Activision’s Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile is a version of the popular console and PC shooter game which is built for smaller screens. The game was announced in September 2022. Later, in November 2022, Activision started rolling out the mobile game under a “limited release” in Australia. This game will soon be available for players of other territories as its final launch is expected to take place within the first half of this year. Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile has already been listed on App Store ahead of its release (first spotted by AppleInsider). iPhone and iPad users can now pre-order the game which is expected to be released in the App Store in May 2023. Call of Duty Warzone Mobile: Pre-order offers iPhone and iPad users who pre-order the free-to-download game before its release will receive some special rewards. This includes some in-game bonuses like — the Dark Familiar emblem, a semi-auto X12 pistol with Prince of Hell camo and the Foe’s Flame vinyl. Call of Duty Warzone Mobile: Pre-requisites for Apple devices Apple users who are interested in playing the Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile will need an iPhone or iPad with an A12 Bionic chip or later. The devices also need to boot iOS 15, iPadOS 15, or later releases to support this game. Call of Duty Warzone Mobile: Key features Just like the original game, the mobile version will also allow players to join their squadmates to fight enemies over a battle royale format. The mobile version will include the Verdansk map from the original game that will help players to understand the setting.
The battle royale format in the PC and console versions allows 100 players to join a game at once. However, the mobile edition of the game will allow 120 players. Call of Duty Warzone Mobile will also enable players to make multiple customisations to the game’s mechanics and interface. These options will help players to set the controls according to their preferences. Players can also earn XP for bonuses like weapon upgrades for the gunsmith throughout the game. These bonuses can be earned with progression and load-outs shared across other platforms. Call of Duty Warzone Mobile will also let players share friend lists to easily group up and play. The game will also offer a paid Battle Pass system that will come with added benefits.
One97 Communications-owned online payment service Paytm offers other services like ticket booking, bill payment and more. The mobile payment company has announced a new subscription to protect users against cancellation charges levied by airlines or bus operators. Customers can buy the ‘Cancel Protect’ premium which varies in cost across different bookings ranging from flights to buses. Paytm Cancel Protect premium: Price Customers can purchase ‘Cancel Protect’, starting at a premium of Rs 149 for Flight tickets and Rs 25 for Bus tickets. Paytm Cancel Protect: How it works Paytm’s Cancel Protect premium will help customers to claim a 100% refund for trips that are cancelled through Paytm at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time for flights and at least 4 hours before the scheduled departure time for buses. The company claims that with ‘Cancel Protect’, there is no cap on the refund amount and the fare will be credited instantly into the source account upon cancellation. During the announcement of the new premium plan, a Paytm Spokesperson said, “We have introduced a host of customer-friendly product features on our app that have immensely simplified the travel booking experience and addressed the needs of the Indian traveller. Our ‘Cancel Protect’ is the perfect solution for customers who are looking for a flexible and convenient way to protect their travel plans. Along with the convenience of ticketing, we offer users great deals and discounts on travel bookings, helping customers save more.”
In other news, China-based e-commerce platform Alibaba has sold its 3.1% stake in Paytm. The company sold the remaining direct stake in the mobile payments platform for about Rs 1,377 crore through block deals on NSE. According to NSE data, out of the 2.1-crore share block sold by Alibaba, about 54 lakh shares worth nearly Rs 347 crore, was bought by Morgan Stanley Asia (Singapore).
