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WordPress.com VS MiddleMan

Compare WordPress.com VS MiddleMan and see what are their differences

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WordPress.com logo WordPress.com

Create a free website or build a blog with ease on WordPress.com. Dozens of free, customizable, mobile-ready designs and themes. Free hosting and support.

MiddleMan logo MiddleMan

A static site generator using all the shortcuts and tools in modern web development
  • WordPress.com Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-03
  • MiddleMan Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-17

WordPress.com features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    WordPress.com provides a user-friendly interface that is easy for beginners to navigate. It offers pre-installed themes and plugins, making it simple to get started with a minimal learning curve.
  • Maintenance-Free
    The platform handles all the technicalities such as updates, backups, and security, allowing users to focus solely on creating content.
  • Cost-Effective
    There are free plans available, and even the paid plans are relatively affordable. It eliminates the need for a separate hosting service, reducing overall costs.
  • Built-In Community
    WordPress.com hosts a large community of users, providing opportunities for networking and increased visibility through its social features.
  • Scalability
    Various premium plans allow you to scale up as your website grows. You can start with a free plan and upgrade to more advanced features as needed.

Possible disadvantages of WordPress.com

  • Limited Customization
    You have less control over your website's design and functionality compared to self-hosted WordPress. Custom themes and plugins are often restricted or not allowed.
  • Monetization Restrictions
    Free and lower-tier plans have limitations on monetization options. For instance, you can't use third-party ad networks unless you upgrade to a higher-tier plan.
  • Less Flexibility
    The platform is less flexible compared to self-hosted solutions. Certain advanced features and customizations are not available or are limited.
  • Data Portability
    Migrating your site from WordPress.com to another platform can be complicated and may require technical assistance, posing a challenge if you decide to move.
  • Price for Advanced Features
    While the basic plans are affordable, the cost can add up if you choose to add advanced features and services. Some premium options can be relatively expensive.

MiddleMan features and specs

  • Static Site Generation
    Middleman is a static site generator, which means it can create fast, secure, and easily deployable websites without the need for a backend server.
  • Flexibility
    Middleman offers a high degree of flexibility, allowing developers to customize and extend their sites through a variety of plugins and third-party integrations.
  • Simplicity
    The platform simplifies the development process by providing a straightforward approach to creating static pages, allowing developers to focus on content and design.
  • Ruby-based
    As a Ruby-based framework, it integrates well with the Ruby ecosystem, making it an excellent choice for developers familiar with Ruby.
  • Easy Templating
    Middleman supports various templating engines like ERB, Haml, and Slim, enabling developers to use their preferred syntax for building web pages.

Possible disadvantages of MiddleMan

  • Steep Learning Curve
    For those not familiar with Ruby or static site generators, Middleman may have a steep learning curve, requiring additional time to become proficient.
  • Community Size
    Middleman has a smaller community compared to some other static site generators, which may result in fewer resources and less community support.
  • Complexity for Large Sites
    While excellent for smaller sites, managing large sites and content-heavy projects can become complex and cumbersome in Middleman.
  • Deployment
    Although static sites are easy to deploy in general, Middleman does not provide built-in deployment tools, requiring additional setup for deployment solutions.
  • Ruby Dependency
    Being dependent on Ruby, Middleman might not be suitable for teams or projects that do not use Ruby, thus limiting its adoption across different tech stacks.

WordPress.com videos

+ Add

WordPress.COM Review: Is it really easier than WordPress.ORG?

More videos:

  • Review - Wordpress.com Review: Good For Users Familiar with Wordpress
  • Review - WORDPRESS.COM REVIEW 2020: THE BEST WEBSITE BUILDER?! | PROS AND CONS | TECH TIME #110
  • Review - WordPress.org VS WordPress.com: The Confusing Differences Explained!
  • Review - Should You Use WordPress.com? | WordPress.com Honest Review

MiddleMan videos

+ Add

Reviewing The Middleman: The Complete Series Indispensability!

