Finance Blog

How Much Does It Cost To Start A Finance Blog? (In 2024)

Updated: July 21st, 2024

Looking to start a finance blog?

But curious about:

  • how much it costs to start a finance blog?
  • what are the typical finance blog startup costs?
  • or the actual cost of starting finance blogs?

Well, we have the data to prove it, supported by real finance blogs and how much they actually cost to start.

Let's go over it.

What is the average cost of starting a finance blog?

Based on our data reported by actual finance blog founders, the average cost of starting a finance blog is between $4 and $5,000.

Additionally, our data shows that the the median startup costs for a finance blog are around $200.

Remember, though, not all finance blogs are the same - and neither are people's budgets. It's important to distinguish between different levels or types of finance blogs

Real World Examples: How much does it cost to start a finance blog?

We asked real finance blog founders and business owners how much it actually cost to get started?

Here is what they said:

Pardeep Goyal

Founder of Cash Overflow ($10K/month)

"We are living in a world where a blog can be started under $50 and paid courses can be launched on platforms like Teachable within a few minutes."

Pardeep Goyal is the founder of CashOverflow.com, a personal finance blog awarded as the best personal finance blog in 2017, dedicated to helping people manage their financial lives and achieve financial independence.

Read by 10,743 founders

Jeff Proctor

Founder of DollarSprout ($200K/month)

"Other than the cost of hosting and our site theme, we incurred very little cost over the first year."

Jeff Proctor is the co-founder of DollarSprout.com, a personal finance blog geared towards millennials interested in making and saving extra money.

Read by 21,109 founders

Michelle Schroeder-Gardner

Founder of Making Sense of Cents ($83K/month)

"Startup costs were extremely low, and that’s one reason why I love blogging as a business. You can start for super cheap - less than $100."

Michelle Schroeder-Gardner is the founder of Making Sense of Cents, a personal finance and lifestyle blog that has generated over $5,000,000 in revenue.

Read by 19,599 founders

Alexis Schroeder

Founder of FITnancials ($7.5K/month)

"Starting Fitnancials was incredibly inexpensive. I think I remember it costing less than $100."

Alexis is the founder of Fitnancials, a personal finance blog that started in 2013 and now helps over 100,000 people a month with saving and earning more money.

Read by 8,084 founders

Bobby Hoyt

Founder of Millennial Money Man ($150K/month)

"As far as the funding - we did everything out of our own pockets for the launch. Mike and I started an LLC a few weeks before the course went live, and we also paid a copywriter to help us create the sales page and the initial launch emails. There were a few other small services we had to pay for like Teachable and Zapier, but overall our costs were less than $5,000 for the entire project from creation to launch."

Bobby Hoyt is the founder of Laptop Empires, an online business focused on helping people start and grow their own online ventures.

Read by 10,418 founders

David Ning

Founder of Astute Actions Inc ($30K/month)

"The beauty of launching a website is that startup costs are minimal. Hosting can be had for a few dollars a month, and that’s pretty much all you need."

David Ning is the founder of MoneyNing.com, a personal finance website that started in 2007 and now attracts around 200,000 users per month.

Read by 9,326 founders

R.J. Weiss

Founder of The Ways To Wealth ($39K/month)

"The MVP took just 2 weeks to build and cost only $400. I registered the domain and it cost $12.99. It really didn't cost much."

R.J. Weiss is the founder of The Ways To Wealth, a finance blog started in 2016 that earns over $30,000 per month teaching visitors how to save and make more money.

Read by 8,544 founders

Sayan Neogie

Founder of Prosmartrepreneur ($9.5K/month)

"Since this business model is not much of a money investment-based and more of a time investment based, you can start blogging with less than $4 a month. And this is why there is absolutely no chance of you losing money if things go south."

Sayan Neogie is the founder of Prosmartrepreneur, a personal finance and entrepreneurship blog that started in 2018 and has grown to garner over 160,000 monthly readers.

Read by 6,143 founders

Sam Dogen

Founder of Financial Samurai ($30K/month)

"In terms of startup costs I incurred launching Financial Samurai in 2009, I paid a guy I found on Craigslist $500 to launch the site. I then paid him $200 to design my site and logo."