ReshaMandi is a farm-to-fashion digital platform for the natural fibre supply chain. The company has now announced a new version of the platform for its IoT device. This device will assist farmers to improve their crop quality. What is Reshamandi As a part of its overall product offering, Reshamandi provides IoT devices to farmers who have partnered with the platform. The company works with farmers to offer technical assistance in various aspects of production. Recently, the firm also launched its app for iPhone users. ReshaMandi promises to empower its stakeholders by giving them access to a wider range of business options. The company claims that the engagement witnessed by the app over the past two years has also proven the same. Resha Abhivruddhi package: What is it The Resha Abhivruddhi package, which includes the new IoT device, offers farmers monetary assurance in case of crop failure and insurance as well. So far, 85% of the total claims made by farmers have been settled, with the highest claim made by a farmer being Rs 1.8 lakhs. The company also claims to have observed a 10-15% boost in farm-level yield with farmers using the latest device. As per the company’s projections, this will rise to 25-30% in the coming days. ReshaMandi IoT device: Key features ReshaMandi’s latest device is designed to monitor the temperature and humidity of the fibre-producing crops. This device sports a TFT display and claims to consume lower power. The device also promises to offer a battery life of more than 48 hours.
It also has a dual SIM functionality that can connect to ReshaMandi’s main server and can also support multiple network providers. The company has introduced a disease detection tool in the mobile app to assist the farmers in analysing crops while sending personalised real-time advisories whenever required. With this device, farmers not only have a 30% lower chance of crop failure but also receives crop insights from additional satellite-based data. For example, Mulberry IoT devices aid healthy produce and a continuous supply of the leaves that are to be consumed by silkworms. To ensure the yield and quality, monitoring of the conditions at the farm level is of utmost importance. Therefore, the usage of the latest device will reduce the chances of crop failure. To date, over 100 mulberry farm IoT devices have been installed.
New research has uncovered some worrying findings regarding user privacy in Meta’s Virtual Reality (VR) ecosystem, the Metaverse; more specifically, that you don’t really have any.
Graduate researcher Vivek Nair led a team at the University of California, Berkley, in the largest VR study (opens in new tab) of it kind at the Center for Responsible Decentralized Intelligence (RDI (opens in new tab)), analyzing user interactions with VR to determine the levels of privacy.
Most alarming of all, it appears that minimal information is required to pinpoint the individual identities of users, making the preservation of anonymity a real challenge – if Meta and other VR firms are even interested in providing this.
Kinetic fingerprints
When it comes to VR and privacy, previous studies (opens in new tab) have focused on the myriad of cameras and microphones within them, that can recognize faces, voices and the surroundings of the user. Looking forward, privacy advocates are also worried about the emergence of advanced brain scanning technologies that can be incorporated within headsets.
But, as the UC Berkeley research shows, none of that is even needed to reveal someone’s identity – all that’s needed is simply the movement data of the user’s head and hands.
Over 50,000 subjects were studied, with over 2.5 million VR data recordings associated with them when playing the VR game Beat Saber, which requires near-constant movement from the hands and sometimes the head.
With only 100 seconds taken from this motion data, individuals could be uniquely identified with a staggering 94% accuracy, by using advanced AI analysis. What’s more, over half could be identified with only two seconds worth of data.
This means that people’s movements can be used as a unique identifier, much like a fingerprint. However, as some have pointed out, this movement data may actually be more accurate than a fingerprint, with most common devices (opens in new tab) able to correctly identify an individual out of less than 1500 others.
Moreover, such VR data can also be used (opens in new tab) to determine the dominant hand, height and even gender of the user with a high degree of accuracy. Combined with yet more data that VR systems generally collect (opens in new tab), and you have a real problem with being able to maintain any sort of privacy whatsoever.
If the Metaverse does expand to the point that Meta hopes it will, then the issue of preserving privacy will be greatly magnified. For instance, if online shopping is conducted in VR, then the store will be able to tell how you are just by how you move around its virtual shop floor.
VentureBeat (opens in new tab) spoke to Nair about the issue, and said that the problem is “the streaming of motion data is a fundamental part of how the metaverse currently works.”
Some solutions have been put forward to prevent the abandonment of user privacy in VR. One is to obfuscate the motion data as it travels to external servers. However, this would mean the introduction of noise, which could hamper the precision of VR headsets and controllers in detecting user movement, which would be a problem for games like the aforementioned Beat Saber which require these to the utmost.
