Disclosure: HostingDive may earn a commission if you buy through links to WordPress.com, WooCommerce or Pressable on this page. That does not change what we write or the order we write it in.
Prices checked October 22, 2026.
WordPress.com plan prices (checked October 22, 2026)
Source: https://wordpress.com/pricing/. Prices are US dollars per month, excluding taxes. The monthly column is billed every month. The other columns are billed up front for the term shown, so the per-month figure is the term price divided by the months in it.
| Plan | Billed monthly | 1-year term | 2-year term | 3-year term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal | $9 | $4 | $3.25 | $2.75 |
| Premium | $18 | $8 | $6.50 | $5.50 |
| Business | $40 | $25 | $20 | $17.50 |
| Commerce | $70 | $45 | $36 | $31.50 |
Plans renew at a different rate than the first term. For example, WordPress.com's page shows Personal on a 1-year term renewing at $5 a month. Check the renewal line on the plan page before you buy.
Personal is the lowest WordPress.com plan that installs plugins. WordPress.com's support page says: "Installing plugins is available on all WordPress.com paid plans: Personal, Premium, Business, and Commerce plans. For free sites, upgrade your plan to install plugins." (https://wordpress.com/support/plugins/install-a-plugin/, last reviewed October 22, 2026.)
The short version
Both run WordPress. The difference is who hosts and maintains the site. WordPress.com sells hosting and maintenance as part of a plan. Self-hosted WordPress means you download the software and run it on hosting you choose.
How the costs are built
WordPress.com: you pick a plan. Storage, features and support rise by tier (see the plan table above). Prices change with the billing term, so check the plan page on the day you buy.
Self-hosted: the software is free. You pay a hosting company and for a domain, plus any premium themes or plugins.
Where WordPress.com wins on cost: one bill covers hosting, updates, backups and support, with no separate hosting search.
Where self-hosted wins on cost: you can start on low-priced shared hosting and move up only when the site needs it.
Control, plugins and themes
Where self-hosted wins: full control of the PHP environment, any plugin or custom theme, and a free choice of host. WordPress.com's own comparison says some custom code changes "may or may not be possible" on WordPress.com.
Where WordPress.com wins: updates and backups are handled for you, and the plans come with support from its own team.
Support and maintenance
Where WordPress.com wins: 24/7 priority support is listed on higher plans.
Where self-hosted wins: you pick a host whose support model fits you. Hosts differ here, and HD's guides compare them:
- WP Engine: lists phone support. See our WooCommerce hosting guide.
- Kinsta: publishes its PHP-worker tiers openly. See our WooCommerce hosting guide.
- Cloudways: bundles Object Cache Pro on larger servers. See our WooCommerce hosting guide.
- SiteGround: agency-oriented white-label tools at a lower price point. See our agency hosting guide.
WordPress.com on its merits
WordPress.com suits owners who want a site running without choosing or managing a host, including people who would rather pay one plan price than assemble parts.
Self-hosted WordPress on its merits
Self-hosting suits owners who want to pick their own host, run custom code, or keep the option to change hosts. HD's hosting guides cover the choices, and each host above is linked once.
Who each fits
- Pick WordPress.com if you want hosting, updates and backups bundled and you do not need custom server work.
- Pick self-hosted if you need custom code, a free choice of host, or the lowest possible entry cost.
- Both keep ownership: WordPress.com's support page says you own your content and are free to move it.
What HD has not measured
HD has not tested WordPress.com's speed, uptime or security. Statements on those points come from the vendor's page and are not repeated here as findings.