And then you tried to do something simple – like make your 404 page look less like a cry for help – and boom: “Upgrade to unlock this feature.”

Excuse me?? You’re already paying.

Welcome to WordPress.com, where you’re technically online… but every time you want to make your site feel like yours, you hit a paywall. It’s like renting a flat where you can’t paint the walls or hang your own curtains.

Here’s what they don’t tell you:

WordPress.com vs WordPress.org – Feature by Feature

Monthly cost
WordPress.com: Starts cheap, gets spendy fast.
WordPress.org: Just pay for hosting – usually cheaper overall, and fewer surprises.

Themes
WordPress.com: Limited options unless you upgrade (again).
WordPress.org: Thousands of themes and full control to do your thing.

Plugins
WordPress.com: Only available on higher-tier plans.
WordPress.org: Use any plugin you want, whenever you want.

Branding
WordPress.com: Their footer, their rules – unless you pay to remove it.
WordPress.org: 100% your brand. No sneaky ads, no random logos.

Custom 404 page
WordPress.com: Upgrade required.
WordPress.org: Go wild. Make it weird. It’s your digital playground.

Overall freedom
WordPress.com: Like a tricycle with a leash.
WordPress.org: The open road, no speed limits.

Bottom line: WordPress.com = restrictions. WordPress.org = full creative control, with fewer sneaky fees.

So why are so many people on WordPress.com?

Because it sounds official. It promises “easy.” But for business owners who want a site that grows with them? It’s a dead end.

WordPress.org is the open road. No upgrade nags. No weird limits. Just you, your site, and actual freedom to make it work for your business.

And no – switching doesn’t mean learning to code or summoning the dev gods.

That’s where I come in.

I’ll rebuild your current WordPress.com site on a self-hosted WordPress.org setup – properly.

  • Keep your content
  • Match your branding
  • Add functionality that actually works
  • Remove the paywalls and platform fluff
  • And make it feel like your website again

No more surprise “upgrade to do the thing” moments.

Just a site that shows up, works hard, and doesn’t argue.

TL;DR: If your site feels like a sad little shed in someone else’s garden, it’s time to move into your own house.

Want to switch your website to WordPress.org? Let’s chat and get you moved in.