Another is to enforce regulation that prevents Meta and other companies from collecting this data, but getting this through would not be easy, given how entrenched big tech companies are in harvesting all sorts of user data.
The Berkeley researchers are also looking into techniques that could be used to maintain user privacy by masking uniquely identifiable movement data without compromising the precision and effective operation of VR devices.
Popular racing game Gran Turismo 7 has received a new update (v1.29) that brings AI racer GT Sophy onto the racetrack for a limited time, starting from February 21 till March-end. The PlayStation exclusive game has also received a dedicated ‘GT Sophy Race Together’ mode (only available on PS5) through which players can race against the AI that famously beat top Gran Turismo players just a year ago. The USP of GT Sophy is its ability to learn player behavior and then employ a suitable tactic to gain the upper hand during a race. Speaking about the AI agent, developer Polyphony Digital’s president Kazunori Yamauchi said, “This evolution of AI is a symbolic moment across the 25-year history of Gran Turismo, and it’s as important as the evolution of the automotive physics simulation, which is at the heart and core of a racing game.”
How GT Sophy AI mode is different from playing against the CPU GT Sophy is an upgrade over CPU racers as the former can not only race impeccably but also use strategies, tactics, and follow racing etiquette while doing so. All in all, going up against the AI is similar to competing against an elite human player.
Image: blog.playstation.com
According to Yamauchi, “Unlike the conventional built-in AI, GT Sophy drives with continuity in a large variety of situations, which allows users to enjoy the excitement of a close battle as if they are playing against a professional racing driver. This is an important evolution even from the standpoint of racing game history. We will continue to evolve GT Sophy to realize our concept of ‘Race Together,’ where we envision providing a fun opponent for players to race against and learn from.”
More about GT Sophy Race Together mode As confirmed in Sony’s official post, the GT Sophy Race Together mode features four racing circuits set at distinct difficulty levels. Each of these race-tracks involves racing against four GT Sophy-powered cars that exhibit different levels of driving acumen. Alternatively, players can also face the AI in a one-on-one race with “identical car configurations and settings.” Furthermore, the AI can also use emoticons to react to a racing situation, thanks to the game’s new emoticon feature.
Domestic consumer electronic brand Ubon has unveiled the new PB-X35 transparent power bank. The company claims its latest product to be India’s first transparent power bank. The accessory packs a 10000mAh battery unit. Ubon also claims that this 22.5-watt power bank will help users to charge their phones faster than other ordinary power banks. Here are all the details about the new product: Ubon PB-X35 power bank: Price and availability The Ubon PB-X35 transparent power bank is priced at Rs 3,699 and is available at the company’s official website, Ubon.in. Ubon PB-X35 power bank: Key specs and features This power bank comes with twin input charging connectors (TypeC/V8) and a 2.0A output charging port. The lithium polymer battery claims to support fast charging technology as well as long battery life. This allows customers to charge two devices simultaneously. To ensure the safety of both the charger and the devices, the product also has overheating protection, short circuit protection, and overcharge protection. This allows the power bank to work with a broad variety of gadgets, including tablets, cameras, headphones, Android devices and other type C-enabled devices. Ubon PB-X35 also has a compact design that claims to fit easily inside a palm or in the carry bag that comes along with it. The transparent design gives consumers a brief look into power bank mechanisms for interested users. Furthermore, the combination of high battery capacity and small design promises to make it a good alternative for users who spend a lot of time travelling and tends to run out of battery frequently. This power bank also has a 2-in-1 Type-C USB port.
Commenting on this launch, Ubon’s MD Mandeep Arora said, “In 2023, we at UBON are committed to our promises of providing the best product at pocket-friendly prices. To live up to our promise, we have expanded our product line with the launch of the PB-X35 transparent power bank and coming soon with many versatile and stylish products from the stable of Ubon that will not only upgrade the style quotient but will also promise an unmatched quality for our young users”. He further added, “The newly launched power bank is fully loaded with features and gives a quick and safe charging experience.”
