Many people don’t realize that WordPress.com and WordPress.org are two very different platforms. This confusion often leads beginners to choose the wrong option for their needs.
Even those aware of both platforms might not know their differences. We’ve seen this mix-up many times and know how it can affect your website’s growth.
We’re frequently asked which platform is better: WordPress.com or WordPress.org. To make things clearer, we’ve put together the most comprehensive comparison of free WordPress.com vs WordPress.org (self-hosted version).
Our goal is to highlight the key differences so you can make an informed decision and choose the right platform for your needs.
Since choosing the right platform is crucial for your online success, we have created the most detailed comparison of WordPress.com vs WordPress.org (text comparison, table-based comparison, and a full infographic).
You can use the links below to jump to a specific section:
If you just want to start a blog or make a website the RIGHT way, then you can skip this article and head over to our guides here:
- How to Start a Blog with WordPress (step by step)
- How to Create a Website with WordPress (step by step)
- How to Start an Online Store with WordPress (step by step)
- How to Create and Sell Online Courses with WordPress (step by step)
Having said that, let’s take a look at the differences between self-hosted WordPress.org vs. WordPress.com.
WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org (Infographic)
Note: This infographic and article compare the powerful self-hosted WordPress.org with the free WordPress.com website hosting service. You can unlock additional functionality in WordPress.com by upgrading to their paid service. We have highlighted those features as well.
Video Tutorial
If you’d prefer a written comparison, please keep reading.
WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org Comparison
The best way to understand the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org is to examine each platform individually.
Here’s a comparison of both versions of WordPress:
WordPress.org
WordPress.org, aka “the real WordPress,” is the popular website platform that you have heard all the great things about.
It is an open-source software, and it’s 100% free for anyone to use. All you need is a domain name and web hosting. This is why it is also referred to as self-hosted WordPress.
Below are the pros and cons of using the self-hosted WordPress.org to build your website or blog.
WordPress.org Benefits
With WordPress.org, you have full control of your website. You are free to do anything you want and customize it as much as you need.
Here are some of the benefits of choosing WordPress.org to build your website and the reason why it is our #1 pick for the best website builder.
- The WordPress software is free, open-source, and super easy to use. It is used by over 43% of all websites on the internet (See: Why is WordPress free?).
- 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 customize your website design as needed. You can add any free or premium 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 that sells 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, forums, etc., and build an online community around your website.
WordPress.org Cons
There are very few cons of using the self-hosted WordPress.org site.
- Like all websites, you will need web hosting. This is where your website files are stored on the internet. Initially, the cost is around $3-$10 per month. However, as your website grows and gets more traffic, the web hosting plan costs will increase as expected, but then you will be making enough money to cover the costs.
- You will need to install WordPress. Luckily, most popular WordPress hosting companies offer 1-click WordPress installation options. You can also follow our comprehensive tutorial on how to properly install WordPress.
- You are responsible for updates. You can easily update your WordPress site by simply clicking on the update button (one click), so it’s not too much work.
- You are responsible for backups. Thankfully, there are tons of WordPress backup plugins that let you set up automatic backups.
The real cost of the WordPress.org website varies based on what you are trying to build (simple blog, portfolio website, eCommerce store, membership site, etc). There are also other factors like free templates vs premium templates, free plugins vs premium plugins, etc.
On a low budget, you can build your website for as little as $46 per year. See our guide on how much does it really cost to build a WordPress website for full details.
For 99% of users, our recommendation is always to use WordPress.org. See our guide on how to start a website.
Bonus: The team at Bluehost is offering our readers a 75% discount on web hosting + a free domain name. They’re an officially recommended WordPress hosting provider.
WordPress.com
WordPress.com is a hosting service created by Automattic, the company led by WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg. Because of the same founder, users often confuse WordPress.com with the popular WordPress.org software.
The WordPress.com hosting service has six pricing plans:
- Free – Very limited and restrictive in terms of features.
- Starter – $48 per year
- Explorer – $96 per year
- Creator – $300 per year
- Entreprenuer – $540 per year (Suitable for eCommerce sites using WooCommerce)
- VIP – starting at $25000 per year
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of WordPress.com.
WordPress.com Benefits
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 storage space. (Starter plan $48 /year, gives you 6GB, Explorer plan $96/year, gives you 13GB storage, Creator plan for $300/year comes with 50GB storage).
