Starting a content site from scratch takes 12–24 months to reach meaningful organic traffic. Buying an established site with verified revenue, existing backlinks, and proven monetization cuts that timeline to Day 1. You're paying for time, proof, and lower risk — not just a website.
This guide covers every stage of the acquisition journey: where to find deals, how to value them, what due diligence to run, the real risks involved, and what to do after you close — backed by actual market data, real investor case studies, and a free interactive ROI calculator.
Top Marketplaces for Buying Monetized Websites
Where serious investors go to find vetted, revenue-generating digital assets
Empire Flippers is the gold standard. Every listing undergoes rigorous vetting — they reject ~90% of submissions. P&L is independently verified, traffic is confirmed, and monetization is validated. Best for buyers with $30K+ budgets who want quality and transparency.
- Strict vetting — very few bad actors
- Transparent P&L data upfront
- Migration team assists post-close
- Established track record since 2012
- High minimum listing (~$30K)
- 4–8% buyer fee on top of listing price
- Competitive — good deals sell fast
The eBay of website marketplaces — largest selection but buyer beware. Due diligence is entirely on you. Best for experienced buyers who know how to spot legitimate listings. Beginners should proceed with extreme caution.
- Huge selection at all price points
- Lowest entry — sites under $1K available
- Built-in Due Diligence Score feature
- Many inflated/fake listings
- Minimal vetting by default
- Requires extensive buyer DD
Co-founded by Spencer Haws (NichePursuits.com) and Jon Gillham. Specializes in smaller content sites under $100K. All listings are pre-vetted. Ideal for first-time buyers or those wanting to acquire several smaller sites to diversify risk.
- Strong vetting for small sites
- Accessible price points ($1K–$100K)
- Founder credibility in niche space
- Smaller inventory than Empire Flippers
- Less suitable for $100K+ buyers
M&A advisory firm for serious buyers with $100K+ budgets. Specializes in SaaS, e-commerce, and premium content businesses. Full due diligence packages included. Best for investors treating website acquisition as a core business strategy.
Visit FE International →Membership-based marketplace with off-market deals not available elsewhere. Known for curated quality. Membership application required. Off-market deals mean less competition and potentially better pricing for buyers.
Apply to Investors Club →Formerly MicroAcquire. Focused on early-stage tech startups and SaaS products. Good for tech-savvy buyers looking to acquire micro-SaaS tools or early content sites at lower multiples.
Browse Acquire.com →📊 Marketplace Quick Comparison
| Platform | Min. Price | Best For | Vetting Level | Buyer Fee | Recommended For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empire Flippers | ~$30,000 | Content, Amazon, SaaS | Very High | 4–8% | Serious investors |
| Motion Invest | ~$1,000 | Small content sites | High | ~5% | Beginners, small budgets |
| FE International | ~$100,000 | SaaS, premium content | Very High | Negotiated | Large-budget investors |
| Flippa | ~$500 | All types | Low | 5–10% | Experienced buyers only |
| Investors Club | ~$10,000 | Content, display ads | Medium-High | 5% | Mid-range investors |
| Acquire.com | ~$10,000 | SaaS, startups | Medium | 4% | Tech-savvy buyers |
What to Look for in a Pre-Monetized Website
The quality signals that separate great investments from expensive mistakes
Revenue Consistency & Trends
Look for 12+ months of consistent or growing revenue. A site showing revenue declining over the past 3–6 months should be deeply discounted or avoided. Ideally, you want a flat or upward trend with no single month constituting more than 25% of annual revenue.
Organic Traffic Quality
Verify traffic through Google Analytics AND Google Search Console. Look for organic search dominance (50%+), stable keyword rankings, and low reliance on a single traffic source. Check for sudden spikes that may indicate purchased traffic.
Backlink Profile
Use Ahrefs or Semrush to audit the backlink profile. Look for editorial links from relevant, authoritative sites. Avoid sites with PBN (Private Blog Network) links, link schemes, or a sudden influx of links just before sale.
Monetization Diversity
Sites monetized through multiple channels are significantly less risky. A site with 70%+ revenue from a single source creates concentration risk. The ideal portfolio has ads + affiliates + potentially email/digital products.
Content Quality & Freshness
Google's Helpful Content System rewards original, authoritative content. Check average word count, publication dates, author expertise (E-E-A-T signals), and whether content answers actual user questions.
