Recommendations for inexpensive, easy to maintain, website

**stemked** · 02-06-2022, 07:44 PM

Hi all.

I have been reading through so much advertising that my head is starting to spin. I would like to get a web site up, but I don't realistically think Ill be making any money on it, so keeping it inexpensive is important. Something I can grow with would be nice, but I really don't want to be spending more than maybe $5/ month (I have a kid going to college).

Any recommendations that I should check out?

740K70 · 02-06-2022, 08:41 PM - **1 Like**

What is the website going to be used for? Some more details would help with recommendations.

**UncleVanya** · 02-07-2022, 06:45 AM

Originally posted by stemked

Hi all.

I have been reading through so much advertising that my head is starting to spin. I would like to get a web site up, but I don't realistically think Ill be making any money on it, so keeping it inexpensive is important. Something I can grow with would be nice, but I really don't want to be spending more than maybe $5/ month (I have a kid going to college).

Any recommendations that I should check out?

I use Wordpress hosted by a company in TX. Cost per year is $75 or so. You pick the theme and maintain it. They provide the hosting. Domain name is an added expense. I separate the two accounts and my domain is about $12 a year I think.

**marcusBMG** · 02-07-2022, 10:48 AM

Much depends on the nature of your website and content.

To create these web pages I trawled around for a template that I thought suitable, modded it with pics, css and additional javascript, and created it mainly in the free (old) html editor html-kit. This all worked for me because I have sufficient familiarity with html, css etc., and suited the content: a static, custom page. The choices you make in creating pages like this are standard: fixed width or floating; number of columns; navigation. These days the old style of structuring the page in a table is rather passe, using divs is normal.

If you are not really familiar with html, css etc then it pays to use a program or web hosting facility that allows you to post without needing to engage with those. The classic example of such a web site is a blog. The features of a blog are pretty standard, the content is text and pics pretty much, the set up then has the facility for you to write and plug in your next post into the framework.
There are numerous software packages that allow you to create web content in a WYSIWYG manner. However if you are creating custom pages then sooner or later you inevitably find IME a need to dive into the html and css to make things look /work right.
Another pretty standard thing that you can get pretty much off the shelf is a picture gallery type web site. Also commercial oriented/shop-front pages.
Perhaps other responses can offer some insight into more up to date software etc. I would just emphasise the point of relating what sort of content you want to put online to what sort of package/support/facilities/software you need. And if you are creating custom content, how much time and effort it can be!

addendum: this info page is a nother +1 for wordpress...

Last edited by marcusBMG; 02-07-2022 at 11:27 AM.

Kiwizinho · 02-07-2022, 07:13 PM - **1 Like**

As others have said, it really depends what you want to use it for. If you just want a portfolio website, then if you've got an Adobe Photography subscription, then you can have up to 5 portfolio websites included as part of the deal, although most people don't seem to be all that aware of that side of things, and are mostly using the subscription for Photoshop and Lightroom.
I certainly wouldn't get an Adobe photography plan subscription for the website functionality, but if you've got a subscription anyway, and don't have a website, it's an inexpensive and easy way to get something up and going without needing to know anything about writing code. Given the Photography plan gives you Lightroom/LR Classic, Photoshop and up to 5 portfolio websites for $9.99 USD per month, it's not a bad deal if it meets your needs. If you want a domain name, that will cost extra, but Adobe does support custom domains with Portfolio sites, and you can get domain names at cost through Cloudflare.

**AggieDad** · 02-10-2022, 02:24 PM

Wordpress, Pixpa, Smugmug, to name three that come immediately to mind. My site (see link in my sig) is with Pixpa, but I am considering a change as it has some limitations as I want to do some additional things. It is reasonable and inexpensive.

DeepSchwartz · 02-13-2022, 12:53 PM

Cargo is all the rage at the moment for design / art / fine-art photography. There's an ecommerce plugin if desired, but basics is $99 a year and 6GB of storage. I think the benefit to them is a literal boat load of minimalist templates suited for art and photography. 6GB is a very high number of jpegs. For general photo browsing and storage you still can't beat flickr. YMMV, FWIW, etc.

Lord Lucan · 02-13-2022, 03:31 PM

Originally posted by marcusBMG

To create these web pages I trawled around for a template that I thought suitable, modded it with pics, css and additional javascript, and created it mainly in the free (old) html editor html-kit. This all worked for me because I have sufficient familiarity with html, css etc., and suited the content: a static, custom page.

The nice thing about that approach is a clean and fast-loading website. I had a quick look at your site - a nice design, and no bloat, adware, spyware, malware, hidden pixels etc that the web design services and software usually inject without your knowledge. I am even more extreme though, I use a text editor.

**marcusBMG** · 02-13-2022, 04:16 PM

Originally posted by Lord Lucan

I use a text editor.

Admirable in a way - but its convenient to have click tag insert, doctype, css class, style etc etc. And the different colours for comments, code, text keeps things clear. Mind you many text editors are designed with some code writing in mind and do that eg notepad++.

Check out html-kit.
And thanks for the fb.

