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I can’t tell you how many creators I’ve spoken with who feel trapped on Substack. It’s incredibly easy to get started, but that simplicity comes at a cost. As soon as you want to change a font, create a custom landing page, or add more advanced features, the platform’s limitations become frustrating fast.
And those limitations go beyond design. The deeper issue is control. On Substack, you don’t own your content, can’t control how you earn, and have limited access to your own subscribers.
That’s why so many creators are making the switch to WordPress. It gives you a lot more control over your design, monetization, and subscriber list.
After helping dozens of writers migrate from Substack to WordPress, I’ve developed a straightforward process that makes it manageable. The freedom and flexibility you’ll gain are well worth the effort.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the entire process: moving your posts, importing your email list, setting up a powerful email system, and launching your new newsletter without losing momentum.
Many creators switch from Substack to WordPress because it offers more control, flexibility, and monetization options. With WordPress, you can fully customize your site, own your email list, and add features like paid memberships, online courses, and digital product sales—all without platform fees.
Substack does a great job of marketing itself as the simple, all-in-one solution for newsletter creators. It lets you start publishing in minutes and handles the technical details for you.
But that initial convenience eventually becomes a major restriction. As your newsletter grows, you’ll reach the limits of what Substack can do.
The biggest issue is the lack of control, which means your newsletter ends up looking like everyone else’s. You can’t customize signup forms, build unique landing pages, or adjust the layout to match your brand.
Plus, there’s the challenge of monetization. Substack takes a 10% cut of every paid subscription, which adds up quickly.
You’re also locked into their subscription model, which means you can’t sell courses, digital products, or add other revenue streams directly to your site.
And ultimately, Substack controls your relationship with your audience. You can export your list, but the platform dictates how your content is delivered and what analytics you can access. With WordPress, you’re in the driver’s seat.
For full details, see our comparison of Substack vs. WordPress.
Migrating your newsletter might sound intimidating, but it’s easier than you think. I’ll break it down into clear, manageable steps.
Here’s a quick overview of what we’ll do together:
By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have a professional newsletter platform that you fully own and control.
The first step is to set up the WordPress website that will serve as the new destination for your content.
To do this, you’ll need two things: a domain name and WordPress hosting. While the WordPress software is free, hosting is where your website’s files are stored online.
I always recommend Bluehost to new users. They are an officially recommended WordPress host, their support is excellent, and they make setup incredibly simple. Plus, they offer WPBeginner readers a special deal that includes a free domain name for the first year.
Alternatives: If you’d rather explore other options, Hostinger and SiteGround are also great choices. I’ve used both on other projects and had good experiences.
To get started, head over to the Bluehost website and click the ‘Get Started Now’ button.
On the next screen, you’ll choose a hosting plan.
For most newsletter sites, the Basic plan has everything you need. You can always upgrade later if your needs grow.
After that, you’ll set up your domain name, and this part is important.
If you’re starting with a brand new domain, you can claim your free domain now by typing it into the ‘Create a new domain’ box.
But if you already have a custom domain connected to your Substack site (like mynewsletter.com), choose ‘I’ll create my domain later.’ This avoids any downtime while you complete the migration.
Why set up your domain later? 🤔 If you point your custom domain to WordPress too early, your Substack site will go offline before everything is moved over. I’ll show you exactly when and how to update it later in this guide.
After you finish signing up, Bluehost will automatically install WordPress for you.
Just log in to your Bluehost account, find your new site, and click the ‘Edit Site’ button. That will take you straight to your WordPress dashboard.
If you’re using a different host or want more guidance on this part, check out our full guide on how to install WordPress.
To import your posts from Substack, you’ll need to install two free plugins. The main one is the Substack Importer, but it relies on a core tool called the WordPress Importer to work correctly.
It might sound a little technical, but I’ll walk you through the fastest way to get it set up.
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Tools » Import. At the bottom of the list, you’ll see ‘WordPress.’ Just click the ‘Install Now’ link.
Once it finishes installing, the link will change to ‘Run Importer.’
Here’s an important step: click ‘Run Importer’ now, even though you’re not uploading anything yet. This activates the tool so the Substack Importer works later. If you skip it, you’ll get an error.
After that, you’ll land on the importer’s upload screen—but you can ignore that for now. We’re ready to install the next plugin.
Next, you need to install the Substack Importer plugin, which will handle the specific format of your Substack export. For detailed instructions, you can see our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
Because you have already activated the main WordPress Importer tool, this plugin will install correctly without any issues. Your site is now fully prepared to import your Substack content, which I’ll show you how to do in Step 4.
Now, we need to go back to Substack one last time to download all of your content. This includes your posts, drafts, and your subscriber list.
You need to log in to your Substack account and go to your publication’s dashboard. Once there, you should click on ‘Settings’ in the top menu and scroll down until you find the ‘Export’ section.
You will see an option to ‘Export your data’. Go ahead and click the ‘New export’ button.
Substack will create a .zip file for you to download that contains all of your posts and images. This zip file will also contain a CSV file with your subscribers’ email addresses and other information. It may take a few minutes if you have a lot of content.
When the export file is ready, you will be notified by email, and you can click the ‘Download’ button to save it to your computer. This file is one of your most valuable assets, so save it somewhere safe.
Now for the exciting part! Let’s move your content onto your new WordPress website. Thanks to the plugin you installed, this process is mostly automated.
Go back to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to Tools » Import. You should now see ‘Substack’ in the list of available importers.
Click the ‘Run Importer’ link below it.
The plugin will ask you to upload the file you got from Substack. Click ‘Choose File’ and select the .zip file containing your post export.
The plugin also provides an optional field to enter your Substack URL. This can help with importing comments and author details, but you can leave it blank if you want.
Then, click ‘Upload file and import’.
On the next screen, you’ll be asked to assign an author for the imported posts. You can create a new author or assign them to your existing WordPress user account.
Before you continue, make sure to check the box next to ‘Download and import file attachments.’
This is an important step that tells WordPress to save all the images from your Substack posts to your new website, so nothing gets left behind.
Click ‘Submit’ to begin. The importer will now work its magic, creating new WordPress posts for each article from your Substack file. This might take a few minutes.
Once it’s finished, go to Posts » All Posts. You should see all of your Substack articles right there in WordPress! Take a moment to click on a few and make sure the content and formatting look correct.
WordPress doesn’t send email newsletters by default, which is a major difference from Substack.
Instead, you need a dedicated email marketing service to manage your subscribers and send your newsletters. This gives you far more power and flexibility.
I recommend using Constant Contact. It’s incredibly beginner-friendly, integrates perfectly with WordPress, and offers powerful features like automation and analytics that go way beyond Substack.
With Constant Contact, you can segment your audience, A/B test your subject lines, create beautiful landing pages, and see detailed reports on who opens and clicks your emails.
First, you’ll need to sign up for a Constant Contact account. Once you’re in, you need to create a new email list for your subscribers.
Then, you can easily connect your WordPress website to Constant Contact using the WPForms plugin. It’s the best form builder for WordPress and lets you create beautiful newsletter signup forms that automatically add new subscribers to your Constant Contact list.
We have a complete, step-by-step guide on how to add email subscriptions to your WordPress blog. This tutorial will walk you through setting up Constant Contact, creating a signup form with WPForms, and placing it on your new website.
It’s time to move your most important asset: your subscribers. This step requires care to ensure a smooth transition for your readers.
Important: Before you import any contacts, I strongly recommend sending one final email from your Substack account. You should let your audience know about the move, explain the benefits, and tell them to look out for emails from your new system. This is a key step for maintaining trust and ensuring your new emails don’t get marked as spam.
You need to log in to your Constant Contact account. Then, go to the ‘Contacts’ section and look for the ‘Add Contacts’ button.
You’ll see an option to upload from a file, as you see in the screenshot below.
First, you’ll need to unzip the export file you downloaded from Substack. Inside, look for the CSV file containing your subscribers. The filename will usually be something like email_list.your-publication-name.csv.
Constant Contact will guide you through mapping the columns (like matching the ’email’ column to the email field). Add these subscribers to the new list you created.
Remember, you should only email people who have given you permission. That final email you sent from Substack is a great way to respect your audience and remind them they signed up.
Once they’re imported, I recommend creating a simple welcome email sequence in Constant Contact to re-engage them on the new platform.
With your content and subscribers moved, you’re ready to make your new WordPress site live on your official domain. The steps depend on how you set up your domain in Step 1.
You’re all set!
Bluehost automatically pointed the domain to your WordPress site, so you don’t need to do anything else.
Now is the time to point it to your new host. You’ll do this by changing the domain’s nameservers.
You need to find the nameservers for your new host (for example, for Bluehost, they look like ns1.bluehost.com and ns2.bluehost.com).
Log in to your domain registrar (the company where you bought the domain, like Namecheap or GoDaddy) and find the DNS or nameserver settings. Now, you need to replace the old nameservers with the new ones from your web host.
Our guide on how to change domain nameservers shows you exactly how to do this with screenshots.
After you save your new nameservers, it can take a few hours for the change to update across the internet. This waiting period is called DNS propagation, and it’s perfectly normal.
This final technical step is crucial for preserving your SEO and preventing visitors from hitting ‘404 Not Found‘ errors.
First, we want to make sure your new WordPress URLs are clean and SEO-friendly.
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Settings » Permalinks. Select the ‘Post name’ option and click ‘Save Changes’.
This creates simple URLs like yoursite.com/post-title, which are good for WordPress SEO.
Now, WordPress ‘Post name’ permalinks are very similar to the URLs that Substack creates for your posts. That will make it much easier to redirect the old post URLs to the new ones.
Next, you need to make sure that anyone visiting your old Substack post links will be sent to the right page on your new WordPress site. This is called a redirect, and it’s very important for SEO and user experience.
The good news is that Substack uses a consistent URL structure for posts, like yourdomain.com/p/post-name. Because your new WordPress posts will have a similar URL (yourdomain.com/post-name), you can set up a single rule to redirect all of your old posts at once.
The easiest way to do this is with the free Redirection plugin. First, install and activate the plugin. Then, go to Tools » Redirection in your WordPress dashboard.
Now, you just need to add one new redirect rule.
In the ‘Add new redirection’ section, you need to fill out the fields like this:
Login^/p/(.*)$/$1After you enter the URLs, check the ‘Regex’ box. This is a very important step that tells the plugin to use the special rule.
Then, just click the ‘Add Redirect’ button.
This single rule automatically finds any link that starts with /p/ and redirects it to the same URL without the /p/.
For example, a link to yourdomain.com/p/my-first-post will now automatically go to yourdomain.com/my-first-post. This saves you from having to create redirects for every single post by hand.
Pro Tip: If you’re using the All in One SEO (AIOSEO) plugin to boost your rankings, it has a powerful Redirection Manager built right in. It makes this process even easier and is a must-have tool for any serious website owner.
While this regex rule will redirect most of your posts, it’s a good idea to double-check for any that might have been missed. Sometimes, WordPress will change a post’s URL slug during the import process to avoid duplicates.
For example, if you had two Substack posts with similar titles, then WordPress might change one of the new URLs to something like /my-post-title-2. The regex rule wouldn’t catch this specific case.
Luckily, the Redirection plugin makes it easy to find these broken links.
From your WordPress dashboard, go to Tools » Redirection and then click on the ‘404s’ tab. This page will log any time a visitor tries to go to a page on your site that doesn’t exist.
If you see an old Substack URL in this log, it means the redirect for that specific post didn’t work. You can simply hover over the 404 error in the list and click ‘Add redirect’ to create a manual redirect for it.
For detailed instructions, see our guide on how to easily track 404 pages and redirect them in WordPress.
All the technical work is done. Now for the fun part: choosing a professional theme to give your new site its look and feel.
Your WordPress theme controls the entire look and feel of your site. I recommend choosing a theme that is clean, readable, and fast so that it provides a great user experience for your readers.
For newsletter creators, themes like Sydney or GeneratePress are excellent choices because they are lightweight and highly customizable.
Then, just follow our guide on how to customize your WordPress theme to get the exact design you want.
You can also create a custom homepage to welcome new visitors and prominently feature your newsletter signup form.
To build trust with your readers, it’s also a good idea to add a few essential pages to your site. This makes your newsletter feel more professional and established.
I recommend creating:
Once these pages are in place and you’ve tested that your site is working correctly, it’s time for the final step: setting up your newsletter and announcing your move.
One of the best things about moving to WordPress is that you have full control over your income. Instead of paying Substack’s 10% fee, you only pay standard payment processor fees, which means you keep more of your money.
To monetize your WordPress content, you’ll need a membership plugin. I recommend MemberPress because it’s the most powerful and easy-to-use option on the market. It lets you restrict access to your content so that only paying subscribers can view your premium newsletter posts.
Once you install MemberPress, you can create different subscription levels, just like on Substack. For instance, you could offer a monthly plan and a discounted yearly plan.
To get started, you can follow our step-by-step guide on how to create a paid newsletter in WordPress. It will walk you through everything from setting up MemberPress to creating your subscription plans.
But with WordPress and MemberPress, you can go far beyond a simple paid newsletter. You can also:
This flexibility allows you to build a true membership business around your content, not just a newsletter.
For more options, you can see our guide on how to make money in WordPress.
Once you are all set up, you can send an email to your subscribers welcoming them to the new website.
Be sure to highlight the benefits of the move, like a better reading experience or new features you’ve added. This is a great way to celebrate the transition and get your readers excited about the future of your newsletter.
Congratulations on moving your newsletter to WordPress! You now have a powerful platform that can grow right along with your business.
While WordPress is powerful, you don’t need to learn everything at once. We have plenty of free resources to help you master the basics and get comfortable.
Here are the best free resources our team has created for beginners:
The more you use WordPress, the more comfortable you’ll become. Before you know it, you’ll be wondering how you ever managed with Substack’s limitations.
I’ve walked you through all the steps to move from Substack to WordPress. But I know this process can feel like a lot, especially when you’d rather focus on creating content.
If you want to save time and avoid the technical details, then letting an expert handle the migration is a great option.
Our team at WPBeginner can do all the heavy lifting for you. Our Professional Services team will handle the entire migration, from transferring your content and subscribers to setting up your new design. This way, you can focus on writing while we take care of the rest.
Another excellent and reliable service for website migrations is Seahawk Media Services. Their team of WordPress experts can also help you make a smooth transition from Substack.
Using a professional service ensures everything is moved over correctly, giving you peace of mind and a new WordPress site that’s ready to go.
I know that making a move like this can bring up a lot of questions. To help you out, I’ve compiled answers to some of the most common questions I hear from creators who are making the switch from Substack to WordPress.
Will I lose my subscribers when I migrate from Substack?
No, you will not lose your subscribers. Substack allows you to export your entire subscriber list as a CSV file, which you can then import into an email marketing service like Constant Contact. It’s important to email your list before you move to let them know about the change.
Can I keep my custom domain name when moving to WordPress?
Yes, absolutely. If you have a custom domain connected to Substack, you can point it to your new WordPress hosting provider. Step 7 in this guide shows you exactly how to do that without any downtime.
Is migrating to WordPress expensive?
The initial cost involves web hosting, which can start at just a few dollars per month.
While Substack is free to start, its 10% cut of your revenue becomes far more expensive than WordPress hosting as soon as you start making money. With WordPress, you control your costs and keep 100% of your revenue.
Do I need to be a technical expert to use WordPress?
Not at all. While WordPress is more powerful than Substack, it’s designed to be user-friendly. If you can write a post in Substack, you can write a post in WordPress.
For everything else, there are tons of free resources, including our free WPBeginner videos and our blog tutorials, to guide you.
I hope this tutorial helped you successfully migrate from Substack to WordPress. You now have complete control over your newsletter, from design and functionality to subscriber relationships and monetization options.
We also have an ultimate WordPress migration guide, and you can get inspired by browsing our expert list of popular sites using WordPress as a CMS.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
The post How to Migrate From Substack to WordPress in 10 Easy Steps first appeared on WPBeginner.
If you’re trying to choose between WordPress and Laravel for your next website, you’re not the only one.
Both platforms are popular, but they serve very different purposes. WordPress is beginner-friendly and great for getting a site online quickly. On the other hand, Laravel offers more customization and control, but only if you’re comfortable writing code.
Having worked with both platforms, I’ve found that the right choice really depends on your project and how comfortable you are with code.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the key differences between WordPress and Laravel to help you figure out which one fits your needs best.
Choosing between WordPress and Laravel is one of the first decisions you’ll need to make when building a website. You can use both platforms to create websites, but they are designed for different tasks.
