With over 60% market share, WordPress is the world‘s most popular website platform. This widespread usage means many bloggers and business owners are evaluating whether to use WordPress.com or self-hosted WordPress.org.
As an experienced WordPress expert with over 15 years of web development experience, I want to provide an in-depth look at WordPress.com – its limitations, paid plans, and how it compares to having full control with a self-hosted WordPress site.
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WordPress.com Overview
First, what exactly is WordPress.com?
WordPress.com is a blog hosting service owned by Automattic, the company behind WordPress. It provides free and paid plans to quickly setup a blog or basic website using the open source WordPress software.
However, WordPress.com is a completely separate service from WordPress.org – where the WordPress software itself is developed as an open source project.
This distinction is important to understand when weighing WordPress.com versus other WordPress hosting options.
Limitations of Free WordPress.com Sites
While WordPress.com makes it easy to get a site online quickly, there are some significant limitations to be aware of:
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No Custom Plugins – Plugins are one of the most powerful parts of WordPress, allowing you to add all kinds of features and functionality. But free WordPress.com sites cannot install any custom plugins.
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Limited Design Customization – You are limited to using one of WordPress.com‘s free themes. No ability to upload custom themes or make design modifications.
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Advertisements – Free WordPress.com sites will display ads. You have no control over this or ability to use other monetization like Google AdSense.
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Limited Customization – No access to site files for HTML/CSS tweaks. Cannot use custom code or scripts.
These restrictions severely limit what you can accomplish with a free WordPress.com site. No plugins means missing out on essential features like contact forms, ecommerce, galleries, booking systems, etc.
The inability to customize design and functionality to match your brand is also problematic. Displaying random ads rather than controlling monetization hurts perception and income potential.
WordPress.com Paid Upgrades
WordPress.com does offer paid plans that remove some restrictions:
- $5/month for Premium plan – removes ads, more storage
- $8/month for Business plan – ability to use custom themes
- $25/month for eCommerce plan – basic store functionality, more customization
However, the paid WordPress.com plans still limit what you can accomplish versus self-hosted WordPress.
Even with the Business plan, you are only allowed to install plugins from an approved list – still far fewer than on WordPress.org. And the most powerful plugins remain off-limits.
| Feature | Free | Premium | Business | eCommerce |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custom Plugins | No | No | Some | Some |
| Custom Themes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Remove Ads | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Accept Payments | No | No | No | Yes |
Self-Hosted WordPress Advantages
For advanced users, self-hosted WordPress is worth considering over WordPress.com.
Rather than using Automattic‘s servers, you download and install WordPress through a web hosting company. Popular options include Bluehost, SiteGround, WPX Hosting, and Kinsta.
The benefits of self-hosted WordPress include:
- Full Control – Install any plugin or theme you want for maximum customization
- Lower Cost – Hosting + domain starts around $3-10/month total
- Make Money – Display ads via AdSense or use other monetization plugins
- Own Content – You control and own all your site files and data
Self-hosted WordPress takes more technical skill, but offers far greater flexibility and control, typically at a lower cost.
Over the years, I‘ve helped dozens of clients migrate their sites from WordPress.com to self-hosted WordPress hosting. They are always shocked at how much more they can accomplish.
For example, one client was able to launch a full online course after moving to Bluehost WordPress hosting from WordPress.com. Others have been able to integrate advanced functionality like user logins, forums, calendars, etc.
Expert Tips for Choosing WordPress Hosting
If you decide to self-host WordPress, here are some expert tips for choosing a quality provider:
- Look for optimized WordPress server configurations – Apache or NGINX, PHP 7.4 or newer, MySQL, SSD storage
- Ensure the provider has automatic WordPress core and plugin updates
- Check out their security features – firewalls, backups, malware scanning
- Pick a plan with sufficient resources – memory, processing power, bandwidth
- Evaluate their server uptime history and page load speeds
- Customer support options – live chat, ticketing system, knowledgebase
Top hosts like WPX Hosting and Kinsta specialize in managed WordPress hosting with enterprise-grade infrastructure. But Bluehost and SiteGround are also excellent low-cost options.
Conclusion
I hope this detailed look clarifies what WordPress.com is, where it differs from self-hosted WordPress, and why the limitations are problematic for serious websites.
While WordPress.com is a quick and easy way to get started, the lack of customization and control severely restrict what you can achieve. And paid upgrades still don‘t match the power of WordPress.org.
For advanced sites, the flexibility and capabilities of self-hosted WordPress are worth the small additional effort. Just make sure to choose a quality hosting provider to get the most out of WordPress.
Let me know if you have any other questions about using WordPress.com versus going the self-hosted route! I‘m always happy to offer my expert advice.
