Final verdict
WordPress.org and WordPress.com cater to different user needs, making the choice between them dependent on your specific requirements.
-
WordPress.org (Overall Grade: 7.1/10)
is ideal for users who seek extensive customization options and control over their website. It shines with its open-source nature, allowing for a wide range of themes and plugins that cater to virtually any website need. While it offers great flexibility and power, it requires a bit more technical know-how and effort in terms of setup, maintenance, and security. It’s best suited for users who are comfortable managing their own hosting and are looking for a platform that can grow and adapt to their needs over time. -
WordPress.com (Overall Grade: 7.8/10)
, on the other hand, offers a more user-friendly experience with its hosting services included, making it easier for beginners to start and manage their websites. It provides a good balance of customization and ease of use, with various plans to suit different needs, from basic blogs to more complex ecommerce sites. While it may not offer the same level of flexibility as WordPress.org, it simplifies many aspects of website management, making it a great choice for users who prefer convenience and support.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Design functionalities & templates |
9.0 |
8.0 |
Ease of use |
7.2 |
7.8 |
Ecommerce |
8.4 |
6.0 |
Website Editors |
8.5 |
7.8 |
Product testing options |
8.1 |
8.4 |
Price |
5.9 |
8.0 |
Hosting quality |
N/A |
8.1 |
Website speed optimization |
6.5 |
7.3 |
Plugins and integrations |
8.8 |
8.6 |
Marketing features |
8.0 |
8.0 |
Customer support |
5.0 |
7.5 |
Security |
6.7 |
7.9 |
AI capabilities |
6.1 |
7.1 |
User Management |
8.8 |
7.2 |
Overall |
7.1 |
7.8 |
Best for ecommerce
Verdict
: For users seeking extensive customization and control over their ecommerce features, WordPress.org is the superior choice. WordPress.com, while user-friendly, is better suited for simpler online stores.
-
WordPress.org
: Offers a robust platform for ecommerce with extensive customization through plugins like WooCommerce. Ideal for businesses looking for advanced ecommerce solutions. -
WordPress.com
: Provides basic ecommerce capabilities within a more user-friendly environment. Suitable for those starting out or with simpler ecommerce needs.
Best for informational & business websites
Verdict
: WordPress.org is the superior choice for informational and business websites, offering unparalleled customization and control, while WordPress.com provides a more user-friendly experience with less flexibility.
-
WordPress.org
: With a score of 9.2, WordPress.org stands out for its extensive customization options through themes and plugins, making it ideal for those who need a highly tailored website. It’s particularly suited for users who require a robust platform for blogs, business sites, and even online stores, offering the freedom to create a unique online presence. -
WordPress.com
: Scoring 8.6, WordPress.com is a great option for users looking for ease of use and quick setup without the need for extensive customization. It offers a wide range of pre-designed themes and a user-friendly interface, making it suitable for bloggers, small businesses, and those new to website creation.
Detailed comparison
Design functionalities & templates
Design FunctionalitiesRepresents how well each platform allows for creative design and customization of websites.Score Components:
- Template Variety (30%): Range and quality of design templates.
- Customization (30%): Flexibility and options for design alterations.
- User Interface (20%): Ease and intuitiveness of the design process.
- Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
- Innovation (10%): Unique design features and tools.
🏆
Winner:
WordPress.org
. If you’re looking for a platform that offers more creative control and a wide array of design features, WordPress.org is the preferred choice.
WordPress.org offers an extensive variety of templates and designs, catering to a wide range of website types beyond just blogs or ecommerce. Its open-source nature allows for high customization and creative freedom, appealing to diverse user needs. While WordPress itself doesn’t sell premium templates, numerous third-party theme shops offer sophisticated and specialized design choices, expanding the possibilities for users.
WordPress.org Themes
Compared to WordPress.org, WordPress.com boasts a vast collection of themes, offering both free and premium options to suit diverse website needs. With themes ranging from sleek business layouts to creative blog designs, eye-catching portfolios, and optimized ecommerce setups, users have access to a wide variety of styles. While the exact number of themes is continually growing, the platform provides hundreds of free options, and an expansive marketplace offers thousands of premium themes for further customization.