Sam Dogen is the founder of Financial Samurai, a personal finance site that attracts about 1 million organic visitors a month.

Read by 5,537 founders

Michael Morris

Founder of Pursuit of Passive Income ($22K/month)

"Low Startup Cost. You can technically start a blog with about $5.00 although I don’t necessarily recommend it. A bare bones blog can be run using a few tools & plugins that will run you about $150 per month."

Michael Morris is the founder of Pursuit of Passive Income, a blog-based business that helps guide aspiring entrepreneurs in creating passive income streams and achieving financial freedom.

Read by 4,285 founders

Enjoyed reading these real world examples?

Our platform is full of case studies of successful finance blogs that you can learn from.

Starting a finance blog - what you should know:

Starting a finance blog entails several costs which can vary widely based on your individual needs and goals.

Domain and Hosting Costs

The first expense to consider is purchasing a domain and securing hosting services. A domain name usually costs between $10 and $15 per year. For hosting, shared hosting plans can cost as little as $3 to $5 per month ($36 to $60 annually), but if you anticipate higher traffic, you might need VPS or dedicated hosting which can range from $20 to $100 per month ($240 to $1200 annually).

Website Design and Development

Depending on your level of expertise, you may want to invest in professional web design and development to create a polished and functional blog. Freelance web designers typically charge between $500 and $5,000 for a custom design, while website development can cost an additional $1,000 to $10,000 if you need something complex. Alternatively, using a WordPress theme can be a cost-effective option, typically ranging from $30 to $100.

Content Creation

Creating content is essential for attracting and retaining readers. You may choose to write all the content yourself or hire freelancers. Professional freelance writers specializing in finance can charge anywhere from $50 to $200 per article. If you aim to publish four articles per month, that’s an additional $200 to $800 monthly ($2,400 to $9,600 annually).

SEO and Marketing

Effective SEO and marketing strategies are critical for driving traffic to your blog. Utilizing basic SEO tools like Ahrefs or Moz can cost between $99 and $179 per month. Additionally, you might want to invest in paid advertising on Google or social media platforms, which could add another $100 to $500 per month, depending on your budget and goals.

By understanding these nuanced costs, you can better plan your budget and make informed decisions as you embark on creating your finance blog.

Potential Costs of Starting a Finance Blog

Starting a finance blog involves various costs, from domain registration to content creation, but it’s possible to get started with a modest budget.

Expense Category Cost Range (USD) Description
Domain Registration $10 - $50 per year Purchase and annual renewal of your blog's domain name.
Web Hosting $3 - $20 per month Shared hosting can be cheap, but managed hosting or VPS may cost more.
Website Builder/Theme $0 - $100 one-time Free WordPress themes available; premium themes can cost more.
SSL Certificate $0 - $75 per year Many hosts provide free SSL, while others may charge annually.
Content Management System $0 - $300 per year WordPress is free, but you might opt for premium plugins or other CMS platforms.
Graphic Design Tools $0 - $50 per month Tools like Canva (free/paid versions) or Adobe Creative Cloud ($50/month).
Email Marketing Tool $0 - $50 per month Mailchimp offers a free plan; paid plans vary in cost.
SEO Tools $0 - $100 per month Free options like Ubersuggest; premium tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush start at $100/month.
Social Media Tools $0 - $50 per month Free options available, or paid tools like Buffer or Hootsuite.
Office Supplies $0 - $50 one-time Notebooks, pens, etc., for planning and brainstorming.
Stock Photos $0 - $30 per month Free resources like Unsplash or subscription services like Shutterstock.
Legal Fees $0 - $300 one-time For creating privacy policy, terms of service, etc.
Freelance Writing $50 - $500+ per article Depends on the experience and expertise of the writer.
Marketing & Advertising $0 - $500+ per month Depending on your budget; Google Ads, Facebook Ads, etc.
Backup Services $0 - $10 per month Some hosting plans include this, or use additional services.
Education & Courses $0 - $200 per course Online courses to improve blogging, SEO, marketing skills.
Miscellaneous Varies Any other unforeseen costs, such as local business licenses, additional tools, etc.

These are the potential costs you may encounter when starting a finance blog, but remember that your initial investment will ultimately depend on the choices you make in each category.