I’ve put together this simple table that compares the key features of WordPress and Laravel side by side.
| Feature | WordPress | Laravel |
|---|---|---|
| 🎯 Main Use | Blogs, websites for everyone | Custom web apps, complex websites |
| ⚙️ Technology | Content management system | Web application framework |
| 🤹 Ease of Use | Very easy, good for beginners | Harder to learn, for developers |
| 🔧 Customization | Themes, plugins | Code it yourself |
| 🔒 Security | Needs optimization | Strong foundation that requires secure coding |
| 📈 Scalability | Needs optimization | Out of the box |
| 👥 Community | Huge, lots of help for all users | Small, developer-focused |
| 👤 Best For | Building websites quickly | Coding custom sites |
Next, I’ll walk you through each of these points in more detail to help you decide which platform is the right choice for your project.
Note: This comparison is between Laravel and self-hosted WordPress.org (not WordPress.com). See our guide on the differences between self-hosted WordPress.org and WordPress.com for more information.
To give you a real-world comparison of WordPress and Laravel, I drew on my experience using both platforms for actual website projects.
I focused on the key areas that matter most when building a website with either platform:
I’ll use this approach to walk you through the key differences and help you choose the right platform for your site.
I know that picking the right platform for your website is an important decision. You need information you can rely on to help you choose well.
That’s why I put together this comparison of WordPress and Laravel to provide clear, useful advice.
While WordPress is the main platform for our projects, we always test and look into other web technologies, like Laravel. This helps us understand different tools so we can give you the best advice for your website needs.
For more information, take a look at our detailed editorial guidelines.
This is a detailed comparison of WordPress vs. Laravel. You can use the links below to quickly navigate through the article:
Choosing the right platform to build your website is a big decision. Selecting the wrong one can lead to unexpected costs, technical limitations, and frustration as your site grows, which is why it’s crucial to choose correctly from the start.
Ultimately, the best choice comes down to your budget, technical comfort level, and what you want your website to do in the long run.
Now, let’s take a look at both WordPress and Laravel.
What Is WordPress?
WordPress is the most popular content management system (CMS) in the world. Because it is open-source, it’s free to use and easy to customize with themes and plugins.
It’s designed to be user-friendly, allowing people of all skill levels to build and manage a website without needing to know how to code. It’s supported by a large global community that creates themes and plugins, and helps other users solve problems.
What Is Laravel?
Laravel is not a website builder like WordPress. Instead, it’s a PHP framework that gives developers a toolbox for building custom web applications from the ground up.
Like WordPress, Laravel is open-source and free, but it’s built for professional developers. You’ll need strong coding skills to use it, which gives you the power to create complex, highly customized websites and applications.
When it comes to ease of use, WordPress and Laravel are built for completely different people.
WordPress is famous for its beginner-friendly approach that lets anyone build a site without code. In contrast, Laravel is a powerful tool designed for developers who are comfortable with a more technical setup.
WordPress Ease of Use: Setting Up a Basic Site
While there is a small learning curve, WordPress is designed to be easy to pick up, even for absolute beginners. You can follow our guide on how to learn WordPress for free in a week.
Getting started is quick and simple. Most web hosts offer one-click WordPress installation, so getting started is quick and simple. Hosts like Bluehost and Hostinger include this by default.
Our complete guide on how to make a WordPress website will walk you through the entire process step by step.
After WordPress is installed, you can log in to your dashboard. From here, you can create content using the built-in block editor, which lets you arrange your page using visual building blocks for text, images, and more.
To make building your site even easier, you can use a drag-and-drop page builder plugin. I recommend SeedProd because it lets you create completely custom layouts without any code. It even comes with an AI website builder that can generate a unique site for you in minutes.
💡 Don’t have time to build a website? Our expert team can build a custom WordPress site for you at an affordable price. See our Website Design Services for more details!
Laravel Ease of Use: Setting Up a Basic Application
Setting up a Laravel project involves a more technical process. To get started, you’ll need to install Composer, which is a tool that manages the PHP packages your project depends on.
Once Composer is installed, you can use the command line to create a new Laravel project. This is a big shift from WordPress, where most hosting providers handle installation through a graphical control panel.
You’ll also need a local development environment like XAMPP or MAMP to run your Laravel project on your computer.
While you can add a CMS to Laravel using tools like October CMS, it still requires technical knowledge to manage.
🏅 Winner for User-Friendliness: WordPress
I recommend WordPress for non-programmers. It’s made for people of all skill levels, especially those who want to build and manage websites without coding.
Laravel, on the other hand, is made for developers. It’s powerful and gives you a lot of control for building complex web apps, but it is difficult to learn and requires coding knowledge.
Now, let’s look at how WordPress and Laravel handle customization.
WordPress: The Theme & Plugin Powerhouse
One of the biggest advantages of WordPress is how easy it is to customize your website’s design and features, even if you’ve never written a line of code. This is all thanks to its huge ecosystem of themes and plugins.
Plugins are like apps for your website that add new functionality. For example, with plugins you can add a contact form, launch a full online store, build a membership community, or improve your website’s SEO.
With tens of thousands of free and premium options, there is a plugin for almost anything you can imagine. To see what’s possible, you can check out our expert pick of the must-have WordPress plugins we recommend for all business websites.
Alternatively, you can always hire a developer to add custom code to your WordPress site.
The main difference is that WordPress is a complete system designed for content, which you can then extend. For projects with highly complex or unusual requirements that need to be built from scratch, Laravel can sometimes be a more direct starting point.
Laravel: The Code-Savvy Customizer
Laravel takes a more technical approach to customization. It’s a framework, which means it provides a toolbox for developers to build a custom website or web application from scratch.
This gives you full control over every aspect of your project, but you’ll need to be comfortable with coding in PHP, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to use it effectively. Unlike WordPress, where you start with a pre-built system, Laravel starts you with a clean slate.
This makes it ideal for complex projects with unique requirements. For instance, if you were building a custom booking system, a SaaS (Software as a Service) application, or an internal business tool, Laravel provides the flexibility to build every feature exactly as you need it.
The trade-off is that you have to build many features that WordPress provides by default, like a content editor or user management system. This is why Laravel projects almost always require hiring a developer and take more time to build.
In short, here are the main points about customizing with Laravel:
🏅 Winner for Customization Options: WordPress (for most people)
If you want to customize your website without writing code, WordPress is the clear winner. Its library of themes and plugins lets you personalize your site easily, no technical knowledge required.
Laravel is better suited for developers who need full control and want to build highly customized applications.
For example, if you’re creating a blog or business website, WordPress will likely meet your needs. But if you’re building a web app with unique features, Laravel gives you the tools to go beyond what themes and plugins can offer.
If your website is focused on content—like blog posts, news, or tutorials—then having a strong content management system (CMS) is essential.
A good CMS saves you time, reduces errors, and makes it easier to manage your content. Let’s look at how WordPress and Laravel compare when it comes to content management.
WordPress: Excels at Content Management
WordPress was built for content management. It started as a blogging platform, and today it’s a full CMS that makes it easy to create, organize, and manage all kinds of digital content.
It comes with powerful built-in tools to keep everything in order. You can sort your posts with categories and tags, manage all your files in the media library, and even create different content structures using custom post types.
If you work with a team, the built-in user management system is incredibly helpful.
You can assign different roles like Author, Editor, and Administrator, giving each person the right level of access to create and manage content.
And if you need more advanced management tools, you can use plugins to add features like an editorial calendar, custom approval workflows, or content restriction for membership sites.
Laravel: The Flexible Framework (But Not a CMS)
Laravel is not a content management system. Instead, it’s a framework designed for building web applications. That means it doesn’t include built-in tools for managing content like WordPress does.
If you want to manage content with Laravel, there are two common approaches:
Here’s what the content editor looks like in October CMS:
As you can see, Laravel doesn’t offer the out-of-the-box content tools that come standard with WordPress.
🏅 Winner for Content Management Features: WordPress
If you need a complete, beginner-friendly CMS, then WordPress is the better option. It’s great for bloggers, businesses, and anyone who wants to manage content without writing code.
Laravel, on the other hand, gives developers full control. You can build a custom content system from the ground up, but it takes time and technical skill.
For example, if you’re building a site with very specific content workflows, you might choose Laravel to match your exact requirements. But for most websites, WordPress is a faster and more practical choice.
Selling products or services online? Then you’ll want to look at how each platform handles eCommerce. The right setup can make managing your store much easier.
WordPress: The eCommerce Powerhouse
One of the biggest strengths of WordPress is its flexibility for selling online. You can use it to build anything from a simple donation button to a massive online marketplace.
If you want to build a full online store, you can follow our complete guide on how to start an online store. The most popular way to do this is with a free plugin like WooCommerce, which adds all the features you need, like product pages, a shopping cart, and payment gateways.
But WordPress isn’t just for large stores. You can also:
This flexibility makes WordPress a powerful choice that can grow with your business, no matter how you plan to sell online.
Laravel: The Custom eCommerce Builder
Laravel doesn’t come with built-in eCommerce features. But because it’s a flexible framework, developers can use it to build a fully custom eCommerce solution tailored to specific needs.
This lets you design features that may not be possible with WordPress. However, it requires advanced development skills and more time to set up and maintain.
Laravel is better suited for large businesses that need specialized functionality and have the technical resources to support a custom platform.
🏅 Winner for eCommerce Capabilities: WordPress (for most people)
For most small to medium-sized stores, WordPress with a plugin like WooCommerce is the easiest and most affordable choice. If you need a standard online store, this approach is plug-and-play and gives you everything you need to start selling without hiring a developer.
Laravel is a better fit when you need a large, custom eCommerce system. It is the best choice if you are building a bespoke platform with unique inventory, shipping, or recommendation features and have the budget for custom development.
If you want people to discover your website through search engines, then you need to think about search engine optimization (SEO). Your choice of platform can make a big difference in how easy that is to do.
WordPress: The SEO-Friendly CMS
WordPress is well-known for being SEO-friendly right out of the box. It supports key features like SEO-friendly URLs, categories and tags for organizing content, and alt text for images—all built into the platform.
WordPress makes SEO easy, especially with plugins like All in One SEO (AIOSEO). These tools help you add meta tags, create sitemaps, and optimize your content, all without needing to code.
With tools like this, you can follow most SEO best practices without needing to write any code.
If you’re serious about SEO, I recommend pairing your plugin with a fast-loading theme and a caching plugin to boost your site’s speed—a key ranking factor.
Laravel: The SEO Toolkit for Developers
Laravel doesn’t offer built-in SEO tools. Instead, it gives developers full control to add SEO features through code.
While you can build everything from the ground up, developers can also use pre-built Laravel SEO packages to handle tasks like creating sitemaps or managing metadata.
Popular Laravel SEO packages include ‘artesaos/seotools’, which can help handle meta tags, Open Graph, and more.
However, this still requires manual setup and coding knowledge to implement.
This flexibility is useful if you’re building a custom web application and need specific SEO structures. However, it’s a lot more technical and time-consuming.
If you’re not familiar with coding, then managing SEO in Laravel can be a real challenge.
🏅 Winner for SEO: WordPress
For most websites, WordPress is the easier and more beginner-friendly option for SEO. Its built-in features and powerful plugins make it simple to improve your search rankings without technical skills.
Laravel is best for developers working on advanced projects with very specific SEO needs. But you’ll need to be comfortable coding and managing those features manually.
Website speed is important because a slow-loading website can frustrate visitors and negatively impact your search engine rankings.
Let’s take a closer look at how WordPress and Laravel compare when it comes to performance.
WordPress: Performance Requires Optimization
WordPress makes it easy to build a site, but that convenience can lead to slower load times if you’re not careful.
It’s important to know that the core WordPress software is actually very fast. But performance can slow down if you use a poorly coded theme, install too many or poorly coded plugins, or upload large, unoptimized images.
This is why it’s important to optimize your WordPress website to keep it running fast.
To boost WordPress performance, you can use caching plugins like WP Rocket, optimize your images, choose a lightweight theme, and select a quality hosting provider.
For step-by-step advice, see our ultimate guide to boosting WordPress speed and performance.
Laravel: Built for Speed
Laravel is built for speed because it starts as a lean, lightweight foundation. Developers only add the specific code and features needed for the project, so there’s no extra bloat to slow the site down.
That said, performance still depends on how well the code is written. A poorly optimized Laravel project can run into the same issues as any other framework.
But when set up properly, Laravel offers a strong foundation for high-performance websites and applications.
🏅 Winner for Performance: Laravel
If speed and performance are top concerns, especially for custom applications or high-traffic projects, then Laravel is the better fit. It’s well-suited for advanced performance needs and offers more precise control.
Still, WordPress can deliver excellent performance too. With the right hosting and optimization strategies, it can support fast load times even during high-traffic events. It just requires more setup and ongoing maintenance.
Scalability is your website’s ability to handle growth in traffic without slowing down.
Both WordPress and Laravel are excellent for this, but they use very different approaches.
WordPress: Scaling with the Right Infrastructure
WordPress can be scaled to handle massive amounts of traffic. In fact, many high-traffic websites, including major news outlets and enterprise companies, run on WordPress.
However, the scalability of a WordPress site depends less on the core software and more on its hosting environment and setup. To handle growth, you will need to invest in better infrastructure.
This usually involves:
Laravel: Scaling with Custom Architecture
Laravel is designed for scalability from the ground up. Because it’s a framework, developers have complete control over the application’s architecture, allowing them to build systems specifically for high-traffic and complex tasks.
It comes with built-in features that make scaling easier for developers. These include support for distributed caching systems, background job queues to handle intensive tasks, and a structure that works well with modern, scalable server setups like load balancers.
This level of control is powerful, but it requires significant technical expertise. Scaling a Laravel application is not about clicking a few buttons. Instead, it requires careful architectural planning and server management by a skilled development team.
🏅 Winner for Scalability: WordPress for Most Websites, Laravel for Custom Applications
For most businesses, blogs, and online stores, WordPress is the more practical choice for scaling. You can easily handle growth by upgrading your hosting plan and using optimization tools without needing to rebuild your site’s foundation.
Laravel is the winner for custom web applications (like a SaaS platform) where complex scalability needs are known from the start. It offers a more robust foundation for developers who need to design a highly specific, scalable architecture from scratch.
Both WordPress and Laravel can be very secure, but you’ll approach security differently depending on which one you choose.
Let’s take a look.
WordPress Security: A Shared Responsibility
WordPress itself is secure, but its popularity makes it a common target for hackers. The real risks often come from outdated plugins or poorly coded themes.
Because you can add so many different plugins, your site has a larger ‘attack surface,’ meaning more potential entry points for hackers if things aren’t kept up-to-date.
The good news is that regular updates and careful plugin choices can go a long way in keeping your site safe.
To stay secure, I always recommend you use reputable plugins from trusted sources, keep everything updated, and follow best practices like strong passwords and two-factor authentication.
Beyond your own efforts, your web host plays a huge role in keeping your site secure. Choosing a quality managed WordPress hosting provider adds a powerful layer of protection, as they often include security features like firewalls, malware scanning, and automatic updates.
For extra security, I recommend using a security plugin. We currently use Cloudflare on WPBeginner, and we’ve also had success with Sucuri. Cloudflare is ideal for larger sites, while Sucuri offers solid protection for all types of websites.
Check out our guide to the best WordPress security plugins for more recommendations.
Laravel Security: Built-in Protection and Encryption
Laravel includes built-in security features like CSRF protection and input validation that make it easier to build secure apps without needing extra tools.
It also uses encryption by default for sensitive data. For example, Laravel hashes passwords using bcrypt, helping keep login credentials secure even if the database is compromised. WordPress has also used password hashing for a long time and added support for bcrypt in version 6.8.
Laravel also encrypts cookies and sessions, which helps protect user data and prevent session hijacking.
That said, Laravel security depends heavily on the developer. Misconfigurations or insecure code can still create vulnerabilities. That’s why following secure coding practices and conducting regular security audits are essential.
🏅 Winner for Security: Laravel
Laravel provides a stronger security foundation out of the box, especially for developers who want built-in tools. But both platforms can be secure when used properly.
WordPress requires more ongoing maintenance, like updating plugins and using security tools, but it’s very secure when you follow best practices.
To learn more, see our ultimate WordPress security guide.
When you run into an issue or want to add new features, having a strong support community and plenty of resources is a huge advantage.
This is a key area where WordPress and Laravel are very different, and it can make a big impact on your final choice.
WordPress: A Thriving Community
WordPress powers over 43% of all websites on the internet, and this enormous market share supports a global community of users, developers, and designers.
Whether you need help troubleshooting an issue, selecting a plugin, or learning a new feature, there’s likely someone who has already encountered the same problem and shared the solution online.
In addition to community forums, you’ll find official resources like Learn WordPress and Make WordPress, which offer structured courses, lessons, and documentation to help users at all levels.
At WPBeginner, we also offer a wide range of free resources, including step-by-step tutorials, a newsletter, video guides, a helpful Facebook group, and more.
To get started, see our guide on how to make the most out of WPBeginner’s free resources.
And because of WordPress’s popularity, the theme and plugin marketplace is massive, giving you endless customization options without writing any code.
