In the age of the internet, a portfolio site is not merely where you can put your work up for display — it’s your online presence. You’re a designer, writer, photographer, developer, or freelancer: getting an online portfolio can bring in clients, exhibit your skills, and promote your professional brand. The best part? You don’t have to outsource it to a developer or pay a dime. In this in-depth guide, we’ll take you through how to create a portfolio website using WordPress for free.
Why WordPress for Your Portfolio?
Let’s first understand why WordPress is a fantastic option briefly before diving into the steps:
Free and Open Source: WordPress.org is entirely free to utilize.
Flexible and Customizable: You can have anything from a basic blog to a professional portfolio.
User-Friendly: You don’t have to know how to code.
Thousands of Themes and Plugins: Easily change the appearance and functionality of your site.
SEO-Friendly: Assist you in being found in search engines.
Now, let’s get started!
Step 1: Select a Free Hosting Provider
To create a portfolio website using WordPress, you’ll require two items:
A domain name (such as yourname.com)
Web hosting (where your site resides)
If you have limited funds, you can begin with free WordPress hosting sites. Here are some widely used ones:
Top Free WordPress Hosts:
WordPress.com (Free Plan) – Excellent for beginners; comes with a subdomain such as yourname.wordpress.com
000webhost – Free hosting without ads and one-click WordPress installation
InfinityFree – Unlimited data transfer and free subdomain
⚠️ Note: Free hosting typically has limitations — no personal domain, smaller storage, and less customization. You can always pay later.
For this guide, we will use WordPress.com’s free plan, excellent for starters.
Step 2: Set Up Your WordPress.com Account
Visit WordPress.com
Click on “Start Your Website”
Create an account with your email, Google, or Apple ID
Choose a site name — for example, “John Smith Portfolio”
Pick a free WordPress.com subdomain: johnsmith.wordpress.com
Select the Free Plan
Once your account is created, you’ll be taken to your WordPress Dashboard — the heart of your website!
Step 3: Choose the Right Portfolio Theme
Your theme will define how your website appears. WordPress provides thousands of free portfolio themes that are customizable, modern, and responsive.
How to Select a Theme:
Visit your Dashboard
Go to Appearance > Themes
Click on “Add New Theme”
Search for keywords “portfolio”, “photographer”, “freelancer”, or “designer”
Top Free Portfolio Themes:
Astra – Fast, light, and highly customizable
Hestia – Portfolio section with a modern design
OceanWP – Multipurpose with portfolio templates
Shapely – One-page portfolio theme
Portfolio Lite – Elegant and simple
After you like a theme, click Install > Activate.
Step 4: Personalize Your Website
Now it’s time to make your site personalized and brand-like.
Personalize through WordPress Customizer:
Go to Appearance > Customize
Change Site Title, Tagline, and Logo
Alter colors, fonts, and layouts
Add a header image or background
Change the homepage layout
Tip: Make your design clean and professional. Use standard fonts and colors to create trust.
Step 5: Build Essential Pages
Your portfolio website will have some essential pages to highlight your work and appeal to potential clients or employers.
Pages to Have:
- Home Page
Brief intro
Eye-catching image or tagline
Call-to-action (e.g., “View My Work”)
- Portfolio / Work
Showcase your best work with project descriptions
Use images, videos, or links
Create individual posts or galleries for each project
- About Me
Your story
Skills and experience
A friendly photo
- Services (if needed)
What you do (e.g., logo design, copywriting, photography)
Clear packages or pricing (optional)
- Contact
Contact form (use the built-in block)
Email address and social media links
You can add new pages by going to Pages > Add New.
Step 6: Add Portfolio Content
To add portfolio items, you can either:
Use Pages to create individual project showcases
Use Posts with categories such as “Photography,” “Web Design,” etc.
Use Portfolio Post Type (if your theme has it)
Recommended Content for Each Project:
Project name and date
Brief description
Your role and tools used
Images/screenshots
Links to live work (if possible)
Use image blocks or galleries to visually show off your work. Pictures tell more than words!
Step 7: Install Useful Plugins (Optional)
Although WordPress.com’s free plan does not accommodate external plugins, when hosting with free hosting using WordPress.org, some plugins to consider that are free include:
Elementor – Drag-and-drop page builder
Contact Form 7 – Simple contact forms
Smush – Optimize images
WP Super Cache – Enhance site speed
Yoast SEO – Enhance SEO visibility
Tip: Don’t overload your site with plugins — it slows things down.
Step 8: Make It Mobile Friendly
Most themes are responsive on mobile, but always check your site on mobile to look good.
Within the Customizer, tap the mobile icon to see the mobile version. Resize images, spacing, and buttons for mobile screens.
Step 9: Publish and Promote Your Portfolio
When everything is looking good, press that Publish button!
Now it’s time to promote your site:
Add the link to your social media bios
Add it to your email signature
Share it on Behance or LinkedIn
Submit it to portfolio directories
You’ve now created your first online portfolio — yay!
Bonus Tips to Get Your Portfolio Noticed
Update it regularly – Add new work
Use client feedback – Ask previous clients or employers
Blog your process – Share how you do things on projects
Show your personality – Be real and relatable
Use analytics – Monitor visitors with tools like Jetpack