What is the Difference Between WordPress.org and WordPress.com?

It is often cited as powering the majority of websites around the world – more than 60% in fact – yet most people may not be able to distinguish which WordPress platform it is, never mind knowing that WordPress is in fact an umbrella of two separate platforms: WordPress.org and WordPress.com. 

So what are the differences between the two WordPresses? 

WordPress.org 

WordPress.org is the number one content management system platform that we’re referring to when we say it powers most of the internet. It’s the most popular CMS software on earth. 

WordPress.org is the free and open-source content management system that was originally designed and developed for blogging yet has been reincarnated into multiple solutions to multiple issues, particularly for websites and ecommerce stores.

Strengths 

• It doesn’t require technical skills nor any code knowledge. The content management system’s block editor makes it very user friendly. 
• It has a huge community that has grown around the CMS – given its open-source nature.  
• It provides flexibility to build a customized website for whatever purpose – ecommerce store, membership site, an auction site, etc.
• You’re able to make money digitally from a website in any way you wish.
• It has a massive ecosystem of themes and plugins that are available in both free and paid forms.
• The platform makes it easy to create SEO-friendly webpages.
• It lets users download all content on the platform into an XML format, which makes it easy to move to different systems. 

Limitations 

• You will have to set up your own hosting and domain name, which makes you responsible for managing issues such as backups and security.
• Because it comes with a huge range of flexibility and possibilities, it can appear daunting for non-technical users to get a sense of the platform and what they’re capable of doing. 

The price: WordPress.org is free to use yet if you want your own domain name then that will set you back between $9-15 a year. Plus, if you want a hosting account with a web host, that will be around $8 a month. 

WordPress.com 

WordPress.com is an all-in-one content management system platform that is hosted by yourself. It was created by Automattic, the company led by Matt Mullenweg, the co-founder of WordPress.

Strengths 

• The CMS is easy to get started with, as you can add and edit content with simplicity.
• There are different designs and themes available, which you can easily switch between.
• The platform has built-in analytics that help you to view key stats. And although this means that you won’t be able to use Google Analytics under the free plan, you will be able to utilize it on the platform’s business plan.
• Like its .org brother, WordPress.com is completely free of charge to use.
• For websites that grow, it is capable to scale with new plans, with plenty of options for add-ons like ecommerce features.  

Limitations 

• The platform does have more limited options for monetization despite having an additional tier with their business plan.
• You are unable to add a custom domain name unless you take out a paid plan.
• Despite having a broad and deep plugin universe, it lacks the size that can be found on its .org platform.
• There is a lack of control over the website on the platform compared to the level of control you would have on the .org platform. 

The price: it is free to use yet if you want your own domain name then you will need to select one of their paid plans. The cheapest plan is $4 a month while the range goes up to $45 a month. 

PS: ArganoUV is one of the world’s leading Contentful development & strategy teams. Contact us to see how we can work together.