Last Updated on December 29, 2014
Understanding the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org is important when you are sorting out how and where you will create a new blog. Learning what your options are can help you avoid needing to change where your blog lives down the road. This article will help you understand the difference between two commonly misunderstood options: WordPress.com and WordPress.org. The two options sound quite similar; however, they are actually quite a bit different. This article provides a basic overview of what these two options are.
There are two main ways to set up a WordPress blog:
- wordpress.com (free or paid, hosted, with premium options)
- wordpress.org (free, self-hosted)
WordPress.com
If you choose to go with a hosted wordpress.com site, there are three plans you can choose from (ranging from about $0-$25/month):
- Basic ($0/life)
- Premium ($99/yr USD)
- Business ($299/yr USD)
If you choose the “Basic” plan, your domain will be something like https://yourblog.wordpress.com/. If you want to use a custom domain on a free wordpress.com account, you’ll need to pay about $13/yr (USD). A custom domain name is included in both the Premium and Business plans. Currently, the following Top Level Domains (TLDs) are available for registration: .com, .net, .org, .co, .me, .info, .biz, .mobi, .com.br, .net.br, .mx, .es, .nl, .be, .fm, .tv, and .in.
Regardless of which hosted wordpress.com plan you choose, your site will be hosted on WordPress servers spread across multiple data centers, so it will be fast and always available.
You can also see a list of features or upgrades in the wordpress.com store. There are hundreds of free themes you can use on wordpress.com (with any plan), or you can purchase premium themes for $20+, or purchase unlimited themes for $120/yr.
WordPress.org
The other alternative when working with WordPress is to go to wordpress.org and self host your WordPress blog. This option generally requires more technical skill, but will reward you with a lot more flexibility and options as to what themes, plugins, and features your blog can support. Getting started with a WordPress.org install requires two steps:
- Find a hosting company to host your website (or install it locally on your own computer, see the WordPress minimum requirements).
- Download and install WordPress with their “famous 5-minute installation”.
WordPress also maintains a list of a few suggested hosting companies at wordpress.org/hosting. Many hosting companies offer an easy 1-click install process to help get your WordPress blog set up, but other hosting companies require a more technical/manual installation.
If you choose to go the self hosted wordpress.org route, you’ll also want to make sure that you keep your blog updated regularly, as new versions of WordPress are released every 3-4 months, and WordPress blogs can be likely targets for hacking, due to the popularity of the WordPress platform.