Introduction
A common question that is asked is whether WordPress is free to use. This is something that is very important to consider no matter what kind of website you are looking to create. There is a lot of confusion around whether WordPress is free, why it is so and what you have to pay for when creating a website.
This is a guide on everything you need to know about WordPress costs and charges in order to make the whole process easier for you to understand.
Is WordPress Free?
Before we go any further, let’s answer the burning question you have. Yes, WordPress is free to use.
WordPress is an open-source website management system that offers a lot of freedom and is free to use initially. This means that you can use WordPress for free to create and design your website, but you do have to pay for a web host and domain name for your website before you have access to WordPress services.
When we are talking about WordPress, we are referring to WordPress.org which comes with a range of premium features. People often get confused when talking about WordPress, but WordPress.com is a limited and free service.
WordPress.org Vs. WordPress.com
Throughout this article we will be talking about WordPress.org and whether it is a free platform. In order to get a better understanding of the whole subject, we need to dive into what WordPress.org actually is.
WordPress.org is considered to be the ‘real’ WordPress as it is the platform that is used to create and host a range of websites. One-third of the websites on the internet are made through WordPress.org.
WordPress.org is an open-source management service that is free for anyone to use. However, it does require a domain name and web host in order for you to use the services. These do cost you and will likely have a reoccurring charge.
As you have to pay for a domain name and web hosting service, WordPress.org is considered to be a self-hosted platform. You may see it being referred to as self-hosted WordPress.
Benefits Of WordPress.org
WordPress.org allows you to have total control of your website and you are free to do as much as you want with it. WordPress.org allows you to customize every aspect of your website to make it personal to you and your brand. WordPress.org has many benefits:
- It is free to use
- It is easy to use to create and run a website
- It provides total control over your website and data
- It allows you to make money from your website
- It can be used to create an online store
There are so many other benefits to using WordPress.org to create a website, but the biggest perk is the cost.
This is a great option for those who are on a budget as you can run a website for as little as $45 per year, depending on which host you use and what additional features you purchase.
Difference Between WordPress and WordPress.org
WordPress.com is a free service that is very popular with hobbyists and bloggers. This a platform that was made by the same founder who created WordPress.org and contains some of the same features.
However, WordPress.com is a very limited service that can be used for free. Unlike WordPress.org, the online version does not allow for total customization as it does not support plugins or other features.
If you are considering starting a blog or a side project that you are not fully dedicated to, then WordPress.com may be a good option for you because it is totally free. You can purchase a domain name for this website and upgrade your package so you can have more space and additional features, but it is not as flexible as WordPress.org.
How Much Does It Actually Cost To Use WordPress?
WordPress is free to install and use, but it does require WordPress Hosting to operate. Web hosting will cost you and you may have to pay monthly or annual fees to keep your website running.
The actual cost of using WordPress to create and run your website is fairly low when compared to other platforms. This combined with how easy WordPress is to use it why it is the most popular platform to create and manage websites.
It does not have to cost you any money to design or update your website. The only thing you need to pay for is a domain name, which is the name of your website and can cost as little as $14 per year, and a web host, which can cost as little as $8 per month.
There are some web hosting platforms that offer great discounts and perks, including getting a free domain name. This is a great option for beginners and there is certain to be a WordPress plan out there to suit your budget.
You can also pay for additional features on WordPress, such as themes and plugins.
These will be used to customize your website and improve functionality. If you are on a budget or are trying to make a website for the first time, then there are plenty of free options of both plugins and themes.
These are available from both the WordPress directory and from other marketplaces online. You can choose from a wide selection of both free and premium plugins or themes for your WordPress website.
Why Is WordPress Free?
WordPress is the most popular website creation and management platforms and it is used for over a third of all websites on the internet. It is a great platform as it is easy to use and fully customizable, making it suitable for a range of websites and abilities.
As WordPress is such a good platform, many people are confused about why it is free. Surely, if the company was that good they would be able to make a lot of money by selling their services?
However, this actually doesn’t make sense due to the fact that WordPress isn’t owned by an individual or a single company. This means that not one person can make money from it.
WordPress is an open-source platform that operates as a community project, with tens of thousands of people working on every aspect of the service. Lots of talented people have contributed to the various aspects and features of WordPress and continue to work to make it a brilliant service.
There is a core team of developers that actually work for WordPress, but anyone can contribute to making features, fixing bugs, mending patches and suggesting features.
On the same note, project leaders within WordPress are constantly changing and moving from one place to the next. Anyone can get involved and become a core contributor to WordPress.
This is why WordPress is a free platform to use and install, as it is a community project where anyone can give back to the company rather than being owned by an individual who wants to earn a profit.
How Does WordPress Make Money If It’s Free?
WordPress is an open-source platform that makes its profits through the products and services that are offered in or based on the same platform.
This means that WordPress makes money through the services, features, plugins and additional features that it either sells itself or that are sold through its name. When creating a website through WordPress you can purchase a range of additional features, such as plugins, to improve the functionality and appearance of your website.
These can be purchased from the WordPress directory or through a marketplace. Either way, WordPress will get some of the money that comes from this purchase.
WordPress also make money through the fact that you have to have a domain name and web host to use the platform. They are various different WordPress web hosts that you can purchase and will contribute to the profits of WordPress.
Is WordPress Copyright Free?
When we’re talking about things being free, we might as well tackle another query about WordPress.
WordPress is not copyright free and has instead been licensed in a way that allows anyone to use it. However, each contribution to the software is copyrighted. This includes any feature, theme or plugin that you can purchase or install to your WordPress website no matter which marketplace you got it from.
These features are released under a clause that is known as GPL which means that you are free to use, modify and redistribute the software. Any modifications you make have their own copyright license and this is what you will hold, not the copyright to the entire software.
Do I Own My Work On WordPress?
As WordPress uses GPL copyright, you may be concerned about the control you have over the work you publish on your WordPress website.
However, as long as the work you are publishing is not derivative work of WordPress, which would mean that you have copied it from the platform, then you own it.
Any blog post, photography, video or artwork that you upload onto your WordPress website is yours and you own the copyright to it.
This may not be the case if you are writing about WordPress, such as telling people how to use it. As this is technically a derivative of WordPress it may be licensed differently.
Conclusion
Understanding why WordPress is free can be quite a confusing subject for many people as they simply do not understand how a platform this great can be free to use. WordPress is an open-source platform which means that it is not owned by an individual who can collect the profits.
WordPress is free to install and use, but you do need to pay for a domain name and web host.