- You will not have to worry about updates or backups. WordPress.com will take care of that.
WordPress.com Cons
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. Your users see those ads, and you don’t make money from them. If you don’t want your users to see their ads, then you can upgrade to a paid WordPress.com plan (starting from $48 per year).
- You are NOT allowed to sell ads on your website, which severely limits ways to monetize your site. If you run a high-traffic site, then you can apply for their advertising program called WordAds where you share revenue with them. Explorer and above plan users can use WordAds right away.
- You cannot upload plugins. Free plan users get built-in Jetpack features pre-activated. Creator plan users can install from a selection of compatible plugins ($300 / year). WordPress.com VIP program lets you install plugins, and it starts from $5000 per month.
- You cannot upload custom themes. Free plan users can only install from the limited free themes collection. Explorer and Creator plan users can also select premium themes and use custom CSS with those themes. There are limited customization options for the free version.
- You are restricted to their stats. You cannot add Google Analytics or install any other powerful tracking platform. Users on the Premium and above plans can install Google Analytics.
- Free WordPress.com sites come with a WordPress.com subdomain (e.g. https://yourwebsite.wordpress.com). You’ll need a paid plan to get a custom domain name (e.g. https://www.yourwebsite.com).
- They can delete your site at any time if they think that it violates their terms of service.
- Your site will display a “Powered by WordPress.com” link. You can remove it by upgrading to the Premium plan.
- WordPress.com does not offer any eCommerce features or integrated payment gateways unless you switch to the Premium or Entrepreneur plan.
- 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 ($300 per year) or the VIP plan ($5000 per month).
WordPress.com vs WordPress.org (FAQs)
Since this is a popular topic and WPBeginner is the largest free WordPress resource site for beginners, we get tons of questions about WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org.
We have done our best to answer the most frequently asked questions below:
WordPress.com vs WordPress.org – 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 wanting 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 the WordPress.com Business plan ($300 / year for each website) offers several advanced features, 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. It is the platform that every professional blogger, small business owner, and even big name brands like Disney uses.
Can I Monetize a Free WordPress.com Website?
WordPress.com does not allow you to run ads on free WordPress.com websites. If you run a high-traffic website, you can join their WordAds program and share your ad revenue with WordPress.com.
You can put some affiliate links on your website, but that’s about it.
Basically, you have very limited options to monetize content on your WordPress.com website.
With WordPress.org, you have full control over your new website’s content management system and unlimited monetization options.
WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org – Which One Is Better for eCommerce?
WordPress.org offers the easiest way to build an eCommerce website. You can use WooCommerce to build your store or choose from many other WordPress eCommerce, membership, and LMS plugins.
WordPress.com also offers an eCommerce plan starting at $540 per year, which is a hefty amount if you are just getting started. However, it is still limited in terms of features, and you’ll have to follow WordPress.com’s terms of service for your eCommerce store.
See our guide on how to start an online store without a high budget. It includes how to get your domain for free and all the powerful features you need to grow online.
How do I start a WordPress.org Website?
To start a self-hosted WordPress website, you need a domain name and WordPress hosting.
A domain name is the address of your website on the Internet, such as google.com or wpbeginner.com. Web hosting is where your website files are stored on the Internet.
We recommend using Bluehost to host your website because it is one of the largest web hosting companies in the world. It is also an official WordPress.org recommended web host. Last but not least, it offers our users a free domain, free SSL, and 75% off hosting.
For step-by-step instructions, you can check out our free guide on how to make a website.
If you need help, WPBeginner team can even install WordPress and build your website for free. Learn more about how our free WordPress blog setup works.
Can I Move From WordPress.com to WordPress.org?
Often, new users who don’t know the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org end up starting with the free WordPress.com service. Once they see the limitations of the platform, they want to switch to “the Real WordPress,” aka WordPress.org.
Yes, you can definitely switch from WordPress.com to WordPress.org and fairly easily move all of your content.
We have created a step-by-step guide on how to move your blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org, or you can take advantage of our free blog setup service, and we will transfer your blog for free.
WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org – Summary
The best way to consider the differences between WordPress.com and WordPress.org is to compare them to renting versus owning a house.
WordPress.com is similar to renting a house. You have limited power and control over what you can and cannot do.
WordPress.org is like owning a house. Where you have full control, no one can kick you out, and you can do anything that you want.
