Is WordPress free? Yes, it is free but you cannot really use it without paying for plugins, widgets, themes, and backups.
What do I need to get started with WordPress?
Domain: We can provide $16.95 per year for .com names
Hosting for your site: We can provide starting at $19.95 per month
Latest Version of WordPress: We can provide WP is free to download from WordPress Download Link
SSL Certificate: We can provide Starting at $64.95 per year.
Choosing the above is not an easy task and can be very mind boggling. Beware of all the free items on signup. In most cases the item is not exactly free.
Although I provide all that you need on my servers I can also recommend Siteground.com which will always keep their servers up-to-date with what is needed to keep WordPress working properly. SiteGround will also move your existing site to their servers at no charge.
I have found that you need a minimum of 20MB of storage for the site. The data in the site adds up fast. Housekeeping is important including removing themes and plugins that are not used and images that are no longer needed.