Hosted WordPress platform with block editing, plugin installs on paid plans, and SFTP on Business.
Top-rated in WordPress Hosting#1 of 12 in WordPress Hosting by Overall Score
WordPress.com is a managed hosting service for WordPress sites, with the block editor for pages and posts and platform-run caching, automatic software updates, backups and security. Sites are managed in the browser or in iOS and Android apps, and an API is available to developers. Plans run from a free tier, which shows WordPress.com ads and has 1 GB of storage, through Personal, Premium, Business, Commerce and Enterprise. Every paid plan can install plugins and upload themes from the WordPress.org catalog. SFTP and SSH access, real-time backups and 50 GB of storage start on Business, and full WooCommerce support comes with Commerce. Since the platform manages caching, backups and security itself, it blocks some plugins in those categories, along with file managers, SQL-heavy analytics plugins and content scrapers.
WordPress.com permits plugins on its paid Personal, Premium, Business and Commerce tiers, while free sites cannot install them. Developer facilities such as SSH, SFTP, database access and staging are associated with Business and Commerce plans. Its managed hosting includes WordPress updates, so the operational tradeoff differs from installing WordPress on a separately managed server.
Calculated from facts we verified on WordPress.com's own website, using published thresholds. Nobody can pay to change it. Together with Market Signal it makes the Overall Score of 86 that orders our lists.
Dimensions without verified data count as a neutral 2.5. Facts checked October 13, 2026. How the rating works
Computed from Ahrefs + Semrush data about WordPress.com's own website. Not an assessment of the product itself. How this works →
Market Strength
91
Where it stands today
Momentum
72 Cooling ↓
Where it’s heading
Data Confidence
Limited
How much to trust it
Tick mark = category average.
Compared with 23 tracked Website Builders tools. Data through September 2026, pulled October 12, 2026.
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (mo) |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Free |
| Personal | $9 | $4 |
| Premium | $18 | $8 |
| Business | $40 | $25 |
| Commerce | $70 | $45 |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom |
Pricing shown reflects list prices as of our last check and may have changed. Confirm current pricing on WordPress.com's website before purchasing.
WooCommerce, Yoast SEO, Jetpack, Elementor, Gravity Forms, MailPoet
Help center, Community forum
Why choose it: Small businesses and solo owners who want to build and run a site, store or booking page without hiring a developer.
Strengths
Limitations
Why choose it: Creatives and small businesses that want a polished template-based site with a built-in store and branded email from one vendor.
Strengths
Limitations
Why choose it: Small businesses that want a straightforward website builder with built-in ecommerce features.
Why choose it: Designers, agencies and marketing teams that want pixel-level control over a custom site and a structured CMS without managing hosting.
Strengths
Limitations
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Yes, WordPress.com offers a free plan. We haven't verified whether it also offers a free trial of paid tiers.
WordPress.com starts at $4/mo (annual billing) on its Personal plan. Pricing was last checked September 28, 2026. Always confirm current pricing on the vendor's site before purchasing.
Commonly considered alternatives include Wix, Squarespace, Weebly and Webflow. The Alternatives section on this page shows what each one is best at and its starting price.
