When it comes to building a website in 2025, WordPress.org stands tall as one of the most popular and versatile content management systems (CMS) in the world. Used by millions of websites, from blogs and small businesses to large corporations and e-commerce stores, WordPress.org powers more than 40% of all websites on the internet.
But what exactly makes WordPress.org so special, and why should you consider using it to build your website? In this in-depth review, we’ll cover everything you need to know about WordPress.org in 2025, including its features, pros and cons, pricing, and how it compares to other platforms like Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify.
Let’s dive in and explore why WordPress.org continues to be the best choice for anyone looking to build a website, blog, or online store.
What is WordPress.org?
WordPress.org is an open-source content management system (CMS) that allows users to create and manage websites without needing to code. Unlike WordPress.com, which is a hosted version of WordPress with limited customization, WordPress.org provides complete control over your website. You install the software on your own web hosting account, giving you the flexibility to build a highly customized site, whether it’s a blog, portfolio, business website, or an online store.
Key features of WordPress.org include:
- Open-source software: WordPress.org is free to download and use. It’s maintained by a global community of developers and users.
- Self-hosted: You need a web hosting provider to install WordPress.org, but it gives you complete control over your website’s design, functionality, and data.
- Highly customizable: WordPress allows you to install themes and plugins to extend the functionality and design of your site.
If you’re looking for a flexible, customizable, and scalable platform that lets you take full control over your website, WordPress.org is likely the best choice for you.
Key Features of WordPress.org (2025)
1. Complete Design Flexibility
One of the biggest advantages of WordPress.org is the ability to customize your website’s design and functionality. Unlike other website builders that come with predefined templates and limitations, WordPress gives you the freedom to create your site exactly as you envision it.
Features:
- Thousands of themes: There are thousands of free and premium themes available in the WordPress theme repository, allowing you to choose a design that suits your needs. You can also purchase third-party themes for more advanced customization.
- Custom themes: If you have coding knowledge or hire a developer, you can create a completely custom theme to make your website unique.
- Visual page builders: Tools like Elementor, Beaver Builder, and WPBakery allow you to design pages using a drag-and-drop editor, making it easier to create complex layouts without any coding.
This level of design flexibility is why many businesses and professionals prefer WordPress.org—it allows you to build a website that looks exactly how you want it, whether that means a minimalist blog or a robust e-commerce site.
2. Wide Range of Plugins
One of the standout features of WordPress.org is its extensive plugin ecosystem. Plugins are pieces of software that add new features and functionality to your website, such as SEO optimization, social media integration, forms, security enhancements, and more.
Popular plugin categories:
- SEO: Plugins like Yoast SEO and Rank Math help optimize your website for search engines.
- E-commerce: WooCommerce is the most popular WordPress plugin for building online stores.
- Performance: Plugins like W3 Total Cache and WP Rocket can help speed up your website.
- Security: Wordfence and iThemes Security protect your site from threats and vulnerabilities.
- Forms: Contact Form 7 and WPForms help you easily create contact forms and surveys.
With over 58,000 plugins available, you can extend your website’s functionality in any way you need, making WordPress.org one of the most feature-rich website platforms available.
3. SEO-Friendly
Search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial for driving organic traffic to your website, and WordPress.org has built-in features and plugins to help you optimize your site for search engines.
Features:
- Clean code: WordPress generates clean, well-structured code that makes it easier for search engines to crawl and index your content.
- SEO plugins: As mentioned, plugins like Yoast SEO and Rank Math make it simple to add metadata, create sitemaps, and optimize individual pages for keywords.
- Customizable permalinks: You can create SEO-friendly URLs for your pages, posts, and products, which helps improve your rankings.
- Mobile optimization: Most modern WordPress themes are mobile-responsive, which is crucial for SEO as Google uses mobile-first indexing.
By using WordPress.org, you can ensure your website is SEO-friendly from the start, giving you a better chance of ranking in search engine results.
4. Built-In Blogging Platform
WordPress originally started as a blogging platform, and it remains one of the best options for bloggers in 2025. The platform makes it incredibly easy to publish blog posts, manage categories and tags, and organize content.
Features:
- User-friendly editor: WordPress comes with a block-based editor called Gutenberg that makes it easy to add and arrange content blocks (images, videos, text, etc.) in your blog posts.
- Scheduling: You can schedule posts to publish at a later date, making it easy to plan your content in advance.
- Comments: Built-in commenting system for engaging with your readers, with options to moderate comments for spam.
Whether you’re a hobbyist or a professional blogger, WordPress.org provides all the tools you need to manage and grow a successful blog.
5. E-Commerce Capabilities
Thanks to the WooCommerce plugin, WordPress.org is also a great option for building an e-commerce store. WooCommerce turns your WordPress site into a fully functional online store, allowing you to sell products, manage inventory, accept payments, and more.
