WordPress.ORG vs. WordPress.COM - The Basics

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase using one of the links in this post, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, Thanks for your support!I'm often asked about the difference between WordPress.ORG and WordPress.COM.  It's pretty confusing actually if you're new to the blogging worlds.  Why is one free and one isn't?  Why does one have fewer options than the other?  And - most importantly - why the heck do they have the same name??I hope I can answer some of those questions for you in this post!  Let's start with that last one...

How exactly are WordPress.org and WordPress.com related?

They are both owned by WordPress Foundation, a non-profit organization.  According to their website..."The point of the foundation is to ensure free access, in perpetuity, to the software projects we support. People and businesses may come and go, so it is important to ensure that the source code for these projects will survive beyond the current contributor base, that we may create a stable platform for web publishing for generations to come. As part of this mission, the Foundation will be responsible for protecting the WordPress, WordCamp, and related trademarks. A 501(c)3 non-profit organization, the WordPress Foundation pursues a charter to educate the public about WordPress and related open source software."That's a mouthful.  But I like that they're dedicated to the creation and lasting impact of software that is easily accessible.  We'll talk a little bit more about "open source software" below - that's really the bread and butter of WordPress.

What is WordPress?

WordPress is a Content Management System (CMS).  It started as a blogging platform (a place for you to write content), but it has become so much more than that.  WordPress is now an open source software.  That means that anyone can update it, create applications that work within it, add to it, change it, copy it, and redistribute it.  Nothing in WordPress itself is proprietary.  In fact, based on the goals of the Foundation above, they WANT you to mess with it.  It's a framework in which we can create, share, and distribute.

What's the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com?

Well, it's complicated, but not that complicated.  WordPress.ORG is the home of the Content Management System - the one you can mess with, update, customize, etc.  WordPress.COM is a blog HOSTING solution with limitations.  You can use the WordPress CMS to create and publish content, but they limit the amount of customization you can do (no plugins, no custom themes, not ads, etc.).  There's more too it of course, but I've condensed the six things you really need to know about the difference between these sites in this handy dandy infographic below.I hope this helps clarify things for you!  When you decide you're ready to start your own WordPress.org blog or website, make sure you check out Part 1 of my How To Start a Blog Guide when I break down the process step-by-step!