What you need to know...
Don't choose WordPress.com (for your hosting with "Wordpress" installed) - it costs more, limits your options, and you get below average support. It's also annoying and confusing that WordPress.com is NOT "Wordpress" the software.
The FREE, open source, full WordPress (Content Maanagement System) is available for all websites, to run on any hosting platform/server - and that includes all websites developed by Two Lucky Ducks. It's a solid and very widely used "foundation layer" of software.
However, the standard "Wordpress Gutenberg editor" is very basic and cumbersome (it sucks) - so we build all our website with PRO Theme and Cornerstone editor (installed "on top of WordPress"). PRO/Cornerstone are cutting edge, super powerful and flexible website development tools (also with a range of free plugins/add-ons) - and Two Lucky Ducks provide you with an free agency licence.
There are much better hosting options than WordPress.com (which cost over $450 a year just to be able to install whatever plugins we want to), and we can also manage your hosting and website software (including WordPress) and all updates for you.
WordPress.com is not WordPress CMS - Understanding the difference
WordPress.com (the hosting company, owned by Automattic.com) and the free, open source "WordPress" Content Management Sytstem (as used by Two Lucky Ducks) are not the same thing.
This confusion is common....
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WordPress.com hosting with WordPress CMS installed = overpriced, limiting (premium fees for plugins / full control), not Australian owned, crappy support and annoying!
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Using the free open-source WordPress (the CMS), as Two Lucky Ducks does - allows for full control and flexibility (using any plugin, add on, configuration we want), and the ability for us to scale your site or business in any way you want.
- The branding is almost identical, but the business models are very different.
WordPress.com is has you pay for hosting and pay extra for using all the features of "WordPress" (the Content Management System).
whereas...
Two Lucky Ducks installs the free, full, open source and unrestricted "WordPress" (Content Management System) on a host of your choice (and then manages, maintains, and updates it for you as needed).
PRO Theme + Cornerstone vs Gutenberg: We use "WordPress" as the foundations, but the standard "Wordpress Gutenberg editor" is very basic and out-dated. We never use it, and instead provide you with a free Agency licence for PRO Theme and Cornerstone editor (cutting edge, super powerful and flexible website development software, and range of free plugins/add-ons) and that is what we build your website with.
- We can still use all WordPress.com / written by www.automattic.com products or plugins. You do not have to have hosting with WordPress.com to do so. A WordPress.com account can be easily created for free, just for the purpose of using and integrating with those WordPress.com / Automattic.com plugins or specific services, if you want to pay for and use them (eg. Jetpack, Askimet).
- WooCommerce (for online stores) is written by Automattic.com, but comes free with Two Lucky Ducks websites (as it's free with PRO Theme, that we use).
- Some people start on WordPress.com (the hosting company) thinking they’re using “WordPress,” only to discover the limitations, cost and annoyances later. If you are in this situation, no worries at all!
We can get you migrated (for free) off WordPress.com hosting / domain registration over to much better, cheaper, Australian based hosting with full, unrestricted "Wordpress" (and PRO / Cornerstone) installed. - If you already have WordPress.com hosting, want to keep your hosting there, and want a new website developed - that's totally fine as well.