WordPress.com vs WordPress.org: what is the difference?

WordPress is one of the most popular software you can use to create your own website. However, many people have no idea that WordPress.com and WordPress.org are not the same! If you want to find out what makes them different, be sure to read our article.

What is the difference between WordPress com and WordPress org?

WordPress com vs WordPress org is the most common battle that people starting their adventure with setting up websites encounter. Are you not sure how exactly the two options different? Maybe you are wondering, “How do I know if I’m using WordPress .org or .com?”. Discover the most distinguishing characteristics of the two!

The main difference

The most significant difference between WordPress com and WordPress org is who actually hosts your site.

WordPress.org – own hosting required

WordPress.org is the so-called self hosted WordPress, which is safer from the creator’s point of view. You need to buy your own hosting service, then install WordPress there, and you are free to run it without worrying that someone might take away your page permissions.

Do you need to worry about hosting with WordPress.com?

In the case of WordPress.com, its support takes care of everything for you. All you have to do is register an account and start building your website. This gives you a much easier start, but less freedom. You cannot be sure that your site will stay online as long as you want because it may turn out that one day WordPress.com owners will just shut it down.

Which is free WordPress org or WordPress com?

In the WordPress org versus WordPress com battle, the former wins in terms of adapting the website to the user’s needs. WordPress.com is free in theory, but there are some limitations, namely:

• website can only be placed on a subdomain
• WordPress custom ads and branding are obligatory
• not all plugins and themes are available
• you are not allowed to use the site for commercial purposes
• there is a data transfer limit

In order to access any of these features, you would need to buy one of the plans provided by WordPress.com.

However, in the case of WordPress.org, the situation is completely different. You are not able to run your website without purchasing a domain and hosting, but this is a cost that you need to bear just once a year or even once every few years – depending on the payment schedule you choose. Many hosting websites let you subscribe to their service for a small fee during your first year. This way you get to know how everything works and if a particular service is worth your money.

Which is better WordPress org or com?

It is hard to clearly answer the question “which WordPress is best for business .com or .org?”. It depends on your needs and how well you are coping with certain page-building aspects.

When it comes to the advantages of WordPress.com, there are quite a few. Here are the ones that stand out the most:

• you don’t have to worry about hosting
• the website security is taken care of by the support
• someone else is adapting the website to the new system requirements
• you can use free features

WordPress.org also has many advantages:

• there are no restrictions like on WordPress.com (no required ads)
• ability to choose from available hosting providers
• complete freedom of action and availability of tools (plugins, themes, etc.)
• ability to commercialize your domain
• possibility of constant development of the website
• you do not have to worry that the website will disappear overnight
• full control over the website

Can I move from WordPress com to WordPress org?

Surprisingly, switching from WordPress com to WordPress org is very easy! Aside from the cost of redirecting your old site, you will not have to pay a single penny to move it. The migration itself is very simple and includes only a few steps that must be performed in the CMS.

If you are still asking yourself, “which should I use WordPress org or com?” or you are not sure when it comes to the pros and cons of using WordPress, be sure to check our blog. We also offer free web development workshops to help you understand it better!