Laravel: A Developer’s Hub
Laravel has a smaller but highly focused community made up of developers and technical users. It emphasizes clean code, reusable packages, and advanced development practices.
Although the Laravel ecosystem is more niche, it’s very active and supportive. I’ve found the official documentation to be excellent, and there are plenty of places to ask questions or share solutions.
Top Laravel learning resources include Laracasts (a premium tutorial site), community forums like the Laracasts forum and Laravel.io, and the Laravel subreddit.
Unlike WordPress, Laravel doesn’t offer a marketplace of themes and plugins. It’s designed for building things from scratch, so you’ll be writing more code, but you’ll also have full control over the final product.
Fortunately, Laravel developers are in high demand, and finding skilled professionals is generally not difficult.
🏅 Winner for Community and Resources: WordPress
While both platforms have strong communities, WordPress has a much larger and more beginner-friendly ecosystem. Here’s why:
Laravel offers an excellent support network for developers, but if you’re not comfortable with code, WordPress is the more accessible and community-rich option.
Related: For a deeper dive into WordPress market share and trends, check out our detailed WordPress Market Share Report.
I know from experience that budget is a major factor when choosing a platform. While both WordPress and Laravel are open-source (meaning the software itself is free), there are other costs to consider.
WordPress: Budgeting for Your Site
WordPress is usually more affordable at the start. With free themes, plugins, and budget-friendly hosting (as low as a few dollars per month), you can launch a site cheaply. Just remember that premium themes, plugins, or hiring a developer will add to the cost.
Here’s what you’ll need to budget for:
We have a detailed guide on WordPress website costs if you want more information.
Laravel: Investing in Development
Laravel projects typically cost more because they require custom development. You’ll likely need to hire a developer or a team, which makes sense for larger or more complex projects.
Here’s a breakdown of the typical costs you can expect with Laravel:
All in all, Laravel gives you complete freedom to build exactly what you need, but that flexibility comes with a bigger investment in both time and money.
For example, you might launch a simple WordPress site for under $100, but a custom Laravel project could easily start in the thousands depending on its features.
🏅 Winner for Affordability: WordPress (for most people)
For most people, especially beginners and small businesses, WordPress is the more cost-effective option. You can launch a full-featured website without hiring a developer, and many themes and plugins are available for free.
Laravel is best suited for complex projects with unique functionality, where you have the budget to invest in custom development. It’s a powerful solution, but not the cheapest one.
So, which platform is right for you? It all depends on what you need from your website.
Use WordPress if you want to build a website quickly, manage content easily, and benefit from thousands of ready-made themes and plugins. It’s perfect for blogs, business sites, portfolios, and online stores without breaking the bank.
Use Laravel if you’re a developer (or working with one) building a custom web application with unique features, advanced functionality, or a need for serious scalability and control. Laravel is more powerful under the hood, but it requires coding expertise to unlock its full potential.
To help you decide, here’s a simple breakdown of who each platform is best suited for:
| WordPress | Laravel | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical Users | Bloggers, small business owners, content creators, non-developers | Developers, startups, enterprises building custom apps |
| Primary Use Cases | Blogs, business websites, portfolios, eCommerce stores (with plugins) | Custom web apps, SaaS platforms, internal tools, complex eCommerce |
Before choosing a platform, consider your goals, technical skills, and budget.
If you want to build something quickly and easily, WordPress is likely the way to go. But if you need full control and are building something more advanced, Laravel might be a better fit.
I hope this guide helped you get a clearer picture of whether WordPress or Laravel is right for your next project. Ready to build your site? If you’re leaning toward WordPress, check out our guide on how to start a website step-by-step.
☝ Pro Tip: Are you overwhelmed by building a professional website? Let our expert WordPress designers create a stunning site for you, easily and affordably. See our Stress-Free WordPress Design Services page for details and pricing.
Now that you’ve read our comparison of WordPress vs. Laravel, you might still have some questions. Here are some quick answers to frequently asked questions.
Is WordPress or Laravel easier to use for beginners?
For someone just starting out with website building, WordPress is easier to learn and use. It is designed with user-friendliness in mind, even if you have no coding experience. You can get a website up and running quickly, often with just a few clicks.
Laravel, on the other hand, has a steeper learning curve. It’s a framework built for developers, so it assumes you have coding knowledge or are willing to learn.
Do I need to know coding to use WordPress or Laravel?
With WordPress, you can build and manage a website without writing any code at all. You can use themes to control the design and plugins to add features, all without needing to write code. If you want to make very advanced customizations, then some coding knowledge can be helpful.
Laravel is different. To use Laravel effectively, you need coding skills, specifically in PHP. Building a website or web application with Laravel involves writing code to create features, customize functionality, and manage your site.
Which is better for SEO: WordPress or Laravel?
Both WordPress and Laravel can be excellent for SEO, but they approach it in different ways. WordPress is naturally quite SEO-friendly right out of the box, and you can use plugins like All in One SEO to optimize your site for search.
Laravel gives developers more direct, technical control over SEO. With Laravel, you can fine-tune every aspect of your website’s code and structure for optimal SEO performance. But this isn’t a one-click solution because it takes a lot of coding.
Is WordPress or Laravel more secure?
Both WordPress and Laravel can be secure platforms, but security needs to be approached differently for each. WordPress is actively maintained for security, and you need to keep it updated. You also need to use security best practices and plugins for the best protection.
Laravel is more secure from a technical standpoint. It has many security features by default and encourages secure coding practices. However, just like any platform, Laravel’s security still depends on developers writing secure code and properly configuring their applications.
When should I choose WordPress over Laravel?
I recommend WordPress for most websites. It’s easy to set up and manage, especially if you’re not a coder. It’s ideal for blogs, small business websites, portfolios, and online stores. It lets you get a website online quickly and cost-effectively.
When should I choose Laravel over WordPress?
In most cases, it’s best to choose Laravel when you need to build a custom web application or a website with very specific and complex features. You will need development expertise or a development team, but you can build something truly unique from the ground up.
We hope this tutorial helped you compare WordPress vs. Laravel and their pros and cons. You may also want to see our guide on how to choose the best website builder or our expert pick of popular sites using WordPress as a CMS.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
The post WordPress vs Laravel – Which Is Better? (Expert Comparison) first appeared on WPBeginner.
I’ve helped WordPress users navigate a lot of different privacy laws, but Saudi Arabia’s Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) still surprises many website owners.
If your site collects personal information from people in Saudi Arabia (and it probably does), then PDPL compliance isn’t optional.
Contact forms, newsletter signups, user accounts, blog comments — all of these fall under the law’s requirements, even if you don’t live in Saudi Arabia.
I hear from readers all the time who didn’t realize this until they were at risk of penalties.
The good news? Getting compliant doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive.
I’ve spent quite a lot of time researching the PDPL and testing WordPress tools to make this guide as beginner-friendly as possible. I’ll show you exactly how to protect your business, stay on the right side of the law, and earn your audience’s trust.
⚠️ We are not lawyers. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. We highly recommend consulting with a qualified legal professional to ensure your business is fully compliant with the PDPL and other privacy regulations.
Saudi Arabia’s Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) is a privacy law that protects the personal information of people living in Saudi Arabia. It sets clear rules for how businesses collect, use, and store that data.
Like other privacy laws — including the GDPR — the PDPL doesn’t just apply to local businesses. It can affect websites, blogs, and online stores around the world.
The key factor is whether your site handles data from people in Saudi Arabia. If your audience is global, then there’s a good chance the PDPL applies to you.
That’s why it’s important to understand what this law covers and what steps you can take to stay compliant.
Not following the PDPL can lead to serious consequences. Fines can reach up to SAR 5 million (about $1.3 million USD) per violation. That amount can double for repeat offenses.
If you unlawfully share sensitive data, especially with the intent to harm someone, the penalties are even more severe. You could face up to two years in prison and fines of SAR 3 million (around $800,000 USD).
But PDPL compliance isn’t just about avoiding legal trouble — it’s also about trust.
When you give visitors more control over their personal data, you show that your site respects their privacy. Over time, building trust can get you more signups, conversions, and sales, helping to grow your online business.
By contrast, failing to comply with PDPL can really damage your reputation.
And remember, the PDPL might apply to you even if you don’t live in Saudi Arabia. Just like GDPR and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), it’s based on whose data you collect, not where you’re located.
With all that said, almost all WordPress users should care about PDPL compliance.
The first step to PDPL compliance is understanding what counts as personal data.
That includes anything that can identify someone, such as their name, email address, IP address, physical address, or even their browsing history through cookies.
As a WordPress site owner, here are some of the key rights and responsibilities you need to know:
Throughout this guide, I’ll show you exactly how to support these rights using simple tools and beginner-friendly tips.
Navigating compliance can feel overwhelming, especially when the stakes include damaged reputations, steep fines, or even jail time.
But at its core, the PDPL is about being clear and transparent with your users. It’s all about giving people control over how you collect and use their personal information.
With that in mind, let’s walk through the steps you can take to meet the PDPL’s requirements.
The first step to PDPL compliance is knowing what personal data you collect and how you handle it. That means doing a full data audit of your WordPress site.
A good audit shows whether your current practices match PDPL rules — and where you may need to make changes.
To help you get started, here are some key questions to ask:
After the audit, be sure to write down your findings. Keep a record of what you collect, how you use it, and what steps you’ve taken to stay compliant.
This documentation helps prove you’re serious about privacy, which is important if you’re ever audited or asked to explain your practices.
As a general rule, it’s smart to do a new audit at least once a year. You should also review your data handling anytime you change how your site collects or uses personal information.
And since privacy laws can change, it’s a good idea to re-check everything whenever the PDPL is updated.
Once you’ve reviewed the data you collect, the next step is to ask: Do I really need all of it?
The PDPL says you should only collect data that’s relevant, necessary, and tied to a specific purpose. That means no gathering extra information just in case you might need it later.
If something isn’t essential, then you should stop collecting it.
This principle is called data minimization, and it’s not just about compliance. It also makes your life easier.
When you collect less data, it’s simpler to stay organized and respond to user requests. For example, if someone asks you to delete their data or send them a copy, you’ll have less to dig through.
So, as you go through your forms and plugins, look for anything you can remove or simplify.
Your privacy policy is where you explain what personal data you collect, how you use it, and who you share it with. Think of it as your website’s promise to be transparent with visitors.
Under the PDPL, having a clear and accessible privacy policy isn’t optional — it’s required.
The good news is that WordPress comes with a built-in privacy policy generator. You can use it as a starting point and customize it for your site.
You can also check out the WPBeginner privacy policy as an example.
If you use our template, make sure to replace all mentions of WPBeginner with your own blog or business website.
We also have a complete step-by-step guide on how to add a privacy policy in WordPress if you need help getting started.
If you already have a privacy policy, now’s the time to update it. Make sure it includes your users’ PDPL rights, like the Right to Be Informed and Right to Access, along with clear instructions for how they can exercise those rights.
For example, you could link to a form where users can request a copy of their data, or show them how to ask for deletion.
And don’t forget to review your privacy policy regularly to keep it accurate as your site grows and evolves.
Under the PDPL, you must get explicit consent before placing cookies that collect personal data, except for cookies that are strictly necessary.
This means you need to let visitors know about your cookie practices and get their clear consent before using non-essential cookies.
The best way to do this is by adding a cookie popup to your WordPress website.
A well-designed popup helps you support key PDPL rights, starting with the Right to Be Informed. It clearly tells users what types of cookies you use, what data those cookies collect, and why you’re collecting it.
Your popup can also support the Right to Object. Users can simply click ‘Reject’ to refuse non-essential cookies without digging through settings.
There are lots of cookie banner plugins out there, but I recommend using WPConsent. It’s a powerful WordPress privacy plugin built to help you meet PDPL, GDPR, and similar privacy standards.
In fact, we use WPConsent on all our websites, including WPBeginner. It’s easy to set up and handles cookie banners, consent logs, and more.
💡 Want a deep dive into WPConsent? Check out our full WPConsent review, where we share our hands-on experience.
To get started, install and activate the WPConsent plugin like you would with any WordPress plugin.
WPConsent will automatically scan your site and list all the cookies it finds.
From there, the setup wizard helps you customize your popup. As you make changes, you’ll see a live preview so you know exactly how it will look on your site.
You can adjust the layout, position, font size, button style, colors, and even add your own logo.
Once you’re happy with the design, just save your changes. The cookie banner will now appear on your site and begin collecting consent from your visitors.
In addition to using a cookie popup, I also recommend creating a separate cookie policy page. This gives you a clear place to explain exactly how your site uses cookies and what kind of data you collect through them.
By writing a dedicated policy, you’re supporting the PDPL’s Right to Be Informed and building trust with your visitors.
Your cookie policy should list the different types of cookies your site uses, such as essential, analytics, or marketing cookies. You can also describe what these cookies do, like tracking your visitors or showing personalized ads.
I also suggest explaining what kind of personal information these cookies collect. That could include IP addresses, browsing behavior, or referral URLs.
Try to avoid technical jargon. Instead, use simple, clear language so anyone can understand your policy.
If you’re using WPConsent, you’re in luck. The plugin can automatically generate a detailed cookie policy for you. Just go to WPConsent » Settings and choose the page where you want the policy to appear.
WPConsent will create the content for you, based on the cookies it found during the scan.
You can then display this content using a shortcode on your selected page.
Once the policy is live, make sure visitors can find it. I recommend adding a link in your website footer or right inside your privacy policy.
You can also include a link in your cookie popup so that people can read the full policy before choosing their cookie preferences.
If you created your popup with WPConsent, the link is already built in. When someone clicks the ‘Preferences’ button, they’ll see a link to your cookie policy.
Then, they’ll need to select the ‘Cookie Policy’ link.
And that’s it! WPConsent will take them straight to the right page.
One of the trickiest parts of PDPL compliance is dealing with third-party tracking tools. I’m talking about services like Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel.
These tools often collect personal data, such as IP addresses, location info, or behavior across pages. That means they fall under the PDPL, and you need to get consent before loading their scripts.
That’s why I recommend setting up automatic script blocking. This keeps those scripts from running until a visitor has clearly opted in.
If you’re using WPConsent, then you’re already covered. It comes with automatic script blocking built right in.
Behind the scenes, it detects and pauses common tracking scripts like Google Analytics, Google Ads, and Facebook Pixel — without breaking your website.
Websites need to collect and log cookie consent data to comply with privacy laws and be able to prove that they obtained valid consent from users. This comes in handy in case of audits, complaints, or legal investigations.
This practice of logging visitor consent protects your business, helps build trust with your visitors, and also provides solid evidence that you’re complying with the PDPL.
If you’re using WPConsent, the plugin takes care of this for you. It automatically logs each consent event along with key details like the visitor’s IP address, what they agreed to, and the date and time.
You can see all this information right in your WordPress dashboard. Just go to WPConsent » Consent Logs.
Then, if you ever need to share the log with a legal team or an auditor, you can export the data directly from your dashboard.
The PDPL states that people have the right to change their minds and withdraw consent at any time. To stay compliant, you need to give your visitors a simple and visible way to do that on your website.
I recommend using WPConsent’s Do Not Track add-on. It lets you create a dedicated ‘Do Not Track’ page in just a few clicks.
Once you install the add-on, just go to WPConsent » Do Not Track » Configuration to set up your form.
Visitors can then go to this page and fill out a short form to withdraw their consent.
It’s quick, user-friendly, and shows that you respect their privacy choices.
After setup, you can choose the page where this form appears, and WPConsent will handle the rest behind the scenes.
WPConsent also stores all these requests directly in your WordPress database. That means you stay in control of the data and don’t have to rely on third-party services to track user consent changes.
Plus, the plugin logs every request automatically. So if you’re ever audited, you’ll have clear documentation showing that you honored your visitors’ decisions.
Alternatively, you can use WPForms to create a data deletion form on your site. Unlike WPConsent, WPForms lets you fully customize the form the way you want.
It also comes with a dedicated ‘Right to Erasure Request Form’ template. This template gives you a solid foundation, so you can add this crucial form to your site quickly and easily. This directly addresses the ‘Right to Delete’ I mentioned earlier.
You can customize this template in WPForms’ drag-and-drop editor, which makes it easy to add, remove, and edit fields.
When you’re happy with the form, you can add it to your site using either a shortcode or the WPForms block.
🌟 Here at WPBeginner, we’re not just recommending WPForms – we built all our own forms with it! That’s right, from our contact pages to our surveys, it’s all powered by WPForms. We’ve put it to the test daily, and that’s why we’re so confident in telling you it’s the real deal.
Ready to see why it’s our go-to? Dive into our detailed WPForms review.
After adding the form to your site, you need to make it easy for visitors to find. For example, you can link to the form from your privacy policy page, or even embed it directly there.
