WordPress.Com vs WordPress.Org – What’s the Big Difference?
If you’ve thought about creating a website, I’m sure you’ve stumbled upon a variety of different website platforms, including WordPress.com vs WordPress.org. Many people mistakenly purchase one version of WordPress without realizing it, then come to me for help trying to figure out how to put their website together! I often catch myself explaining the difference between the two platforms to current and prospective clients, so I figured I would recapture that here on my blog. Keep on reading through this post to learn more about the difference between WordPress.org vs .com.
What is WordPress?
WordPress is a popular website platform for online businesses and creators to build a website or blog. So popular that WordPress powers over 40% of the internet! Many websites use WordPress, from hair salons to business coaches, even the federal government. I broke down this blog post into three significant differences between the two platforms. In the battle between WordPress.com vs WordPress.org, one is the better choice!
Self-Hosted vs. Managed Hosting WordPress
WordPress.org is self-hosted, meaning you pay a hosting provider to host your website on their servers. This is key! On the other hand, WordPress.com is a paid subscription plan and uses managed hosting through WordPress.
With a self-hosted WordPress site, you can choose a hosting provider that best fits the needs of your business. I’ve used BlueHost for nearly three years with no issues. My clients also work with GoDaddy and SiteGround, giving rave reviews for both. The benefit of a self-hosted site is that you can customize your hosting package to exactly what your business needs. In comparison, with WordPress.com managed hosting, the plan you select limits your available features. This point leads me to the second big difference between WordPress.com vs WordPress.org!
WordPress.Com vs WordPress.org – Customization, and Cost
WordPress.org offers unlimited customization features using different themes and plug-ins compared to WordPress.com. With WordPress.com, your subscription plan limits your customization options. To install plug-ins and upload custom themes, you need a premium plan which starts at $25 per month. Here you see how WordPress hosted vs self-hosted comes own to customization and cost. With self-hosted WordPress, some plans are as low as $4 a month, with the ability to upload free themes and plug-ins to increase the functionality of your site. That is a lot more features for a fraction of the price!
Why Choose Self-Hosted WordPress?
The three significant differences between WordPress.com vs WordPress.org come down to 1) hosting, 2) customization, and 3) cost. For the DIY web designer or small business owners just starting in the online space, WordPress.org provides much more freedom and flexibility. With WordPress.org, your customization is endless and not limited by the subscription plan you choose. These features are why I only work with WordPress.org with my web design clients! If you are in the market for a new website, make sure you choose self-hosted WordPress.org vs WordPress.com. Hopefully, this post helps you understand the three key differences between the two!
Ready to DIY your website? Check out some of the must-have web tools you need to get started. If you’d prefer to have someone create your WordPress site for you, learn more about my web design services.