Navigating WordPress.com pricing in 2026 requires a clear understanding of what each tier offers, as the platform has significantly expanded its feature set over the past year. The platform currently offers five distinct tiers: Free, Personal, Premium, Business, and Commerce. The cost ranges from $0 to $70 per month depending on your billing cycle, storage needs, and feature requirements.

Choosing the right plan is no longer just about storage limits; it is about understanding which tools—such as video hosting, advanced analytics, or automated backups—are included in your subscription. The pricing structure is designed to scale with your website’s growth, providing a clear upgrade path from a simple hobby blog to a fully managed e-commerce powerhouse.

To help you visualize the differences, we have compiled a comprehensive comparison table below. This table highlights the key decision-making factors, ensuring you can quickly identify which tier aligns with your specific goals and budget constraints. We have also detailed the specific features of each plan in the following sections, providing a deep dive into what you actually get for your money in 2026.

Quick answer:

• Best overall: The Business Plan offers the best balance of power and value for professional sites, unlocking full plugin access, developer tools, and daily backups for $25/month.
• Best for beginners: The Personal Plan is perfect for bloggers and portfolios, offering a free custom domain and ad-free experience for $4/month.
• Best for monetization: The Premium Plan adds video hosting, payment buttons, and advanced analytics for $8/month.
• Best for e-commerce: The Commerce Plan is the definitive choice for online stores, integrating WooCommerce, unlimited products, and payment processing for $45/month.
• Best for testing: The Free Plan allows you to test the WordPress editor with zero financial risk, though it includes limitations like ads and a subdomain.

How We Picked These Plans

Pricing is accurate as of July 2026, but prices are subject to change. We evaluated the WordPress.com plans based on storage limits, plugin access, customization freedom, and the inclusion of essential business tools like email marketing and backups.

When looking at WordPress.com plans, the most critical shift in 2026 is the expansion of plugin access. Previously restricted to higher tiers, plugin installation is now available on all paid plans, making the Personal tier much more viable for serious bloggers who need specific functionality.

At a glance: a comparison

Tool / Plan	Best for	Starting price (Monthly)	Starting price (Annual)	Storage	Plugin Access
Free	Hobby blogs	$0	$0	1 GB	No
Personal	Portfolios, basic blogs	$9	$4	6 GB	Yes
Premium	Content creators, monetization	$18	$8	13 GB	Yes
Business	Small businesses, agencies	$40	$25	50 GB	Yes
Commerce	Online stores, e-commerce	$70	$45	50 GB	Yes

1. WordPress.com Free Plan

The Free plan is the entry point for anyone looking to test the WordPress.com ecosystem without committing to a paid subscription. It is genuinely free, requiring no credit card to sign up, making it an excellent sandbox for beginners.

Key features:

• Subdomain Hosting: You will receive a yoursite.wordpress.com address, as custom domains are not supported on this tier.
• Basic Block Editor: Access to the core WordPress block editor to create pages and posts.
• Community Support: Access to community forums for troubleshooting and learning the platform.

Pros:

• Completely free to start
• No financial commitment required
• Good for testing the WordPress interface

Cons:

• Limited to 1 GB of storage
• WordPress.com advertisements are displayed on your site
• No custom domain support
• No plugin installation allowed

Pricing: The Free plan costs $0 per month, permanently.

2. WordPress.com Personal Plan

The Personal plan is the entry point for anyone looking to build a professional web presence. It removes the most frustrating limitations of the free tier, providing a custom domain and essential customization tools for bloggers and portfolio owners.

Key features:

• Custom Domain: Register a free .com, .net, or .org domain for the first year when billed annually, establishing immediate brand credibility.
• Ad-Free Experience: Removes all WordPress.com advertisements, providing a cleaner, more professional experience for your readers.
• Plugin Access: Install any of the 60,000+ free plugins from the WordPress.org directory to extend your site’s functionality, a major addition for 2026.

Pros:

• Very affordable entry point ($4/mo annual)
• Includes a free domain for the first year
• Full plugin access for the first time
• Custom CSS and font uploads allowed

Cons:

• Limited to 6 GB of storage
• Only includes a selection of premium themes
• Lacks advanced developer tools and automated backups

Pricing: The Personal plan costs $9 per month if billed monthly, but drops to just $4 per month when billed annually ($48 per year).

3. WordPress.com Premium Plan

The Premium plan bridges the gap between a basic blog and a fully monetized business. It is designed for content creators who want to host video, track advanced analytics, and accept direct payments without managing complex server infrastructure.