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How to start a Middleman Transaction - Epicnpc.com
  • Review - Book Review : The Middleman by Shankar

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to WordPress.com and MiddleMan)

WordPress.com

MiddleMan

CMS
97 97%
CMS
3% 3
Website Builder
100 100%
Website Builder
0% 0
Blogging
83 83%
Blogging
17% 17
Website Design
100 100%
Website Design
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using WordPress.com and MiddleMan. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare WordPress.com and MiddleMan

WordPress.com Reviews

WordPress vs. Proprietary Site Builders: What to Know Before Starting a Website Development Project
WordPress: WordPress.org (not to be confused with WordPress.com) is an open-source content management system (CMS). When you build a website on WordPress, you own the code, the design, and the data. This means you can fully customize your site, transfer it to any hosting provider, and have complete control over all aspects of the website. The site can be hosted on any...
Source: blog.radwebhosting.com
Comparing 9 WordPress alternatives & competitors in 2024
WordPress.com claims affordability as one of their best benefits. Their pricing plans are similar to other website platforms like Wix, but many of the plugins and assets that add crucial features like product listings and SEO tools come at a steep cost. Even if you only add one or two plugins, like WooCommerce or Yoast, you’ll spend more on add-ons than on the website...
Source: webflow.com
19 Best WordPress Alternatives in 2025
While WordPress is undeniably popular, it might not be the perfect fit for everyone. Here are the key differences between WordPress.com (hosted platform) and WordPress.org (self-hosted software) to help you understand more about WordPress and why you should look for an alternative website builder:
Source: www.pixpa.com
The 17 Best Wix Alternatives (2024) Who Else Can You Build Your Website With?
WordPress is the undisputed king of CMS or Content Management Systems. From blogs to online stores, there isn’t much you can’t do with this powerful website building solution. Keep in mind that WordPress comes in two versions: WordPress.org and WordPress.com.
Source: www.tooltester.com
8+ Best Cheap Domain Name Providers in 2024 [Compared]
WordPress.com has grown to become one of the leading domain registration companies in the industry in the past few years. While they strive to keep their prices competitive, they also maintain a high level of service quality and customer support.
Source: themehunk.com

MiddleMan Reviews

We have no reviews of MiddleMan yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, WordPress.com seems to be a lot more popular than MiddleMan. While we know about 1020 links to WordPress.com, we've tracked only 11 mentions of MiddleMan. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

WordPress.com mentions (1020)

View more

MiddleMan mentions (11)

  • “Make” as a Static Site Generator
    Most of the Static Site Generators default to generating blog from markdown, which is not feasible for company websites etc. For such projects I like Middleman (https://middlemanapp.com) which provides layouts/partials and things like haml templates. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Bloggers who host statically, do you use Jekyll or Pelican to roll your blog posts?
    I've done similar with Middleman, and I'm 99% sure you could set this up with Pelican if you wanted. It sounds like the site generation workflow is the issue rather than the tool. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Show HN: Self-hosted CMS on Cloudflare for podcast/blog/images/videos/docs/URLs
    I use middleman[^1] + bulmaCSS + FontAwesome but host on github using the `github.io` domain and upload podcasts to "archive.org"[^2]. The reason I choose this setup is because I want the content to survive as much as possible, hence open source technology and "free & long lived" hosting were requirements. [^1]: https://middlemanapp.com/ [^2]: https://archive.org/. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Web app architecture design process guidance
    Thanks u/Draegan88, but what's Middleman got to do with app architecture & design/ERD/schema design? Source: over 2 years ago
  • CMS > MiddlemanApp > static Site - how to start middleman on heroku?
    A simple middleman app consumes the data and builds a static export that runs standalone (just HTML, CSS and some JS files). That gets FTP'd/released to the webserver. Source: about 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing WordPress.com and MiddleMan, you can also consider the following products

WordPress - WordPress is web software you can use to create a beautiful website or blog. We like to say that WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time.

GatsbyJS - Blazing-fast static site generator for React

WiX - Create a free website with Wix.com. Customize with Wix' website builder, no coding skills needed. Choose a design, begin customizing and be online today

Jekyll - Jekyll is a simple, blog aware, static site generator.

SquareSpace - Squarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. Pages, galleries, blogs, e-commerce, domains, hosting, analytics, 24/7 support - all included.

Hexo - A fast, simple & powerful blog framework, powered by Node.js

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