How does WordPress make money?

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WordPress generates revenue through a variety of methods and strategies in 2025. Here are the key ways WordPress makes money:

1. Subscription Plans

WordPress offers different subscription plans on WordPress.com, ranging from free plans with limited features to premium plans that provide additional storage, custom domains, and advanced customization options. Users can upgrade to these paid plans to access more features and remove ads from their sites.
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2. Ad Revenue

WordPress generates revenue by displaying ads on free websites. The platform takes 100% of the ad revenue from these free sites. Users can remove these ads by upgrading to a paid plan.

3. Domain Registration and Renewals

WordPress.com allows users to register and renew domain names through their platform. This service contributes to their revenue stream as users pay for domain registration and renewal fees.

4. E-commerce and WooCommerce

WordPress has a significant presence in the e-commerce space, particularly through WooCommerce, a popular e-commerce plugin. WooCommerce offers advanced subscription functionalities and other e-commerce tools, which help generate revenue through premium features and extensions.

5. Premium Themes and Plugins

WordPress offers a marketplace for premium themes and plugins. Developers can sell their custom themes and plugins through this marketplace, and WordPress takes a commission from these sales.

6. Managed Hosting Services

Companies like WP Engine offer managed hosting services for WordPress sites. These services include additional features such as security, performance optimization, and support, which users pay for on a subscription basis.

7. Freelancing and Development Services

WordPress developers can monetize their skills through freelancing, creating custom themes and plugins, or offering development services. This is a significant source of income for many WordPress professionals.

8. Affiliate Marketing

WordPress users can earn money through affiliate marketing by promoting products or services on their websites and earning commissions on sales generated through their affiliate links.

9. Selling Digital Products

Users can sell digital products such as eBooks, online courses, and other digital content directly from their WordPress sites, generating revenue from these sales.

10. Sponsored Content and Reviews

Website owners can earn money by publishing sponsored content or writing reviews for products and services, receiving payment from the sponsoring companies.

11. Donations

Some WordPress users accept donations from their audience as a way to generate income, especially if they provide valuable content or services for free.

12. Freemium Model

WordPress employs a freemium model where basic services are offered for free, but users can upgrade to premium versions for additional features and benefits. This model helps attract a large user base while generating revenue from those who opt for premium services.
By combining these various revenue streams, WordPress has established a robust financial framework that supports its operations and continued development in 2025.