things like a domain name, hosting, and optional premium features usually do.
The key is understanding which parts are truly “free,” which parts are paid by default, and which upgrades are optional depending on your goals.
If you’re building a business website and want to avoid overspending (or missing essentials), Lugenix can help you plan the right setup from day one through our Website Design & WordPress Development service.
What’s Free in WordPress and What Isn’t
Here’s the simplest way to think about it:
Common “free” parts (depending on setup):
- The WordPress software (WordPress.org)
- Many free themes and free plugins
- Basic site building (if you handle setup yourself)
Common paid parts (for most websites):
- A domain name (your site address)
- Web hosting (where your site lives)
- Premium themes/plugins (optional but common)
- Maintenance & security (ongoing, especially for business sites)
If your goal is to get found on Google and convert visitors into leads, it also helps to budget for content and optimization over time. Our SEO & Content service supports that long-term visibility.
For official guidance on how Google evaluates site quality and search visibility, you can reference Google Search Central at https://developers.google.com and related help documentation at https://support.google.com.
WordPress.com Plans: When You’ll Need to Pay
WordPress.com is a hosted platform. That means WordPress.com handles hosting and many technical details for you—usually in exchange for a monthly or annual plan.
You’ll typically need to pay on WordPress.com when you want things like:
- A custom domain connected to your site
- More design flexibility and features
- Advanced customization (depending on plan level)
- Stronger business or e-commerce functionality (depending on what you’re building)
Takeaway: WordPress.com can be convenient, but the more “business-ready” you want your site to be, the more likely you’ll be on a paid plan.
WordPress.org: Free Software, Paid Hosting and Domain
WordPress.org is the self-hosted route and is what most people mean when they say “WordPress.” The software itself is free—but you’re responsible for the essentials around it.
With WordPress.org, you’ll usually pay for:
- Hosting (monthly or annual)
- A domain name (annual)
- Optional premium tools (themes/plugins)
- Maintenance (either DIY time or paid support)
Takeaway: WordPress.org is often the better option if you want full control over SEO, design, and integrations—but you should plan a realistic budget for setup and upkeep.
If you plan to connect forms, email automation, and lead tracking, our CRM Integration service can help ensure your website isn’t just “online,” but actually supports your sales process.
Typical Costs: Domain, Hosting, and SSL
Most WordPress sites end up paying for three “baseline” items:
1) Domain name
- Your website name (like yourbusiness.com)
- Usually billed yearly
2) Hosting
- Where your website files and database live
- Can range from shared hosting (budget) to managed WordPress hosting (higher support/performance)
3) SSL certificate
- Enables HTTPS (secure browsing)
- Often included with hosting, but not always
Budget tip: These are the costs that make your site feel “real” (custom domain + stable hosting + HTTPS). They’re the foundation of a professional web presence.
Optional Upgrades: Premium Themes, Plugins, and Email
This is where WordPress can stay lean—or get expensive fast.
Premium themes
- A faster path to a polished look
- Often includes templates, updates, and support
Premium plugins
You might choose paid plugins for:
- Advanced SEO features and audits (see tools and learning at https://moz.com, https://semrush.com, or https://ahrefs.com)
- Better forms and conversion tools
- Enhanced security and backups
- E-commerce features and extensions (see https://woocommerce.com)
- Email marketing and automation (see https://mailchimp.com or CRM-driven workflows at https://hubspot.com)
Email upgrades
- You may pay for email marketing software, automation, or deliverability-focused tools depending on your business needs.
- If you’re building newsletters or automated follow-ups, our Email Marketing Automation service can help connect your forms, lists, and campaigns properly.
Budget tip: Only pay for upgrades that directly support revenue, lead flow, or major risk reduction (security/backups). Everything else can wait.
Heading 2.5 Ongoing Expenses: Maintenance, Security, and Support
Even if your WordPress site is “done,” ongoing expenses (or ongoing time) are normal.
Typical ongoing needs include:
- Updating WordPress core, theme, and plugins
- Security monitoring and fixes
- Backups (and tested restores)
- Speed/performance tuning
- Troubleshooting conflicts when plugins update
- Content updates (new pages, blog posts, refreshing old content)
Takeaway: If your website matters to your business, maintenance isn’t optional—it’s risk management.
If you want a clearer system for tracking what’s working (traffic, leads, conversion rates) and improving month over month, our Performance & Growth service is built for that.
Bottom line: Does WordPress cost money? The software can be free, but a real-world website usually isn’t. Budget for the essentials (domain + hosting + SSL), choose upgrades intentionally (themes/plugins/email), and plan for ongoing maintenance so your site stays secure and reliable. If you want help choosing the right setup without overbuilding, reach out via Contact Us.