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The two WordPress cost models
People use WordPress to describe two different purchasing decisions. WordPress.com sells a hosted service: you select a plan, and the service provides the server environment and managed features associated with that plan. Self-hosted WordPress uses software installed with a hosting provider that you choose and pay for independently. WordPress.org’s official hosting directory lists providers, but it does not establish one universal price for hosting because plans, regions, resources, backups, support, and renewal terms differ.
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That distinction matters more than any headline monthly figure. A low introductory price may exclude a domain, renew at a different rate, or leave you responsible for tasks that a managed plan performs for you. Compare the complete first-term and renewal costs, not only the number displayed beside a monthly equivalent.
What WordPress.com costs in 2026
Plan billing is tied to the term you choose
The live US WordPress.com pricing page displays paid plans as monthly-equivalent amounts that change with the selected billing duration. A monthly-equivalent number is not necessarily the amount charged every month: an annual or multi-year checkout can collect the term’s payment in advance. Because the displayed plan amounts are live and can change, the exact figure should be read from the checkout for your country, plan, and billing period rather than copied from an undated comparison.
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| What to check | Why it changes your budget |
|---|---|
| Billing duration | The page presents different monthly-equivalent values for different terms; a longer commitment can show a different equivalent than a month-to-month selection. |
| Initial charge | Confirm whether the checkout collects one month, one year, or several years at once. |
| Renewal charge | Record the price that applies after the introductory or initial term, not just the first displayed amount. |
| Plan features | Plugin installation, support, storage, and other managed capabilities vary by plan; choose the tier that actually includes what your site needs. |
The available official snapshot does not state one fixed plan price that can be safely presented as every reader’s monthly cost. That is not a missing calculation; it reflects the page’s term-dependent pricing and its volatility. At purchase, save the plan name, billing duration, amount charged today, renewal date, and renewal amount.
Hosting is part of the hosted-plan bill
WordPress.com plans include hosting. You should not automatically add a second hosting invoice when estimating this option. The plan page also describes managed features, including plugin installation on eligible paid plans and a first-year domain offer under qualifying annual or multi-year terms. Check the current feature list because availability depends on the plan you select.
Domain costs: the recurring line item many budgets miss
A domain is the address visitors type, such as yoursite.com. It is separate from the website’s content and can renew even when a hosting or platform plan changes. WordPress.com’s US domain page, reviewed August 27, 2026, lists these standard one-year registration and renewal prices:
| Extension | Standard one-year price | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| .com | $13 per year | Current standard US price listed by WordPress.com; extension and geography affect the amount. |
| .net | $14 per year | Current standard US price listed by WordPress.com; extension and geography affect the amount. |
| .org | $12 per year | Current standard US price listed by WordPress.com; extension and geography affect the amount. |
These are standard current prices, not a guarantee that every existing customer will renew at exactly those rates. A domain registered or transferred earlier can have a different renewal price based on the rate in effect at that time. Prices also vary outside the United States and across domain extensions.
How the first-year domain offer works
An eligible annual or multi-year WordPress.com plan includes the first year of a new domain. The offer is not a permanent waiver. After that included year, the domain renews separately at the listed domain price, independent of the plan. Put the renewal date and the extension-specific amount in your budget from the beginning so the second-year cost does not come as a surprise.
What self-hosted WordPress really requires
With self-hosted WordPress, the platform choice does not bundle your infrastructure. You select a hosting provider, pay its recurring fee, and configure the site. The provider’s plan is the first major variable, and the official WordPress.org hosting directory is a place to review available hosting categories. It does not provide a single market-wide total or establish the current terms of every listed provider.
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Hosting
Compare the provider’s actual checkout price and renewal price for the billing term you intend to use. Also check what the plan includes: storage, traffic limits, backups, support, staging, email, SSL, migration assistance, and the number of sites allowed. Do not treat an introductory rate as your long-term monthly cost until you have recorded the renewal amount and the date it starts.
Domain registration
A self-hosted site still needs a domain unless you are temporarily using a provider’s technical address. The evidence available here does not establish one universal self-hosted domain price because the registrar and extension determine it. Budget the registration and renewal separately and verify whether privacy or other domain services are included or billed as add-ons.
Security and maintenance
The site owner is responsible for security and maintenance in the self-hosted model. That responsibility includes keeping the WordPress installation, themes, and plugins current; configuring backups; monitoring for failures; and responding when an update or configuration change causes an outage. You can perform this work yourself or pay someone else, but either choice belongs in the total cost.
Optional software and professional work
Paid themes, plugins, design, migration, custom development, performance work, security services, and ongoing administration can increase the total in either model. No universal prices for those items are established here, so do not insert a made-up allowance into a supposedly precise monthly total. List each optional purchase or labor commitment you actually plan to use and record whether it renews annually, monthly, or not at all.
