What Is the Difference Between WordPress.org vs WordPress.com?

Not sure whether to choose WordPress.org or WordPress.com? You’re not alone — this is one of the most common beginner blogging questions I answer when helping new bloggers.

If you’re just starting out, the whole process of launching a blog can feel like a lot. Choosing the right platform is one of the first — and most important — decisions you’ll make.

You’ve probably heard of WordPress before. It powers over 40% of all websites online, and it’s hands-down the most popular platform for bloggers and business owners alike.

But here’s the twist: there are actually two versions of WordPress — WordPress.org and WordPress.com. They sound similar, but they’re very different.

In this post, I’ll break down the key differences between the two, especially if your goal is to start a blog and make money online.

I’ve been using WordPress since 2016 — not just for blogging, but to help my clients grow their websites into 6- and 7-figure businesses, including blogs, eCommerce shops, and news sites. I know exactly what beginners need to get started with confidence and the right setup.

Let’s dive in!

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WordPress.com vs WordPress.org Comparison: Key Differences for Beginners

If you’re wondering which WordPress platform is right for you, this side-by-side comparison will help you make the decision quickly.

Below, I’ve broken down the most important differences between WordPress.org and WordPress.com — including cost, control, customization, and how easy it is to make money blogging with each option.

Feature	WordPress.org (Self-Hosted)	WordPress.com (Free)
Hosting	You need to buy hosting separately (e.g. Bluehost)	Hosting included (managed by WordPress.com)
Domain Name	Custom domain (yourblog.com)	Free subdomain (yourblog.wordpress.com)
Customization	Full access to themes, plugins, code	Limited unless you pay for higher plans
Monetization	100% control (ads, affiliates, digital products)	Limited — must be on a paid plan to run ads
Maintenance	You’re responsible for backups, updates, etc.	Maintenance is handled for you
Cost	Low monthly hosting fees (starting $1.99/month with Bluehost)	Free to start, but limited without upgrades
Best For	Bloggers who want full control and room to grow	Casual bloggers or hobby sites
My Recommendation	Go with WordPress.org if you’re serious about blogging. It gives you full control, monetization freedom, and flexibility to grow your blog into a real business. It’s the platform I use since 2016 and what I recommend to all of my readers and clients.	WordPress.com is okay for hobby blogs or personal journals, but it’s too limited for bloggers who want to grow, customize, and monetize their sites. You’ll likely outgrow it fast and end up switching anyway.

Now let’s look at both WordPress blogging platforms in more detail:

WordPress.org (Self-Hosted)

If you start a self-hosted blog, you will use WordPress.org to create and manage your content.

Self-hosted simply means that you will pay for your blog hosting with a provider like Bluehost.

You will also own your blog’s domain name (like I own bloggingexplorer.com).

WordPress.org is free to use when you sign up for blog hosting and register a domain name. With Bluehost, you will get a free domain name for the first 12 months, helping you save a few bucks when starting your blog.

If you are new to all this and you don’t feel too savvy, don’t worry. Most blog hosting providers install WordPress.org for you automatically.

Bluehost does everything for you during the signup process and you can start writing your first blog post within minutes.

Here’s Why You Should Use WordPress.org:

• Themes and design:
  Choose from thousands of beautiful WordPress themes to customize your blog.
• Newsletter and e-mail marketing:
  Gather email addresses and use your mailing list to monetize your blog.
• Plugins:
  Add new functions and features to your blog with thousands of WordPress plugins.
• Control:
  You own your blog and content with WordPress.org. More on this in a minute.
• Credibility as a blogger:
  Your readers take you seriously when you have your own domain name.
• Monetize your blog with ads:
  Generate passive income with your blog using display ads.

In short: you have full control and ownership of a self-hosted blog.

How to Start a Self-Hosted WordPress.org Blog

The only disadvantage of WordPress.org is that you have to pay for your blog hosting. It is often the biggest expense when you start a blog from scratch.

To help you save money, I have negotiated a deal with Bluehost. You get a discount on their hosting plans starting at just $1.99/month.

I know it’s a lot of money to pay upfront — starting your own blog is a commitment that simply requires a few bucks. This upfront investment for 12 months is peanuts compared to most other ways of starting your own business.

If you’d rather pay monthly, check out Hostinger’s blog hosting plans here.

But remember: monthly web hosting plans are more expensive, around $10–$12/month. Thus, you will pay much more in the long run than with a longer subscription period.

Moreover, keep in mind that a longer plan locks in the low price for your entire contract period.

In short: if you want to start a blog and make money by turning it into a business, self-hosting is the only way to go.

Whenever you’re ready, follow my guide on how to start a blog (to make money online). I’ll guide you through the entire process step-by-step, so you’ll get a professional set-up from the get-go.

WordPress.com (Free Version)

WordPress.com is the free version you can use to start blogging.

However, this does not mean that you should pick it over the self-hosted alternative.

