Your first website probably needs fewer features than you think. The real challenge is knowing exactly what you need and how much it will cost.
We compared current pricing ranges across major website platforms to show what a blog, business site, or online store costs in year one and beyond.
So, how much does it cost to build a website? As an example, a straightforward DIY site on WordPress.com, built on open source WordPress, can cost as little as $4 per month in its first year. Better yet, you can start for free with hosting included and a WordPress.com subdomain (.wordpress.com).
But for any plan, the first-year introductory price is only part of the story. The more useful number is what that same site costs to keep running in year two when your plan comes up for renewal.
What actually goes into the cost of a website?
Before you compare prices, it helps to know what you’re actually paying for. Your website-building cost starts with a platform and a hosting plan. Most people will also want their own domain name. Everything else depends on what you need your site to do.
Here are the main website costs to consider:
- Website platform + hosting: The software you use to build your site and the servers that keep it online.
- Domain name: Your web address. A free site might use an address like yoursite.wordpress.com; your own domain name gives you something like yoursite.com.
- Business email: An email address using your domain name, like hello@yoursite.com.
- Themes, plugins, or apps: Extras that change how your site looks or what it can do.
- Selling fees: Fees charged when someone pays you through your site.
- Professional help: Paying someone to design, write, or build your site.
Those are the basic bill items. The mistake is budgeting for every feature you might want someday as though you need it from day one.
How much does a blog or portfolio website cost?
A blog or portfolio is the least expensive website you can run. You need somewhere to publish, a domain name that’s yours, and a way for readers to follow your posts. Everything else is optional, and most of it can wait.
All in, a blog or portfolio setup typically costs about $5–$22 per month after introductory offers end. Most of that spread is the platform, not the domain.
| Service | What it does | What it typically costs |
| Platform and hosting | Keeps the site online, updated, and secure | Free tiers are available on the platform’s subdomain and include ads. Plans that remove ads and connect your own domain cost about $4–$20 per month when billed annually. |
| Domain name | Your unique website address | Usually free for the first year with an annual plan, then $13–$25 a year for a .com domain. |
| Design | How your site looks and feels | Included templates are enough for a blog or portfolio. Premium themes run $0–$100+, one-time or yearly, and you can decide later. |
| Subscriptions | Let readers follow you by email | Built into some platforms. Others need a separate newsletter tool, most of which are free at small list sizes and charge monthly as the list grows. |
| Paid subscriptions (optional) | Lets readers pay you | No upfront cost. Platforms take a cut of each payment (0–10%) plus roughly 3% in card processing fees. |
What you can skip for now: a premium theme, extra storage, an email marketing platform, a professional email address, a store.
On WordPress.com, you can get this setup with the Personal plan and a .com domain.
With annual billing:
- Year one: $4 a month
- Year two: $5 a month
How much does a small business website cost?
For a consultant, a local service, or a freelancer, the site should give people a reason to hire you and make it easy to get in touch.
That’s five pages (home, services, about, testimonials, contact), a form, and an email address at your own domain. When you’re putting time into promoting your services, analytics help you see which efforts bring visitors and which service pages they read.
All in, this small business setup typically costs about $12–$35 per month after the introductory offers end, billed annually.
| Service | What it does | What it typically costs |
| Platform and hosting | Keeps the site online, updated, and secure | Plans that connect your own domain and remove the platform’s ads cost about $4–$20 per month when billed annually. |
| Domain name | Your unique website address | Usually free for the first year with an annual plan, then $13–$25 a year for a .com domain. |
| Contact form | Turns visitors into inquiries | Included on most platforms, or free via a plugin. |
| Professional email | you@yourbusiness.com | One mailbox runs about $2–$7 a month depending on whether you want email only or a full office suite; free trials and free first years are common. |
| Design | Helps you present your services and show your work | Included business templates are usually enough to start with. Some plans include a wider selection of premium themes, giving you more choice without the need to purchase a separate theme. |
| Analytics | Shows which marketing brings visitors and which pages they explore | Basic reporting is often included. Campaign tracking and Google Analytics integration may be bundled into a higher tier. |
What you can skip for now: a booking system, a client portal, live chat, a CRM, a store, a second mailbox.