Features:
- Customizable product pages: Create detailed product listings with images, descriptions, prices, and variations (size, color, etc.).
- Payment gateways: WooCommerce integrates with popular payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, and Authorize.net, so you can accept credit cards and other payment methods.
- Shipping & taxes: Set up shipping methods and tax rates based on customer location.
- Extensions: Use a variety of extensions to add more features to your store, such as advanced reporting, loyalty programs, and subscriptions.
With WooCommerce, you can build a fully functional online store with WordPress.org, making it a powerful option for e-commerce websites.
6. Security & Backups
Security is a major concern for any website, and WordPress.org provides several tools and best practices to keep your site safe.
Features:
- Security plugins: Plugins like Wordfence, Sucuri, and iThemes Security provide firewall protection, malware scanning, and brute-force login protection.
- SSL support: WordPress allows you to install an SSL certificate to encrypt your site and protect your visitors’ data.
- Backup plugins: Use plugins like UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy to create regular backups of your site, ensuring you can restore it in case of an issue.
While WordPress.org is a powerful platform, you will need to take responsibility for managing security and backups, which is something to consider when choosing it over hosted platforms.
WordPress.org Pricing (2025)
The WordPress.org software itself is free to download and use, but you will need a web hosting account to run your website. This typically includes costs for domain registration, hosting, and premium themes or plugins. Here’s an overview of what to expect in terms of pricing:
1. Web Hosting
To run WordPress.org, you need to choose a hosting provider. Popular WordPress hosts include:
- Bluehost: Starting at $2.95/month
- SiteGround: Starting at $3.99/month
- Kinsta: Starting at $35/month (for premium managed hosting)
The cost of hosting depends on the level of performance, support, and resources you need. For most small to medium-sized websites, shared hosting plans around $3-$10/month are usually sufficient.
2. Domain Name
You’ll also need a domain name (your website’s address), which typically costs between $10-$20/year. Many hosting providers offer a free domain name for the first year as part of their hosting packages.
3. Themes and Plugins
While there are many free themes and plugins available in the WordPress repository, you may want to purchase premium versions for more features and customization options.
- Premium themes: Range from $30-$100 (one-time fee)
- Premium plugins: Prices vary depending on the functionality, with some plugins costing anywhere from $20-$100 annually.
4. SSL Certificate
An SSL certificate (for HTTPS) is essential for securing your site and improving your SEO. Some hosting providers offer free SSL certificates (via Let’s Encrypt), while others charge an annual fee of **$10-$
100/year**.
WordPress.org Pros (2025)
1. Complete Control & Customization
WordPress.org offers unparalleled control over your website’s design, functionality, and data. You can customize everything from the theme to the backend code.
2. Scalability
Whether you’re running a small blog or a large e-commerce store, WordPress.org can scale with your needs. You can start small and grow your website as your business or blog expands.
3. SEO-Friendly
With plugins like Yoast SEO and built-in SEO features, WordPress.org makes it easy to optimize your content and improve your search engine rankings.
4. Huge Ecosystem
With thousands of themes and plugins, you can add virtually any feature to your WordPress website, from e-commerce to advanced forms, without needing to hire a developer.
5. Active Community
The WordPress community is vast and supportive. Whether you need advice, tutorials, or troubleshooting help, you can find resources through forums, online communities, and WordPress user groups.
WordPress.org Cons (2025)
1. Learning Curve
While WordPress.org is user-friendly, it does have a steeper learning curve compared to all-in-one website builders like Wix or Squarespace. You’ll need to manage hosting, security, and maintenance yourself.
2. Ongoing Maintenance
WordPress.org requires regular updates for themes, plugins, and the WordPress core. If not properly maintained, your site could become vulnerable to security risks.
3. Potential Costs
While WordPress.org is free, the costs of hosting, premium themes, and plugins can add up, making it more expensive than hosted website builders.
WordPress.org vs. Competitors: How Does It Compare?
- WordPress.org vs. Wix: Wix is easier for beginners and has an all-in-one solution, but WordPress.org offers far more control, customization, and scalability.
- WordPress.org vs. Squarespace: Squarespace is simpler to use but less flexible. WordPress.org wins in terms of customization and extensibility.
- WordPress.org vs. Shopify: Shopify is better for those focused purely on e-commerce, while WordPress.org is more versatile for building any type of website.
Conclusion: Is WordPress.org Right for You?
If you’re looking for a highly customizable, scalable, and feature-rich platform to build your website, WordPress.org is the best choice in 2025. It’s the ideal solution for bloggers, businesses, and anyone who wants complete control over their site’s design and functionality.
While there is a learning curve and ongoing maintenance requirements, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. Whether you’re running a personal blog, a professional portfolio, or an e-commerce store, WordPress.org provides the tools, flexibility, and community support to help you succeed.
If you’re ready to build a website with endless customization possibilities and scalability, WordPress.org is undoubtedly the platform for you.
