What is WordPress? The quick guide

Many new bloggers ask me, what is WordPress? And this question is often quickly followed by the following question: what is the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com?

In this quick guide, I will therefore break down everything from the two versions of WordPress to make things as clear as possible.

Well, you are here to answer the question… What is WordPress? So here we are:

Table of content :

What is WordPress

WordPress is a simple blogging platform launched in 2003 to help publishers, bloggers and businesses quickly create, publish and maintain websites without having to hire a technical team to do so, but WordPress has since transformed into a good more.

Most people who want Create a blog hear the name WordPress quite early in their search. And during this research phase, the next natural question is often: what is the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com?

We're going to answer both of those questions here today, but first we need to give you some more background on what WordPress has become in recent years.

What is WordPress? The difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com

WordPress is now used by millions of people. In fact, it is estimated that there are currently 19,5 million websites using WordPress in the world – and it powers over 34% of all websites on the internet.

Additionally, some of the biggest brands in the world use WordPress to power their websites and blogs, including companies like TechCrunch, The Walt Disney Company, Mercedes-Benz, The White House, Etsy and many more… including mine which you are reading here.

What's particularly great about WordPress is the diversity of its publishing platform. You can use WordPress to build almost any type of website, whether it's an eCommerce store, blog, portfolio, membership site, a company page, a social network, an online forum and more. The possibilities are truly endless.

Now, if you have started researching WordPress, you may be confused by the fact that there are actually two versions of WordPress.

There's WordPress.com and WordPress.org, both of which go back quite far in the history of blogging.

But… Why are there two names and what is the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org?

What is the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com?

WordPress.org is a free CMS that powers blogs and websites (like mine). WordPress.com is a hosting service that uses a wordpress software to create a blog or website. This guide will show you the significant differences between the two.

I will also help you understand what is wordpress and how to choose which option is better for you and your blogging goals.

Before we dive into more detail and details, let's look at the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com.

WordPress.org is a content management system (CMS) that is open source and self-hosted. It is completely free and can be installed on your own host.

WordPress.org was created before WordPress.com and is often the version people refer to when recommending using WordPress. We also often talk about self-hosted WordPress, when reading guides on how to Create a blog.

WordPress.org offers a very high level of customization, thousands of WordPress themes to facilitate the creation of your blog and access to over 55 plugins.

WordPress.com is basically a website builder that also provides hosting service for you (for a monthly fee).

One of the benefits of using WordPress.com is that you won't need to use a third-party host to get started.

However, the downside is that although WordPress.com uses the same software as WordPress.org, it doesn't offer the same level of customization (more on that later).

There exists a limited free version of WordPress.com but the paid plans offer more features and flexibility than the free version.

Now that we've done a brief overview, let's dive deeper into the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com.

The long version: What's the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com?

To get a clear idea of ​​the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com, it helps to compare several aspects of the two.

While there are similarities between the two platforms, there are also some pretty significant differences. Here's a step-by-step guide explaining the key similarities and differences between the two options.

In this section, we'll start by covering the cost of running a blog on each platform, the WordPress themes and plugins available for installation, ease of use, and customization options.

How much does a WordPress.org blog cost compared to WordPress.com?

There is a long-standing debate over which platform is the cheapest to run.

Not everyone agrees, so I'll detail the typical costs you should expect with both (depending on which features you want to enable).

The cost of setting up a WordPress.org blog

At first glance, WordPress.org seems like the obvious choice financially.

The software is free to the public, and WordPress does not require any money to get started. You can run a pretty sophisticated website without paying any fees to WordPress.

However, as I mentioned before, with WordPress.org you will have to pay for a hosting service. You will also need find a name for your blog and pay for the domain name where your website will be hosted.

Personally, I use and recommend Bluehost, one of the oldest players in the WordPress web hosting space, for setting up your domain name and hosting.

As I mentioned, Bluehost is one of the more established companies in the WordPress hosting industry, and offers plans starting at $3,95/month (billed annually). Their hosting plans also come with a free domain name for the first year.

Another great feature of Bluehost is that it works great with WordPress. They have a 1-click install option that makes setting up your blog a breeze.

If you opt for Bluehost, I recommend the plan Choice Plus, because it has a domain privacy feature. This helps keep your personal information as a website owner private and from being publicly visible online. You can choose any option, however, and add domain privacy during the checkout process for around $1/month.

In summary, self-hosting your WordPress blog with a company like Bluehost is the most affordable option.

The cost of hosting your own blog is really minimal compared to any other popular website builder – about $65/year.

It's actually much cheaper than using the paid plans of WordPress.com (which unlock the kind of features you actually want if you hope develop a blog as a business).

When using WordPress.org, there are plenty of free themes and plugins that new bloggers can start working with. Free themes and plugins are still a very viable way to create an attractive website on a budget.

