Both versions of WordPress are very customization. However, some WordPress.com plans lack premium themes , video uploads, Google Analytics integration, installation of all available plugins , database access, professional store design functions.
To acquire these functionalities, it is necessary to migrate to more expensive plans, which can reach R$149 per month, and in WordPress.org all this is already released for free. Speaking of which, let's move on to the topic corresponding to the necessary investment to be made.
WordPress.com has well-defined plans in addition to the free one:
While WordPress.org is free and only needs an online server to function.
WordPress.com performs wonderfully! WordPress.org does too, however, it needs to have good hosting for that . Therefore, choosing the right company is paramount in this regard.
Both versions have support for caching plugins , which speed up the loading of the site and allow the sites to receive new visits through SEO optimizations.
WordPress.com offers a very hands-on experience when it comes to security. After all, as it is using a closed platform, the vulnerabilities are extremely reduced.
In addition, any problem in sight, the team responsible for WordPress.com would help you. Which doesn't happen on WordPress.org. Its security tends to be more “manual”, installing the necessary plugins and following the area's recommendations to protect your site.
Does it mean that WordPress.org is more insecure? Do not. Meaning it takes a little more work to make sure it's foolproof.
Scalability works perfectly on WordPress.org. Want to turn your blog into a virtual store? Just do it. Want to create a network of forums? Just do it. However, this does not work so well on WordPress.com, since to release a series of features it is necessary to migrate from the plan and pay an extra amount for it.
There is not exactly a better one, since each one has a different audience and profile. However, we will make suggestions based on your needs.
You should choose WordPress.com when you don't understand anything about creating, editing or publishing websites and content on the internet . If you are a complete beginner in the field, starting with WordPress.com can be very useful. After all, it tends to be many users' gateway to the world of CMSs.
With a WordPress.com subscription, there is no need to worry about installation, backup or recurring questions, as there is specialized support to help you in any situation.
Furthermore, the plans can give you autonomy on how far you are willing to go with your content. It may seem funny to say this, but the fact that WordPress.org has so many possibilities makes users feel confused and even a little overwhelmed.
Therefore, for early stage or simpler projects, using WordPress.com is ideal. Then, if you are willing to look for something cheap, with more possibilities and with high scalability, you can go directly to WordPress.org.
You should choose WordPress.org when you already want to start with a solid and free structure that will allow your project to grow without having to pay more fees for it . Believe me, using it is not as complicated as they say, even more so with the growing number of automatic installers that come with web hosting panels.
With these installers, just go to your hosting provider's cPanel , open the installer, configure the necessary information such as the site name, password and theme, so that everything works in the best possible way.
For us, the best WordPress, without a doubt, is WordPress.org. Having complete freedom to control your website however you want and without investing in specific plans for this (with the exception of the hosting plan) is priceless .
However, we understand that WordPress.com has its value and can be a wonderful solution for those who don't mind paying an extra fee, because they already have the whole environment set up.
And there's always the option of starting at WordPress.com and then moving on to WordPress.org.