Not very much. A medium website of 5 to 7 pages usually takes less than 500 MB of space. Large photos and video are what make a site grow, so you control most of it.
Typical space by website type
The platform you pick changes the size. Here is what a medium 5 to 7 page site on a WordPress hosting account usually needs.
An HTML template takes about 5 to 50 MB. That is barely any space. WordPress, which most people use, takes about 150 to 350 MB. Joomla and Drupal take about 100 to 450 MB.
What a brochure site needs
A brochure site is a few pages that tell people who you are and how to reach you. It works like a paper brochure you open on a screen. In most cases a 5 to 7 page brochure site takes less than 500 MB.
Audio and video files raise that number. Large images raise it much more, so shrink your photos before you upload them.
Why photos use the most space
A photo straight from your phone can be several megabytes. Ten of them can be larger than the rest of your site.
Resize each photo to the size it will show on the page. Then save it as a compressed JPG file. The picture still looks sharp, and the file is much smaller.
Three habits that keep a site small
These steps take only a few minutes and save space for good.
Compress your photos
Save pictures as compressed JPG files at the size you need before you upload them.
Delete unused themes and plugins
In WordPress, go to Appearance > Themes and Plugins > Installed Plugins. Remove any you do not use, because each one takes space.
Put long videos on YouTube
Embed the video on your page instead of uploading the video file to your hosting account.
Email shares your space
Your website files and your email share the same hosting space. Space your site does not use stays free for email.
If you keep years of email with big attachments, that adds up. Delete old messages or save the files to your own computer.
Pick a plan with room to grow
Choose a web hosting plan with room to grow. Your site will probably gain pages and photos over time. CMS hosting costs $149 a year and non-CMS hosting costs $129 a year.
Both include free SSL, daily backups and 99.999% uptime. If you are not sure how much space you need, tell us about your site and we will give you a straight answer.
Questions about space? Contact us or call Websnoogie in Omaha at 402-813-4034 any day from 7 am to 10 pm. We are happy to help with your hosting or web design needs.
Common questions
How much disk space does a WordPress site need?
A medium WordPress site usually needs about 150 to 350 MB. A 5 to 7 page site almost always stays under 500 MB.
Do email and website files share the same space?
Yes. Your website files and email use the same hosting space. Space your site does not use stays free for email.
What uses the most space on a website?
Large images and video use the most space. Compress your photos and embed long videos from YouTube to keep your site small.
AboutRod and Tami Atwood
Rod and Tami Atwood and other Websnoogie contributors write the Websnoogie blog. Rod has built websites since 2004 and founded Websnoogie, LLC in Omaha in 2012. Tami is co-owner, content editor and billing expert. Call us at 402-813-4034 or write to staff@websnoogie.com.
