Want to build a WordPress website without paying for web hosting?

You can.

With LocalWP (Local), you can install WordPress directly on your Windows, Mac, or Linux computer and build a complete website without purchasing a domain name or hosting plan.

This is particularly useful if you are learning WordPress, designing a website, developing a theme or plugin, or simply want to experiment before publishing a website online.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to create a WordPress website locally, step by step.

Important: A local WordPress website runs on your own computer. It is not the same as a live website on the Internet. You don’t need hosting while developing locally, but you’ll need hosting later if you want other people to access the website online.

What Is LocalWP?

Instead of buying hosting and manually installing WordPress on a web server, LocalWP creates a WordPress environment directly on your computer.

LocalWP, usually called Local, is a desktop application designed specifically for WordPress development.

It handles many of the technical components for you, including the web server, PHP, database, and WordPress installation.

Local’s official website describes it as a local WordPress development tool, and it can automatically install WordPress for a new site. It also provides features such as one-click WordPress administration, SSL, WP-CLI, and site import/export. 

The best part for beginners is that LocalWP is free to download and use. 

Download Local from the official website

Why Build WordPress Locally?

There are several good reasons to use a local WordPress installation.

1. You don’t need web hosting

Normally, a WordPress website needs a hosting server.

With LocalWP, your own computer acts as the development environment. This means you can create and modify a WordPress website without paying a monthly hosting bill.

2. You don’t need a domain name

You also don’t need to purchase a domain such as example.com.

LocalWP gives your development website a local address that you can open in your browser.

3. You can experiment safely

Want to try a new theme?

Install it.

Want to test a plugin?

Install it.

Want to change your site’s design?

Go ahead.

If you make a mistake, you can restore or recreate your local website without affecting a live production website.

4. You can work offline

Once your local WordPress environment has been installed, you can do much of your development work without an Internet connection.

This makes LocalWP especially convenient for learning WordPress and developing websites while traveling or away from a reliable connection.

5. You can develop before buying hosting

One of the biggest advantages is that you can build most of your website first and worry about hosting later.

When the website is ready, you can migrate it to a hosting provider.

LocalWP also provides tools for exporting a site, and its documentation explains how a complete local site can be exported and later moved elsewhere. 

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What You Need Before Starting

The requirements are quite simple.

You just need:

• A Windows, macOS, or Linux computer
• Enough free disk space
• An Internet connection for downloading LocalWP and WordPress
• Basic knowledge of using a web browser

LocalWP’s current minimum requirements include 4 GB of RAM and 1.5 GB of disk space. Its documented supported operating systems include macOS Monterey 12 or later and 64-bit Windows 10 or Windows 11; LocalWP also provides a Debian package for Linux distributions such as Ubuntu and Pop!_OS. 

You do not need:

• A web hosting account
• A domain name
• cPanel
• FTP software
• A separate MySQL installation
• A paid WordPress plan

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Step 1: Download LocalWP

First, download LocalWP from the official website.

Download LocalWP for free

Choose the version appropriate for your operating system.

LocalWP is available for Mac, Windows, and Linux. Choose the download version based on the operating system of your computer.Then fill in your first and last name,your organization type and your email.Click the “GET IT NOW” and the download would start automatically.

After downloading the installer, open it and follow the normal installation process for your operating system.

Once installation is complete, launch LocalWP.

Do I need a LocalWP account?

Not necessarily.

If you’re only creating and managing WordPress websites on your own computer, a Local account is optional.

Some Internet-connected features, such as Live Links and cloud backups, require an account, but basic local WordPress development does not.

For this tutorial, you can simply use LocalWP to create your website locally.

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Step 2: Create a New WordPress Website

After opening LocalWP, look for the option to create a new site.

Click Create a New Site or Create a New Site from the LocalWP interface.

LocalWP will guide you through the setup process.

You’ll typically go through three main stages:

1. Choose your site name.
2. Select your environment.
3. Set up your WordPress account.

Let’s look at each one.

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Step 3: Enter Your Site Name

LocalWP will ask you to give your website a name.

For example, let’s call our website:

My Blog

Enter the name you want to use and continue.

LocalWP will use this information to create the local website.

You may also see an option for the site’s local domain.

For example:

myblog.local

You don’t need to purchase this domain.

It is simply a local address that LocalWP configures for your computer.

After entering your site name, continue to the next step.

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Step 4: Choose the Environment

LocalWP will ask you to choose an environment for your WordPress website.

If you’re a beginner, the easiest choice is usually the Preferred environment.

LocalWP can manage components such as PHP, MySQL, and the web server for you, so you don’t have to manually install and configure all of them. LocalWP also supports switching between PHP versions and web servers when you need more advanced development options.

For a normal WordPress blog, you generally don’t need to change the advanced settings.

