WordPress.com vs WordPress.org
WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org: In the world of 4g network and lots of free stuff floating around the internet, blogging is the certain inevitable that the world had come. People have stories and wisdom to share, and what is the better option than to spread it through a nicely decorated blog?
Moreover, in blogging history, one name is essential – WordPress. It does not matter whether you are a blogger or not; everyone has heard of the mighty WordPress. Whenever you need the blogging wings, WordPress will give you one. If you call WordPress the internet or the social media queen, it would not be an exaggeration of the facts.
Moreover, the use of WordPress is not only restricted under the column of blogging only. If you need it, you can get help with your business dreams as well. Along with unlimited free plans of WordPress, it has so many paid plans a year too. However, before you can leap, you need to examine all the things carefully first, don’t you?
Although, lots of people might be earning bread from their famous articulated blogs on WordPress, very few of them are aware of the whole WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org fiasco. Even a lot of people cannot differentiate between the real WordPress and the hosting service for it, can they? Well, let us help out a little here.
However, before we get into the argument of WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org, let us introduce a little to the world of WordPress here.
WORDPRESS.COM VS WORDPRESS.ORG – LITTLE INTRODUCTION
If there exists any significant confusion related to blogging, business, and WordPress, it would be the one related to ‘Where and how to open the first blog?’ Surprisingly, Both the platforms have the same name and are based on the same software.
However, they have differences like that of hell and heaven. As a general outlet, WordPress is an open-source content management system or CMS. Thus, it is mostly used to manage websites of a different kind.
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What is WordPress.org?
As I have already mentioned that WordPress is an open-source CMS, thus it is 100% free for all and not owned by a particular company. WordPress.org is the real WordPress site, which is also called the self-hosted WordPress. With just a domain name and web hosting facility, you can open your website on WordPress.org without paying a dime. WordPress.org is beginner-friendly, and its user-friendly interface cannot get better than any other self-hosted sites.
With all freedoms at your disposal, WordPress.org is the easiest to handle. From running ads for your blogs to creating paid memberships to your websites, WordPress.org is the only best friend that you can have on the internet.
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What is WordPress.com?
Unlike WordPress.org, the concept of WordPress.com may not cheer you up at all. WordPress.com is the hosting service of the platform WordPress that is managed by the co-founder of WordPress, Matt Mullenweg. Also, unlike WordPress.org, WordPress.com is not free. It has specific hosting services that will provide you with excellent service. The Paid hosting service of WordPress.com starts with $48 a year.
Lots of people might get upset over the fact that WordPress.com is not free. However, it is very, up to minimal space and features. Thus, if you want to expand your business or if you want to have more space than 3GB, the paid service of WordPress.com will just come handy for sure.
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THE BATTLE OF THE INTERNET – WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org
It might be a little exaggeration to call it the battle of the internet, but the ‘versus’ game of these two is quite dramatic for sure. However, before we can start comparing, we need to know all the detailed features of these two, don’t we? Let us have a look.
BENEFITS AND CONS OF WORDPRESS.ORG
Although WordPress.org has the free and super-easy feature attached to it, the cons list of this site does not end small.
Pros
- You will be in full control of your website. Unlike other platforms, you will not be directed to shut your website down just because your website contents go against their rules and policies.
- It is free as it is an open-source CMS. Also, it is the easiest to use as well. You do not have to stumble on the doorsteps of computer wizards to control your websites.
- Customized designs! WordPress.org is famous for its free or paid custom designs, which quite add beauty to your website.
- In the case of earning bread, you can run ads and make money from WordPress.org.
- If you want powerful SEO tools attached to your website, you will get those facilities as well. Google Analytics is always there to help you out.
- Also, you can use this platform to open your online digital store as well.
Cons
- It is a heartbreaking con of WordPress.org. It does not matter whether WordPress.org is free or not; you will still need a web hosting to store your data online.
- You are responsible for your backups. The WordPress.org is fully controlled by you; thus, you need to back up manually to keep your website run smoothly.
- You are responsible for the updates. Just like the above point, you have to update your website from time to time because that will not be done on its own.
BENEFITS AND CONS OF WORDPRESS.COM
Being a web hosting service of the platform WordPress, WordPress.com has many pros and cons as well. However, the cons list might seem a little longer than the pros list. Have a look.
Pros
- The web hosting service of WordPress.com provides free services. However, that free offer is for limited space, i.e., up to 3GB. If you need or want more space than the 3GB, you have to switch your plan to a paid plan for sure.
- While using WordPress.com, you will not have to be worried about a thing. All the worries about doing updates and backups, WordPress.com, will take care of all those problems on its own.
Cons
- In case you are using the free website version of WordPress.com, they will make a hoarding board as they run their ads on all the free websites all the time. Unless and until you are upgrading your plan to a paid one, your users will keep seeing random ads.
- You are not allowed to sell ads on your website. Moreover, if you want to, you need to buy their WordsAds first, where you will be sharing the revenue.
- You cannot upload custom themes, and you cannot upload plug-ins. The free users do not get the fruits of these, but the paid users might get if they are ready to pay $300 a year. On paying off such a hefty price, you can have unlimited customization or plug-ins installed on your website only.
- They can delete your site anytime they want if you violate their terms and regulations.
- It does not offer any e-commerce features for your digital store. Thus, even if you want to expand your business freely, you cannot do that.
- You cannot build membership websites with WordPress.coom
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WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org – The Final Verdict
From the above pros and cons list, we have quite got the impression of this ‘versus’ game for now. However, here we have summarized the main rival points here of WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org
- Free vs. Free until paid for a better version
- Total freedom vs. From little to no freedom
- Full control over your website vs. Small control stick in your hand
- Customizable vs. Not very open to customization
- E-commerce feature vs. No e-commerce features
- Run your own ads vs. No ads unless paired up with WordAds
Thus, from the above list of comparison between WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org, it is quite clear that WordPress.org is undoubtedly better than the WordPress.com. Moreover, this statement applies mostly to those who are in the market of the internet in the long run. However, if you are a small blogger with no intention of making money from your website, the WordPress.com free version might work just perfectly for you.
Moreover, if you are a business owner or a blogger who has quite a money-making in mind, it is best to use the self-hosted WordPress.org. You will indeed get lots of features from WordPress.com by just paying $300 a year, but why spend so much when you can avail of all such great features on WordPress.org only at the price of $46 a year?
Thus, from the final verdict for WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org, it is quite established that WordPress.org wins this game. You can always try out both and see which one works better. However, it is quite tough to stick to WordPress.com when the open-source WordPress.org is offering so much. However, the same name of both these sites confuses people all the time. It does not matter what you are going to use in the end, because WordPress is going to win at the end of the game!