The True Cost of WordPress: 2026 Annual Pricing Index

Primary-source pricing data for 80+ WordPress products. Average hosting renewal markup: 320%. Plugin costs rising 15-167% post-acquisition. The first annual index of what WordPress actually costs. TL;DR: A WordPress site actually costs $1,200-$9,700/year when you add up hosting (at renewal rates, not promo), plugins, security, maintenance, and your time. Hosting renewal markup averages 320% above the advertised price. Plugin prices are rising 15-167% after acquisitions. 11,334 new vulnerabilities were discovered in 2025. WordPress market share is declining for the first time in 20 years. This report has the verified pricing for 80+ products so you can calculate your real number. Skip to the cost models Every article about WordPress maintenance cost gives you the same vague ranges: "$500 to $5,000 per year, depending on your needs." That is not useful. It is the equivalent of answering "how much does a car cost?" with "it depends." This report is different. We cataloged the actual, veri