Which platform is better for WordPress.com and WordPress.org?

Did you know that WordPress.com and WordPress.org are really two very different platforms? Often beginners get confused between these two and make them choose the wrong platform. A commonly asked question is between WordPress.com and WordPress.org, which is the better platform. To help answer that question, today's article will conduct a comprehensive comparison of the two WordPress.com platforms (free) and WordPress.org (self-hosted version).

The goal of the article is to emphasize the main difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org, which aims to help readers choose the platform that suits their needs.

Since choosing the right platform is an important factor that determines the success of your website, the article makes the perfect comparison between WordPress.com and WordPress.org so you can understand the two platforms. this platform.

If you just want to start a blog or create a website properly, you can skip this article and read the following articles:

1. Instructions for creating websites with WordPress from A to Z
2. Instructions for creating a website for beginners

For now, consider the difference between self-hosted WordPress.org and WordPress.com.

You can add additional features in WordPress.com by upgrading to its paid service. The article also highlighted those features.

Compare WordPress.com and WordPress.org

The best way to understand the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org is to consider each platform separately.

WordPress.org

WordPress.org, also known as "real WordPress", is a popular website platform that you have heard all about great things about it.

This is a 100% free and open source platform for anyone to use. All you need is a domain name and web hosting. This is why it is also called self-hosted WordPress.

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of using self-hosted WordPress.org to build your website or blog.

Benefits of WordPress.org

With WordPress.org, you have complete control of your website. You are free to do whatever you want and customize it as much as you need. Here are some benefits of choosing WordPress.org to build your website and why it is the right choice.

1. It's free and very easy to use.
2. You own your website and all data of that site. Your website will NOT be stopped because someone decides that it is contrary to their terms of service (as long as you do not do something illegal). You have full control over your website.
3. You can add free, paid and customized WordPress plugins / applications to your website.
4. You can use your website design custom if needed. You can add any free or paid WordPress theme you want. You can also create fully custom designs or modify whatever you want.
5. You can really make money from your WordPress website by running your own ads without sharing revenue with anyone.
6. You can use powerful tools like Google Analytics for custom analysis and tracking.
7. You can use WordPress self-hosting to create online stores and sell digital or physical products, accept credit card payments and send / deliver directly from your website.
8. You can also create member websites and sell premium content, courses, etc. and build online communities on your site.

Disadvantages of WordPress.org

There are very few drawbacks when using self-hosted WordPress.org pages.

1. Like all websites, you will need web hosting. This is where files about your site are stored on the Internet. Initially, the cost is about 3 $ -10 $ / month. However when your site grows and receives more traffic, web hosting costs will increase gradually, but then you will earn enough money to cover this cost.
2. You are responsible for updating your website. You can easily update your WordPress website by simply clicking the update button (1 click), so it's not too complicated.
3. You must be responsible for backing up. Thankfully, there are many WordPress backup plugins that allow you to set up automatic backups.
4. The actual cost of the WordPress.org website changes based on what you are trying to build (simple blog, portfolio site, e-commerce store, member website, etc.). There are also other factors like free templates compared to high-end templates, free plugins compared to premium plugins, etc.

With a low budget, you can build your website for just $ 46 per year. For 99% of users, the best suggestion is always to use WordPress.org.

WordPress.com

WordPress.com is a hosting service created by co-founder of WordPress, Matt Mullenweg. Because of the same founder, users often confuse WordPress.com with popular WordPress.org.

WordPress.com hosting service has 5 packages:

1. Free - Very limited
2. Personal - $ 36 / year
3. Premium - $ 99 / year
4. Business - $ 299 / year
5. VIP - Starting at $ 5,000 / month

Now, consider the pros and cons of WordPress.com.

Benefits of WordPress.com

Free WordPress.com platform is a good choice for bloggers and those who want to start a blog for their families. Here are some benefits of using WordPress.com:

1. This platform has a maximum capacity of 3GB. After that, you will have to switch to a paid plan to get more storage. The $ 36-per-year Personal package gives you 6GB, and the $ 99 Premium package per year gives you 13GB of storage or a $ 299 Business package with unlimited storage.
2. You won't have to worry about updates or backups. WordPress.com will ensure that for you.

