This page is a practical list of website tools and resources I use, have used, or think are worth considering if you are building a website with real substance behind it.
That might be a website for a healing practice, wellness work, health education, personal experience, thoughtful articles, affiliate recommendations, or a collection of helpful resources. I am most interested in websites that share useful information, lived experience, services, research, recommendations, or practical support.
I’ve been building and maintaining websites for over 15 years, so I’ve tried a few different setups over time. Some worked well for years. Some became too expensive. Some were fine technically, but eventually stopped making sense for the kind of websites I was running.
This page includes tools for web hosting, domains, WordPress, stock photos, design, SEO, free website builders, and other basics that can help you create and maintain a website.
I still like having a website because it gives your work a home base online. Social media can be useful, but a website gives you somewhere more permanent to organize your services, articles, recommendations, resources, links, and ideas.
For healers, wellness practitioners, health writers, educators, and people creating helpful online guides, a website can also make your work easier to find and easier to share. It gives people one place to learn more about what you do, read your content, and find the resources you recommend.
Where available, I’ve included free trials, discount codes, special offers, or referral bonuses that may help you save money when trying a tool or service. Some links on this page may be affiliate or referral links. This means I may receive a commission, bonus, or credit if you sign up or purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.
I only include tools I personally use, have used, or genuinely feel are worth mentioning.
My Simple First Website Setup
If I were starting a simple website today, I would not begin with a huge stack of complicated tools.
For most people, I would start with the basics:
- a domain name
- website hosting
- WordPress or another website platform
- a clean, mobile-friendly theme
- a few good images
- basic security
- basic backups
- a contact page
- a privacy policy and affiliate disclosure if needed
- Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools
You can always add more later. The important thing is to get a useful website online and make it easy to update. It does not have to be perfect before you start.
Website Hosting and Domains
HostPapa
HostPapa is the hosting company I currently use for my own websites.
Over the years, I’ve hosted websites with several different companies, including HostMonster, which is now BlueHost, and A2 Hosting, which has now become Hosting.com. My hosting choices have changed over time, mostly because of renewal pricing.
One thing I’ve learned is to pay attention to the renewal price, not just the introductory price. A hosting plan can look very affordable at first, but after the first year or first three years, the price can jump quite a bit.
I eventually moved away from HostMonster because the renewal pricing no longer felt like the best fit for the number of websites I was hosting at the time.
I stayed with A2 Hosting for a long time because they offered me a recurring discount, which made the ongoing cost more reasonable. I also found the speed quite good with A2 Hosting. Eventually, that discount policy changed and the renewal prices increased dramatically.
That is one of the reasons I chose HostPapa.
For someone with one website, or even a small handful of websites, I like that HostPapa’s renewal pricing does not seem to jump as dramatically after the introductory period. The first three years are usually the cheapest with most hosting companies, but after that, HostPapa still felt like a more reasonable option for the type of websites I run.
I’ve also found the speed quite good with HostPapa so far.
You can always move your website to a different hosting company every few years if the cost savings are worth it. Some people do this to take advantage of introductory rates. Moving a website sounds intimidating, but in many cases it is not that difficult, and the new hosting company will often handle the migration for you for free or include migration help as part of the sign-up process.
That said, moving websites still takes some attention. You need to make sure the files, database, email settings, domain/DNS, SSL, and redirects are handled properly. For that reason, I prefer hosting that stays reasonably priced after the initial deal ends, so I don’t feel forced to move my sites every few years just because the renewal price jumped too much.
Why I chose HostPapa:
- I wanted hosting that stayed affordable after the introductory period.
- I did not want a huge renewal price jump for a small number of websites.
- I wanted a practical host for WordPress sites, blogs, resource pages, and small business websites.
- I wanted good speed without paying dramatically higher renewal rates.
- I wanted something simple enough to keep using without constantly needing to move my sites.
Best for: WordPress sites, blogs, personal websites, resource pages, small business websites, and people who want a practical hosting option without dealing with complicated server setup.
Things to consider: always check the current introductory price, renewal price, term length, included features, migration support, and cancellation policy before signing up. Hosting prices and promotions can change.
Discount or special offer:
Hosting and Domains
HostPapa (fastest with the cheapest prices on website hosting and wordpress hosting). Visit to check their current hosting plans and special offers.
WordPress
WordPress is the platform I usually think of first when I want a flexible website.
