Did you know that WordPress.com and WordPress.org are actually two very different platforms?
Often beginners confuse WordPress.com and WordPress.org, which leads them to choose the wrong blogging platform for their needs. Even those who know that they are two different platforms are not aware of the differences between them.
This article has a great comprehensive comparison of WordPress.com and WordPress.org. CLICK HERE to read the comparison.
Our experience is that WordPress.com is very limited in options unless you invest in the very expensive business package.
Our recommendation is to self-host an installation of WordPress.org on a hosting account (our hosting recommendation).
The main thing to know when talking WordPress.org vs WordPress.com is this:
- WordPress.org is a product.
- WordPress.com is a service.
While they're both all about providing you with a website, each one does so in a fundamentally different way.
Think of it like this (and please excuse the simplification):
Choosing WordPress.org is like buying a car; choosing WordPress.com is like signing up for long-term car rental. Not a taxi. Not an Uber. Long-term.
When you buy a car, you get all of the responsibilities that come with being a car owner and having the vehicle in your possession.
For instance, you have to take care of the maintenance, make sure it works properly, change the oil, make sure it's safe to drive, and so on.
When you're renting a car, you still get to drive it every day, but you get all of the maintenance handled by the company. It sounds like a great deal at first, but this also means you can't modify it in any way that doesn't have the company's approval. Essentially, you just get to drive it. Period.
It's more or less exactly like that with WordPress.org vs WordPress.com.
So, in short:
- If you want to be in full control of your website...
- If you want to use a custom design (or hire a designer)...
- If you need the site for any business purpose whatsoever (important!)...
- If you want to be able to customize your website freely...
- If things like 'hosting' and 'domain names' don't sound scary...
...go to WordPress.org.
- If you just want to get a website quickly, and you don't care much about any other aspects of the deal...
- If you're a beginner, but you still want to be able to have a website built without anyone's help...
- If you need a website for a personal project...
- If you don't mind not having full control of your site...
...go to WordPress.com.