WordPress is likely one of the finest website-building instruments obtainable, however it may be difficult to determine easy methods to use it to your functions finest. Some of the complicated elements of utilizing this instrument is deciding between WordPress.org vs WordPress.com. ![Sign up for HubSpot Academy's WordPress Course [Free Online Course]](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/58ef551d-bbc6-4612-b809-3121db467ebc.png)
On this publish, we’ll reply the query, “What’s the distinction between WordPress.com and WordPress.org?” By means of this examination of the variations between WordPress.org vs WordPress.com, you’ll achieve precious perception into which is healthier for crafting your web site.
What’s the distinction between WordPress.com and WordPress.org?
The first distinction between WordPress.com and WordPress.org is concerning your web site’s internet hosting. WordPress.org doesn’t provide internet hosting, so in the event you construct your web site with the know-how, you’ll must supply your internet hosting supplier elsewhere. Quite the opposite, WordPress.com provides each internet hosting and a platform on which you’ll be able to assemble your web site.
As a result of WordPress.org vs WordPress.com have loads of overlap, deciphering the variations may be difficult. Right here’s a complete breakdown of what differentiates WordPress.org from WordPress.com.
| Function | WordPress.org | WordPress.com |
| Price | Free. | Free, Private ($9/month or $4/month if paid yearly), Premium ($18/month or $8/month if paid yearly), Enterprise ($40/month or $25/month if paid yearly), and Commerce ($70/month or $45/month if paid yearly). There’s additionally enterprise obtainable, which begins at $25,000 a yr. |
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Internet hosting Supplier and Extra Options |
Must buy internet hosting supplier, create a customized area identify, buy plugins, themes, and all different add-ons. Should handle your total web site, code, and safety. | WordPress provides a internet hosting service, area identify, safety, and backups. You’ll be able to improve your account and create a customized area identify and select a third-party internet hosting supplier as properly. |
| Customization | Should buy and set up your personal themes to customise your web site. | Customise your web site with any WordPress-compatible theme of your alternative. For those who improve your account, you may as well use premium themes, third-party themes, or customized themes. |
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Integration with Social Networks |
Should set up plugins to allow all social media sharing in your web site. | Your web site can combine with social media networks. For those who improve your account, sharing performance with social media accounts is included. |
| Plugins | Discover and set up plugins to boost your web site’s performance. | Options resembling sharing, stats, feedback, and polls are included. You may as well add plugins to your web site for different options. |
| Assist | WordPress.org help boards. | WordPress.com help boards and private help can be found. With an upgraded account, you may have entry to dwell chat and electronic mail help. |
| Hyperlink to Obtain | Get began right here. | Get began right here. |
Let’s dive into these options and assessment the variations between WordPress.org and WordPress.com in additional depth.
WordPress.org vs WordPress.com: Price
One other consideration when deciding between WordPress.org vs WordPress.com is value. Crucial factor to recollect is that WordPress can give you the results you want no matter your funds.
Price of WordPress.org
WordPress.org is at all times free. Nevertheless, as a result of it’s solely a publishing platform, you’ll must buy each different factor of your web site, together with your third-party internet hosting supplier, area identify, in addition to your themes and templates, plugins, and add-ons.
You’ll additionally must discover a approach to handle your web site’s safety and keep and edit your web site’s code. As you might need guessed, this could rapidly add up. For those who’re interested by how a lot a WordPress web site prices, try our complete information.
Price of WordPress.com
WordPress.com has 4 totally different plans that vary in value.
WordPress.com provides a number of plans that change in value: Private ($9/month or $4/month if paid yearly), Premium ($18/month or $8/month if paid yearly), Enterprise ($40/month or $25/month if paid yearly), and Commerce ($70/month or $45/month if paid yearly). There’s additionally enterprise obtainable, which begins at $25,000 a yr.
As you’re employed your means up by the costlier plans, the extra options and customization you possibly can benefit from in your web site.