It can be used for a blog, a healing or wellness website, a small business site, a resource hub, an affiliate website, or a larger content site. Once you have hosting, WordPress can usually be installed in a few clicks.
The main advantage of WordPress is flexibility. You can choose your own hosting, install themes, add plugins, and build the site over time. You are not locked into one simple website builder.
The downside is that WordPress does require some maintenance. You need to keep plugins updated, think about backups, and avoid installing too many unnecessary extras.
For me, that maintenance is usually worth it because I like having control over the site. I can add articles, build resource pages, use affiliate links, organize content, and adjust the site as it grows.
Best for: people who want ownership, flexibility, and room to grow.
Not ideal for: people who want the absolute simplest drag-and-drop setup and never want to think about updates, hosting, plugins, or maintenance.
WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org
One thing that can be confusing is that there are two different versions of WordPress.
WordPress.com is a hosted website platform. You can start a site for free or choose a paid plan, and the hosting is handled for you. It can be easier for beginners, but there are more limits on customization, plugins, monetization, and control depending on the plan.
WordPress.org is the free WordPress software that you install on your own web hosting account, such as HostPapa or another hosting company. This is often called self-hosted WordPress. It gives you more control over themes, plugins, affiliate links, SEO tools, ads, and how the site grows over time.
For a simple hobby blog, WordPress.com may be enough. For a website you want to grow, customize, monetize, or fully control, I prefer self-hosted WordPress through WordPress.org.
Free Drag-and-Drop Website Builders
Not everyone needs paid hosting right away.
If you only want a simple hobby blog, personal website, family site, club page, or project page, a free drag-and-drop website builder may be enough.
I had a friend who did not enjoy dealing with hosting and WordPress because she simply wanted an easy hobby blog for friends. For that kind of website, something like Wix, Weebly, or WordPress.com can make more sense.
Free website builders are usually easier to start with because the hosting, templates, and basic editing tools are included. You do not have to install WordPress, manage plugins, or think much about technical setup.
The tradeoff is that free plans usually come with limitations. You may have to use a branded subdomain, have fewer design options, show platform branding, or upgrade later if you want a custom domain, more features, ecommerce, or better business tools.
Good free options to consider:
- Wix — good for visual drag-and-drop design and beginner-friendly websites.
- Weebly — good for simple websites and basic personal projects.
- WordPress.com — good for free blog-style sites if you do not want to arrange separate hosting.
For a hobby site, free can be perfectly fine.
For a website that you want to grow, monetize, use for affiliate content, or fully control, I still prefer having your own hosting and domain. It gives you more flexibility over the long term.
WordPress Themes
A theme controls the design and layout of your WordPress site.
For a healer picking the theme may be the most fun part of creating your website. There are thousands of free wordpress themes that will instantly make your website look professional. For a first website, I would choose a clean, mobile-friendly theme rather than something overly fancy. A simple site that loads well and is easy to read is usually better than a complicated design with too many moving parts.
For your theme you can start simple and then add photos and plugins for fancier features if you desire. But for basics start with something:
- easy to read
- mobile-friendly
- simple to customize
- compatible with common plugins
- not overloaded with unnecessary features
Once you have your hosting set up and have installed wordpress (most hosts have 1-click installation) you can browse the wordpress.org theme directory
Suggested Themes for Wellness Blogs, Healer or Practitioner Websites:
Discount or special offer:
[Add coupon, affiliate link, or offer here if available]
WordPress Plugins
Plugins add extra features to a WordPress site. They can be useful, but too many plugins can slow a site down or create maintenance issues.
Useful plugin categories include:
SEO
backups
security
contact forms
image optimization
affiliate link management
caching and speed
For a beginner website, I would start with only the plugins you actually need. It is easy to overdo it.
Plugins I use or recommend:
[Add plugin names here]
Discounts or special offers:
[Add coupon codes, affiliate links, or offers here if available]
Free Stock Photos
Pixabay
Pixabay.com is one of the free stock photo sites I’ve used for website images.
Free stock photo sites can be helpful when you need images for blog posts, resource pages, or social media graphics. The main caution is that popular stock photos can appear on many websites, so I try to choose images carefully and avoid anything that feels too generic.
Other stock photo sites to consider:
Unsplash
Pexels
Canva image library
paid stock photo sites, if you need more specific images
Best for: simple blog images, placeholder images, resource pages, and social media graphics.
Things to consider: always check the current license terms before using images, especially for commercial projects.
