how much does it cost to start a blog

How Much Does It Cost To Start A Blog In 2023

If you are asking how much does it cost to start a blog, you may have been overwhelmed by Googling for the cost of a blog. I would like to assure you that it does not have to cost much!

For someone to start a blog, you need to spend as low as $36 to set up your blog to run for the next 12 months. 

Considering your blog can make you money when you sleep, it is a low investment. 

While there are other factors that will influence the cost of starting and maintaining a blog, in the guide below, I focus on how you can start a blog for cheap. After which you can learn how to get paid blogging

how much does it cost to start a blog

DISCLOSURE 

Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.

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How Much Does It Cost To Start A Blog

The total cost to start a blog for beginners is affordable; less than $50. Take it from someone who had made the mistake of spending a lot of money at the beginning. 

While there are other factors to consider when you ask ‘how much does it cost to create a blog’, you should first start with the basics.   

I am sharing with you things I wish I had known before I started a blog. You do not need a huge amount of money to start your blog. 

In this article, you will find the answers to ‘how much does it cost to run a blog?’. 

What Do You Need When Starting A Blog

The essentials of running a blog require a domain name, web host, blogging platform, and security. Here is the breakdown of the must-haves of how much does it cost to have a blog:

1. Choose Your Domain Name

A domain name is your website URL (Uniform Resource Locator) or the dot com of our blog site. A typical dot com costs $30 per year. However, a domain name is usually included for free when you sign up for a web hosting package. 

Your domain name should be relevant to your blog. A short or easy-to-remember domain name would certainly help your blog readers to have you on top of their minds.

You should also check for the availability of your chosen domain name

2. Get A Reliable Web Host

Just like renting an apartment for you to live in, you need to have a space for your blog to start from. A web host is like the landlord you need to pay for the space your blog uses.

For $35.40, both BlueHost and Dreamhost offer a free domain name and web hosting for 12 months. This cost also includes the pre-installation of WordPress and a free SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate. 

WordPress is the recommended blogging platform and an SSL certificate keeps your website secure. 

Do note that you should avoid using any website builder within your web host. Website builders have limitations to your website should you need to expand it later. 

A reliable web host will have Live Chat support to help you along the way should you require technical help. It is good to find a web host whose Live Chat agents are helpful and patient to help you when you are stuck with a technical issue. 

how much does it cost to start a blog

3. WordPress As Your Blogging Platform

While there are many blogging platforms, WordPress is the platform where you can make money from

How much does it cost to start a blog on WordPress? Nothing more than to have your domain name and web host for your blog site. For $35.40, either BlueHost or Dreamhost offers a free domain name and web hosting for 12 months. 

There are 2 versions of WordPress; WordPress.com and WordPress.org, and both are free. 

WordPress.com is a website builder great for beginners who want to run a website easily. 

However, it has limitations as to how you can expand your website capabilities should your blog start to gain better traction in time. 

WordPress.org is a Content Management System (CMS) where more control and freedom are given to how your website can run and look. There is the flexibility of how you can have your website tweaked to your requirements. 

The term WordPress is mainly referring to the CMS version. 

WordPress is a free and open-source system. Most web hosts will pre-install WordPress on signing up an account with them. This will make it easier for you to start your blog. 

The WordPress installation will have its default theme ready for you. It is enough for you to get your blog running. Alternatively, there is the free WordPress theme – Astra, which is a great theme to start for a blog. 

4. Keep Your Blog Secure

Google requires a website to be secured with HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure). You will need an SSL Certificate to secure your blog website. The SSL Certificate usually comes free with your web host account. 

Having your website secured with HTTPS prevents impersonation or fake websites. 

Secured websites fend off cyber attacks just like how vaccination prevents viruses. Once you have the SSL Certificate, there will be a padlock appearing next to your domain name in the browser.

The padlock tells visitors of your website that they are being served with secured content. These are the basic security needs for your blog. Visitors will not have to worry about their personal data being breached when they visit your blog. 

The Different Types Of Blogs

I would like to categorize blogs into 2 categories:

  • Blogs That Are Non-Profitable

When blogs were first introduced to the Internet, they were mainly digital journals or records of a person’s daily life. Back in the early 2000s, this type of blogging was popular. These blogs were started without any plans to make money.

Besides, all of the available platforms were free to use. There was no question on ‘how much is it to start a blog’. 