Technical Health
Check Core Web Vitals (LCP, CLS, FID), mobile responsiveness, HTTPS security, hosting uptime history, and the age/reputation of the domain. Older domains (3+ years) with clean histories are preferable.
💰 Revenue Stream Comparison
Display Ads (AdSense / Mediavine / AdThrive)
Passive, automatic revenue. RPM ranges from $5–$50+ depending on niche and traffic geography. Finance/legal niches command highest RPMs. No active selling needed.
Affiliate Marketing (Amazon / ShareASale / Direct)
Higher earning potential per visitor than ads. Amazon Associates pays 1–10% commissions. Direct affiliate programs often 20–50%. Content needs regular updates as products change.
SaaS / Digital Products
Recurring subscription revenue. Highest multiples (40–60x monthly SDE). Requires more active management. Best ROI long-term but highest complexity.
Lead Generation / Sponsorships
High-value niches (legal, insurance, financial) can generate $50–$200+ per lead. Also includes direct sponsorships from brands in your niche.
Pricing & Valuation: What Websites Actually Cost
Understanding multiples, SDE, EBITDA, and what drives premium valuations
The multiple is determined by risk factors: traffic stability, monetization diversity, owner involvement, content quality, and niche volatility.
Market Tiers by Investment Size
- Typically younger sites (1–2 years old)
- Higher risk, less proven history
- Good for learning the ropes
- Usually on Flippa or Motion Invest
- May require active work to maintain
- 2–5 year old, established sites
- Verified revenue history (12+ months)
- Available on Empire Flippers, Motion Invest
- Manageable risk/reward balance
- Often requires 5–10 hrs/month
- Established brands with authority
- Multiple traffic and revenue sources
- Empire Flippers, FE International
- Lower growth risk, more stability
- Often includes team/contractors
- Full business acquisitions
- May include staff and infrastructure
- FE International, private brokers
- SBA loans or seller financing common
- Due diligence takes weeks–months
📊 Valuation Methods Explained
| Method | Used For | Formula | Typical Multiple |
|---|---|---|---|
| SDE | Content sites, small businesses | Net Profit + Owner Salary + Perks | 25x–40x monthly SDE |
| EBITDA | Larger businesses ($500K+ revenue) | Earnings Before Interest, Tax, DA | 3x–6x annual EBITDA |
| Revenue Multiple | SaaS, early-stage sites | Annual Revenue × Factor | 1x–4x annual revenue |
| Traffic-Based | Pre-revenue sites | Monthly Sessions × $/session | $0.10–$3.00/monthly visitor |
🔼 Factors That Increase Multiples
- Long, stable revenue history (3+ years)
- Diversified traffic sources
- Multiple monetization methods
- Growing revenue trend
- Low owner time investment (<5 hrs/week)
- Strong brand and email list
- Recurring revenue (subscriptions)
- High Domain Authority (DA 40+)
🔽 Factors That Decrease Multiples
- Single traffic source (e.g., 95% Google)
- Declining revenue or traffic trend
- Niche highly susceptible to algorithm hits
- Young domain (<2 years old)
- High owner time requirement (20+ hrs/week)
- Reliance on a single affiliate program
- No email list or social following
- Seasonal revenue spikes
Website Investment ROI Calculator
Instantly calculate your expected return, payback period, and 5-year projection
📊 Your Investment Analysis
Year-by-Year Projection
| Year | Monthly Revenue | Annual Revenue | Net (After Costs) | Cumulative Return | ROI vs. Purchase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $1,000/mo | $12,000 | $11,400 | $11,400 | 31.0% |
| Year 2 | $1,000/mo | $12,000 | $11,400 | $22,800 | 62.0% |
| Year 3 | $1,000/mo | $12,000 | $11,400 | $34,200 | 93.1% |
| Year 4 | $1,000/mo | $12,000 | $11,400 | $45,600 | 124.1% |
| Year 5 | $1,000/mo | $12,000 | $11,400 | $57,000 | 155.1% |
Due Diligence Checklist
The non-negotiable verification steps before you wire any money
No matter how good a deal looks, always complete full due diligence. Many experienced investors have lost five-figure sums by trusting screenshots alone. Always demand live access to analytics and monetization platforms — not just screenshots.
