How to Launch a WordPress Instance on AWS Lightsail (Step-by-Step)

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Amazon Lightsail makes it easy to deploy a WordPress website without needing deep cloud expertise. It bundles compute, storage, and networking into simple monthly plans — perfect for bloggers, startups, or small businesses who want a quick WordPress setup with predictable costs.

💳 Important Billing Notes Before You Start

• Lightsail is not included in the standard AWS Free Tier (unlike EC2 or S3). You must add a valid credit or debit card to your AWS account to launch an instance.
• Plans now start at just $5/month. Each plan includes a fixed amount of memory, CPU, storage, and data transfer.
• Some Lightsail plans are free for the first 90 days, giving you time to test the platform before paying.
• If you have a $100 promotional AWS credit, that balance will usually be more than enough to run your first WordPress instance for many months.

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🛠️ Step-by-Step: Create a WordPress (Bitnami) Instance

Step 1 — Set up your AWS account

1. Sign up or log in at AWS Console.
2. Add your payment method in the Billing dashboard. This is required even if you intend to use credits.

Step 2 — Open Lightsail

1. From the AWS search bar, type Lightsail.
2. In the Lightsail console, click Create instance.

Step 3 — Choose your platform and app

1. Platform: Select Linux/Unix.
2. Blueprint: Choose WordPress (Bitnami). This comes pre-installed with WordPress, PHP, MySQL, and Apache.

Step 4 — Pick your instance plan

• Select the $5/month plan to start. This gives you enough resources for a small to medium WordPress site.
• If you’re eligible, you may see a 90-day free trial tag on some of the smaller plans.

Step 5 — Launch your instance

• Name your instance and click Create instance.
• Wait a few minutes for AWS to provision your WordPress server.

Step 6 — Retrieve your WordPress admin password

• In the Lightsail console, open the instance and click Connect using SSH.
• Run the following command: cat ~/bitnami_application_password
• Copy the password. Your username will be user.

Step 7 — Access WordPress

• Open http://<your-public-ip>/wp-admin in your browser.
• Log in with user and the password you retrieved.

Step 8 — Attach a static IP

• In the Lightsail console, go to Networking → Create static IP.
• Attach it to your instance so your IP address doesn’t change when you restart.

Step 9 — Connect your domain

• Point your domain’s A record to the Lightsail static IP. You can manage DNS either in Lightsail DNS zones or your registrar’s control panel.

Step 10 — Secure and manage

• Install SSL with Let’s Encrypt or Lightsail load balancer.
• Schedule snapshots for regular backups.
• Keep WordPress, plugins, and themes updated.

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✅ Final Thoughts

Launching WordPress on AWS Lightsail is straightforward and cost-effective. With plans starting at $5/month, and many offering a 90-day free trial, plus an optional $100 promotional credit, you have plenty of room to test, build, and grow your site without worrying about surprise bills.

Lightsail is especially great for beginners who want the simplicity of shared hosting but the flexibility of the AWS cloud.

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