WordPress.com vs WordPress.org confuses almost everyone. Both use the same WordPress software. WordPress.org is where you download the free software to run on your own hosting. WordPress.com is a company’s paid hosting service that runs WordPress for you, a bit like Squarespace but built on WordPress.
The short answer
- WordPress.org (self-hosted): free software, you choose and pay for hosting, full control, you handle updates.
- WordPress.com: hosted for you, plans from £8 a month (list price, paid yearly, before tax), less to look after, some limits depending on the plan.
- Most small business sites are built on self-hosted WordPress. WordPress.com suits people who want WordPress without managing hosting.
Side by side
| WordPress.org (self-hosted) | WordPress.com | |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Free to download | Included in the plan |
| Hosting | You choose a host and pay them | Included |
| Cost | Hosting + domain | Free plan with ads; paid plans from £8 a month list price |
| Plugins and themes | Any | Depends on the plan; check before you buy |
| Updates and backups | Your job (or your host / a care plan) | Done for you |
| Moving away | Easy | Possible: WordPress.com has export tools |
WordPress.com prices
| Plan | List price (paid yearly, before tax) |
|---|---|
| Free | £0, shows WordPress.com ads |
| Personal | £8 a month |
| Premium | £17 a month |
| Business | £32 a month |
| Commerce | £55 a month |
When we checked, WordPress.com was showing a first-year offer with lower prices (from £3 a month). Paid plans include a free domain for the first year, and the pricing page lists plugin installs on paid plans. Plans and limits change, so read the plan details before you pay.
Which one should a small business choose?
Choose self-hosted WordPress (WordPress.org) if
- you want full control over plugins, themes and the server,
- you want the lowest running cost over several years,
- you have someone to look after updates, or you are happy to do them.
Choose WordPress.com if
- you want WordPress but no hosting decisions at all,
- you are happy with a monthly plan in return for less upkeep,
- your site is a blog or a simple business site.
What about “managed WordPress hosting”?
It sits in between: a host that only runs WordPress and does updates, backups and security for you, on your own self-hosted site. It costs more than basic shared hosting but less work. See shared hosting vs VPS vs WordPress hosting and how to choose web hosting.
Want the bigger picture? Read WordPress pros and cons or compare WordPress with WordPress vs Squarespace and WordPress vs Wix. Our domain and WordPress setup service sets up self-hosted WordPress on your domain for you.
Prices were read on each provider’s UK pricing page on 13 November 2026. They change often, may not include VAT and can include first-year offers, so check the provider’s page before you buy. We build and look after WordPress sites, so we have tried hard to be fair to the other platforms.
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