WordPress.com Themes
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Ease of use
Ease of useReflects the platform’s overall user-friendliness.Score
Components:
- Learning curve (40%): Quickness and ease of getting started.
- Interface design (30%): Simplicity and intuitiveness of layout.
- User guidance (20%): Quality of tutorials and support.
- Flexibility (10%): Adaptability to various user skills.
🏆
Winner: Wordpress.com
. Scoring a 7.8, WordPress.com is more user-friendly, especially for beginners, with its drag-and-drop interface and pre-designed themes. WordPress.org, with a score of 7.2, offers great flexibility and power, but it can be less intuitive for beginners compared to simpler website builders.
Learning Resources
🏆 Winner:
Tie
. Both WordPress.org and WordPress.com offer extensive and high-quality learning resources, including comprehensive documentation, step-by-step tutorials, and active support forums. These resources are beneficial for users of all skill levels, from beginners learning the basics to advanced users seeking to enhance their expertise.
For ecommerce
EcommerceMeasures the platform’s effectiveness in supporting online business activities.Score Components:
- Ecommerce themes and templates (20%): Variety and design of templates.
- Product management (25%): Ease of managing and organizing products.
- Payment options (25%): Variety and convenience of payment methods.
- Ecommerce features (20%): Features for managing an ecommerce store.
- Integration (10%): Compatibility with external e-commerce tools and services.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Ecommerce themes and templates |
9.2 |
6.5 |
Product page customization |
9.0 |
5.5 |
Payment processing and commissions |
7.5 |
6.0 |
POS capabilities |
6.5 |
4.0 |
Payment gateways |
8.5 |
7.0 |
Product numbers |
7.0 |
6.0 |
Additional ecommerce features |
8.0 |
6.5 |
WordPress.org ecommerce features:
- WooCommerce Integration
- Multiple Payment Gateway Support
- Abandoned Cart Recovery
- Ecommerce Analytics
- SEO Optimization Tools
- Extensive Plugin Ecosystem
WordPress.com ecommerce features:
- Manage products
- Inventory tracking
- Payment gateways
- Tax calculations
- Basic SEO tools
- Email marketing
- Social media integration
- Website analytics
Ecommerce themes & templates
WordPress.org offers hundreds to potentially thousands of ecommerce and WooCommerce specific themes and templates, both free and premium. WordPress.com, on the other hand, offers a few hundred themes, both free and premium, catering to various niches. All themes on WordPress.com are mobile-friendly, ensuring a responsive design across different screen sizes.
Product page customization
WordPress.org offers extensive customization for eCommerce product pages, balancing plugins, page builders, and custom coding. Advanced features like product tabs, upsells, and related products are customizable. However, heavy plugin use may affect site performance. On the other hand, WordPress.com offers basic layout editing, limited content adjustments, image gallery management, and basic design changes. However, there are restrictions on code access, theme options, and plugin usage, limiting deep customization and design control on your ecommerce storefront.
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Payment processing
WordPress.org doesn’t handle payments directly but offers plugin options for payment processing. Popular gateways include PayPal, Stripe, Authorize.Net, and Square. WordPress.com offers two main options for payment processing. The first option involves using the built-in WooCommerce plugin with integrated gateways like PayPal and Stripe. The second option is manual payment processing, allowing you to accept payments outside WordPress.com through methods like invoices or external platforms. However, it may be less streamlined and require additional security considerations.
Website Editors
Website EditorsEvaluates the platforms’ website building and editing capabilities.Score Components:
- Customization tools (40%): Range and power of editing features.
- Editor usability (30%): User experience within the editor.
- Design flexibility (20%): Freedom in layout and design changes.
- Update and maintenance ease (10%): Simplicity of updating and maintaining the site.