For those who select the free choice, you may be provided WordPress internet hosting, a website identify, and minimal entry to WordPress help. For those who select one of many paid choices, you possibly can add a internet hosting supplier and a customized area identify. Additionally, you will be provided intensive help and customization choices.
WordPress.org vs WordPress.com Internet hosting Suppliers
A internet hosting supplier is essential as a result of it offers your web site a spot to “dwell” on-line. By selecting the most effective internet hosting supplier to your WordPress web site, you possibly can increase your web site’s performance, pace, reliability, safety — the checklist goes on and on.
Internet hosting for WordPress.org
As we talked about, in the event you determine to work with WordPress.org, it’s essential to safe your personal internet hosting. If you self-host, you’ll buy internet hosting companies from a third-party supplier (Suppose: WP Engine, Kinsta, or InMotion Internet hosting). As a result of there are such a lot of internet hosting suppliers obtainable, it may be difficult to choose the “proper” one to your web site. That’s why we’ve created this useful information to assist.
Internet hosting for WordPress.com
For those who’re utilizing WordPress.com, you may not must safe internet hosting individually. As a result of WordPress.com provides internet hosting companies (for a value), you possibly can determine whether or not you need to use a third-party supplier or follow the unique.
Professionals and Cons of Self-Internet hosting
Many advantages come from self-hosting your WordPress web site, as you’d with a WordPress.org web site. Nevertheless, there are additionally loads of challenges to concentrate on that usually make WordPress.com plans preferable.
The professionals of self-hosting embody having full management over all the pieces that goes into creating your web site and the flexibility to handle your web site’s safety and edit your web site’s code. You even have the chance to seek out, purchase, and set up a third-party internet hosting supplier of your selecting, create a customized area identify, and discover totally different themes, plugins, and add-ons that work to your web site and desires. For those who select the self-hosting route, use the WordPress platform at no cost.
The cons to self-hosting embody having to spend time discovering, buying, and putting in a perfect third-party internet hosting supplier to your web site. Plus, there’s some guide work related to studying easy methods to create a website identify, establish the themes, plugins, and improve your web site with add-ons. You additionally want some information in net improvement, as you’ll be the one managing your web site’s code and updates.
WordPress.org vs WordPress.com Customization
Subsequent up, let’s evaluate WordPress.org vs WordPress.com by way of customization. As you already know, WordPress is a completely customizable CMS. Because of lots of of WordPress themes and templates you possibly can entry for little to no value, it’s doable to realize just about any look possible. Right here’s how the 2 differ — and the way they’re the identical.
WordPress.org Customization
With WordPress.org, it’s essential to discover and set up your required third-party themes, resembling StudioPress, Elementor, Pixelgrade, and Stylemix Themes, by yourself. WordPress doesn’t enable entry to free themes the best way WordPress.com does, so the customization degree you need depends upon your theme analysis and the choices you determine to implement in your web site.
WordPress.com Customization
Whereas WordPress.org makes you analysis themes and customization, WordPress.com arms it on to you. Even in the event you’re working with the free model of WordPress.com, you’ll get entry to dozens of completely free themes to pick out from and implement. The free plan doesn’t allow you to add any third-party or premium themes to your web site.
Nevertheless, with a paid plan, you can use premium, third-party themes as you’d with a WordPress.org web site. For those who select this route, WordPress.com means that you can simply set up your third-party or premium theme so you may get began customizing your web site in simply minutes.
WordPress.org vs WordPress.com Social Media Integration
For those who’re questioning, “What is the distinction between WordPress.com and WordPress.org concerning social media integration?” We have got you coated. Social media advertising and marketing isn’t a nice-to-have — it’s a should, and ideally, your WordPress web site makes integrating seamless.
That means, you possibly can handle your entire interactions in a single digestible place, broaden your influence, and even enhance your conversions. Plus, making certain your social media is seen in your WordPress web site is a superb approach to exhibit to guests that you’ve a social media presence — and that they need to interact with it!
