In nearly all cases, WordPress.com and WordPress.org are treated as one and the same. The only difference? WordPress.com is the commercial version with some added features, and WordPress.org is a self-hosted version of WordPress that requires one to do all the maintenance themselves.
In this article I will compare the two most popular WordPress sites to show how they differ, and talk about the pros and cons of each.
In the past few years, WordPress.com has emerged as the most popular self-hosted blogging platform. It boasts tens of thousands of active sites, and the community surrounding it is so big, there are entire sections dedicated to it on most major communities including Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Stack Overflow and more. The problem, however, is that it can be confusing and difficult to figure out what makes a WordPress.org site different from one on WordPress.com.. Read more about wordpress.com vs wordpress.org reddit and let us know what you think.
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Are you wondering if your site should be hosted on WordPress.org or WordPress.com?
You can go to WordPress.org and download the free version of WordPress, which will allow you to create a totally unique website. You may have to pay for your own web hosting, but the ability to develop, manage and monetize your website as you see fit is invaluable.
WordPress.com allows you to create a blog on their website. You don’t have to host anything, but you do sacrifice the flexibility and design freedom that makes WordPress so popular.
Although WordPress.com makes it easy to create websites, it does have limitations that are more suitable for beginners with limited technical knowledge.
WordPress.com or WordPress.org : What is better?
WordPress.com is a free platform, perfect for beginners who want to create a simple website. The simplicity is unmatched, so you can focus more on creating quality content without worrying about the technical aspects. Create an account today and get your free website in minutes.
WordPress.org is best suited for bloggers and entrepreneurs who want total control over their websites. You can freely integrate it with custom themes, plugins and tools to make your website look, function and generate the revenue you want. Download WordPress now and create a website on your own terms.
Overview of the best kits for creating web sites
If you are looking for a website builder, this detailed overview of my suggestions should put you on the right track.
A website builder should help you create a website in minutes without coding. I’ve built countless websites over the years, so I know firsthand what features are important to look for.
Spoiler alert: WordPress is one of the best, but there are other alternatives that may better suit your needs.
WordPress.com wins
Ease of use: WordPress.com is a free managed hosting platform. Launching your website is as easy as creating an account. The WordPress.com team takes care of everything, so you don’t have to download software, pay for hosting or manage a server. This free website builder is perfect for those who want to focus more on their content and manage as many free websites as they want.
100% free for basic users: You can create a website for free on WordPress.com. There are also paid plans if you want to remove ads, have your own domain (like neilpatel.com) instead of the default subdomain (neilpatel.wordpress.com) and have more storage space. The cost to upgrade to paid plans ranges from $48 per year for the Personal plan to $540 per year for the Ecommerce plan.
Hands off: Having a WordPress.com website is like renting an apartment, but without the rent. You can enjoy the room while the owner takes care of the maintenance. You don’t have to worry about backups, updates and other complicated technical issues – this is all taken care of by WordPress.com’s developers and support technicians.
Multiple customer support channels: The support forums provide answers to all technical questions, whether you are using the free or premium rate. Depending on the paid plan you subscribe to, you may also have access to more personalized 24/7 support via chat or email.
Basic customization options : Even though WordPress.com is free, it gives you a lot of freedom to design your website the way you want. There are hundreds of free themes to choose from, so you can pick something that reflects your style and personality. The free WordPress.com websites also come with built-in features, such as social sharing buttons, polls, comments, image galleries, SEO and contact forms, so you don’t need to install any third-party plugins.
Built-in safety features: WordPress.com is a closed ecosystem that is already protected by default. No need to install security software or monitor your website for malware attacks 24 hours a day. Everything is taken care of, so you can focus your attention where it’s needed most: on creating content.
The possibility of a painless migration: If you decide it’s time to move your website to a standalone platform, WordPress.com won’t stop you. The free WordPress.com website has a built-in export tool that puts your entire website into a downloadable file. You can do the migration yourself for free or let WordPress.com do it for a small fee. To complete the migration, click the Import button on the new WordPress toolbar and your files will be transferred to your new home.
WordPress.com Lose
Unreliable tool for tracking traffic: All users can consult the statistics page to see how much traffic their pages are getting at any given time and where the visitors are coming from. However, it has many limitations, for example, new visitors are only counted in the total number of views after two hours. If a visitor visits the homepage while reading an article, the visit is counted for the total number of visits, but not for an individual article. Google Analytics offers more accurate data, but you can’t integrate it with WordPress.com unless you’re a premium plan user or higher.
Limited opportunities to make money: The free WordPress.com website is not designed or intended to make money. You can try your luck with WordAds, WordPress.com’s proprietary advertising network, but you’ll need your own domain and thousands of visitors per month. And even if you are accepted, you will only share the revenue with WordPress.com. Google Adsense and eCommerce features are only available if you upgrade to a Business plan or higher.
Not suitable for marking : WordPress.com does everything for free, at the expense of flexibility. While the free themes and built-in features are sufficient if you blog for fun, they leave a lot to be desired for most users. Even a standard WordPress.com subdomain and advertising won’t help you build a strong brand in the long run. You have the option to customize your site with third-party themes and plugins, but only business users have that luxury.
Property subject to restrictions : Creating a free website on WordPress.com means that you have no say in most of the things that affect your website. Their platform, their rules. First, your website address will use a generic subdomain (like yoursite.wordpress.com) instead of your own domain name, making it look more professional. You also have no control over the number and type of ads your readers see, unless you decide to upgrade your plan. Because your ownership is limited, WordPress.com may remove your site if it determines that it violates the terms.
