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How to Host a WordPress Site for Free Using CloudPanel and Oracle Cloud Free Tier

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by

Andrew Molenaar
in

Introduction:
Looking to host a WordPress site with zero monthly costs? By combining Oracle Cloud’s Free Tier and the lightweight, modern CloudPanel control panel, you can launch a fast and secure WordPress site without spending a dime. In this guide, we’ll walk through the steps to set up your server, install CloudPanel, and get WordPress running.

What You’ll Need

  • An Oracle Cloud Free Tier account
  • A custom domain (optional but recommended)
  • Basic familiarity with SSH and Linux commands

🚀 Step 1: Create an Oracle Cloud Free VM Instance

  1. Sign in to Oracle Cloud at https://cloud.oracle.com.
  2. Navigate to Compute > Instances.
  3. Click “Create Instance” and configure:
    • Name: e.g. wordpress-server
    • Image: Ubuntu 22.04, 24.04, or Debian 11
    • Shape: Select VM.Standard.A1.Flex and set 1 OCPU / 1GB RAM (this is free, you can use up to two instances, 4 OCPUs, and 16GB RAM on Oracle’s generous free tier)
    • Add your SSH key or generate one using ssh-keygen
  4. Once created, note your instance’s public IP address.

⚠️ ARM-based instances (Ampere A1) are powerful and free, but some software may not be compatible with ARM architecture. CloudPanel supports it natively.

🖥️ Step 2: Install CloudPanel

  1. Connect to your instance using SSH:
ssh ubuntu@your-server-ip
  1. Update the system:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
  1. Install CloudPanel for Ubuntu 22.04:
curl -sS https://installer.cloudpanel.io/ce/v2/install.sh | sudo bash
  1. Wait for the installation to finish. Once done, CloudPanel will display a URL like:
https://your-server-ip:8443

Open that link in your browser to complete setup and create your admin user.

✅ CloudPanel uses port 8443 by default. Make sure it’s allowed in your Oracle Cloud security rules.

🔐 Step 3: Open Required Ports in Oracle Cloud

Oracle Cloud blocks all inbound traffic by default. You need to allow HTTP, HTTPS, and port 8443:

  1. Go to your VCN > Security Lists
  2. Add Ingress Rules for:
    • TCP Port 80 (HTTP)
    • TCP Port 443 (HTTPS)
    • TCP Port 8443 (CloudPanel dashboard)

🌐 Step 4: Add Your Domain and Install WordPress

  1. Log into CloudPanel (https://your-ip:8443)
  2. Click “Create Website” and choose:
    • WordPress (FPM + NGINX)
    • Enter your domain name
    • Select PHP version (e.g., 8.1)
  3. CloudPanel will:
    • Set up your web root
    • Download WordPress
    • Create a database automatically
  4. Point your domain’s A record to your Oracle server’s public IP.

Once DNS propagates, open your domain in a browser and finish WordPress setup as usual.

🛡️ Step 5: Enable Free SSL (HTTPS)

CloudPanel includes Let’s Encrypt SSL:

  1. In your site’s dashboard in CloudPanel, go to SSL > Let’s Encrypt
  2. Click “Enable SSL” and follow the steps
  3. Done! Your site is now secure with HTTPS

🎉 Done! Your WordPress Site Is Live — and Free

You’ve just installed and hosted WordPress using CloudPanel and Oracle Cloud Free Tier. This setup is perfect for:

  • Blogs
  • Landing pages
  • Personal projects
  • Lightweight business sites

CloudPanel makes server management easy, and Oracle Cloud’s generous free tier means your site can stay online indefinitely — at zero cost.

Need Help?
Drop your questions in the comments or contact us—we’re happy to help you get started with free, self-hosted WordPress.