WordPress.com vs self-hosted WordPress: the most common confusion

WordPress.com and WordPress.org sound like the same thing. They’re connected, but choosing between them is one of your first real decisions.

WordPress.org is home to the open-source software. You download it, or your host installs it, and you run it on hosting you pay for. This is called self-hosted WordPress. You have full control, and you’re also responsible for the setup, hosting and upkeep.

WordPress.com is a hosted service built on that same software. You sign up, pick a plan and start building, while the service takes care of hosting and much of the maintenance. What you can do, such as installing plugins, depends on your plan.

A simple way to decide:

Want to start quickly with less to manage? WordPress.com is a good fit.
Want to pick your own host and control every detail? Go self-hosted.

The good news is that the skills carry over. Posts, pages, blocks and themes work in much the same way, and you can move your site later if your needs change.