Choose the recommended environment and continue.

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Step 5: Create Your WordPress Login

Next, LocalWP will ask you for your WordPress administrator information.

Enter:

• WordPress username
• Password
• Email address

For example:

Username: admin
Password: Use a strong password
Email: Your email address

Make sure you remember these credentials because you’ll use them to access the WordPress dashboard.

Then continue creating the site.

LocalWP will now do the technical work of installing WordPress and setting up the local environment.

This is one of the major advantages of Local: you don’t have to manually download WordPress, create a database, configure PHP, or set up a web server.

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Step 6: Wait for WordPress to Finish Installing

LocalWP will create the website.

Depending on your computer, this may take a little while.

When the process is complete, you should see your new website inside the Local application.

You will typically see information such as:

• Site name
• Local domain
• Web server
• PHP version
• Database information
• WordPress administration button
• Website-opening button

At this point, congratulations!

You have created a WordPress website without purchasing hosting.

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Step 7: Open Your WordPress Website

Your Local site needs to be running before you can access it.

If the site is stopped, start it from the Local application.

Once it is running, click Open Site.

Your browser should open your new WordPress website.

You might see the default WordPress theme and a basic WordPress homepage.

The website is now running on your own computer.

You can visit it whenever LocalWP is running the site.

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Step 8: Open the WordPress Dashboard

Now it’s time to log in to WordPress.

In LocalWP, click WP-Admin.

This opens the WordPress administration area.

Normally, you would enter the username and password you created earlier.

LocalWP also provides a One-click Admin feature that can simplify this process. Once enabled, Local can automatically log you into the WordPress dashboard using a selected WordPress administrator account.

Once you’re inside WordPress, you’ll see the familiar dashboard.

From here, you can do almost everything you would normally do on a hosted WordPress website.

For example, you can:

• Install themes
• Install plugins
• Create pages
• Write blog posts
• Upload images
• Create menus
• Customize the website
• Change WordPress settings
• Edit theme files
• Test custom code

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Step 9: Choose a WordPress Theme

The next step is to design your website.

Go to:

Appearance → Themes

You can install and activate a WordPress theme just as you would on a normal WordPress hosting account.

If you’re creating a blog, choose a theme that matches the style of your content.

For example, you might want a theme with:

• A clean homepage
• Easy-to-read typography
• Responsive design
• A navigation menu
• Blog post layouts
• Sidebar or widget support

Because the website is local, you can experiment with different themes without affecting a live website.

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Step 10: Install WordPress Plugins

Plugins add additional functionality to WordPress.

Go to:

Plugins → Add New Plugin

From there, you can search for plugins and install them.

For example, depending on the type of website you’re building, you might need plugins for:

• SEO
• Contact forms
• Caching
• Security
• Image optimization
• Backups
• Analytics
• Ecommerce

However, avoid installing dozens of plugins simply because they look interesting.

A good rule is to install only the plugins your website actually needs.

Since this is a development environment, LocalWP is also a great place to test a plugin before installing it on a production website.

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Step 11: Create Your First Blog Post

If you’re building a blog, you can now create your first article.

Go to:

Posts → Add New Post

Enter your article title and content.

You can add:

• Headings
• Images
• Links
• Lists
• Quotes
• Videos
• Categories
• Tags

Then click Publish.

Open your local website and you’ll be able to see the article just as visitors would see it on a live WordPress website.

The difference is that you’re the only person who can normally access it.

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Step 12: Customize Your Website

Now comes the fun part: customizing the website.

Depending on your theme, you may be able to customize:

• Logo
• Site title
• Colors
• Fonts
• Header
• Footer
• Navigation
• Homepage
• Blog layout
• Widgets
• Page templates

You can also work directly with WordPress theme files if you’re learning WordPress development.

LocalWP is particularly useful for developers because it provides access to the site’s files and development tools, including WP-CLI and a site shell. 

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Step 13: Test Everything Locally

Before publishing your website, take some time to test it.

Check every important part of the site.

For example:

• Does the homepage look correct?
• Do the navigation links work?
• Do blog posts display correctly?
• Do images load?
• Does the contact form work?
• Does the website look good on mobile?
• Do buttons work?
• Are there broken links?
• Does the site load correctly in different browsers?

This is where local development becomes extremely useful.

You can make changes, test them, find problems, and fix them before your website becomes public.

LocalWP also includes pre-launch tools such as a Link Checker and Image Optimizer.

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Can Other People Visit My Local WordPress Website?

Normally, no.

This is an important point for beginners.

Suppose your local website is:

myblog.local

That address exists as part of your local development environment.

Someone on another computer cannot normally type that address into their browser and see your website.

Your website is running on your computer, not on a public web server.