Risks & Red Flags to Watch Out For
Know what to avoid before it costs you five figures
Google Algorithm Updates
Google's Helpful Content Updates (2022–2024), Core Updates, and Spam Updates have devastated thousands of content sites. A site can lose 50–90% of organic traffic overnight. Always check whether a site has weathered multiple major updates.
Inflated / Fake Revenue
Sophisticated sellers can manipulate screenshots, temporarily inflate traffic with paid sources, or cherry-pick high-revenue months. Always demand live access — if a seller refuses read-only access, walk away immediately.
Amazon Associates Commission Cuts
In April 2020, Amazon slashed commission rates by up to 75% across multiple product categories. Sites that were 80%+ dependent on Amazon affiliate revenue saw their income collapse overnight.
Single Traffic Source Dependency
A site relying 90%+ on Google organic traffic is fully exposed to algorithm changes. Similarly, sites dependent on Pinterest, Facebook, or Reddit traffic can see overnight drops when platform algorithms shift.
Hidden Owner Time Requirements
Sellers may understate the time required to run the site. A claimed "2 hours/week" may actually require 15–20 hours to maintain rankings, manage contractors, update content, and handle technical issues.
Niche Saturation & AI Content Flood
Post-2023, AI-generated content has flooded many content niches. Google's helpful content updates specifically target thin/AI content. Niches like "best [product] reviews" are increasingly competitive.
🚨 Absolute Deal-Breakers: Walk Away If You See These
Post-Purchase Playbook
What to do in the first 90 days to protect and grow your new asset
🔒 Migration & Security
Transfer domain to your registrar, migrate hosting to a platform you control, change all passwords, set up two-factor authentication on all monetization accounts. Create a full backup of the site immediately.
📊 Baseline Monitoring
Set up Google Analytics 4, Google Search Console, and uptime monitoring (UptimeRobot). Establish your revenue baseline. Don't make major changes yet — observe and understand the site as-is before optimizing.
⚡ Quick Wins
Optimize ad placements for maximum RPM. Update top-performing affiliate content with current product links and prices. Fix any technical issues. Add an email capture form to begin building a subscriber list.
🚀 Growth Phase
Begin strategic content additions targeting high-value keywords. Build internal linking structure. Explore additional monetization channels. Consider upgrading ad networks (Mediavine requires 50K sessions/mo; AdThrive requires 100K page views/mo).
💵 Optimize & Scale
Review revenue per article. Double down on content types that convert best. Consider a link building campaign for highest-traffic pages. At 6 months post-purchase, you now have your own verified baseline to assess site health and plan next steps.
| Ad Network | Traffic Requirement | Typical RPM | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google AdSense | No minimum | $5–$15 | New sites, any traffic level |
| Media.net | No minimum | $8–$20 | Sites with US/UK traffic |
| Mediavine | 50,000 sessions/mo | $25–$50 | Content sites, lifestyle niches |
| AdThrive / Raptive | 100,000 pageviews/mo | $30–$60+ | Premium content, US audience |
| Ezoic | 10,000 visits/mo | $15–$35 | Mid-tier sites seeking upgrade from AdSense |
Website Valuation Calculator
Find out what a website is worth — or what you should list yours for — in seconds
💵 Estimated Valuation
At an estimated value of $52,500, consider listing on Empire Flippers or Motion Invest. Always get 2–3 broker valuations before committing to a listing price.
Interactive Due Diligence Scorecard
Check off completed DD steps to calculate your real-time Deal Safety Score before you wire a dollar
Work through each category and check every item you've verified. The Deal Safety Score updates live. Do not proceed with a purchase below 65% — incomplete due diligence is the #1 cause of bad website acquisitions.
Break-Even Timeline Visualizer
See exactly when your cumulative earnings cross your purchase price — and visualize 5-year returns
📊 Cumulative Earnings vs. Purchase Price
Real-World Case Studies
Documented outcomes from public investors in the website acquisition space
The following case studies are based on publicly documented transactions and investor accounts shared in interviews, podcasts, and public blog posts. They represent real outcomes — both successes and failures — to give you a realistic picture of what to expect.
