WordPress.com vs. WordPress on your own hosting

The short version

WordPress.com is a hosted service that runs WordPress for you, with the most technical parts locked away. WordPress on your own hosting, like a Dredge plan, is the same free software installed on your account, where you control everything: plugins, themes, files, email, and your database.

How they compare

	WordPress.com	WordPress on your own hosting
Setup	Sign up and start writing	One-click install from cPanel, about two minutes
Plugins and custom themes	Limited to higher-priced plans	Install any you like on every plan
Email on your domain	Usually sold separately	Included: 10 to 75 mailboxes, depending on plan
Files and database	No direct access on most plans	Full access through cPanel, FTP, and phpMyAdmin
Other sites and apps	WordPress only	Run other apps, static sites, or subdomains alongside it
Updates and security	Handled for you	You click Update; we look after the server

Choose WordPress.com if

You only want a blog or simple site and never expect to add plugins.
You'd rather never see an update button.
You don't need email on your domain, or you already pay for it elsewhere.

Choose your own hosting if

You want a specific plugin, like a booking system, shop, or form builder.
You want email on your domain included in the price.
You might add a second site, a subdomain, or a non-WordPress app later.
You want to be able to download everything and move hosts whenever you like.

Already on WordPress.com?

You can move. Export your content from WordPress.com, install WordPress on Dredge, and import it. Move a WordPress site to Dredge covers the details, and we're happy to help over email.