Below is the summary of everything we discussed above in our self-hosted WordPress.org vs WordPress.com comparison:
| WP.org (Platform) | WP.com (Free) | WP.com (Premium) | WP.com (Business) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $46 - $100 / year | Free | $96 / year | $300/ year |
| Custom Domain | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Hosting Storage | Unlimited | 3 GB | 13 GB | 200 GB |
| Monetization Freedom | Yes | No | Yes (with rev/share) | Yes (with rev / share) |
| Branding Freedom | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| All SEO Features | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Powerful Analytics | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Full Theme Support | Yes | No | Limited | Yes |
| Full Plugin Support | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Ecommerce Store | Yes | No | No | No |
| Membership Site | Yes | No | No | No |
| Maintenance | Yes | No | No | No |
| Full Control | Yes | No | No | No |
Final Thoughts
The confusion created by similar domains, WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org, is quite unfortunate for beginners. There is a lot of history behind the decisions, and you can read more about that in our article about how WordPress.com and WordPress.org are related.
We hope that you found this article helpful in understanding the main differences between WordPress.org and WordPress.com.
We wish you all the best with your website and hope that you chose the right platform: WordPress.org.
If so, you may want to follow these useful guides:
- How to learn WordPress in 7 days or less
- Best WordPress plugins for your website (expert pick)
- Ultimate WordPress security guide to improve your website security
- Ultimate Guide on how to speed up WordPress (including power user tips)
- Ultimate WordPress SEO optimization guide to help improve your own website ranking (without hiring an expert)
- 27 proven tips to increase your blog traffic
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
nomiz
how do i get 60% off bluehost?
WPBeginner Support
You would use one of the links to BlueHost from our site to receive the discount such as one from the article
Admin
Chan
Wow! Informative article. Thanks
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome
Admin
L. Jay Patterson
Hello, I am very interested in setting up my WordPress.org website with my domain name, web hosting from Bluehost and everything else…but one question though. I have a ton of artwork to upload – black and white art, 4-color art, and some digital photography. What are the required Photoshop specs for my images in terms of file resolution sizes, file formats, etc.? Will I have time to visually see how my content appears on my page(s) to see if my files sizes and resolutions look okay for my viewers to see clearly (not pixelized or low res rasterized) and also my online store images before making my website public? Thanks.
WPBeginner Support
For optimizing your images for the web, you would want to take a look at our article here: https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/speed-wordpress-save-images-optimized-web/
Admin
Beatriz Becker
Thank you so much for this detailed explanation of the pros and cons of each platform. Very useful!
WPBeginner Support
Glad our article could help
Admin
Misty
This helped me a lot! I’ve been on wp.com and have been scratching my head for awhile and THIS Is the information i was looking for
WPBeginner Support
Glad our guide could clear things up
Admin
Abrar
Really helped me. Thanks.
WPBeginner Support
Glad it could help
Admin
Bob Colvin
I am considering using WP for an author website. It would include the book description, author bio, contact page, photo gallery, possible blog articles, possible links to you tube videos, and definitely links to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc. I do not think I will do any direct selling from the site. What would be the best way for me to go, .com or .org with maybe an upgrade to a paid service, but not to break the bank? I have a Hover domain name but if I can get a free alternative I might go for that.
WPBeginner Support
You may want to look into WordPress.com to start with depending on your specific needs and if you find you need to use WordPress.org later you can transfer your site using: https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-properly-move-your-blog-from-wordpress-com-to-wordpress-org/
Admin
Jane Soriano
Been up and around, studied and analyzed too many ‘WordPress Friends’ sites – Most of them simply cunningly selling their own Non-WordPress.Org Products that start off as “Free” . . . I’m telling my WordPress clients to strictly, never go anywhere else for all their FYI Needs but here https://www.wpbeginner.com. Big Thanks to all you do!
WPBeginner Support
Hi Jane,
Thanks for your support.
Admin
Claudia
It is NOT true that you can’t have ecommerce shop with wordpress business plan. I am on the business plan and I have a woocommerce shop. I even had Shopify at first before I moved over to woocommerce. I also have a Genesis theme installed on my wordpress business plan blog. You are not limited to only using wordpress.com themes.
WPBeginner Support
Thank you for bringing this to our attention, WordPress.com added eCommerce support after our most recent update to this article. We do mention that the business plan allows you to upload custom themes.
