29 alternatives to WordPress.com
WordPress.com is a Content Management Systems (CMS) product. The community recommends 29 alternatives: 28 open source, 29 self-hostable and 28 free to use. They are ranked by community votes, ratings and favorites, with the key differences from WordPress.com highlighted.
Last updated:
About WordPress.com
Automattic's hosted WordPress service for blogs and websites, with managed hosting, themes and plugins on paid plans.
Quick picks
All alternatives
- 0
Free, open source project aimed at the development of a high performance, feature rich weblog hosting software.
Open source · Apache-2.0Self-hostableCompared with WordPress.com
- + Open source (WordPress.com is not)
- + Self-hostable (WordPress.com is not)
- + Free to use (WordPress.com is paid)
- 0
CMS with a focus on extensible in-context editing tools.
Open source · MITSelf-hostableCompared with WordPress.com
- + Open source (WordPress.com is not)
- + Self-hostable (WordPress.com is not)
- + Free to use (WordPress.com is paid)
- 0
Extra-awesome, extra-lightweight blog engine.
Open source · BSD-3-ClauseSelf-hostableCompared with WordPress.com
- + Open source (WordPress.com is not)
- + Self-hostable (WordPress.com is not)
- + Free to use (WordPress.com is paid)
- 0
Powerful CMS that allows you to create professional websites and scalable web applications.
Open source · LGPL-3.0Self-hostableCompared with WordPress.com
- + Open source (WordPress.com is not)
- + Self-hostable (WordPress.com is not)
- + Free to use (WordPress.com is paid)
- 0
Databaseless PHP blogging platform. A flat-file CMS that allows you to create a fast, secure, and powerful website or blog in seconds.
Open source · GPL-2.0Self-hostableCompared with WordPress.com
- + Open source (WordPress.com is not)
- + Self-hostable (WordPress.com is not)
- + Free to use (WordPress.com is paid)
- 0
CMS and web application platform.
Open source · MITSelf-hostableCompared with WordPress.com
- + Open source (WordPress.com is not)
- + Self-hostable (WordPress.com is not)
- + Free to use (WordPress.com is paid)
- 0
Create complex narratives and share rich collections, adhering to Dublin Core standards with Omeka on your server, designed for scholars, museums, libraries, archives, and enthusiasts.
Open source · GPL-3.0Self-hostableCompared with WordPress.com
- + Open source (WordPress.com is not)
- + Self-hostable (WordPress.com is not)
- + Free to use (WordPress.com is paid)
- 0
Simple, flexible and useful content management system (documentation only available in German).
Open source · MITSelf-hostableCompared with WordPress.com
- + Open source (WordPress.com is not)
- + Self-hostable (WordPress.com is not)
- + Free to use (WordPress.com is paid)
- 0
Serendipity (s9y) is a highly extensible and customizable PHP blog engine using Smarty templating.
Open source · BSD-3-ClauseSelf-hostableCompared with WordPress.com
- + Open source (WordPress.com is not)
- + Self-hostable (WordPress.com is not)
- + Free to use (WordPress.com is paid)
- 0
Flexible, elegant and easy-to-use CMS.
Open source · GPL-2.0Self-hostableCompared with WordPress.com
- + Open source (WordPress.com is not)
- + Self-hostable (WordPress.com is not)
- + Free to use (WordPress.com is paid)
- 0
Author-friendly flat-file-cms with a visual markdown editor based on vue.js.
Open source · MITSelf-hostableCompared with WordPress.com
- + Open source (WordPress.com is not)
- + Self-hostable (WordPress.com is not)
- + Free to use (WordPress.com is paid)
- 0
Lightweight, mutli-user, flat-file-database Wiki engine. Create pages quickly and edit them in your Web browser using Mardown/HTML/CSS/JS. The main difference with other wiki is that you are encouraged to customize each page style individually.
Open source · AGPL-3.0Self-hostableCompared with WordPress.com
- + Open source (WordPress.com is not)
- + Self-hostable (WordPress.com is not)
- + Free to use (WordPress.com is paid)
- 0
Open-source, self-hosted CMS platform on AWS serverless (Lambda, DynamoDB, S3). TypeScript framework with multi-tenancy, lifecycle hooks, GraphQL API, and AI-assisted development via MCP server. Built for developers at large organizations.
Open source · MIT, proprietarySelf-hostableCompared with WordPress.com
- + Open source (WordPress.com is not)
- + Self-hostable (WordPress.com is not)
- + Free to use (WordPress.com is paid)
- 0
Writing software for starting a minimalist, federated blog — or an entire community.
