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Did you know that WordPress.com and WordPress.org are
actually two very different platforms? Today I’m going to explain what difference
between WordPress.com and WordPress.org
WordPress.org
It is open source and 100% free for anyone to use. All you need is a domain name and web hosting. WordPress.org is where you’ll find the free WordPress software that you can download and install on your own web server. This is why it is also referred to as self-hosted WordPress.
Advantages
- With WordPress.org, You are free to do anything you want and customize it as much as you need.
- It is free and super easy to use.
- You own your website and all its data. Your site will NOT be turned off because someone decides that it is against their terms of service (as long as you are not doing something illegal). You are in full control.
- You can add free, paid, and custom WordPress plugins / apps to your website.
- You can use customize your website design as needed. You can add any free or paid WordPress theme that you want. You can also create completely custom designs or modify anything that you want.
- You can actually make money from your WordPress site by running your own ads without sharing revenue with anyone.
- You can use powerful tools like Google Analytics for custom analytics and tracking.
- You can use self-hosted WordPress to create an online store to sell digital or physical products, accept credit card payments, and deliver / ship the goods directly from your website.
- You can also create membership sites and sell memberships for premium content, courses, etc and build an online community around your website.
Disadvantages
- There are a very few Disadvantages of using the self-hosted WordPress.org site.
- You are responsible for updates. You can easily update your WordPress site by simply clicking on the update button (1-click), so it’s not too much work.
- You are responsible for backups. Thankfully, there are tons of WordPress backup plugins that let you setup automatic backups.
WordPress.com
On the other hand,
takes care of all of the hosting for you. You don’t have to download software,
pay for hosting, or manage a web server.
The WordPress.com
hosting service has 5 plans:
Blogger
Best for Bloggers
$3
per month, billed yearly
Customize your blog with a .blog domain and start sharing your ideas.
Personal
Best for Personal Use
$5
per month, billed yearly
Add some personality to your website with a custom domain and access to 24/7 support.
POPULAR
Premium
Best for Freelancers
$8
per month, billed yearly
Build a professional site with everything you need to design, edit, and control your content.
Business
Best for Small Businesses
$25
per month, billed yearly
Power your business with a professional design, Google Analytics, and live support.
eCommerce
Best for Online Stores
$45
per month, billed yearly
Open your online store with a powerful, flexible platform designed to grow with you.
- blogger - $3 per Month
- Personal – $5
- Premium – $8 per
- Business – $25 per
- eCommerce – $45 per
Advantages
- The free WordPress.com platform is a good choice for hobby bloggers and those starting a blog for their family. Here are some of the benefits of using WordPress.com.
- It’s free for up to 3GB of space. After that you will have to switch to a paid plan for more space. (Personal plan $5 /Month gives you 6GB, Premium plan $8/Month gives you 13GB storage, or Business plan for $25/Monthfor unlimited storage).
- You will not have to worry about updates or backups. WordPress.com will take care of that.
Disadvantages
There are several limitations of free WordPress.com which differentiate it from WordPress.org. Here are some of the disadvantages of using WordPress.com.
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There are several limitations of free WordPress.com which differentiate it from WordPress.org. Here are some of the disadvantages of using WordPress.com.
- They place ads on all free websites. So your users will see ads, and you don’t make money from it. If you don’t want your users to see their ads, then you can upgrade to a paid plan (starting from $36 per year).
- You are NOT allowed to sell ads on your website. If you run a high traffic site, then you can apply for their advertising program called WordAds where you share revenue with them. Premium and Business plan users can use WordAds right away.
- You cannot upload plugins. Free plan users get built-in JetPack features pre-activated. Business plan users can install from a selection of compatible plugins ( $25/Month ). WordPress.com eCommerce lets you install plugins, and it starts from $45 per month.
- You cannot upload custom themes. Free plan users can only install from the limited free themes collection. Premium and business plan users can also select premium themes. There are limited customization options for the free version. Premium and Business plan users can use custom CSS.
- You are restricted to their stats. You cannot add Google Analytics or install any other powerful tracking platform. Business plan users can install Google Analytics.
- They can delete your site at any time if they think it violates their Terms of Service.
- Your site will display a powered by WordPress.com link. It can be removed by upgrading to the Business plan.
- WordPress.com does not offer any eCommerce features or integrated payment gateways.
- You cannot build membership websites with WordPress.com.
- As you can see, the WordPress.com hosting platform is quite limited when you’re on the free, personal, or even premium plan. To unlock some of the more advanced features, you have to be on the Business plan ($25/Month ) or on the eCommerce plan ($45 per month).
Which is Better?
- If you are a personal blogger, and you don’t care about making money from your website, then go with the free WordPress.com.
- If you are a business or a blogger that wants to make money from your site, then we recommend using the self-hosted WordPress.org. It gives you the freedom and flexibility to grow your website the way you want
- While you can get several advanced features with the WordPress.com Business plan ($299 / year for each website), you can make that money go much further on a self-hosted WordPress site which costs $46 per year.
- In our expert opinion, WordPress.org is hands down the better platform. That’s the platform that every professional blogger, small business owner, and even big name brands likes Disney uses.