Winner:
WordPress.org
. WordPress.org, with a score of 8.5, offers a user-friendly interface with block-based editing, extensive styles customization, template management, page editing/creation, distraction-free modes, versatile saving options, and accessibility for users of varying skill levels. It also provides a wide range of blocks and widgets for creating websites, including free blocks like Core Blocks, Design Blocks, Media Blocks, and Widgets, providing essential elements and layout options. Additionally, many themes have their own theme-specific blocks. For advanced options, premium blocks are available through third-party plugins like Gutenberg Blocks, Getwid, and The Plus Blocks. Premium themes like Avada and Divi also include custom blocks, enhancing your site’s design and functionality.
Wordpress.com’s editor, scoring 7.8, is a user-friendly, visual tool based on blocks for creating and editing website content without coding. It supports live, drag-and-drop, and inline editing, making it flexible and convenient. The editor is media-rich, mobile-friendly, and includes automatic saving, revision history, and basic formatting options. Users can add headings, lists, quotes, links, and embeds for versatility. However, it provides limited code access and no theme editing.
Mobile editor/app
🏆
Winner: Tie
. Both WordPress.org and WordPress.com offer mobile apps that allow users to manage their websites on the go. These apps provide basic functionality, including the ability to create and edit posts, manage comments, schedule content, and analyze website traffic. However, they have some limitations compared to the web-based editors, including fewer advanced options, restricted code access, and limited design customization. The mobile editor score for both platforms is the same, indicating that they offer similar functionality and ease of use.
Product testing options
Product Testing OptionsAssesses the options for trying out platform features before commitment.Score Components:
- Trial quality (40%): Extent and usefulness of the trial or free version.
- Feature accessibility (30%): How many features are available to test.
- Trial duration (20%): Length of the trial period.
- Ease of transition (10%): Smoothness of moving from trial to paid plans.
Overall Result
:
WordPress.com wins
. WordPress.com scores 8.4, slightly higher than WordPress.org’s 8.1. The key advantage of WordPress.com is its 14-day free trial for paid plans, during which users can test all premium features, including custom themes, plugins, advanced customization options, and monetization tools. WordPress.org, being an open-source CMS, does not offer a trial version or the possibility to test premium features.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Free Plan |
Yes (open source software) |
Yes |
Trial Duration |
No |
14 days (for paid plans) |
Testing Premium Features |
No |
Yes, during the 14-day free trial |
Price
Design FunctionalitiesRepresents how well each platform allows for creative design and customization of websites.Score Components:
- Template Variety (30%): Range and quality of design templates.
- Customization (30%): Flexibility and options for design alterations.
- User Interface (20%): Ease and intuitiveness of the design process.
- Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
- Innovation (10%): Unique design features and tools.
WordPress.com offers a range of plans with varying features and prices, while WordPress.org is free but requires separate purchases for domain, hosting, and website builder subscriptions.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Free |
Free Plan ($0/month): Open source software that is free. Necessary to purchase a domain, web hosting, and website builder subscriptions separately. Offers extensive variety of templates and designs. Lacks built-in ecommerce and AI-assisted builder, but offers solutions through plugins. |
Free ($0/month): Build a basic website with limited features. Ideal for personal blogs or portfolios. Access to basic themes and plugins, 3GB storage, subdomain (yourwebsite.wordpress.com). |
$0-$5 |
No offering at this amount. |
Personal ($4/month): Upgrade from the free plan with a custom domain, ad removal, more storage (6GB), and access to additional plugins and theme options. Value for price: 6.0 |
$5-$10 |
No offering at this amount. |
Premium ($8/month): Unlocks powerful features like website monetization (subscriptions, WooCommerce), premium themes and plugins, increased storage (13GB), and analytics tools. Value for price: 7.5 |
$20-$30 |
No offering at this amount. |
Business ($25/month): Cater to high-traffic websites with 200GB storage, priority support, advanced security features, email marketing tools, and access to most plugins. Value for price: 8.5 |
$40+ |
No offering at this amount. |
eCommerce ($45/month): All-in-one solution for online stores with WooCommerce pre-installed, full plugin access, 200GB storage, priority support, and advanced features like product subscriptions and marketing tools. Value for Price: 9.0 |
Hosting quality
Design FunctionalitiesRepresents how well each platform allows for creative design and customization of websites.Score Components:
- Template Variety (30%): Range and quality of design templates.
