WordPress.com Review

WordPress.com is an affordable website builder that offers a range of plans for individuals and businesses alike. Businesses can use WordPress.com to manage their content, create online stores, and more.

Review:

WordPress.com is a robust solution that enjoys widespread use in many settings. Individuals and businesses alike can choose to create new websites or to transfer existing domains to WordPress.com. While the software is packed with useful features, some clients may find the lack of free phone support to be constraining.

Highlights:

• Suitable for an extensive range of business uses.
• Desktop and mobile apps.
• A library containing over 40,000 copyright-free images.
• A Free plan that features a pre-installed SSL certificate, Jetpack's essential capabilities, dozens of free themes, and 3 GB of storage.
• Paid plans include, at minimum, 24/5 email and basic live chat support.
• Designs are easy to customize.

Shortcomings:

• Premium domains, as well as those ending in ".ca," ".fr," ".uk," and ".mx" cannot be transferred to WordPress.com.
• Top-level domains (TDLs) not listed on their website cannot be registered or transferred to WordPress.com, either.
• Users must subscribe to one of the paid plans to remove WordPress.com ads and to be eligible for a custom domain name.
• The Google Analytics integration is only available on the Premium, Business, and eCommerce plans.
• Limited built-in photo editing features.
• No regular phone support.

Reputation:

Thus far, WordPress.com has received mixed reviews. On one end of the spectrum, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) has given the platform a D- rating. The BBB cites WordPress.com's reported failure to respond to nine complaints as grounds for this low grade.

Worth noting, however, is that there are many positive customer reviews on platforms such as Reddit, MacRumors' forums, and the MilesWeb Hosting Forum. Prospective clients should account for this variation when deciding whether to opt for one of WordPress.com's plans.

Price comparison:

We compared WordPress.com to leading providers Wix and Weebly to help businesses gauge the competitiveness of their solutions overall.

WordPress.com Packages:

Head-to-head comparisons between the plans offered by WordPress.com, Wix, and Weebly help to determine the best solutions for businesses of various sizes.

WordPress.com Premium vs. Wix Unlimited:

WordPress.com's Premium plan is geared towards freelancers, while Wix Unlimited is designed for freelancers and entrepreneurs. Both offer a free domain for one year, allow users to upload video footage, and integrate with Google Analytics. Users can also connect their custom domains and remove branded ads by the respective providers.

At this level, WordPress.com has a few advantages over Wix. Clients have access to more storage capacity (13 GB, versus the 10 GB offered by Wix), as well as live chat support. While WordPress.com requires a one-year commitment, their Premium plan is more affordable than Wix's comparable package.

Wix's clients, however, have the option to use their ADI, which generates websites that can be customized. This is especially useful for those who lack the time and/or inspiration needed to design their sites. WordPress.com does not offer a similar service.

Wix also offers users $300.00 in ad vouchers. These comprise $100.00 in Google Ads (when clients spend a minimum of $25.00), $100.00 in Bing Ads, and $100.00 in local listings, helping users to spread the word about their businesses.

Further, Wix provides phone support, which WordPress.com does not. The company also offers a greater variety of subscription options: month-to-month subscriptions are ideal for those who are hesitant about committing to long-term use, while two and three-year plans offer discounted rates compared to the monthly and one-year plans.

All things considered, Wix's Unlimited plan may be the better option despite its higher price point.

*On the one-year plan. Other payment options (prices exclude applicable taxes):

• Month-to-month: $22.00 /mo.
• 2-year subscription: $324.00 (equates to $13.50 /mo.)
• 3-year subscription: $432.00 (equates to $12.00 /mo.)

WordPress.com Business vs. Wix Pro vs. Weebly Professional:

The abovementioned plans are great options for businesses that want to build professional, branded websites. Naturally, each plan allows users to remove providers' ads and branding. They also include a free domain for one year, the ability to connect to a custom domain, and SEO tools that improve marketability.