On WordPress.com, you can get this setup with the Premium plan, a .com domain, and one Professional Email mailbox added separately. With annual billing:
- Year one: $10 a month
- Year two: $12 a month
How much does a small online store cost?
First question: do you need to accept payments, or do you need a store? If you sell one or two things occasionally, a payment button on a regular site is enough. A store is for a catalog: product pages, a cart, checkout, and order management.
All in, a small store typically costs about $24-$41 per month after introductory offers end, plus roughly 3% of sales.
| Service | What it does | What it typically costs |
| Platform with store features | Catalog, cart, checkout, orders | Store-capable plans run about $16–$30 a month, billed annually. |
| Domain name | Your unique website address | Usually free for the first year with an annual plan, then $13–$25 a year for a .com domain. |
| Professional email | you@yourstore.com | One mailbox costs about $2–$7 per month, depending on whether you want email only or a full office suite; free trials and free first years are common. |
| Card processing | Gets you paid | About 2.9% + 30¢ per US card transaction across most processors. Some plans add their own transaction fee on top (0–3%), which usually disappears at higher tiers. |
| Store design | Helps advertise and sell your products | Included store templates are usually enough to launch. |
| Extensions | Subscriptions, product add-ons, carrier-calculated shipping, marketing automation | Basic shipping rates and tax are usually covered. Advanced features are paid extensions, roughly $50–$300 a year each, or bundled into a higher-tier plan. |
What you can skip for now: subscriptions, abandoned-cart automation, advanced shipping rules, multi-currency, point-of-sale, and most extensions.
On WordPress.com, you can get this setup with the Business plan, a .com domain, one Professional Email mailbox, and the free WooCommerce plugin. With annual billing and current first-year offers:
- Year one: $27 a month
- Year two: $29 a month
Before you choose a plan, ask these five questions
Whatever platform you’re weighing, the same five questions turn its pricing page into the bill you’ll actually receive.
- What is the renewal price?
Find three numbers before you buy: the charge today, the period it covers, and the price it renews at. “$4 a month” is usually billed annually upfront, and the lowest advertised rate often requires a two- or three-year commitment. Then check the extras on their own terms: an included domain is typically free for the first year only, and an email trial bills on its own schedule. On WordPress.com, every subscription’s renewal date and price is listed under Purchases. The page also flags an expiring plan and the features you would lose. - What’s still included in year two?
Count the features you’ll rely on: your own domain, no platform ads, storage, support, and any tool the site needs to run. Backups are the one to read closely: check what the plan lets you restore, and how. WordPress.com plans include managed hosting, SSL, and security protections on every tier; the rest varies by plan, so price the setup you need, including any separate services. - What do you pay when you sell?
Look up the fee for the payment tool you’ll actually use; a payment button and a store checkout can carry different fees on the same platform. There’s usually a percentage and a fixed amount per transaction, and both are deducted from every sale. If a pricier plan promises lower selling fees, run the numbers on the sales you realistically expect before upgrading. - What if you’d rather have someone build it?
Paying for a build buys back your time; you’ll still have running costs after launch. Get a quote that specifies the pages, features, content, and rounds of revisions included, plus any ongoing support charges, and keep it separate from the plan, domain, and services you’ll pay for each year after launch. WordPress.com’s Website Design Service starts at $499 for a five-page site, plus the required Premium plan. - Can you start for free?
On some platforms, yes. The free WordPress.com plan gives you hosting and a yoursite.wordpress.com address, with WordPress.com ads on the page. It’s enough to start publishing and build out your pages. Move to a paid plan when you want your own domain and to get rid of the ads.
You’ve done the math, now make it yours
Your first website probably needs less than you think.
Start with what you want it to do: publish your work, bring in clients, or sell what you make. Use what’s already included, budget beyond the first year, and add tools when you have a reason to use them.
WordPress.com bundles hosting, security, and support into every paid plan. Take a look at what’s already included before paying for another tool or moving to a higher tier.
At the time of writing, WordPress.com is the only major hosted website platform that comes in under $50* on a standard one-year paid plan. You can also start for free with hosting included if you’re happy to have ads and use a WordPress.com subdomain.
*Lower advertised rates require a multi-year commitment.