- Customization (30%): Flexibility and options for design alterations.
- User Interface (20%): Ease and intuitiveness of the design process.
- Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
- Innovation (10%): Unique design features and tools.
🏆
Winner: WordPress.com
. WordPress.com provides hosting services included in all of their plans, with features like global CDN, automatic failovers, real-time backups, and one-click restores. However, it does not offer an uptime guarantee and users on lower-tier plans may face storage limitations. On the other hand, WordPress.org does not provide hosting services directly, so its hosting quality depends on the chosen hosting provider.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Do they offer hosting? |
No, WordPress.org itself does not directly provide hosting services. |
Yes, included in all paid plans, free plan with limited features |
Data Centers: |
Data centers depend on hosting providers |
While WordPress.com doesn’t publicly disclose the exact locations of all their data centers, they operate a geographically distributed network across six continents. Confirmed Locations: USA, Western Europe, Singapore |
Type of hosting: |
WordPress.org itself isn’t a hosting platform, there are various options when choosing the type of hosting for websites built with WordPress.org, such as: Shared Hosting, VPS Hosting, Dedicated Server Hosting, Managed WordPress Hosting, Cloud Hosting |
Shared Hosting in free and paid plans, Custom hosting for enterprise plan |
Uptime: |
Uptime & uptime guarantee depends on hosting provider. |
Independent monitoring services like Pingdom and StatusCake report consistently high uptime for WordPress.com, often exceeding 99.9% |
Uptime Guarantee: |
Depends on hosting provider |
No |
Website Speed Optimization
Design FunctionalitiesRepresents how well each platform allows for creative design and customization of websites.Score Components:
- Template Variety (30%): Range and quality of design templates.
- Customization (30%): Flexibility and options for design alterations.
- User Interface (20%): Ease and intuitiveness of the design process.
- Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
- Innovation (10%): Unique design features and tools.
🏆 Winner: WordPress.com
Both WordPress.org and WordPress.com prioritize website performance and page speed, but WordPress.com has a slight edge in terms of website speed optimization.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Focus |
User-driven optimization |
Image optimization, Theme performance |
Performance Tools |
User-selected plugins |
Built-in optimization tools |
Key Strategies |
User-driven optimization |
Image optimization, Theme performance, Regular software updates |
Load Times |
Varies widely, dependent on optimization |
Varies depending on the plan |
Page Speed Scores Range |
Scores vary; influenced by apps, images |
60/100 – 90+/100 depending on the plan |
Core Web Vitals Improvement |
User-driven optimization |
25% increase in good CWV scores over a year |
WordPress.com has built-in optimization tools, including image optimization tools, theme performance standards, and regular software updates. The load times and PageSpeed scores vary depending on the plan, with the Business and eCommerce plans offering the fastest load times and highest PageSpeed scores. WordPress.com has also seen a 25% increase in good Core Web Vital scores over a year.
On the other hand, WordPress.org relies on user-driven optimization. The load times and PageSpeed scores can vary widely, depending on the optimization efforts of the user. WordPress.org provides valuable resources for enhancing your website’s Core Web Vitals, including tools like Core Web Vitals, WP Rocket, Hummingbird, and AMP for mobile speed. However, the effectiveness of these tools depends on the user’s ability to implement them correctly.
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Plugins and integrations
Design FunctionalitiesRepresents how well each platform allows for creative design and customization of websites.Score Components:
- Template Variety (30%): Range and quality of design templates.
- Customization (30%): Flexibility and options for design alterations.
- User Interface (20%): Ease and intuitiveness of the design process.
- Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
- Innovation (10%): Unique design features and tools.
🏆 Winner:
WordPress.org.
Wordpress.org scores 8.8, slightly edging out WordPress.com with a score of 8.6. WordPress.org offers over 60,000 free plugins, providing extensive customization options for users. WordPress.com also offers a wide array of plugins, but the number of accessible plugins depends on the chosen plan, which may limit some users. Both platforms offer plugins that extend functionality across various domains, but the open-source nature of WordPress.org gives it a slight advantage.
