WordPress.org vs WordPress.com: Which One Is Right for You?

Key takeaways:

• WordPress.org and WordPress.com work differently. WordPress.org is self-hosted, giving you full control of your website, while WordPress.com is a fully hosted platform, where WordPress manages all hosting, security, and maintenance for you.
• WordPress.org is free, but you’ll need to pay hosting, domain, premium features and possibly a WordPress-specialized developer.
• WordPress.com offers a free plan, but advanced features like a custom domain, additional storage, and monetization options are only available through paid plans.

WordPress is one of the most popular platforms for building websites. But it has two versions, leaving entrepreneurs and small businesses wondering: Which is right for me?

WordPress.org and WordPress.com share the same name, but both have different features, pricing, customization options, and limitations that can affect the success of your online business.

If you’re one of these uncertain business owners, follow along as we break down the differences between WordPress.org and WordPress.com regarding cost, ownership, customization, and other key features so that you can be more well-informed about which platform best suits your business goals.

How we developed this comparison

We compared WordPress.org and WordPress.com because many small businesses get confused by these two popular website builders. Although they’re both WordPress, their differences can significantly impact your costs, website’s growth potential, and overall online presence.

This comparison matched these two platforms based on value for money, flexibility, ease of use, and scalability for small and medium-sized businesses.

We based our evaluation on analyzing dozens of user reviews from G2, Trustpilot, Reddit, and other reputable review platforms, as well as limited hands-on testing on both platforms.

Our evaluation processed focused on:

• Customer insights. We examined reviews from G2, Trustpilot, Reddit, and other platforms to gauge user satisfaction and recurring challenges.
• Pattern consistency. We cross-checked feedback from different sources to confirm reliable trends.
• True cost breakdown. We looked beyond listed prices to include upgrade expenses and hidden fees highlighted by users.
• Practical testing. We ran limited trials to validate core features, complementing the findings from user reviews.

At a glance: WordPress.com vs WordPress.org

WordPress.org and WordPress.com serve different needs. Recognizing these differences will help you choose the right platform for you.

Let’s break down the main differences between WordPress.org and WordPress.com:

WordPress.org is a self-hosted WordPress site. This means you get complete control over your site and handle the hosting, security, and maintenance. Its flexibility and advanced customization options are perfect for business owners who want full control over valuable features, such as product categorization, billing, and a multilingual website.

WordPress.com, on the other hand, is the hosted version. WordPress handles all the technical aspects, like web hosting and maintenance, so that you can free up time for more important business matters. While it’s an excellent option for beginners and busy business owners, its limitation on some features can also limit your ability to scale, customize, and design your website.

The table below helps you break down the important features, like cost, customization, and security, so you can study the differences and relate them to your goals.

Note: The prices mentioned in this article are accurate at the time of writing but may change over time.

Feature	WordPress.org	WordPress.com
Key benefits	Complete control over the website development process	Easy DIY website builder with minimal expertise required
Cost	Free software, but you pay for hosting, domain, and potential premium features	Free plan available; paid plans required for advanced features
Domain	You purchase your own domain separately and connect it to your site	Free subdomain included (subdomain.wordpress.com); custom domains (yourdomain.com) require a paid plan
Hosting	Self-hosted; you choose and pay for a hosting provider	Hosting is included and managed by WordPress.com
Ownership	Complete ownership of your site and content	Limited ownership; WordPress.com owns the platform
Expertise needed	Some technical knowledge required for installation, hosting, and maintenance	Minimal expertise required; handled by WordPress.com
Plugins	Unlimited access to plugins	Limited access unless on Business plan or higher
Theme customization	Full control to customize themes, including custom code	Limited theme customization; higher plans needed for more options
eCommerce	Full flexibility to add powerful eCommerce tools like WooCommerce	eCommerce available only on paid plans
Monetization	Unlimited monetization options	Limited monetization unless on a paid plan
Performance	Varies based on your hosting provider and the package you choose	Managed by WordPress.com, but performance varies by plan
Security	Depends on your hosting provider, but you’re partially responsible for backups, manual updates, and monitoring	Security handled by WordPress.com, including updates and backups

Let’s compare WordPress.org and WordPress.com in the next section in detail to see how the platforms differ in each aspect. We’ll provide some valuable insights that will help you decide which one is right for your business.

