This is one of the typical questions of those who are aware of creating a website or a blog: what is the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com ? Are you also in this situation and want a simple and effective answer? I’ll tell you right away, in this very article.
WordPress.org is the official website of this CMS (content management system) from which you can download the application you will need to configure your personal project, 100% customizable .
WordPress.com, on the other hand, is a free blogging service. With a series of limitations but that you can (in part) overcome by buying extra services . Everything clear? If you want to know more, read on to learn more about it.
What is WordPress: definition and explanation
Before understanding the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com, it is worth giving a clear definition of the focus of the theme. WordPress is a CMS, content management system, to manage online content and create a website through a friendly and understandable interface.
This application is especially suitable for blogs and simple websites, although thanks to a series of extensions (the famous plugins) it is possible to infinitely expand the capabilities of the CMS. In fact, WordPress is the most widespread reality on the web for this very reason: it combines great simplicity of use with good results in terms of aesthetics and SEO.
You can do it all with the creature of Matt Mullenweg (the CEO of WordPress), but several free blogging sites have emerged, with additional paid services, that use this content manager as a base . Here is the divergence between these entities that are often confused.
Difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com
With a site that takes as a reference the downloadable CMS in WordPress.org you can do it all. It has a free content manager that you can customize with both code and plugins. You have access to FTP and you can be the master of your own project.
But you have to buy a domain name (mydomain.com) and a web hosting service to upload the application and the content that you will display on the pages.
The advantages of WordPress.org
Basically you need a unique address, exclusively yours, and a space on a server. The expense is low for a personal project, but many people fear the procedures for loading the CMS . Does it happen to you too? Are you afraid to perform the system installation?
Don’t worry: many providers offer a hosting service with WordPress pre-installed in Spanish.
Once the blog is activated (just a few clicks with the service described) you can choose the topic and start structuring the blog or website. You can work on SEO optimization and install plugins like WordPress SEO by Yoast and many other applications – you are in practice the master of the website.
The difference with WordPress.com
With WordPress.com you sign up for an Automattic proprietary service , also owned by Matt Mullenweg, which gives you the ability to create a blog at no cost.
Everything is free here. Except you have a number of major limitations. For example, you must use a third level domain (mydomain.wordpress.com) and you cannot load plugins . You cannot access the HTML of the pages and make as many changes as you want.
So is WordPress free or paid?
At WordPress.com you can have a free blog in 5 minutes . But it will be difficult to move on to something else, if your project grows it becomes a problem to choose a customizable solution.
You can purchase extra services (for example the second level domain) but the cost is higher than what it would cost you to perform this service on your own.
With the WordPress.org CMS you have a product that needs to run on a hosting space and needs a domain. Two services you pay for. But that gives you maximum freedom.
Is WordPress.com or WordPress.org worth it?
As they say, it depends. If you want a free and immediate blog you can try the WordPress.com route . But remember that this solution does not give you the freedom you need to grow. It is not just an ideological but a practical question : if you are afraid to start an installation on your own under WordPress.org and you do not know how to access the FTP, you can always buy a hosting and use the pre-installed WordPress service.
Updates are automatic, there is a daily backup. If you have good support, you can solve any problem with a ticket. And then there is always the freelance webmaster option: the website is an investment, it allows you to make money online and find clients.
If you need an additional contribution , you can always ask a professional to help you resolve a concern or make a change. In short, I am in favor of WordPress.org. And you?