02-06-2022, 07:44 PM	#1
stemked Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Indianapolis Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 506	Recommendations for inexpensive, easy to maintain, website Hi all. I have been reading through so much advertising that my head is starting to spin. I would like to get a web site up, but I don't realistically think Ill be making any money on it, so keeping it inexpensive is important. Something I can grow with would be nice, but I really don't want to be spending more than maybe $5/ month (I have a kid going to college). Any recommendations that I should check out?

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02-06-2022, 08:41 PM - 1 Like	#2
740K70 Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2022 Location: Ohio Posts: 67	What is the website going to be used for? Some more details would help with recommendations.

02-07-2022, 06:45 AM	#3
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,816	Originally posted by stemked Hi all. I have been reading through so much advertising that my head is starting to spin. I would like to get a web site up, but I don't realistically think Ill be making any money on it, so keeping it inexpensive is important. Something I can grow with would be nice, but I really don't want to be spending more than maybe $5/ month (I have a kid going to college). Any recommendations that I should check out? I use Wordpress hosted by a company in TX. Cost per year is $75 or so. You pick the theme and maintain it. They provide the hosting. Domain name is an added expense. I separate the two accounts and my domain is about $12 a year I think.

02-07-2022, 10:48 AM	#4
marcusBMG Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: North Wales Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,720	Much depends on the nature of your website and content. To create these web pages I trawled around for a template that I thought suitable, modded it with pics, css and additional javascript, and created it mainly in the free (old) html editor html-kit. This all worked for me because I have sufficient familiarity with html, css etc., and suited the content: a static, custom page. The choices you make in creating pages like this are standard: fixed width or floating; number of columns; navigation. These days the old style of structuring the page in a table is rather passe, using divs is normal. If you are not really familiar with html, css etc then it pays to use a program or web hosting facility that allows you to post without needing to engage with those. The classic example of such a web site is a blog. The features of a blog are pretty standard, the content is text and pics pretty much, the set up then has the facility for you to write and plug in your next post into the framework. There are numerous software packages that allow you to create web content in a WYSIWYG manner. However if you are creating custom pages then sooner or later you inevitably find IME a need to dive into the html and css to make things look /work right. Another pretty standard thing that you can get pretty much off the shelf is a picture gallery type web site. Also commercial oriented/shop-front pages. Perhaps other responses can offer some insight into more up to date software etc. I would just emphasise the point of relating what sort of content you want to put online to what sort of package/support/facilities/software you need. And if you are creating custom content, how much time and effort it can be! addendum: this info page is a nother +1 for wordpress... Last edited by marcusBMG; 02-07-2022 at 11:27 AM.

02-07-2022, 07:13 PM - 1 Like	#5
Kiwizinho Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Blenheim Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,113	As others have said, it really depends what you want to use it for. If you just want a portfolio website, then if you've got an Adobe Photography subscription, then you can have up to 5 portfolio websites included as part of the deal, although most people don't seem to be all that aware of that side of things, and are mostly using the subscription for Photoshop and Lightroom. I certainly wouldn't get an Adobe photography plan subscription for the website functionality, but if you've got a subscription anyway, and don't have a website, it's an inexpensive and easy way to get something up and going without needing to know anything about writing code. Given the Photography plan gives you Lightroom/LR Classic, Photoshop and up to 5 portfolio websites for $9.99 USD per month, it's not a bad deal if it meets your needs. If you want a domain name, that will cost extra, but Adobe does support custom domains with Portfolio sites, and you can get domain names at cost through Cloudflare.

02-10-2022, 02:24 PM	#6
AggieDad Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Houston, TX Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,346	Wordpress, Pixpa, Smugmug, to name three that come immediately to mind. My site (see link in my sig) is with Pixpa, but I am considering a change as it has some limitations as I want to do some additional things. It is reasonable and inexpensive.

02-13-2022, 12:53 PM	#7
DeepSchwartz Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2022 Location: Cotes d'Armor, Bretagne Photos: Albums Posts: 111	Cargo is all the rage at the moment for design / art / fine-art photography. There's an ecommerce plugin if desired, but basics is $99 a year and 6GB of storage. I think the benefit to them is a literal boat load of minimalist templates suited for art and photography. 6GB is a very high number of jpegs. For general photo browsing and storage you still can't beat flickr. YMMV, FWIW, etc.

02-13-2022, 03:31 PM	#8
Lord Lucan Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: South Wales Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,199	Originally posted by marcusBMG To create these web pages I trawled around for a template that I thought suitable, modded it with pics, css and additional javascript, and created it mainly in the free (old) html editor html-kit. This all worked for me because I have sufficient familiarity with html, css etc., and suited the content: a static, custom page. The nice thing about that approach is a clean and fast-loading website. I had a quick look at your site - a nice design, and no bloat, adware, spyware, malware, hidden pixels etc that the web design services and software usually inject without your knowledge. I am even more extreme though, I use a text editor.

02-13-2022, 04:16 PM	#9
marcusBMG Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: North Wales Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,720	Originally posted by Lord Lucan I use a text editor. Admirable in a way - but its convenient to have click tag insert, doctype, css class, style etc etc. And the different colours for comments, code, text keeps things clear. Mind you many text editors are designed with some code writing in mind and do that eg notepad++. Check out html-kit. And thanks for the fb.

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