Not to fear! Because in this blog, I will be discussing simply what WordPress is and how it works. So without wasting any time, let’s get into it!
What is WordPress?
WordPress is a web publishing software used to build your website or blog and publish it on the internet.
WordPress is also known as a Content Management System (CMS) because it allows you to manage your content without learning how to code your website! You can easily add text, images and embed videos onto the page editor that acts like Microsoft Word.
And the best part about WordPress is that it is open-source – meaning it is FREE to use! Since then, when WordPress was created in 2003; It has become the most popular website publishing program IN THE WORLD.
And a fun fact is that WordPress powers 40% of websites on the internet TODAY! According to W3Techs Statistics on WordPress. NOW THAT IS A LOT OF WEBSITES
How Does WordPress Work?
Back when the internet was new to people, the only way to build a website was through code written in HTML or PHP. And what happens to that code is the web browser will translate it into colors, text, spaces, etc. hence, forming your website.
And because WordPress works the same way, the only thing different about building your website on WordPress is that there is no coding involved! When making changes to your website from the WordPress page editor, the changes will automatically update the code then update the look of your website.
As you can see, it did the opposite, not even a piece of code touched!
So now that you got to know about WordPress, you may have done a search on WordPress and noticed WordPress.com and WordPress.org.
And now you ask yourself:
What is WordPress.com?
Is WordPress.com legit?
What are the differences between the two?
Should I build my website through WordPress.com?
Can I create my WordPress website through other hosting companies?
Which one should I use?
Well, it is super important that you take a deeper look at this, and that is what we are going to do next!
The Differences Between WordPress.com & WordPress.org
WordPress.com is where you can make a FREE website with their web hosting and page builder. However, if you are going to create a website using WordPress.com shared web hosting and page builder, there is a catch.
But before we look at those catches, let us learn a little bit more about WordPress.com!
WordPress.com is run by the same team that manages WordPress.org and is also an open-source page builder that is FREE to use and can be installed on any web hosting company you are on.
Furthermore, WordPress.com is owned by Automattic.
So if you plan on building your website through WordPress.com, here is what you need to know before signing up:
#1 Your website could get deleted if WordPress feels that you have violated their terms of service (ToS) for any reason.
#2 You cannot use any ads to monetize your website.
#3 You cannot install plugins to optimize the functionality of your website.
#4 You cannot upload customizable themes to your website. (You are given limited options)
#5 You do not own your domain name.
The domains on WordPress.com will show up like this:
www.yourdomain.wordpress.com -> www.dividemo.wordpress.com
instead of
www.yourdomain.com -> www.dividemo.com
Hmm.. :/
You are here because you want to OWN your UNIQUE DOMAIN NAME and have NO LIMITATIONS. However, this option is still good for beginners focused on having a simple blog and domain name for $4 a month from the WordPress.com plan.
Do take note that this experience is owned by WordPress.com – meaning you will not find this anywhere else. WordPress.com is a modified version of WordPress.org that is not part of WordPress itself.
Therefore this could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your needs. But if you do not want to use WordPress.com, the simple solution is to use another web hosting company and install WordPress.org on that shared web host you purchased.
As for WordPress.org, when you visit their site:
If you haven’t signed up for a hosting company and installed WordPress.org yet, here are the benefits!
#1 You get a UNIQUE DOMAIN NAME that YOU OWN!
#2 You can monetize your website with ads!
#3 You can get access to thousands of plugins and themes!
#4 You have the option to create your online store!
#5 You have complete control over the customization of your site!
So these are really good! But… How much would it cost you between the two? Let’s start comparing the prices!
WordPress.com VS WordPress.org (Price Comparison)
So let us begin comparing the prices and how much it would cost you to run WordPress.com or WordPress.org.
Let’s start with WordPress.org.
(Please note that the prices vary, so this is a rough estimate.)
WordPress.org (Cost)
Web Hosting – $5 or $40 per month
Domain Name – $10 or $20 per year
Premium Themes – $40 to $150
Paid Plugins – $40 to $150
When it comes to web hosting, I recommend you go for Hostinger, which will cost you $2.59 on shared web hosting, or you could go for Bluehost’s shared web hosting, which will cost you $2.95.
Keep in mind that there are other WordPress hosting companies you might like:
As for a domain name, you have the choice to register a new domain name or purchase one that is already registered.
A brand new domain name will cost you $10-20/year. However, the price of a pre-registered domain is more costly and varies depending on popularity!
For paid themes on WordPress, according to CodeinWP, the average price for a premium theme on WordPress is between $57.54–$59.
Lastly, you can get a majority of the paid plugins for FREE. However, if you need to unlock more of their features, you can buy the paid plugins! Plugins like Yoast SEO, Rank Math SEO, Analytify, Really Simple SSL, UpdraftPLUS, and WordFence are good plugins to begin with on WordPress.
That said, you can look at web hosting companies, domain names, themes, and plugins that best suits you. After finding what you need, you can sum up their prices to see how much you’re going to spend in total!
Next, let’s take a look at the cost of WordPress.com.
WordPress.com (Cost)
Free Plan – $0
Personal – $4 (let’s you choose a domain name)
Premium – $8 (access paid premium themes)
Business – $25 (live support, plugins, and themes)
eCommerce – $45 (run an online store)
For WordPress.org, it will take some time to invest in setting it up because you will need to get a hosting company, install WordPress on the hosting company, etc.
In the long run, WordPress.org can turn out much cheaper. However, if you’re missing any support and require a developer to develop your site, it can become a money sinkhole.
Going back to WordPress.com, if you’re focusing on building a small site, the Personal or Premium Plan will be enough!
Conclusion
So, now that you know what WordPress is, how much it costs, and the differences between .com and .org. Would you use it for your website? If yes, between WordPress.com and WordPress.org, which one would you choose? I really hope this blog helped, and if it did – please share this with your family and friends if they need help getting to know WordPress!
