Overview
WordPress.com is Automattic’s hosted WordPress service. W3Techs counts the Automattic Group, which also includes Pressable and other hosting, at 0.8% of all websites in November 2026.[1] Unlike self-managed hosting, WordPress.com runs the WordPress installation, updates and infrastructure entirely, and on its paid plans also allows customers to install plugins and themes.[5]
Plans are priced in US dollars. In November 2026 the Free plan cost nothing and did not allow plugin installation; Personal cost US$9 per month billed monthly or US$4 per month on a yearly term; Premium US$18 monthly or US$8 yearly; Business US$40 monthly or US$25 yearly; and Commerce US$70 monthly or US$45 yearly, with lower monthly equivalents on two- and three-year terms (Business US$17.50 per month on a three-year term).[5] Storage ranges from 1 GB on Free to 50 GB on Business and Commerce.[5]
WordPress.com’s advantage is that it offers a continuous path from a free blog to a fully managed business site under one company that also leads development of the WordPress software. Its limits are lower storage than most managed hosts and the fact that much of the low-priced range is closer to a website builder than to hosting; developers who need full server access typically choose the Business plan or a sister service such as Pressable.
WordPress.com features
- Free plan with subdomain
- Plugin installation on paid plans
- Free custom domain for first year on annual plans
- Storage from 6 GB to 50 GB
- Commerce plan for online stores
- WordPress VIP for enterprise
- Fully managed WordPress core and infrastructure
- Plugin and theme installation on paid plans
WordPress.com pricing
Free US$0 (1 GB, ads shown). Personal US$9/month monthly, US$4/month yearly; Premium US$18 / US$8; Business US$40 / US$25; Commerce US$70 / US$45. Two- and three-year plans are cheaper per month. Enterprise (WordPress VIP) quote-based.
WordPress.com strengths and limitations
Strengths
- Free plan with no expiry
- Plugins available on all paid plans
- Low per-month cost on multi-year plans
- Managed updates and hosting
- Free entry point and monthly billing
- Run by the company behind WordPress development
Limitations
- Free plan shows WordPress.com ads
- Monthly billing is more than double the annual rate
- Domain only free for the first year
- Limited storage on lower tiers
- Storage tops out at 50 GB on listed plans
- Free plan does not allow plugins
Appears in
- Best Blogging Platforms in 2026 #2
- Best Managed WordPress Hosting in 2026 #3
- Best WordPress Hosting in 2026 #6
WordPress.com alternatives and competitors
Alternatives to WordPress.com: companies ranked in the same lists.
Pressable- DreamHost
Cloudways
SiteGround- Hostinger Business Email
- Rocket.net
Pantheon
WP Engine
Kinsta
WordPress (self-hosted)
WPX
Pagely
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