In-depth comparison of WordPress.org vs WordPress.com

Learning how WordPress.org differs from WordPress.com in detail will illuminate the answers to lingering questions about which platform suits you best. Let’s examine each platform’s features and compare them side by side.

Key benefits for small business owners

As a small business owner, you want your own website to bring good business results while keeping costs low. And if you’re building it yourself, you will look for a platform that’s flexible, professional-looking, easy to use, and has reliable customer support. Both platforms can provide all these to some extent, but only one excels in areas that may matter to your business.

WordPress.org offers flexibility over your website’s design, features, and security. As an open-source software, it is supported by a community of skilled developers who provide valuable themes and plugins (add-on software) that enhance the look and feel of your website and its security, eCommerce capability, and SEO. The downside is that you do the bulk of the work in setting up the website, from buying the domain name and hosting to downloading and installing the WordPress software.

In contrast, WordPress.com is easy to set up and use. It has a free version if you want to test the waters of website building. The hosting environment is already set up for you, and you can easily link a custom domain to an existing website on the platform. However, you need to upgrade to a paid plan to use advanced themes or plugins. Also, certain eCommerce functionalities are only available in their most expensive plan.

Verdict: WordPress.org is most suited for tech-friendly small business owners who value control and scalability over ease of use, while WordPress.com best suits time-strapped entrepreneurs looking for convenience more than customization.

Cost

WordPress.org’s software files are free to download from their download page. However, it won’t work unless it is installed in a hosting environment. You need to purchase both the domain and hosting, which may cost $129/year. Fortunately, some hosting service providers, like Network Solutions, offer competitive WordPress Hosting packages. It includes a one-year free custom domain name and a hosting environment optimized for WordPress websites for $5.99/month.

WordPress.com has a free version, but with limited features. Their paid plans include:

• Personal – $4/month
• Premium – $8/month
• Business – $25/month
• Commerce – $45/month

Disclaimer: Pricing is current at the time of writing but can change without prior notice. Please refer to WordPress.com directly for up-to-date prices.

Personal and Premium plans are very limited in usability and are not recommended for business websites. They have limited storage, no real-time backup, and no secure file transfer protocol (SFTP), all of which are essential features when maintaining a business website. Business and Commerce plans offer features that make managing a website easier. On top of the ones mentioned above, they have visually appealing themes, drag-and-drop website editor plugins, advanced eCommerce functionalities, and more.

Verdict: WordPress.org offers better value for money since it provides more freedom and variety of tools at a lower cost, while WordPress.com is more expensive for a similar set of tools. However, it is still a good option for a budget website that has minimal demands.

Domain

With WordPress.org, you’re responsible for purchasing your own domain name from a registrar. You have the freedom to choose a custom domain name suited to your brand. The downside is that it’s an added cost. Plus, you need to connect it to your website manually. Although you may find the process hard at first, most of the domain service providers can assist you with this, whether through their knowledge base, guides, or live customer support.

WordPress.com gives you a free subdomain if you’re on the free plan. However, the subdomain is connected to WordPress’s domain name, so it isn’t truly yours. While it’s cost-effective, it doesn’t look professional and can limit your business in a lot of ways. The custom domain names WordPress.com sells are only available on its paid plans. Setting them up is easier compared to WordPress.org. You can even link a domain name from a different provider to your WordPress.com website in a few clicks.

Another important thing to note is that the free plan may include ads that you can’t control.

Verdict: Both platforms offer the ability to use a custom domain name. The difference is in connecting the domains to your website. WordPress.org requires some technical knowledge, although most service providers provide plenty of resources to guide you through the process. Meanwhile, WordPress.com’s self-hosted nature takes care of the domain setup from the start when you buy your domain from the platform. Plus, it only takes a few clicks to transfer or connect your domains from a different provider.