Admin
Wayne
I’m in my second year with Wordpress.com and have a Premium account, but my costs will go up dramatically next year to $96 for hosting and $26 for my domain name. I can always go back to a Personal account at renewal for $48 + $26 (no more free domain name registration next time) but I’m wondering whether Worpress.org and Bluehost would be more economical. I researched Bluehost before I started my blog last year and found mixed reviews.
WPBeginner Support
Hi Wayne,
The cost of your WordPress.org website will depend on hosting, plugins, themes, and other tools you use. Please see our article on the cost of building a WordPress site for a detailed breakdown.
Admin
Ritesh
Actually I wanted to transfer my website from wix to wordpress.com and had no idea about WordPress.org. I want to thank you for the article. I am looking for some help on how to transfer my website from wix to WordPress.org as I have heard that transferring website from wix is very difficult.
WPBeginner Support
Hi Ritesh,
Please see our guide on how to transfer your site from Wix to WordPress.
Admin
Kelli Welch
Hi!
I am a new blogger and made the mistake of starting a wordpress.com site instead of wordpress.org site.. and then paid to upgrade to premium (like a month ago – paid for the year).. is there a way to switch over to the wordpress.org and transfer the money I already paid for the year? or if I transfer do I take the loss?
WPBeginner Support
Hi Kelli,
You can always move your site from WordPress.com to WordPress.org. You can use the same domain on a self-hosted .org website without transferring it. As for refund, they offer full refunds for cancellations during 30-days of purchase.
Admin
Sam
Thanks for this awesome write- up. Keep it up! It is now easy to compare between the both and decide.
Jerome
Hi, thank you for discussing the difference between WordPress.org vs WordPress.com and that really helps.
I’m planning to create a website that has an online tutorial content (i.e. like of Java Programming Tutorial, Testing Automation Tutorial). It will have 2 contents:
– Free Contents (No Membership)
– Paid Contents (Paid Membership)
However, this will be my first time to create a website and do not have much knowledge into it. Do you have a suggestion how will I start? Or what type of website do you recommend for me to create? Any recommendation or ideas will help. Thank you!
Tebesenghan Ayibatarimi E
I have read through the advantages of setting up a blog for free and paying for it.However,i am confused and i want to know the difference(s)between wp.org(platform)and wp.org(business).Also,my worries or confusion stems from the table where you drew your analogy of renting a house and owing a house.From ecommerce to full control,you said No to business but Yes with platform.I need the clarification to assist me taking decisions,please.
WPBeginner Support
Please see our guide on the difference between self hosted WordPress.org vs free WordPress.com blog.
Admin
Neeta
Hi,
I am an absolute new bee,wanting to start my own blog.I was to get a website designed by a web designer,when a friend suggested to go in for WordPress.com paid plan.Then I came across this article explaining how WordPress.com and WordPress.org are different.
My question is,if I choose bluehost and make payment,how easy or difficult is further job to create a blog/website,given that I am not a technical person.secondly ,do you guys provide any support?
WPBeginner Support
Hi Neeta,
WordPress.org is quite easy to use. It does come with a slight learning curve. Having helped thousands of absolute beginners over the years, we can confidently tell you that most beginners quickly get over it.
Admin
Chloe
Thankyou!! you made that so easy to understand
Amber
Hello,
I already paid for a Personal account through Wordpress.com not realizing that it was not the right choice for me. Can I either get a refund or switch the credit over to Worpress.org/Bluehost? Thank you.
Peggy Vlismas
Hey, We run a Peer to Peer Support group in Australia for married partners of Bi and Gay people called the Straight Spouse Group and we have a wordpress.com site but want to create a better website, with more capabilities so we’re looking to change to wordpress.org. I am a bit new to this and want to just confirm that if we do, we can keep our domain name, but have the .org extension instead? Correct?
WPBeginner Support
Hi Peggy,
If you are using a custom domain (www.example.com) on your WordPress.com website, then you can use the same domain name on your self hosted WordPress.org website. If you are using a WordPress.com sub domain (example.wordpress.com), then you will need to register a new domain name when moving your website to self-hosted WordPress.org.
The .org extension is a domain extension, moving your site to WordPress.org doesn’t mean that you will get a .org domain extension, unless you already have a custom domain with .org extension.
For more information. Please see our guides:
domain names and how do they work
Difference between domain name and web hosting
Admin
Nani
Hello,
I have a bit of an issue and I hope you can help me with it;
I have recently started my blog on WP.com and immediately noticed all the limitations that comes with it. So Im now in the process of switching to WP.org
Im using bluest, and according to the rules I have to wait 60 days before I can transfer..so im currently still waiting.
