Wordpress.com wants $400 for an upgrade so I can install plugins
 

I know the simple solution is to just pay for the business upgrade.
But I would like to figure out what my options are and see if
there's a workaround.

I do have my own hosting and I do have wordpress installed
on several sites that I own. The thing is that I've had this
particular blog since wordpress began. Plus it's about my
family and my hobbies outside of adult. So I kind of what to
keep it where it is but maybe monitize it a little.

Dont know how to ask this politely, so I'm just gonna ask; are you challenged (mental)?

I'm not sure why they are charging you $400 as I don't know enough about their business model, but we have clients with literally hundreds of WordPress installs on one server that costs less than $400 a month.

I'm sure a VPS solution would be just fine for your needs, and if you want to keep mainstream completely separate from adult, we just set you up with a small VPS for mainstream and a larger one for adults.

Feel free to shoot an email to [email protected] and we can discuss or set up a call.

It's not $400 a month but $400 for the year.

It's just a stupid little blog that I've had for
years and I don't actually have to do
anything with it. It's just that I can't see
any good reason that will justify paying for
something that amounts to me talking about
my family and my horses.

Did you consider migrating from WordPress.com to a self hosted WordPress.org? You can read how to do this here:

themeisle.com/blog/migrate-wordpress-com-to-wordpress-org/

I've considered moving it to my own hosting and I might
do just that. The easiest and probably the smartest
thing I could do is just buy a domain name and migrate
to my own host. After all, I'm paying for hosting of
my other sites and the 100 visitors a month that this
site gets won't make a difference in cost.

It's just that right now I'm trying to see what other
options I have. It's always good to look at everything
before making a decision.

Your best option is to move it to the web hosting that you already have, or look at a provider like NameCheap that has discount packages for small sites like that.

Move the site to any $5-$10 a month host will be cheaper then the $400 a year.

If you like having the blog there and it is just for fun and you'd enjoy it more with some plugins, just consider the $400/year an entertainment expense. Sometimes you go to a restaurant when you could eat for less at home because you just feel like it.

I don't go to restaurants but I get what you're saying.

Who uses wordpress.com and why?

:2 cents:

I explained that when I started the thread.

1. I've had the blog since 2004. Roughly around the time wordpress first started
2. It's just a personal blog about my family, my hobbies and other non-important stuff.

Is it a subdomain on their domain or your own domain?

If 1) I would buy a domain and then put in redirect code to send the people to your own domain that you can host and install WP on.

2) Then just host it yourself and use the export/import feature.

Clone it fresh install new server upload clone files done.

https://hostek.com/

WordPress is free there. There are a lot of OpenSource programs available for install on their servers.

As for plug-ins... write your own or have them written. Just php... and from what I have read, WP is the easiest CMS to hack so.... making plug-ins should not be hard.

400.00 a mo for OpenSource software? WOW!!! I must have missed something in this post.

There is a WordPress.com and WordPress.org which is a free open source CMS.

Right.... I am lost with the 400.00 to allow plug-ins.

Granted, I have only played with word press, I have no use for blogs.... but I was able to download the program and plug-ins for free. Except the plug-ins people created and sell.... but 400.00 for 1 plug in? Must be a monster of a plug-in.:winkwink:

I have done this on my local server, not a hosted one..... but this too was a long time ago.

It's not $400 for 1 plugin. Wordpress.com is a blog hosting service and if you want to be able to install plugins, you need to sign up for one of their paid plans that allows that. Wordpress (Wordpress.org) is a free, open-source CMS.

Interesting... so they took a free program, made a dot com out of it and charges for it?

Not sure the benefit of this when you can get the software free, get a virtual host for 5.00 a mo and be done with it.

Guess it's true what they say...

....there is a sucker born every minute....

....a fool and his money are soon parted....

:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh

Sorry... Just having fun... maybe they give you a reach around when they take your money... who knows. :winkwink:

Ok, seriously... is there a benefit using the .com vs getting the free program and hosing it yourself? Maybe it's my age... but I don't understand paying for something you can get free. Is this a millennial thing?

Dont be sorry, its you that are to dense to understand how a SaaS, Managed or PaaS service is priced, compared to a DIY selfhosted Opensource script on a unmanaged hosting-service.

dont worry - we all have our place in the Feudal society :1orglaugh

Yep, and a sucker is born every minute.... a fool and his money are soon parted. :thumbsup:winkwink:

What about community groups and organisations that are not technically competent enough, to understand how to purchase hosting and install scripts etc? They can just pay a monthly fee and have their little website available to be seen.

A great example would be a volunteer group who spend their time tending to the graves and the upkeep of our local cemetery. These are retired people, doing it more for companionship than anything else. So they pay WordPress dot com a fixed fee and they have a simple site they can update.

https://teignmouthcemetery.wordpress.com/

None of these people would have a clue as to how to do it themselves, and even if you offered to do it for free, they'd just say 'No thanks - We are managing OK as we are'...

They are not 'suckers' - Just elderly people enjoying later life and getting on with it...

always have control of your own content and hosting :2 cents:

Ignore me

Well, OK, if you like. I have no idea why you don't want people to see your posts, however I have added you to my ignore list as requested... Strange... :(