WordPress.com vsWordPress.orgMigration Guide
Escape WordPress.com's limitations. Get complete control, unlimited plugins, and better performance with WordPress.org.
🚀 What You'll Gain:
- • Install any of 50,000+ plugins
- • Complete theme customization freedom
- • Full SEO control and monetization
- • Professional hosting for often less cost
WordPress.com Limitations vs WordPress.org Freedom
See exactly what you're missing and what you'll gain by migrating
Plugin Restrictions
high impactWordPress.com Limitation
Only pre-approved plugins on Business plan ($300+/year)
WordPress.org Benefit
Install any of 50,000+ free plugins instantly
Theme Customization
high impactWordPress.com Limitation
Limited CSS editing, can't modify PHP code
WordPress.org Benefit
Full access to all theme files, unlimited customization
Monetization
high impactWordPress.com Limitation
Ads disabled, limited e-commerce options
WordPress.org Benefit
Full control over ads, any payment system, unlimited stores
Custom Domain
medium impactWordPress.com Limitation
Extra cost, still hosted on WordPress.com servers
WordPress.org Benefit
Full domain control, your own hosting environment
SEO Control
high impactWordPress.com Limitation
Limited SEO plugins and customization
WordPress.org Benefit
Full SEO control with plugins like Yoast, RankMath
Backup & Security
medium impactWordPress.com Limitation
Basic backups, limited security options
WordPress.org Benefit
Full backup control, advanced security plugins
Analytics
medium impactWordPress.com Limitation
Basic stats, Google Analytics on higher plans only
WordPress.org Benefit
Any analytics tool, detailed tracking, full data ownership
Database Access
high impactWordPress.com Limitation
No direct database access ever
WordPress.org Benefit
Full database control for advanced customizations
Cost Comparison
WordPress.com Personal
- • Custom domain
- • Remove WordPress.com ads
- • Email support
- ✗ No plugins
- ✗ Limited customization
WordPress.com Business
- • Install plugins
- • Upload themes
- • Google Analytics
- ✗ Still hosted on WordPress.com
- ✗ Limited plugin selection
WordPress.org + Hosting
- ✓ Unlimited plugins
- ✓ Complete customization
- ✓ Full site ownership
- ✓ Better performance
- ✓ Advanced SEO tools
Step-by-Step Migration Guide
Complete walkthrough to migrate from WordPress.com to WordPress.org
Export Your Content
Download all your posts, pages, comments, and media
- Go to WordPress.com Admin → Tools → Export
- Select 'All content' for complete export
- Download the XML file to your computer
- Separately download media files if needed
Choose Your Hosting
Select a reliable WordPress hosting provider
- Popular options: SiteGround, Bluehost, WP Engine
- Look for one-click WordPress installation
- Ensure at least 1GB storage and unlimited bandwidth
- SSL certificate should be included
Install WordPress.org
Set up fresh WordPress installation on your hosting
- Use your host's one-click installer or manual installation
- Choose strong admin credentials
- Set up your preferred permalink structure
- Install SSL certificate immediately
Import Your Content
Upload your exported content to the new site
- Install WordPress Importer plugin
- Go to Tools → Import → WordPress
- Upload your XML file from step 1
- Assign authors and import attachments
Set Up Your Theme
Install and customize your preferred theme
- Install a similar theme or upgrade to premium
- Customize theme settings to match your old site
- Set up menus and widgets
- Configure homepage and blog page settings
Install Essential Plugins
Add functionality you couldn't have on WordPress.com
- SEO: Yoast SEO or RankMath
- Security: Wordfence or Sucuri
- Backup: UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy
- Performance: W3 Total Cache or WP Rocket
Configure Domain & DNS
Point your domain to the new hosting
- Update nameservers at your domain registrar
- Or update A records to point to new hosting IP
- Set up email forwarding if needed
- Test thoroughly before going live
Final Testing & Launch
Ensure everything works before making the switch
- Test all pages and functionality
- Check forms, contact pages, and e-commerce
- Set up analytics and tracking
- Create 301 redirects if URL structure changed
🎯 Pro Tip: Need Professional Help?