The $40K Content Site That Returned $120K
A private investor acquired a pet care content site through Empire Flippers earning $1,200/month primarily from Amazon Associates and AdSense. Over 18 months, the buyer added 40 new articles targeting long-tail keywords, upgraded to Mediavine (from AdSense), and added a direct affiliate relationship with a premium pet food brand.
Revenue grew to $2,800/month. The site was relisted and sold for $84,000. Total cash collected during ownership: ~$36,000. Total return on $40,000 investment: $120,000 (200% ROI in 18 months).
Mushfiq Sarker: 200+ Website Flips
Mushfiq Sarker, founder of TheWebsiteFlip.com, has publicly documented acquiring and selling over 200 content websites. His documented case studies show consistent patterns: buy sites at 30–35x monthly profit, apply a standardized growth framework (content audit, technical fixes, link building, ad optimization), then exit at 35–42x.
One publicly documented flip: acquired a health/wellness site for $68,000, applied his growth framework over 8 months, and sold for $175,000 — collecting $28,000 in revenue during holding, for a total profit of $135,000.
The $85K Site That Lost 70% of Traffic Overnight
A buyer acquired a fitness content site on Flippa for $85,000 after seeing consistent revenue over 8 months. The site was 100% dependent on Google organic traffic. Six weeks after closing, Google's August 2022 Helpful Content Update hit. The site lost 70% of its organic traffic within 30 days.
Revenue dropped from $2,500/month to under $400/month. The buyer could only attract offers of $8,000–$12,000 — an effective loss of $73,000+.
Portfolio Strategy: 6 Small Sites vs. 1 Large Site
Rather than investing $60,000 into a single site, this investor bought 6 content sites for approximately $10,000 each through Motion Invest in niches including home improvement, personal finance, and gardening.
Result after 12 months: 2 sites grew significantly (+40% revenue), 3 remained stable, and 1 was hit by a Google update. The portfolio net was still positive: $1,800/month average vs. $1,200/month at purchase. The diversification prevented a single algorithm update from being catastrophic.
Ad Revenue Projections: What Can You Really Earn?
Real-world benchmarks for display ad income at different traffic levels
If you buy a content site and make zero updates, traffic slowly declines as content ages (typically 5–15% per year). Revenue can remain stable for 2–3 years if the site covers strong evergreen topics. After year 3, expect 20–40% revenue decline without fresh content. The projections below factor this in.
📊 Display Ad RPM by Niche (2024 Data)
| Niche | Typical RPM | Peak RPM (Q4) | AdSense CPC | Best Ad Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Finance | $25–$40 | $45–$70 | Up to $100 | AdThrive/Mediavine | Highest value niche; requires E-E-A-T |
| Insurance | $30–$50 | $60–$90 | Up to $79 | Media.net, AdSense | Very high CPC; competitive traffic |
| Legal | $35–$60 | $70–$100 | Up to $290 | AdSense, direct deals | Highest CPC of any niche |
| Health & Wellness | $15–$30 | $25–$45 | $5–$30 | Mediavine | High risk for HCU; needs E-E-A-T |
| Website Investing / MMO | $15–$35 | $30–$55 | $6–$22 | AdSense, Media.net | This guide's niche |
| Technology | $10–$25 | $20–$40 | $10–$50 | AdSense, Ezoic | Strong affiliate upside (hosting, tools) |
| Home & Garden | $10–$20 | $18–$35 | $3–$15 | Mediavine | Good Amazon affiliate combo |
| Food & Recipe | $12–$22 | $20–$40 | $1–$8 | Mediavine, AdThrive | High pageviews per session |
| Travel | $15–$30 | $25–$50 | $5–$25 | Mediavine, TravelAds | Seasonal; strong affiliate (hotels, flights) |
| Web Hosting / SaaS | $20–$40 | $35–$70 | Up to $1,000 | Direct deals + AdSense | Affiliate value far exceeds ad value |
📈 Traffic Volume to Monthly Ad Revenue
| Monthly Sessions | AdSense ($8 RPM) | Mediavine ($30 RPM) | AdThrive ($45 RPM) | Premium ($60 RPM) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10,000 | $80/mo | $300/mo | N/A (too low) | N/A |
| 25,000 | $200/mo | $750/mo | N/A (too low) | N/A |
| 50,000 | $400/mo | $1,500/mo | $2,250/mo | N/A |
| 100,000 | $800/mo | $3,000/mo | $4,500/mo | $6,000/mo |
| 250,000 | $2,000/mo | $7,500/mo | $11,250/mo | $15,000/mo |
| 500,000 | $4,000/mo | $15,000/mo | $22,500/mo | $30,000/mo |
| 1,000,000 | $8,000/mo | $30,000/mo | $45,000/mo | $60,000/mo |
📅 "Zero Updates" 5-Year Revenue Scenarios
Scenario: You buy a site earning $1,000/month. You make no content updates. What happens to revenue over 5 years?
