10 Proven Ways to Earn Money With WordPress in 2025

WordPress is more than just a website builder—it’s a full-blown ecosystem that powers over 43% of all websites on the internet in 2025. From blogs to eCommerce stores, forums to portfolios, it’s the go-to platform for anyone looking to build an online presence. But what many don’t realize is that there are several practical ways to earn money with WordPress—and it doesn’t require a massive investment to get started.

Whether you’re a developer, a content creator, or someone with basic internet skills, WordPress has multiple revenue-generating opportunities. Let’s break down the 10 proven and realistic ways to make money with WordPress this year.

1. Freelance WordPress Development

If you know how to build or customize WordPress themes or plugins, you can start freelancing right away. With the rising demand for customized websites, businesses are always looking for developers who can enhance performance, improve UI/UX, or integrate third-party tools.

Platforms to Get Started:

• Upwork
• Freelancer
• Codeable (specifically for WordPress)
• Toptal

Earnings: Freelance WordPress developers typically charge between $25 and $150/hour depending on experience and complexity. According to Codeable, top WordPress experts earn over $100,000 annually.

Pro Tip: Learn about modern WordPress tools like Full Site Editing (FSE), Gutenberg Blocks, and headless WordPress to stay competitive.

2. Selling WordPress Themes and Templates

If design and development are your strong points, you can create and sell your own WordPress themes. Platforms like ThemeForest, TemplateMonster, or even your own website can be used to list your products.

Why It Works:

• Businesses want ready-to-use templates.
• Themes save time and offer flexibility.

Earnings: Top theme developers on ThemeForest have earned over $1 million. On average, a quality niche theme priced at $49 can generate consistent monthly income if marketed well.

Note: Ensure your themes are SEO-optimized, mobile-responsive, and support the latest WordPress updates.

3. Affiliate Marketing via WordPress Blogs

Affiliate marketing remains a strong method to earn passive income using WordPress. You write content, recommend products, and earn a commission for every sale made through your link.

Popular Affiliate Networks:

• Amazon Associates
• ShareASale
• Impact
• CJ Affiliate
• Bluehost (specific to WordPress hosting)

Earnings: Commissions vary. Hosting affiliates like Bluehost offer up to $65 per referral. Top WordPress affiliate marketers earn between $1,000 to $10,000+ per month.

Strategy:

• Start a niche blog (e.g., fitness gear, tech gadgets).
• Write honest reviews, how-to guides, or comparison posts.
• Focus on SEO to get organic traffic.

4. Offer Website Maintenance Services

Many businesses don’t have the time or skill to manage their websites. Offering monthly maintenance packages is a great way to build recurring income.

Services Can Include:

• Plugin and theme updates
• Backups
• Malware scanning
• Performance optimization

Earnings: Maintenance packages usually start at $50/month and can go up to $500/month depending on the services provided.

Tip: Use tools like ManageWP or MainWP to handle multiple clients efficiently.

5. Create and Sell Online Courses

If you’re an expert in any field—design, photography, coding, business—you can build and sell courses using WordPress and LMS plugins like LearnDash, Tutor LMS, or LifterLMS.

Why It’s Effective:

• The global eLearning market is expected to reach $457 billion by 2026.
• Low startup cost compared to traditional businesses.

Earnings: Depending on your niche and audience, courses can sell from $49 to $299+. Selling 100 courses at $99 each already puts you near the $10,000 mark.

Bonus Tip: Combine course sales with email marketing using tools like Mailchimp or FluentCRM.

6. Dropshipping with WooCommerce

Dropshipping allows you to sell products without handling inventory. WordPress combined with WooCommerce makes it easy to set up a dropshipping store.

Key Tools:

• WooCommerce
• AliDropship
• DSers (AliExpress integration)
• Printful or Printify (for print-on-demand)

Earnings: Profit margins are usually 10–40%. With consistent SEO and ads, you can earn $500–$5,000/month depending on traffic and conversions.

Note: The success lies in niche selection and effective marketing—not in setting up the store alone.

7. Create a Paid Membership Website

Membership sites generate steady revenue by offering exclusive content or community access. Think of fitness plans, digital libraries, or private groups.

Recommended Plugins:

• MemberPress
• Restrict Content Pro
• Paid Memberships Pro

Earnings: Memberships typically range from $5 to $50/month. With just 200 members paying $15/month, you can bring in $3,000/month in recurring revenue.

Success Factors:

• Deliver consistent value.
• Engage your community with regular updates, Q&As, or exclusive content.

8. Monetize with Display Ads (e.g., Google AdSense)

Running a content-heavy WordPress blog? Monetizing with ads can bring passive income, especially if you have good traffic.

Ad Networks:

• Google AdSense
• Ezoic
• Mediavine (for high-traffic blogs)

Earnings: Revenue depends on traffic, niche, and geography. Blogs in finance or tech get higher CPC (cost per click). With 50,000 monthly visitors, you can earn $500–$2,000/month through ads.

Pro Tip: Use SEO and long-tail keywords to bring in consistent, high-quality traffic.

9. Flip WordPress Websites

Website flipping means buying, improving, and selling WordPress sites for a profit. It’s like flipping houses—but digital.

Where to Buy/Sell:

• Flippa
• Empire Flippers
• Motion Invest

Earnings: Sites usually sell for 24x–36x their monthly profit. If you grow a blog to earn $500/month, it can sell for $12,000–$18,000.

What Buyers Look For:

• Traffic consistency
• Profitability
• Niche potential

10. Provide WordPress Consulting or Coaching

Many small businesses need help choosing the right plugins, optimizing SEO, or improving user experience. If you’ve been using WordPress for years, offer consultation services.

Ways to Offer:

• 1:1 Zoom sessions
• Recorded strategy audits
• Group workshops

Earnings: WordPress consultants charge $50–$200/hour. With 10 clients/month at $100 each, that’s $1,000 right there.

Tip: Build authority with LinkedIn posts, YouTube tutorials, or by contributing to WordPress forums.

FAQs About How to Earn Money With WordPress

1. Is it really possible to earn money with WordPress in 2025?

Yes, absolutely. WordPress continues to dominate the website-building market, and the ecosystem supports multiple income models—from development and design to content and product sales.

2. Do I need to know coding to earn money with WordPress?

Not necessarily. While coding skills help, many methods (like affiliate marketing, blogging, dropshipping) don’t require any coding. Tools like Elementor, WooCommerce, and LMS plugins make setup easier than ever.

3. How much can a beginner earn using WordPress?

It depends on the approach and effort. Beginners in affiliate marketing or freelancing can start earning a few hundred dollars a month, with potential to scale much higher over time.

4. Which WordPress monetization method is the fastest?

Freelancing or offering WordPress services (like maintenance or consulting) can generate income faster than blogs or eCommerce, which take time to grow traffic and customers.

5. Is WordPress still relevant in 2025?

Yes. With constant updates, community contributions, and flexibility, WordPress remains the most widely used CMS. It’s highly relevant for bloggers, developers, and businesses alike.

Final Thoughts

WordPress is not just a CMS—it’s a money-making machine if used the right way. Whether you’re a coder, writer, designer, or entrepreneur, there’s a strategy that fits your skills and goals. Most methods don’t require a large upfront investment, but they do require consistency and real value delivery.

If you’re serious about building online income in 2025, there’s no better time to leverage the power of WordPress. Pick one or two methods, test, learn, and scale from there.