Microsoft’s gaming division Xbox has announced that it has signed a 10-year deal with Nintendo that will bring Call of Duty (COD) games on the latter’s console. Brad Smith, president and vice chairman of Microsoft, delved out the information about the pact on Twitter. “We’ve now signed a binding 10-year contract to bring Xbox games to Nintendo’s gamers. This is just part of our commitment to bring Xbox games and Activision titles like Call of Duty to more players on more platforms,” said Smith, who will be leading an 18-member delegation to save Microsoft-Activision Blizzard’s (approx,) $69 billion deal.
This marks the return of COD to Nintendo consoles after a decade-long hiatus. The last game in the first-person shooter series to come out for the Japanese gaming giant’s hardware was COD Ghosts. It was released for the Nintendo Wii U, alongside other platforms, on November 5, 2013. What the Microsoft-Nintendo deal means In his announcement, Smith shared an image that gave a brief overview of what the Microsoft-Nintendo deal will entail. One of the first things mentioned is that Call of Duty games will launch on Nintendo consoles the same day as they do on Xbox.
We’ve now signed a binding 10-year contract to bring Xbox games to Nintendo’s gamers. This is just part of our comm… https://t.co/rFCB0nr531
Moreover, the Nintendo port will be the full game and will have no content missing when compared to the Xbox port. Essentially, the console company has confirmed that there will not be any platform-exclusive goodies for COD players on Xbox Series X/S. The Xbox parent has emphasised that this approach will allow Nintendo users to “experience Call of Duty just as Xbox and PlayStation gamers enjoy Call of Duty.”
All-in for multi-platform Call of Duty games Additionally, the company asserted its strategy to release content on as many platforms as available. The announcement said, “We are committed to providing long term equal access to Call of Duty to other gaming platforms, bringing more choice to more players and more competition to the gaming market.” This has been the stance of Microsoft for a long time since it negotiated a buyout deal for COD-owner Activision.
Audio brand RØDE has revealed the fifth generation of its flagship condenser microphone, the NT1, which the company claims to be “unclippable”.
The company points to the mic’s new “32-bit float digital output” giving podcasters, vocalists, and content creators enough headroom for an up to 192kHz recording that is free from distortion. RØDE states (opens in new tab) “users can record anything from a whisper to scream… with no chance of [the] signal clipping.” At most, all you have to do is adjust the audio in a DAW (digital audio workstation) to an optimal level and you’re good to go. Additionally, the NDT1 features the company’s new Dual Connect output for both XLR and USB-C connectivity. That way, you can connect the mic to a mixer or some kind of professional audio equipment via XLR or straight to your computer via USB.
A USB microphone with the 32-bit float is a pretty big deal. The dynamic range of most USB mics hover around 16-bits, sometimes 24-bits, limiting the amount of headroom you’re given resulting in scuffed audio. It’s also helpful for those who are starting a new podcast as they’re given a bit of extra leg room to work with as they won’t have to mess with audio gain too much. The main downside of a 32-bit float is that it creates bigger files so keep that in mind with the NT1.
Professional environment
Alongside those two features, the NT1 houses a ton of other audio tools to help users establish a professional recording environment. RØDE really packed this microphone to the brim.
It comes with the company’s own Revolution Preamp tech which houses a “powerful on-board DSP for advanced APHEX audio processing” allowing users to run plugins. Tools like compressors, noise gates, or a two-step high-pass filter can be added to further enhance a recording. You even connect up to eight separate NT1 mics onto a “single computer for multitrack recording” over USB. This is possible thanks to RØDE’s own ASIO driver.
Other notable features include a HF6 gold-sputtered capsule to deliver “detailed midrange and rich bass” as well as an incredibly low self-noise level of 4 dBA. To put that into perspective, the sound normal human breathing makes is 10 dB, according to the CDC (opens in new tab).