If you buy a $35,000 site and do nothing: expect to collect $37,000–$56,000 over 5 years in the most likely scenarios. That's a 6–60% total return over 5 years — modest but competitive with low-risk index fund returns. The real upside comes from even minimal optimization. Adding just 10 articles per year and upgrading your ad network can easily double or triple these projections.
Domain Strategy: How to Choose the Right Name for Any Niche
Universal principles for selecting a domain that ranks, converts, and builds long-term authority
Your domain is your brand's first impression, your SEO foundation, and your long-term digital identity. A well-chosen domain builds trust instantly, aids recall, and signals relevance to both search engines and visitors. Whether you're launching a content site, an e-commerce store, or a SaaS tool — these principles apply universally.
🎯 The 5 Core Principles of a Strong Domain Name
1. Memorability
A great domain is easy to say aloud, easy to spell after hearing it once, and sticks in memory. Aim for 2–3 syllable words or short compound words. If someone has to ask "how do you spell that?" — it's too complex.
2. Keyword Relevance
Including a primary keyword in your domain can provide a modest SEO signal and — more importantly — instantly communicates your site's purpose to visitors and search engines alike. Match the keyword to your core value proposition, not just search volume.
3. Brandability
The best domains are both descriptive and brandable — they work as a standalone name people identify with, not just a keyword string. Think about whether the name could appear on a t-shirt, a business card, or a podcast title and still feel natural.
4. TLD Selection
The TLD (Top Level Domain) matters for trust and intent. .com is the gold standard for maximum credibility. Purpose-specific TLDs like .guide, .io, .co, or .app can work well for the right brand — but avoid obscure or regional TLDs unless your audience is geographically focused.
5. Future-Proofing
Choose a domain broad enough to grow with your business. A domain that's too specific to a single product, location, or trend can trap you. Ask: "In 3 years, if I expand this brand, will this domain still make sense?"
6. Legal Clearance
Before registering, run a trademark search (USPTO.gov for the US, EUIPO for Europe) to ensure your chosen name doesn't infringe on an existing brand. Also Google the name to check for established competitors using it. This step is often skipped — and can be costly to fix later.
🚫 Common Domain Mistakes to Avoid
⚠️ Domain Pitfalls That Hurt Your Brand & SEO
📋 The Domain Evaluation Framework: Score Your Options
Use this scoring checklist to compare domain candidates side by side. Rate each criterion 1–3 (1 = poor, 2 = acceptable, 3 = excellent). The highest total score across all criteria wins.
| Evaluation Criterion | What to Look For | Score (1–3) | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memorability | Can someone recall it after hearing it once? ≤15 characters ideal | __ / 3 | High |
| Spelling Clarity | Is it spelled exactly as it sounds? No ambiguous letters | __ / 3 | High |
| Niche Relevance | Does it reflect what the site is about without being limiting? | __ / 3 | High |
| Brandability | Could it stand alone as a recognizable brand name? | __ / 3 | High |
| TLD Quality | .com = 3pts, .io/.co/.guide = 2pts, others = 1pt | __ / 3 | Medium |
| Future Scalability | Broad enough to expand; not locked into a single topic | __ / 3 | Medium |
| Legal Safety | No trademark conflicts; no existing brand confusion | __ / 3 | Critical |
| Social Handle Availability | Handle available on Twitter/X, Instagram, YouTube | __ / 3 | Medium |
| Domain Age / History | New = neutral; previously used = check Wayback Machine + Ahrefs for penalties | __ / 3 | Medium |
| Total Score | __ / 27 | 21+ = Strong pick | |
💡 Domain Naming Formulas by Site Type
Content / Guide Sites
Combine your core topic with an action or authority word. The goal is to signal expertise and purpose at a glance.