  • Blogs To Make Money From

However, in the last 2 decades, profitable blogs have emerged and gained traction. These blogs were started with a niche and the intention of making money. This includes personal or private blogs where money is made from either sponsorships, affiliates, or adverts. 

If you do not have any niche in mind, you may want to get some ideas from this list of most profitable blogging niches

For beginners, these are some of the ways how you can make money through your blog:

  • Display Advertising
  • Blog Sponsorships
  • Affiliate Marketing
  • Digital Courses
  • Writing
  • Coaching

To read more on how you can make money off your blog, here’s my guide on how to make money blogging.

Can You Start A Blog For Free?

Yes, you can start a blog for free using free website builders; if you do not intend to earn from it. These free website builders have limitations on how you want your blog to function and look. Should you wish to earn from it later, these free website builders will not have the capabilities for it. 

You may then ask the question ‘how much does it cost to build a blog’ as you need to start all over again if you want to start making money off it. 

A free website builder will not allow you to have your chosen domain name. 

You will be stuck with their dot com. In the case of the free account on WordPress.com, you will have ChosenName.WordPress.com instead of ChosenName.com.

To earn from your blog, you should not start your blog on a free website builder. 

How Much Does It Cost To Start A WordPress Blog

The bare minimum cost to start a WordPress blog is $35.40 when you sign up with a web host – either BlueHost or DreamHost. This gives you a domain name, web host and SSL certificate valid for 12 months. 

You will have WordPress pre-installed with its default theme. This is a good start for you to write articles to fill up your blog

how much does it cost to start a blog

Additional Costs Of A Blog

While starting a blog can cost the bare minimum, you cannot help but ask the question ‘does blogging cost money?’. maintaining a blog may incur additional costs. 

You may want to consider getting premium plugins or more security to run along with your WordPress blog. 

  • Premium Plugins

WordPress Plugins are mostly free. However, they will usually have an upgraded premium ‘Pro’ version. These Pro versions would usually help to run your blog features better. Premium plugins can help your blog get better insights (e.g. MonsterInsights) or optimize your blog performance (e.g. Yoast SEO).

Premium plugins can start with an additional cost from $99 a year. 

Note – I don’t pay for premium of either! Free suits me just fine.

  • Content Writers

When you begin a blog, you should be the only writer of your own articles. It sets the tone and brand for your blog. You may want to think of engaging content writers once your blog website has an influx of visitors and readers.

Hiring content writers will help to produce more content in a shorter time. The cost of content writers starts from $70 per article of 1000 to 2000 words. 

  • Blogging Courses

From my personal experience, one of the most critical blogging courses is SEO (Search Engine Optimization). SEO can help with your blog’s long-term development and revenue growth. 

Perhaps if anyone were to ask, ‘how much does it cost to start blogging professionally’ I would recommend this list of SEO courses for bloggers

You may also wish to purchase my step-by-step SEO course to learn. 

how much does it cost to start a blog

FAQs

How Much Does It Cost To Begin A Blog?

While there is no definitive cost when it comes to starting a blog, the average spending of $50 to $200 can be expected as a first-time cost. After the first initial year, you can then expect to pay between $20 to $60 monthly, depending on how much your growing blog will need. Additional costs may also incur thereafter.

Do You Have To Pay Money To Start A Blog?

You do not have to pay money to start a blog to anyone except for the web host which will include the other essentials of your custom domain name, blogging platform, and security.  However, if you have set aside a huge amount of money to start a blog, you may want to look at the additional costs listed here

Can I Start A Blog Completely Free?

You can start a blog completely free on either a free website builder or on a blogging platform’s free plan. However, I do not recommend a free website builder or a free plan on a blogging platform as they have limited capabilities and features. A free plan or website builder will not include a custom domain name of your choice. 

While WordPress is free, you need to have it hosted on a website. Thus you will still require to spend some money when you start a blog on the WordPress platform.

Conclusion

how much does it cost to start a blog

With all the above, you should now be assured that you do not need to break a bank to start a blog. Starting a blog should not be daunting – even if you do not have any technical skills. 

You should be able to answer the question ‘how much does it cost to set up a blog?’ with ease. 

With more information available on the Internet, technical skills are now easier to pick up. Blogging courses are now plenty for you to learn from too. 

You are now able to start a blog and have it run securely, without much headache for the next 12 months. 

And if anyone were to ask you how much does it cost to create a blog website, you can easily answer that it doesn’t take any more than $50

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