You can also put a link in your website’s footer. The goal is simple: make it easily accessible to your website visitors.
Next, you will need to review any user requests for data deletion.
Luckily, WPForms isn’t just a form builder. It also comes with a powerful entry management system that makes it easy to track form submissions.
To review your entries, simply head over to WPForms » Entries. Here, you’ll see a list of all the forms across your WordPress website.
Simply find your data erasure form and click it.
You’ll now see all your ‘delete data’ requests.
So, what happens when you spot a new deletion request?
The good news is that WordPress itself comes with a built-in Erase Personal Data tool. This tool lets you erase all the user’s personal information, so you don’t need to install any extra WordPress plugins.
Just head over to Tools » Erase Personal Data to access this tool.
In the ‘Username or email address’ field, you need to type in the user’s information you want to remove.
This tool even has a handy ‘Send personal data erasure confirmation email’ setting. This will automatically let the user know that you’ve completed their request, keeping them informed and building more trust.
Under the PDPL, visitors have the right to ask for a copy of all the personal information you’ve collected about them. Thankfully, you can handle these ‘data access requests’ in pretty much the same way as the ‘data deletion’ requests we just explored.
The easiest way to support this is by adding a request form to your site. I recommend using WPForms, which includes a ready-made Data Request template.
Just select the template and customize it in the drag-and-drop editor. You can easily adjust the fields as needed to collect the information you need to fulfill each request.
Once the form is live, WPForms will log each submission inside your WordPress dashboard. That way, you can respond quickly when a new request comes in.
To view entries, go to WPForms » Entries and select your data request form.
You’ll now see all the entries submitted through this form.
When you get a new request, you can fulfill it using WordPress’ built-in Export Personal Data tool. This lets you export all the known data for any user, packaged conveniently in a .zip file.
To create this .zip, just head over to Tools » Export Personal Data.
Just enter the user’s email or username, and WordPress will generate a downloadable file with all the personal data you’ve collected.
Once it’s ready, you can send the zip file directly to the person who requested it.
The PDPL also gives users the right to ask you to fix or update their personal information if something is wrong or incomplete.
This might happen after someone reviews their data and spots a mistake. Or maybe they’ve moved or changed their phone number and want you to update their profile.
Once again, the easiest way to accept these requests is by adding a dedicated form to your site.
I recommend WPForms for this, too. It includes a Personal Information Form template that works great for correction requests.
This form comes with many essential fields already built in, such as legal name, preferred nickname, email address, home phone, and cell phone.
The template even includes an “Update Existing Record” checkbox, so users can let you know they’re submitting a change to their existing profile.
However, every website stores different information, so you may want to customize the form to collect other details. In that case, simply open the template in the WPForms editor and then add more fields to the form using drag and drop.
You can then fine-tune these fields using the left-hand panel. Just repeat these steps until the form collects all the information users might want to edit.
Once you’re done, go ahead and publish the form on your site like you would with any other form.
Make sure users can find this form easily. I usually link to it from the privacy policy or place it in the footer so it’s always accessible.
As always, WPForms displays all submitted form entries directly in your WordPress dashboard. This makes it easy to spot data correction requests as soon as they arrive, so you can act on them quickly.
How you update this information may vary depending on the tools you’re using. For example, you might need to update a record in your customer relationship management (CRM) app or email management software.
If the information is stored directly in WordPress, then you may just need to go to Users » All Users in your WordPress dashboard.
Here, find the user profile you need to update and click its ‘Edit’ link.
You’ll now see all the essential information WordPress has stored for that user.
From here, you can make any necessary changes and save the user’s updated profile.
Understanding online privacy can be a big challenge. So, you might still have some questions about how the PDPL affects your WordPress website.
But don’t worry! At WPBeginner, we’re here to help you understand this important privacy law.
In this section, I’ll cover the most common questions we get asked about PDPL compliance, so you can get the answers you need.
What happens if my website is not PDPL compliant?
If your website doesn’t comply with the PDPL, you could face serious consequences. That includes large fines, which may reach millions of Saudi Riyals. In severe cases, criminal charges like imprisonment may also apply.
Beyond the legal and financial risks, breaching the PDPL can seriously harm your organization’s reputation. If you don’t seem to care about user privacy, then your audience will quickly notice. When that happens, they will stop trusting you and will almost certainly take their business or readership elsewhere.
Does the PDPL only apply to businesses in Saudi Arabia?
No, the PDPL doesn’t just apply to Saudi-based businesses. If your website collects personal data from someone living in Saudi Arabia, then you’re required to follow the PDPL, even if your business is located elsewhere.
How can I balance user experience with PDPL compliance?
Following the PDPL doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the user experience. In fact, giving visitors control over their data is a key part of good UX.
Here’s how I recommend balancing both:
Are there any exemptions to the PDPL for small websites?
The PDPL generally applies to any website that collects or processes personal data from users in Saudi Arabia, no matter the size. That means most WordPress site owners need to follow it.
There may be exceptions in very specific cases, but these aren’t always clear. If you’re unsure whether the PDPL applies to you, I recommend talking to a legal expert.
What are the key steps I should take to comply with the PDPL?
Every site is different, but here are the basics I always recommend:
By putting these measures into practice, your website will be much closer to meeting the PDPL’s core requirements.
Keeping your WordPress site perfectly aligned with the PDPL isn’t a one-time task. In fact, it’s something that needs your ongoing attention.
To help you continue on this journey, here are some helpful resources you can check out:
I hope this beginner’s guide to PDPL compliance for WordPress websites has helped you understand this important privacy law. Next, you may want to see our expert picks for the best GDPR plugins to improve compliance or our guide on how to perform a security audit.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
The post Beginner’s Guide to PDPL Compliance for WordPress Websites first appeared on WPBeginner.
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For many small business owners, translating a website feels like a luxury they simply can’t afford.
I know that feeling all too well. Here at WPBeginner, we’ve translated our site into multiple languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, and Japanese. And in the early days, we learned a tough lesson: traditional translation methods are incredibly time-consuming and expensive.
For a small business owner, that kind of investment often isn’t practical. But what if you could get all the benefits of a multilingual site without the high price tag?
That’s exactly what AI-powered tools offer. Instead of hiring a translator or digging into code, you can use artificial intelligence to quickly translate your entire WordPress site.
In this guide, I’ll show you how to translate your content step-by-step, even if you’ve never used artificial intelligence before.
Translating your WordPress site into multiple languages can get complicated quickly.
Manual translation takes a lot of time, especially if you’re regularly updating your content. On the other hand, hiring professional translators can help with quality, but it’s often expensive and hard to manage.
That’s why many website owners use WordPress translation plugins. But not all of them deliver the same results.
Some tools have trouble matching your brand voice or handling industry-specific language. This can stop your content from connecting with your target audience.
This is where AI-powered translation stands out.
With the right settings, AI tools can follow your brand guidelines and use your custom glossary to produce more natural, consistent translations. They even learn from your edits, so translations improve over time.
Best of all, it’s fast. What used to take hours or days can now be done in just minutes, without sacrificing quality or consistency.
In this guide, I’ll show you how to use AI to translate your WordPress site. Here are the tools and methods I’ll cover:
Weglot is the best website translation tool, and their AI Language Model feature is a game-changer for translating your entire website.
Unlike basic translation tools that swap words from one language to another, Weglot’s AI actually learns your brand’s personality and creates translations that sound like you wrote them originally.
What’s great about this feature is that it actually learns from you. If you make any manual changes or add specific words to your glossary, then the AI will learn from them.
Over time, the more you use it, the better it gets at sounding just right for your business in every language. It continues to improve, so your translations become even more accurate and true to your brand.
For more insights into the tool, you can see our detailed Weglot review.
✋ Heads up: Weglot uses a two-step process. First, it instantly translates your entire website using high-quality machine translation. Then, you use its AI Language Model to review and improve those translations. I’ll walk you through both parts of the process!
Step 1: Get a Weglot Account
You’ll need a Weglot account to start translating your content. The free plan includes 2,000 translated words, but the AI Language Model is available in the Pro plan or higher.
Keep in mind that all plans come with a 14-day free trial, so you can try out the features and see if they fit your needs.
Go ahead and choose a plan from the Weglot website by clicking ‘Start free’ beneath the one you want to use.
This will take you to the signup page.
You need to enter your email address, create a strong password, and click the ‘Sign up’ button.
Upon registration, Weglot will take you to the dashboard.
From here, you can go ahead and click the ‘Create project’ button.
On the next screen, you need to enter a name for your new project. This is for your reference only, but we recommend using a clear name for easier organization.
After that, you’ll choose the website technology in the dropdown field. In this case, you can click ‘WordPress.’
With that done, go ahead and click ‘Next.’
On the next screen, Weglot will show you its API Key.
Keep this tab open, as you’ll need it to connect your Weglot account and your WordPress website.
Step 2: Install and Activate the Weglot Plugin
Now, you can install the Weglot plugin on your WordPress site by going to Plugins » Add New and searching for ‘Weglot.’
Click the ‘Install Now’ button, then activate the plugin after the installation is complete.
Upon activation, you’ll see a new ‘Weglot’ menu item appear in your WordPress admin sidebar.
For more information, check our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
Step 3: Set Up Your Weglot Account and Basic Translation
After activating the plugin, click on ‘Weglot’ in your WordPress admin area.
This will open the ‘Main configuration’ panel, where you’ll connect your WordPress site to your Weglot account.
Simply copy the API key from your Weglot dashboard and paste it into the ‘API Key’ field.
Weglot will then verify your account.
Once verified, you’ll see a checkmark.
Next, you can then select your original language (the language your website is currently written in) and choose which languages you want to translate to.
🧑💻 Pro Tip: I recommend starting with just one or two target languages initially. This way, you can easily test the AI translation quality and fine-tune your settings before translating more content.
With that done, don’t forget to click the ‘Save Changes’ button.
And after a few seconds, you’ll see a success message.
If you close the notification, you might notice that Weglot unlocks more customization options.
On the same page, you can customize your language switcher design, configure the widget style, and choose where the language switcher appears on your site.
At this point, Weglot has applied a first layer of standard machine translation across your entire site. This provides you with a complete, translated version to get started.
If you visit your website, you’ll see the language switcher.
In the next steps, I’ll show you how to use the AI Language Model to refine and improve these translations to match your brand voice.
Step 4: Build Glossary Rules for Your Translations
To start improving your translations, it’s a good idea to build your glossary rules first.
A glossary is like a rulebook for the AI. It lists words that should never be translated (like your brand name, product names, or industry terminology) or that must always be translated a certain way.
Without a glossary, AI tools might translate these terms incorrectly or inconsistently. This can confuse your readers, which can harm the user experience or even damage your brand identity.
To start, let’s navigate to the ‘Project’ page and click the one you just created from the Weglot dashboard. This will open the project’s configuration panel.
To build glossary rules, you can switch to the ‘Glossary’ tab.
Then, click the ‘Add glossary rule’ button
In the popup that appears, you will need to:
For example, my first rule is “Never translate ‘Example Website’ to Indonesian.”
Once you’ve set up the rule, you can click the ‘Save’ button.
Weglot will then redirect you to the ‘Glossary’ tab, where you’ll see all the rules you created in a table.
You can continue adding rules by clicking the ‘Add glossary rule’ button and repeating the same process.
Step 5: Configure Your Custom AI Language Model Settings
Now it’s time to set up Weglot’s AI Language Model.
In your project’s configuration panel, navigate to the Settings » Language Model.
From here, click on the ‘Configure’ button to start building a more personalized translation system.
The setup process walks you through several key areas that help the AI understand your brand.
You can start with your website description, where you’ll write 2-3 sentences explaining what your small business does and what makes it unique.
The most important thing is to be specific about your brand right from the beginning. Context makes a big difference, so be sure to provide as much background as possible.
For instance, you could let the AI know: “Our audience includes DIY enthusiasts.”
If you want to explain your tone, don’t just say it’s “friendly.” Instead, you can try to be more specific with phrases like “warm and encouraging” or “practical with a can-do attitude.”
For example, if your WordPress blog is for sharing DIY projects, you could say:
“This website is a go-to resource for DIY lovers who enjoy gardening, cooking, home improvement, and other hands-on projects. We share helpful how-tos, step-by-step guides, and creative ideas to inspire and support your next project. Our tone is warm, practical, and encouraging, like chatting with a knowledgeable friend who’s tried it themselves and wants to help you succeed.“
Next, you’ll define your tone of voice.
Weglot has 3 options for this – Informal, Neutral, and Formal. If you’re not sure what to pick, you can click on each one, and Weglot will show you an explanation:
After that, you’ll define your target audience by choosing from the 3 available groups: General, Technical, and Non-Technical.
Here’s what each group means:
Don’t forget to click ‘Save Changes’ when you’re done.
Near the end of the page, you’ll see advanced settings for your language model. These let you fine-tune how Weglot handles translations on your site.
Here, you can choose to:
Just toggle on the options you want to use and then click ‘Save’ to keep your changes.
Step 6: Apply AI Translations to Your Content
After configuring your AI Language Model, you can apply it to your existing translations.
Simply navigate to Translations » Languages and then click on the language pair you want to edit. This will take you to the translations list.
You’ll see that your content has already been translated using a standard engine. To improve it with your custom AI settings, you have full control over which translations get the AI treatment.
Simply hover over a section and click the ‘Improve with AI’ button.
The AI Language Model system will then process your content using all the brand guidelines and terminology you’ve set up.
Each translation that gets processed with your AI Language Model will show a ‘GenAI’ tag.
This makes it easy to track which content has been improved with your custom AI settings versus standard translations.
You can apply your AI Language Model to individual translations one by one.
Alternatively, you can select up to 25 translations at a time for bulk processing.
🧑💻 Pro Tip: Since most AI translation tools charge based on usage, it’s smart to start with your high-priority pages – like your homepage, key product pages, and main calls-to-action.
Also, don’t forget to keep an eye on your credit usage, especially during the first month when it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement.
Step 7: Monitor and Refine Your AI Translations
After applying AI translations to your content, it’s important to review the results and make adjustments. The AI does excellent work, but it’s not perfect, especially when it first learns your brand voice.
Here are some tips:
When you find translations that need tweaking, you can make those edits manually in the Weglot dashboard. Just go to the section and edit it right in the translation field.
Weglot will then update the status to ‘Manually edited translation.’
Here’s the smart part: The AI learns from your manual corrections and applies those lessons to future translations automatically.
This creates a feedback loop where your AI language model improves over time. The more you use it and refine it, the more accurately it captures your unique brand voice across all languages.
That’s it! You’ve successfully used Weglot’s AI Language Model to create high-quality, on-brand translations for your website.
Weglot is designed for translating your entire website automatically. On the other hand, SeedProd, which is the best drag-and-drop page builder, is perfect for translating content across your WordPress pages.
This method is perfect if you don’t need to translate your whole site but want to quickly create a specific landing page for a campaign in another language.
For example, you could launch a sales page in Spanish for a special promotion without changing anything else on your English website.
✋ Heads Up: It’s important to know that SeedProd translates content on a page-by-page basis within its editor and does not create a sitewide language switcher.
For more information about the plugin, check out our detailed SeedProd review.
Step 1: Install and Set Up SeedProd
First, you’ll need to sign up for an account on the SeedProd website.
Just click on the ‘Get SeedProd Now’ button and follow the registration process.
Once you have signed up for an account, you will be taken to your SeedProd dashboard, where you need to download the zip file for the plugin.
Then, it’s time to install it on your WordPress website.
Go to Plugins » Add New Plugin then click on the ‘Upload Plugin’ button.
This will open the file uploader.
Click on the ‘Choose File’ and upload the SeedProd zip file from your computer.
Once uploaded, you can click the ‘Install Now’ button and then ‘Activate’ when it appears.
For more information, see our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
You will then be redirected to a page where you need to enter your SeedProd license key. You can find this in your SeedProd account.
Step 2: Create a Page with SeedProd
Next, you can navigate to SeedProd » Landing Pages in your WordPress admin area to create a new page.
Simply click ‘Add New Landing Page’.
After that, you’ll need to choose a template.
SeedProd has lots of template options, which are organized into different campaign categories, including coming soon, thank you, and 404 pages. You can click on the tabs at the top of the screen to filter templates based on campaign type.
Since we are creating a landing page, you may want to take a look at the Sales, Webinar, or Lead Squeeze tabs.
SeedProd lets you preview each template. Simply hover your mouse over it and then click on the magnifying glass.
Once you have found the perfect template, click the checkmark button.
This will open a popup where you can name your landing page.
When the page builder opens, you’ll see your content layout on the right side and the building tools on the left.
This is also where you’ll find the AI translation features for individual page elements.
You can now start building and customizing your landing page by dragging and dropping blocks from the panel on the left onto the page on the right.
For details, see our guide on how to create landing pages in WordPress.