Disadvantages of WordPress.com

There are some limitations of WordPress.com for free compared to WordPress.org. Here are some disadvantages of using WordPress.com:

1. It places ads on all websites for free. So your users will see ads, but of course you will not be able to make money from that ad. If you do not want users to see Wordpress.com ads, then you can upgrade to a paid plan (starting at $ 36 per year).
2. You are NOT allowed to sell ads on your site. If you run a high traffic page, you can sign up for an advertising program called WordAds, where you share revenue with Wordpress.com. Users of Premium and Business packages can use WordAds immediately.
3. You cannot upload the plugin. Users of the free package come with pre-activated JetPack features. Business package users can install from a collection of compatible plugins ($ 299 / year). WordPress.com's VIP program allows you to install plugins, and it costs $ 5000 per month.
4. You cannot upload custom themes. Users of free packages can only install from limited free theme collections. Users of Premium and Business packages can also choose premium themes. There are limited customization options for the free version. Premium and Business users can use custom CSS.
5. You are limited to Wordpress.com statistics. You cannot add Google Analytics or install any other powerful tracking platform. Business package users can install Google Analytics.
6. Wordpress.com may delete your site at any time, if it believes that the site violates Wordpress.com's terms of service.
7. Your website will display a link provided by WordPress.com. It can be removed by upgrading to the Business package.
8. WordPress.com does not provide any integrated e-commerce or payment gateway features.
9. You cannot build membership sites with WordPress.com.

As you can see, the WordPress.com hosting platform is quite limited when you use a free, personal or even premium package. To add some more advanced features, you must upgrade to Business package ($ 299 / year) or VIP package ($ 5000 / month).

Frequently asked questions about WordPress.com and WordPress.org

Since this is a popular topic, there are many questions related to WordPress.com and WordPress.org.

Here are the most frequently asked questions:

WordPress.com and WordPress.org - Which one is better?

If you are a personal blogger and you are not interested in making money from your site, choose WordPress.com for free.

If you are a business or a blogger who wants to make money from your website, then you should use WordPress.org to host it yourself. It gives you the freedom and flexibility to develop the website the way you want.

Although you can get some advanced features with the WordPress.com Business package ($ 299 per year for each site), you can make more money on a self-hosted WordPress site at a cost of only $ 46 / year.

In the opinion of experts, WordPress.org is a better platform. It's the foundation that every professional blogger, small business owner and even big brand like Disney likes to use.

How do I start creating a WordPress.org Website?

To start a self-hosted WordPress website, you need a domain name and WordPress hosting solution.

Domain name is your website address on the Internet, such as google.com, quantrimang.com, etc. The web hosting solution is where your website files are stored on the Internet.

You should use Bluehost.com to host your website because this is one of the largest web hosting companies in the world. Bluehost is also the official WordPress.org hosting provider proposed. Last but not least, Bluehost provides free domain users and preferential discounts of 60% when storing.

Can I switch from WordPress.com to WordPress.org?

Usually, new users don't know the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org. Therefore, they will often start with free WordPress.com service. Once they see the limitations of this platform, they will want to switch to 'WordPress real' or WordPress.org.

Sure, you can switch from WordPress.com to WordPress.org and moving all your content is easy.

Summary about WordPress.com and WordPress.org

The best way to think about the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org is to imagine it is like renting and owning a home.

WordPress.com is similar to renting a house. You have limited power and control over what you can and cannot do.

WordPress.org is like owning a home. Where you have total control, no one can kick you out, and you can do whatever you want.

Below is a summary of everything discussed above when comparing WordPress.com and WordPress.org self-hosting:

WP.org (Platform) WP.com (Free) WP.com (Premium) WP.com (Business) Price $ 46 - $ 100 / year Free $ 99 / year $ 299 / year Custom domain Yes No Yes Yes Save Hosting Unlimited 3 GB 13 GB Unlimited Free money Yes No Yes, but must share Yes, but must share Free branding Yes No No Yes All SEO features Yes No No Yes Powerful analysis capabilities Yes No No Yes Full theme support Yes No Yes Yes Full plugin support Yes No No Yes Ecommerce store Yes No No No Member website Yes No No No Maintenance Yes No No No Full control Yes No No No

The confusion caused by similar domains: WordPress.com and WordPress.org is quite unfortunate for beginners. Hope you find this article helpful in understanding the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com.

Wish you all the best with your website and hope that you have chosen the right platform: WordPress.org.

If there are any other questions, please leave a comment in the comment section below!

See more:

1. 3 great WordPress themes for portfolio construction
2. 20 WordPress plugins for photo websites (2018)
3. How to add new posts on WordPress