How Much Does it Cost to Start a Blog

As with any new project, doing your research and getting a general sense of how much starting a blog might cost is a good idea.

Your overall outgoings depend on how you choose to create your blog. If you’re planning to do it yourself, you have two main options: a website builder such as Wix or Squarespace, or a Content Management System (CMS), such as WordPress.

Alternatively, you can hire a designer to do it for you, but that could cost $5,000-plus depending on your requirements. If you’re looking to keep costs down, we’d recommend avoiding this route when starting out.

Using a website builder is the cheapest way of getting your blog up and running. This is because the costs will remain consistent thanks to the pay-monthly plans on offer.

If you don’t want to use a website builder, WordPress is a popular platform for blogging that’s technically free – but you’ll have to pay for hosting, themes, and plugins, all of which can ramp up your overall outgoings.

Choosing the right platform comes down to personal preference. In this article, we’ll talk you through the costs associated with each method, so that you can choose the one that’s right for you.

Unsurprisingly, the costs for beginning a casual hobby blog are wildly different to those attached to starting a blog that you hope to monetize, or turn into a business.

For example, if you want to make money from your blog, you’re more likely to need better hosting and additional app support, and may even need to hire writers to produce content for you. All of these things cost money.

As a hobby blogger, running a blogging site is more about sharing your passion than boosting traffic and conversions, so you’re less likely to invest in these added extras, which will ultimately make your costs much lower.

“If you are creating a blog without a specific business plan or without the intent to gain financially from it, then starting a blog can be quite cheap. However, if you plan on earning, you’re going to have to invest quite a bit of money into blogging.”

Mike Nicosia is the founder of Conquerwild, a blog that focuses on camping and hiking. He’s been hiking for around seven years, but writing for his entire life. Conquerwild is a combination of his two greatest passions.

As the old saying goes, you need to spend money to make money. If you aren’t willing to invest some of your own cash into your blog, the likelihood is that it’ll never graduate beyond the hobby stage.

If you’re happy with this, that’s great! Your spending will be minimal and you can focus on running your blog as a space to nurture and share your interests.

However, if your long-term plan is to turn this into a business, we recommend taking some time to think about how much you’re willing to spend to get there.

The short answer is yes. There are plenty of ways to build a free blog, especially if you’re using a website builder. Wix and WordPress.com offer free plans to help you get started without spending a cent.

However, the more important question is, should you build a blog for free? In general, we don’t recommend using a free plan if you want your blog to be taken seriously. You’ll often find that your site will be peppered with unwanted ads, and the website builder you’re using will add its own domain name to your website address.

The same can be said of other costs, such as email marketing and apps or plugins. Usually, you can sign up for a free plan with these platforms, but the features you get will be limited, meaning you won’t feel their full benefit. We recommend opting for the first paid tier at least, if you truly want to build your blog’s success.

“Many people think blogging is free. But if you want to be serious about it, there are numerous costs for both maintaining your content and improving it. For example, domain registrations are typically relatively cheap, but hosting fees can vary depending on how much space or how many tools you need – for example, if you want to integrate a note-taking app like Evernote into your blog, it will take up more space. There’s also the cost of buying high-quality stock photos – nothing says amateur like using grainy royalty-free images from the internet! If you want to be taken seriously, once you have a little experience, you may consider investing in an ad campaign or affiliate program to make some extra money.”

Jamie Hickey is an SCA-certified barista, and the founder of Coffee Semantics, a blog run by a team of coffee lovers who perform product reviews, teach brewing techniques, and review coffee gear.

How Much Does a Blog Cost Using a Website Builder?

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Who Should Use a Website Builder?

Website builders are so versatile that we believe pretty much anyone can use them. However, they’re particularly well suited to people who:

• Have no or limited technical skills or experience
• Don’t want to spend a ton of money getting their blog up and running
• Want to get their blog started quickly

Which Website Builders Do We Recommend?

Selecting a website builder can be a tricky choice because there are so many out there to pick from. Each has its pros and cons, so it’s easy to get overwhelmed! Luckily, most of them come with either a free plan or a free trial, so you can take a builder for a test drive before committing.

