WordPress COM vs ORG

WordPress is the most popular content management system in the world. With its intuitive interface and vast library of plugins and themes, WordPress has become the go-to platform for anyone wanting to create a website or blog.

However, people are sometimes confused about the differences between WordPress.com and WordPress.org. This article outlines the key differences between these platforms and provides information to help you make the best choice for you.

What is WordPress.com?

History

WordPress.com is a for profit company headquartered in San Francisco, owned by Automattic Inc. It was founded in 2005, is valued at $7.5 Billion and has an estimated revenue of $155 million yearly. It employs about 2,000 employees.

Technical Info

WordPress.com is a hosting platform that uses a version of WordPress software. It is a good option for budget conscious beginners who are just starting out and want to create a simple blog or website. WordPress.com offers a user-friendly interface and easy-to-use features to make website creation easier.

Cost

There are six WordPress.com plans available, with each plan building on the features of the previous one. Prices range from $0 to $840 yearly, plus an Enterprise Plan starting at $25,000 annually.

Limitations

As you would expect, there are limitations to using a free version of WordPress.com. First, you will have less control over your website. WordPress.com offers a limited range of plugins and themes, and you cannot upload your own plugins or themes. Additionally, WordPress.com sites are hosted on their servers, so you do not have complete control over your website’s hosting.

What is WordPress.org?

History

WordPress software was released May 27, 2003. The founder Matt Mullenweg and other volunteer developers produced an open source, dynamic personal publishing system. There have been over 50 new releases since the first one.

The releases have included major features, technical and style changes keeping WordPress a leader in modern website technology. The software continues to be developed and supported by a community of volunteers, there are no paid employees.

Technical Info

WordPress.org is the self-hosted version of WordPress software designed to be downloaded and installed on your web server. With WordPress.org, you have complete control over your website. You can customize it as much as you want. There are also thousands of free and premium themes and plugins, including uploading your own custom programming.

Cost

WordPress software is free. If it had been built as a commercial product, the costs to produce and maintain it with paid developers would be millions of dollars. With WordPress.org, you will need to purchase your own web hosting plan. This gives you complete control over your website and lets you choose the hosting provider that best meets your needs.

Shared hosting is available for $5 or less to well over $20 per month. As with most things, you get what you pay for. Very inexpensive hosting seldom provides the server resources or quality tech support necessary to support a WordPress site. Plans in the middle of the l price ranges are often the best value.

You will also be responsible for site maintenance and security. You can learn to maintain a server or contract with outside sources for these duties. There are plenty of freelancers available to meet most any technical needs. See our article about how Fiverr.com works and Upwork.com as alternate source for finding freelances to assist you.

Limitations

Setting up a WordPress.org site requires more technical knowledge than using WordPress.com. You will need a web hosting plan, a domain name, and a WordPress installation on your new server. To help with the setup task, many hosts provide “one button” WordPress.org installations.

I’ve known website owners who have found a new hobby in building and maintaining their WordPress.org site. But I know of many more that find maintenance an aggravation. If you fall in the latter group, save yourself the frustration of dealing with your website. Find a good developer you can trust to handle your repairs and improvements.

Differences between WordPress.com and WordPress.org

Design and Customization

For design and customization, WordPress.org offers more flexibility than WordPress.com. With WordPress.org, you can upload custom themes and plugins or choose from thousands of free or premium options. This allows you to create a unique website that reflects your brand and personality.

WordPress.com, on the other hand, offers a limited selection of themes and plugins that you can use to customize your website. You can upgrade to their Premium plan at $300 yearly to unlock more features, but there are still limited design and customization options.

Hosting

The primary difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org is hosting. With WordPress.com, your site is hosted on their servers. Unlike traditional hosting companies, the administrative functions necessary to run a website are included inside the WordPress.com dashboard and menus.

Having the same look and feel for both software and hosting may make both areas less intimidating for beginners. Plus, support functions are also accessible from inside WordPress.com.

Since the servers at WordPress.com only run WordPress, they can be highly optimized to meet the needs of the software. The support and engineering staff will also benefit from having only one software to support and troubleshoot.

There are so many hosting possibilities for WordPress.org websites narrowing the choices to only one can be difficult. Budget, types and location of servers and the host’s reputation make a good starting point in your search.

The server should be centrally located to your site visitors when possible. A server located anywhere on the East or West coast or central states is acceptable. But a server located in Singapore or Australia wouldn’t be the best choice for US visitors.

Shared hosting is usually the best option for your first server installation. Cost and picking the middle hosting plan or better was discussed earlier and should be kept in mind.

Unfortunately, finding reliable information about a hosting company’s reputation might be difficult. For hosts located in the US, looking for information at the Better Business Bureau is sometimes helpful. So is searching Google for negative experiences. The very best is a referral from a friend who is happy with the host they use.

For more details about website hosting, check out our article, “What is Web Hosting – A Step by Step Guide t our article” .

Domains

A domain is necessary for both WordPress options. With the Free WordPress.com plan you are given a subdomain (e.g., yoursite.wordpress.com). All the paid WordPress.com plan include a free custom domain for the first year and around $20 charged by WordPress.com for .com domains in future years.

Domains for WordPress.org sites can be purchased from any domain registrar. Hosts will officially be domain registrars; or have a resell arrangement with one. You are not required to buy your domain from your host. Domain names cost from $12 to over $80. Watch for features or services offering  you little or no value. These items are added to the cost to increase profit.

Plugins and Themes

Another difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org is the availability of plugins and themes. With WordPress.org, you can access thousands of free and premium plugins and themes. It’s also possible to upload your own custom plugins and themes, too.

WordPress.com, on the other hand, offers a limited selection of plugins and themes. You can choose from some free themes and plugins, but you cannot upload custom themes or plugins except on the Premium and more expensive plans.

Which one is right for you?

When choosing between WordPress.com and WordPress.org, there are several factors to consider. If you are starting out and want a simple, easy-to-use platform to create a simple blog or website, WordPress.com is a good option. It is also a good choice if you do not have technical knowledge or do not want to deal with web hosting and site maintenance.

However, if you want more flexibility and control over your website and are willing to invest more time and effort into site setup and maintenance, WordPress.org is the better option. With WordPress.org, you have control over your website and the ability to customize it to your liking with a wide range of plugins and themes.

Conclusion

In summary, WordPress.com and WordPress.org are two different platforms with advantages and limitations. Full disclosure, I’m a web developer. Developers are probably impacted by the limits in WordPress.com more than users at any other skill level. There are areas in WordPress.com where the lack of access sometimes limits the features I can provide a client. However, I have built some highly custom features using the WordPress.com Premium Plan.

WordPress.com is a good option for beginners or those who do not want to deal with web hosting and site maintenance, while WordPress.org is better suited for those who want more control over their website and are willing to invest more time and effort into setup and maintenance. Ultimately, the platform depends on your needs and preferences.

Bibliography

Matt Mullenweg Blog 8/16/2021 https://ma.tt/2021/08/funding-buyback-hiring/

“About Us”. Automattic. 2021-10-19. Retrieved 2023-4-9, https://automattic.com/about/

“Usage Statistics and Market Share of Content Management Systems for Websites”. w3techs.com. W3Techs. May 7, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.

“Releases” WordPress.org Retrieved  4/9/2023 https://wordpress.org/download/releases/

“WordPress.com vs WordPress.org – What’s the Difference & Which to Choose?” WinningWP, https://winningwp.com/wordpress-com-vs-wordpress-org/.

33 Key WordPress Websites Statistics: 2023 Data on Costs, Plugins & Themes 2023 FinancesOnline https://financesonline.com/wordpress-websites-statistics/