However, if you want to have more control over your blog, you can opt to purchase a premium theme or plugin (like themes Elementor ou Divi that equip my blog).

We'll get to plugins soon (most of which are free), but sometimes a paid plugin is worthwhile.

You can also choose to pay for a more comprehensive WordPress theme if you can't find a free option that meets your needs.

A self-hosted WordPress blog allows you to be as simple or as complex as you want with your site.

If you are not an experienced web developer, but have a specific aspect in mind, you can always find a professional on a freelance site to customize your blog on a budget.

The cost of creating a free WordPress.com blog

WordPress.com offers a (quite limited) free version if you want to get started with no money.

With a free WordPress.com blog, you will also be limited to one website name like…  yourblog.wordpress.com who lives on the WordPress domain.

And as they state, "Every week, thousands of people begin their journey with a free WordPress website," that statement doesn't explain exactly how their free website plans are limited in scope and functionality.

With the free version, you'll receive 3GB of storage, dozens of free responsive themes, and some basic features from Jetpack plugins. If you need assistance during the process of creating your blog, you'll have to rely on public forums to ask for help, as email and live chat support is only available with paid plans.

If you choose the free plan, you also won't have control over your own website's advertising options.

WordPress.com will place its own banner ads on your site and collect the revenue they generate.

And as I mentioned before, your domain name will only be able to have theWordPress extension linked to it if you are on their free plan.

For example, my blog is called blogpascher.com. My domain name is simple, easy to remember, and free of third-party branding or advertising. I really own my platform.

If I used the free version of WordPress.com to create my blog, my domain name would look like: blogpascher.wordpress.com

It's certainly not as professional and it's hard to remember for readers who come to my blog.

So that's what you get with the free version of WordPress.com. Now let's see what you get with each of their paid web hosting plans.

The Cost of Creating a Paid WordPress.com Blog

WordPress.com offers six tiers of paid versions, with each higher tier offering a bit more functionality.

Let's break down each level to show what you actually get:

Blogger plan (WordPress.com hosting)

The Blogger plan costs $3 per month. Here's a basic overview of what you'll get with it:

• A free .blog domain name
• Email Support
• 6 GB storage space
• Dozens of free responsive themes
• Basic design customization
• WordPress.com Ads Removed
• JetPack Essential Features

Personal Plan (WordPress.com Hosting)

The Personal plan costs $5 per month. This is the minimum plan you need to sign up for in order to get closer to what a WordPress blog self-hosted and powered by Bluehost can bring you (for less cost).

You benefit from the same advantages as the Blogger formula:

• A free domain name ( like a .com ) for one year
• Email and live chat support
• 6 GB storage space

Premium Plan (WordPress.com Hosting)

The Premium plan costs $8 per month and includes the same elements as the Personal plan, plus:

• 13 GB storage space
• Unlimited premium themes
• Advanced design customization
• Social media sharing options like scheduling posts in advance
• Ability to include a PayPal button to sell products
• Website monetization
• Can load videos with VideoPress

Map Business (WordPress.com hosting)

The Business package costs $25 per month and offers the same features as the Premium package plus:

• Unlimited storage space
• SEO tools
• Google Analytics integration
• Personalized help
• Ability to install plugins
• Can upload custom or external themes
• Removes the wordpress.com brand extension from your domain name.

eCommerce plan (WordPress.com hosting)

The e-commerce site builder plan costs $45 per month and includes the same items as the Business plus plan:

• Integrates with shipping carriers like UPS
• Unlimited products and services
• Ecommerce marketing tools like social media integration
• Customizable online store themes

WordPress VIP Plan (WordPress.com Hosting)

The last option for WordPress.com plans is called “WordPress VIP”.

WordPress VIP is usually not listed on the main WordPress.com site. It has a separate site and works very differently from other paid plans.

WordPress VIP is a managed hosting plan that caters specifically to high profile, high traffic websites. The VIP site does not give a price list, but prices usually range between $5 and $000 per month. Yes, this is not a realistic plan for bloggers, this plan is more for large businesses.

This option includes unlimited resource usage and dedicated support. It also offers managed services, including hourly automated backups, a plugin review process, and constant performance monitoring.

All WordPress VIP websites are designed to be incredibly fast and have very high level security. Some examples of business ventures using WordPress VIP are Facebook, Spotify, and TechCrunch.

Obviously, this isn't the right choice for new bloggers, but it's an option for those who already get millions of visitors to their site each month.

Is it cheaper to go with WordPress.org or WordPress.com?

A self-hosted blog (WordPress.org) powered by a hosting company like Bluehost will almost always be cheaper than a WordPress.com plan that offers the same features.

The main difference in pricing structure is that with WordPress.com everything is bundled into one monthly plan. You choose the plan that suits your needs, you get all these features and you pay a higher price for the simplicity of the thing.