I have of course paid for a premium version of WP.com and now that I have switched and paid for blue host, it seems like a waste of money.
Can I cancel the subscription I have with Wp.com to receive a refund without complicating the transfer to WP.org (as I still have to wait to transfer it) ?
looking foward to your reply
WPBeginner Support
Hi Nani,
Yes, you can request a refund please contact WordPress.com support. You will not be able to get a refund for your domain name.
You can still transfer your website and don’t need to wait for 60 days. You can point your domain to your Bluehost website without migrating the domain name to Bluehost.
Admin
Takyi
hello
i already have a domain name and host. i now want to build my website. any guide on how to go about it?
Thanks
Emerald
WPBeginner Support
Hi Takyi,
Please see our complete WordPress installation guide.
Admin
Jessica
Hi! I am having a billing issues on wordpress.org. I accidentally charged the wrong card and need to get that card refunded and the other card charged (for our premium plan) Is there a way to go about this? I have done so much digging on google and so far have found nothing. Thanks!
WPBeginner Support
Hi Jessica,
WordPress.org does not accept any payments. You are probably using WordPress.com. Please see our guide on the difference between self hosted WordPress.org vs free WordPress.com blog.
Admin
cintia
I signed up for WordPress.com’s free plan and bought a domain name. If i got it right i can move to WP.org (with bluehost) and move there my domain name. But bluehost appart from web hosting offers a free domain name. Now, will i have to continue paying my wordpress.com domain every month? if yes, can i still use the free bluehost domain and have two web sites?
WPBeginner Support
Hi,
Yes, you will have to pay WordPress.com for just the domain name every year. You can also move your domain name to Bluehost.
Admin
Karen
I’m a professional artist and I want to create a website that would contain a slide show or video, bio, contact, gallery, and blog. which plan would be the best one for me and how much would it cost. I would be dropping photos of my own work into the gallery page?
WPBeginner Support
Hi Karen,
A basic WordPress.org plan on a shared hosting would be best for you. Please see our guide on how to start a blog for step by step instructions.
Admin
Aditi Bisen
I’m debating between WordPress.com business plan and WordPress.org. please answer my queries to help me decide.
1) How expensive can hosting get for high traffic sites for example? In WordPress.org
2) Also is there a plug-in for online store in WordPress.com business plan, or it’s not allowed altogether?
Thank you
WPBeginner Support
Hi Aditi,
For costs, please our article on how much does it cost to build a WordPress website.
You can install WooCommerce on WordPress.com business plan.
Admin
Aditi Bisen
Thank you for the feedback. Much appreciated!
Aditi Bisen
Hi, if I choose to switch from WordPress.com to WordPress.org, can I still have a blog that ends with ‘.com’?
Thanks
WPBeginner Support
Yes, you can use the same custom domain name on WordPress.org. However, if your blog URL was like example.wordpress.com then you will not be able to use it any more.
Admin
Alice Ren
Thank you for the explanation, I was very confused.
I’m about to start my personal blog and I was trying to make some things and searching for info. but al the tutorials talk aboutl wordpress.org…
I really appreciate your information.!
William
I’d like to start a blog which will make money. According to everything I am reading that means wordpress.org. But I come with several concerns:
+ You make it all sound so simple for even the most tech challenged. My tech skills are a little more than basic. Usually once I learn something it sticks. That said when you talk themes and plug-ins it sails in one ear and out the other.
+ I was learning SEO from my former employer in 2015 when I was let go so I have insufficient knowledge.
+ Once upon a time I signed up with Blue Host on the Word Press recommendation that it is very easy to work with. It wasn’t. It was near impossible. And it took a lot of cajoling to get a refund. I understand you work with other hosting sites, but are they as good in helping novices as Blue Host is supposed to be?
+ I am sure I will have additional questions but first things first
WPBeginner Support
Hi William,
You can take advantage of our free blog set up service.
Admin
Esther
In this article you have a table where you compare the WP.org features against the 3 WP.com features and in the row for “maintenance” it says that the WP.org includes “maintenance” but not on the WP.com Business. I am not sure what you are referring to when you say maintenance. My understanding is that with WP.org I am responsible for updates and backups. Is that what you mean by maintenance? Is the chart correct?
