Moving from WordPress.com to WordPress.org gives you more control over your website. You can choose your own hosting, install any plugin, and use themes without limits.
This switch is helpful when you want more freedom to grow your site, improve performance, or customize things the way you want. You’re no longer restricted by the options on WordPress.com.
This guide walks you through exporting your content, setting up WordPress.org, and bringing everything over so your site runs smoothly on your new setup.
Why Move from WordPress.com to WordPress.org?
WordPress.com is easy to set up, but its limits can slow your growth. WordPress.org removes those limits and gives you full control over your site.
WordPress.com restricts plugins, themes, storage, monetization options, and server access. These limits make it hard to scale, optimize performance, or customize key parts of your site. As your traffic grows, these restrictions become even more noticeable.
WordPress.org gives you full ownership, full customization, and full access to hosting, files, SEO tools, and advanced features. You can install any plugin, use any theme, improve speed, and manage your site without platform restrictions.
Here is a clear comparison to help you understand how both platforms differ and why WordPress.org is the better choice for long-term flexibility.
| Services | WordPress.org | WordPress.com |
| Cost | Free + hosting provider fee | The basic version is Free (Premium and Business versions are paid) |
| Domain name | Is often Free for a year depending on the hosting provider | Free for a year on the paid version |
| Hosting storage | Unlimited | 3GB |
| Monetization | Full Freedom with unlimited options | Options are very limited. No freedom |
| Branding Freedom | Full Freedom | No Freedom |
| Features and Plugins | Unlimited Features and themes | Allows plugins with only Premium plans |
| Analytics | Powerful Analytics | Allows with Premium plans and above |
| SEO features | Allows you to use the best SEO tools and plugins | Limited SEO features |
| E-Commerce store | Provides plugins for E-commerce setup | Allows set-up with the paid plan only |
So, with the above comparison, it’s quite clear that moving from WordPress.com to WordPress.org is an ideal choice for you.
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Key Differences Between WordPress.com and WordPress.org
While the table above gives a quick comparison, it’s important to dive deeper into the key differences between WordPress.com and WordPress.org. WordPress.com, though beginner-friendly, limits your customization options, control over SEO, and monetization methods unless you opt for premium plans.
On the other hand, WordPress.org offers full control over your site, with the ability to install unlimited plugins, themes, and powerful SEO tools. Additionally, you own your content entirely and can monetize your website without restrictions.
Ultimately, if you’re looking for scalability and flexibility, WordPress.org is the ideal platform as it provides a professional-grade foundation for businesses and growing websites.
Prerequisites before Migrating to WordPress.org
Before you begin the migration process, it’s crucial to have a few things prepared:
- Domain Name: If you’ve been using a custom domain name on WordPress.com, make sure you have access to your domain registrar or plan to transfer it to your new host.
- Web Hosting Provider: Choose a reliable WordPress hosting provider that supports seamless migration and offers good performance for your new site. Providers like DreamHost or Kinsta can be good starting points.
- Backup: Always back up your content and settings before migrating. This ensures that, in case of any errors, you still have your data safe.
By taking care of these prerequisites, you’ll have a smooth migration process.
How to Migrate from WordPress.com to WordPress.org?
We have prepared an easy step-by-step guide for you to seamlessly shift from WordPress.com to WordPress.org
Step 1: Export Data from WordPress.com
To migrate your content from WordPress.com to WordPress.org, export all your data from WordPress.com first.
- Sign into your WordPress blog and navigate to WP Admin
- There you will find a Tool category in your sidebar and select Export
- Select the start export option in the Export box
On the next page, make sure to select All content and click on download export file
Your file is now downloaded in a .xml format which contains all your posts and pages. Save this file in your system as it is needed in further steps
Step 2: Install and Set up WordPress
Choose a WordPress hosting service for quick installation. Most hosts install WordPress automatically when you create an account. You can log in to your hosting dashboard and access WordPress directly from there. After the installation is complete, you can move to the next step and import your content into WordPress.org.