WordPress.org Social Media Integration
As you possible guessed, WordPress.org has no innate social media integration. So as to add this performance, you’ll set up plugins o your web site. There are many choices to choose from, however a number of the hottest ones you’ll spot within the WordPress plugin library embody Social Media Widget by Acurax and Jetpack. These user-friendly plugins simplify tedious duties like social media posting in your web site.
WordPress.com Social Media Integration
When you’ve got a free WordPress.com account, it’s doable to combine your web site with varied social media accounts. Sure, it’s going to require some work in your finish, however you are able to do so by publicizing your web site or connecting it to your a number of social accounts. The method is even simpler in the event you’re working with a paid WordPress.com account. When you’ve got a paid WordPress account, all social media integration comes included and ready-to-use.
WordPress.org vs WordPress.com Plugins
One of many major causes WordPress is such a well-liked platform is because of its seemingly countless array of plugins. There are such a lot of causes we love plugins — they will help you add performance to your web site, (most) are cost-effective, and are straightforward to make use of.
Whether or not you’re trying to combine seamlessly along with your CRM software program or optimize your photographs quicker, there’s a plugin to assist. (Psst: With over 60,000 plugin choices obtainable, it may be downright unimaginable to find out that are definitely worth the time — and cash. Right here’s our complete information to the 38 finest WordPress plugins.)
WordPress.org Plugins
When you’ve got a WordPress.org web site, you possibly can add plugins to your web site — however you’ll must do the legwork to supply them your self. As a result of WordPress.org is only a platform and no options are included along with your plan, you’ll have to put in some plugins your self. For those who’re not sure the place to start, you possibly can take a look at the WordPress plugin library to slender down the hundreds of search outcomes and discover an choice suited to your particular wants.
WordPress.com Plugins
One more reason WordPress.com is fashionable is that with a number of the plans obtainable, you may get buyer interplay, social media, and analytics options robotically included. These aren’t included with a standard WordPress.org plan, which is why it’s a beautiful choice. All you must do to get these default options in your WordPress.com web site is to set up WordPress-compatible plugins of your selecting. In fact, you may as well set up customized plugins, relying in your plan.
WordPress.org vs WordPress.com Assist
All through the method of constructing your web site, it’s comprehensible when you’ve got questions or issues popping up. The excellent news is that relying on which plan you choose, WordPress has help obtainable that can assist you by the rising pains and studying curves that accompany beginning a web site.
WordPress.org Assist
WordPress.org doesn’t provide a lot buyer help, which is why it may not be the suitable choice for freshmen who know they’re more likely to encounter roadblocks. Moreover, with WordPress.org, you don’t get any one-on-one help. In fact, there are nonetheless sources obtainable — resembling accessing the WordPress.org help web page. From there, you should use the obtainable boards to troubleshoot your downside.
WordPress.com Assist
Relying on which plan you utilize, you will have extra help by choosing WordPress.com. For those who follow a free account, you possibly can harness the ability of WordPress’ sturdy neighborhood help and boards. (Consider these because the WordPress.com equal to WordPress.org help pages.) Most necessary to know is that in the event you stick with a free account, you’ll must do most of your personal problem-solving.
That’s the place being a paid WordPress.com consumer is advantageous. For those who’re paying to make use of WordPress.com, you’ll have 24/7 entry to dwell chat and electronic mail help with WordPress consultants, along with neighborhood help and boards. Contemplating that WordPress.com plans don’t must be extraordinarily expensive, you would possibly discover it a worthwhile funding to have an knowledgeable in your nook.
Again To You
Understanding the important thing variations between WordPress.org and the assorted WordPress.com plans is essential to figuring out which kind of web site most closely fits your wants. WordPress.org is a good choice if you would like full management over each side of your web site. WordPress.com is preferable in the event you want help constructing your web site and wish extra automation.
When you’ve reviewed and thought of the entire plan choices, you may get began by downloading your WordPress.org or WordPress.com account and using the number of options you may have entry to design a web site excellent to your particular wants.
Editor’s notice: This publish was initially revealed in November 2018 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.
