Title: hosting Last modified: August 18, 2016 --- # hosting * [theseeker](https://wordpress.org/support/users/theseeker/) * (@theseeker) * [20 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-1-2/) * As a total newbie, I was wondering if anyone would care to comment on the pros and cons of using the free hosting provided vs. a hosting company. Thanks! 🙂 Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 16 total) 1 [2](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-1-2/page/2/?output_format=md) [→](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-1-2/page/2/?output_format=md) * [whooami](https://wordpress.org/support/users/whooami/) * (@whooami) * [20 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-1-2/#post-351512) * You get what you pay for. Or dont. * That about sums up the differences between free and not-free. It’s really no different than anything else in life. * [iand](https://wordpress.org/support/users/iand/) * (@iand) * [20 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-1-2/#post-351513) * Free (as in WordPress.com): 1. Free 2. Maintained by someone else 3. Cannot install own themes/plugins 4. Cannot import/export posts etc * Hosting company: The inverse of the above. * [moshu](https://wordpress.org/support/users/moshu/) * (@moshu) * [20 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-1-2/#post-351514) * If you mean the hosted blogs at wordpress.com – you have limited possibilities to tweak, customize and personalize your blog. You get what they think you need. If you have your own domain and hosted with a company, you can enjoy all the features WP can offer (and all the plugins etc.). * Briefly: over at wp.com they are in control, with your own isntall you are in control. * Thread Starter [theseeker](https://wordpress.org/support/users/theseeker/) * (@theseeker) * [20 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-1-2/#post-351519) * Well, that was an easy decision, thanks a buch folks! * Thread Starter [theseeker](https://wordpress.org/support/users/theseeker/) * (@theseeker) * [20 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-1-2/#post-351522) * One additional question if you could be so kind. If I host my blog elsewhere, will people still register with wordpress to use it? Thanks * [moshu](https://wordpress.org/support/users/moshu/) * (@moshu) * [20 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-1-2/#post-351523) * Try it again. Who are the people that will use your blog? Use it for what? * Thread Starter [theseeker](https://wordpress.org/support/users/theseeker/) * (@theseeker) * [20 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-1-2/#post-351524) * Well, initially it would be for family and friends. I am thinking of creating a blog as a way to teach people things that would benefit from interactive content. I would link to the content from the blog and use it as an interface and a means to gathert request for training topics. If it goes well, anyone of course would be welcome. * Thread Starter [theseeker](https://wordpress.org/support/users/theseeker/) * (@theseeker) * [20 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-1-2/#post-351525) * Also, I have already created a few very simple web sites for some friends and their business interests so I already have an account with a pretty good hosting company. * [lunabyte](https://wordpress.org/support/users/lunabyte/) * (@lunabyte) * [20 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-1-2/#post-351526) * Yes, people would be able register to use your blog if you have your own hosting account. 😉 * Thread Starter [theseeker](https://wordpress.org/support/users/theseeker/) * (@theseeker) * [20 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-1-2/#post-351527) * The question is not would they be able to register. The question is would they register with wordpress or through some sort of process that I set up my self? Sorry for the lack of clarity! * [moshu](https://wordpress.org/support/users/moshu/) * (@moshu) * [20 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-1-2/#post-351528) * Your blog is your blog. Nobody needs to register “with WordPress”* for anything. * Whether you make it a requirement for visitors/readers to register to: a) comment on your blog b) see your blog that’s up to you. * From the moment you downloaded the WP zip package from here – you don’t have to return here ever. Same for your visitors: they don’t even have to know this site exists 🙂 * _______ * WP meaning this site * Thread Starter [theseeker](https://wordpress.org/support/users/theseeker/) * (@theseeker) * [20 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-1-2/#post-351530) * Ah, ok. Thanks much Moshu, that answers my question!! * [scaturan](https://wordpress.org/support/users/scaturan/) * (@scaturan) * [20 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-1-2/#post-351532) * yeah, moshu! 🙂 * Thread Starter [theseeker](https://wordpress.org/support/users/theseeker/) * (@theseeker) * [20 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-1-2/#post-351533) * Kind of funny that the word “blog” comes up as a spelling error in MS Word! LOL * [lunabyte](https://wordpress.org/support/users/lunabyte/) * (@lunabyte) * [20 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-1-2/#post-351534) * Quote from moshu: “From the moment you downloaded the WP zip package from here– you don’t have to return here ever. Same for your visitors: they don’t even have to know this site exists :)” * True that someone doesn’t “have” to come back. * Funny though that most of them do for more goodies and whatnot! * 😀 Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 16 total) 1 [2](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-1-2/page/2/?output_format=md) [→](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-1-2/page/2/?output_format=md) The topic ‘hosting’ is closed to new replies. ## Tags * [hosts](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/hosts/) * In: [Everything else WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/miscellaneous/) * 16 replies * 6 participants * Last reply from: [moshu](https://wordpress.org/support/users/moshu/) * Last activity: [20 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/hosting-1-2/page/2/#post-351536) * Status: not a support question ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics