If you want to start a blog without spending a fortune (super relatable lol), but you still want something professional, secure, and fast enough to get into Google’s good graces… welcome. You’re my people.
I’ve started every single one of my current blogs with the exact method I’m about to show you. No $300 “starter kits.” No mystery “blogging software.” Just a real WordPress blog + real tools that set you up to actually make money blogging in 2026 — without the bloated price tag.
And yes, the whole setup is $35.88/year if you follow this exact process.
| Don’t miss my complete guide on How to Plan a Successful Blog in 2026: Niche, Audience, and Strategy Guide — with everything you’ll need at the start of your blogging journey! |
Why This Is the Cheapest Professional Way to Start a Blog
Let’s get something out of the way quickly:
Free blogging platforms aren’t actually free if you want to monetize.
They cost you in:
- lost SEO potential
- no control over your content
- blocked monetization options
- no ability to grow into ads, affiliates, or digital products
- And worst: you can’t build a real brand
This is why serious bloggers (those who want to earn $500–$1,000/month within 18–24 months) start on self-hosted WordPress. Not WordPress.com, not Blogger, not Wix, not “FREE WEBSITE IN 2 MINUTES!!” services.
Just plain WordPress.org, installed on real hosting.
The good news?
You no longer need $100+, a fancy theme, or expensive tools.
The cheapest, most effective setup is:
👉 DreamHost’s Web Hosting Launch plan — yearly
→ $35.88 for your first 12 months
→ Includes a free domain + domain privacy
→ Includes all the security tools beginners usually have to buy separately
This plan also installs WordPress for you, so there’s no coding, no manual setup, no “tech panic.”
(If ADHD were a hosting plan, it would be this one. Everything pre-clicked for you.)
Why WordPress.org (Not Free Platforms) Is Still the Best Choice
Quick rundown:
Free platforms aren’t good for monetization
They:
- limit ad networks
- block many affiliate tools
- can remove/suspend your site
- control your content
- give you a brand-killing URL like
yourblogname.blogspot.com
Also… moving off of them later?
It’s a nightmare. I’ve helped people migrate. It’s… messy. Tears have been shed.
WordPress.org is free, flexible, and future-proof
And, thanks to the hosting plan I’m recommending, all the historically “scary tech stuff” is handled.
You get:
- 1-click WordPress install
- 1-click backups + full restore
- security tools already included
- a free domain + privacy
- fast servers (this actually matters for SEO)
This is the setup I used when I started every single blog I own. Zero regrets.
How Much Should You Expect to Spend Your First Year?
Here’s the breakdown:
| Expense | Cost |
|---|---|
| DreamHost Web Hosting Launch (yearly) | $35.88 |
| Domain name | $0 (free) |
| Domain privacy | $0 (free) |
| SSL | $0 (free) |
| Theme | $0 (use free) |
| Plugins | $0 (start free) |
| Total | $35.88/year |
This is, genuinely, the lowest safe price you can start a blogging business for.
Everything cheaper than this = not monetizable.
Everything more expensive = unnecessary for beginners.
What You Get With DreamHost Web Hosting Launch (That’s Why It’s So Cheap)
99% of hosting companies lure beginners with low prices… but then charge separately for everything else.
DreamHost includes the things that normally cost extra:
✔ Security & Privacy
Protects your blog from common hacks.
✔ Web Application Firewall
This is usually a paid add-on in other hosts.
✔ 1-Click Backup + Restore
Click → instant restore.
Perfect for “oops I broke the theme at 1 a.m.” moments.
✔ DDoS Protection
Stops malicious traffic attacks.
✔ Free Domain Privacy
Other companies charge $12–$15/year just for this.
✔ Free Domain for Year 1
Yes, .com included.
So instead of paying for:
- domain ($12.99–$15.99)
- domain privacy ($12–$15)
- backup service ($30–$70/year)
- firewall ($50–$150/year)
- security plugin ($60/year)
- email hosting ($12–$30/year)
…you pay $35.88 total.
No hidden fees. No nonsense.
Step-by-Step: The Cheapest (and Easiest) Way to Start a Blog
STEP 1 — Sign Up for DreamHost Web Hosting Launch (The $35.88 Part)
Click the yearly billing option — that’s the one with the free domain + the lowest price.
During checkout:
- Select your free domain
- Keep all optional “extra add-ons” off (you don’t need any)
- Let DreamHost auto-install WordPress for you
This is the cheapest path that still gives you a secure, fast, monetizable blog — for under $40.
