When it comes to creating a website or blog, there are a few different options. One of the most popular options is WordPress. There are two versions to choose from; WordPress.com and WordPress.org.
WordPress is the most used CMS (Content Management System) globally, with more than 60% market share of all websites worldwide using the platform. WordPress.org and WordPress.com are two different platforms, but they’re both based on the same software.
WordPress.com is a hosted platform, while WordPress.org is a self-hosted platform. With WordPress.com, you can create a website or blog for free, while with WordPress.org, you need to purchase your own hosting and domain name.
In this blog post, I will walk you through the differences between these two platforms so you can make an informed decision about your WordPress journey.
WordPress.org
WordPress.org is the free, open-source software that underlies the WordPress.com platform. It allows developers to download the software on their servers and create a website.
WordPress.org is a self-hosted platform, which means that you need to purchase your own hosting and domain name. This gives you more control over your website, but it can be more challenging to set up and use. WordPress.org also allows you to install plugins and make changes to the code, which gives you more flexibility to create the type of website you need.
Choosing the right web hosting service can make your life easier as most hosts have a click of the button install. This is ideal for beginners. Once your installation is complete, you can choose a template from the free choices available or get a web designer to create something for you.
WordPress.com
WordPress.com is, on the other hand, a free service that allows you to have a free WordPress website hosted for you by WordPress.com.
There is no need to purchase your own hosting and domain name. The advantage of WordPress.com is that you don’t have to do any of the heavy lifting yourself. You don’t have to choose a web host, install WordPress on it, and you don’t have to worry about security.
WordPress.com offers a great collection of free themes; you can start using it right away to create a website or blog.
This is an excellent way to get your feet wet with WordPress and feel how it works. I recommend this as a good starting place for beginners wanting to start a WordPress blog.
You get to keep your blog forever, so you don’t need to pay anyone or set up any long-term contracts. If you want to use a custom domain name, you must pay for a premium account.
I wouldn’t’ recommend it for someone wanting to set up an eCommerce site as there are some limitations on what you can do with WordPress.com. WordPress.com is not as customisable as WordPress.org, and a premium account may be more costly than other self-hosting web hosts.
You can upgrade to a self-hosted WordPress blog if you want more flexibility. The beauty of WordPress is that you can take your blog with you even if you switch to another web host.
What should you choose?
The answer to this question depends on your needs and preferences. If you are starting and want an easy way to create a website or blog, WordPress.com might be the best option. However, if you need more control over your website or want to be able to install plugins and make changes to the code, then WordPress.org is a better choice.
In another article, I’ll cover how to set up your WordPress blog.
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