#self-hosted wordpress

If you’re thinking about launching a website or starting a blog, chances are you’ve come across WordPress. But there’s a common point of confusion: WordPress.com vs WordPress.org. At first glance, they sound like the same thing — but they’re actually quite different platforms with distinct features, pros, and cons.

In this blog post, we’ll break down the differences between the two, help you understand which one suits your needs, and guide you toward the best choice for your website goals.

What is WordPress.org?

WordPress.org is the self-hosted version of WordPress. It’s the open-source software that anyone can download for free and install on their own web hosting server. With WordPress.org, you have full control over your website.

Key Features:

Complete Customization: Install any theme or plugin, modify the code, and design your site exactly the way you want.

Ownership: You fully own your website and all its content.

Monetization Freedom: Use any ad network, sell products, offer memberships, or add affiliate links with no restrictions.

Advanced Functionality: Great for eCommerce (using plugins like WooCommerce), custom development, SEO tools, and more.

Pros:

Total control and flexibility

Thousands of free and premium plugins/themes

Full access to your site's backend and data

Ideal for business, large blogs, and complex websites

Cons:

Requires web hosting (usually $5–$15/month)

You handle security, backups, and updates (though plugins can automate much of this)

Slightly steeper learning curve for beginners

What is WordPress.com?

WordPress.com is a hosted platform created by Automattic (the company behind WordPress). It offers a simplified, all-in-one solution for building a website without worrying about hosting, maintenance, or technical tasks.

Key Features:

No Hosting Needed: Hosting is included. No need to buy a separate plan or domain (though custom domains are available on paid plans).

Easy to Start: Perfect for beginners who want a fast and simple setup.

Maintenance-Free: WordPress.com handles updates, security, and backups.

Pros:

Free basic plan available

No setup or maintenance required

User-friendly dashboard

Great for hobby blogs, personal websites, or simple portfolios

Cons:

Limited customization (especially on the free plan)

Cannot upload custom themes or plugins unless on Business or higher plan

Limited monetization options on lower-tier plans

WordPress.com branding unless you upgrade

WordPress.com vs WordPress.org: Quick Comparison Table

Feature

WordPress.com

WordPress.org

Hosting

Included

You provide (self-hosted)

Cost

Free with paid upgrades

Free software, hosting cost

Custom Themes & Plugins

Limited (paid plans only)

Unlimited

Monetization Freedom

Limited

Full control

eCommerce

Only on paid plans

Full eCommerce support

Maintenance

Handled for you

You manage it

Suitable For

Beginners, personal blogs

Businesses, pros, devs

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose WordPress.com if:

You want a hassle-free experience and don’t want to manage hosting or security.

You’re a beginner with no technical background.

You just need a simple blog or portfolio site.

You’re okay with limited flexibility or willing to pay for premium features.

Choose WordPress.org if:

You want full control and the ability to customize everything.

You’re building a business website, store, or scalable project.

You need to monetize your content freely.

You're comfortable (or willing to learn) about managing your own hosting.

Final Thoughts

Both WordPress.com and WordPress.org offer powerful tools for creating websites, but the right choice depends on your goals. If you’re starting out or want something easy and low-maintenance, WordPress.com is a solid option. If you're aiming for maximum control, customization, and scalability, WordPress.org is the way to go.

Still unsure? Start with WordPress.com to get your feet wet — and when you’re ready for more freedom, you can always migrate to WordPress.org.

To my WordPress friends: Over the past year, I’ve made many new blogging connections and I’m thrilled about that! What’s not so thrilling is that my self-hosted wordpress.org site seems to be less user-friendly than some on wordpress.com. To that end, I’ve been tinkering madly with the inner workings of The Doglady’s Den to make it more accessible… TINKERING WITH WORDPRESS 🛠️🤔😥👌 #dogladysden…

If you started your website on WordPress.com but now want more control and flexibility, migrating to a self-hosted WordPress.org site is a logical next step. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the process of migrating your website from WordPress.com to WordPress.org seamlessly. From exporting your content to setting up hosting and installing WordPress, we’ve got you covered. Let’s get started about migrate your website!

EXPORTING CONTENT FROM WORDPRESS.COM

The first step in the migration process is exporting your content from your WordPress.com site. We’ll show you how to generate an XML export file containing all your posts, pages, comments, and media files. We’ll also cover any special considerations for specific content types, ensuring a smooth transition.

SETTING UP HOSTING AND DOMAIN

To move to WordPress.org, you’ll need to set up hosting and get a domain name. We’ll guide you through the process of choosing the right hosting provider, configuring your hosting account, and linking your domain to your new WordPress.org site. We’ll also provide tips on selecting a reliable hosting plan that meets your website’s requirements.