Simple as that.
STEP 2 — Choose Your Domain Name
This is the home for your future business, so pick a name that is:
- easy to read
- easy to spell
- relevant to your niche
- ending in “.com” (it still performs best for SEO + credibility)
And a quick tip from someone who once chose a too artsy, too unique (not to blog on an art niche tho 💀) name and regretted it:
👉 Don’t pick something only “aesthetically pretty.”
Pick something practical.
When you sign up for DreamHost’s yearly plan, your domain + domain privacy are free.
STEP 3 — Install WordPress (DreamHost Does This For You)
You’ll receive an email:
“Your WordPress site is ready!”
Log in using the link they sent.
You are now inside your blog 🥳
STEP 4 — Pick a Good Free WordPress Theme
Skip the paid themes. Skip anything abandoned or slow.
Use a free theme that is:
- regularly updated
- SEO-friendly
- lightweight
- customizable
- compatible with major plugins
Great free options:
- Kadence
- Blocksy
- Astra (free version)
I’m currently (switched recently) using Kadence here — and girrrl! It is super flexible, super fast.
Install a secure free theme
Search for the theme right inside WordPress:
Appearance → Themes → Add new
Then install and activate.
Customize your:
- global colors
- fonts
- header
- footer
- homepage layout
This is where the ADHD part of me wants to customize for 4 hours straight but… don’t.
Just pick the starter template you like and move on.
You don’t need branding perfection — you need your first 10 high-quality posts.
STEP 5 — Install Only the Essential Free Plugins
You don’t need 20 plugins.
Actually, please don’t.
Start with only these:
- SEO plugin (AIOSEO or Yoast)
- Backup plugin (optional because DreamHost already handles backups)
- Caching/performance plugin (Autoptimize free version does wonders!)
That’s it.
Everything else — email marketing, social buttons, fancy design — comes later.
For now, focus on writing.
A Quick Reality Check: Blogging Isn’t Free, But It Can Be Cheap
The reason this method works is that you’re investing in the bare essentials:
- a platform you own
- security
- speed
- your domain
- the ability to monetize properly
$35.88/year is nothing compared to:
- Etsy fees
- Shopify plans
- expensive website builders
- or worse: losing a free-site blog you can’t recover
This setup is the sweet spot between “as cheap as possible” and “still professional enough to build a real income.”
How Long Until You Make Money?
Most bloggers who stay consistent (even with a 9–5 job, kids, chaos, etc.) begin earning $500–$1,000/month in 18–24 months.
This is exactly what happened with my first blog.
And second.
And actually every blog after that.
Once traffic grows, you can:
- upgrade your hosting
- switch to higher-paying ad networks
- start affiliates (you can start with affiliates as soon as you have 10-15 posts published and all the legal pages)
- launch digital products
- build a nice library of blog posts that earn even when you’re not working
Blogging is slow at first… then suddenly you’re screaming because your Google Analytics graph spikes out of nowhere.
My Honest Advice After Doing This for Years
When I started my blogs, I was kinda (“kinda” lol) broke and terrified of spending money I wasn’t earning yet.
Starting cheap — but not on a free platform — is exactly what allowed me to grow quickly.
Within a year, I started upgrading tools as I grew.
Not before.
This is why I tell everyone:
👉 Start cheap and safe. Upgrade with purpose.
DreamHost’s Web Hosting Launch plan lets you do exactly that.
Conclusion
If you want to start a real, monetizable blog for the absolute lowest price possible — while still owning your content and having strong security — then this setup is the winner:
- DreamHost Web Hosting Launch (yearly)
- WordPress.org
- A high-quality, secure, free theme
- A handful of free plugins
That’s it.
Simple. Affordable. Future-proof.
And everything beyond this — SEO tools, email marketing, premium themes, fancy plugins — can happen later when your traffic and income justify it.
Ready to start? Grab the Web Hosting Launch yearly plan for $35.88 and build something that actually has the potential to make money.
You’ll thank your past self later.
→ Next step:
Check the guide: How to Create a Strategic Blogging Workflow (Content, SEO, and Productivity).
Many people think that creating a blog is a simple thing, but they don’t know how much effort is needed to actually start it.
You are an excellent writer. You provide us with sound advice that is also quite easy to comprehend. It’s really helpful to me.