What you gain by self-hosting
Full file access, your own backups, any plugin you like, server-level caching and no per-seat pricing. For anyone currently on Medium, the biggest gain is that there is no way to take the design with you stops being your problem.
Choosing hosting
Any managed WordPress host works. What matters is PHP version, object caching and a staging environment you can test the theme on.
- A current PHP release
- Automatic daily backups
- A one-click staging site
- Free TLS certificates
- A CDN in front of static assets
Moving the design across
Convert the live page and install the resulting theme on the new host.
- Open the page you want to convert in Chrome.
- Click the Themify extension icon in the toolbar.
- Press Generate theme and wait for the capture to finish.
- In wp-admin, go to Appearance → Themes → Add New → Upload Theme.
- Upload the .zip, activate it, and the page is live on WordPress.
Cutting over safely
Test on the staging domain, lower DNS TTL a day before, then switch. Keep the old platform live for a week as insurance.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I self-host a site I built in Medium?
- Yes — convert the rendered page into a WordPress theme and install it on any host.
- Do I need to keep paying for the original platform?
- Only until the WordPress version is verified. After cutover you can cancel.
- Is self-hosted WordPress harder to maintain?
- It needs updates and backups, but managed hosts automate most of that.