To help you make your final decision, we’ve done the hard work for you and narrowed it down to three options. These are our top website builders for starting a blog:

4.9

out of 5

Overall Rating

4.9 out of 5 stars

Ease Of Use

4.4 out of 5 stars

Design Flexibility

4.2 out of 5 stars

Help and Support

4.5 out of 5 stars

Customer Score

4.7 out of 5 stars

Features

5 out of 5 stars

Value For Money

3.4 out of 5 stars

Visit Site

Read Review

Find Out More About Wix

Wix runs a very close second to Squarespace, and it excels in its ease of use. In fact, our users rated this as the easiest platform to get to grips with. On top of that, Wix has really stepped up its game in terms of its SEO and overall blogging features.

Plus, Wix also offers a diverse range of templates to choose from, and its app library is one of the best on the market. No matter what you want to add to your blog, there’s probably an app that can do it for you!

As much as this is a positive, Wix’s reliance on apps can also be counted as a downside. It could be argued that Wix is overly dependent on apps – you’ll even need one to add a search bar to your blog! Plus, it doesn’t offer as good value for money as Squarespace does. In fact, it has the most expensive introductory price out of the three builders we recommend.

Read our full Wix Review for more details on what this website builder has to offer.

4.5

out of 5

Top Choice

Overall Rating

4.5 out of 5 stars

Ease Of Use

4 out of 5 stars

Design Flexibility

4.7 out of 5 stars

Help and Support

5 out of 5 stars

Customer Score

4.6 out of 5 stars

Features

4.9 out of 5 stars

Value For Money

4 out of 5 stars

visit Site

Read Review

4.1

out of 5

Overall Rating

4.1 out of 5 stars

Ease Of Use

3.2 out of 5 stars

Design Flexibility

1.8 out of 5 stars

Help and Support

3.3 out of 5 stars

Customer Score

4.2 out of 5 stars

Features

4.3 out of 5 stars

Value For Money

4.8 out of 5 stars

Visit Site

Find Out More About WordPress.com

Like its more technical sibling, WordPress.org, WordPress.com is practically built for bloggers – blog-specific features are something that this builder does really well. It’s jam-packed with fantastic tools that allow you to set up writer profiles, access blog-specific analytics, and get on top of your posts with advanced scheduling. Like Squarespace and Wix, WordPress.com doesn’t come with an inbuilt search function, but adding a plugin will solve this issue.

The main drawback of WordPress.com is how complicated it is to use. The editor comes with a steep learning curve, and, because you can’t edit the code, you’ll only be able to access limited customizations unless you upgrade to a more expensive plan.

How Much Do Website Builders Cost?

Website builders are the cheapest way to get a blog up and running quickly, but their starting prices vary. Wix and WordPress.com both offer a limited free plan, whereas you’ll need to pay to use Squarespace – although it does have a 14-day free trial to get you started.

Because we don’t recommend using free plans for your blog, here are the starting prices for each builder’s paid packages:

• Wix: $17 per month
• Squarespace: $16 per month
• WordPress.com: $4 per month

When starting your blog, we don’t recommend choosing anything too advanced. The basic plans are the cheapest available, and they usually do exactly what you need them to, especially when your blog is in the early stages of growth.

However, there are a few exceptions to this. Firstly, although WordPress.com’s cheapest plan is only $4, this excellent starting price comes with a caveat. The plan is designed specifically for bloggers (perfect!) but if you want to take advantage of the free domain name offer, be aware that it’ll come with a “.blog” subdomain attached. If you don’t want this, you’ll need to plump for the premium package, which costs $8 per month.

Secondly, if you want to sell products on your blog, you’ll need to pay a bit extra to access your builder’s full suite of ecommerce tools. Squarespace, Wix, and WordPress.com all come with dedicated ecommerce plans that range from $29 to $45 per month.

Costs to Factor In When Using a Website Builder

The cost for building a blog with WordPress can vary, but you can expect to pay an upfront price of $150 – $200. After this, your monthly costs will depend on the optional extras you decide to invest in. On average, you can expect to pay anywhere between $5 – $200 per month.

Who Should Use WordPress?

Compared to website builders, WordPress offers a much more hands-on experience for you as a user. It is one of the most popular blogging platforms out there, and it’s best suited for those who:

• Want complete creative control over their blog
• Don’t mind overseeing all aspects of website management, including hosting, security, design, and construction
• Are willing to invest money in additional plugins and nicer themes to increase functionality and professionalism
• Have some technical or coding experience

Pros and Cons of Using WordPress

Because there aren’t any set subscription plans that come with WordPress, it can be tricky to pin down exactly how much you can expect to spend each month. It will vary from blog to blog, and ultimately comes down to what you choose to invest in, and what you don’t.