WordPress.org Applications
WordPress.com Applications
Marketing Features
Design FunctionalitiesRepresents how well each platform allows for creative design and customization of websites.Score Components:
- Template Variety (30%): Range and quality of design templates.
- Customization (30%): Flexibility and options for design alterations.
- User Interface (20%): Ease and intuitiveness of the design process.
- Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
- Innovation (10%): Unique design features and tools.
Overall Winner: Tie
. Both WordPress.org and WordPress.com offer a comprehensive set of marketing features, with WordPress.org relying on plugins for customization and WordPress.com offering some built-in features.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
SEO Tools |
|
|
Email Marketing |
|
|
Blogging |
|
|
Social Media Integration |
Plugins for direct linking, automatic posting, and social feeds display |
Automated sharing, social media widgets, and buttons |
Analytics and Reporting |
In-depth analysis via plugins like Google Analytics for WordPress |
Built-in stats and Google Analytics integration on certain plans |
Ads and Promotions |
Support for Google Ads and ad management through various plugins |
WordAds program and integration options for ad networks on higher-tier plans |
Customer Support
Design FunctionalitiesRepresents how well each platform allows for creative design and customization of websites.Score Components:
- Template Variety (30%): Range and quality of design templates.
- Customization (30%): Flexibility and options for design alterations.
- User Interface (20%): Ease and intuitiveness of the design process.
- Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
- Innovation (10%): Unique design features and tools.
🏆 Winner:
WordPress.com
. With a customer support score of 7.5, WordPress.com outperforms WordPress.org, which has a score of 5.0. WordPress.com provides a more comprehensive support system, offering 24/7 help center and community forums for all users, and additional live chat and priority email support for personal and professional plan users. Business and eCommerce plan users also get extended live chat and a dedicated Happiness Engineer for personalized assistance.
On the other hand, WordPress.org, being an open-source platform, lacks direct customer support. Users mainly rely on community forums, the WordPress codex, hosting provider support, and plugin and theme support for assistance. While this self-help approach may work for some, it might be challenging for users who prefer direct, immediate support.
Security
Design FunctionalitiesRepresents how well each platform allows for creative design and customization of websites.Score Components:
- Template Variety (30%): Range and quality of design templates.
- Customization (30%): Flexibility and options for design alterations.
- User Interface (20%): Ease and intuitiveness of the design process.
- Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
- Innovation (10%): Unique design features and tools.
🏆
Winner:
WordPress.com
. WordPress.com has a higher security score and offers a more comprehensive security package compared to WordPress.org. WordPress.com utilizes Google Cloud Platform for secure servers, encryption for data transmission and storage, regular backups, strict access controls, and active vulnerability management. It also provides automatic updates, a Web Application Firewall (WAF), and spam protection through Akismet.
On the other hand, WordPress.org’s security largely depends on the hosting provider and the plugins used. It offers multiple plugins to enhance security, such as those for site backups, monitoring, malware scanning, user activity tracking, permission control, and spam protection tools. However, the level of security can vary greatly depending on the chosen hosting provider and the specific plugins used.
AI Capabilities
Design FunctionalitiesRepresents how well each platform allows for creative design and customization of websites.Score Components:
- Template Variety (30%): Range and quality of design templates.
- Customization (30%): Flexibility and options for design alterations.
- User Interface (20%): Ease and intuitiveness of the design process.
- Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
- Innovation (10%): Unique design features and tools.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
AI Builder |
No built-in AI builder, but supports AI plugins like AI Site Builder and Zita |
No centralized AI builder, but offers diverse AI functionalities across features and plugins |
AI Ecommerce Features |
Supports AI plugins for marketing, personalization, content management, and SEO analysis |
Integrates AI functionalities in WooCommerce and plugins for product recommendations, search optimization, and customer behavior insights |
AI Content Generation |
Supports AI plugins for content writing and various AI-powered features |
Offers AI-assisted content creation through Jetpack AI Assistant and external plugins |
Additional AI Features |
Wide range of AI-powered plugins and tools for website performance improvement |
AI-powered design plugins, marketing and analytics, accessibility enhancement, and conversational AI |
🏆 Winner:
WordPress.com
. With a score of 7.1, WordPress.com offers a more diverse range of AI functionalities across its features and plugins, including AI-assisted content creation, marketing, and ecommerce solutions. Although WordPress.org, with a score of 6.1, allows for a wide range of AI plugins, it lacks the integrated AI functionalities found in WordPress.com.