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Hosted and self-hosted costs compared
| Cost or responsibility | WordPress.com hosted plan | Self-hosted WordPress |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Included in WordPress.com plans. | You select and pay a hosting provider. |
| Domain | First year of a new domain is included with a qualifying annual or multi-year plan; renewal is separate. | Registrar and extension determine the price; there is no single universal amount. |
| Security and maintenance | Managed features vary by plan; review the current plan description. | The site owner is responsible for the work or must hire someone to do it. |
| Themes, plugins, setup, and labor | Optional additions can change the total; no universal amount is established. | Optional additions can change the total; no universal amount is established. |
How to calculate your own WordPress budget
- Choose the operating model. Decide whether you want a hosted WordPress.com plan or a self-hosted installation. This determines whether hosting is already inside the platform bill and who handles maintenance.
- Write down the billing term. Record monthly, annual, or multi-year payment. If a page shows a monthly equivalent for a prepaid term, keep both numbers: the equivalent for comparison and the actual amount charged at checkout.
- Capture the renewal price. Note when the first term ends and what the plan renews at. Do not assume an introductory figure continues indefinitely.
- Select the domain extension. For a US WordPress.com domain, the standard prices reviewed August 27, 2026 were $13 for .com, $14 for .net, and $12 for .org per year. Use the registrar’s current price for a self-hosted site or a different geography.
- Apply any first-year domain credit correctly. If you choose an eligible annual or multi-year WordPress.com plan, subtract the new domain’s first-year charge only for that first year. Add the separate renewal from the second year onward.
- List recurring add-ons. Include only the themes, plugins, backups, security services, email, design retainers, or other tools you actually need. Mark each as recurring or one-time.
- Price your time. For self-hosting, decide who will perform updates, backups, security checks, troubleshooting, and recovery. A task you perform yourself is not an invoice, but it is still a responsibility and a reason two plans with similar cash prices may not be equivalent.
- Calculate two totals. Keep a first-term total and a renewal-year total. This exposes the effect of a domain promotion, introductory hosting rate, or plan renewal change.
How to compare monthly figures without being misled
Use a monthly equivalent only as a common measuring unit. Divide a prepaid annual or multi-year amount by the number of months it covers if you need to compare cash flow, but preserve the real payment schedule beside it. A plan that appears inexpensive per month may require a large upfront payment, while a month-to-month option may have a different displayed equivalent.
For a fair comparison, put the same items in both columns: platform or hosting charge, domain registration, domain renewal, included backups and support, paid extensions, and the person responsible for maintenance. If one column leaves an item unstated, label it as not stated rather than assuming it is included.
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Common budgeting mistakes and fixes
- Using a single headline monthly price: identify the billing duration and the actual amount charged today.
- Calling the first-year domain free forever: schedule the independent domain renewal after the included year.
- Adding hosting twice to a hosted plan: WordPress.com hosting is already part of its plans.
- Ignoring self-hosting labor: assign responsibility for updates, backups, security, and incident recovery before choosing a provider.
- Comparing an introductory rate with a renewal rate: record both figures and the date the renewal begins.
- Assuming US prices apply everywhere: check your country, currency, tax treatment, domain extension, and registrar.
- Filling unknown costs with guesses: mark a cost as not stated until the provider or service gives you a dated, term-specific price.
Which model fits your situation?
Choose hosted WordPress when predictability and reduced administration matter most
A hosted plan is easier to budget when you want one platform relationship, included hosting, and managed capabilities. It is especially useful when you do not want to maintain server settings or troubleshoot every update yourself. Confirm that the selected plan includes the plugins, support, storage, and other features your project requires, then record its renewal terms.
Choose self-hosting when control justifies the extra responsibility
Self-hosting gives you the freedom to choose a provider and assemble your own stack, but the financial comparison must include more than the hosting invoice. You are also accepting responsibility for security and maintenance, or paying for assistance. The right choice is the one whose operational duties match your skills, time, and risk tolerance—not necessarily the one with the lowest advertised entry price.
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- Verify the plan name and billing duration before payment.
- Save the first-term amount and the renewal amount.
- Confirm whether the domain is new, transferred, or already registered.
- Record the domain extension and its next renewal date.
- Check which features are included rather than assuming every plugin or support option is available.
- For self-hosting, document the provider, backup method, update schedule, and person responsible for emergencies.
- Review prices again before renewal because plan features and rates can change.
WordPress.com and domain prices are live commercial information. The figures above reflect the official US domain page reviewed August 27, 2026, while plan amounts vary by billing term and can change. Verify the exact checkout, geography, renewal rate, and included features when you purchase; the current guide’s pricing window runs through November 13, 2026.
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