WordPress.org vs WordPress.com

by Vipe Team in WordPress Development; Published on 19.01.2021 Last updated on 20.01.2021

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There is probably no person who is not new to the internet that does not know WordPress. It is the most used CMS for developing websites in the last years, and it is both used by developers and beginners. What some users do not know, however, is that there are two types of WordPress websites out there:

WordPress.org
WordPress.com

In this article, we are going to explain the differences between these two and bring out to light their pros and cons. That way, you will be able to understand the CMS better and choose which version of the two is better for your purposes and needs.

WordPress.org

Self-hosted WordPress websites are developed by WordPress.org. They are the association people do when first hearing “WordPress”. WordPress.org is installed on the computer to run the software. This way the CMS can serve as a network host in its own right.

It is famous for being “the real WordPress”, or so it is called by the developers. That is because WordPress.org predates WordPress.com. It is mostly used by them to create original and customized WordPress websites that include coding and knowledge in the IT sector.

The core of WordPress.org is free but to get it working for your needs, you have to set out a domain and web hosting of your own. That is the way to start your website running and present it to the web. When you do that, it means that your website is now “self-hosted” – WоrdPress is prоviding the sоftware to build and еdit it, but yоu have tо arrange hоsting оn yоur оwn.

WordPress.com

WordPress.com is a private website hosting service and provides free hosting for it’s registered users. It is financially supported by ads, paid upgrades, and “VIP” services. It is built with the same software as WordPress.org, but instead of possessing your own hosting, your website is hosted by WordPress.

In WordPress.com, there are many hosting plans you can choose from. You have a great variety of options, from totally free hosting from WordPress (which, however, offers quite limited services) to $1000 per month VIP plans. The tier you decide to use determines the functionality and uniqueness of your website.

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The free version of WordPress is mainly used by bloggers or small businesses, startups, etc. It does not provide many options, but this is no problem for the small brands, and they can work perfectly fine using the free version of WordPress.com.

Мain differences between WordPress.org and WordPress.com

There are many other differences and not only the software of WordPress.org and WordPress.com. They are related to the management and the functions of the CMS. Now we will look through the main differentiations of these two, so you can get more idea of which version to choose, according to the size and goals of your business.

Code customization

When talking about the themes and plugins of your WordPress websites, you have complete control over them if you are using the self-hosted WordPress version. You are free to buy and install any premade plugin and theme and use it on your WordPress website. You can also personalize your website by developing a custom theme and plugins that suit your exact needs of the company. Do not forget that if you are using the WordPress.org version, you have to keep up with the software updates. The out-of-date themes and plugins can cause troubles on your WordPress website, making it weak and vulnerable to malware.

If you have a free website from WordPress.com, the customization of your theme will be unavailable for you. You can choose from the ones that are shown on WordPress.com and not change them at all. Also, the free website on WordPress.com does not allow the installation of plugins. You can only use the features that are provided by the platform. This factor means that you cannot personalize your website well enough, but this should not bother you if you do not want to engage with the updates and prefer a traditional experience.

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E-commerce

If you want to build an e-commerce website then self-hosted WordPress.org is the solution you are searching for. The CMS gives you many options for developing whatever site you need, including an online store. The plugin for creating an e-commerce website is called WooCommerce. It allows you to create a fully functional business and accept several payment methods so that your WooCommerce WordPress website fits best in your brand image and brings your value proposition to the table.

Sadly, there is no option to create an e-commerce website through WordPress.com. The platform simply does not support this feature, and you cannot take advantage of the e-commerce capabilities. To use them and manage to create your online shop, you will have to switch your website to a self-hosted WordPress account and use a secured web hosting provider.

Resource Limitation

Owning a self-hosted WordPress website means that shared web hosting is included in your features, and you do not have to choose the host of your platform. The storage capacity of your website will depend on your hosting provider and you do not set it up by yourself. However, if you choose to create a self-hosted WordPress site, you will be responsible for managing any core, theme, and plugin updates.

It also includes the fact that you have to keep up with the theme and plugin license renewals, control the SPAM parameters, and perform regular backups by yourself. If you are not familiar with these activities, but still have a business that you want to run on a self-hosted WordPress account, you can always turn to a WordPress agency that includes the service of maintaining those things by professionals in the field.

As a WordPress.com user, you have to bring your hosting provider to the light and risk being able to choose the most appropriate one for your goals. Your site’s storage will depend fully on the package your account is set up with. Different packages depend on the version you come up with, ranging from 6 GB to 200GB, depending on the plan you are using. The maintenance of your site comes from WordPress.com’s robust customer support team, so this is the one task you should not worry about while using the platform.

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Monetization

When using the WordPress.org version for your website, you can fully control the monetization. You choose whether to sell ads or no therefore, the choice of ad plugin is entirely yours. All the profits you earn through this ad monetization are entirely for yourself.

With the WordPress.com version, things go in a totally different direction. The platform uses your website to advertise for itself therefore they are getting all the profits from the ads of your website. That is the reason why on this occasion, you are using WordPress for free. You may not pay for the features you have, but you get no paid for the ads you deliver.

Which WordPress option to choose for your brand?

The answer to this question strongly depends on the type of business you are developing. Whether you are running a personal brand, startup, or a smaller business WordPress.com can suit your needs no matter the fact it contains more restrictions than the self-hosted version. It is easy to use and does not require any special skills or knowledge to achieve the goals you have set for your online presence.

On the other hand, if you own a large business or want to grow and raise with the big ones, you should consider creating a WordPress.org website. It gives you more opportunities for progress and will make your website unique and memorable. Choose wisely the platform you are going to use because it is a powerful system that can launch your brand image into the skies and be a reason for your business success.