How to DIY: WordPress Developer
A website — could be a blog, business site, portfolio, membership site, or online course platform
Tools used in this guide
4How to DIY: WordPress Developer
A step-by-step guide to doing this yourself — honestly.
What you're really trying to do
A website — could be a blog, business site, portfolio, membership site, or online course platform
DIY Cost
$0-$25/mo
2-4 hours to learn
Hire Cost
$100-$5,000
Done for you
You could save $100-$5,000 by doing it yourself
Step-by-Step Guide
Follow along at your own pace. Most people finish in 2-4 hours.
Consider Squarespace or Framer instead
~30 minHot take: for most people, WordPress is overkill. Squarespace gives you a beautiful site in an hour with zero maintenance headaches. Framer has AI that builds pages from text descriptions. Unless you specifically need WordPress's plugin ecosystem, these are easier.
If you need WordPress: use WordPress.com
~40 minWordPress.com (not WordPress.org) handles hosting, security, and updates for you. Pick a theme from their marketplace, customize with the visual editor, and you're live. Much simpler than self-hosted WordPress.
Pick a page builder theme
~50 minIf self-hosting: use Astra or Kadence theme (both free) with the block editor. Or Elementor (free version) for drag-and-drop design. Import a starter template and customize it — don't start from a blank page.
Essential plugins (all free)
~60 minInstall: Yoast SEO (search optimization), WPForms Lite (contact forms), UpdraftPlus (backups), Wordfence (security). These four plugins cover 90% of what every WordPress site needs.
When to hire instead
You need a custom theme built from a design mockup, complex plugin development, WooCommerce customization, performance optimization for high-traffic sites, or migration from another platform.
No time? Skip to hiringReal talk
WordPress powers 40% of the internet because it's flexible, but that flexibility comes with complexity. For a simple business site or blog, Squarespace is honestly easier and looks better out of the box. Use WordPress only if you need its specific plugin ecosystem. And if you do go WordPress, start with a pre-made template — never from scratch.
Tools You'll Need
Hand-picked for this project. We only recommend tools we'd actually use.
Essential Tools
You need these to get started.
WordPress
Free
The world's most popular CMS. Powers 40% of all websites with thousands of themes and plugins for any use case imaginable.
Why we recommend it
WordPress is free, infinitely extensible, and has a theme or plugin for literally anything — the ecosystem is unmatched.
Hostinger
$2.99/mo
Fast, affordable WordPress hosting with one-click installation, free SSL, and automatic backups. The best value hosting for WordPress sites.
Why we recommend it
Hostinger's WordPress hosting includes one-click install, free SSL, and LiteSpeed caching — your site will be fast from day one.
Nice-to-Have Tools
Not required, but they make the job easier.
ChatGPT Plus
$20/mo
Generate page content, blog posts, and SEO-optimized copy for your WordPress site. Write your entire site content in a fraction of the time.
Why we recommend it
Use AI to draft your website pages and blog posts — then edit to add your personal expertise and voice.
Some links are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our Verdict
Difficulty
easy
Learning time
2-4 hours
DIY cost
$0-$25/mo
Hire cost
$100-$5,000
Choose DIY if...
- The process is straightforward
- You can spare 2-4 hours
- 1 of 3 tools are free
- You want to learn a new skill
Choose Hire if...
- Your time is worth more than the cost
- You have a tight deadline
- Experience matters for this task
Learn from video tutorials
Sometimes watching is easier than reading. Search for tutorials:
Join the conversation
See what other people are saying about doing this yourself:
Prefer to hire a pro?
No shame in that. Sometimes your time is worth more than the money you'd save. These top-rated freelancers specialize in WordPress Developer and can get it done fast.
WP Dev Master
@wpdev_master · Top Rated
Anna W.
@anna_w_wordpress · Top Rated Plus
SpeedWP
@speedwp_fix · Level 2
Top Website Builders on Fiverr
Hand-picked freelancers ready to start your project
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Find a WordPress Developer pro on Fiverr
Skip the learning curve. Top-rated WordPress Developer freelancers start at $100-$5,000.