Hosting

WordPress.org doesn’t provide hosting space, so you need to purchase it from a hosting service provider. This may sound costly, but because of WordPress’s popularity, many hosting providers, such as Network Solutions, offer cost-effective hosting packages tailor-made for WordPress.org websites. It comes with an affordable custom domain name, easy WordPress.org installation, and a hosting environment optimized for WordPress sites for reliable uptime and performance.

WordPress.com offers hosting with every plan (including the free one), so you don’t need to worry about finding a provider or managing server details. However, your site’s performance and resources are tied to the plan. Better features, such as customization, SEO, and eCommerce plugins, are locked behind a paywall. For every functionality missing in your plan, you need to pay to unlock it.

Verdict: WordPress.org takes an extra step to set up because it doesn’t include any hosting space (that you have to set up yourself). But once it’s live, you immediately unlock all the important features to build a powerful website. Meanwhile, WordPress.com comes with a hosting environment, but you can only unlock some useful functionalities through upgrades.

Ownership

WordPress.org gives you complete ownership of your website and its content. Everything you publish is yours, so no one can suspend or take it down because you’re hosting it. You can install any theme, plugin, or custom functionality without worrying about platform restrictions. But with this freedom comes a great responsibility to manage your site, including the technical aspects, like updates, backups, and security.

WordPress.com doesn’t give you the same level of control and ownership as WordPress.org. While you can publish any type of content, they are subject to WordPress’s terms of service. They can remove them for any violations. However, WordPress.com handles your hosting, backup, updates, and security, so non-technical users may find this a good trade-off for complete ownership.

Verdict: WordPress.org provides more ownership than WordPress.com over your website and content, but it’s also more inconvenient to maintain than its counterpart.

Expertise needed

You don’t need to be an expert to experience WordPress.org’s benefits. But since it gives you plenty of room for customization, it exposes you to conflicts and errors. Site maintenance and configuration are also more hands-on, so you need intermediate technical knowledge to get the most out of the platform. For most small businesses and solopreneurs, hiring a professional developer to help you manage your website is a better option.

WordPress.com is comparatively easier to use. You don’t need to worry about updates, backups, maintenance, and security. The platform handles all the behind-the-scenes work for you, so you can focus on building your website and business.

Verdict: WordPress.com is the easier choice if you want a no-fuss experience with little to no technical learning curve. WordPress.org, on the other hand, rewards you with far greater flexibility and control, but only if you’re comfortable with the extra technical work that comes with it.

Plugins

WordPress.org gives you unlimited access to more than 60,000 plugins immediately after setup. The types of plugins you can use range from customization (Elementor) and security (Sucuri Security) plugins to form builder (WPForms) and SEO (Rank Math). The platform also allows you to install custom plugins, should you need to add specific functionalities you can’t find anywhere else.

WordPress.com also has plenty of plugins, but they are only available on paid plans. With the Business plan or higher, you can install thousands of plugins, similar to WordPress.org. However, lower-tier plans restrict you to the built-in features provided by WordPress.com, which limits how much you can customize your site.

Verdict: WordPress.org is an excellent choice for business owners who want complete freedom with plugins since you can install anything from day one. While WordPress.com offers solid options, it locks most of its plugins behind paid plans, making it the more expensive one between the two.

Theme customization

WordPress.org gives you full control over theme customization. You can choose from thousands of free and premium themes that you can adjust in detail to match your brand. You can modify the theme files directly for more advanced customization if you know some coding. This flexibility lets you create a truly unique site, but it also means you’ll need to be more hands-on when making changes.

WordPress.com also offers a variety of themes, but customization depends on your plan. Lower-tier plans limit your ability to tweak beyond the basics like colors, fonts, and layouts. If you want more advanced customization or access to premium themes, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan.

Verdict: You may find WordPress.org as the easier choice if you want fewer restrictions in crafting the site exactly as you envision. If you value convenience more, WordPress.com has the more intuitive and beginner-friendly setup, but its customization options are limited unless you’re willing to pay for a higher-tier plan.

eCommerce

With WordPress.org, you can easily turn your site into a fully functional online store. Plugins like WooCommerce and BigCommerce are readily available to offer shipping, payment, and inventory features. Plus, you can easily scale as much as your business requires since you control the hosting. The trade-off is that setup and management can be more hands-on, especially for more complex online shops.