The NT1 is currently available for pre-order for $249 (opens in new tab) and will ship out sometime in March 2023 (the announcement doesn’t say exactly when). You have a choice between black or silver in a “rugged aluminium body [with] high-grade finishes” making it resistant to scratches. In addition to the mic, you’ll be getting a shock mount, pop filter, and cables for the XLR and USB ports.
Considering what you’re getting, $250 is honestly a really good price. But if you want to shop around before buying an NT1, be sure to check out TechRadar’s list of the best USB microphones for 2023. You get classics like the Blue Yeti mic.
Experts have warned of a new information-stealing malware has been observed circulating around the dark web as it looks to gather new customers and victims alike.
Cybersecurity researchers from SEKOIA came across multiple ads, on different underground forums and Telegram groups promoting a new infostealer called Stealc.
Apparently, Stealc is not built from scratch, but is rather an upgrade to other, more popular infostealers, such as Vidar, Racoon, Mars, and Redline Stealer, having been first spotted in January 2023 but then gaining more traction the following month.
Weekly updates
Stealc was built, and is being advertised, by a threat actor going by the name “Plymouth”. It is currently at version 1.3.0, and it seems to be getting new tweaks and upgrades at least once a week.
Some of the newly added features include a C2 URL randomizer, and improved logs searching and sorting system. Stealc was also seen sparing people from Ukraine.
After further analyzing a sample of the infostealer, SEKOIA uncovered that it uses legitimate third-party DLLs, that it’s written C and abuses Windows API functions, that it’s lightweight (only 80KB), that it obfuscates most of its strings with RC4 and base64, and that it exfiltrates stolen files automatically (requiring no action from the threat actor).
SEKOIA has also found Stealc to be able to steal data from 22 web browsers, 75 plugins, and 25 desktop wallets.
Besides advertising it on the dark web, Plymouth was also busy deploying it to target endpoints (opens in new tab). One of the ways they do it is by creating fake YouTube tutorials on how to crack software, and providing a link in the description which, instead of the advertised crack, deploys the infostealer.
So far, more than 40 C2 servers were discovered, leading the researchers to conclude Stealc is growing quite popular. The popularity, they speculate, comes from the fact that crooks that can access the admin panel can easily generate new stealer samples, thus increasing its range.
SEKOIA believes Stealc can become quite popular as it can be adopted by low-level hackers, as well.
Beginners tend to confuse WordPress.com and WordPress.org, which, more often than not, leads them to choose the one which is not right for their needs. WordPress.com and WordPress.org are, in fact, two completely different website solutions offered by two different organizations.
To put it simply, WordPress.com offers a quick and free way to set up a site, with options to pay for functionality as the site and business grow. WordPress.org, on the other hand, offers advanced options and monetization from the start.
In the next few pages, we will delve deeper into the differences and similarities of both of these services to help you choose the right one for you and get you started on your journey of building an amazing website.
(Image credit: Automattic)
WordPress.com
WordPress.com (opens in new tab) is a website platform that comes with a web hosting (opens in new tab) service included in all of its plans. While not as popular or powerful as its counterpart, it aims to make the website creation process easier for beginners.
Since WordPress.com is fully hosted, users can simply sign up for an account and launch their site immediately without worrying about a hosting solution. It also provides a free website address out-of-the-box.
With WordPress.com, it’s possible to create a site at no cost and switch to a paid plan later for more resources.
Easy to manage – WordPress.com will take care of site maintenance jobs such as upgrading software, managing your web server, and securing your website.
Requires minimal effort to start a website – setting up a WordPress.com site is straightforward since it already comes with hosting and a domain name (opens in new tab).
Suitable for bloggers – WordPress.com has all tools needed to start a fully functional blog (opens in new tab), allowing users to get their site live and running in no time.
