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Head-to-head · Blog Software

WordPress.com vs Pelican

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 2 checks side by side
Higher score WordPress.com #1 in Blog Software 9.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 3 features Visit WordPress.com
Pelican #8 in Blog Software 7.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 3 features Visit Pelican

WordPress.com leads on 0 checks, Pelican on 0, and 2 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 2 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreWordPress.com · 9.3/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresWordPress.com · 1 of 3

WordPress.com scores higher on our rubric for blog software: 9.3 against 7.9 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #8.

WordPress.com is the better fit for hosted WordPress with minimal site maintenance. Pelican is the better fit for technical bloggers who prefer static publishing.

  • WordPress.com fits best

    Hosted WordPress with minimal site maintenance

  • Pelican fits best

    Technical bloggers who prefer static publishing

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature WordPress.com 9.3/10 Visit ↗ Pelican 7.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.3 7.9
Ranking #1 in Blog Software #8 in Blog Software
Best for Hosted WordPress with minimal site maintenance Technical bloggers who prefer static publishing
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free
Starting price $2.75/mo Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Desktop, Mobile Self-hosted
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Live chat, Community, Docs · 24/7 Docs
Integrations 1 integrations 6 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business
Features WordPress.com 1/3 · Pelican 0/3
Custom domain ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Post scheduling Not checked yet Not checked yet
Built-in analytics Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Content editor Not checked yet Not checked yet
Included users Not checked yet Not checked yet
Content export Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Schedules posts and includes newsletters and subscriber management
  • Handles automatic updates, SSL, malware scanning, and backups
  • Paid plans add plugins, custom domains, and expanded analytics
  • Authors can write in Markdown or reStructuredText.
  • Generates static HTML with themes, feeds, and multilingual articles.
  • Imports content from WordPress, Dotclear, or RSS.
Cons
  • Free plan uses a WordPress.com subdomain and includes 1 GB storage
  • Plugin installation and custom domains require a paid plan
  • Published paid-plan prices vary by billing term
  • Publishing requires command-line site generation.
  • You must deploy the generated files using external hosting.
  • Themes require custom code, and analytics need external services or configuration.
Our verdict

WordPress.com brings WordPress publishing into a hosted service for individuals, publishers, businesses, and organizations that want to run a site without managing hosting maintenance themselves. It supports posts and pages, future…

Read the review →

Pelican is an open-source static site generator for bloggers who want to publish from files rather than manage a hosted blog editor. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and turns Markdown or reStructuredText into static HTML pages and…

Read the review →
  1. WordPress.comBlog Software 9.3Free plan
  2. PelicanBlog Software 7.9Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • WordPress.com — where it wins

    • Schedules posts and includes newsletters and subscriber management
    • Handles automatic updates, SSL, malware scanning, and backups
    • Paid plans add plugins, custom domains, and expanded analytics

    Where it doesn't

    • Free plan uses a WordPress.com subdomain and includes 1 GB storage
    • Plugin installation and custom domains require a paid plan
    • Published paid-plan prices vary by billing term

  • Pelican — where it wins

    • Authors can write in Markdown or reStructuredText.
    • Generates static HTML with themes, feeds, and multilingual articles.
    • Imports content from WordPress, Dotclear, or RSS.

    Where it doesn't

    • Publishing requires command-line site generation.
    • You must deploy the generated files using external hosting.
    • Themes require custom code, and analytics need external services or configuration.

More comparisons

All blog software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update