Pricing
December 15, 2024 9 min read
WordPress Hosting Costs: Hidden Fees and Pricing Explained
Understand the true cost of WordPress hosting including setup fees, renewals, and additional charges you should watch out for.
Cost Reality Check
That $1.99/month hosting plan can actually cost $15-25/month after renewals and necessary add-ons. This guide reveals the real costs and hidden fees in WordPress hosting.
The Truth About WordPress Hosting Pricing
WordPress hosting pricing can be misleading. Providers often advertise rock-bottom introductory rates while hiding the true costs in renewal pricing, mandatory add-ons, and hidden fees. Understanding the complete pricing structure is crucial for budgeting your website expenses.
Common Pricing Traps
- • Introductory pricing: Only for first term
- • Long-term commitments: 3-year plans for low rates
- • Renewal shock: 300-500% price increases
- • Add-on upsells: Essential features cost extra
- • Domain renewal fees: Often higher than registration
- • SSL certificate costs: Free vs. premium SSL
- • Backup service fees: Not always included
- • Migration charges: Can cost $50-300
Real-World Pricing Breakdown
Hostinger
Popular Budget Host
Advertised Pricing
Single Shared: $1.99/mo
Premium Shared: $2.99/mo
Business Shared: $3.99/mo
*48-month term required
Renewal Pricing
Single Shared: $3.99/mo
Premium Shared: $7.99/mo
Business Shared: $11.99/mo
100-200% increase
SiteGround
Premium Shared Host
Advertised Pricing
StartUp: $2.99/mo
GrowBig: $4.99/mo
GoGeek: $7.99/mo
*12-month term required
Renewal Pricing
StartUp: $17.99/mo
GrowBig: $24.99/mo
GoGeek: $39.99/mo
400-500% increase
WP Engine
Managed WordPress
Consistent Pricing
Startup: $25/mo
Growth: $50/mo
Scale: $100/mo
Same renewal pricing
What's Included
• Managed WordPress hosting
• Daily backups included
• SSL certificates free
• WordPress updates handled
• 24/7 expert support
• No hidden fees
Hidden Fees and Add-On Costs
Domain and SSL Costs
| Service | First Year | Renewal | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| .com Domain | Free* | $15-20 | *With hosting plan |
| SSL Certificate | Free | Free | Let's Encrypt |
| Premium SSL | $50-200 | $50-200 | Extended validation |
| Domain Privacy | $10-15 | $10-15 | Protects personal info |
Backup and Security Add-Ons
Backup Services
CodeGuard Basic
Daily backups
$2.99/mo
SiteGround Backup
30 backup copies
$1.99/mo
JetBackup
Advanced backups
$2.99/mo
Security Services
SiteLock Basic
Malware scanning
$19.99/mo
Sucuri Security
Website firewall
$9.99/mo
Wordfence Premium
Real-time firewall
$8.25/mo
Performance and CDN Services
| Service | Provider | Monthly Cost | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare CDN | Cloudflare | Free | Basic CDN + SSL |
| Cloudflare Pro | Cloudflare | $20 | Advanced features |
| KeyCDN | KeyCDN | $0.04/GB | Pay-per-use |
| MaxCDN | StackPath | $10 | 1TB bandwidth |
Total Cost of Ownership Examples
Budget WordPress Site (Personal Blog)
Year 1 Costs
Hostinger Single Plan (48mo): $23.88
Domain (included): $0
SSL (free): $0
Basic backup: $35.88
Total Year 1: $59.76
Year 2+ Costs
Hostinger Renewal: $47.88
Domain renewal: $15.00
SSL (free): $0
Basic backup: $35.88
Total Year 2+: $98.76
Business WordPress Site (Small Business)
Year 1 Costs
SiteGround GrowBig (12mo): $59.88
Domain (included): $0
SSL (free): $0
SiteGround Backup: $23.88
Security service: $119.88
Total Year 1: $203.64
Year 2+ Costs
SiteGround Renewal: $299.88
Domain renewal: $15.00
SSL (free): $0
SiteGround Backup: $23.88
Security service: $119.88
Total Year 2+: $458.64
Enterprise WordPress Site (E-commerce)
Year 1 Costs
WP Engine Growth: $600.00
Domain registration: $15.00
SSL (included): $0
Backup (included): $0
CDN service: $240.00
Total Year 1: $855.00
Year 2+ Costs
WP Engine Growth: $600.00
Domain renewal: $15.00
SSL (included): $0
Backup (included): $0
CDN service: $240.00
Total Year 2+: $855.00
How to Minimize WordPress Hosting Costs
Money-Saving Strategies
- Use free alternatives: Free SSL certificates, free CDN services, and free backup plugins
- Bundle services: Choose hosts that include backups, SSL, and CDN
- Annual payments: Pay yearly for better rates but avoid long-term commitments
- Monitor usage: Track bandwidth, storage, and visits to avoid overage fees
- Optimize first: Improve site performance before upgrading hosting
Costly Mistakes to Avoid
- Long-term commitments: Avoid 36-48 month plans with huge renewal increases
- Automatic renewals: Set calendar reminders to review and potentially switch
- Unnecessary add-ons: Avoid expensive security services you don't need
- Ignoring renewal rates: Always check renewal pricing before committing
- Over-provisioning: Don't pay for resources you won't use
Best Value Hosting Providers
Hostinger
Best Budget Value
A
Value Score
Excellent value with transparent pricing, moderate renewal increases, and most features included.
✓ Free SSL & Domain
✓ 100% Renewal Rate
✓ No Hidden Fees
✓ 30-Day Money Back
WP Engine
Best Premium Value
A+
Value Score
Transparent pricing with no renewal increases and comprehensive features included in base price.
✓ No Renewal Increase
✓ Everything Included
✓ 60-Day Money Back
✓ Managed Service
SiteGround
Good Features, High Renewal
B
Value Score
Excellent features and performance but very high renewal rates make long-term value poor.
✓ Excellent Features
✗ 500% Renewal Rate
✓ Great Performance
✗ High Long-term Cost
WordPress Hosting Cost Calculator
Calculate Your True Costs
- • Factor in renewal pricing increases
- • Add necessary security and backup services
- • Include domain registration and renewal
- • Consider CDN and performance services
- • Calculate 3-year total cost of ownership
Budget Planning Tips
- • Budget for renewal rates, not intro pricing
- • Set aside 20-30% for unexpected costs
- • Review hosting costs annually
- • Compare total package value, not just price
- • Consider migration costs when switching