There also some negative aspects to consider before choosing WordPress.com, such as:
Ads on free websites – if you start with the free option, your site will display ads from WordPress.com, making your website look less professional. You’ll need to upgrade to a premium plan to remove these ads.
No monetization ability – users can’t monetize their site with WordPress.com’s free service unless they purchase its Premium option that costs $18/month.
Limited access to plugins – you need to choose either WordPress.com’s Business plan or a more powerful one in order to install plugins (opens in new tab) on your website.
Lack of customization options – when using the free service, you’ll have limited access to WordPress.com themes (opens in new tab) and customization options.
Restricted access to the website stats – with the free plan of WordPress.com, users can’t install Google Analytics or other tracking platforms.
WordPress.com is an excellent platform for beginners to start a website for free. However, the service is quite limited when it comes to features, even if you’re on one of its premium plans. Unlocking the more advanced features requires a Business plan, which costs $40/month.
(Image credit: WordPress.org)
WordPress.org
WordPress.org is an open-source software (opens in new tab) that’s free to download and install. This CMS is highly customizable thanks to its wide selection of themes and plugins and is fit for any type of website, from blogs to eCommerce stores (opens in new tab).
However, to use it to its fullest users need to purchase a domain name and a hosting service.
Luckily, many web hosts offer cost-effective WordPress hosting (opens in new tab) solutions. Some of them are:
Hostinger – a great performance web host with an intuitive control panel. Their WordPress hosting plans (opens in new tab) start from $1.99/month. Check out our Hostinger review (opens in new tab) for an in-depth look.
Bluehost – offers various hosting services, including WordPress hosting plans (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) that start from $2.95/month. Our Bluehost review (opens in new tab) showcases the pros and cons of using this web host.
GoDaddy – provides one-click installations for WordPress and other popular CMSs. This hosting company also offers four WordPress hosting plan options (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab), starting from ￡5.99/month. Read our GoDaddy review (opens in new tab) for more information.
Unlike WordPress.com, WordPress.org won’t display any ads on your site.
Here are more benefits of choosing WordPress.org:
Flexibility – users are free to customize their site and improve its functionality using any themes and plugins they want. People with coding knowledge can also utilize their own templates and tools.
A wide range of third-party plugins – there are thousands of tools available that integrate with the WordPress.org software, supporting or expanding such features as lead generation (opens in new tab), SEO (opens in new tab), and email marketing (opens in new tab).
Monetization – unlike WordPress.com, WordPress.org lets you run ads and sell products directly from your website.
Supports scripts – WordPress.org users can add tracking scripts like Google Analytics on their site without limitations. This is a great advantage for those who want to use their site metrics to make data-driven decisions.
Before starting with WordPress.org, ensure you consider these aspects as well:
Purchase a hosting service – it’s essential to look for a web host if you want to use this self-hosted platform. Thankfully, many hosting providers offer affordable and beginner-friendly plans, coupled with a one-click WordPress installation option and support.
Responsible for website maintenance – WordPress.org users are responsible for their own backups and updates.
Although it might take longer to create a website with WordPress.org software, this platform offers more flexibility to build any kind of site you want.
Which one to choose?
Both WordPress.com and WordPress.org offer robust features, but the right platform for you depends on your website’s goals, budget, and skill set.
Let’s compare WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org based on their pricing, features, platform flexibility, security, ease of use, support, and monetization options.
Price
An important factor to look out for when picking your future website software is the price – it’s crucial to ensure that your budget can cover the upfront costs and long-term fees of using the platform.
People who want to spend little to no money on their sites can start with WordPress.com’s free plan – they will get up to 3 GB of disk space and a domain name with the .wordPress.com subdomain.
However, this option comes with WordPress.com’s branding ads, and users have to purchase a premium plan to remove them.
WordPress.com’s premium options for regular websites cost between $9-$70/month. All of these paid options include a free custom domain name during the first year.
