How Much Does It Cost To Start a Blog? Calculating Initial & Ongoing Fees

It costs around $39 to $1,748 to start a blog. This is the initial first-year expense that you incur from using basic internet services. These include domain name registration, web hosting, and blogging platforms. Your monthly cost after the first year ranges from $3.25 to $101.67 per month. Initial blogging costs depend on the type of blog you create, according to Ryan Robinson.

However, running a blog involves other factors like cybersecurity, website personalization, and accessibility. You need to consider ongoing costs to keep your site secure and optimized for your users. The recurring cost of blogs ranges from $93 to $2,324 per month. Some service costs are optional, like SEO tools and content creation platforms.

One Redditor mentions spending $70-$75 yearly for domain name and hosting. Another individual reveals that he pays $320 per year. It's more than the average cost of blogging. But, he says that writing is more important than working on custom website design.

While blogging entails monthly or yearly costs, it also generates sustainable income. As per Vision Factory, inexperienced bloggers can make up to $500 monthly. Alternatively, 5- to 10-year-old blogs can generate $5,450 monthly on average (Productive Blogging). This is the primary reason I switched to making niche websites in 2014. I only spend $10 to $50 on a single site, but I make $500 to $2,000 monthly for each one.

This article dives into the initial costs of starting a blog, like domain name and web hosting. We also discuss other blogging expenses, such as premium themes and plugins. Plus, we feature online website services like Blue Host, Squarespace, and Namecheap. Finally, we reveal the best way to make money online with content creation.

What are the Main Costs To Start a Blog?

What are the Other Expenses Involved in Starting a Blog?

How To Calculate the Cost To Start a Blog

What Factors Affect the Cost of Starting a Blog?

Can You Start a Blog for Free?

Yes, you can start a blog for free if you use subdomains and software trials. In fact, WordPress has a 61.8% market share among all free blogging platforms (W3Techs). When you use subdomains, you add the platform name on the suffix of your root domain. It shows like this:

"https:/www.yourblogname.myshopify.com"

Some website builders like Wix even offer free website hosting and themes. However, these versions have limited bandwidth (500MB) and storage (500MB). Most features are also not included, like customer support and website personalization. The same goes for free blogging tools, such as Substack and Google Analytics.

Some of the best platforms to start a blog are:

Can You Make Money Online With Blogs Despite Their Cost?

Yes, you can make money online with blogs despite their cost through:

According to Millennial Money, successful bloggers who have been running a site for over two years can earn over $8,300 monthly. They can make around $500 to $2,000 per month in their first year.

Is Local Lead Generation a Better Alternative to Blogging?

Local lead generation is a better alternative to blogging because it focuses on a specific audience. In fact, 32% of consumers use local searches multiple times a week to find businesses (BrightLocal's 2023 survey). Blogging is more generalized and niche-based. Your income relies on your performance, such as utilizing sponsorships and affiliate marketing. Maintaining a blog entails monthly recurring costs. If you don't make enough income to cover your expenses, you end up with a negative cash flow.

The local lead gen biz model offers a more sustainable income because of a stable demand for leads. You target locally in-demand services, so you have less competition. Potential customers from these local areas have a high intent to buy. You get better online presence, traffic, and conversions. First, you need to build niche websites for each service. Next, you use local SEO to rank these sites organically on search engines. Once it ranks on Google, you get high-quality leads at zero cost.

I've been doing local lead generation for over 10 years, earning more than $50K monthly. Each of my local sites generates around $500 to $2,000+ in passive income monthly. Local lead gen brings in 80% to 95% in profit margins without the demanding nature of blogging.