If given the option between WordPress.com Business and Wix Pro, we recommend the latter. Granted, WordPress.com offers ten times the storage capacity, as well as uncapped video uploads and 24/7 priority support, which its competitor does not.

Wix Pro, however, offers its ADI, as well as $300 in ad vouchers, a visitor analytics app, a professional logo with full commercial usage rights, and over 40 sizes of these logos for use on social media and other sites. Head-to-head, Wix Pro is also cheaper than WordPress.com Business and offers a greater variety of subscription options.

Between WordPress.com Business and Weebly Professional, we suggest Weebly which is significantly more affordable and includes uncapped storage (versus WordPress.com's 20 GB limit). Other stand-out features include the ability to create age confirmation pop-ups, password protection to hide specified areas of your site, and inventory management.

Finally, if deciding between Wix Pro and Weebly Professional, prospective clients should consider the nature of their business. While Wix offers a greater variety of payment options and ADI, Weebly is generally cheaper and offers far greater storage capacity. Weebly Professional is also suitable for online stores, while Wix Pro is not.

*On the one-year plan. Other payment options (prices exclude applicable taxes):

• 2-year subscription: $432.00 (equates to $18.00 /mo.)
• 3-year subscription: $192.00 (equates to $16.00 /mo.)

WordPress.com eCommerce vs. Wix Business VIP vs. Weebly Premium:

The abovementioned plans are the most advanced SMB-level options offered by the providers. Key features include the ability to process payments, integrations with shipping carriers, and some form of priority support.

If choosing between WordPress eCommerce and Wix Business VIP, we recommend the latter. While Wix offers significantly less storage capacity than its competitor, clients receive $300.00 in ad vouchers, site booster and visitor analytics apps, a professional logo, use of their ADI, and more. Wix also offers a wider selection of subscription options.

Between WordPress.com eCommerce and Weebly Premium, we suggest Weebly, which offers unlimited storage and phone support – neither of which are offered by WordPress.com. Other stand-out features include abandoned cart notifications and a real-time shipping rate calculator. These and similar perks seem to justify Weebly Premium's higher price.

Worth noting, though, is that WordPress eCommerce includes two free one-on-one meetings with a specialist. Clients may also purchase additional sessions. These are intended to optimize users' websites and related business activities, which could boost profitability. For some, this might outweigh the income-generating perks offered by Weebly.

Finally, if deciding between Wix Business VIP and Weebly Premium, businesses should consider their unique needs. On the one hand, Wix is more affordable, includes ADI, boasts a greater selection of templates, and offers a larger variety of subscription options. However, Wix caps users at 50 GB, whereas Weebly's clients have unlimited storage.

*On the one-year plan. Other payment options (prices exclude applicable taxes):

• 2-year subscription: $1,008.00 (equates to $42.00 /mo.)
• 3-year subscription: $1,368.00 (equates to $38.50 /mo.)

WordPress Enterprise vs. Wix Enterprise vs. Weebly for Industries:

Companies that require greater functionality than that provided by standard plans could look to WordPress Enterprise, Wix Enterprise, or Weebly for Industries. All offer hosting, considerable implementation support, assistance with scaling, advanced security, site monitoring, and more.

Worth noting is the hefty price difference between WordPress.com and Wix: the former starts at $20,400.00 per year, while Wix Enterprise costs $6,000.00 per year excluding VAT. Weebly, by contrast, does not list pricing online.

All things considered, we suggest that interested parties contact WordPress VIP, Wix, and Weebly for more detailed pricing information, and to ascertain which provider could best meet their unique needs.

WordPress.com Plugins:

All of WordPress.com's plans include an assortment of built-in plugins. These span various domains including site-related statistics, essential SEO, security scanning, and many more.

Both the Business and eCommerce plans allow users to install additional plugins. There are thousands of options, the most popular of which include WooCommerce, Yoast, Polylang, and WP Booking System. Clients who are subscribed to these plans also have the ability to upload custom plugins.