Sure, you don’t have to pay a cent to use this version, but it comes with a few crucial limitations.

WordPress.com is hosted directly on WordPress’ own servers. This means that you don’t have to sign up for blog hosting and pay for a hosting plan.

In general, WordPress.com is a better option for hobby bloggers who aren’t serious about monetizing their blog.

If you love to write and you simply want a creative outlet to share your creativity, this option may be good enough for you.

But if you want to monetize your blog and turn it into a successful online business, use WordPress.org instead.

Here’s Why You Should NOT Use WordPress.com:

• No monetization with ads:
  Display ads are the fastest way to make money blogging. WordPress.com puts ads all over your blog, but you don’t earn any money from them.
• Customization and design:
  You can’t use a customizable WordPress theme to design your blog freely.
• No plugins:
  You can’t use plugins to add new features to your blog, such as a contact form, social media sharing buttons, email subscription forms, etc.
• You don’t own your blog:
  Sounds absurd, but your blog can be deleted anytime if WordPress thinks you have violated their terms.
• You don’t own your domain name:
  Your blog will have .wordpress.com at the end of your blog URL. If I used the free version, my blog URL would be bloggingexplorer.wordpress.com. If you don’t own your blog domain name, you can’t control what happens to your blog website and your content.

For me, not owning the domain name is the biggest deal-breaker. Just think about it this way:

When you start a blog, your blog’s name automatically becomes your brand. While you’re blogging on WordPress.com, creating amazing content and building an audience, anyone can buy the .com domain name for your brand — anyone! As long as you haven’t bought that domain name for yourself to use, it’s available for anyone to purchase.

All in all, WordPress.com may sound good because it is “free”. But trust me, this does not mean you won’t pay the price some other way.

Can I Start With the Free Version and Move to WordPress.org Later?

A question I hear a lot is if it’s OK to start off with a free blog on WordPress.com and move to the paid self-hosted version later.

The truth is:

If that is what you want, it is up to you.

Just be mindful of these two issues:

1. Transferring a free WordPress blog to a self-hosted environment:
   Converting a free WordPress blog to a self-hosted one isn’t always easy. Would you feel comfortable with the technical side of it? Think long-term here: I recommend setting up your blog once — for good.
2. Securing a domain name for your blog branding:
   If you choose the free WordPress.com platform, at least buy the domain name you plan to use for your blog in the future. Otherwise someone else could buy it and start their own self-hosted website with your brand name.

I have seen several bloggers start with the free version. Most of them felt frustrated in a matter of weeks, seeing that WordPress.com was too restrictive for them.

So, they ended up starting another blog with the self-hosted version. (As if starting one blog wasn’t enough already.)

They ended up losing money because they couldn’t monetize their traffic on the free WordPress platform. And as if that wasn’t frustrating enough, most of them had to hire me to migrate their content from the free platform to their new, self-hosted WordPress blogs. It’s something I love doing because I’m a helper, but I can’t work for free, unfortunately.

So, I know that the only way to start a blog and make money online is to take the chance and invest in yourself and in your new business.

Go with the self-hosted WordPress version, and you’ll save heaps of time and money in the long run, trust me.

At the end of the day, starting a blog is just like starting any other business. It requires time, dedication, determination, and some initial investment to get things going.

Ready to start yours? Sign up for my free 7-day blogging course and I’ll guide you through everything you need to do:

WordPress.org vs WordPress.com: Quick recap

Right now, the most important question you must answer is:

What do you want to achieve with blogging?

Ask yourself:

• Do I plan to eventually make money with my blog?
• Do I want to have full control over the content I create?
• Do I want to own my blog domain and build my own brand around it?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, WordPress.org is the way to go.

The self-hosted WordPress.org version gives you 100% control over everything you create.

You will put your heart and soul into writing and producing valuable content for your readers. Trust me, you don’t want to risk losing anything you worked so hard for.

Thus, the price you would pay for a free blogging platform is the total loss of control over your content.

That said, the best thing you can do right now is to invest in a good blog hosting plan.

How to Start a WordPress Blog the RIGHT Way (to Make Money)

Choosing between WordPress.com and WordPress.org is a big first step in your blogging journey — but now you know the difference.

If your goal is to grow your blog, make money online, and have full control over your site, WordPress.org is hands-down the way to go. That’s why I use it myself, and why I help all my website clients get started with it.

Honestly, it is the only way you can take full advantage of everything WordPress has to offer.

And starting a blog with Bluehost is super easy – which is why I host my blogs with them, too.

I have always used the self-hosted WordPress version for my blogs and I am glad I have! With all the time and effort I put into blogging, I would be absolutely devastated is my blogs were shut down for some reason by WordPress.com.

Or even worse: I’d have to start from scratch if someone purchased the domain name that’s the brand I’m building with my blog!

Got questions about which platform is right for you? Drop a comment below — I reply to every single one!

Now, head over to my step-by-step tutorial on how to start a blog with WordPress.org and let’s get your blog up and running!