WordPress is free web software you can use to create a beautiful website, blog, or app. You can build and manage your website’s content using just your web browser. WordPress is available for download from WordPress.org. WordPress.com, on the other hand, is a free, hosted version of WordPress that enables you to build a simple blog or website in just a couple of minutes.
Which One is Better? – WordPress.com vs WordPress.org
WordPress.Org or Self Hosted Platform
WordPress.org is an open source software. To launch a website with it, you need to first download the software, and then install it on your own web server.It is also popularly known as a “self-hosted WordPress blog.In wordpress.org you will get the full domain, you will have your own domain name like wpblogx.com.Wordpress.org has nearly 1500 themes to choose.In wordpress.org, you will own your content and you can even sell it as a website/blog without any permissions.
WordPress.Org Pros
- If you’re a serious blogger, wordpress.org would be a right choice for you
- It is free and user-friendly
- You can have the full control of your website and its data
- You can use free and custom plugins for your website
- Website can be customized as per your expectation and you can use the free themes
WordPress.Org Cons
- You are responsible for all the updates. But updating is not a difficult task. You can easily click on update button
- You are responsible for backups
- Like all other websites, you need web hosting. It initially costs around $3-$10 per month
WordPress.Com Or Hosted Platform
WordPress.com is an online platform where you can go, sign up and create your website/blog all in one place.WordPress.com is a free blogging platform offered by Automattic, which allows anyone to create a blog for free. In wordpress.com you will get only a sub-domain. Sub-domain is a part of a larger domain. For example, my site domain name is WPBlogX.com then my full domain name will be wpblogx.wordpress.com. WordPress.com has only 100 themes and the same applies for plugins.WordPress.com is perfect for classroom blogs or blogs that won’t be used more than 2 months.
WordPress.Com Pros
- It is good choice for hobby bloggers
- It is free for up to 3gb space.If more space is required you have to pay for it
- You need not worry about the updates and backups. WordPress.com will take care of it
WordPress.Com Cons
- It has more limitations
- Ads are placed on all free website. They don’t pay money for you
- You will not be able to sell ads on your website
- You will not be able to upload plugins as well as themes
- They can delete your website anytime if you violate their terms and conditions
- Your website will be displayed with wordpress.com link. Once you upgrade your business plan, it can be removed.
WordPress.Com Vs WordPress.Org FAQs
Is WordPress org and WordPress Com the same?
Nope, wordpress.org is different from wordpress.com. WordPress.org is self-hosted platform whereas wordpress.com is hosted platform.
Can you switch from WordPress com to WordPress.org?
Yes, it is definitely possible to switch from wordPress.com to wordpress.org and fairly easy to move all your contents.
How much does it cost to have WordPress.org?
You can download it for free but you will need a domain and hosting which costs a few dollars per month. For example, you need to pay $46-$100 / year. The WordPress.Org officially recommends BlueHost and SiteGround for hosting your blog.
Can you use plugins on WordPress.com?
No, you can use plugins for free websites in wordpress.com. They will not allow free websites to add possible plugins to the server.
How do I start a blog on WordPress org?
- Get a Hosting Account
- Get a Domain Name
- Upload WordPress to Your Hosting Account and Associate It with Your Domain Name
- Install Your Theme
- Set up Your Blog’s Sidebar, Footer, and Header
- Configure Your Settings
- Make Sure Your Comment Moderation Settings are Set up Correctly
- Create Your Pages and Links
- Write Your Posts
- Install Key WordPress Plugins
What is self-hosted WordPress mean?
Self-hosted WordPress is a free blogging software developed in PHP. It is an open source and 100% free to use it. All you need is a domain and web hosting.
Conclusion
Hope this article has helped you to understand WordPress.org vs WordPress.com and also the pros and cons of wordpress.org and wordpress.com.We also hope the information which shared here has helped you to decide which blog platform you should use for your website. If you have any queries please feel free to comment. You can subscribe us through Facebook and Twitter.
Hi, if I have got a Personal plan on WordPress.com, do I lose the subscription fee if I migrate to WordPress.org? Also, am I guaranteed to get the same domain name when I migrate to the new host? Thanks!
You will not lose your domain, You can redirect your domain by updating Self-hosted server IP address on DNS records.
Here refer WordPress.org refund policy.