WPBeginner Support
Hi Esther,
Yes, your WordPress.org updates, backups, security, and performance are all part of maintenance.
Admin
Surabhi Siddaiah
Hey. I have decided to create my blog through WordPress.org but i am not sure which Web host to use. I have had mixed reviews about BlueHost. I have read that few bloggers have been facing error issues and payment issues on bluehost. Please provide me some insights about BlueHost. Can you please tell me if there are other good web hosts? I am having a hard time deciding this.
WPBeginner Support
Hi Surabhi,
To see which other hosts we recommend, please take a look at our WordPress hosting page.
Admin
Jesus
As an aspiring freelancer, would it be better to use wordpress.com instead of .org? I don’t know too much about hosting and servers to be confident enough to completely host a website on my own. Or do you recommend I take the time to learn more about hosting and servers?
WPBeginner Support
Hey Jesus,
We will recommend you to learn more about hosting and servers, it will come in handy and bring you many more opportunities as a freelancer.
Admin
Amarbir Singh
I am dealing in diamond jewelry and I have been in the business in the last 25years. My inventory is maintained in an access database. Each product ID is unique and the parameters of diamonds and gold that determine the price are listed separately for each product id.
My question is that can the integrity of this database in which the inventory is maintained can be extended to my online store, so that the inventory details can be uploaded via excel sheet with all the parameters intact. I could send you the screen shot of the product page in my inventory if you so desire.
Regards
Amarbir
WPBeginner Support
Hi Amarbir Singh,
It would be quite hard to do that without any custom coding. We will recommend you to hire a professional WordPress developer to write a custom plugin for you to do this.
Admin
Ron
I am and Adobe Muse user and that’s how I created my website. Adobe just announced discontinuation of support for this product, hence I would need to move to a different platform. I know a little bit of a coding, but have never used any versions of WP. If I activate WP on my host, am I going to lose all the existing website information? With .org version, do I need to remove all my exiting files and upload .org files? I just want to test this for now, till I feel comfortable with the site that I create…
WPBeginner Support
Hi Ron,
If you install WordPress on the same domain name as your old website, then your old website will become inaccessible. Muse is a static website builder, which means your website files are served directly. WordPress is a dynamic platform that stores content in database instead of static files.
We recommend that you install WordPress on your computer to test it out and to import content from your existing website. Once you are ready you can move your local site to the live server.
Admin
Paul Miller
As a new web wannabe designer, just like everybody in the world, .com’s chat support for new users on the business plan and above seems a great way to get your feet wet. Given the complexity and chance for dead ends with selfhosting can you really say .org is best for even old, weakminded, or otherwise ordinary bloggers/budding Mark Zuckerbergs?
Maricel
This is just so timely as I was about to upgrade my WordPress.com free plan to premium. I was doubtful there are still better options so I searched some points to consider before switching and I found your site. Honestly, I didn’t realize WordPress.com was even different from WordPress.org until I read this post. This is very helpful. Thank you.
Corey
The business plan for the .com site converts to mobile with ease. Is the .org the same?
WPBeginner Support
Hi Corey,
Yes, the appearance of your website is controlled by your WordPress theme. Most WordPress themes available on .com are also available for .org websites. You need to make sure you are using the same theme or a theme that is mobile-responsive.
Admin
Adrian Sin
Thank you for this article. I wish I had known more before. I’ve been using WordPress.com for one year and I feel like I’m not getting my money’s worth at all. the support is barely constructive, often saying the plugin is at fault and not WordPress.com. there is often little explanation why something is incompatible. When the site breaks there is frustration and little education on how to manage a website for beginners, other than you should create a child theme, but then they don’t guide you how to manage a child theme except try out your theme on Ampps before uploading to WordPress.com. there was little guidance for plugins that would not be needed, such as caching, backups, etc. Only recommendations for using as little plugins as possible. That’s about it. I’m done with WordPress.com. and would not recommend it. moving on.
Sunday
In google site and using the classic site, it is easy to simply change text and put your own. It makes it very easy for the beginner. While will wordpress not do same.
Piali Chatterjee
What if I have a wordpress.com free blog and now I want to move my content to a wordpress.org, but will I lose everything the views, comments etc. ?
WPBeginner Support
Hi Piali,
You will lose pageviews as those are specific to your WordPress.com website. You will not lose any of your content including comments.
