DoWebsites verdict: WordPress is the strongest ownership-first platform in this catalogue, but it is software rather than a hosting subscription. Its flexibility is earned by taking responsibility for hosting, updates, security, backups and plugin governance.
Price and terms checked 2026-08-11: WordPress software is free and open source; domain, hosting, premium themes/plugins, maintenance and developer work are separate.
Self-hosted WordPress: the decision in one table
| Product | Open-source CMS installed on compatible hosting; not WordPress.com’s hosted plan |
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| Current recommended PHP | PHP 8.3 or greater |
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| Current recommended database | MariaDB 10.11+ or MySQL 8.0+ |
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| Web/transport | HTTPS required; Apache or Nginx recommended |
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| Portability | Files, database and content can move between compatible hosts |
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| Owner responsibility | Updates, backups, security, performance and extension selection |
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WordPress.org is not an all-in-one provider
The downloadable software does not include a domain, mailbox, hosting account or guaranteed support desk. A fair price comparison must combine hosting, domain renewal, premium extensions, maintenance and the time required to operate the stack.
The current technical baseline matters
WordPress.org now recommends PHP 8.3+, MariaDB 10.11+ or MySQL 8.0+, and HTTPS. It notes that older PHP and MySQL versions may still run but have reached end of life and may expose security risk. A host advertising ‘WordPress compatible’ should be checked against the current baseline.
Ownership is WordPress’s durable advantage
When the business controls the hosting account, domain, administrator users, files and database, it can change agencies or hosts without abandoning the CMS. That portability is materially stronger than a closed builder export, but only if credentials and backups are actually under business control.
Plugins are both the ecosystem and the risk surface
Plugins can add commerce, forms, memberships, multilingual content and integrations. Each extension also adds code, update dependencies and potential conflicts. Set an approval rule: known maintainer, current compatibility, documented update history, necessary purpose and a rollback plan.
WordPress itself cannot be honestly scored as fast or slow without the host, theme, plugins, images, caching and traffic pattern. Use a lightweight theme, compress media, limit third-party scripts and measure Core Web Vitals on the finished site.
Kenyan business deployment
WordPress works with Kenyan hosts, .ke domains and local gateways, allowing local billing without locking the site to one builder. The business should own the registrar and hosting accounts, while the developer receives a named administrator or deployment role.
Questions buyers actually need answered
Is WordPress free?
The software is free. Hosting, domain, maintenance and optional premium extensions are separate costs.
What is the difference from WordPress.com?
This review covers the self-hosted software from WordPress.org, not WordPress.com’s managed plans.
Can a WordPress site move hosts?
Yes, when you control a complete files-and-database backup and the destination meets the software requirements.
Who handles security?
The site owner and hosting/maintenance team share responsibility for updates, access, backups, configuration and incident response.
Evidence boundary
This is a buying analysis, not an invented hands-on test. We verified the published offer and policies, separated introductory equivalents from money charged, and discounted claims we could not independently benchmark. Recheck the final checkout and keep an independent backup or export before moving a production service.
Sources checked
