WordPress.com vs WordPress.org: what's the difference?

First of all, when we say "WordPress", what are we referring to? Actually, there are two versions of WordPress, and a lot of people get them confused. WordPress.org is the "real" WordPress, and it's very powerful, allowing you to create all kinds of websites - from small blogs to large e-commerce sites or corporate websites. It's very powerful and can create all types of websites - from small blogs to large e-commerce sites or corporate websites.

Introduction to WordPress

WordPress was born in 2003, and it's aContent Management System (CMS) (Internet)(CMS for short) is used to create all kinds of websites, such as showcase websites, online stores, blogs, etc. It is free and open source. It's free and open source, and it has a great mission, which is to "make publishing content easy for everyone". Did you know? There are 43.2% websites in the world that are built with WordPress!

It has a market share of 43.21 TP3T, is the most widely used CMS in the world, well ahead of its main competitors, especially:

• Joomla
• Drupal
• Magento
• Wix

Many people think that WordPress can only be used to build blogs, but this is actually a misconception! Big-name organizations like The Walt Disney Company, Forbes, NASA, Ariana Grande, and the Obama Foundation all have their websites designed with WordPress! In fact, WordPress is super powerful, not only for building blogs, but also for creating all kinds of super cool websites. So don't be misled by those old ideas, WordPress is a real website maker!

Next, let's take a detailed look at WordPress.com vs WordPress.org: what's the difference?

What is WordPress.com?

WordPress.com is like a platform that helps you host your website, just like Blogger, Tumblr or OverBlog. It allows you to create and manage websites for free. The platform is run by Automattic, a company founded by Matt Mullenweg, one of the founders of the WordPress software, and WordPress.com works because it uses the open source WordPress software. Simply put, WordPress.com is a powerful tool that makes it easy for you to create and manage your website.

After creating a website on WordPress.com, you can easily publish posts and change themes. However, if you want to install plugins to add more new features, it won't work, it's not as flexible as the open source version.

There are millions of sites on WordPress.com and it's best to maintain consistency for ease of management. If everyone just installs random plugins, the site will quickly become a mess and the quality of service will drop, so everyone will suffer.

On WordPress.com, there is an option to not pay (of course there is a paid option), but it's also important to understand that the free version may have limited functionality. After all, you often can't have it both ways.

For more freedom and flexibility, it's time to check out WordPress.org.

What is WordPress.org?

WordPress.org is an open source software that youYou can download and use it for free. But to run it, you need a server and a domain name.

The domain name is like the "name" of the website, it's very important. WordPress.org, which we are talking about here, is actually a self-hosted solution. It is managed by the WordPress Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Matt Mullenweg.

WordPress.org vs. WordPress.com: let's summarize

The main difference between these two versions is who is responsible for hosting the site; WordPress.com is the hosting platform and does everything for you; whereas WordPress.org is something you have to do on your own, including everything. However, they use the same software.

WordPress.org and WordPress.com are both ways to use WordPress, but there are still many differences between them. We'll be comparing them in more detail next in four areas: price, maintenance and security, customization, and marketing and SEO.

Pricing: What is the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com?

utilizationWordPress.com, there are two options:

• Take advantage of the 100% free offer- But you'll find it has serious limitations.
• Switching to paid packages (WordPress Pro)The

If you choose to create a free website on WordPress.com, ads are automatically displayed on the site, which is sort of the price of free. Also, you can't make money from the ads.

With the free offer, you will get:

• eggWordPress.comDomain ( mysite.wordpress.com)The
• 1 GB of storage spaceThe
• Support provided by the community(i.e., there are no guarantees).

To benefit from the more advanced options, you have to switch to paid offers.

To open the paid version, you have to spend $15 per month. Please note that the main advantage of the paid version is:

• Ability to choose your own domain name(e.g.mysite.com(without)wordpress.comExtensions.
• Do not show adsThe
• Benefit from more storage space(from 1 GB to 50 GB).

To learn about the other benefits of the paid version ofCheck out this comparisonThe

WordPress.comIf you subscribe to a paid offer, your website will cost you $180 in a year.

Prices for websites on WordPress.org

on account ofWordPress.orgThe software is free. So you can use it in an unlimited number of projects.

But to make it work, you need to buy your own domain name and server, which you have to spend, and you can choose some reliable cost-effective servers and domain names.

Maintenance, support and security on both platforms

How WordPress.com Works

It's easy to get a website on WordPress.com, all you need to do is sign up for an account, which is just as easy as signing up on platforms like Gmail.

After that you can focus on writing content and designing your website.

Other things like maintaining site security, updating content, backing up data, etc., WordPress.com will take care of it all for you, saving you the trouble.

If you have a problem, you can go toAsk in the official forumYou can get help there for free. There's also email and live chat support if you go with a paid package.

However, with WordPress.org, you'll have to maintain the site yourself, which is suitable for developers with a certain technical foundation.