WordPress.com supports eCommerce, too, but only on higher-tier paid plans. Business and Commerce plans let you add store functionality, accept payments, and manage products, though your options are limited compared to WordPress.org. You’ll be tied to the features WordPress.com makes available, and scaling your store often means spending more for an upgrade. Also, WordPress.com charges transaction fees on the lower-paid tiers on top of the standard processing fee. It ranges from 2-10% depending on the plan.

Verdict: WordPress.org is the stronger choice for eCommerce if you want flexibility, scalability, and control over costs, since you only pay standard payment processor fees. Just note that other fees may apply depending on integrations and plug-ins you use. On the other hand, WordPress.com makes it easier to get started, but its plan restrictions and extra transaction fees can add up, making it harder for small businesses to grow.

Monetization

WordPress.org gives you complete freedom to monetize your site however you want. You can run ads through Google AdSense or other networks, sell digital or physical products, add affiliate links, or create membership content. There are no restrictions on monetization methods, and you keep all the revenue apart from standard processor or third-party platform fees. This flexibility makes WordPress.org ideal if you plan to scale your income streams over time.

WordPress.com also allows monetization, but it’s tied to your plan subscription. On free and lower-tier plans, your options are minimal. You can’t run your own ads or remove WordPress.com’s branding. You’ll need to upgrade to a higher plan to access monetization features like WordAds or affiliate links. Even then, WordPress.com takes a share of ad and subscription revenue, reducing your overall earnings.

Verdict: WordPress.org has the upper hand when it comes to monetization. It gives you complete freedom to use any method and keep full control of your earnings. In contrast, while WordPress.com offers convenience with built-in tools, its limitations and revenue-sharing model make it less attractive. You may find it difficult to maximize your income potential while using WordPress.com.

Performance

WordPress.org lets you control your site’s performance by choosing the hosting provider and optimization tools. Although you can optimize using plugins and other tools, the performance ultimately depends on the hosting service provider. So, it’s important to choose one that offers reliable speed and uptime, such as Network Solutions.

WordPress.com takes care of your site’s performance by managing hosting, caching, and server optimization on its end. This makes it easier for site owners who don’t want to handle technical performance tasks themselves. The trade-off is that you have limited control over advanced optimizations—a drawback if your website attracts high traffic or requires tailored performance settings.

Verdict: WordPress.org offers better performance potential—albeit depending on your hosting provider—because you control the hosting and tools, but it requires hands-on management. WordPress.com delivers stable performance out of the box, though at the cost of customization and scalability.

Security

WordPress.org makes you responsible for your site’s security. You’ll need to install security plugins, manage updates, and set up backups to protect against threats. This gives you freedom to choose the level of protection that fits your needs.

WordPress.com handles security for you. Updates, backups, and basic protections against malware or spam are included, so you don’t need to worry about managing them yourself. The trade-off is that you don’t get to choose your own security setup and are limited to what WordPress.com provides.

Verdict: WordPress.org allows you to build a robust, customized security system, but it comes with added responsibility. WordPress.com simplifies security by handling it for you, though you sacrifice flexibility in how your site is protected.

Pricing and plan inclusions

When comparing WordPress.org and WordPress.com’s pricing, it helps to break down the specific features included in each platform. The table below highlights how they differ in terms of software costs, domain, hosting, eCommerce features, and support.

Feature	WordPress.org	WordPress.com
Software cost	Free, open-source software	Free plan available; paid plans start at a monthly fee
Hosting	Not included. Must be purchased separately from a hosting provider; cost ranging from $30 – $120 annually	Hosting included on all plans
Domain name	Purchased separately from a registrar or hosting provider. Prices range from $10 – $70 per year	Free subdomain; custom domain included on paid plans
eCommerce features	Requires plugins like WooCommerce and compatible hosting	Only available on Business and eCommerce plans
Support	Community forums, third-party resources, and hosting provider support	Email and live chat support on paid plans; priority support on higher tiers

The table below breaks down WordPress.com’s plans and inclusions. For the full breakdown of the inclusions, visit WordPress.com.

