What’s the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org?
WordPress.com
WordPress.com is hosted within WordPress. This means you will have little ability to alter the design, will not be able to purchase a theme from elsewhere and upload it, and you will not be able to use plugins or add things like Google Analytics.
WordPress.org
With self-hosted WordPress you’ll purchase a domain and hosting and then install WordPress (it’s free software), which will give you complete control over your design, blog templates, and add-ons like plugins.
Here are seven major differences between WordPress.com and WordPress.org…
#1. The Price
Let’s start off with the most obvious difference. WordPress.com is free to use (at least, their basic plan is free). However, it’s worth noting that once you start adding on extra features (like a custom domain name, for example), you need to upgrade to one of the higher WordPress.com plans and start paying.
WordPress.org is a paid platform. This is because your website is “self-hosted”. You have to purchase a custom domain and hosting name from a company like Bluehost.
#2. WordPress.com has built-in ads you can’t control
On WordPress.com, you’ll notice that your site sometimes has links and ads (usually Google Adsense ads) that you can’t get rid of. According to the WordPress company, this helps them “pay the bills”.
So make no mistake – any income earned through those ads goes straight into WordPress’ pocket. Not yours! And the only way to remove those ads – which might be completely irrelevant to your blog, and are probably also messing up your site’s aesthetic – is to upgrade to a WordPress Premium Plan ($8.25/month) or Business Plan ($24.92/month).
On WordPress.org, the only ads on your site are the ones you’ve put there. You have complete control over your website, and any income earned through ad networks like Google Adsense goes straight in your pocket.
#3. You can’t use your own ads on WordPress.com
Because WordPress.com is a free platform to use, WordPress’ rules clearly state that you’re not allowed to earn any income through ads placed on your website. The only way to access ad revenue is to upgrade to one of their higher plans. At that point, you can apply to receive a percentage of revenue (but not the ENTIRE amount) generated from ad-clicks on your site.
On WordPress.org, you can honestly do whatever you like. You are the sole owner of your website, and you can do with it as you see fit. That includes placing whatever kind of ads you like on it!
#4. With WordPress.com, WordPress owns your website
Unlike WordPress.org, where you have full ownership and control over your website, WordPress.com websites are owned by WordPress itself.This means they can do with your website as they see fit. If you break any of their “rules” (even if by accident), they can shut down your website.
But don’t freak out! I’ve never known anyone who had this happen to them. Nevertheless, it’s something to consider.
#5. Your WordPress.com domain name will have “.wordpress” in it
Because you don’t have to purchase a domain name with WordPress.com, your domain name will always have “.wordpress” added to the end of it. For example, if my blog was on WordPress.com, my domain name would look like this:
www.webdesignicandy.wordpress.com
The only way to get around this is to purchase your own custom domain name (which can be a bit of a pain if you already have content on your website), or to upgrade to one of WordPress’ premium plans.
As I mentioned earlier, when it comes to WordPress.org, you always have to purchase a custom domain name before you can start creating your site. You can choose whatever domain name you like – including different endings, like .com, .net, .biz, and .co.
#6. You can’t use premium themes on WordPress.com
When you design a WordPress website, you’ll use what’s called a “Theme”. Essentially, a theme is a template that provides a frame for you to create your website around. If you didn’t have a theme, you would have to design your entire website from scratch using code.
Luckily, developers have created thousands of beautiful, functional themes to choose from. With all the options out there, you’re sure to find a theme that’s perfect for you.
Well, that is – if you’re on WordPress.org.
On WordPress.com, you’re limited to the free themes provided by WordPress. And if you want to make some specific changes to the appearance of your website that aren’t available with that theme, you have to upgrade to a Premium or Business plan.
With WordPress.org, your options are limitless. You can use any Theme you like, free or premium. And like I said, there are thousands to choose from. This means you can create a website that you LOVE! You can change all the colors, fonts, and even the layout, if you like!
If you’re in the market for a new theme, I use the Divi Page-Buider Theme and I absolutely love it. It’s filled with easy customization options, which makes it perfect for beginners and pros alike!
#7. You can’t use plugins on WordPress.com
Plugins are where the magic happens.
Plugins are extra bits of code you install on your website, and each performs a specific function. For example, on Blog Beautifully I have plugins for:
- Social media icons
- Social share buttons
- Spam and hacker protection
- Automatic website backups
The brilliant thing about plugins is that you can download and install them with a few clicks of a button. You don’t have to tackle any of the “coding” yourself – developers have done it all for you.
Plus, you know how people say, “There’s an app for that”? When it comes to WordPress.org websites, “There’s a plugin for that!” Anything you want your website to do, you can achieve with a simple plugin. And there are literally tens of thousands to choose from.
However, keep in mind that plugins are ONLY available on self-hosted WordPress sites (that is, wordpress.org!) On WordPress.com, your website is limited to the functions that are built-in to the WordPress platform itself.
In my mind, this is the biggest selling point for WordPress.org. When I think about having to run my website without plugins…. Eeeek.
WordPress.com and WordPress.org – which comes out on top?
Although WordPress.org comes with a fee, in my mind it’s a much better option than wordpress.com!
Plus, if you’re using WordPress.com and you want to access some of the features available on the .org version (custom domain names, ads) you have to pay a fee that actually works out to be more than the cost of WordPress.org! Crazy right.
If you want a super functional website that you can customize to your liking, not to mention one that you can make you money, you need to be on WordPress.org!
