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title: Headless WordPress Hosting: Pros, Cons, and Real Costs
description: Headless WordPress hosting splits the WordPress backend (PHP, database, REST/WPGraphQL API) from a separately deployed frontend built with React, Next.js, or...
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# Headless WordPress Hosting: Pros, Cons, and Real Costs

**[ACF](https://daily.dev/sources/acf)** · 13 min read · 5 upvotes · 0 comments

## Summary

Headless WordPress hosting splits the WordPress backend (PHP, database, REST/WPGraphQL API) from a separately deployed frontend built with React, Next.js, or similar. Hosting can be integrated under one vendor (WP Engine, Pantheon) or split across a managed WordPress host (Kinsta, Cloudways, Pagely) and a frontend platform (Vercel, Netlify, Cloudflare). Key evaluation criteria include PHP concurrency, object caching, CORS handling, frontend runtime support, ISR/webhook revalidation, and Git-based deployments. Split setups run roughly $31–$500+/month while integrated platforms start around $610+ or require custom quotes; implementation costs ($25,000–$100,000 for headless vs. $5,000–$25,000 for traditional WordPress) typically dwarf hosting fees. ACF is positioned as the structured content layer that exposes predictable fields to the frontend.

## Full article

daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: <https://www.advancedcustomfields.com/blog/headless-wordpress-hosting>

## Questions this post answers

### What does it cost to run headless WordPress with a split hosting setup versus an integrated platform?

Split hosting setups, such as Cloudways or Kinsta paired with Vercel Pro or Netlify Pro, typically run $31 to $500+ per month, while integrated platforms like WP Engine Headless Platform or Pantheon are quote-based or start around $610 per month. Implementation itself often costs $25,000-$100,000 for a mid-sized headless build, compared to $5,000-$25,000 for a traditional WordPress site.

_Comparing hosting models before committing budget is easier with cost breakdowns tracked on daily.dev._

### Can you host headless WordPress for free?

Not entirely. The WordPress backend always needs paid, always-on hosting for the database, media, and API, starting around $11/month on the cheapest managed plans, while the frontend can run free on some platforms. Cloudflare Pages offers a free tier with unlimited bandwidth that permits commercial use, whereas Vercel's free Hobby plan is restricted to personal, non-commercial projects.

_Weighing free-tier frontend options against paid backend needs is easier when tracking hosting details on daily.dev._

### What happens to WordPress plugins when a site goes headless?

Plugins that generate front-end output, such as forms, related posts, on-site search, and SEO metadata rendering, stop working because WordPress no longer renders the public site. Plugins that operate at the data layer keep functioning since they expose data through the REST API or WPGraphQL, meaning those features must be rebuilt on the frontend instead.

_Planning a headless migration means knowing which plugins survive, a decision developers refine on daily.dev._

## Similar posts on daily.dev

- [What Is Headless WordPress and Is It Worth It?](https://daily.dev/posts/what-is-headless-wordpress-and-is-it-worth-it--ym310nadd) · ACF · 3 upvotes · 0 comments
- [WordPress Hidden Costs vs Laravel CMS in 2026: The Math Businesses Keep Avoiding](https://daily.dev/posts/wordpress-hidden-costs-vs-laravel-cms-in-2026-the-math-businesses-keep-avoiding-zur9vt92a) · Medium · 0 upvotes · 0 comments
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---

Tags: [#wordpress](https://daily.dev/tags/wordpress), [#nextjs](https://daily.dev/tags/nextjs), [#cms](https://daily.dev/tags/cms)

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