Review / Comparison Sites
Emphasize trust, objectivity, and evaluation. Visitors should immediately understand this is a resource to help them decide.
SaaS / Tools
Invent a short, memorable word or portmanteau. Clarity about what the tool does matters more than keyword inclusion at this category.
E-commerce / Product Sites
Brand-first naming wins in e-commerce. Short, punchy, and ownable. Avoid keyword-stuffed names — they age poorly and signal low quality.
Register through Cloudflare Registrar (at-cost wholesale pricing, no markup) or Namecheap for competitive rates. Always register for 3–5 years upfront — a longer registration period sends a minor but real trust signal to Google's algorithms and protects you from forgetting to renew. Also register the .com variant even if you launch on a different TLD, to prevent brand squatting. Enable domain privacy protection (WHOIS guard) and auto-renew from day one.
Recommended Tools & Resources
The exact tools used by professional website investors — affiliate links support this free guide
🔎 SEO & Due Diligence
The #1 tool for backlink audits, keyword research, and traffic estimation. Essential for pre-purchase due diligence. Use to verify claimed traffic and spot toxic backlinks before you buy.
Try Ahrefs →Comprehensive SEO platform with strong competitor analysis. Particularly useful for checking a site's keyword ranking history and identifying traffic patterns that correlate with Google updates.
Try Semrush →Technical SEO crawler. Use to audit site structure, find broken links, and identify crawlability issues before purchase. The free version handles up to 500 URLs.
Get Screaming Frog →💰 Escrow & Transactions
The industry-standard escrow service for website transactions. Always use for private deals. Funds are held securely until both parties confirm transfer completion. The small fee is cheap insurance against fraud.
Use Escrow.com →📈 Monetization & Ads
AI-powered ad optimization platform. Access to premium ad partners. No minimum traffic requirement to start. Strong middle-ground between AdSense and Mediavine.
Try Ezoic →Yahoo/Bing contextual ad network. Best secondary network alongside AdSense. Particularly strong for US/UK/CA audiences. Can add 20–40% more revenue as a complementary network.
Apply to Media.net →☕ Hosting & Infrastructure
Use Cloudflare for DNS, CDN, and DDoS protection. Cloudflare Pages offers free static site hosting with global CDN. Their registrar offers at-cost domain pricing. Absolutely use Cloudflare on any site you own.
Get Cloudflare Free →Premium managed WordPress hosting. If you acquire a WordPress site, WP Engine provides the speed, security, and reliability needed for monetized sites.
Try WP Engine →📧 Email & Community
Build an email list from day one. An email list is the only traffic source you fully own. Even 1,000 engaged subscribers can generate $500–$2,000/month through affiliate promotions and sponsored emails.
Start Free with Kit →Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions from new website investors
At the typical 30–35x monthly multiple, the theoretical payback period is 30–35 months (2.5–3 years) assuming stable revenue. With active management and revenue growth, this can compress to 18–24 months. If you later sell the site, you can recoup your investment earlier through the exit multiple.
Yes — SBA 7(a) loans can be used for online business acquisitions, typically for deals above $100,000. Some brokers like Empire Flippers have established relationships with SBA-approved lenders. Seller financing (where the seller accepts payments over 12–36 months) is also common in deals over $50,000 and can reduce your upfront capital requirement by 20–50%.
For most content sites running on WordPress, minimal technical skills are needed. Basic WordPress knowledge (publishing posts, installing plugins, managing media) is sufficient. More advanced needs can be outsourced cost-effectively on Upwork or Fiverr for $15–$50/hour.
Google AdSense is open to any site — RPMs typically $5–$15. Mediavine requires 50,000 sessions/month and pays RPMs of $25–$50, often 3–5x more than AdSense. AdThrive (now Raptive) requires 100,000 pageviews/month and pays $30–$60+ RPMs. Upgrading ad networks is one of the easiest ways to increase revenue from an existing site without adding any content.
Cloudflare Pages hosts static HTML/CSS/JS sites for free with unlimited bandwidth. Connect your GitHub repository (or drag and drop files), and Cloudflare automatically deploys globally across their CDN (200+ data centers). Your site loads extremely fast worldwide, gets free SSL, DDoS protection, and costs $0/month. You only pay for domain registration (~$10–$30/year).