Key features:

• Monetization Tools: Access to WordAds revenue sharing, paid content subscriptions, and direct payment buttons via PayPal and Stripe.
• Video Hosting: Upload and host high-quality video content directly on your site without relying on third-party platforms or external embeds.
• Advanced Analytics: Unlock premium stats, including UTM tracking and device insights, to understand your audience better and optimize your content.

Pros:

• Doubles the storage capacity to 13 GB
• Access to all premium themes
• Built-in tools for generating revenue
• Social media integration tools

Cons:

• Still lacks automated backups and staging environments
• Payment fees are higher than the Business plan
• No developer tools like SFTP access

Pricing: The Premium plan costs $18 per month if billed monthly, but drops to $8 per month when billed annually ($96 per year).

4. WordPress.com Business Plan

The Business plan is the powerhouse of the WordPress.com lineup. It provides the complete, unrestricted WordPress experience, making it the ideal choice for growing businesses, agencies, and developers who need full control over their hosting environment.

Key features:

• Advanced Developer Tools: Full SFTP and SSH access, MySQL database management, PHP version switching, and a staging environment for testing changes before pushing them live.
• Automated Backups: Daily, real-time backups ensure your site can be restored to any previous state in case of an error, hack, or bad update.
• Business Email: Includes a free, professional business email account powered by Titan for the first year, centralizing your professional communications.

Pros:

• Massive 50 GB storage limit
• VideoPress with 250 GB of dedicated video storage
• Includes MailPoet email marketing for up to 500 subscribers
• $200 in Blaze advertising credits included

Cons:

• Significant price jump from the Premium plan
• Annual commitment required to get the best value ($25/mo)
• Performance is shared infrastructure, not dedicated servers

Pricing: The Business plan costs $40 per month if billed monthly, but drops to $25 per month when billed annually ($300 per year).

5. WordPress.com Commerce Plan

The Commerce plan (formerly the Entrepreneur plan) is purpose-built for selling products online. It takes the power of the Business plan and integrates a fully featured, pre-installed WooCommerce store, eliminating the need for complex third-party extensions.

Key features:

• Integrated WooCommerce: Pre-installed with premium WooCommerce themes and essential extensions like Product Add-ons, Product Bundles, and Gift Cards.
• Unlimited Products: Create and sell an unlimited number of physical goods, digital downloads, and services without additional per-product fees.
• Payment Processing: Includes WooPayments for seamless credit card processing, with lower transaction fees than the Premium plan, and supports in-person payments.

Pros:

• Includes abandoned cart recovery and marketing automation
• Integrates seamlessly with major shipping carriers (UPS, USPS, FedEx)
• Automated tax calculations for global sales
• WooCommerce Mobile App access

Cons:

• The most expensive standard tier ($45/mo annual)
• High-volume stores may outgrow the shared infrastructure
• Complex custom checkouts may require a self-hosted solution

Pricing: The Commerce plan costs $70 per month if billed monthly, but drops to $45 per month when billed annually ($540 per year).

Which Plan Should You Choose?

Choosing the right WordPress.com pricing tier depends entirely on your site’s primary function and growth trajectory. The platform offers a clear upgrade path, allowing you to start small and expand as your needs evolve. Understanding these tiers is crucial for budget planning and ensuring you do not overpay for features you do not need.

If you are building a personal blog, a simple portfolio, or a basic brochure site, the Personal plan offers exceptional value. At just $4 per month (billed annually), it provides a custom domain, removes intrusive ads, and grants access to the massive WordPress plugin ecosystem. It is the most logical starting point for anyone serious about their web presence, providing a professional foundation without unnecessary bloat.

If your primary goal is to monetize content or build a media brand, the Premium plan is the logical next step. For $8 per month, you gain access to advanced analytics, video hosting, and direct payment buttons, giving you the tools to generate revenue directly from your audience without the overhead of the Business plan. This tier is particularly attractive for creators who rely on high-quality media and direct audience support.

For businesses, agencies, and developers, the Business plan is the undisputed sweet spot. It unlocks the full potential of WordPress, providing daily backups, a staging environment, and deep developer tools like SFTP access. It is the tier that truly competes with premium managed hosting providers, offering a balance of power and ease of use that justifies the $25 per month cost. This plan is essential for anyone managing a mission-critical website where uptime and data security are paramount.

