In brief: WordPress is free software released under the GPLv2 open-source licence, so a WordPress quote pays for work, paid add-ons, hosting and upkeep. Many premium plugins renew every year. WordPress recommends PHP 8.3 or newer and HTTPS support. Let’s Encrypt gives free certificates, and their lifetimes are getting shorter, so renewal should be automatic.
WordPress runs a huge share of the web, and the software itself costs nothing. W3Techs counts it on 40.2% of all websites as of September 2026. So when a development company in Ahmedabad sends you a WordPress development quote, none of it pays for WordPress itself. It pays for work, for paid add-ons, and for the hosting the site lives on.
That makes a WordPress quote easier to check than most. Each line should say what it is, whether it comes back every year, and whose name it sits in. This guide goes through those lines one by one. We have not included build prices, because the scope of the work decides them.
Key Takeaways
- WordPress is free software, released under the GPLv2 open-source licence.
- W3Techs counts WordPress on 40.2% of all websites.
- Many premium plugins renew yearly. WP Rocket's single site licence renews after one year.
- WordPress recommends PHP 8.3 or newer and HTTPS support from your host.
- Let's Encrypt gives free security certificates, now valid for up to 90 days.
What Should a WordPress Development Quote Include?
Five kinds of line should appear, each one clearly labelled. There is the build work itself, any paid plugins or themes, the hosting, the security certificate, and the upkeep after launch. A quote that folds all five into one figure is hard to compare, and it hides the parts that renew every year.
The table also lists the WordPress software, to show it should cost nothing. The domain and hosting prices are covered in our guide to what a website costs in Ahmedabad. This guide stays on the lines that are special to WordPress. If you are still deciding between WordPress and a custom build, our comparison of WordPress and custom website development helps with that choice first.
Why Is the WordPress Software Itself Free?
Because its licence makes it free to use. WordPress’s own licence page says the software is released under “the GPLv2 (or later) from the Free Software Foundation.” Anyone can download it, install it and run it for a business without paying a licence fee to anyone.
That has a direct effect on your quote. A line called “WordPress licence” should not carry a price. An agency may fairly charge for installing and setting it up, since that takes time. The software itself, though, is not something anyone can sell you.
Its size also works in your favour. W3Techs usage statistics put WordPress on “58.8% of all the websites whose content management system we know”. That, it says, “is 40.2% of all websites.” With that many sites on it, it is easier to find another developer in Ahmedabad who knows it if you ever need to change. That freedom only holds if you keep the logins, which a later section covers.
Which Premium Plugins and Themes Cost Money Every Year?
Many paid add-ons are sold as yearly licences, and this is an easy line to forget. A plugin is an add-on that gives WordPress a new ability, such as faster loading, better forms or bookings. Many have a free version, with a paid version sold per site, per year.
Take one common example. WP Rocket, a plugin that speeds up WordPress sites, lists its single site licence at $59.95 on its pricing page. Its own FAQ says: “Your WP Rocket license will automatically renew after one year.” That is a US dollar charge, on a card, every year, for as long as you want updates and support.
Ask two questions about every paid plugin or theme in the quote. First, whose account is the licence bought on? It should be your business, so the licence stays with you if the agency changes. Second, what does it cost to renew in year two? Some sellers charge the same, and some do not, so get the answer in writing.
Themes work the same way. A theme is the design layer that sets how the whole site looks. Many are free, and premium ones are often sold with a yearly licence for updates and support. If the quote names a premium theme, the same two questions apply to it.
Hosting That Meets WordPress's Requirements
The hosting line should name a plan that meets what WordPress itself asks for. WordPress’s requirements page recommends three things from your host. They are “PHP version 8.3 or greater”, a database on “MySQL version 8.0 or greater” or MariaDB 10.11, and “HTTPS support”.
PHP is the language WordPress is written in, and MySQL is where your content is stored. You do not need to understand either one. You only need the quote, or the host, to confirm those versions in writing. An old PHP version on cheap hosting can cause trouble when plugins are updated. Ask the question once, before the site is built on it.