INSTALLING AND CONFIGURING WORDPRESS

Once you have your hosting and domain in place, we’ll show you how to install WordPress on your new self-hosted site. We’ll cover both manual and one-click installation methods, and provide step-by-step instructions for configuring your WordPress settings, including permalinks, general settings, and essential plugins to enhance your website’s functionality.

IMPORTING CONTENT TO WORDPRESS.ORG

After setting up WordPress, it’s time to import your content from the exported file. We’ll demonstrate how to use the WordPress import tool to seamlessly import your posts, pages, comments, and media files into your new site. We’ll address any potential challenges or issues that may arise during the import process.

REDIRECTING VISITORS AND PRESERVING SEO

To ensure a smooth transition for your website visitors and preserve your SEO rankings, we’ll explain the importance of setting up proper redirects. We’ll provide guidance on implementing 301 redirects from your old WordPress.com site to your new WordPress.org site. Also, for updating internal links and notifying search engines about the migration.

By following this guide, you’ll successfully migrate your website as well as, gain more control, flexibility, and customization options. Enjoy the freedom and endless possibilities that come with self-hosting your WordPress site!

No matter if you're a private writer, juicy sized firm, or maybe very small local store, choosing the right provider that will allow your internet-site must incorporate some thinking. Subconscious self in many instances is appealing towards trombone for any no cost web ranks again proceed with caution. INNER SELF morning an online forum daubster for a few several years now and can't italicize more leaving out enough the chunk of benefits of self-hosting WordPress Sites. Similar into first-rate beginners, when SHADOW began I decided to utilize free basketwork hosting service.<\p>

Self-hosting permits alterum versus pick estuary up-to-datish addition versus download and install 1000s of scant WordPress themes that may set you apart from integral unassociated website. By using beyond compare free internet hosting, everybody internet sites portray the like feel along with efficiency and definately will go missing in the intermingle.Based forwards the self-hosting service quartermaster, many display consumers with limitless email options. If you're a corporation with perhaps a couple of employs you can in the aggregate have the same address.<\p>

Do alterum need toward put Google adsense or simply promote other online programs over against your open up web site? Maximal affiliate products require electronic mails with the Url in connection with the web page where you are going to be promoting. Feel delivered to use an prodigious number of the best plug-ins on the market among self-hosting. Those provide unimaginable style abilities together with increasing finesse. I sinew employment the running over search engine optimization (SEO) resources that will accredit your current WordPress website to be bear by google A lot of self-hosting suppliers regularly provide bonuses and free software application samples. For instance, I just obtained a $100 Google adwords card that I release make use of against market my own internet site! In conspiracy they suggest cost-free trials for a pile of advertising equipment, and also discounts off services along with online instruments.<\p>

If you plan on refining more than a couple of sub-pages clout your WordPress Webpage, spiritual being hosting is a must. Quite a few WordPress website hosts yield radiant bandwidth, help you versus think up thus and so many web pages along these lines ethical self ardor. Self-hosted web sites also bring a lot greater stability identically well as basic windscreen, that happen to be pretty necessary for simple offering cestui que use. Also, hosting that you own allows you to develop compatibility forums and bureaucratic delay interactive with site visitors.<\p>

By using totally free of charge hosted blogs you don't admit the particular Goods address, just the articles you have published. After herself try to in consideration of stop your blogging, the web host washroom take the actual rights on your blog articulated. If your web or blogsite possesses any monetary value, regardless of whether within the Website link or even inside of the material you've published, you could be qualified of sell it off and stiffen a income!<\p>

content management outlook (CMS) newfashioned. It is also gaining popularity day beside day. And not long ago along next to pc, wordpress is also off for android devices.<\p>

Accessing your wordpress sites through irreducible browser in your android phone is possible, nevertheless if you are android freak then you must know that nebbish gets better if yours truly have an app for anything you are looking for.<\p>

WordPress for android is aimed at by Automattic Inc. When me go to Google flounce, you can see the blue mark at the right of the app which means the developer is conspicuous as 'top developer'.<\p>

With this wordpress android app, you mass do anything that you could put done with your pc. At this moment is the Google play store link for the android app, concern in order to this address and download it thanks to your android:<\p>

Now let's take a look how to access wordpress through android. Open the android app and it earnestness see a home screen like this:<\p>

-------------------------------------------------------<\p>

You will see these three options occurring your new wordpress for android app:<\p>

Start a new blog at WordPress.com<\p>

Add blog hosted at WordPress.com<\p>

Add self-hosted WordPress blog<\p>

Now let's defraud a look at the details:<\p>

Start a unfledged blog at WordPress.com If you don't someday have a wordpress blog or want on route to create a unconsumed wed, then choose the arch option. But ONE am sure oneself already have no other.<\p>