If you want to temporarily show your local website to someone else, LocalWP provides a feature called Live Links that can create a shareable connection to a local site. You can share your local website to people on the internet. Just find the Tools tag and you need to login in your LocalWP account.

For a permanently public website, however, you’ll eventually need to deploy the site to a hosting server.

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Is LocalWP Really Free?

Yes.

Local itself is available as a free WordPress development tool, and its official site states that it is free to download and use. 

But there is an important distinction between building a website locally and hosting a website publicly.

Building locally

You can do this without paying for:

• Hosting
• A domain
• A web server

Publishing online

Eventually, you normally need:

• A domain name
• Web hosting
• A way to migrate your local WordPress site to the hosting server

So LocalWP lets you build the website for free, but it doesn’t magically provide free permanent web hosting.

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How Do I Move My Local Website to a Live Server?

Once your website is finished, you’ll need to migrate it from your computer to a hosting provider.

Local includes an export function that packages your site’s files and database into an export file. Its documentation explains that an export includes the site’s WordPress content and database. 

The general process is:

1. Build the website locally.
2. Test everything.
3. Choose a hosting provider.
4. Purchase a domain and hosting plan.
5. Install or prepare WordPress on the hosting server.
6. Export your local website.
7. Import or migrate the website to the server.
8. Update the domain and test the live website.

LocalWP also has Local Connect, which can help move sites between the local environment and supported hosting services such as WP Engine and Flywheel. 

If you’re using another hosting provider, you can use an appropriate WordPress migration method instead.

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Local WordPress vs. Traditional Web Hosting

Here’s a simple comparison:

Feature	LocalWP	Traditional Hosting
Costs money	No, for Local itself	Usually yes
Public website	No	Yes
Requires domain	No	Usually
Requires hosting server	No	Yes
Runs on your computer	Yes	No
Good for learning WordPress	Excellent	Excellent
Good for development	Excellent	Good
Accessible to everyone	No	Yes
Suitable for final production site	No	Yes

The easiest way to think about it is:

Local = your WordPress development workshop

Hosting = the place where your finished website lives online

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Common Problems and Solutions

Local won’t start

First, make sure your computer meets Local’s requirements.

Local currently recommends at least 4 GB of RAM and 1.5 GB of free disk space.

Also make sure your operating system is supported.

On Windows, for example, Local supports 64-bit Windows 10 and Windows 11.

If you encounter a problem, check Local’s official troubleshooting documentation.

Local Help Documentation

My website won’t open

Check whether your site is running inside Local.

If the site is stopped, start it and then click Open Site again.

WordPress asks me for a username and password

Use the WordPress administrator credentials you created when you initially created the site.

You can also configure Local’s One-click Admin feature to make dashboard access easier. 

I deleted or broke something

Don’t panic.

That’s one of the benefits of local development.

You can create a backup or export your site before making major changes. Local supports site export and import, allowing you to preserve the site’s files and database. 

For important projects, maintaining separate backups is still a good idea.

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Advantages and Disadvantages of LocalWP

Advantages

• Free to use
• No hosting required
• No domain required
• Easy WordPress installation
• Excellent for beginners
• Great for theme development
• Great for plugin testing
• Safe environment for experimentation
• Can work without a live Internet connection
• Easy to create multiple WordPress sites
• Supports advanced development tools

Disadvantages

• Your website isn’t publicly accessible by default
• Your computer must be running to use the local site
• You need to migrate the site before publishing it
• Your local environment can consume computer resources
• It isn’t a replacement for production hosting

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Who Should Use LocalWP?

Local is an excellent choice for several types of WordPress users.

Beginners

If you’re learning WordPress, LocalWP lets you practice without worrying about hosting costs or breaking a real website.

Bloggers

If you want to design your blog before paying for hosting, you can build the entire site locally first.

Web designers

Designers can create WordPress layouts and show clients a working prototype before deploying it.

Developers

Developers can use Local to develop and test themes, plugins, custom PHP, and WordPress functionality.

Agencies and freelancers

LocalWP’s cloning, export, import, and Blueprint features can make it easier to maintain repeatable WordPress development workflows. 

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Final Thoughts

Building a WordPress website doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to buy hosting on day one.

With LocalWP, you can install WordPress directly on your computer and build a complete website without paying for a hosting server.

The basic workflow is simple:

Download Local → Create a WordPress site → Choose your environment → Set up WordPress → Customize your website → Add content → Test everything → Move it to hosting when you’re ready.

For someone learning WordPress, this is one of the easiest ways to get started.

You can experiment freely, learn how WordPress works, build your website at your own pace, and only pay for hosting when you’re ready to make the site publicly accessible.

And because Local supports exporting your site, you don’t have to throw away all the work you’ve done locally when you’re ready to go live.

If your goal is simply to learn WordPress or build a website before purchasing hosting, Local is a very practical place to start.