Jekyll vs WordPress.com

Jekyll is a free, open-source tool that turns plain text into static websites and blogs. It combines Markdown, Liquid, HTML, and CSS with layouts, producing static files ready for deployment. Blog features include permalinks, categories, pages, posts, and custom layouts. A plugin system with hooks can generate content and extend builds without changing Jekyll itself. Community-maintained themes provide templates and styles, and site content can override theme files. Generated sites may be deployed manually, through automation, or with third-party services. GitHub Pages is powered by Jekyll and offers free hosting with custom domain support. Jekyll supports Linux, macOS, Windows, and self-hosted use. Installation requires Ruby 2.7.0 or higher, RubyGems, GCC, and Make. Safe mode requires explicit plugin permission through a whitelist. A volunteer core team maintains the project.

WordPress.com is a hosted website and publishing platform with managed WordPress hosting and site management through Jetpack apps for iOS and Android. It supports custom domains, custom-code theme changes, scheduled posts, memberships, blog analytics, and prompt-to-site creation. All plans include unmetered bandwidth. Paid annual plans include a custom domain free for the first year, while free sites display WordPress.com ads that the Personal plan removes. Storage ranges from 1 GB on Free to 50 GB on Business and Commerce. Paid plans list unlimited pages, posts, users, and visitors. Security includes firewalls, encryption, brute force protection, and DDoS protection. Business and Commerce include developer tools and real-time backups; Commerce also includes ecommerce tools and a WooCommerce experience. Listed annual prices are $2.75 a month for Personal, $5.50 a month for Premium, $17.50 a month for Business, and $31.50 a month for Commerce (billed every 12 months, excluding taxes).