Here is how to read it. Hostinger Premium costs the least over four years. But Hostinger renews for the same 48-month term. That bill is 48 times $10.99, or $527.52, charged at month 49. SiteGround is the dearest shared plan over four years, yet it asks only 12 months at once.
WordPress hosting cost per month
The WordPress hosting cost per month is a calculation, not a bill. Hostinger says the monthly rate is the total divided by the number of months in the plan, and that all plans are paid up front. On shared plans, check the amount charged today, not the monthly figure.
A fair WordPress hosting cost comparison also counts the domain. Hostinger lists a free domain for one year, and Bluehost lists one for the first year on 12 or 36 month terms. After that you pay the normal domain price.
Hostinger WordPress hosting plans
Hostinger is one fair option if you want a low first price and can pay for a long term. Its WordPress page lists three plans. All three need a 48-month term paid up front (Hostinger, 2026).
| Plan | Price per month, 48-month term | Paid up front | Renewal price per month | Sites | Storage | Backups |
|---|
| Premium | $1.99 | $95.52 | $10.99 | 3 | 20 GB SSD | Weekly |
| Unlimited | $2.79 | $133.92 | $16.99 | Unlimited | 50 GB NVMe | Daily |
| Cloud Startup | $7.99 | $383.52 | $25.99 | Unlimited | 100 GB NVMe | Daily and on demand |
Source: Hostinger WordPress hosting page (2026). Every plan lists a free domain for one year and a 30-day money-back guarantee. The page shows a Black Friday offer, so figures may change. The renewal price is much higher than the first price, so read it before you buy. For one small site, compare Premium first.
Hosting option for this guide
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You can see the current plans on Hostinger's WordPress hosting page.
Who should not choose Hostinger
Skip Hostinger if you do not want to pay 48 months at once. Premium costs $95.52 today, and the refund window is only 30 days.
- Pick SiteGround if you want a shorter commitment. Its listed term is 12 months, but StartUp renews at $17.99 a month and covers only 1 site.
- Pick Bluehost if renewal price matters most among shared plans. Starter renews at $9.99 a month, below Hostinger Premium at $10.99. Its first price is higher at $3.99.
- Pick Kinsta or WP Engine if your site earns money and you want a managed host. They cost more, and both list monthly billing.
Is there free hosting for WordPress?
Yes, but with limits. WordPress.com has a Free plan at $0 with no expiry date (WordPress.com, 2026). It gives you 1 GB of storage. It does not include a custom domain or plugin installation, so it is a way to learn, not to run a business.
Does WordPress provide free hosting?
The WordPress software at wordpress.org is free, but it does not come with a server. You need a host to run it. WordPress.com is a separate service that hosts WordPress sites, and only its Free plan costs nothing.
How to install WordPress
Most hosts install WordPress for you in a few clicks. The manual method takes about five minutes, according to WordPress's developer guide. Use the host's installer if you have one.
How to install WordPress on Hostinger
Hostinger documents two routes, and menu names have changed over time. Use the labels you see on screen.
- Buy a plan and sign in to hPanel, Hostinger's control panel.
- Go to Websites, then Add website, then choose Install WordPress. Pick your domain or a free subdomain.
- Or open Auto Installer in the Website section and pick WordPress. Enter the install path, an admin username, a password and your email.
- Wait a minute or so. Hostinger says the install usually finishes in under a minute (Hostinger, 2026).
- Choose the minor-version-only update setting. Hostinger recommends it, since it installs security fixes and lets you approve big upgrades.
The install overwrites any files already in the target website, so use a new site.
How to install WordPress by hand
Use this method if your host has no installer. It follows the WordPress developer guide.
- Download WordPress from wordpress.org and unzip it.
- Create a database and a database user with full rights to it. Your host may already have done this.
- Upload the files to your web root, which is the folder your domain points to.
- Open /wp-admin/install.php in your browser.
- Enter your site title, username, password and email.
The guide also lets you rename wp-config-sample.php to wp-config.php and enter your database details. If you skip it, the install script can create the file.
What to check before you buy
- Find the renewal price and the renewal term.
- Check how much you pay today. A monthly figure often hides a 36 or 48 month bill.
- Check the refund window. Hostinger lists 30 days.
- Check the site limit. Hostinger Premium covers 3 sites, SiteGround StartUp covers 1 and Bluehost Starter covers 10.
- Read the backup type. Weekly backups can lose a week of work.
- Confirm PHP 8.3 or newer and a current database version.
Trying to understand where servers fit? Read what is cloud computing.
The short version
For one small site, start with shared hosting and compare the renewal price, not the first one. For a shop or a busy site, price a managed plan. Skip a VPS unless you can run a server. If you want a free start, WordPress.com's Free plan works for learning.
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Fazlur Rahman
