Brandwave

WordPress vs WordPress.com:Which is more popular?

In September 2026, WordPress.com had more branded searches than WordPress among website builders in New Zealand. WordPress.com had about 4,560 branded searches, while WordPress had 70. WordPress.com made up 5.7% of all website builder searches we track, and WordPress accounted for 0.09%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about website builders, both WordPress and WordPress.com appeared in all five answers. WordPress.com was mentioned before WordPress in every answer.

Among website builders in New Zealand in September 2026

Who do people search for more?

WordPress.com, about 65 searches for every 1 for WordPress

WordPress.com 4.6K searchesWordPress 70 searches

Who does AI mention more?

Both are mentioned in every answer we collected.

WordPress in 5 of 5WordPress.com in 5 of 5

Who does AI recommend more?

WordPress.com, named ahead of WordPress in every answer

WordPress.com first in 5WordPress never first

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Top website builders in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews

In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, both WordPress and WordPress.com showed up in all five answers. WordPress.com was listed before WordPress in every answer.

Most recommended by AI

Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.

  1. Wix1st
  2. Squarespace2nd
  3. WordPress.com3rd
  4. Rocketspark4th
  5. Shopify5th
  6. WordPress6th
  7. Webflow7th
  8. GoDaddy–
  9. Hostinger–
  10. Framer–

Mentioned by AI

Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.

  • Wix5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
  • WordPress.com5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
  • Rocketspark5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
  • WordPress5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
  • Shopify4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • Squarespace4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • Webflow2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
  • GoDaddy0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
  • Hostinger0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
  • Framer0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers

See every answer about website builders

5 answers

Not named in any answer:

Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 19, 2026.

Is WordPress or WordPress.com more popular in search?

This chart shows how often people search Google for WordPress and WordPress.com by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all ten website builders we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.

WordPress and WordPress.com among website builders in New Zealand, by month

Share of searches by month for WordPress.com, WordPress. The figures are in the table below the chart.

View monthly share of searches table
MonthShopifyWixSquarespaceGoDaddyWordPress.comHostingerWebflowRocketsparkFramerWordPress
Oct 202525.2%24.3%19.9%12.1%6.7%5.1%3.8%2.3%0.25%0.38%
Nov 202532.3%21.5%17.4%10.6%6%5.5%4.1%2.1%0.27%0.33%
Dec 202531.6%20.9%17.3%12.8%6.3%5.3%3.2%2%0.22%0.4%
Jan 202631%21%16.8%12.4%7.2%5.1%3.8%2%0.26%0.32%
Feb 202632%21.8%16.8%12.4%6.3%5%3.2%2%0.21%0.32%
Mar 202628.4%23.6%17.8%10.7%7.8%5.3%3.4%2.6%0.18%0.28%
Apr 202629.7%21.4%19.5%11.7%6.7%5.7%3%1.9%0.25%0.16%
May 202629.2%22%19%11.3%6.9%5.7%3.5%2.1%0.24%0.1%
Jun 202629.6%21.3%19.7%11.4%7.2%4.8%3.5%2.2%0.24%0.08%
Jul 202629.9%21.4%20%11.8%6.4%4.9%3%2.2%0.25%0.13%
Aug 202629.8%20.9%20.3%12%6.5%4.9%3%2.3%0.25%0.13%
Sep 202630.2%20.5%20.3%12.4%5.7%5.1%3.1%2.4%0.32%0.09%

How has the WordPress and WordPress.com comparison changed over the last 12 months?

3 findings
  • WordPress.com was ahead of WordPress in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
  • Across the 12 months ending September 2026, WordPress’ share of searches among website builders in New Zealand moved from 0.38% to 0.09%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 320 to 70.
  • Across the 12 months ending September 2026, WordPress.com’s share of searches among website builders in New Zealand moved from 6.7% to 5.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 5.6K to 4.6K.

How did search popularity change for New Zealand website builders in September 2026?

2 changes

  1. In September 2026, WordPress.com lost share of searches among website builders in New Zealand, from 6.5% to 5.7%.

  2. Estimated monthly branded searches for WordPress in New Zealand fell 78.1% over 12 measured months, from 320 to 70 in September 2026.

How are branded searches counted?

15 search terms

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using WordPress’ and WordPress.com’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.

WordPress

1 branded search term

  • wordpress website

WordPress.com

14 branded search terms

  • hosting wordpress
  • wordpress
  • wordpress blog
  • wordpress cms
  • wordpress com
  • wordpress com templates
  • wordpress developer
  • wordpress page builder
  • wordpress plugins
  • wordpress seo plugins
  • wordpress templates
  • wordpress themes
  • wordpress web
  • wordpresscom

How the Brand Demand Index is measured

Other head-to-heads among website builders

Creator with pink hair and a pink jacket

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