With a self-hosted blog (WordPress.org) powered by a hosting company, you don't have to spend more than the cost of hosting + domain name. Your costs may stop there, making it a much more economical option.

However, the costs can start piling up if you opt for themes, plugins, security features, a professional web developer, or other extras. In the end, if you're not careful (and willing to learn a little), you could end up spending more with a WordPress.org blog than with one of the cheaper WordPress.com plans.

What is a WordPress theme?

A WordPress theme is a series of page templates and style sheets that are used to dictate the look and feel of a WordPress powered blog.

Themes allow you to control the visual aspect of your WordPress blog, and the best ones will allow you to do this very easily (without touching the code).

Alright, now let’s explore WordPress themes related to the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com.

One of the main reasons people are drawn to a self-hosted WordPress.org blog is that it provides access to tens of thousands of theme options.

WordPress.org offers thousands of free themes that are often designed to match the type ofblog topic idea you plan to focus on.

You can also purchase premium themes from third-party companies who have already created more visually appealing themes.

WordPress.org even gives you the option to upload your own themes (created by a web developer), giving you nearly unlimited potential for the visual appearance of your blog.

WordPress.com, on the other hand, offers a few themes, but not as many as you can get on WordPress.org.

There are currently 140 free themes and 184 premium themes, which is a pretty big choice for a new blogger.

And you can upload your own custom theme to WordPress.com – if you pay for a Business plan (or higher).

What is a WordPress Plugin?

A WordPress plugin is software you can download that contains functions you can add to your WordPress blog. They usually add more features or enable completely new features on your WordPress website.

If you're not familiar with WordPress already, you might not know what a plugin is or why they're so incredibly awesome.

Simply put, a WordPress plugin is a piece of code that can be uploaded to your WordPress website, allowing your blog to do new things and enable more functionality.

Here is a short list of some of the best WordPress plugins available on the market today:

• jetpack: Jetpack was created by WordPress and it helps with things like security, website performance, and traffic growth.
• Yoast SEO: Yoast SEO helps you create content higher on search engines.
• WooCommerce: WooCommerce is a powerful option for people interested in using their site to sell something.
• Elementor: Elementor allows your WordPress page to work as a drag and drop website builder. This is useful for people who want the ease of a website builder like Wix, but the customization features of WordPress.
• Instagram Feed : Instagram Feed allows you to display your Instagram feed on your website.
• WPForms:  WP Forms is a useful plugin for those who want to include any type of form on their blog.
• WP Fastest Cache : WP Fastest Cache is a plugin that keeps your website running fast even when you have a lot of traffic.
• Table Press : Table Press lets you create and manage tables for your site.

These are just a few examples, and there are plenty of other extremely useful plugins you can use to turn your blog into a well-tuned machine.

WordPress.org currently hosts over 55 plugins which give you the possibility to customize your blog or website as you wish.

WordPress.com offers access to a few plugins even with its most basic plan, but you'll need to use the Business plan or higher to install additional plugins.

Ease of use between WordPress.org and WordPress.com

You might be wondering if these platforms are easy to use.

Let's say WordPress.org and WordPress.com look good… but how easy is it to get started? Which is easier to use?

There are many people who want to have a professional looking blog, business or website, but don't have experience in website development.

Luckily, you don't have to be a master web builder to start using either version of WordPress.

Here are some of the main differences between WordPress.org and WordPress.com when it comes to their ease of use.

WordPress installation process

To get started with WordPress.org, you will first need to set up a hosting plan and choose a domain name. You can do it quickly and affordably with Bluehost or one of the best monthly hosting plans I have reviewed and recommended.

Once you've completed this step, you'll need to connect WordPress to your hosting service. If you choose to use Bluehost, there's a 1-click option that makes it easy to launch your blog, but keep in mind that even the cheapest hosting plans and shared hosting companies also offer 1-click WordPress installation.

It's much easier (and faster) to get started with WordPress.com. To get started with WordPress.com, all you have to do is create an account and choose your plan. That's all. Once you've done that, you can start creating the visual look of your website.

Website maintenance

WordPress.com may appeal to those who want a simple website with very little to no updates or maintenance.

When you manage a self-hosted WordPress.org site, you are responsible for updating themes and plugins, setting up regular backups, monitoring security, the implementation of SEO strategies for the blog, improving your site speed and controlling spam.

If you use WordPress.com, all of these things are more or less taken care of for you. You don't have to worry about maintenance.

However, this also means that you don't have the ability to control these aspects of your blog (which you'll want to do if you intend make money blogging long-term).

Flexibility

If you want a simple, turnkey website that requires very little work, WordPress.com is the best choice for you.