The cheapest plan offers 6 GB of storage space, no branding ads, and the ability to upload audio files.
WordPress.com also offers plans for enterprises that start at $25,000/a year. These options include a content delivery network (CDN (opens in new tab)) hourly backups, and a GitHub repository.
As for using WordPress.org, you’ll need to look for a domain name and a web hosting provider (opens in new tab) before getting started.
(Image credit: Hostinger)
If you go with a popular web hosting company, such as Hostinger (opens in new tab), the prices will be lower than the WordPress.com premium plan
Hostinger’s WordPress hosting solutions range from $1.99-$9.99/month. With its lowest-tier plan, users will get 50 GB of storage space, 24/7 live chat support, and free WordPress themes and plugins.
It’s also possible to purchase a custom domain name from Hostinger, making it more convenient to keep and manage your hosting and domain registration in one place.
A custom domain name usually costs between $0.99-9.99/year. But users can get a free domain if they opt for Hostinger’s WordPress Starter plan that costs $2.99/month.
With WordPress.org, you’re free to start with the basic hosting plan and only upgrade it when your site grows and needs more resources.
If you’re a beginner and looking for a way to start a website for free, WordPress.com can be a good choice. However, if you intend to build a business website or any other large personal project without going over your budget, consider choosing WordPress.org.
Features
When picking a website platform, look for a service that will provide you with all the necessary features for your project, such as customization options, analytics, and SEO tools (opens in new tab).
WordPress.com, for example, comes built-in with the essential features to build a fully functioning blog.
(Image credit: Automattic)
Its free plan also includes Jetpack (opens in new tab), plenty of free themes to choose from, and the ability to make simple changes on your WordPress site template.
However, you’ll need to upgrade to WordPress.com’s Premium plan to access more templates and advanced design customization.
Unlike WordPress.com, WordPress.org lets you fully customize a website regardless of the hosting plan you choose. Using this platform, you’re able to modify your site through code and plugins and make full use of the best WordPress themes (opens in new tab) available on the internet.
WordPress.org users can also install and use Google Analytics straightaway to track site metrics like bounce rate, time spent on pages, and conversion rates.
Meanwhile, Google Analytics isn’t available on WordPress.com’s free plan and lowest-tier premium plan.
Both WordPress.com and WordPress.org have the same high-quality SEO performance. However, WordPress.org gives you more flexibility to make manual changes to improve your site’s SEO, thanks to the many plugins available.
It’s worth noting that WordPress.com only includes advanced SEO tools on its Business, eCommerce, and VIP plans.
With WordPress.org, users can customize and add tools to their sites from the start. On the other hand, WordPress.com requires web owners to upgrade to a higher plan to acquire more features and customization options.
Platform flexibility
Another difference between WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org is how each platform extends a site’s functionality.
With WordPress.org, you have full access to the code that powers this software, allowing you to create custom tools or implement any extra functionality to fit your needs.
(Image credit: CreativeMinds)
The self-hosted WordPress.org also lets you install the best WordPress plugins (opens in new tab) to enhance your site’s performance. It’s also possible to use other free and premium third-party plugins from websites such as CreativeMinds (opens in new tab).
On the flip side, plugins are only accessible on WordPress.com’s Business, eCommerce, and VIP plans.
For a simple website or blog, the built-in features of WordPress.com’s free, Personal, and Premium plans might suffice.
However, for those who want the freedom to modify their site without any additional payments, WordPress.org is the go-to choice.
Security
To ensure that your site is safe from malware and other cyber attacks, pick a platform that offers security tools out-of-the-box.
With WordPress.com, web owners won’t need to worry about any maintenance issues, as they will be automatically taken care of.
Moreover, users can’t access and modify their web server configuration, helping to protect their WordPress.com site from security risks.
WordPress.com also includes a pre-built SSL certificate (opens in new tab) on all of its plans, which will protect the site’s data and its visitors’ personal information.
