WordPress is free to download and use, which can sound unusual for software capable of powering anything from a small blog to a large business website.
So where is the catch?
There is not a hidden charge for downloading WordPress itself. WordPress is open-source software released under the GNU General Public License, or GPL. You can use it, modify it and build websites with it without paying a licence fee to WordPress.
That does not mean running a WordPress website costs nothing.
Hosting, a domain name, premium themes or plugins, professional development and ongoing maintenance can all involve costs depending on how your website is set up and what you need it to do.
Here is how the distinction works.
Why is WordPress free?
WordPress is an open-source project rather than a conventional piece of commercial software sold under a proprietary licence.
The software is released under the GNU General Public License. This gives users important freedoms, including the ability to run, study, modify and redistribute the software under the terms of the licence.
That open-source model allows developers and organisations around the world to contribute to WordPress and build on top of it.
WordPress itself has been developed by a global community since 2003. Contributors work on areas including the core software, documentation, translations, accessibility, design, testing, support and many other parts of the project.
Some contributors volunteer their time, while others are sponsored by companies that depend on or participate in the WordPress ecosystem.
This community-driven development model is a major reason WordPress can remain open source without charging you a licence fee simply to install the software.
WordPress.org and WordPress.com are not the same thing
A common source of confusion is the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com.
WordPress.org is where the open-source WordPress software and its community resources are available. When people talk about a self-hosted WordPress website, they usually mean this software installed on hosting that they or their provider control.
WordPress.com is a hosted service built around WordPress. It offers its own plans, features and services.
So when we say that WordPress is free, we are talking about the open-source WordPress software itself. That does not mean every service built around WordPress is free.
Does a WordPress website cost money?
Usually, yes.
The software may be free, but a website still needs somewhere to run and normally needs its own address on the web.
Beyond those essentials, the amount you spend depends heavily on the website.
A simple site using free themes and plugins can have relatively few software costs. A business website with specialist functionality, premium software, professional development and ongoing support can require a much larger investment.
There is no single standard cost for running WordPress.
What do you normally have to pay for?
Web hosting
A self-hosted WordPress website needs a server that makes the site available online.
That is the role of your hosting provider.
Hosting can affect areas such as reliability, available resources, backups, server configuration and performance, although the quality of the WordPress site itself also plays an important role.
Different websites need different levels of hosting. A small brochure website has very different requirements from a busy online store or high-traffic publication.
Free hosting exists, but a business website will usually benefit from hosting chosen for its actual reliability, support and technical requirements rather than price alone.
If you need help with the hosting side of WordPress, Newt Labs provides managed WordPress hosting as part of our care plans.
Domain name
Your domain is the address people use to reach your website, such as example.com.
Domain registration is separate from WordPress itself and normally has to be renewed periodically.
The price depends on factors such as the domain extension, registrar and whether you are registering an available domain or buying one that is already owned by somebody else.
You do not need an expensive domain for a successful WordPress website. In most cases, a clear and appropriate domain for your organisation is more useful than trying to buy an unusually valuable name.
Themes
Every WordPress website uses a theme, but that does not mean you must buy one.
The official WordPress theme directory contains many free themes. There are also commercial themes and custom themes built specifically for individual websites.
A free theme may be perfectly suitable for some projects.
A premium or custom theme can make sense when you need particular design features, support, greater control or a website built around more specific requirements.
The important question is not whether the theme costs money. It is whether the theme is well built, maintained and appropriate for the site.
Plugins
Plugins extend WordPress with additional functionality.
There are tens of thousands of free plugins available through the official WordPress.org directory, so many common requirements can be handled without buying premium software.
Commercial plugins are also common.
You might pay for a premium plugin when you need more advanced functionality, ongoing vendor support or features that are not included in a free version.
Again, premium does not automatically mean better.
Choose plugins based on what the website actually needs, whether the software is actively maintained and whether it comes from a reputable developer.
Installing unnecessary plugins simply adds more code and more software that has to be maintained.
What about website development?
You do not have to hire a developer just because you use WordPress.
Someone comfortable with WordPress can build and manage a straightforward site themselves using existing themes, blocks and plugins.
Professional development becomes useful when the website needs a bespoke design, custom functionality, integrations, migrations, troubleshooting or more technical control over how everything works.
The cost therefore depends on the project rather than WordPress itself.
You are paying for the professional work involved in designing, developing or modifying the website, not for a licence to use WordPress.
Do you have to pay for WordPress maintenance?
No. There is no requirement to hire a WordPress maintenance company.
However, every WordPress website does need to be looked after.
WordPress core, themes and plugins need updating. Backups should be working. Security and performance need attention. Problems need to be investigated when something stops behaving as expected.
You can manage those responsibilities yourself if you have the time and knowledge.
Businesses often choose an ongoing care service because they would rather have somebody else handle the technical work and keep an eye on the site.
Newt Labs care plans cover ongoing WordPress maintenance, security, performance and support so these responsibilities do not have to become another internal job.
Are there any genuinely hidden WordPress costs?
There should not be.
A better way to think about WordPress is that the software licence is free, while the website around it may have costs.
Those costs should be visible and understandable.
Depending on your setup, they might include:
- Web hosting
- Domain registration and renewal
- Premium themes
- Premium plugins
- Development or design work
- Third-party services and integrations
- Ongoing support and maintenance
Not every WordPress website needs every item on that list.
A good provider should explain what you are paying for and whether a particular cost is essential, optional or simply recommended for your circumstances.
Is free WordPress still suitable for a business website?
Yes. The fact that the core software is free does not make WordPress a hobby platform.
Its open-source model is one of its strengths because businesses are able to build on the software, host it in different environments and choose from a large ecosystem of developers, plugins, themes and services.
What determines the quality of a WordPress website is not the price of the core software.
It is the quality of the design, development, hosting, software choices and ongoing care around it.
So, why is WordPress free?
WordPress is free because it is open-source software distributed under the GPL, not because there is a hidden bill waiting later.
You can download and use the WordPress software without paying a licence fee.
Running a real website still has costs because domains, servers, premium software and professional services all require resources to provide.
The useful distinction is simple:
WordPress itself can be free. Building, running and looking after a good website usually is not.
If you already have a WordPress website and need help keeping it secure, maintained and working properly, Newt Labs provides ongoing WordPress care plans as well as one-off WordPress support.