Plan	Cost (annual billing)	Plan inclusions
Free	$0	1 GB storage, WordPress.com subdomain, unlimited users and pages, basic customization, unrestricted bandwidth
Personal	$4/month	Free custom domain for 1 year, ad-free browsing, 6 GB storage, expert team support
Premium	$8/month	Advanced customization, custom CSS, WordAds monetization, Google Analytics, 13 GB storage, fast support
Business	$25/month	Install custom plugins and third-party themes, advanced SEO tools, 50 GB storage, priority support
Commerce	$45/month	Full eCommerce features, includes all Business features, priority support

Note: Pricing is current at the time of writing but can change without prior notice. Please check with the provider directly for the most up-to-date pricing.

What users are saying

Many WordPress.com reviewers expressed frustration with frequent upsells, limited customization, and essential features locked behind higher-priced plans. Other usual complaints ranged from complicated account processes and confusing settings to difficulties with domain transfers.

As one reviewer put it, “We needed to hire an external consultant to navigate the nightmare of the clunky interface.”

That said, positive comments highlight the convenience of having hosting included, minimal technical maintenance, and solid site performance once set up. A few reviewers also note that premium support, when purchased, can be responsive and helpful.

Reviews of WordPress.org praise its flexibility, ownership, and creative control. Many appreciate the large plugin and theme ecosystem, describing it as powerful, scalable, and well-suited for both personal projects and professional brands.

As one user shared, “What I like best about WordPress.org is the complete freedom it gives me to build and customize any kind of website.” Another highlighted its scalability: “As a multi-platform entrepreneur… I use WordPress almost daily because it’s reliable, scalable, and fits seamlessly into my workflow.”

Common challenges include the need for technical knowledge, reliance on third-party plugins, and the responsibility of handling updates, backups, and security. Some reviewers describe the system as overwhelming or bloated without proper optimization, though experienced users often see this as the tradeoff for freedom and control.

WordPress.com users value convenience but frequently feel restricted by paywalled features. WordPress.org users celebrate its freedom and scalability but acknowledge the added responsibility of maintenance and the steeper learning curve.

How to set up WordPress.org

WordPress.org is a self-hosted site. Self-hosted means you manage the site on the infrastructure you own or paid for, providing you with complete control.

Setting up a WordPress.org site involves a few more steps compared to WordPress.com:

1. Choose a hosting provider and purchase a domain name. Network Solutions offers specialized WordPress hosting with easy setup and fast performance.
2. Install WordPress manually or through the one-click installer.
3. After installation, you’ll have full access to thousands of themes and plugins, and you can start building and customizing your website.

We covered this is more detail in our simplified guide to ‘How To Build a WordPress Website Fast and Easy’ 

How to set up WordPress.com

Setting up a WordPress.com site is straightforward and requires just a few quick steps:

1. Create an account on WordPress.com and choose a domain name.
2. Pick a plan that matches your needs.
3. Select a theme, customize your site, and start adding content.

Frequently asked questions

Final thoughts: Which WordPress platform is right for you?

Choosing between WordPress.org and WordPress.com ultimately depends on your business needs, goals, and technical comfort level.

Choose WordPress.org if:

• You want full control over your site’s customization, design, and functionality
• You prefer complete ownership of your content without restrictions
• You plan to scale your online store
• You’re comfortable handling technical tasks or hiring someone to manage them

Choose WordPress.com if:

• You want an easier setup with hosting, updates, and security handled for you
• You don’t mind limited customization or paying for an upgrade for convenience
• You prefer a simple platform for creating content or running a small site
• You’re okay with extra fees for certain monetization features

Need help getting started? If you’re leaning toward WordPress.org but unsure where to begin, Network Solutions offers reliable WordPress hosting packages and domain services. We make it easy for you to get started with our one-click WordPress installation guide, 24/7 customer support, and high-performance servers.

Or you can check out our AI Website Builder packages that come with domain, hosting, professional email, SSL certificate and more.