WordPress may be the most popular content management system (CMS) in the world — powering over a third of all websites today — but WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org is a common source of confusion, particularly for those new to the community. What’s the difference between the two? And when users want to start a website, which choice is best?
Read on to learn about both options for building, maintaining, and hosting your WordPress website.
WordPress.com or WordPress.org
If you’ve ever wondered about the differences between WordPress.org and WordPress.com, you aren’t alone. Don’t worry: The distinction is simpler than you might think. Both sites harness the power and flexibility of WordPress, and either is an excellent solution for site customization. The right choice ultimately comes down to your needs and wants.
WordPress.org
WordPress.org is open-source software created by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little. It’s free to use, but it requires a certain level of knowledge regarding coding, hosting, and maintenance.
When creating a site using WordPress.org, you have total freedom over your site’s appearance and functionality. But this freedom comes with more effort. You’re responsible for hosting the site using a paid service like Bluehost or SiteGround. You must maintain your site by manually updating the software and any installed plugins.
WordPress.com
Also founded by Matt Mullenweg, WordPress.com is a comprehensive website building, designing, and hosting service that uses the WordPress.org software. Several plans are available, including Free, Premium, Business, and eCommerce. The right plan depends on whether you need hosting, a custom domain name, Google analytics, plugins, and more. (Note that the free plan does not include most of these options.)
WordPress.com is a more “out-of-the-box” experience, requiring little to no technical knowledge. But this also means you have less control over the small details.
Which Option is Best?
In truth, there’s no “best” option between the two. The right choice entirely depends on your needs and situation. If you have the technical skills to operate independently and want to have complete control over your site’s creation and maintenance, WordPress.org is ideal. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a simple and seamless way to get your site off the ground, WordPress.com is a fantastic solution.
As this blog by Creole Studios points out, “com” is often best for bloggers, freelancers, and other independent users, while “org” works well for larger companies with the workforce to design, build, host, and maintain their sites. Of course, this varies case by case, and only you can decide which option is superior.
WordPress for the Win-Win
The good news is whether you choose WordPress.com or WordPress.org, you still have the power of the WordPress CMS at your fingertips. Harness its near-endless capabilities to create an engaging website that reflects your brand.
Why Ninja Forms?
Did you know the Ninja Forms core plugin is free? With free features like calculations, unlimited submissions, submission management, spam protection, and more. What’s not to love? Check out the Ninja Forms core plugin for your WordPress website today!
Besides our free features, we offer over 40 different integrations to help match your needs and wants into a form-building experience unlike no other. Unlike our competitors, all of our add-ons can be purchased individually in one, five, or twenty-site licenses. Need even more add-ons? We recommend going with one of our membership plans that includes additional discounts for even more add-ons!
Want to learn more about Ninja Forms? Check our frequently asked questions to get your answers right away!