WordPress.org’s system is also secure by default. However, users are responsible for updating the software regularly and taking care of backups on their own.
Thankfully, users can install some of the best WordPress security plugins (opens in new tab) to help with most security tasks.
Moreover, many hosting providers provide additional security features that help protect your WordPress site. For instance, Hostinger’s WordPress plan includes weekly backups, a free SSL certificate, and the Cloudflare DNS Firewall (opens in new tab) to safeguard a website from DDoS attacks (opens in new tab).
Using WordPress.com means your site will be secure and easy to maintain from the start. However, WordPress.org gives more options to secure your website further.
Ease of Use
A website platform should also be easy to use, ensuring that anyone can build a website without having to master its intricacies and spend hours coding.
WordPress.com and WordPress.org offer a similar user experience and page builders for content creation. The difference is that setting up a WordPress.com site is quicker than starting a WordPress.org website.
With WordPress.com, users simply need to create an account from this platform’s official homepage. Then, they can pick a template from a collection of pre-made themes, make a few changes, and start adding content to the site right away.
Meanwhile, setting up a site with the WordPress.org software requires more steps, including registering a custom domain name and choosing a hosting plan.
Fortunately, many hosting companies like Hostinger provide a one-click installer, allowing users to install and create a WordPress.org site quickly.
WordPress.com is an excellent platform for those who want a hassle-free way of setting up a website. If you pick the right hosting provider, however, it should be as easy to create a website with WordPress.org.
Support
Support is another critical aspect to discuss when comparing WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org – it determines how fast and efficiently a user can get help when facing a problem.
WordPress.com offers different types of support for each of its plans. With the free service, users can only ask for help on the WordPress community forums (opens in new tab).
Those who sign up for any of the WordPress.com premium plans will be able to access the email support. However, gaining assistance via the 24/7 live chat support will require upgrading to WordPress.com’s Business plan.
On the other hand, WordPress.org offers no direct support from the platform itself. Instead, it provides a community support forum (opens in new tab) and extensive documentation (opens in new tab).
WordPress.org users can also get help from their web hosting provider. For instance, Hostinger offers 24/7 support via email and live chat, ready to lend a helping hand whenever you need them.
Other than that, users can learn from the many resources on the internet covering WordPress.org topics (opens in new tab).
Those who are new to web development should consider using WordPress.org and picking a hosting provider with a support team that is available anytime. The open-source platform also has a large support community, offering a lot of self-help resources.
Monetization Options
If you want to generate income from your site, it’s crucial to choose a platform that offers several monetization options.
With WordPress.com, the choices to make money from a website are limited. Users on free and Personal plans can’t monetize their sites at all.
WordPress.com also places its ads on free sites without sharing the earnings with the web owners.
(Image credit: BuySellAds)
To integrate with monetization tools like Google AdSense and BuySellAds (opens in new tab), users also have to upgrade to the Premium plan at a minimum.
Before you get to sell online, it’s also essential to sign up for WordPress.com’s eCommerce plan. This option lets you accept payments in over 60 countries, sell unlimited products, and integrate with top shipping carriers.
In contrast, the self-hosted WordPress version allows you to monetize your site in any way without restrictions, from selling physical items to embedding referral links into blog content.
Although it’s possible to make money online (opens in new tab) with WordPress.com, it’s much more efficient to use WordPress.org when building an online store or selling ad space on a website.
Which do we recommend?
Knowing the differences between WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org is crucial for deciding which platform to choose for your online presence.
In the end, the right choice will come from knowing your goals, budget, and skill set to determine which platform is the right choice for you. If you’re looking for great customization options and the ability to build any website that you imagine, then WordPress.org is the right choice for you. If you lack the technical knowledge and are looking to build a site using ready-made templates without worrying about the budget too much, then WordPress.com is your go-to platform.
Also check out our complete list of the best web hosting (opens in new tab) services