One cost that is pretty consistent, though, is hosting. Hosting companies offer a pricing structure that’s similar to those used by website builders, so it’s an easy element to budget for. There’s a whole range of hosting providers out there, but we personally recommend Bluehost as the best for WordPress websites.

Choosing a Hosting Provider

Bluehost ranks as the best WordPress hosting provider in our research. It tops the chart thanks to its unmetered bandwidth, generous storage, frequent backups, automated software updates, free SSL certificate, and one-click installs. Bluehost will even throw in a free domain name for your first year!

Best for WordPress hosting

4.6

out of 5

Overall Rating

4.6 out of 5 stars

Uptime

3 out of 5 stars

Types of Hosting

4.6 out of 5 stars

Help and Support

3.5 out of 5 stars

Value For Money

4.7 out of 5 stars

Hosting Features

4.2 out of 5 stars

Visit Site

Read Review

How Much Does Bluehost Cost?

Bluehost offers a number of different plans based on the type of hosting you require. Here’s a breakdown of its main three WordPress plans, along with their starting prices:

In the long run, Bluehost’s plans are quite expensive, but its $2.95 introductory price is pretty hard to beat, making it one of the cheapest hosting providers to get started with.

Most bloggers usually start with a shared hosting plan, as this is the cheapest. However, you might find that an advanced plan will eventually be needed as your blog starts to mature. Upgrading will offer a more comprehensive package, but it’ll also come with a steeper upfront cost.

Bluehost Alternatives

Although we recommend Bluehost as the best hosting provider for WordPress, there’s a whole range of other options to choose from. Below, you can compare our top three WordPress hosting providers to make sure you’re getting the best deal for your budget.

Additional WordPress Costs

If you don’t have the time or inclination to build your blog yourself using either a website builder or WordPress, hiring a web designer is a third option you could consider. Plenty of blog owners opt for this route, but there are a few things to consider before you make a final decision.

We recommend using a website designer if:

• You have a big budget to spend
• You want to build a very complex blog
• You don’t have the time or technical skills to design things yourself

Although there are some big advantages to hiring a web designer, it’s not something we recommend when you’re first starting out. If you’re daunted by the technical complexity of doing things yourself, don’t worry – website builders make the job fairly painless. Plus, we think that the templates offered by Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress.org allow you to tick that all-important aesthetic box without having to part with a large chunk of cash.

Prices for hiring a web designer start at a not-so-modest $5,000, and that’s only the minimum. Depending on your requirements and the experience of the designer you choose, you could end up spending closer to $30,000.

We’re not saying that you should never hire a designer. In fact, we believe that sometimes this is the best option. However, it’s not necessary when you’re at the start of your blogging journey. If you’ve got your heart set on it, we recommend waiting until you’ve gathered a large following, and have successfully managed to monetize your blog.

Whether you choose to use a website builder, WordPress, or a web designer to create your blog, there are a few extra costs that you might not have considered. We’ll take you through these below so that you can factor them into your budget, too.

Hiring Content Creators

‘Hang on,’ you might be thinking, ‘Aren’t I the one that’s going to be doing the writing?’

Usually, if you start a blog, it’s because you like to write, and you want to use this skill to share your passions. It might sound counterintuitive to pay someone else to do it for you, but remember – maintaining a blog is about more than just creating posts. There are a dozen and one other little jobs that will prey on your time, and distract you from content creation.

Sure, you can try to do it all yourself, but if you want to increase your traffic and inch your way towards monetization, you’ll need a pretty constant flow of new and engaging content. It’s going to take a lot of time and hard work. Realistically, you aren’t going to be able to achieve it on your own.

Luckily, there are tons of excellent freelance writers out there to help with this. Like website designers, though, their rates will vary depending on their experience. You can expect to pay anywhere between $10 – $75 for a single blog post.

While there’s no concrete rule as to when you should start hiring external writers, it’s not something you’ll need to worry about until your traffic starts to grow. As a beginner blogger, or a hobbyist, you can ignore this cost for now.

Blogging Courses

Blogging courses aren’t a necessity, but if you’re the kind of person that likes a little guidance, you might want to invest in a workshop or crash course to get you on track. There are hundreds of blogging courses out there, where you’ll be able to pick up some gems of knowledge to help make your blog a success.

