How much does it cost to run a blog? I’ll give you the low-down of all the costs.
It’s worth noting that my blog is a hobby project that I started over six years ago. While I am lucky enough to be gifted items, I rarely do sponsored posts and I don’t do affiliate links. Everything that I post is an honest review of either something I’ve purchased or been kindly gifted.
Any who, first things first, if you’re using blogger, it’s free. However, if you’re thinking of migrating over to WordPress then here’s all the costs involved.
WordPress Migration/Hosting
Hosting my own blog on WordPress is costly. I used to use blogger – which is a great alternative and it’s absolutely free to use. However, WordPress is great for SEO and flexibility for design.
When I decided to migrate from Blogger to WordPress a few years ago, I paid Pipdig to do so. They cost £225 for the full migration and your very own chosen WordPress theme. This included the switch to Siteground for monthly hosting and a domain.
Since then, I still use Siteground for monthly hosting of my WordPress blog.
For a beginner, their StartUp hosting is currently discounted to £5.99 a month, however I pay £11.99 a month. However, there are cheaper hosting websites out there. I’m happy with Siteground as I’ve had nothing but a positive experience with them.
My total annual cost = £143.88
Blogger to WordPress migration = £225
Domain
I started out with a domain (.co.uk or .com) as it looks professional. But you don’t always need it.
My domain is with 123Reg. For the first year, you can buy them really cheap, for just 99p. I paid £19.19 in November 2020, which I pay yearly.
My total annual cost = £19.19
Website Themes
I’ve stuck with my theme since I migrated with Pipdig. However there are so many to chose from, ranging from £18-£100. Pipdig do some fab ones from £49 – £59. Underline Designs also do some lovely ones from £18 ($25).
These website themes are super affordable and are easy to set up. They’ll usually come with a step by step guide if you’re clueless about how to set one up.
One off cost = £18-100
Other Expenses
A lot of bloggers use Canva, which is free to use. However, some benefit from having a premium account which costs £11.99 a month, in which you can create Instagram stories, use stock images and much more!
Summary of costs
£225 for a blogger to WordPress migration is well worth the money. It then costs me £163.07 per year to run my blog. Which may seem expensive, considering I make barely any money from my blog. HOWEVER, I enjoy what I do and I think that’s the most important aspect. Maybe in the future I’ll consider affiliate marketing and sponsored content. But for now, it’s more of a hobby project.
Wow, I learnt so much!! I love blogging in my spare time – it’s so relaxing! Thanks so much for sharing x
http://adventuresinmay.blogspot.com
Author
Same – the most relaxing hobby. No problem! x
I don’t even want to begin to think of my blog expenses this past year!
Danielle | thereluctantblogger.co.uk
Author
I know right! x
I love using the free Canva tools, I may upgrade in the future but I find for my level at the moment I’m fine using the free version! Milli x ~ http://millidavison.co.uk/
Author
I only use the premium account for work. It’s really good. x
I’ve literally just renewed my hosting and its reminded me how expensive blogging can be. A super interesting post, especially for those thinking of setting up their own blog!
Lucy | Forever September
Author
Thanks Lucy! Super expensive isn’t it! x
I’ve often thought of switching to WordPress and would use Pipdig if I did, but their prices used to be more affordable. Right now, I couldn’t justify the £225 x
Beautylymin
I’ve often thought about moving to WordPress but can’t justify the £225 right now. It used to be cheaper with Pipdig x
Author
It’s a lot of money, but worth it. I think I only paid around £50-100 for the migration years back. x
And it’s funny how people think it’s all free. You have to splurge even just a little bit of money to run your blog. It’s not always free. Yes, it’s available but there are so many restrictions when it comes to ‘free versions’. Thanks for covering this interesting topic, Zoey! xx
lenne | lennezulkiflly.com
Author
Thanks Lenne. I know, it’s expensive to run a blog, I don’t think many people realise. x
Such an interesting post, it seems so many more people are with wordpress than blogger now but the thought of moving everything over gives me nightmares lol really want a new template soon xx
Danielle’s Beauty Blog
Author
Thank you – I was really worried with the migration but it was super easy to do so. I want a new template too but this one does the job. x
This will be really helpful for those looking to start a blog. Very informative!
xoxo
Lovely
http://www.mynameislovely.com
Author
Thanks Lovely x
It’s refreshing to hear that you blog for a hobby. I do too and although I receive gifted items, I have never been paid to blog 😊 for me, it’s the enjoyment I get from blogging.
Author
Such a great little hobby to have! Same here – I do it for the enjoyment. x