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WordPress is one of the biggest content management systems (CMS) in the modern world. However, most people can’t tell which side to go in the WordPress.org vs. WordPress.com debate. If you type the WordPress keyword on your browser, you will get one with a .org and another one with a .com extension.
Should you use WordPress.com or WordPress.org for your next website? This article will explore what WordPress.com and WordPress.org are and show their similarities and differences to help make an informed decision.
What is WordPress.org
WordPress.org presents itself as a publishing platform, blog tool, and CMS. You can also define it as a resource center that allows you to download WordPress software. However, you must use a third-party hosting company to host your website. You install WordPress from the host’s platform and configure everything based on the host’s platform.
WordPress.org serves an awesome community for the WordPress open source community. It is a great platform to interact with WordPress enthusiasts, learn about WordPress, or contribute to its development. However, this platform does not offer web hosting or website creation services.
What are the advantages of using WordPress.org?
- Complete control over where you buy your domain, your hosting, and how you design the website.
- WordPress.org is designed to be scalable, accommodating your needs as the site grows.
- This website hub has a big community you can bank on in case you get stuck.
- Opens-source that you can customize to suit your needs.
- WordPress.org is designed as an SEO-friendly website hub, making ranking your websites on search engines easy.
What are the limitations of using WordPress.org?
- Setting up a site using WordPress.org can be technical, especially if using different vendors for your domain name and hosting.
- Users must be vigilant to security threats as WordPress.org leaves security management to site owners.
- Too much freedom for customization may disadvantage those who don’t understand PHP, HTML, and CSS.
- WordPress.org users must monitor their website’s uptime and availability.
What is WordPress.com
WordPress.com is a platform that allows users to build sites using pre-installed WordPress software. WordPress.com takes care of maintenance and security and is thus suitable for those who want functional websites with little technicalities.
WordPress.com is designed with all the basic features and tools out of the box. For instance, all sites launched using this platform are SEO-ready. However, you can still use SEO plugins if you subscribe to the right plan. You can gauge your website’s performance through the internal stats. Paid packages also allow you to add tools like Google Analytics for comprehensive reports.
The platform also offers managed website hosting, which allows you to select a domain for your website. The platform has a free plan with limited features, and the domain name uses a .wordpress.com extension.
What are the advantages of using WordPress.com?
- It is easy to use as you get everything under the same roof.
- Automatic updates and maintenance from its core engine.
- You can experiment with the free plan, learn how it works, and buy premium versions later.
- You can enjoy various built-in features like social sharing and SEO
What are the limitations of WordPress.com?
- WordPress.com offers limited customization options to users.
- Low tiers on this platform offer limited support for custom plugins that you can use to extend your website’s functionality.
WordPress.org vs. WordPress.com
Matt Mullenweg co-founded WordPress.org and WordPress.com. Even though the two also have big and active communities, they were created to serve different market segments. Let us take a deep dive into the features that differentiate the two:
#1. Customization and themes
Every website owner needs to customize a website to suit their brand. The customization can vary from layouts and colors to fonts.
WordPress.org gives you a range of themes to suit your needs. Some of the highly-paid packages allow you to install custom themes or even access advanced customization options. You can change your website’s layout, fonts, and colors to suit your needs. Some themes also allow you to add custom CSS code to your website
WordPress.com’s level of customization will depend on the package you are on. If on the free plan, you are limited to a few themes with limited customization options.
#2. Ease of use
We have different kinds of website owners: tech-savvy and beginners. These two platforms have varying difficulty levels:
WordPress.org’s ease of use will depend on the web hosting platform you select. You may require intermediate knowledge to set up your website, change DNS settings, customize it, and keep it secure. Luckily, most web hosts have in-depth guides to take you through.
WordPress.com is Designed as a beginner-friendly website builder. However, the platform still has all the necessary features if you are an advanced user.
#3. Pricing
The cost of launching and running a website is an important consideration for every business owner. The two platforms’ pricing models differ in the following ways:
WordPress.org is a free publishing platform. However, you must pay for the domain name, hosting, emails, and SSL certificate. The cost of all these will depend on the platform you select. For instance, if you take a platform like Namecheap, you will incur from $10.28/yr for a .com domain while you will incur from $6.88/month on hosting.
WordPress.com has a Free plan, but your domain will have a wordpress.com extension. For instance, if you name your shop ‘UShop’, your domain name will be ‘UShop.wordpress.com’. This platform also has 5 paid plans, starting from $ 4 per month. All the paid plans come with a free domain for one year.