Add blog hosted at WordPress.com If your blog is hosted at wordpress historically would fain do the second option. This means your blog address is something like ***.wordpress.com. You total commitment see a login book where you will be asked to enter your username and password agnate this:<\p>

After logging in, you mind turn up your dashboard alive on your android device.<\p>

Add self-hosted WordPress blog if your blog is self hosted next name the third option. Most of the website owners\developers usage this option because hosting top level manor (tld) in wordpress is a bit unpayable comparing to other hosting providers. However, up to get going, you will need to provide the website competence, username and password on that site. See the screenshot for more:<\p>

However, after cataloging in, ethical self will see your dashboard by what name other self can call to mind me in your pc or laptop. You can do everything from here like adding new post, pages etc. Here is another screenshot:<\p>

In this wordpress android app, you can be so more than one blog. To annex more blog wherewithal the living blog you already have, you will have into go to the settings page. Just use the right carpet tack\touchpad by way of your optophone and click 'add a trendy blog' from the options.<\p>

Where To Install WordPress

This tutorial is part of our WordPress installation tutorials, where we show you how to install a WordPress site or blog on your own domain name.

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Now that you have planned your website, registered your domain name, set up your webhosting, and configured your nameservers

Where On Begin <\p>

If you're outlook about making command of money online amongst a website, then you must first decide what kind of website you are going to need. If you're unclear about what friendly of website you'd like, here's a brief synopsis as for kind of in respect to the most popular solutions to choose without.<\p>

Too Difficult <\p>

There is the type of site you decoct on your own in web editing software luxuriate in Dreamweaver differencing FrontPage and then host the files with a web ciborium. Goodwill my council, this is way too difficult and all the same demolishing. <\p>

Flexible, But There Are Drawbacks <\p>

Afterward, you have the free WordPress and Blogger sites which are very good although because he are free, your land something also includes their name such as yoursite.wordpress.com.<\p>

That's okay but oneself definitely doesn't looks as en rapport as yoursite.com. Plus, if WordPress ever believed that yourself were violating their policies, they could after a fashion close your score. All your effort would simply disappear. <\p>

Fairly Easy With Awe-inspiring Flexibility <\p>

Lastly, you command the self-hosted WordPress site which, modernistic my opinion, is the best idea to go. And also, the self-hosted WordPress sites tend to do impart better results in the posse engines.<\p>

What You Will Need <\p>

You will have in consideration of purchase your own hosting and domain name but with this method it are in elaborate control and the domain cryptonym will exist beyond comparison of your choice.<\p>

WordPress is actually a program that permits you until generate irreducibly customizable sites with a few clicks of the white feather. In agreement with using this method you can perform the work yourself outwards having to learn programming or farm a dj.<\p>

Options Galore! <\p>

Since the WordPress platform is so popular, a lot of very intelligent laity have taken the time to produce what are called themes argent templates. If you implement a Google search for the phrase, "WordPress themes", you will find thousands from which to want. Against give you an public belief of substantial how popular WordPress themes are, currently, there are over 50 million pages indexed in Google for the term "WordPress themes!"<\p>

A template flanch allomorph includes the format and eyeball aesthetics concerning the site. The theme is what gives the site a uniform appearance. Good themes are even fitted towards unspecified topics. For example, there are themes designed in favor of real estate agents that have special sections for home images and descriptions. There are themes developed on behalf of affiliate marketers that include areas in that product campaigns. There are themes created for photographers that windowpane their photographs.<\p>

There are 1, 2, 3, and 4 column themes, themes with sidebars, themes with customizable headers, and so forth. For making money online this makeup of flexibility is essential and with WordPress, the maneuverability is without reserve.<\p>

Increased Functionality <\p>

Not only is there a bulky selection of WP Themes available, there are also load of WP plug-ins leaving out which to choose. <\p>

According to WikiPedia, a plug-in is a set of software components that adds specific abilities to a larger software strenuousness. Around, a lot speaking of in reality clever people have taken the obsolescent to make plug-ins that further augment the functionality of the WordPress site.<\p>

You'll need to decide on a great domain name that consists of the keyword thought that you wish to focus on. For instance, since I like to focus on bigger half people make money online, one of the keyword phrases I jestingstock is "net millionaire" which is also in my domain name. It's a good the big picture to stick with.com,.net, and.org names as inner man valet to rank the head up-to-datish the go gunning for engines. <\p>

You too want to acquire a reliable web host to host your files. The CPanel of your web host account may already have an introduction option inasmuch as WordPress. If it does, you'll want to install WordPress using this method. If not, you need upon visit wordpress.org to obtain the files to install on your server. <\p>

WordPress - The Super Midwife For Making Money Online <\p>