To make your site live, update your DNS settings. Log in to your domain registrar or hosting control panel and modify the DNS records so your domain points to your new WordPress installation.
Know: How To Migrate From Joomla To WordPress
Step 3: Import Content to WordPress.org
Once you have WordPress installed on your host, you can continue to login into your WordPress Admin for your new WordPress website.
- From your WordPress admin panel, navigate to Tools> Import
- Next, you will find an official import option for WordPress. Scroll down and click on Install Now
- Your WordPress will automatically install the plugin and the link will be modified to the Run Importer option now. Click on the link to continue
- Now click on choose file, select the same XML file from your system downloaded in the first step, and click on the Upload file and import button
- WordPress will now begin with the automated process of importing all your pages and posts from WordPress.com
- However, before migrating all your content, you will get the option to choose an author to assign all your posts to
- You can either create the same author profile from WordPress.com or create a new author profile or simply just import all the content to the existing author profile
- Once you have chosen the author, make sure to Download and import the attachments to keep your posts/pages from breaking
- Finally, click on submit, and Voila, all your content is now migrated to your new WordPress.org site
Step 4: Check Your Site for Any Errors
It’s always a good idea to recheck and review your website rather than face any issues later. With the above steps, we made sure that you make a seamless migration from WordPress.com to WordPress.org. However, it’s your job to examine if all the pages, posts, and media are imported successfully to your new site.
Double-checking is crucial for discovering any missed items like images and other things so that you can go back to WordPress.com and download the things manually that you missed out on during the automated process.
Step 5: Redirect the WordPress.com site to WordPress.org
The final step after the review is to redirect your old WordPress.com site to your new self-hosted WordPress.org site. This step is important as it makes sure you do not lose any SEO or rankings of your site.
However, WordPress.com charges a certain fee to provide this service to its users. You need to pay a small fee of $13/ year and migrate your WordPress.com to WordPress.org completely. This will not only help you maintain traffic but also improve your search engine rankings.
- Go to the WordPress.com site redirected page.
- Enter your new domain name in the box, click on go and make the payment
- Once the payment is done, it will add a 301 redirect redirecting your WordPress.com blogs visitors and search engines to your new WordOress.org site
Common Migration Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
When migrating from WordPress.com to WordPress.org, several common issues can occur. Here are a few to look out for and how to avoid them:
- Missing Media Files: Sometimes, media files don’t fully transfer during migration. To avoid this, ensure you check the “Download and import file attachments” option when importing content to WordPress.org.
- Broken Links: After migration, check all internal and external links to ensure they aren’t broken. You can use a plugin like “Broken Link Checker” to scan for any issues and fix them accordingly.
- SEO Ranking Drop: If not handled properly, your SEO rankings can take a hit. Make sure to set up a 301 redirect for your old WordPress.com site to your new WordPress.org site to retain traffic and rankings.
Addressing these pitfalls in advance will help ensure a seamless and error-free transition to your new site.
Conclusion
Migrating from WordPress.com to WordPress.org gives you full control and more room to grow. Once you export your content, set up hosting, import your files, and update your domain, your site is ready to run on your new setup.
Keep an eye on your performance, security, and SEO after the move. With WordPress.org, you now have a flexible platform that can handle your growth and any features you want to add.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need hosting for WordPress.org?
Yes. WordPress.org runs on your own hosting, so you’ll need to choose a hosting provider before you set it up.
Will I lose any content when moving to WordPress.org?
No. You can export your posts, pages, media, and comments from WordPress.com and bring them into WordPress.org without losing your work.
Will this move affect my SEO?
Your SEO should stay safe as long as you keep your URLs the same and set up the right redirects after the migration.
Can I use the same domain after switching?
Yes. You can keep your domain name. Just update your DNS settings so it points to your new WordPress.org site.
Will my old themes and plugins transfer too?
No. You’ll need to install new themes and plugins on WordPress.org, but all your content will still come over.
Do I need to know coding to migrate?
No. The built-in export and import tools make the process simple, even if you’ve never touched code.