Step 3: Translate Page Elements with AI
The AI translation option appears when you select text blocks, like headlines, paragraphs, or button text. You won’t see translation options for images or structural blocks, since those don’t contain translatable text content.
To translate any text block, simply click on it to select it within the page builder. You’ll see the block’s settings panel open on the left side of your screen.
From here, let’s click ‘Edit with AI.’
On the popup that appears, go ahead and expand the ‘Translate text to’ dropdown. SeedProd will then present you with more than 50 language choices.
Select the target language you want to translate your content into from the dropdown menu.
Once you pick your target language, SeedProd’s AI will quickly translate your text in just a few seconds.
You’ll see a preview of the translation, allowing you to check the tone and meaning. If it looks good, just click ‘Insert’ to replace the original text.
What if it doesn’t sound quite right? You can tweak it or generate a new version.
Just repeat this for each text block you want to translate.
Step 4: Review and Publish Translated Content
Before publishing your translated page, I recommend using SeedProd’s preview feature to see how everything looks together.
Click the ‘Preview’ button to view your page as visitors will see it, checking that all translated elements work well together.
Pay special attention to button text, headlines, and calls-to-action to make sure they’re compelling in the target language. Sometimes, direct translations don’t have the same impact as the original, so you might need to adjust phrasing for maximum effectiveness.
Once you’re satisfied with all the translations, you can make the page live by clicking on the ‘Save’ button and then ‘Publish.’
Still have a few questions about AI translations? Below, I’ve answered some of the most common ones to help you make a more informed decision.
How accurate is AI translation compared to human translation?
AI translation has come a long way from the clunky Google Translate days, but it’s not quite at human-level accuracy yet. In my experience, modern AI tools like Weglot‘s AI Language Model get most of the translations right on the first try.
The biggest difference is context understanding. Human translators excel at picking up subtle meanings and cultural references that AI might miss. However, AI wins on consistency because it won’t translate the same term differently across your site like human translators sometimes do.
For most business websites, AI translation provides excellent results that you can fine-tune as needed. The key is treating it as a smart starting point.
Can AI understand regional language differences?
Current AI translation tools handle regional differences better than you might expect, but they’re not perfect.
For example, let’s say you tested translations for Spanish markets. In this case, you may notice that the AI can distinguish between Mexican Spanish and Argentinian Spanish when you specify the target region.
The challenge comes with cultural context and local business practices. AI might translate your content accurately, but it might miss that certain phrases sound too formal or casual for specific regions.
Are there limitations to the current AI capabilities?
Yes, AI translation still has some blind spots. Humor, wordplay, and highly creative content often fail to translate well because they rely on cultural knowledge that AI hasn’t yet fully mastered.
Technical jargon can be tricky, too. While AI handles common business terms well, specialized industry language sometimes gets lost in translation. That’s why building a comprehensive glossary is so important.
I also noticed that AI can struggle with context that spans multiple sentences. It may translate each sentence accurately on its own, but miss how they work together to convey the full meaning.
What are some common challenges in AI translation, and how can they be overcome?
The biggest challenge I see is users expecting AI to work perfectly right out of the box. You need to invest time in training the system with your brand voice and terminology.
Another common issue is inconsistent quality across different content types. Blog posts might translate beautifully, while product descriptions sound awkward. The solution is to create specific guidelines for each type of content you’re translating.
Credit management can also be challenging for beginners. Start small, test thoroughly, and scale up gradually. It’s better to translate 10 important pages perfectly than to translate 100 pages poorly all at once.
I hope this guide helped you learn how to use AI to translate your website. If you found this helpful, you may also want to check out our other guides for growing your business with AI:
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
The post How to Use AI to Translate Your Website (2 Easy Methods) first appeared on WPBeginner.
A friend recently asked me, “Should I use WordPress or Django for my new website?” It’s a great question, and a common one. Choosing the right content management system (CMS) can shape your entire online experience.
While WordPress has always been my go-to for building websites, I’ve spent time exploring Django CMS as well. I’ve helped others decide between the two, and I’ve even tested Django on a few personal projects just to see how it stacks up.
In this post, I’ll share what I’ve learned from both platforms—their surprising strengths, their limitations, and why WordPress still comes out on top for creating websites.
Whether you’re launching a blog, a business site, or something more complex, this side-by-side comparison will help you figure out which CMS fits your needs best.
Both WordPress and Django CMS are powerful content management systems (CMS), but they are designed for different kinds of tasks.
I’ve created a quick comparison table below to help you understand the main differences. It explains the key features of WordPress and Django CMS side-by-side:
| WordPress | Django CMS | |
|---|---|---|
| 🎯 Purpose | Blogging, general websites | Developer-friendly, complex enterprises |
| ⚙️ Technology | PHP, MySQL | Python, Django framework |
| 🤹 Ease of Use | Very user-friendly | Steep learning curve |
| 🔧 Customization | Themes, plugins (PHP) | Python code, Django apps |
| 🛍 eCommerce | Requires a free plugin like WooCommerce or Easy Digital Downloads | Requires additional software like Oscar Commerce or Saleor |
| 🔒 Security | Requires regular updates, security plugins | Strong security foundation out of the box |
| 📈 Scalability | Scalable with optimization | Highly scalable |
| 👥 Community | Huge, very broad | Small, developer-focused |
| 👤 Target User | Non-developers | Developers |
In the sections that follow, I’ll dive deeper into each of these points and help you decide whether WordPress or Django CMS is the right choice for your project.
☝ Important Note: This comparison is between Django CMS and self-hosted WordPress.org (not WordPress.com). See our guide on the differences between self-hosted WordPress.org and WordPress.com for more details.
I wanted to make sure this comparison was as thorough and fair as possible, so I didn’t just rely on spec sheets and marketing brochures. So, I dug deep, using my own experience and research.
Here’s how I approached it:
We’ve been building websites with WordPress for over a decade and have seen it evolve from a simple blogging platform to the powerhouse it is today. We’ve used it to create everything from small business websites to large online stores, including this site, WPBeginner.
While we’re big fans of WordPress, we also keep a close eye on other platforms like Django CMS. We’ve even experimented with it on personal projects to understand its strengths and weaknesses firsthand.
Our goal here isn’t to sell you on one platform or the other. It’s to give you an honest, unbiased comparison based on our real-world experience. We’ll share the good, the bad, and the ugly so you can make the best decision for your specific needs.
Want to learn more about how we maintain accuracy and integrity here at WPBeginner? Check out our detailed editorial guidelines.
Since I’m going to go into a lot of detail in my comparison of WordPress vs. Django CMS, you may want to use this table of contents to quickly navigate the article:
Choosing a content management system (CMS) is like laying the foundation for your website.
WordPress and Django CMS are both powerful tools, but they’re designed for different kinds of projects. Picking the right one from the start can save you headaches (and potentially a lot of money) down the road.
I remember when I first started building websites, I tried everything from hand-coding HTML to using clunky website builders. Then I discovered WordPress, and I immediately knew that it was what I was looking for.
Suddenly, I could build beautiful, functional websites without needing a computer science degree. I’ve used it for everything from simple blogs to complex eCommerce sites.
So, what is WordPress, anyway? It’s the most popular website builder and CMS on the planet, powering over 43% of the web. It’s free, open-source, and incredibly versatile. Plus, there’s a massive community of users and developers ready to help you out.
Getting started is a breeze, especially with one-click installs offered by hosts like Bluehost and Hostinger (I’ve used both, and they make it super easy).
As my projects got more complex, I started hearing about Django CMS. It’s a favorite among developers who want more flexibility and control. I even tried using it for a personal project, and it was a completely different experience.
Think of it as building a house from scratch. With Django, you have complete control over every detail, but it requires a lot more technical know-how.
Django CMS is built with Django, a powerful framework that uses the Python programming language.
It is a set of tools and libraries that provide a foundation for building web applications. It’s also free and open-source, but it’s definitely geared towards developers.
You’ll need to be comfortable with coding and server administration to get the most out of it. It’s ideal for large, complex projects that demand a high level of customization and scalability.
Now that you have a basic understanding of both platforms, let’s dive deeper into the key differences between WordPress and Django CMS.
Ease of use is a big concern for many website builders. You’re probably looking for a platform that’s simple to navigate without prior technical expertise.
Let’s see how WordPress and Django CMS compare in terms of user-friendliness.
WordPress: Easy to Use Most of the Time
WordPress is known for its user-friendly nature. Setting up a basic blog in WordPress can be done in a matter of hours.
The block editor is intuitive, like building with digital Lego bricks. You can easily drag and drop different content blocks to create pages without coding.
And getting started is super easy. Most web hosts, like Bluehost (my personal favorite), offer one-click WordPress installs.
That means you can literally have a website up and running in minutes. WPBeginner readers get a special discount, so you can get started for just $1.99 per month.
After WordPress is installed, you’ll be able to access the admin dashboard. From here, you can customize your site’s design, add new pages, and manage your content. It’s very straightforward.
For details, see our guide on how to create a WordPress website.
Django CMS: For Developers and Code-Savvy Users
Django is built for developers who love the flexibility and control of coding. But if you’re a beginner or prefer a no-code approach, it will feel overwhelming.
You’ll need to know how to code in Python and be familiar with web development concepts to use Django CMS effectively. I’ve talked to friends who tried to use Django CMS without coding experience, and it often leads to frustration.
Even simple tasks, like changing your website’s theme or adding a contact form, often require coding or working with Django’s templating system.
Django CMS’s content editor is relatively straightforward, similar to WordPress’s older classic editor.
It lets you work with formatted text, but not create complex layouts like the newer WordPress block editor.
But most customization happens behind the scenes in code. This can be a steep learning curve for non-developers.
Here’s a quick overview of what makes Django CMS less user-friendly for non-developers:
All that said, if you have a strong technical background, all of this may sound ideal.
🏅 Winner for Ease of Use – WordPress
For non-programmers, WordPress is the clear winner. It’s intuitive, user-friendly, and packed with features that make building a website a breeze.
Django CMS, while powerful, is best left to the developers. If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to get online, WordPress is your best bet.
Customization options are essential for creating a unique and functional website. So, how do WordPress and Django CMS compare in terms of customization?
WordPress: Customization Made Easy
WordPress is famous for its flexibility. I’ve built countless websites using the CMS, and I’m always amazed by how much you can change without writing a single line of code. The secret is the large selection of themes and plugins.
Themes transform your website’s appearance with just a few clicks. Thousands of free and premium themes mean you’re bound to find something that perfectly matches your style.
Looking for recommendations? Here are some of my favorite themes.
If you want more customization options, most themes offer built-in options to change colors, fonts, and layouts effortlessly.
For advanced options, the theme customizer or adding custom CSS opens up a world of possibilities.
Then there are plugins, which are like apps for your website. They add all sorts of functionality, from contact forms and online stores to SEO tools and security enhancements.
With over 59,000 free plugins in the WordPress plugin directory and countless premium plugins, the possibilities are nearly endless. Just see my pick of the best WordPress plugins for all websites to get an idea of what they can do.
Django CMS: Customization for Coders
Django CMS takes a different approach to customization. Instead of using visual interfaces and drag-and-drop builders, you customize your website using code.
If you’re a Python developer, this may sound perfect. You can build virtually anything you can imagine to your exact specifications. While it requires more development time upfront, the level of customization you gain can only be achieved using code.
Features like custom product displays, complex filtering options, and unique checkout processes are all possible thanks to Django’s code-centric approach.
Here’s a glimpse into Django CMS’s customization options:
If you’re not a developer, you’ll need to hire one to customize your Django CMS website. While this adds to the cost, it also gives you more control over customization.
🏅 Winner for Customization Options – WordPress
If you want easy, no-code customization, WordPress is the clear winner. Its huge library of themes and plugins makes it simple to create a unique website without touching any code.
Django CMS offers ultimate flexibility for developers, but it comes at the cost of increased complexity.
Effective content management is essential for websites with frequent updates. You need a CMS that makes it easy to create, organize, and manage all that content.
So, how do WordPress and Django CMS compare in this department?
WordPress: Content Management Powerhouse
WordPress began its journey as a blogging tool, and content management remains one of its greatest strengths. From personal blogs to extensive content hubs, WordPress excels thanks to its flexibility and user-friendliness.
Writing and editing content in WordPress is a breeze. The block editor is incredibly straightforward, allowing you to add text, images, and videos with simple drag-and-drop actions.
You can group your posts together in different ways using categories and tags. You can think of categories as the main sections of my website, and tags as a detailed index.
WordPress also has a built-in media library that makes managing images and videos super easy. You can upload, organize, and insert media into your content with just a few clicks.
And if you’re working with a team, WordPress’s user role management is extremely helpful. You can assign different roles (administrator, editor, author, and more) with specific permissions.
This makes sure that everyone has the access they need without risking accidental deletions or unwanted changes.
Need even more content management features? No problem! WordPress has thousands of plugins that can add everything from custom content types to advanced SEO tools.
Django CMS: Content Management for Developers
Django CMS offers a basic interface for creating and editing content. But it lacks the intuitive user-friendliness of WordPress. I’ve found that even simple tasks, such as creating pages or managing menus, can sometimes require technical knowledge.
And while Django CMS does offer user roles and permissions, configuring them is often more complex than in WordPress. Customizing roles or creating new ones typically involves coding or working with Django’s admin interface, which can be a hurdle for non-developers.
For instance, imagine you need to create custom user roles with specific permissions. In WordPress, this would be straightforward. Meanwhile, in Django CMS, it requires writing custom code.
Here’s a closer look at Django CMS’s content management features:
While Django CMS offers powerful content management tools, its developer-centric approach can be challenging for non-technical users.
🏅 Winner for Content Management – WordPress
For most users, especially those without a technical background, WordPress is the clear winner for content management. It offers a user-friendly interface, powerful features, and a huge ecosystem of plugins for content creation, organization, and management.
Django CMS is more flexible for developers, but it comes at the cost of increased complexity.
Selling online requires a comprehensive eCommerce platform. Let’s compare WordPress and Django’s online store capabilities.
WordPress: Great for Selling Online
WordPress doesn’t have eCommerce features out of the box. But you can quickly set up an online store with the help of plugins like WooCommerce. I’ve used WooCommerce a lot for my own projects, and I found it to be very powerful and easy to use.
After installing WooCommerce, it guides you through the setup. Then, you can add products, set up payment methods (like Stripe or PayPal), and decide how to ship things right from the familiar WordPress dashboard.
You can easily customize WooCommerce using plugins and themes designed specifically for online stores. There are plugins available for detailed shipping costs, managing subscriptions, and even adjusting prices according to specific rules.
If you need a simpler way to sell online, especially for digital items or services, I would also suggest looking at Easy Digital Downloads (EDD).
For more information, just see our guide on how to start an online store.
Django: Building a Custom Online Store
Django also doesn’t have eCommerce features built in. However, its power and flexibility let you build the exact online store you want, piece by piece.
This approach gives you total control over everything in your store. You control how data is stored, how the site operates behind the scenes, what users see, and how it integrates with other services. It’s great for making unique online stores with custom features.
While you can build an eCommerce site completely from scratch using Django, there are several tools and frameworks that can help you build faster:
There are also simpler tools and libraries if you only need certain eCommerce features.
Building a custom store with Django requires coding knowledge. It’s a good fit for businesses with complex needs, but it’s not a suitable choice for beginners.
🏅 Winner for eCommerce – WordPress
In most cases, WordPress wins in the eCommerce category.
That’s because you can easily turn WordPress into an eCommerce platform by installing an eCommerce plugin like WooCommerce or Easy Digital Downloads. You can quickly get started selling online at an affordable price, and the large WordPress community means it’s easy to find help and information.
Django may be better for building custom online stores where you need full control over every small detail and have a large budget. For example, your developers could build a system with complex billing rules and smart ways to suggest products for specific customers.
That said, you can still get advanced eCommerce functionality with WordPress as long as you have the right tools. For instance, you can add wholesale features using Wholesale Suite or create custom eCommerce automations with Uncanny Automator.
Website performance is crucial for user experience, search engine rankings, and your bottom line. So, let’s see how WordPress and Django CMS compare.
WordPress: Performance Requires Optimization
WordPress is incredibly popular, and out of the box, it’s generally fast enough for most small websites. But as your site grows, with more content, plugins, and fancy features, things can start to slow down.
I’ve seen this happen with friends’ websites. One of the biggest causes of this is poorly coded themes and plugins. That’s why it’s important to select the perfect WordPress theme and the right WordPress plugin.
And speaking of tools, a caching plugin is essential for any WordPress site. Caching works by taking a ‘snapshot’ of your web pages and storing them temporarily, instead of generating them from scratch every time a visitor arrives.
This significantly reduces server load and speeds up your site. I personally recommend WP Rocket for its user-friendly interface and powerful optimization features.
We used it for a long time here at WPBeginner and had a great experience with it. You can see our full WP Rocket review for more information.