Admin
Dip Raj Karki
Hey,
I am currently using the premium plan from wordpress, it is fairly good, but I feel like I should switch to wordpress.org, will it affect my SEO rankings, my email subscribers ??? and additionally, what other things are affected ???
WPBeginner Support
Hi Dip Raj,
If you are on a custom domain, then you can preserve your SEO. Please see our guide on moving your blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org
Anna
Hi! This information was SO helpful! I need to move my website from Wix. Do you have a tutorial on how do that? I’m afraid I’ll lose my contacts, stats, Google rankings, etc. I’ve worked hard to get my website where it’s at now so I’m slightly terrified but I need the plug-ins that WordPress offers. Any advice? Thanks in advance!
WPBeginner Support
Hi Anna,
Yes, we do have a tutorial on moving your website from Wix to WordPress. Our advice will be to do it sooner than later, because the more your website grows, harder it will become to move it later.
Admin
Jamie
Im still bit confused.
I currently have a website for my podcast on Wordpress.com but with the premium package, I have access to plug-ins.
I want to switch over to Wordpress.org when my contract is up in a few months.
My question is:
Does self hosting mean I have to install Wordpress on my Mac and configure with localhost?
Can I just go to Wordpress.org and use bluehost to avoid all the complicated stuff?
Thanks,
WPBeginner Support
Hi Jamie,
No, self-hosting means you will have to install WordPress on a hosting service provider. Please see our guide on how to start a blog to learn more.
Admin
Ledi Rose Villanueva
Is it okay if i have both? wordpress.com and wordpress.org
WPBeginner Support
Hi Ledi,
You can have blogs on both platforms. However, if you have exactly the same content on both blogs then search engines would consider it duplicate content and that would affect your search rankings.
Admin
adelola daniel
please I want to create a video blog using bluehost and installing WordPress
but I am having issue with theme because i am not good at coding or so,i am only familiar with using theme when i ask wordpress.com support he said their theme dont work for wordpress.org kind of weird
please explain and also suggest a theme good for video blogging
WPBeginner Support
Please see our guide on the difference between self hosted WordPress.org vs free WordPress.com blog.
Admin
Maya
Hi,
I have a self-hosted blog, but I still have the WordPress app in my phone, to check things easier. However, it wouldn’t sync with my blog. For example, whenever I go to the ‘Blog Posts’ setting in the sidebar, it says “No posts found”, along with a pop-up, that says “Jetpack unable to sync”. Can you please help me? Am I doing something wrong? Thank you.
Darryl
Thought wordpress.org was separate from wordpress.com. Tried to sign up with wordpress.org and got transferred to wordpress.com. Is that because I opted for a free acct? Like what you wrote about wordpress.org. Don’t want to have anything to do with wordpress.com.
WPBeginner Support
Hi Darryl,
WordPress.org offers the free open source WordPress software. You can simply download it without creating an account. Please see our guide on how to start a WordPress blog for step by step instructions.
Admin
Shady
Hey, very helpful article. But i wanted to know whether they put ads on my free website or not? And can i use my own hosting?
Dan
Great post on the comparison if a client ever asks. Most articles on the topic are dated so it’s nice to see something updated and tangible.
Miz
Thank you for such an informative article. Answered all my questions! Glad I came across your website. I will be using it to help me build my own website. Thank you!
Andrew Flexing
If I start a wordpress.org site, can I self host with a company of my choosing??
I want to have the hosting located in the country that I’m targeting.
WPBeginner Support
Hi Andrew,
Yes, you can do that.
Admin
Meridith
This might be a really stupid question… but I have a site and I’m not sure how to tell if it’s wordpress.org or wordpress.com. I have bluehost and I know I had the intention of doing the not free one, but when I log in, I think it’s wordpress.com/admin or whatever the url is. How can I be sure I have the wordpress.org version?
WPBeginner Support
Hi Meridith,
Here is how you can easily identify whether you are using WordPress.com or WordPress.org
Login to your website by visiting yourdomain.com/wp-admin.
Once logged in, take your mouse over to WordPress logo at the top left corner of the screen.
If you are using WordPress.org, then you will see mouseover menu with links labeled About WordPress, WordPress.org, Documentation, Support Forums, and Feedback.
If you are using WordPress.com, then nothing will happen on mouse over. However, if you click on the WordPress logo, you will see a slide in menu popup with a light blue color scheme.
Hope this helps.
Admin