Now that WordPress.com is offering website plans that include hosting, are they a better option than the other WordPress hosting options? How does WordPress.com compare with the web hosts recommended by WordPress.org? In this comparison of WordPress.com vs DreamHost, we take a detailed look at Automattic’s WordPress.com hosting plans against one of the most established WordPress hosts long recommended by WordPress.org, DreamHost. Which one is better for your websites? Let’s take a look.
Advantages of Choosing WordPress.com over DreamHost:
Advantages of Choosing DreamHost over WordPress.com:
When comparing WordPress.com to DreamHost, keep in mind that DreamHost has two different types of WordPress hosting: Shared Hosting and their DreamPress managed hosting line. There are pros and cons to both hosting types at DreamHost. The Shared Hosting is cheaper, you can host multiple websites (with the Unlimited Plan), and you get the longer 97 day money back guarantee. With DreamPress, you pay more and only get hosting for one website. However, you get advanced features such as website staging, on-demand backups, and a faster server. With WordPress.com, you get hosting for a single website, but their Business and Commerce plans include premium features similar to DreamPress.
I would give the edge to WordPress.com when comparing it to DreamHost basic WordPress hosting, and would call it a tie when comparing WordPress.com’s Business and Commerce plans to DreamPress.
In our experience, WordPress.com was superior to DreamHost for website speed and performance. Page loading times and core web vitals were more impressive with WordPress.com, as was overall site performance and structure. See some of our sample speed test results via GTmetrix below:
DreamHost has definitely improved their customer support over the years. Live chat support is included with all of their hosting plans, and we’ve had good experiences when contacting the support team.
Likewise, we’ve also been very satisfied with the support at WordPress.com. However, the chat support is automated. If you need specific help, you can submit your request and you’ll receive a response via email. For this reason, DreamHost get the advantage in this category.
Started Business: 2005
BBB Rating: A+
Data Center Location:Data Centers: Global
Price: $4 mo. – $45 mo. (Enterprise Plans also available)
Unlimited Bandwidth: Yes
Unlimited Storage: No
Email: Yes
Host Multiple Domains: No
Hosting Interface: WordPress Dashboard
Server Uptime: 99.999%
Full Refund Period: 14 Days
Dedicated Hosting Available: No
Advantages of Choosing WordPress.com:
Choose WordPress.com if:
Started Business: 1997
BBB Rating: A+
Data Center Location: Irvine, CA; Ashburn, VA; and Hillsboro, OR
Price: $2.59 mo. – $24.95 mo.
Unlimited Bandwidth: Yes
Unlimited Storage: Yes
Unlimited Email: Yes
Host Multiple Domains: Yes
Hosting Interface: DreamHost Control Panel
Server Uptime: 100%
Full Refund Period: 97 Days
Dedicated Hosting Available: Yes
Advantages of Choosing DreamHost:
Choose DreamHost if:
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