User Management
Design FunctionalitiesRepresents how well each platform allows for creative design and customization of websites.Score Components:
- Template Variety (30%): Range and quality of design templates.
- Customization (30%): Flexibility and options for design alterations.
- User Interface (20%): Ease and intuitiveness of the design process.
- Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
- Innovation (10%): Unique design features and tools.
🏆 Winner:
WordPress.org
. Both WordPress.org and WordPress.com offer similar user roles and access levels, but they differ in the number of users they allow and the level of customization they offer for editing rights and collaboration.
- WordPress.org allows editing access based on user roles and additional controls. User roles, ranging from Super Admin to Subscriber, dictate the level of permissions, while plugins and controls such as role management plugins and revision control offer further customization for specific editing rights and collaboration.
- WordPress.com’s editing access depends on the selected plan. With the Free Plan, only the account owner can make edits, and there’s no option to add other editors. For Personal and Professional Plans, you can include up to 5 users with different editing permissions. Business and eCommerce Plans allow for up to 25 users with the same editing permissions as the Personal and Professional plans.
WordPress.org User Roles and Access Levels:
Role | Description | Access Highlights |
---|---|---|
Super Admin | Manages the entire network in WordPress Multisite. | Network admin, manage sites, users, plugins, themes. |
Administrator | Full access within a single site. | Manage plugins, themes, users, all posts/pages. |
Editor | Manages and publishes content, including others’ posts. | Edit/publish all posts, manage comments, categories. |
Author | Publishes and manages their own posts. | Write, edit, publish own posts, upload files. |
Contributor | Writes and edits their own posts but cannot publish. | Write, edit own posts (no file uploads or publishing). |
WordPress.com User Roles and Access Levels:
Role | Description | Access Highlights |
---|---|---|
Super Admin | Manages the entire network in WordPress Multisite. | Network admin, manage sites, users, plugins, themes. |
Administrator | Full access within a single site. | Manage plugins, themes, users, all posts/pages. |
Editor | Manages and publishes content, including others’ posts. | Edit/publish all posts, manage comments, categories. |
Author | Publishes and manages their own posts. | Write, edit, publish own posts, upload files. |
Contributor | Writes and edits their own posts but cannot publish. | Write, edit own posts (no file uploads or publishing). |
Additional Features
|
|
|
---|---|---|
SSL Certificate |
|
|
Custom Domain |
|
|
Free Custom Domain Included |
|
|
International Domains |
|
|
Mobile Responsive |
|
|
Page Speed |
|
|
Website Builder Mobile App |
|
|
Convert a Website To An App |
|
|
Website Analytics |
|
|
Multilingual Sites |
|
|
Multiple Users |
|
|
User Feedback
WordPress.org is highly regarded for its user-friendliness, cost-effectiveness, extensive themes and plugins, customization options, and supportive community. However, some users have reported technical challenges, security concerns, a learning curve, and a lack of direct support. Despite these issues, it remains a widely used and versatile platform, particularly beneficial for startups and small businesses.
On the other hand, WordPress.com is praised for its user-friendly interface, which allows for easy website creation without the need for coding skills. Users appreciate the diverse themes and plugins that enhance functionality. While some users have mentioned potential complexities and occasional updates, the platform’s versatility, SEO features, and industry-standard reputation make it a preferred choice for users ranging from beginners to experienced developers.
The making of this blog
We followed a clear, step-by-step process to write and research this article.
FAQ
What are the main differences between WordPress.org and WordPress.com?
Which platform is better for ecommerce, WordPress.org or WordPress.com?
Can I switch from WordPress.com to WordPress.org later?
How do WordPress.org and WordPress.com compare in terms of user support?
Which platform offers better security features?