Two more hosting questions are worth adding while you are there. First, does the plan take backups on its own, and how many days of them does it keep? Second, can the developer make a test copy of the site, often called a staging site, to try updates before they touch the live one? Neither needs a technical answer. A clear yes or no in writing is enough, and it tells you how carefully the site will be looked after.
The hosting account should also be in your business’s name. Our guide on what to ask an agency before you sign covers who should hold that login, and why it matters when you change agency.
Does a WordPress Site Need a Paid SSL Certificate?
Usually not. An SSL certificate is what puts the padlock and “https” in front of your address. Let’s Encrypt, run by a nonprofit, describes itself as “a free, automated, and open Certificate Authority”. Many hosting plans can set one up for you at no charge.
What matters more is renewal. Let’s Encrypt says it has “offered certificates with 90-day lifetimes” since it launched. Its lifetimes page says it will cut that to 45 days by February 2028. It adds that industry rules will cap all certificates at 47 days from 15 March 2029. A certificate renewed by hand will soon need attention every few weeks.
So the useful question is how the certificate renews. Ask whether renewal is automatic on your hosting. If a quote charges every year for a basic certificate, ask what it gives you beyond the free one. Some businesses do need a paid certificate, and the answer should say why yours does. A shop selling online through a payment page, for example, may have reasons that a brochure site in Bodakdev does not.
Which WordPress Development Quote Lines Should Worry You?
A few lines deserve a direct question before you sign. None of them proves bad intent. Each one is a place where money or control can slip away from you without anyone noticing until renewal time. Here are the four worth asking about.
A charge for the WordPress licence itself. The software is free under the GPL, so ask what that line actually covers.
Paid plugins bought on the agency’s own account. Ask for them in your business’s name, with the licence keys shared with you.
No line for updates. Plugins, themes and WordPress itself all need updating. Somebody has to do it, and the quote should say who.
No admin login for you. You should get your own Administrator login to WordPress on launch day. A site you cannot edit without calling someone is one of the signs a website needs a redesign.
That last one matters most. With your own login, any developer can pick up the site later. A furniture showroom on C.G. Road, for example, should be able to switch developers without rebuilding a site it paid for.
What Should You Receive on Launch Day?
A short handover pack that lets you, or any other developer, run the site without the original team. Ask for it in the quote as a named deliverable, so it is written into the job from the start. It does not take long to put together, and it can save you weeks later.
The pack should hold five things:
- Your own WordPress Administrator login, under a company email address.
- The hosting login, for an account in your business’s name.
- A list of every plugin and theme, marking which are free and which are paid, with the renewal date for each paid one.
- The licence keys for anything paid, bought on your business’s account.
- A recent backup, stored somewhere you control, plus a note on how often backups run.
The plugin list is the easiest item to skip, and often the most useful one a year later. When a renewal charge lands on a card in October, you will know what it is for. You can then decide whether you still need that plugin, or whether a free one now does the same job.
Where to Start This Week
WordPress itself is free. So a WordPress quote pays for the work, the paid add-ons, the hosting and the upkeep. Each one should sit on its own line, and each one should be in your business’s name, so the site stays yours.
This week, take any quote you have and circle every line that comes back each year. Next to each one, write whose name it will be in. If it is not your business, ask for that to change before you sign.
If you would like a second opinion on a quote, our WordPress development team in Ahmedabad is happy to go through it with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to pay for WordPress itself?
No. WordPress is released under the GPLv2 licence, so the software is free to download and use. You pay for the work to design and build the site, for any premium plugins or themes, and for hosting.
Which parts of a WordPress website renew every year?
Usually the hosting, the domain and any premium plugins or themes. WP Rocket, for example, says its licence renews automatically after one year. Upkeep is also ongoing, whether you pay monthly or per job.
Do I need to buy an SSL certificate for WordPress?
Often not. Let’s Encrypt, a nonprofit, gives free certificates, and many hosts install them for you. Check that renewal is automatic, because certificate lifetimes are getting shorter.
What hosting does a WordPress site need?
WordPress recommends PHP 8.3 or newer, MySQL 8.0 or newer or MariaDB 10.11 or newer, and HTTPS support. Ask your developer or host to confirm those versions in writing before the site is built.