Overall, WordPress can be incredibly fast with proper optimization. We’ve even put together a comprehensive guide to help you boost your WordPress site’s speed and performance.
Django CMS: Built for Speed
Django CMS is built on the high-performance Django framework, which is designed for speed and efficiency from the ground up.
Because features and customizations are built with code, there’s less reliance on plugins or extensions that could add bloat and slow down a website.
Django’s efficient architecture and the streamlined, custom-coded nature of the site can result in better performance, lower page load times, and the ability to handle higher traffic volumes.
But it’s important to remember that even with Django CMS, poorly written code can negatively impact performance. If you’re not an experienced Django developer, you should hire one to make sure your site is optimized for speed and efficiency.
Beyond just being fast, Django is also incredibly scalable. This means a Django CMS site can easily grow with your business, handling a large increase in traffic, content, and features without a significant drop in performance.
🏅 Winner for Performance – Django CMS
Out of the box, Django CMS generally outperforms WordPress in terms of speed and efficiency (as long as you’re using efficient coding practices). However, with proper optimization, WordPress can also achieve excellent performance.
If you’re willing to put in the effort (or hire someone who is), then WordPress can handle even high-traffic events. But if speed is your top priority and you have the technical expertise, Django CMS might be a better choice.
Security breaches can devastate a website. They can result in lost data, frustrated users, and a damaged reputation.
So, let’s talk about how WordPress and Django CMS compare when it comes to keeping your site safe.
WordPress Security: Staying Ahead of the Threats
With the right precautions, WordPress can be incredibly secure. I’ve used it for years on countless sites, and I’ve learned a few tricks along the way.
First of all, it’s best to keep everything updated. The WordPress core software is regularly patched for security vulnerabilities, so those updates are your first line of defense.
I always recommend setting up automatic updates whenever possible because it’s one less thing to worry about.
Next, you’ll want to be picky about your themes and plugins. Just like I wouldn’t install software from a suspicious website on my computer, I’m careful about what I add to my WordPress sites.
It’s best to stick to reputable sources like the official WordPress directory and well-known developers. And remember, you’ll need to keep those plugins and themes updated, too. Updates often fix security vulnerabilities that could be used to hack your website.
On top of following these best practices, I also recommend using a security plugin. This tool will typically offer malware scanning, firewall protection, and more.
For more on keeping your WordPress website safe, see our ultimate WordPress security guide.
Django CMS Security: A Solid Foundation
Django CMS uses the Django framework’s strong security foundation right out of the box. This is a major advantage for developers who want to prioritize security from the ground up.
For instance, when users submit content on a Django site, the system automatically cleans it up. This prevents a common type of attack called XSS (Cross-Site Scripting), where malicious code tries to sneak onto your site through user input.
Also, for every form you fill out on a Django site, there’s a unique, invisible security token attached to it. This makes it much tougher for attackers to hijack your session or trick you into doing something unintended.
That said, Django requires a lot of the same security best practices as WordPress (or any other CMS), such as regular updates, strong passwords, and two-factor authentication.
Secure coding practices and proper configuration are also important, especially when dealing with sensitive data.
If you’re not a developer, you’ll need to hire a Django expert to make sure your site is configured securely, and you may need them to run regular security audits.
🏅 Winner for Security – Django CMS
Django CMS is more secure out of the box, thanks to the framework’s built-in protections. However, with proper precautions, like regular updates, careful plugin selection, and a solid security plugin, WordPress can also be very secure.
Ultimately, the security of any website depends on your diligence and the steps you take to protect it, regardless of the platform you choose.
A supportive community and readily available resources are essential when building a website. Let’s see how WordPress and Django CMS compare for community and support.
WordPress: A Global Community at Your Fingertips
WordPress is the most popular website builder and has a huge, global community of users, developers, and designers.
Whether you’re stuck on a coding problem, need help choosing a plugin, or just want some general advice, there’s always someone willing to help. And there are plenty of helpful WordPress resources, including Get Started documents, courses, workshops, and lessons.
You’ll find answers to almost any question you can imagine. You can learn more on the official Learn WordPress and Make WordPress pages.
And here at WPBeginner, we offer many different tutorials like this one, a newsletter, free video tutorials, the WPBeginner Engage Facebook Group, a YouTube channel, and more.
Learn how to make the most out of WPBeginner’s free resources in this guide.
Django CMS: A Smaller, More Focused Community
Django CMS has a smaller, more niche community compared to WordPress. This smaller community means you’re interacting with a highly skilled and dedicated group of individuals who are willing to share their expertise.
However, the smaller community does mean fewer readily available resources. You’ll find less documentation, fewer online tutorials, and a smaller selection of pre-built themes and plugins.
This can make it more challenging to find solutions to common problems. You might have to rely more on your own problem-solving skills or reach out directly to the community for assistance.
The Django CMS community is active on platforms like Stack Overflow and specialized forums. While it might take a bit more effort to find answers, the quality of support is often very high. You’re more likely to get in-depth technical assistance from experienced developers.
Here are some key differences in community support:
If you’re comfortable with independent learning and problem-solving, the smaller Django CMS community might not be a major drawback. However, it doesn’t compare to WordPress’s large and active community, which offers readily available resources.
🏅 Winner for Community and Support – WordPress
For most users, WordPress offers better support due to its large, active community and readily available resources.
However, developers will appreciate Django’s smaller, more focused community, although it requires more independent problem-solving.
WordPress and Django differ significantly in their overall cost. I’ll give you some real-world examples so you can get a better idea of what to expect.
WordPress: Budgeting for Your Site
WordPress itself is free, but you’ll need web hosting and a domain name (around $10-20 per year). Web hosting is where your website is stored, and a domain name is your site’s address.
Hosting costs can range from a few dollars a month for basic shared hosting (perfect for beginners) to hundreds or even thousands for high-performance managed hosting (ideal for larger sites with lots of traffic).
Let me give you a few examples of what to expect:
I’ve used both shared and managed hosting, and the best choice really depends on your specific needs.
For example, when WPBeginner was launched, we first used shared hosting to keep costs low. As the site grew, we switched to managed hosting for better performance and security.
While there are many excellent free themes and plugins available, premium options can significantly enhance your site’s functionality and design.
I often recommend premium plugins for features like advanced SEO or eCommerce functionality. These can be one-time purchases or ongoing subscriptions. Either way, you’ll need to factor those into your budget.
Finally, if you need custom development work, you might need to hire a developer or designer. This can add to the overall cost, but it’s often worth the investment for a truly unique and functional website.
For more details, see our guide on how much it really costs to build a WordPress website.
Django CMS: Factoring in Development Costs
Like WordPress, Django CMS is free. But because it’s more developer-focused, the overall cost is usually higher.
You’ll still need hosting and a domain name, but you’ll likely need more powerful (and more expensive) hosting options like VPS or cloud hosting to handle Django’s requirements.
I’ve found that this can be a significant difference in ongoing expenses compared to basic WordPress hosting. Expect to pay $50-200+ per month for suitable hosting.
The most significant cost difference, however, typically comes from development. Django CMS almost always requires a developer for setup, customization, theme creation, and maintenance.
I’ve seen projects range from a few thousand dollars for a basic setup to tens of thousands for complex, custom-built applications. While you’ll save on premium themes and plugins (Django customization is done through code), developer fees are a substantial part of your budget.
For example, a simple Django CMS website could cost $3,000-$8,000 in initial development costs, while a complex web application could easily exceed $20,000.
🏅 Winner for Affordability: WordPress (Usually)
WordPress is more affordable for most users, especially those starting with a smaller budget. I’ve helped a lot of different people launch websites on a tight budget using WordPress. The lower hosting costs and free themes and plugins make it a great choice for getting started.
However, for some complex custom projects, Django might be a better long-term investment, despite the higher upfront development costs.
For most users, especially those who prefer not to work with code, WordPress is the clear winner. Launching websites with WordPress is easy, even for people with limited technical skills. It’s quick to set up, easy to use, and incredibly versatile thanks to the massive library of themes and plugins.
If you want a user-friendly way to create and manage content, WordPress is hard to beat. It’s like having a trusty toolbox filled with all the tools you need to build just about anything.
However, if you’re tackling a complex project that demands serious customization, high scalability, and robust security right out of the box, then Django CMS might be a better choice.
To help you make the right decision, here’s a table summarizing the typical users and primary use cases each platform is designed for:
| Who It’s For | WordPress | Django CMS |
|---|---|---|
| Typical Users | Bloggers, small businesses, content creators, non-developers | Developers, large enterprises, startups needing custom solutions |
| Primary Use Cases | Blogs, portfolios, simple business websites, eCommerce stores (with plugins) | Complex web applications, custom CRMs, data-driven sites, highly scalable platforms |
I always recommend carefully considering your priorities, technical skills, and budget before making a decision.
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Prices start at just $799 for a new website. Check out our Design Services page for more information!
Now that you have read our comparison of WordPress vs. Django CMS, you may still have some questions. Here are some brief answers to frequently asked questions.
Is WordPress or Django easier for beginners?
WordPress is much easier to use for beginners and users without coding experience. It has a user-friendly interface, one-click installation, and a large library of themes and plugins. This makes it quick to set up and manage content.
Is Django CMS good?
Yes, Django CMS is considered a good content management system. It’s a strong choice for complex projects where a standard, off-the-shelf content management system (CMS) might be too limiting. However, most users will find WordPress a better choice for their blog or website.
Which is better for content, WordPress or Django CMS?
I prefer WordPress for content-focused websites. Its core design and editor are built for usability, and extending content types is simple using themes and plugins.
Django CMS provides an editing interface, but setup and customization require coding expertise.
Do I need coding skills to use WordPress or Django?
You can build functional websites with WordPress without coding skills, thanks to its user-friendly dashboard and extensive plugin ecosystem. However, you can choose to hire a developer if you need extensive customization.
Django, on the other hand, fundamentally requires coding skills for development, setup, and customization.
Is WordPress or Django more customizable?
WordPress provides extensive customization for non-developers through themes for appearance changes and plugins for adding features. Django offers customization at the code level due to its nature as a framework.
Which platform is more secure, WordPress or Django?
Django CMS is often considered to have a stronger built-in security foundation. However, if you keep its core, themes, and plugins up to date, then WordPress can also be very secure, especially when you use a reputable security plugin.
Is WordPress faster than Django?
Django CMS is designed for speed and has a performance advantage, particularly for complex and high-traffic websites. However, if you spend time optimizing WordPress, its performance can also be excellent.
Which is more affordable, WordPress or Django?
WordPress can be a more affordable option for getting started, especially for basic websites. There are many free themes and plugins, and basic hosting can be inexpensive. However, costs for premium themes, plugins, and development help can add up.
Django projects typically require developer involvement from the start, which can lead to higher upfront costs. But for complex projects, this can be a worthwhile investment for long-term scalability and maintainability.
Are there a lot of resources for Django?
WordPress has a much larger community and more resources, including documentation, tutorials, and available developers.
Django CMS has a smaller but active and developer-focused community. There are resources, but nowhere near as many as for WordPress.
When should I choose WordPress vs. Django CMS?
I recommend choosing WordPress if you need a user-friendly CMS for blogs, small business websites, or content-focused sites where ease of use is important.
You may want to opt for Django CMS if you are building complex websites, web applications with content management needs, or projects requiring high levels of customization, scalability, and security.
I hope this tutorial helped you compare WordPress vs. Django and their pros and cons.
You may also want to see some other helpful resources we have at WPBeginner:
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When I first started building websites, I thought about using Drupal. It’s a strong platform, but it was too complicated and hard to learn, especially for beginners.
That’s why I chose WordPress instead. It’s powerful, easy to use, and now, it’s what I use for all my websites.
Over the years, I’ve helped many business owners and developers switch from Drupal to WordPress. I know it can feel overwhelming to move your whole website without losing content or breaking anything.
That’s why I created this simple guide to help you migrate from Drupal to WordPress safely and easily. It walks you through each step, using methods I’ve tested and improved with others who have made the same switch.
Whether your website is small or large, I’m here to help you make the change as smoothly as possible. Let’s get started together!
Drupal and WordPress may look similar. But in practice, these website builders are very different.
I’ve found that Drupal, while incredibly capable, can sometimes feel complex and overpowered.
Simple content updates start taking longer than they should. Finding the right developer to make tweaks isn’t always easy or cheap. And honestly, the backend can feel overwhelming sometimes.
In my experience, WordPress is much more user-friendly, which is why I always recommend it to people looking to make a website.
Think of it as your favorite everyday tool that’s easy to pick up and intuitive to use. It makes many tasks very easy to do, like writing and publishing a new blog post, adding an image to a page, or installing a simple contact form.
Drupal, on the other hand, is more like a highly specialized toolkit. It is precise and powerful, but it can feel like overkill for your daily needs. It can be difficult to do something that’s simple in WordPress, like setting up a custom page layout.
See my comparison of Drupal vs. WordPress for more details.
Before you start migrating your Drupal site, you need to create a safe copy of everything.
It’s also a great idea to back up the link structure of your website. You’ll use this information later to make sure you don’t lose your search engine rankings.
Backing Up Your Drupal Website Using a Module
You can back up your Drupal website easily using a module, or more advanced users can do it manually (see below).
The Backup and Migrate module makes backing up a Drupal website pretty straightforward.
Just visit Administration » Extend and you will find the module in the ‘Other’ section. Simply click the checkbox next to the module and then click the ‘Install’ button at the bottom of the page.
Note: If you don’t see it listed, then the module’s files haven’t yet been added to Drupal. This is a little technical, and you may need to contact your hosting provider for support.
More advanced users can install the module by using SSH. You will need to navigate in the terminal to the root directory of your Drupal installation and type in the following command:
composer require 'drupal/backup_migrate:^5.1'
Once the module is installed, you’ll find it in your Drupal admin menu. It allows you to create backups of your database, files, or both. For a full site backup, you’ll want to back up everything.
Backing Up Your Drupal Website Manually
Alternatively, if you’re comfortable with the technical side of things, then you can also back up your Drupal site manually.
First, you’ll need to back up your website files using your hosting provider’s file manager or FTP software.
When the file manager opens, click on the public_html folder in the left menu and then select your website’s folder in the left pane. You need to right-click on that folder and create the ‘Compress’ option from the menu.
When asked for a compression type, you should select the ‘Zip Archive’ option. After your website has been compressed, you can close the confirmation message.
Next, you need to find the compressed zip file in the public_html folder. Right-click the file and select the ‘Download’ option. Make sure you store this backup file in a secure location.
Next, you’ll need to back up your database using phpMyAdmin. You will find this useful tool in the account dashboard of most reputable hosting providers.
For example, on Bluehost, you will find it by clicking on the Hosting tab and then scrolling down the page.
Clicking the phpMyAdmin button will launch the application in a new browser tab.
From here, click to select your Drupal database from the left column and then click on the ‘Export’ button at the top.
When you are asked to select the export method, you should select ‘Custom’. It will show you all of the database tables in your Drupal website.
To create a full backup, make sure all of the tables are selected.
You now need to scroll down to the ‘Output’ section and select the ‘Save output to a file’ option.
For compression, select the ‘zipped’ option.
Finally, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the ‘Go’ button.
The compressed database file will be saved to your computer, and you can store it safely, along with the file backup you created earlier.
Backing Up Your Link Structure
Next, you need to back up your link structure. This is important for SEO and making sure that people can find your content online.
You need to make a list of all your current Drupal URLs so that you can set up redirects later in WordPress. This way, if someone clicks an old link to your Drupal website, then they’ll be automatically sent to the right page on your new WordPress site.
I like to use a Chrome extension called Link Klipper. It’s free, easy to use, and can quickly save all the links from a website. You can easily install it in your browser using the link above.
Next, you need to visit your Drupal website’s homepage in your Chrome browser. Once there, just click the Link Klipper icon in your browser toolbar and choose the option that says ‘Extract All Links’.
Link Klipper will do its thing and grab all the links from your homepage and the pages it can find linked from there. It will download these links as a comma-separated values (CSV) file.
When you open that CSV file in Excel or Google Sheets, you’ll see a complete list of your Drupal URLs. Make sure you save this file somewhere safe because you’ll need it later.
The requirements for both Drupal and self-hosted WordPress are quite similar. You’ll need a domain name and a WordPress hosting account to start with WordPress.
If you already have a domain name and website hosting account for your Drupal website, then you can use them for your WordPress website as well.
Alternatively, if you want to move to a different hosting provider, then I recommend using Bluehost, which is one of the top hosting companies recommended by WordPress. They offer WordPress hosting and a free domain name for just $1.99 a month.
Alternatives: If you’d like to explore a few other good options, then Hostinger and SiteGround are also worth considering. They both have strong reputations in the WordPress hosting world and offer good performance. For more options, see my expert pick of the best WordPress hosting providers.
