Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

WP Engine VS WordPress.com

Compare WP Engine VS WordPress.com and see what are their differences

WP Engine logo WP Engine

Hassle-Free WordPress Hosting

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.
  • WP Engine Landing page
    Landing page //
    2024-09-22
  • WordPress.com Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-03

WP Engine

Release Date
2010 January
Startup details
Country
United States
State
Texas
City
Austin
Founder(s)
Ben Metcalfe
Employees
250 - 499

WP Engine features and specs

  • Performance
    WP Engine is highly regarded for its excellent performance and fast loading times, thanks to its advanced caching technology and high-powered servers.
  • Security
    WP Engine offers robust security features, including daily backups, malware scanning, and a dedicated security team to ensure your site is secure.
  • Customer Support
    WP Engine provides 24/7 expert support with a team that is highly knowledgeable about WordPress, ensuring that any issues are resolved quickly and effectively.
  • Developer Tools
    WP Engine offers various developer-friendly tools such as staging environments, Git integration, and SSH access for more advanced functionality and customization.
  • Automated Backups
    The platform includes automated daily backups and the ability to create manual backups, offering an additional layer of data protection.
  • Scalability
    WP Engine can handle high traffic volumes and offers scalable solutions, making it suitable for growing businesses and websites with variable traffic.

Possible disadvantages of WP Engine

  • Cost
    WP Engine is more expensive compared to many other hosting providers, which could be a deterrent for small businesses or individuals on a tight budget.
  • Limited Plugins
    WP Engine has a list of disallowed plugins that are either not allowed or restricted due to performance and security reasons, which could limit some functionalities you might want to use.
  • Complex Pricing Plans
    The pricing structure can be confusing due to various add-ons and tiers, making it hard for potential customers to understand the exact cost.
  • No Email Hosting
    WP Engine does not offer email hosting, so you will need to find a separate provider for email services, which can be inconvenient.
  • Resource Limits
    Some of the lower-tier plans come with stringent resource limitations, such as bandwidth and storage caps, which can be restrictive for growing websites.
  • Learning Curve
    Because of its advanced features and tools, there may be a learning curve for users who are not familiar with WordPress or web development.

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.

WP Engine videos

IS WP ENGINE Worth IT? Is WP ENGINE any good?! (Honest Review)

More videos:

  • Review - Synthesis for Literature Reviews
  • Review - WP Engine Hosting Review - A Comprehensive & Unbiased Review ★★★★
  • Review - Synthesis School Review by Student
  • Review - September 10 math review synthesis guide to do synthesis exercises and correcting
  • Review - WP Engine Review and Pricing Guide
  • Review - WP Engine Review 2023 : The Fastest and Best Hosting Company [🚀] + WP Engine Discount Coupon Codes 🔥
  • Review - WP Engine Review: WordPress Hosting Worth The Extra Cost?

WordPress.com videos

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

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to WP Engine and WordPress.com)
Web Hosting
100 100%
0% 0
CMS
0 0%
100% 100
Hosting
100 100%
0% 0
Website Builder
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

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

WP Engine Reviews

Best Web Hosting Affiliate Programs in 2023
Plus, WP Engine ensures a remarkable 180-day cookie duration, allowing you a generous window to maximize your earnings. Embrace WP Engine’s affiliate program, where the speed of success meets unparalleled rewards.
Source: digiexe.com
8 GoDaddy Alternatives & Why You Need One
Why Use WP Engine over GoDaddy: WP Engine is a great alternative for two groups specifically: those looking for a more feature-rich basic plan, and those looking for a more advanced enterprise solution. You’ll likely pay more for WP Engine hosting in either case, but you’ll also get more than you would with GoDaddy hosting.
Best Web Hosting for SEO
If you are looking for a good WordPress host, WP Engine is one of the best available in the market. This host is highly optimized for the WordPress website. If you want a highly performing WP website with good storage, and high speed, this is the ideal host available.
Top 10 best web hosting service provider companies in India
WP Engine is one of the best alternatives with regards to hosting a WordPress blog. WordPress is the most loved stage for bloggers as it makes content administration get to be less demanding. Finding a best WordPress hosting supplier can be troublesome particularly when the WordPress blog has begun getting great movement and has turned out to be exceptionally prominent....
Source: mywptips.com
5 Best WP Engine Alternatives & Competitors
WP Engine is a reliable and trustworthy web host that has been around for a long time. However, their prices are quite steep and beyond the budget of several website owners. Thankfully, there are numerous other options to choose from, most of which provide several amazing features at a cheap, affordable, and budget-friendly price.

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...
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.
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

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, WordPress.com seems to be a lot more popular than WP Engine. While we know about 1020 links to WordPress.com, we've tracked only 6 mentions of WP Engine. 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.

WP Engine mentions (6)

  • A Statement from Automattic
    > but WPE's website was using the word "WordPress" in every possible way before they 'cleaned it up' a few days ago https://wpengine.com/ mentions "wordpress" 56 times today. And here is the website from a month ago: https://web.archive.org/web/20240903110405/https://wpengine.com/, still 56 times "wordpress" is mentioned. Looks mostly the same to me, at least compared to a month ago. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • Ask HN: If you are starting in 2024, what is the most productive solo dev stack?
    Without becoming a software engineer? None. Work for 1 hour a month in the developed world to make enough money to pay for, say, a month on https://wpengine.com/, and get to working on the actual website, not its infra. Even Python will take someone starting from zero anywhere between 10-100 hours to fully grok. A phenomenal time investment if you have any professional interest at all in computers, but if... - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • Top 20 Web Hosting Services in 2024 - Choose the Best for Your Website 🚀
    WP Engine ⚙️ Optimized managed WordPress hosting for speed and security, plans from $25/month. Check it out: WP Engine. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Website Hosting Advice
    For hosting, if you want reliability over everything else, WP Enginge is probably your best bet. It's on the pricier side, though. I didn't use any other hosting besides local German companies yet, so I cannot recommend anything else. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Public html folder removed without any trace, how?
    Transfer is super easy... wpengine.com is my favorite for WP sites. They handle backups and have security options and can handle plugin updates. Source: about 2 years ago
View more

WordPress.com mentions (1020)

View more

What are some alternatives?

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

Bluehost - One of the largest and most trusted web hosting services powering millions of websites. Join Bluehost now and get a FREE domain name!

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.

Pantheon - The professional website platform for Drupal & WordPress sites.

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

A2Hosting - Need Fast, Reliable Web Hosting? A2 Hosting Is The Leader In Optimized Hosting For Any Need! Try Our Hosting Service Today!

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.