The cost to create a website varies, and it can be overwhelming trying to figure out how much you SHOULD pay.
Many people don’t want to pay a dime, so they go with free hosts like Wix or Weebly.
I am not a fan of free hosting because you are limited. Also, many of these free sites hook you in with a low price. But once you realize you need to pay to get features you want, you end up paying way more than you would elsewhere.
They know that you aren’t going to move your site because it’s a hassle, so you are locked in to a higher price.
The other problem with these sites is they don’t use WordPress. WordPress is THE standard solution that most people use today, and there’s so much support and free add-ons for it.
It comes FREE with most paid hosting accounts.
What You Should Expect to Pay For a Website
There are two parts to a website:
- A domain name (yoursite.com name that is renewed yearly)
- A host (the company that houses your web page files and provides support)
Be careful of hosts that offer a free domain for the first year. They will end up charging you more for the renewal, so you pay more in the long run.
You should never have to pay more than $15/year for a domain name.
Hosting runs $10/month or less on average.
With those prices, that should give you everything you need. You will get WordPress, which comes with site templates, an email address branded with yoursite.com (email@yoursite.com) and support.
You can get both your domain and hosting at WebsitePalace.com.
I recommend you go with WordPress Hosting. That will instantly setup WordPress on YourDomain.com, and you can begin building your site easily and quickly.
There is absolutely no programming experience necessary. You just pick a template, add text, images, video and BOOM. Your site is live.
That’s the power of WordPress.
What Else Do I Need?
To start your site, the above is all you need and that will take you far because WordPress comes with so many free plugins and add-ons.
You can add contact forms, shopping carts, image galleries, and more by simply searching for the WordPress add-on and adding it to your website.
It’s that easy!
Anything else you need to pay for depends on what you plan to do with your website.
However, most people find they don’t need to spend much more than the domain and hosting right out the gate. WordPress lets you expand your site so much without ever paying for anything else.
That’s why it’s best to invest in a website out the gate. “Free” may entice you, but you end up paying more later when you realize how limiting it is.
Trust me! I’ve been there.
Most free hosts do not have the full WordPress version that allows you to legally monetize your site and use free plug-ins for site add-ons.
Stay away from signing up at WordPress.com directly. That’s NOT the same as getting WordPress through your host.
Only install WordPress through your PAID hosting account, and you will have the full version along with the rights to earn money from your site if that’s your choice.