For this guide, I’ll use screenshots from Bluehost to give you a visual example of the process.
You need to navigate to the Bluehost website and click the green ‘Get Started Now’ button.
You’ll then land on their pricing page, which shows you different hosting plans. Their ‘Basic’ plan is perfect for most websites.
Pick a plan that suits you by clicking the ‘Select’ button under it.
Next, you’ll be asked about the domain name you want to use. This is your website’s address, like www.yourwebsite.com.
You need to select ‘I’ll create my domain name later.’ This gives you time to migrate everything before pointing your domain to WordPress.
Why set up a domain later? 🤔 If you already have a domain connected to your Drupal site, then choosing this option lets you set up WordPress without affecting the live site. Once everything is ready, I’ll show you how to point your domain to WordPress.
After the domain step, you’ll need to fill in your account details (name, address, and so on) and your payment information to complete the purchase.
Bluehost will then send you a confirmation email with your login details. Keep this email safe! You’ll need those details to log in to your hosting account dashboard.
When you log in to your Bluehost account for the first time, they install WordPress automatically for you.
Now, just look for the ‘Edit Site’ button in your hosting dashboard and click it. That will take you straight to your WordPress admin area, where you can manage your new website.
And that’s it. You’ve now successfully installed WordPress.
Expert Tip: Working with a different hosting provider? We have a detailed WordPress installation tutorial that goes through every single step.
To make the migration process as smooth as possible, I’ll show you how to use a free WordPress plugin called FG Drupal to WordPress. It automates a lot of the heavy lifting involved in moving content between these two platforms.
First, you need to install and activate the plugin. For more details, see my step-by-step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
You’ll then find the importer tool under Tools » Import in your WordPress dashboard menu. You’ll see a list of different import options. Look for ‘Drupal’ in the list and click the ‘Run Importer’ link.
This will launch the FG Drupal to WordPress importer. Now, you’ll need to give the importer some information about your Drupal website so it can connect and grab your content.
The first thing it will ask for is your Drupal website URL.
Next, it needs your Drupal database details to get all your posts, pages, and other content. You’ll need to provide:
localhost if your Drupal and WordPress sites are on the same server. If not, you’ll need to get this from your Drupal hosting provider.drupal_.
You may have written this information down when you first set up your Drupal website. Otherwise, advanced users can use FTP to find the details in your Drupal settings.php file. Or simply contact your Drupal hosting provider and ask for assistance.
Once you’ve entered all the database details, click the ‘Test database connection’ button in the importer. If everything is correct, then you should see a ‘Connection successful’ message.
Below the connection settings, you’ll see some additional options in the importer. These let you control what gets imported, like featured images, content images, and other things.
Just leave the default settings as they are for your first import.
When you’re ready, you can start the import by clicking the big ‘Start / Resume the Import’ button. The importer will start fetching your content from your Drupal website and bringing it into WordPress. It will also import your images, blog comments, and more.
The time it takes depends on the amount of content you have. Once the import is finished, you should see a success message.
The FG Drupal to WordPress plugin can also help you fix internal links.
Sometimes, after a migration, links within your content might still be pointing to your old Drupal site structure. The plugin can try to update these to point to your new WordPress site.
Scroll down to the bottom of the importer page and click the ‘Modify internal links’ button.
Now that your content is imported into WordPress, you need to make sure people will find your new site when they type in your domain name.
If you already have a domain name for your Drupal website (like yourwebsite.com), then you want to keep using that same domain for WordPress. You need to adjust your nameservers to point to your new WordPress site.
Your new WordPress hosting provider, like Bluehost, Hostinger, or SiteGround, will give you the nameserver information you need.
It usually looks like a pair of addresses, something like:
ns1.your-wordpress-hosting.com ns2.your-wordpress-hosting.com
You change these settings with your domain name registrar, the company where you originally registered your domain name.
Sometimes, your domain registrar might be the same company as your hosting provider. But often, they’re separate. Common domain registrars include companies like Network Solutions and Namecheap.
You need to log in to your account at your domain registrar’s website. Once you’re logged in, find the settings for your domain name. Look for something like ‘DNS Settings’, ‘Nameservers’, ‘Domain Management’, or ‘Manage DNS’.
For example, here is the screen you will see on Bluehost.
You’ll find step-by-step instructions for many popular domain registrars in my guide on how to easily change domain nameservers.
Once you’ve updated your nameservers, it takes a little while for these changes to spread across the internet. This is called DNS propagation.
DNS propagation can take anywhere from a few hours to, in some cases, up to 24-48 hours. During this time, some people might still see your old Drupal website, while others might start seeing your new WordPress site.
Your old Drupal site had its own way of structuring URLs. WordPress does things a bit differently with permalinks.
Because the URLs for each post will be different, anyone who has a link to your old Drupal content will end up seeing a frustrating ‘404 Page Not Found’ error on your new WordPress site.
To prevent broken links, you have to set up SEO-friendly permalinks in WordPress and redirect your visitors from your old Drupal URLs to the right pages on your new WordPress site.
Setting Up WordPress Permalinks
WordPress gives you a few different options for how your website addresses (URLs) are structured. These are called permalinks.
The ‘Post name’ setting is a popular choice. It creates nice, clean URLs that usually include the title of your page or blog post. This structure can be helpful for both visitors and search engines because it makes the URL easy to read and gives a clear idea of what the page is about.
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Settings » Permalinks. You’ll see a section called ‘Common Settings’. Find the option labeled ‘Post name’ and click the radio button next to it to select it.
Then, just scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the ‘Save Changes’ button. Done!
Setting Up Redirects from Your Old Drupal URLs
Now you need to set up redirects to make sure your old Drupal links still work. To do this, you will need that list of old Drupal URLs you grabbed using Link Klipper in Step 1.
Tip: If you use the premium version of FG Drupal to WordPress to import your Drupal content, then it can automatically create these redirects for you.
To set up redirects easily in WordPress, you need to install and activate a plugin called Redirection. It’s free and it makes managing redirects a breeze. If you need help, see my guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
Once activated, you’ll find the Redirection plugin settings under Tools » Redirection in your WordPress menu.
In the Redirection plugin interface, you’ll see fields for Source URL and Target URL:
/my-old-page./my-new-page.Make sure the ‘301 – Moved Permanently’ option is selected for the ‘Match’ type (it’s usually the default). This tells search engines that the page has permanently moved to a new location, which is important for SEO.
Finally, click the ‘Add Redirect’ button to save the redirect.
Now, you’ll need to go through your list of old Drupal URLs and repeat these steps for each URL you want to redirect. It can be a bit repetitive if you have a lot of pages, but it’s worth the effort to avoid broken links and keep your SEO intact.
For detailed instructions, see my guide on how to set up redirects in WordPress.
Alternative: Using AIOSEO for Redirects
If you’re already using the All in One SEO (AIOSEO) plugin, or if you’re planning to use it to improve your website’s SEO, then it also has a redirection manager built in.
It’s a powerful WordPress SEO plugin that lets you easily set up full site redirects, plus it offers many other features to help your website rank higher in search results.
For example, its 404 error tracking can easily catch broken links, and you can add schema markup, custom breadcrumbs, local SEO modules, and much more.
To make your WordPress website look amazing, you need to choose and install a theme. These are ready-made design templates for your site that control its appearance, including the colors, fonts, layout of your pages, and how your blog posts are displayed.
There are plenty of free themes and premium themes available for every possible niche and industry you can imagine.
In my experience, clean and simple designs tend to work best for most websites. They look more professional, they’re easier for visitors to navigate, and most importantly, they put the focus where it should be: on your content.
To help you narrow things down, I put together a guide on selecting the perfect WordPress theme. It walks you through the key things to consider and helps you avoid some common traps.
Then, you can follow my step-by-step guide on how to install a WordPress theme.
Alternatively, you can easily create a custom WordPress theme using drag-and-drop with the SeedProd website builder plugin. This is a great option if you want to perfectly match your old site’s look without writing code, giving you full control over the design.
Of course, if you prefer, you can always hire professionals to design and code a completely custom WordPress website for you.
WordPress plugins are easier to install than Drupal modules. Thousands are available, both free and paid. So, I created a guide on how to pick the best plugins for your website.
But first, let me introduce you to some must-have plugins that I recommend for pretty much every new WordPress site:
You’ll find more ideas in my list of essential WordPress plugins. It’s packed with plugins I use and trust.
While many of you will be able to follow this guide to migrate from Drupal to WordPress, it’s still a pretty technical project. Maybe you’re not very techy or are simply too busy to do it yourself.
If that sounds like you, then our WPBeginner professional services team can lend a hand. We’ve helped tons of people with their WordPress websites, and we can help you too.
Here are a couple of ways we can make your Drupal to WordPress migration easier:
If you’re curious to learn more about these services or if you just have some questions about migration in general, then we’re here to chat! You can easily get in touch with our support team on our Website Design Services page.
Now that you have a new WordPress website, you’ll want to learn more. Luckily, we have lots of free resources to help you quickly become a WordPress pro:
I hope this tutorial helped you move your site from Drupal to WordPress. You may also want to see our ultimate WordPress SEO migration checklist for beginners or our expert pick of the best WordPress migration services.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
The post How to Migrate From Drupal to WordPress (Step by Step) first appeared on WPBeginner.
When I first started building WordPress websites, tracking visitor data just meant installing Google Analytics and calling it a day.
But times have changed. With new privacy regulations, using cookies to collect personal information without user consent can lead to legal headaches and lost visitors.
I’ve helped several WordPress site owners transition to cookie-free analytics solutions that still provide powerful insights. After testing numerous options and implementing them across various types of websites, I’ve identified the most effective approaches.
In this guide, let me show you two ways to add analytics while respecting your visitors’ privacy. One uses a privacy-first setup for Google Analytics (which uses first-party cookies), and the other is a cookieless option.
You’ve probably heard a lot about cookies and privacy laws. But what does it all really mean for your WordPress website’s analytics? Let me break it down.
Cookies are small pieces of data that are stored on a user’s browser when they visit a website.
Traditional analytics tools like Google Analytics 4 (GA4) use these cookies to track visitor behavior. This includes details like which pages they visit, how long they stay, and what actions they take.
All this data helps site owners better understand their audience and improve their websites.
🚨 Here’s the challenge: New privacy laws, like the GDPR, CCPA, and ePrivacy, require websites to ask for explicit user consent before tracking with cookies. Because of this, many website owners think they must switch to cookie-free analytics to stay compliant.
However, that’s not actually true!
You can still track important data with Google Analytics while staying compliant with privacy laws.
When it comes to website analytics, Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is still the best and most powerful tool available – and that’s true for all types of websites. So, if you want accurate insights into your visitors’ behavior, GA4 is the way to go.
But before we start, let’s clear up a common misunderstanding: GA4 does not rely on third-party cookies. Instead, it uses first-party cookies, which are set by your own website to collect data about your visitors’ activity on your WordPress site only.
In contrast, third-party cookies are set by external services (like ad networks) and track users across multiple websites. Because of their broader tracking scope, they raise more privacy concerns and are being phased out by many browsers.
Now, you might be wondering: “Since GA4 still uses cookies – even if they’re first-party – can it be used in a way that complies with privacy laws?”
The answer is yes!
However, do note that Google Analytics itself isn’t automatically compliant or non-compliant. It’s your responsibility to use it in a way that follows the rules that apply to you.
Plus, whether you need cookie consent for Google Analytics depends on several factors. They can be where you and your visitors are located, and how you handle their data.
Since cookie consent laws differ by country (even within the EU), some websites must ask users to consent to specific cookies, while others need a banner for any cookie use.
To help with this, I’ll show you how to pair GA4 with:
✅ MonsterInsights with the EU Compliance addon – This helps ensure your data handling aligns with GDPR and other privacy regulations.
✅ WPConsent cookie banners – These help you request and manage user consent the right way.
With these tools in place, you can continue using GA4 in a way that supports compliance with privacy laws. This helps you gather valuable insights while reducing the risk of legal issues.
Now that I’ve covered what cookieless tracking is and whether you really need it, let’s talk about how to set it up on your WordPress site.
There are 2 solid options to do this:
I will cover both methods in our tutorial, along with some extra tips and FAQs about cookieless tracking.
Feel free to use the jump links below to go to your preferred method:
Ready? Let’s break it down.
This method is for if you want access to powerful analytics while still respecting user privacy. I’ll be using MonsterInsights alongside WPConsent to set up cookieless tracking.
Step 1: Install MonsterInsights to Set Up Cookieless Analytics
MonsterInsights is the most popular Google Analytics plugin for WordPress, and for a good reason: it makes viewing your Google Analytics data in WordPress incredibly easy.
At WPBeginner, we use it to track traffic sources, visitor demographics, and conversion rates on our forms, buttons, referral links, and more. Check out our complete MonsterInsights review for a deeper look at its features.
✏️ Quick note: In this tutorial, I’ll be using the MonsterInsights Pro version because it comes with the EU Compliance addon (we’ll need it in step 3). But there’s also a free MonsterInsights version that works great if you just need basic analytics reports.
So, let’s first install and activate the MonsterInsights plugin. For details, you can see this guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
Step 2: Connect MonsterInsights to Google WordPress Analytics
Once you have MonsterInsights up and running, it’s time to connect it to your site and your Google Analytics account.
You can click the ‘Insights’ tab in the left-hand menu of your WordPress dashboard.
Next, just click the ‘Launch the Wizard’ button to start the MonsterInsights setup process.
On the next screen, you’ll need to pick a category that best describes your website.
This can be a WordPress blog, business site, or online store.
Just hit ‘Save and Continue’ after you make your choice.
After that, you’ll need to connect MonsterInsights to your website’s Google Analytics account.
Simply click the ‘Connect MonsterInsights’ button to begin the process.
In the next steps, you’ll have to sign in to your Google Analytics account and select the website you want to track.
MonsterInsights will then install Google Analytics on your site – easy as that!
For details, you can see this guide on how to install Google Analytics in WordPress.
Step 3: Install the MonsterInsights EU Compliance Addon
Since GA4 still uses first-party cookies, you need to make sure that your tracking complies with GDPR. The MonsterInsights EU Compliance addon makes this easier by automating key privacy settings in GA4.
Some of its essential features include:
To install the addon, you can navigate to Insights » Addons.
Here, go ahead and click the ‘Install & Activate’ button to install the EU Compliance addon.
After that, you can switch the toggle to activate the addon when it appears.
Upon activation, let’s go to the ‘Settings’ menu.
In the ‘Engagement’ tab, simply toggle the ‘Enable EU Compliance’ setting to turn it on.
We also recommend verifying the settings directly in GA4 to ensure your GA4 setup aligns with your MonsterInsights privacy settings.
For example, to make sure your GA4 doesn’t track demographics, you can navigate to your GA4 ‘Admin’ panel.
Next up, you’ll want to locate the ‘Data collection and modification’ setting.
Then, simply click the ‘Data collection’ option.
Now, in the ‘Google signals data collection’ settings, you should make sure it’s disabled.
Why does this matter? Google Signals collects extra user data, including:
If it’s already off, then you should see the option to ‘Turn On’ like this:
You might also want to review your data retention settings.
Data retention controls how long GA4 stores user-level and event-level data before automatically deleting it. A shorter retention period can help with GDPR compliance and privacy regulations.
To do this, you can go to Data collection and modification » Data retention from the ‘Admin’ menu.
On the next screen, you’ll see options to set the event and user data retention period.
You can click the ‘Data retention’ dropdown menus for both event and user data. Then, for stricter compliance, simply choose the ‘2 months’ option.
Don’t forget to click ‘Save’ when you’re done adjusting.
To learn more about all things GA4, you can check out our beginner’s guide on how to use Google Analytics 4.
Step 4: Set Up the WPConsent Cookie Consent Plugin
Using Google Analytics 4 while complying with laws like GDPR and CCPA means you need to get user consent before tracking. And that responsibility falls on you.
Whether consent is required depends on where your business is based, where your users are located, what data you collect, and how it’s used. Plus, rules vary widely across countries, even within the EU, with some requiring consent for specific cookies and others for any type.
Instead of handling this manually yourself, you can use WPConsent to simplify compliance.
This powerful plugin lets you display a cookie consent banner, log user choices, and control when tools like GA4 are allowed to run — all within WordPress.
At WPBeginner (and some of our partner brands), we use WPConsent, and it’s been a reliable solution for managing privacy settings. Explore all of its features in our complete WPConsent review!
So, let’s start by installing the WPConsent plugin. If you need help, then you can see this beginner’s guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
✏️ Quick note: You can use the free WPConsent plugin to set up cookie banners. But for this article, I’ll use the WPConsent Pro version because it provides access to cookie consent logs.
Upon plugin activation, let’s activate the license key.
To do this, you’ll need to go to WPConsent » Settings. After that, simply copy the license key from your WPConsent account and paste it into the ‘License Key’ field.
