I love that WordPress is free.
(Well — the self-hosted version, aka WordPress dot org. Not that dot com nonsense.)

It’s open-source, wildly flexible, and honestly? A bloody brilliant tool for getting a website up and running without selling a kidney.

Take this site as an example – I didn’t throw much cash or time at it. Sure, it helps that web stuff is my jam — but WordPress makes it affordable, even if you’re not a web nerd. Not entirely free, mind you, but close enough if you play it smart.

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So… why do websites cost money then?

Here’s the deal:
WordPress itself is free. But to actually have a live website floating around on the internet, there are two things you’ve gotta pay for. Non-negotiable.

1. Domain Name – ~$15/year
Your web address. The thing people type in instead of “winnipeg-website-designer.hostingprovider.com/abc123”.

2. Hosting – $10–$100/month
Where your website lives. Like renting land on the internet. And yeah, cheap hosting is usually cheap for a reason — it’ll come back to bite you when your site crashes or gets hacked by some bored 14-year-old in his mum’s basement.

Technically, once you’ve got those two sorted, you can install WordPress and call it a day. But if you’re putting “zxy-10945.temp.site” on a business card… please don’t. Just no.

I personally hoard way too many domains (don’t judge), and they usually cost me around $10–15/year. Hosting? That’s all over the place. I’ve seen plans for peanuts, but they tend to magically double in price after the promo ends.

My hosting starts at $109/month — but that includes maintenance, security, updates, and some dev time baked in. No “surprise, your site’s broken” moments.

What else might you need to pay for?

✨ Themes – the design of your site

WordPress comes with free themes right out of the box. Great if you just want to slap something up quickly. But if you want a custom design that doesn’t look like it was built in 2010, here’s the lay of the land:

  • Free Themes – Basic but do the job. Bit like a Toyota Corolla.
  • Premium Themes – $50–$200/year. More bells and whistles. More control.
  • Custom Design – $3,000–$10,000+. The full “built just for your business” experience.

For our site? I just used the freebie theme that came with WordPress. It’s not winning any design awards, but it works.

🔌 Plugins – the special sauce

Want a store? Booking system? Fancy forms? That’s plugin territory. Some are free. Many are not.

  • Premium Plugins – $20–$200/year each
    Think SEO tools, security, e-commerce, backups, forms — all the stuff that makes your site actually useful.
  • Freemium Plugins – $0 There are many useful free plugins or lite versions of pro plugins. But be careful – read reviews and check when it was last updated.

E-commerce sites (especially WooCommerce ones) usually need multiple paid plugins to handle payments, shipping, product options, etc. It adds up quick.

🛠️ Maintenance – keep the lights on

Plugins, themes, and WordPress itself need regular updates — not optional if you care about keeping your site from getting hacked. The more moving parts you’ve got, the more care it needs.

  • DIY Updates – Free, but risky if you don’t know what you’re doing.
  • Site Care Plans – $50–$500/month. For peace of mind and fewer grey hairs.
    (This is rolled into my maintenance packages, so you’re covered if you work with me.)

Remember your website is more like a puppy than a microwave.



Overall WordPress is brilliant — flexible, powerful, and cost-effective if you know what you’re getting into. Want help with hosting or keeping your site healthy? I’ve got your back.

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