How does WordPress.org work?

With the self-hosted version of WordPress, you have to take care of the installation, maintenance and security of the site yourself (of course, you can hire help, but at your own expense).

First of all, the site has to be updated diligently, especially themes and plugins.

Don't forget to back up your website data regularly, you can use a backup plugin to help.

Website loading speed is also important for search engine rankings and user experience. With the WP Rocket plugin it's easy to manage these and also optimize the database.

Overall, WordPress.org is pretty much the same as WordPress.com in terms of security. With the self-hosted version, you'll have to pick the right operations and plugins to protect the site yourself (though to be honest, no site is absolutely secure, as the technology is always being updated).

Finally, a word about version support. With the .org version, you'll have to fix any problems with the installation yourself.

How about customization?

WordPress.org is much more powerful than its rival. With it, you can build your website however you want, whereas WordPress.com is a bit limited in this regard.

How about themes and plugins?

On the self-hosted version, you can install all the themes and plugins you want, whether they are free or paid!The

For example, you can access plugins from the backend via the menu Plugins > Add New.

Plugins allow sites to add functionality without having to master code.

WordPress.com does have quite a few limitations in this area. If you want to be as free and easy as WordPress.org, you'll have to pay a bit of money to subscribe to the Pro plan at $15 per month ($180 per year). You can only use goodies like WooCommerce and Yoast SEO if you pay.

You can't use third-party themes and service plugins without paying.

Then we'll have to make do.WordPress.com comes with those features!up (e.g. search engine optimization, share buttons, contact forms, statistics and backups).

Speaking of themes, there are about a hundred or so to choose from in the free version, and a few more advanced themes in the Pro version. You can check out the descriptions of all the themes here.

Customized design

Whether you're building a website for yourself or for a client, it's important to be able to modify the site to your liking so that it looks as expected.

With WordPress.com, this doesn't work so well. The free package doesn't let you change the CSS code, which is key to controlling the visual appearance of your site.

You have to choose the pro package to get it. If you don't, you'll just have to pick some basic settings like colors, backgrounds and fonts.

But with WordPress.org it's totally different, you can change it as much as you want. You can just move the files on the website and design it however you want.

Speaking of design, there's something else to mention. On WordPress.com, if you want to go with the free package, there's a WordPress.com logo in the footer that you can't get rid of. If you want to get rid of it, you'll have to go with the professional package.

SEO on two versions of WordPress

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is key to getting more people to visit your website.

WordPress.com and WordPress.org are optimized for SEO, with sitemaps and stuff ready to go, and search engines can easily find your site.

You'll also be able to view detailed traffic data and even compare the site to theGoogle Search ConsoleConnect.

Sounds good, right? Still, the free version of WordPress.com is a bit limited.

You can't use custom domains, only subdomains like mysite.wordpress.com. From an SEO point of view, it's better to use a custom domain (WordPress.org is fine).

Also, the free version doesn't allow you to fine-tune on-page SEO with SEO plugins. you'll have to subscribe to the Pro package if you want to use Yoast SEO.

Of course, there are other benefits to the Pro package, such as andGoogle AnalyticsIntegration that provides more detailed statistics.

But if you want to use WordPress.org, there are no limitations. Start with a custom domain name and install whatever SEO plugins you want.

WordPress.org vs WordPress.com: which one should you choose?

WordPress.com, for whom?

WordPress.comMainly for beginners who want to quickly create their first personal website/blog on their own without having to manage technical operations (hosting, maintenance, backups, updates).

You're just responsible for creating content and doing some basic customization, and WordPress takes care of the rest.

Speaking of prices, with WordPress.com you can just go for the free package and build a website without spending a dime. But be warned, free can mean a lot of limitations.

• You can't use custom domain namesThe
• Storage space is limited to 1 GBThe
• You can't install the pluginThe
• You can't profit from your websiteThe
• Ads will appear on your website, etc.

If you want to enjoy more advanced features, you'll have to buy the paid version. It may not be as flexible as WordPress.org, but you don't have to worry about the technical stuff at all.

WordPress.org, for whom?

If you simply want to launch a personal or professional website (such as a company website, association platform, blog, portfolio, online store, etc.), then building a self-hosted WordPress site is appropriate.

It's like the difference between renting and buying. There's certainly nothing wrong with renting, and it may be particularly suitable at some stage. But there will come a time when you may want to own your own home and stand firmly on your own two feet.

If you are planning to have a standalone website, please chooseWordPress.org.

Although it takes a bit of technical knowledge and a lot of practice and time at first, WordPress.org is suitable for all users who want to be in full control of their website without limitations, no matter if you're a novice or an expert.

If you choose this version, you will have to do all the installation, maintenance, protection and backup of the site yourself.

So, which version of WordPress do you want to use, WordPress.org or WordPress.com?