WordPress
The world's most popular open-source content management system
Founded
2003
Starting Price
$0
Category
CMS Platforms
Last updated March 24, 2026
About WordPress
WordPress is the world's most widely used content management system, powering over 40% of all websites on the internet. Originally launched as a blogging platform in 2003, it has evolved into a full-featured CMS capable of running anything from personal blogs to enterprise websites and e-commerce stores. With its intuitive Block Editor (Gutenberg), nearly 60,000 plugins, thousands of themes, and a massive global community, WordPress offers unmatched flexibility for users of all skill levels. WordPress 7.0 (2026) introduces real-time collaboration, the Abilities API for AI integration, and continued performance improvements baked into core.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Powers over 40% of all websites — the largest ecosystem of themes, plugins, developers, and community support available
- Extremely beginner-friendly with the Block Editor while remaining deeply customizable for developers
- Nearly 60,000 plugins let you add virtually any feature without writing code
- Completely free and open-source with no licensing fees — you own all your content and data
- Outstanding SEO capabilities out of the box, enhanced further by plugins like Yoast SEO and Rank Math
Key Features
Block Editor (Gutenberg)
Visual drag-and-drop content editor with reusable blocks, patterns, and full-site editing — no coding required for page layouts and design
Plugin Ecosystem
Nearly 60,000 free and premium plugins covering SEO, security, e-commerce, forms, analytics, caching, and virtually any functionality you can imagine
Theme System
Thousands of free and premium themes with full-site editing support, allowing complete visual customization of headers, footers, and templates
WooCommerce Integration
The leading open-source e-commerce plugin turns WordPress into a full online store with product management, payments, shipping, and tax handling
SEO-Friendly Architecture
Clean permalink structures, semantic HTML output, and deep integration with SEO plugins like Yoast SEO and Rank Math for comprehensive optimization
Multilingual Support
Translated into 200+ languages with plugin-based multilingual capabilities through WPML, Polylang, and TranslatePress
Pricing
Self-Hosted (WordPress.org)
$0
- Full WordPress platform
- Unlimited plugins and themes
- Complete code access and control
- Community support via forums
- Bring your own hosting
Best For
Blogs & Content Sites
Bloggers, publishers, and content creators needing a flexible platform with powerful editorial tools and SEO capabilities
Small Business Websites
Small businesses wanting a professional web presence with contact forms, booking systems, and local SEO without high development costs
E-Commerce Stores
Online retailers using WooCommerce for product management, payments, shipping, and inventory with thousands of extensions
Membership & Community Sites
Organizations building membership portals, online courses, forums, and gated content using plugins like MemberPress or LearnDash
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Best for organizations with non-technical editors who need multiple content-focused websites managed from a familiar interface at the lowest possible cost.
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Best for organizations that already run WordPress and want to upgrade their editor experience by moving to block themes - or for new sites that need the largest plugin ecosystem available.
