WordPress
The open-source CMS behind a huge share of the web
Best for: Content-heavy sites, blogs and businesses that want full ownership and no platform lock-in.
- Pricing
- Free software; hosting from around £5/month
- Free trial
- Free to install; WordPress.com has a free tier.
- Platforms
- Web, iOS, Android
- Mobile apps
- Official mobile apps for writing and moderating content.
- AI features
- AI features arrive through plugins and hosts rather than core, including content assistants and Jetpack AI.
- Integrations
- 6+ integrations
- Support
- Community forums and documentation for self-hosted; paid support via hosts and WordPress.com.
- Best for
- Content-heavy sites, blogs and businesses that want full ownership and no platform lock-in.
- Founded
- 2003
- Company size
- Open-source project plus Automattic
- Headquarters
- Global, distributed
- Brand
- WordPress
What is WordPress?
WordPress is the open-source content management system powering a large share of all websites. The self-hosted software is free, with themes, plugins and hosting bought separately, while WordPress.com offers a managed hosted version.
The Slick Media verdict
Still the most flexible way to publish on the web, provided someone takes responsibility for maintenance and security.
AI summary
WordPress is the open-source content management system powering a large share of all websites. The self-hosted software is free, with themes, plugins and hosting bought separately, while WordPress.com offers a managed hosted version. Still the most flexible way to publish on the web, provided someone takes responsibility for maintenance and security.
Why choose WordPress
Choose WordPress when you want to own your site outright and grow it without platform limits.
Key features
Pricing
The software is free. Costs come from hosting, premium themes, plugins and maintenance. WordPress.com sells managed plans monthly.
Who WordPress is for
Content-heavy sites, blogs and businesses that want full ownership and no platform lock-in.
- Blogs and content sites
- Business websites
- Membership sites
- Ecommerce via WooCommerce
Pros and cons
Pros
- No licence cost and no lock-in
- Vast plugin and theme ecosystem
- Excellent for SEO and content publishing
- Easy to hire developers for
Cons
- You are responsible for updates, backups and security
- Plugin conflicts can break a site
- Performance needs active management
- Block editor still divides opinion
WordPress integrations
- WooCommerce
- Yoast SEO
- Elementor
- Mailchimp
- Stripe
- Zapier
WordPress alternatives
Ratings and reviews
Ratings are set by the Slick Media editorial team. Member reviews are coming soon; save WordPress to be notified when they open.
About WordPress
The world’s most popular website builder. 40% of the web is built on WordPress.
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