Finally, if you are building an online store, the Commerce plan eliminates the complexity of setting up WooCommerce from scratch. For $45 per month, you get a fully integrated, secure, and feature-rich e-commerce platform ready to scale with your sales, complete with automated tax and shipping calculations. This plan is designed for merchants who need robust inventory management and seamless payment processing without the technical headaches of self-hosting.

Understanding the Hidden Costs of WordPress.com

When evaluating WordPress.com pricing, it is essential to look beyond the headline monthly rates. There are several hidden costs and limitations that can impact your total cost of ownership, especially as your site grows.

Domain Renewal Pricing

WordPress.com includes a free domain for the first year on annual and multi-year paid plans. However, the renewal price after year one varies by top-level domain (TLD) and can sometimes be higher than purchasing the same domain directly from a third-party registrar like Namecheap or GoDaddy. Always check the specific renewal rates for your chosen extension before committing.

Storage Limits and Media

Each tier has a strict storage cap. For media-heavy sites, such as photography portfolios or video blogs, these limits can become a significant constraint. While the Business plan offers 50 GB, a self-hosted WordPress site has no inherent storage limit—you simply pay for the disk space your server provides. If you anticipate heavy media usage, factor in the cost of potential storage upgrades.

Migration Complexity

Moving away from WordPress.com to a self-hosted environment requires content export, DNS migration, and potentially redesigning templates if you used WordPress.com-specific premium themes. The migration is doable but not trivial. Choosing self-hosted from the start avoids this vendor lock-in, but if you prefer the managed convenience of WordPress.com, be prepared for a structured migration process if you decide to leave.

FAQ

Is there a completely free WordPress.com plan?

Yes, WordPress.com offers a Free plan that includes 1 GB of storage, a basic block editor, and unlimited pages and posts. However, it requires you to use a yoursite.wordpress.com subdomain, displays WordPress.com ads, and does not allow plugin installation. It is best used as a sandbox to test the platform.

Do all paid WordPress.com plans include a free domain?

No. The free custom domain for the first year is only included when you purchase an annual, two-year, or three-year paid plan. If you choose to pay monthly, you will not receive the free domain credit, which is a critical distinction when calculating the total cost of your site over time.

What is the biggest difference between the Personal and Business plans?

While the Personal plan allows plugin installation, the Business plan adds critical operational features like daily automated backups, 50 GB of storage, a staging environment for testing, and advanced developer tools like SFTP and database access, making it suitable for professional operations and businesses.

Can I install WooCommerce on the Business plan?

Yes. While the Commerce plan comes with WooCommerce pre-installed and optimized, you can install the WooCommerce plugin manually on the Business plan. However, you will need to purchase premium extensions separately, which are included for free on the Commerce plan, potentially making the Commerce plan more cost-effective for serious stores.

How much does WordPress.com cost per year?

The annual cost depends on the tier: Free is $0, Personal is $48, Premium is $96, Business is $300, and Commerce is $540. These prices reflect the discounted annual billing rates, which offer significant savings compared to monthly billing.

Is self-hosted WordPress cheaper than WordPress.com?

For simple sites with under 10 pages, WordPress.com plans are often cost-effective because they bundle hosting, security, and backups into one subscription. However, for business sites that need specific plugins, custom functionality, or advanced SEO control, self-hosted WordPress on quality managed hosting frequently offers better value, especially over a three-year period.

Sources verified in July 2026.

WordPress.com vs. Self-Hosted WordPress: The Cost Crossover Point

While WordPress.com offers incredible convenience, many businesses eventually reach a cost crossover point where self-hosted WordPress becomes more economical. This decision hinges on your specific needs, technical expertise, and long-term growth strategy.

When WordPress.com is cheaper and better:

• You need a simple site with under 10 pages.
• You do not need custom plugins or bespoke themes.
• You have no developer and no technical interest in server management.
• You value zero-maintenance hosting, where security and updates are handled for you.

When Self-Hosted WordPress is cheaper and better:

• You need more than 2-3 premium plugins with recurring licenses.
• You want full control over caching, CDN, and server configuration for maximum speed.
• You plan to scale content (100+ pages, multilingual, SEO-heavy).
• You want to own your data and infrastructure with no platform dependency.

For a quantitative comparison of WordPress against other platforms, see our comprehensive guides on WordPress vs Wix vs Squarespace. If you are considering the Business plan, it is also worth reading our dedicated breakdown of the Is WordPress Business Plan Worth It in 2026?