A self-hosted WordPress.org blog, however, gives you the ability to do literally anything you want with your website. There are very few limits to what you can do, as long as you are willing to purchase the right themes and plugins to expand your functionality and capabilities. This kind of flexibility is especially important to me, as it helps design the best possible user experience for readers.

WordPress.com, on the other hand, is more closed. You have access to fewer features and less overall control over your blog.

But, if all you need is a simple, mostly static website, WordPress.com is a good option for you.

Personalization

When it comes to customization, a self-hosted WordPress.org blog is by far the best bet.

A self-hosted WordPress.org blog gives you the freedom to use as many themes and plugins as you want. You also have the option to monetize your website without restrictions and without having to pay a higher premium to your monthly hosting provider.

The more expensive WordPress.com plans offer more customization, but the cost is much higher than a self-hosted WordPress.org site on Bluehost.

A self-hosted WordPress.org installation gives you full control to do whatever you want with your website, with very few restrictions. You can hire a website developer to create custom features, use third-party plugins and themes, monetize your website, create your own themes, and do whatever you want.

Monetization

One of the main reasons many people start blogging is to promote their blog and earn money thanks to him. It can be an excellent secondary activity or even become your main source of income.

Your blog monetization options are very different if you compare a self-hosted WordPress.org site and WordPress.com.

Your blog monetization options are very different if you compare a self-hosted WordPress.org site and WordPress.com.

Self-hosted WordPress.org blog monetization

With WordPress.org, you have full control over your blog's monetization capabilities. You are in control.

You choose the ads, affiliate programs, sponsors, and even the products you sell – and you keep 100% of your profits. You don't have to share in the profits or manage unwanted ads from WordPress.com.

You can monetize your blog with no limits – and even cross the $50/month revenue mark through a combination of affiliate programs, sales of blogging courses and blogging books, sponsorships, starting a podcast etc.

WordPress.com blog monetization

With WordPress.com, there are a lot more restrictions on monetizing your website.

If you choose the free version of WordPress.com, you will have WordPress ads on all your pages. You will not make money from these advertisements, and you have no control over them or their appearance on your site.

Currently, there are two ways to advertise on your site with a paid WordPress.com plan. You can use something called WordAds or you can use WordPress.com VIP.

WordAds is a program created by WordPress.com. With WordAds, you earn money from impressions. But you are only eligible for WordAds if your website meets the minimum traffic requirements (thousands of page views per month).

When you use WordAds, you share a portion of the profits with WordPress.com.

Also, you have no control over which ads are chosen for your pages. The WordAds program chooses the ads and how they appear on your page.

WordPress.com allows you to use affiliate links if, “the primary purpose of your blog is to create original content, and as long as the ad code is supported. »

In other words, they don't allow you to use affiliate links if you created a blog primarily for the purpose of driving traffic to affiliate partners. They want websites and blogs that offer intrinsic value.

You can also make money with your WordPress.com blog by selling physical or digital products and soliciting sponsored posts from advertisers who want to reach your readers.

Of course, to be able to sell products on WordPress.com, you must have a Business plan or higher, so WordPress.com is no longer the best option.

If I had the choice between the two, I would choose a self-hosted WordPress.org blog because of the complete control over your blog's monetization.

Other recommended resources:

• 15 Best Blog Examples to Inspire You to Start a Money-Making Blog
• 10 popular types of blogs that make money
• How to write a compelling blog description?
• 18 Strategies to Promote Your Blog Posts: Increase Your Traffic
• 20 Best Free Blogging Resources
• 5 Best Laptops for Writers and Bloggers
• Buying Backlinks: Everything You Need to Know About Paid Links
• What is Personal Branding: Examples of Personal Brand
• How to quickly boost your website's search traffic
• 11 Powerful Secrets to Boost Your Website Traffic in Less Than 60 Days
• How to use Google Trends to make money

Is WordPress.org or WordPress.com better?

Now that you have a better idea of ​​the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com, the real question is… which one is better?

If you plan to build a mostly static website for something like a local business or a portfolio that won't change very often, you can use WordPress.com and its free hosting plan option. It's also a good choice for a very simple blog if you want to jump in and start testing things out, but don't want to pay anything while you're still learning.

For almost any new blogger or website owner, I recommend a self-hosted WordPress.org blog over WordPress.com.

With a self-hosted WordPress.org blog, there's a lot more versatility, customization options, and freedom in future monetization.

You can also start your blog by just paying for hosting (with a WordPress host like Bluehost) and annual domain name renewal fees, which is usually the most affordable option – think $100-$200 per year max.

If you already have a WordPress.com website, or want to try it out because it's free, you can always switch your website to WordPress.org later.

You don't have to choose one or the other forever if you want to change.

Once you've decided which option is right for you, the next step is to create awesome content.

WordPress is a vehicle that gets you to your destination, but it's what you choose to do with it that builds a real blogging business.

Now the real pleasure of work can finally begin.