Unconvincing references: WordPress.com has built-in SEO features, but they are hardly enough to ensure a good user experience and maximum visibility in search engines. Free accounts only have access to a limited number of free themes. There is no option to upload a custom theme that would allow for better site navigation. You also can’t install popular SEO plugins like Yoast SEO or All-in-One SEO, so you can’t add unique titles and meta descriptions to your articles unless you buy an upgrade to a premium plan. Finally, users of the free plan cannot use the redirection plugin, so pages that should have been redirected to another page remain, making the site cluttered.
WordPress.org wins
Lots of troubleshooting resources for the do-it-yourselfer: Since WordPress.org is open source, there are many volunteers and experts ready to help. If you need to solve a technical problem with WordPress, you can find help in the WordPress.org support forums.
Freelance traffic reports and tracking: Get real-time traffic reports through Google Analytics, a free tool that you can install on WordPress by adding a code to your site’s backend or by enabling a plugin that can do the same without much effort. Regardless of your hosting plan, you can use Google Analytics to obtain valuable, detailed information about your visitors and then use that data to make important business decisions.
Unlimited earning potential: If you have your own website using WordPress.org software, there are many ways to make money. You can place ads yourself without sharing the revenue with anyone else. You can also explore other ways of making money, such as. B. Affiliate marketing, publishing sponsored content or creating membership sites that sell premium content or courses. And if you want to create an online store, WordPress.org has the most robust e-commerce features.
Impressive flexibility: With WordPress.org, you can have a website on your own hosting and the freedom to do whatever you want with it. Want to change your theme? You can install one of the many custom themes available on the web or create one yourself using PHP and CSS. There is also an endless list of third-party plugins that you can install to enhance the look and functionality of your website. From SEO tools to e-commerce extensions, there is no limit to the power you want to give your website.
Uncomplicated security device: To secure your website, install a few plugins and leave the rest to your web host. It’s not exactly a user-friendly system, but it doesn’t require complicated training to secure your website. Finally, you can easily contact your web host or any of the WordPress.org support forums if you have trouble implementing the security measures yourself.
Full ownership and control : Creating a website on WordPress.org means that you have full ownership of your website. There is no higher power breathing down your neck and banning your site at the first opportunity. If you don’t do any machinations, you can sleep easy believing that you have total control over the fate of your website.
Freedom in the use of references : Full control also allows you to directly influence the search engine ranking of your content. A self-hosted website gives you the freedom to use different SEO tools that you can use to optimize your images, headers, meta description, sitemaps and internal links. Google Analytics is also easy to set up to quantify the effectiveness of your SEO strategies and identify areas for improvement. If usability is a priority, you can also set and customize your preferred theme to improve your site’s navigation for readers.
WordPress.orgLose
It lacks simplicity for non-technical users: WordPress.org is an open source content management system, not a full-fledged website. To launch your website, you must first buy a domain name and pay for hosting. After downloading the WordPress.org software, install it on your web host. Some hosting providers have also simplified this step by offering a one-click WordPress installation. While you don’t have to use codes, the process can be daunting for beginners.
Creating and maintaining a website is not entirely free: WordPress.org itself is free. However, it cannot exist on its own if you do not have a domain name and a web host. The domain name is the address of your website (for example, neilpatel.com). A standard .com domain costs at least $10 per year. A web host, on the other hand, is where you store the files for your site, including WordPress.org, and it should cost you at least $3 to $10 per month. Also, don’t forget the cost of premium themes and plugins, which will hit you even harder if you don’t already have your own website.
Ongoing Maintenance : Running a website on your own hosting is like owning your own home. You can do what you want with it, but if it breaks down, you’ll have to fix it yourself. As the owner of the website, you are responsible for keeping the WordPress software and all installed plugins up-to-date. Even when hosting companies offer backups, they are rarely complete and guaranteed. You will need to back up your files yourself.
Comparison of the best website builders
Whether you’re an inexperienced beginner or a tech-savvy web entrepreneur, my detailed overview of the best website builders will help you choose the platform that best suits your goals.
- Wix is the best option for general use
- Weebly – the best option for beginners
- Web.com – The best for creating landing pages
- Shopify is the best for e-commerce
- WordPress – the best for content management
Wix is a versatile tool that allows you to create any website that doesn’t need bells and whistles. If you’re looking for fewer features and a more beginner-friendly platform, this is the one for you.
Weebly will not disappoint you with its drag and drop interface. Are you creating an online store? Consider Shopify, which is designed specifically for this purpose.
If all you need is a homepage, Web.com has a range of templates you can use. This is a good option if you have a lot of campaigns and don’t want to spend all your time on development.
But if you want to put your content at the forefront, nothing beats the functionality of WordPress. It is a content management system that powers 39% of the top 10 million websites on the Internet. And for good reason: It has everything you need to customize, optimize and make the most of your content.
- SEO – Unlocks a large amount of SEO traffic. To see real results.
- Content marketing – our team creates epic content that gets shared, attracting links and traffic.
- Paid media – effective paid strategies with a clear return on investment.
“WordPress.com Vs. WordPress.org – A Detailed Comparison”. Read more about is wordpress.org free and let us know what you think.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is WordPress com or WordPress org better?
The WordPress.org domain is the official domain for the WordPress project.
Is WordPress org and WordPress Com the same company?
No, WordPress.com is a separate company from WordPress.org.
Can I change from WordPress com to WordPress org?
Yes, you can change your WordPress.com to WordPress.org by following these steps: Log in to your WordPress.com account and go to the “Settings” tab on the left side of the screen. Click on “General” and then click on “Edit Site Address.” Enter your new site address in the field provided and click “Update.” Can I change my WordPress.org to WordPress.com? Yes, you can change your WordPress.org to WordPress.com by following these steps: Log in to your WordPress.org account and go to the “Settings” tab on the left side of the screen. Click on “General” and then click on “Edit Site Address.” Enter your new site address in the field provided and click “Update.”
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