While this guide covers DIY migration, complex sites with custom functionality, large media libraries, or tight deadlines benefit from professional migration services.
DIY Migration Good For:
- • Simple blogs or basic sites
- • Minimal customizations
- • Learning experience
- • Tight budget
Professional Migration For:
- • E-commerce or membership sites
- • Custom themes/plugins
- • Large media libraries (500+ files)
- • Business-critical timelines
Best WordPress Hosting Options
Recommended hosting providers for your WordPress.org migration
SiteGround
Small to medium businesses
✓ Pros
- • Excellent WordPress optimization
- • Free daily backups
- • 24/7 expert support
✗ Cons
- • Higher price point
- • Storage limits on basic plans
Bluehost
Beginners on budget
✓ Pros
- • WordPress.org recommended
- • Free domain first year
- • One-click WordPress install
✗ Cons
- • Upselling tactics
- • Performance can vary
WP Engine
Agencies and professional sites
✓ Pros
- • Premium managed hosting
- • Automatic updates
- • Top-tier performance
✗ Cons
- • More expensive
- • Plugin restrictions
Kinsta
High-traffic sites
✓ Pros
- • Google Cloud infrastructure
- • Daily backups
- • Premium support
✗ Cons
- • Most expensive option
- • Overage charges
🎯 Hosting Selection Tips
Must-Have Features:
- • One-click WordPress installation
- • Free SSL certificate included
- • Daily automatic backups
- • 24/7 technical support
- • At least 99.9% uptime guarantee
Avoid These Red Flags:
- • Unlimited everything promises
- • No money-back guarantee
- • Poor customer reviews
- • Hidden renewal price increases
- • No phone support available
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about migrating from WordPress.com
Why should I leave WordPress.com for WordPress.org?
WordPress.com severely limits your site's functionality. You can't install plugins, customize themes properly, or fully monetize your site without expensive plans. WordPress.org gives you complete control, access to 50,000+ plugins, unlimited customization, and better SEO capabilities - often for less money than WordPress.com's restrictive premium plans.
What are the main limitations of WordPress.com?
WordPress.com restricts plugin installations (only on $300+/year plans), limits theme customization, prevents direct monetization, restricts SEO optimizations, doesn't allow database access, limits backup options, and forces you to use their hosting infrastructure. You're essentially renting a limited version of WordPress instead of owning it.
How much does it cost to migrate to WordPress.org?
Migration to WordPress.org typically costs $100-300/year for hosting plus domain fees. This is often less expensive than WordPress.com's Business plan ($300/year) and gives you infinitely more capabilities. Many hosting providers offer free migration services, or you can hire a professional for $200-500.
Will I lose my content during migration?
No, if done properly. WordPress provides built-in export/import tools that preserve all your posts, pages, comments, and basic settings. However, some widgets, custom CSS, and theme customizations may need to be recreated. Professional migration ensures nothing is lost.
How long does WordPress.com to WordPress.org migration take?
A DIY migration typically takes 3-8 hours spread over a few days (accounting for DNS propagation). Professional migration services complete the process in 24-48 hours. The actual content transfer takes minutes - most time is spent on setup, testing, and customization.
Do I need technical skills to migrate from WordPress.com?
Basic migration can be done with minimal technical skills using hosting providers' migration tools. However, complex sites with custom functionality, large media libraries, or specific design requirements benefit from professional migration to ensure everything transfers correctly and works optimally.
What hosting should I choose for WordPress.org?
Choose managed WordPress hosting for best results. SiteGround ($15/month) offers excellent value, WP Engine ($25/month) for premium features, or Kinsta ($35/month) for high-performance sites. Avoid basic shared hosting - WordPress.org performs best on optimized hosting.
Can I keep my domain name when migrating?
Yes, absolutely. If you have a custom domain on WordPress.com, you can transfer it to your new hosting provider or keep it registered where it is and just update the DNS settings. If you're using a .wordpress.com subdomain, you'll need to register a proper domain name.
Ready to Break Free?
Let BKND handle your WordPress migration professionally. We ensure zero downtime, preserve all your content, and optimize your new site for better performance.
✓ Zero downtime migration ✓ SEO preservation ✓ Performance optimization ✓ 30-day support