Open source · AGPL-3.0Self-hostableCompared with WordPress.com
- + Open source (WordPress.com is not)
- + Self-hostable (WordPress.com is not)
- + Free to use (WordPress.com is paid)
WordPress.com vs. alternatives
| Service | Open source | Self-hosted | License | Pricing | Platforms | Rating | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress.com Current | No | No | proprietary | Freemium | Web / iOS / Android | — | — |
| Haven | Yes | Yes | MIT | — | — | 5 (1) | 0 |
| Antville | Yes | Yes | Apache-2.0 | — | — | — | 0 |
| Apostrophe | Yes | Yes | MIT | — | — | — | 0 |
| Automad | Yes | Yes | MIT | — | — | — | 0 |
| Chyrp Lite | Yes | Yes | BSD-3-Clause | — | — | — | 0 |
| Cockpit | Yes | Yes | MIT | — | — | — | 0 |
| Contao | Yes | Yes | LGPL-3.0 | — | — | — | 0 |
| FlatPress | Yes | Yes | GPL-2.0 | — | — | — | 0 |
| Ghost | Yes | Yes | MIT | — | — | — | 0 |
| Halo | Yes | Yes | GPL-3.0 | — | — | — | 0 |
| HTMLy | Yes | Yes | GPL-2.0 | — | — | — | 0 |
| Joomla | Yes | Yes | GPL-2.0 | — | — | — | 0 |
| KeystoneJS | Yes | Yes | MIT | — | — | — | 0 |
| Kirby | No | Yes | proprietary | — | — | — | 0 |
| Known | Yes | Yes | Apache-2.0 | — | — | — | 0 |
| Mataroa | Yes | Yes | MIT | — | — | — | 0 |
| Omeka | Yes | Yes | GPL-3.0 | — | — | — | 0 |
| PluXml | Yes | Yes | GPL-3.0 | — | — | — | 0 |
| Publify | Yes | Yes | MIT | — | — | — | 0 |
| REDAXO | Yes | Yes | MIT | — | — | — | 0 |
| Serendipity | Yes | Yes | BSD-3-Clause | — | — | — | 0 |
| Textpattern | Yes | Yes | GPL-2.0 | — | — | — | 0 |
| Typemill | Yes | Yes | MIT | — | — | — | 0 |
| Umbraco | Yes | Yes | MIT | — | — | — | 0 |
| W | Yes | Yes | AGPL-3.0 | — | — | — | 0 |
| Webiny | Yes | Yes | MIT, proprietary | — | — | — | 0 |
| WordPress | Yes | Yes | GPL-2.0 | — | — | — | 0 |
| WriteFreely | Yes | Yes | AGPL-3.0 | — | — | — | 0 |
| Zenphoto | Yes | Yes | GPL-2.0 | — | — | — | 0 |
FAQ
What is the best alternative to WordPress.com?
Community-recommended alternatives to WordPress.com include Haven, Antville, Apostrophe, Automad, Chyrp Lite, and Cockpit. Compare open source, self-hosting, pricing and platforms to choose.
Is there a free alternative to WordPress.com?
Yes. Haven, Antville, Apostrophe, Automad, Chyrp Lite, and Cockpit can be used for free; the open-source, self-hostable ones can be run on your own server at no cost.
Is there an open-source alternative to WordPress.com?
Yes. Open-source alternatives include Haven, Antville, Apostrophe, Automad, Chyrp Lite, and Cockpit.
Can I self-host an alternative to WordPress.com?
Yes. Haven, Antville, Apostrophe, Automad, Chyrp Lite, and Cockpit can run on your own server, so you keep control of your data.
Other Content Management Systems (CMS) services
Services in the same category that haven't been suggested as WordPress.com alternatives yet. If one fits, add it as an alternative.
- WWix
Drag-and-drop website builder with hosting, templates, online store and booking features.
- SSquarespace
Hosted website builder with designer templates, blogging, online store and domain management.
- CraftCMS
Content-first CMS that aims to make life enjoyable for developers and content managers alike.
Self-hostable - WWebflow
Visual web design tool and hosted CMS that produces production-ready HTML and CSS without hand coding.
- Alfresco Community Edition
The open source Enterprise Content Management software that handles any type of content, allowing users to easily share and collaborate on content.
Open sourceSelf-hostable
Know another WordPress.com alternative?
Once added, the community can vote and the best suggestions rise to the top.