page51 vs WordPress
WordPress is free, open and runs a large share of the web; the hosting, plugins, updates and the hours are what a business site costs. page51 includes them.
Checked on on each company’s own pages. Prices in US dollars, without tax, as the vendor shows them.
Who each is for
WordPress
Anyone who wants full ownership and unlimited control, and has the time or a developer to run it.
page51
Small businesses that want a finished website from a description, kept up to date when they ask, and the agencies that look after them.
Side by side
| Topic | WordPress | page51 |
|---|---|---|
| How the site is made | A theme and the block editor by hand, or page builders by plugin. WordPress.com and some hosts add an AI builder. | AI builds it from your description, your old website and your photos, after you agree a plan. |
| Changes later | In the editor. AI editing through WordPress.com’s assistant or third-party plugins. | By speaking or typing. Every change is shown before it goes live; one-step undo. |
| Chat for your visitors | Not in WordPress itself: third-party chat plugins at their own price. | Included, set up from your own facts. Hands over to a person when the site does not say. |
| SEO | Full control, set by you or your SEO person with plugins such as Yoast or Rank Math. | On-page and technical SEO set up for you: titles, descriptions, structured data, sitemap. |
| Leaving | Open source: the files and database move to any host. | Your texts, photos and web address. Download your content any time. |
| Hosting and upkeep | Updates to WordPress, the theme and plugins, security and backups are yours, or your host’s on managed plans. | Hosting and SSL included. Nothing to install or update. |
| Price with your own domain | The software is free. Hosting from a few dollars a month; WordPress.com Personal $4 a month billed yearly. | $39 a month for one site; $15 a site from 10 sites. No build fee, free preview, month to month. |
The hours one brochure website takes
| Pro | Beginner | |
|---|---|---|
| WordPress, by handtheme, plugins, pages, photos | 11h | 30h |
| With ChatGPT or Claudeyou still need hosting, FTP, a domain | 5h | 16h |
| SEO, on topkeywords, titles, Search Console | 3h | days |
| page51SEO included | 1h | 1h |
Hours: our estimates for five pages.
WordPress is free. Running a business site on it is not.
Per site, a month. Ten sites, one month, at the bottom.
| WordPress | page51 |
|---|---|
| WordPress install, per site1 h once · $50 | Not needed |
| Server, domain, SSL2 h once · $100 | One DNS record5 min |
| Shared hosting$8 a month | Included |
| Premium plugin licences$7 a month | Not needed |
| Security and plugin updates1 h a month · $50 | Not needed |
| Backups, restore tests15 min a month · $13 | Includeddaily, with undo |
| Multi-site dashboard (ManageWP, MainWP)$3 a month | Includedone panel |
| Small changes45 min each · $38 | By chat5 min each |
| SEO, page by page3 h once · $150 | Your keyword list5 min |
| Website agentchat tool, $40–80 a month | Includedpowered by Cherify |
| AI-visibility checkN/A: not available today | Included |
| Monthly report, your brandreport tool, $20 a client a month | Includedfrom 5 sites |
| Lead tracking1 h once · $50 | Included |
| Made photosN/A: not available today | Includedmarked as made |
| Voice editingN/A: not available today | Included |
| 10 sites, a month: 28 h + $180$1,580 a month | 2 h + $150$250 a month |
Estimates. Time at $50 an hour. Set-up and separate tools are not in the month. The hourly rates: Fiverr’s WordPress developer guide; hosting and tools at the vendors’ list prices.
Where WordPress is the better choice
- Full ownership and portability: open source, any host, any developer.
- The largest ecosystem of plugins and themes: shops, memberships, courses.
- Unlimited control of design and SEO.
Where page51 is the better choice
- No installs, plugin updates or backups to run: hosting and upkeep are included.
- Changes by speaking or typing in minutes, instead of a developer’s hour.
- The website agent, lead reports and white label in one price.
Price
WordPress: The software is free. Hosting from a few dollars a month; WordPress.com Personal $4 a month billed yearly.
page51: $39 a month for one site; $15 a site from 10 sites. No build fee, free preview, month to month. Full pricing.
Questions
Is WordPress free?
The software is. A business site on it still needs hosting, often premium plugins, updates and someone’s time; the table on this page puts figures on each.
When is WordPress the better choice?
When you need a shop with many products, memberships or courses, or full control of the code. page51 is websites only.
Can page51 rebuild my WordPress site?
Yes. Give it your current address: page51 reads your pages and builds the new site for you to check before your domain moves.
Sources
- WordPress.org, seen 26 October 2026
- WordPress.com pricing, seen 26 October 2026
- W3Techs: WordPress usage, seen 24 October 2026
- Fiverr: WordPress developer cost, seen 23 October 2026