These courses usually cost between $100 and $500, depending on which one you choose. However, there are also plenty of free options out there that will introduce you to the basics of blogging and help you get started. We recommend opting for one of these first.

If, after this, you still want to invest in one of the more expensive options, make sure you do your research and find one that’s going to be most valuable for you and your blog. You don’t want to pay for knowledge you already have!

Hardware Costs

This one might sound a bit obvious, but you’ll struggle to start a blog if you don’t have regular access to a laptop and a Wi-Fi connection. These should be your first port of call when calculating overall costs for your blog.

These aren’t the only pieces of hardware you might have to invest in though, particularly if you’re looking to grow and monetize your blog quickly. Take a look at the table for a quick breakdown of other items you might have to purchase.

Expert Insights

“Starting a blog in itself I would consider cheap, but running a blog as a business will cost some money. I believe that smart investments in your blog are critical for long-term success. The more your blog grows, the more money you’ll need to pay for things like a larger email service and more expensive plugins.

“When you make more money blogging, you might also pay employees for certain things like writing content, managing socials, or sending emails. More experienced bloggers are going to pay for things that make their blog better, and as a result, grow their blog even larger.”

Gabby James is a lifestyle blogger, who started blogging around a year and a half ago. She runs her blog, Gabby James, but also helps others get started on their own journeys.

When trying to work out how much it’s going to cost to start your blog, there are a lot of things to consider. Ultimately, it depends on the type of blog you want to run, and how you choose to build it.

Whether you’re going to stick to hobby blogging, or venture out into the big bad world of digital monetization, we all start from the same point – so take a look at some of our top tips for starting a blog below.

• Start Small

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your blog isn’t going to be topping the search engine rankings within an hour of being published, either. These things take time and patience, so we recommend starting small. Monetization can come a bit later, but it’ll ultimately fall flat if you haven’t built a sturdy set of foundations first.

• Invest in ‘Must-Haves’ Over ‘Nice-to-Haves’

You might think that having the most expensive apps and themes is the key to unlocking blogging success, but when you’re just starting out, these aren’t a necessity. Make sure you take some time to reflect on what’s important to you, so you can invest your money in a few crucial purchases, rather than blowing your budget on things you don’t need yet.

• Stick to Your Budget

Speaking of budget, make sure you have one and then stick to it. Budgets are there for a reason, and will stop you from getting carried away and spending all of your money in one go. Be strict with your spending, and make sure you plan it all out so you know where every cent is going.

• Plan For the Future

It’s okay to have an ambitious vision for your blog – it gives you something to work towards. It’s also helpful to know where you want your blog to go when making decisions now. For example, if you know that you’re going to need more intensive SEO support further down the line, choose an app or plugin that has an upgrade option and good advanced features for when you need it later on.

Ideally, you want to keep prices as low as possible when starting a blog. Fortunately, there are ways to lower those costs, so let’s take a look at some savvy strategies to save a dollar or two when launching your shiny new blog.

Savvy Savings: The Art of Economical Blogging

Starting on your blogging journey? Great! But remember, it’s not about splashing the cash. Take advantage of those deals and discounts offered by website builders and hosting services to save some money. Whether you’re a student, running a non-profit, or just a savvy saver, these savings help you cut costs when starting a blog.

Long-term Hosting: Your Budget’s Best Friend

It might seem like you’re saving money short-term with pay-monthly hosting deals, but it all adds up in the long run as these initial offers usually end up being more expensive over the long term. Instead, think about the bigger picture with your hosting. Locking in a longer plan often means more bang for your buck because the monthly prices work out cheaper.

Freebies and Open-Source Wonders

Dive into the world of free and open-source tools that can enhance the blogging experience. These gems, from nifty design tools like Canva to robust content management systems, let you craft a blog without busting your budget on expensive extras that tally up quickly.

Setting a Smart Budget

Before you leap into the blogosphere, pause and plan your budget. It’s your roadmap to a financially sound blog, keeping over-expenditures at bay. For example, only use what you need in the beginning rather than going all out with a bells and whistles blog that’s rich in features but also heavy on your wallet. As your blog grows, you can implement other tools when needed.

Track, Tweak, Triumph

Got your budget? That’s great, but now keep a keen eye on it. Tracking your spend means you’re far less likely to go over budget. Plus, it keeps you focused on maintaining a cost-effective blog that doesn’t break the bank.