#4. Monetization
It is the dream of every website/ business owner to make money. This is how the two compare:
WordPress.org allows users to enjoy different monetization options like display ads and affiliate marketing. However, you must also ensure that your website is eligible for some programs like Amazon Associates, Google AdSense, and Ezoic to monetize your website through them
WordPress.com is limited on the monetization part. For instance, if you select the Free plan, your website will have ads that don’t make you money. You can apply for programs like AdWords when you subscribe to paid packages.
Modern users interact with social media platforms a lot. Website owners must find a way to share their products on social media.
WordPress.org allows you to integrate your website with social media platforms using various plugins. Luckily, there are many to choose from in the plugin directory.
WordPress.com’s social media integration is built-in when you subscribe to the paid options. You can also integrate the free version with extra effort.
#6. Support
Your website may go down, or you may encounter an error.
WordPress.org users rely on the host’s support for all their inquiries. WordPress.org also has a big forum with many resources that you can use to troubleshoot your website.
WordPress.com’s level of support you get will depend on the package you are on. Paid options give you a 24/7 chat option and email window to send your messages.
#7. Plugins
You can extend the functionality of your website through various plugins.
WordPress.org has a big library of plugins. Some are paid, while others are free. For instance, you can get a plugin to optimize your website for SEO.
WordPress.com has many built-in features to minimize the need for plugins. However, you can still use plugins if you are on eligible plans. However, the platform controls the updates of the plugins you install.
#8. E-commerce
Most businesses are moving online. You can sell digital and physical products to people in different parts of the world.
WordPress.org allows users to choose from various plugins to create website stores. The features you can add to your store will depend on the plugin you select and what you want to achieve.
WordPress.com has limited support for e-commerce. It will cost users $59 to enjoy e-commerce features.
Here is a quick summary of the best WordPress.org vs. WordPress.com I’ll be discussing below.
| Feature | WordPress.org | WordPress.com |
|---|---|---|
| Target | Big businesses/ e-commerce | Small businesses and personal blogs |
| Ease of use | Somehow technical | Beginner-friendly |
| Themes | Big library | Small library |
| Social media integration | Third-party plugins | Built-in |
| Customization | Highly customizable | Moderate customization |
| Pricing | Depends on your host | Free. Paid plans start from $4/month |
| Monetization | Many options | Limited |
| Support | Host support | Depends on package |
| Storage | Depends on the host | Depends on the package |
| Plugins | Big library | Small library |
| E-commerce | Big support | Limited support |
When to use WordPress.org
- You are okay with some technical stuff: If you are dealing with WordPress.org, you must deal with issues like ensuring your domain points to the right DNS. Most hosting providers will avail resources on the same.
- You want control over your website: You can buy a domain from vendor Y and host your website with vendor X. You can also switch hosts and control the security of your website.
- You want to enjoy many customization options: WordPress.org allows you to customize your website as you deem fit. Edit your code, add new plugins, and enhance the functionality of your website to suit your brand needs.
- You want to build a big website: WordPress.org is perfect for building a big site like an e-commerce platform. The cost of hosting will depend on the provider you select. You can then add the right plugins and start selling your products. Choose a hosting provider that can allow you to increase disk space and other features as your website grows.
- You want a variety of plugins: You don’t have to create everything from scratch, as you can use plugins to enhance the functionality of your website. You can also configure your website with Google Analytics to determine its SEO and organic traffic performance.
- Get more monetization options: An ideal website should make you money. WordPress.org allows you to display ads from ad networks, join affiliate networks, or sell products online. You can also add suitable e-commerce plugins and launch a digital store.
When to use WordPress.com
- You want everything under one roof: WordPress.com allows you to get a domain, hosting, and SSL certificate under one roof. The platform also takes care of things like security and maintenance
- You want an easy-to-use platform: WordPress.com allows you to start a website even if you are a total beginner. It also has features suiting techy-savvy individuals.
- In need of a simple website/ blog: Want to start your first simple website or blog where you can share your ideas? WordPress.com has all the features to get you started. The platform also has thousands of plugins you can access with the right paid package.
Conclusion
The WordPress.org vs. WordPress.com debate is not based on competition. As we have seen, the debate should be on what is offered and the target market. The two also have the same co-founders.
WordPress.org is a perfect fit if you want to enjoy maximum control of your website, flexibility, and customization options. On the other hand, WordPress.com is the go-to option if you are less tech-savvy and are looking for a user-friendly website builder.
Check out our article on WordPress vs. Wix website builders.
