Convert a WordPress site to static HTML and host it
Drop the ZIP the free Simply Static plugin exports from WordPress (up to 25 MB and 100 files) on ship.page for a free static site link, no signup. Forms, search and comments stop working in the free export, so check those pages first. Free links stay up for 30 days, while the $4 a month Pro plan takes 100 MB ZIPs with 10,000 files that never expire.
A file. A folder. A fresh start.
Your static site, one link away.
Uploading publishes your file. The link is public but unlisted, not password-protected, so leave out secrets and confidential content.
- Free limit per ZIP (25 MB zipped, 100 MB unpacked)
- 100 files
- Pro limit per ZIP (100 MB zipped, 400 MB unpacked)
- 10,000 files
- Pro plan for permanent links and 100 MB ZIPs
- $4/mo
- Free link with no account (90 days signed in)
- 30 days
How to export WordPress to HTML and publish the ZIP
Install the free Simply Static plugin
In your WordPress dashboard, install and activate Simply Static from the WordPress.org plugin directory. It is a free plugin that generates a static copy of your site.
Configure the export for a ZIP archive
Set Simply Static to export a ZIP file instead of a local directory, so the plugin packages your whole site into one .zip file. Before you run the export, turn off or remove comment boxes, search bars and contact forms you no longer need, since they will not work on a static copy made with the free plugin.
Generate and download the static ZIP
Run the static export and download the finished .zip file to your computer. If the ZIP has a single top folder inside it, ship.page unwraps that folder automatically so index.html becomes your homepage.
Drop the ZIP onto ship.page
Drag your .zip file into the box on this page, with no account and no credit card needed. You get a live HTTPS subdomain link and a downloadable PNG QR code in seconds.
What works after you convert WordPress to static HTML
| Part of the site | After a static export |
|---|---|
| Pages and posts | Work as normal HTML pages at /folder/ when saved as folder/index.html |
| Images and media | Work as long as the ZIP stays under 25 MB free or 100 MB on Pro |
| Contact forms | Break on free Simply Static; use Simply Static Pro or a form service |
| Search | Breaks on free Simply Static; Simply Static Pro and Studio add it |
| Comments | Break on free Simply Static; Simply Static Pro and Studio add them |
| Shop and logins | Not suitable; e-commerce, memberships and user logins need a server |
Which WordPress plugin converts a site to static HTML?
Simply Static is a free plugin in the WordPress.org plugin directory. It generates a static copy of your site and saves it either as a downloadable ZIP file or to a local directory.
If older tutorials tell you to install WP2Static, note that WP2Static is no longer listed in the WordPress.org plugin directory. Its code now lives at github.com/elementor/wp2static and was last updated in February 2024.
What stops working when WordPress becomes static?
ship.page serves static files only: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images, fonts, audio, video, WebAssembly and JSON. It does not run PHP or a database, so anything that needs WordPress on a server stops running once you export.
With the free Simply Static plugin, forms, search and comments will not work on the static site because they need server-side processing. Simply Static Pro and Studio add working forms, search and comments, or you can swap your form for a third-party form service before exporting.
- Old event sites, campaign pages and finished projects archive cleanly.
- Brochure sites and blogs with comments closed work right out of the ZIP.
- E-commerce stores and membership sites are not suitable for static export.
- Sites that need user logins, real-time data or heavy AJAX are not suitable.
Why do file count and ZIP size matter for a WordPress export?
A WordPress export often has hundreds of files once the uploads folder, stylesheets and scripts are counted, so even a small blog can pass the free 100-file limit.
To host a ZIP file on the free tier, the archive can be up to 25 MB (100 MB unpacked) and contain up to 100 files. If your WordPress export has more than 100 files or you want a link that never expires, the $4 a month Pro plan raises the cap to 10,000 files and a 100 MB ZIP (400 MB unpacked) with no bandwidth meter. You can compare the plans on the pricing page.
Tip: Upload the .zip file directly rather than dragging in the unzipped folder: browser folder uploads are capped at one 10 MB request (roughly 7 MB of files) on every plan.
When should you use Cloudflare Pages, Netlify or GitHub instead?
ship.page gives every upload its own HTTPS subdomain and no plan offers custom domains. Every page is also served with a noindex header so search engines leave it out, which is helpful for unlisted archives and client previews from a ZIP but wrong when you want to keep Google rankings on your old domain.
If you need to keep your custom domain or want search engines to index the site, host the static files on Cloudflare Pages, Netlify, GitHub or AWS S3 instead. Simply Static Pro costs $99 a year per site and deploys directly from WordPress to GitHub, Netlify, Cloudflare Pages, AWS S3, BunnyCDN or SFTP.
Questions
How do I convert a WordPress site to static HTML for free?
Install the free Simply Static plugin from the WordPress.org plugin directory, set it to export a ZIP file, and generate your static files. You can then drop that ZIP onto ship.page to get a live link in seconds with no account.
Where can I host a Simply Static ZIP file?
Drop the ZIP directly onto ship.page to publish it on its own subdomain in seconds. The free tier accepts ZIPs up to 25 MB with up to 100 files for 30 days, and the $4 a month Pro plan accepts ZIPs up to 100 MB with up to 10,000 files that never expire.
Will my WordPress contact forms, search and comments still work?
Not with the free Simply Static plugin, because forms, search and comments require server-side processing. You can either replace forms with a third-party form service before exporting or pay for Simply Static Pro or Studio, which add static-compatible forms, search and comments.
Can I keep my custom domain on ship.page after leaving WordPress?
No, ship.page does not offer custom domains on any plan, and all uploaded pages include a noindex header so search engines do not index them. To keep your own domain name, deploy your static export to Cloudflare Pages, Netlify, GitHub or AWS S3.
How long does a static WordPress archive stay online?
A free upload without an account stays online for 30 days, or 90 days if you claim it with a free Google or email sign-in. On the $4 a month Pro plan and $19 a month Team plan, your pages never expire and you can re-upload a new ZIP to the same link.
Is WP2Static still available for WordPress?
WP2Static is no longer listed in the WordPress.org plugin directory. Its source code is at github.com/elementor/wp2static and was last updated in February 2024. Simply Static is a free alternative in the plugin directory.
Keep reading
- Turn a ZIP into a website
- Host a ZIP file online
- How to host a website
- Cheapest website hosting
- ship.page pricing
Drop your Simply Static ZIP here
Upload your exported WordPress .zip file for a live HTTPS link in seconds, free for 30 days with no signup.