With these tips, launching a blog becomes a blend of smart spending and strategic saving. Remember that blogging brilliance doesn’t always come from a big budget, but from clever, cost-effective choices.

Knowing the return on investment (ROI) is Fundamentals 101 for any aspiring blogger. After all, the aim for most people is to turn their passion into profit with a stellar blog that captures the audience. And, if you want to make money, you’ll need to know the ROI, which measures the profitability of your efforts. It compares any money made against the cost involved with running your blog.

Monetization Strategies for Blogs

There’s more than one way to monetize your blog, which is great news. It means that you can explore several avenues for making money, including:

• Displaying ads
• Engaging in affiliate marketing
• Writing sponsored content
• Selling digital products

Just remember that each method poses its own set of advantages and challenges. For instance, ads are pretty straightforward and involve someone placing their advert on your blog. While that’s all well and good, they typically offer lower earnings compared to, say, affiliate marketing, which has higher income potential but generally requires more effort, like writing about and reviewing products.

Earnings Potential in Blogging

The money you can make from blogging can be a lot or a little. Ultimately, it depends on factors like the blog’s niche, as well as the audience size and monetization methods that you implement. It’s not impossible to earn a substantial income from blogging and make a living from it. But it takes a lot of work and commitment — some people earn enough for a full-time job while others make a bit here and there and treat it more like a hobby.

Time Frame for Generating Profit

You might get lucky and start earning from your blog moments after launching it. But as with most good things, you’ll need patience and consistency. Again, much of this will come down to the competitiveness of the blog’s niche and, most importantly, the quality of your content. One way you can help is through promotion. Be active on social media, consider spending a little on paid ads, and do keyword research to make sure your blog ranks for its chosen key terms. It’s best to give yourself six months to a year before you start seeing any real traction.

Calculating Blogging ROI

To calculate the ROI of a blog, consider the initial investments (such as costs for domain registration and hosting) and ongoing expenses (like content creation and marketing). The ROI is determined by subtracting total expenses from total earnings and then dividing that number by total expenses. This calculation provides a clear picture of the financial effectiveness of your blogging efforts.

Here’s an example:

• Initial Investment: $100 on domain registration and hosting
• Ongoing Expenses: $300 spent throughout the year on content creation and marketing
• Total Earnings: Your blog generates $1,000 by the end of the year

Now, calculate the ROI:

• Total Expenses: $100 (initial) + $300 (ongoing) = $400
• Subtract Total Expenses from Total Earnings: $1,000 (earnings) – $400 (expenses) = $600
• Divide the Result by Total Expenses: $600 ÷ $400 = 1.5

In this case, the ROI is 1.5 or 150%, indicating a profitable return where the blog’s earnings exceeded the total expenses by 150%.

We’ve covered all of the potential costs that come with starting a blog, and given you a breakdown of the various ways you can go about getting your site up and running. You now have everything you need to make your blogging dream a reality without obliterating your life savings.

To give you a recap, here are the three ways of starting a blog, along with how much each will cost you:

Using a Website Builder

Estimated Cost: 

$10 – $140 per month

Use a website builder if: 

• You have no or limited technical skills or experience
• You don’t want to spend a ton of money getting your blog up and running
• You want to get your blog started quickly

Using WordPress

Estimated Cost: 

Upfront cost: $150 – $200

Monthly cost: $5 – $200 per month

Use WordPress if: 

• You want complete creative control of your blog
• You don’t mind overseeing all aspects of website management, including hosting, security, design, and construction
• You’re willing to invest money in additional plugins and nicer themes to increase functionality and professionalism
• You have some technical or coding experience

Using a Website Designer

Estimated Cost:

$5,000 – $30,000 per month

Use a website designer if: 

• You have a big budget to spend
• You want to build a very complex blog
• You don’t have the time or technical skills to do it yourself

It’s difficult to pinpoint an exact cost for starting a blog because it ultimately depends on the kind of blog you want to create. It also depends on whether you want to monetize your blog or keep it as a hobby, as well as on your technical skills and confidence.

However, it’s important to remember that starting a blog doesn’t need to be expensive. Make sure you have a good idea of your budget, and don’t forget that where you start is not always where you’re going to end up. Your blog will grow in new directions, but it’s important that you build a solid (and affordable!) foundation first.