Then, go ahead and click the ‘Activate Key’ button.
With that done, let’s navigate to ‘Dashboard’ to go through the setup wizard.
Go ahead and click on the ‘Let’s Get Started’ button.
On the next screen, WPConsent will run a scan to see if your site is using cookies.
First, it will ask you to check your site’s email address.
If everything looks good already, then you can click ‘Scan Your Website.’
This will trigger the tool to start the cookie scan.
Once done, you’ll see a ‘Scan completed’ notification along with a short report on the tool’s findings. For example, here it says that WPConsent found 4 services on our site that have set cookies.
Let’s click on ‘OK’ to continue the process.
Next up, you’ll see your WordPress site’s scan results in more detail.
On my demo site, the services that use cookies are WordPress login (this might be because of the ‘Remember Me‘ option), WordPress Comments, Google Analytics, and Matomo.
Make sure that you select all the services. Then, you should also check the box that says ‘Prevent known scripts from adding cookies before consent is given.’
With that done, go ahead and click the ‘Auto-Configure selected’ button.
After that, WPConsent will prompt you to set up your cookie banner.
The process is super simple. You just need to choose a layout and pick a position.
Then, you can scroll down the page to preview your cookie consent banner.
If everything looks good to you, it’s time to click the ‘Save & Complete Setup’ button.
And you’re done!
Now, if you visit your website, you’ll see your cookie consent banner in action.
👉 Expert Tip: Adding a link to your privacy policy page in the cookie banner helps build trust with your visitors and align with legal requirements. If you don’t have one yet, then check out our tutorial on how to add a privacy policy page in WordPress.
After setting it up, you can embed the link into your cookie banner from the WPConsent editor.
Just navigate to WPConsent » Banner Design from your admin area. Then, you can edit the text in the ‘Message’ field to include the link to your Privacy Policy page.
Don’t forget to click the ‘Save’ button so you don’t lose your progress.
And here’s your cookie banner:
Step 5: Access Consent Logs to Verify Your Privacy Settings
WPConsent has a ‘Consent Logs’ section that provides a detailed record of how visitors interact with your site’s cookie consent popup.
To see your logs, go ahead and navigate to WPConsent » Consent Logs from your WordPress admin area.
Here, you’ll find a table with all your users’ consent details.
For example, I have a user who accepted all cookies – essential, statistics, and marketing.
And that’s it – you’ve successfully set up Google Analytics with enhanced privacy settings while still using cookies.
If you’re looking to track analytics without cookies, then Burst Statistics is a great option. This free plugin makes the process pretty simple.
Keep in mind that Burst Statistics uses a technique called fingerprinting. It’s a way to identify a computer or device based on its unique characteristics, like the browser, operating system, and installed fonts, even without using cookies.
While it’s generally considered less intrusive than cookies, it’s still a form of tracking, so it’s good to be aware of it.
Now, let’s take a look at how you can set it up on your WordPress site.
Step 1: Install and Activate the Burst Statistics Plugin on WordPress
To get started, you need to install and activate the free Burst Statistics plugin. Simply navigate to Plugins » Add New Plugin from your admin area.
After that, you’ll want to use the search feature to quickly find the plugin. Then, go ahead and click the ‘Install Now’ button.
✏️ Quick note: For this guide, I’ll use the free Burst Statistics plugin to set up analytics without cookies. However, upgrading to Burst Statistics Pro will unlock lots of other cool features, including data archiving, multiple goal tracking, and advanced filters.
Then, you should click once again on the ‘Activate’ button when it appears. If you need help, then you can check out this guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
Step 2: Configure Settings for Optimal Performance and Privacy
Upon plugin activation, you can enable analytics without cookies straight away.
All you have to do is navigate to Statistics » Settings from your WordPress admin area. Then, let’s make sure you’re in the ‘General’ tab.
From here, simply switch on the ‘Enable Cookieless tracking’ option like this:
And that’s it – you’ve successfully set up WordPress analytics without cookies on your website.
Step 3: Verify if Your Analytics Are Working Properly
Unlike the more traditional approach, analytics without cookies avoids storing personal data, like IP addresses or other user identifiers. Instead, it provides anonymized, aggregated data.
That said, it’s important to note that some methods still involve data collection. This may carry privacy implications depending on how they’re implemented.
To see if your analytics are working properly, you need to go to the ‘Statistics’ menu. On the next screen, you’ll immediately find your visitors and pageviews graph for the last seven days.
To see the statistics in detail, you can scroll down this page.
Here, you might notice that your sessions are counted differently.
In traditional analytics, cookies track when a visitor starts and ends a session. If the same person comes back within a certain time frame (usually 30 minutes), it’s counted as the same session.
In analytics without cookies, returning users cannot be recognized within that window. Instead, each visit is treated as a new session, even if it occurs shortly after the last one.
🤔 What does this mean for your reports? You may see a higher number of sessions than usual because visitors who leave and return within a short period won’t be grouped into a single session.
Further down the page, Burst Statistics provides a dedicated ‘Pages’ report that shows how pageviews are distributed across your site.
For example, if your ‘Compare’ report shows 9 pageviews, then you can see that 3 views came from the ‘Career’ page, 2 views from the ‘Login’ page, and so on.
Still have questions? Let’s clear up some common concerns about tracking website data without cookies.
Why do websites need cookies?
Cookies store small amounts of data to remember user preferences, track user behavior, and improve the user experience. Many analytics tools use cookies to identify returning visitors and track interactions over time.
How can I add analytics to my WordPress site?
In short, you can add analytics to your WordPress site using tools like MonsterInsights, Matomo, or HubSpot.
I recommend MonsterInsights because it makes installing Google Analytics in WordPress easy. It gives you all your GA4 data in easy-to-understand reports directly in your WordPress dashboard.
For details, see this guide on how to install Google Analytics in WordPress.
Do all websites with analytics need cookie warnings?
No. If your analytics solution doesn’t store personally identifiable information (PII) or track users across sessions using cookies, then you don’t need a cookie consent banner. This is why many site owners switch to analytics without cookies.
For example, Burst Statistics is a privacy-focused analytics tool that uses fingerprinting techniques. Instead of storing cookies, it analyzes non-personal browser and device data to differentiate visitors.
Keep in mind that while this approach is technically cookieless, it is still a form of data collection that may have privacy considerations.
Will cookieless analytics affect data accuracy?
It depends on the tool you use.
Cookieless tracking may not capture user journeys in as much detail, but it still provides accurate insights into overall traffic, page views, and engagement.
Many modern cookieless analytics tools use fingerprinting techniques or server-side tracking to improve accuracy. While these methods minimize cookie usage, they still collect data in other ways, which may raise concerns about privacy.
Can I switch back to traditional analytics if needed?
Yes, most analytics solutions allow you to switch between cookieless and traditional tracking. However, if you start using cookies again, then you may need to add a cookie consent banner to comply with privacy laws.
I hope this article has helped you learn how to add WordPress analytics without cookies.
Want to dive deeper into WordPress analytics? Check out these guides to track and understand your website’s performance more effectively:
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
The post How to Add WordPress Analytics Without Cookies (2 Easy Methods) first appeared on WPBeginner.
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Last week, a friend who manages multiple WordPress sites called me in a panic. A routine plugin update had broken his client’s navigation menu, but he didn’t notice until customers started complaining.
This is a common problem I’ve seen countless times, and it’s exactly why visual regression testing is so important for WordPress website owners.
Visual regression testing might sound complicated. However, it’s actually a simple solution that can save you hours of manual checking and prevent embarrassing layout issues.
Typically, it works by automatically comparing before-and-after screenshots of your pages. This helps catch even the smallest visual changes that might break your site’s appearance. 🔍
In this guide, I’ll show you how to do visual regression testing on your WordPress site. After testing numerous tools and methods, I’ve found the most reliable solution that won’t require any coding knowledge or technical expertise.
Every time you update your site — whether it’s a WordPress core update, a new plugin, a theme change, or just a minor code tweak — there’s a chance that something on the front end might shift out of place.
For example, a button could disappear, your layout might break, or a product image could stop loading properly.
The problem? These visual bugs often go unnoticed until a visitor points them out through a contact form or design feedback survey.
By then, the damage to your site’s user experience might already be done.
That’s where visual regression testing comes in.
The process is simple: take snapshots of your pages before and after an update, then compare them to spot anything that’s changed.
And if you’re testing on a staging site (which we recommend), you can safely make updates and run comparisons to catch visual issues before anything goes live.
The good news? You don’t have to do it manually.
With visual regression testing tools like VRTs, Percy, or BackstopJS, you can automate screenshot comparisons and check how your site looks across different screen sizes — helping you catch layout issues on desktop, tablet, and mobile.
Why is this important for WordPress users?
If you’re managing a WordPress website, visual regression testing is a time-saving safety net. Instead of clicking through every page after an update, this tool gives you a visual report of what changed — and whether it’s something you need to fix.
It’s especially helpful in many scenarios, such as agencies running updates across multiple WordPress sites, freelancers managing client websites, or online store owners who want to make sure the product and checkout pages stay intact.
In short, visual regression testing helps you avoid frustrating surprises, save time, and keep your WordPress site running smoothly.
With that said, I’ll share how to easily do visual regression testing in WordPress. Here’s a quick overview of all the steps I’ll cover in this guide:
🧑💻 Pro Tip: Before running visual regression tests or making design changes, I highly recommend using a staging site.
A staging site is a private clone of your live website where you can safely test updates, plugin changes, or design tweaks — without affecting your users. It helps you catch layout issues, missing buttons, or visual bugs before they go live.
Not sure how to set one up? Just see our step-by-step guide on creating a WordPress staging site for all the details.
In this tutorial, I’ll use the VRTs plugin because it’s beginner-friendly and super easy to use for visual regression testing. Whether that is a shifted layout, a missing button, or a broken element after an update, VRTs helps you spot it early.
Here’s how it works: The plugin takes screenshots of the pages you select. You can then trigger comparisons manually or schedule them to run automatically after making changes to your site, such as updating a plugin or tweaking your theme.
The plugin then compares the ‘before’ and ‘after’ screenshots side-by-side and highlights any visual differences.
So, instead of manually checking every page, you get a quick visual report showing what changed, and whether anything looks off.
To install the plugin, you first need to visit the VRTs website and sign up for a plan by clicking on the ‘Get started for free’ button.
You can then choose one of the plans. The free plan will allow you to test up to 3 pages per day on one domain and schedule daily tests.
On the other hand, paid plans will allow you to test a higher number of pages, run manual tests, and automatically run visual regression tests after WordPress core, plugin, and theme updates.
Simply click on ‘Buy now’ or ‘Install now’ underneath the plan you want to use.
Then, follow the instructions to sign up for an account on the VRTs website and add your payment details.
Once you have completed the payment, you will land on your VRTs dashboard, where you can download the plugin as a .zip file.
Then, simply head to Plugins » Add Plugin and click on the ‘Upload Plugin’ button. From here, you can choose the VRTs plugin .zip file that you just downloaded.
Make sure to activate the plugin once it has been installed. For full details, you can see our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
Once you’ve activated the plugin, it’s time to set up when your visual regression tests should run.
Head over to VRTs » Settings in your WordPress admin menu.
Once inside, you can scroll down to the ‘Triggers’ section — this is where you tell the plugin when to automatically take and compare snapshots.
Here are the available options:
Once you’ve selected the trigger that fits your workflow (or your license), simply click the ‘Save Changes’ button at the bottom of the page.
Once you’ve configured the plugin settings, it’s time to choose which pages or posts you’d like to include in your visual regression tests.
Let’s now switch to the ‘Tests’ tab, which is where you’ll manage and run your visual tests.
From here, you can click the ‘Add New’ button. This will let you choose posts or pages to test.
In the popup that appears, you need to choose the pages or posts you want to perform the visual regression testing on.
Then, click ‘Add New Test’ to confirm your selections.
The VRTs plugin will take an initial snapshot of each selected page. This acts as your baseline — basically a “before” version of how your posts or pages look right now.
After setting up your test, you’ll see an instruction to refresh the page to load the initial snapshot. Go ahead and do just that.
With that done, you’ll find a link to the page or post snapshot you added for testing.
You will also see that the ‘Test Status’ is automatically set to ‘Scheduled’ for the next day. This is because the free version of VRTs runs tests on a 24-hour schedule.
You can click the ‘View Snapshot’ link to check the initial screenshot.
It will open in a new tab like this:
Now, you can make any changes you need to your site. Then, come back tomorrow to review the comparison and spot any unexpected visual issues.
Once the test is complete and any visual bugs are detected, you should see a notification alert in the VRTs » Runs tab.
Once inside, you can hover over the run with changes detected.
Then, click the ‘Show Details’ link when it appears.
On the next screen, you’ll see a side-by-side comparison of your page, showing the before and after versions.
The plugin automatically highlights visual differences, so you can quickly spot:
You can use the drag handle in the center of the screen to slide between the old and new versions and visually confirm the exact changes.
After running a visual regression test, you can take action based on the results. Here’s what you can do next:
✋ Need a backup tool recommendation? Duplicator is an excellent choice. It’s easy to use and lets you clone your WordPress site in just a few clicks.
Some of our business websites currently use Duplicator for backups and site migrations, and I highly recommend checking it out. Read our full Duplicator review to learn more!
If you’re just getting started with visual regression testing, you’re not alone. Here are some quick answers to common questions I often hear from WordPress users and developers.
What is the difference between snapshot testing and visual regression testing?
Snapshot testing checks if your website’s code or content stays the same, kind of like saving a backup of how things are supposed to be.
Visual regression testing, on the other hand, focuses on the appearance of your site. It compares screenshots before and after updates to catch layout changes, missing elements, or visual bugs you might not notice right away.
What is the best tool for visual regression testing in WordPress?
The easiest option is the VRTs – Visual Regression Tests plugin. It’s beginner-friendly, doesn’t require any coding, and runs directly from your dashboard. Plus, it has a free version that’s super easy to use.
How can I do regression testing manually?
Manual regression testing means going through your site and checking key pages after you make changes, like installing a new plugin or updating your theme.
You’ll want to visit your homepage, contact page, checkout process (if you have one), and any custom layouts to make sure everything still looks and works as it should. It works, but it can be time-consuming if you manage a large or busy site.
How do you speed up regression testing?
The best way to save time is to automate it. Using a plugin like VRTs – Visual Regression Tests lets you create snapshots of your important pages and quickly compare them after an update.
No need to manually click through every page — the plugin does the visual check for you.
You can also test updates on a staging site first, so you’re not fixing issues on a live site.
What are the best ways to test WordPress website design?
Here are a few tips to test your WordPress design:
I hope this article has helped you learn how to do visual regression testing in WordPress. Next, you might want to check our article on creating chat rooms in WordPress for your users and the best user experience feedback questions to ask site visitors.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
The post How to Easily Do Visual Regression Testing in WordPress first appeared on WPBeginner.
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“How do I make this page private for members only?” That’s one of the most common questions I get asked by my friends who use WordPress. I remember asking the same question myself when we were building our video membership site at WPBeginner.
Luckily, it’s surprisingly easy to restrict page access to logged-in users in WordPress. You don’t need to hire a developer or learn complex coding. As long as you have the right plugin, you can set it all up in almost no time.
After helping different website owners solve this exact problem, I’ve narrowed it down to 2 foolproof methods that work for any WordPress site. Let me show you how to make WordPress login required to view a page or even your entire website.
Not every page on your website needs to be locked, but in some cases, requiring users to log in is the best way to protect your content.
Here are a few situations where requiring user login is a good idea:
If any of these apply to your site, then setting up a login requirement is a smart move.
Now, let’s take a look at 2 easy ways to require login to view a page in WordPress. I’ll show you how to do this with both specific pages and all pages.
You can use the quick links below to jump to the method you want to use:
If you’re looking for an easy and powerful way to restrict access to specific pages or posts, then MemberPress is a great choice.
With MemberPress, you can easily control who gets access to your content, whether it’s for members, subscribers, or paying customers. It allows you to create a powerful membership website that fits your specific needs.
In my opinion, it’s the best content protection plugin for WordPress. It makes it super simple to require users to log in before viewing a page.
At WPBeginner, we used MemberPress to create our free video membership website where only subscribers can access the lessons. For details, see this guide on how WPBeginner uses a free video membership site to grow our email list.
Now, to get started, you’ll need to install and activate the MemberPress plugin. For step-by-step instructions, see our tutorial on how to install a WordPress plugin.
Once you’ve activated the plugin, head over to the MemberPress » Settings page to enter your license key. You can get this information in your account area on the MemberPress website.
Then, you need to switch to the ‘Payments’ tab to add a payment gateway. The plugin comes with built-in support for PayPal and Stripe.
Go ahead and click the ‘+ Add Payment Method’ button and choose the gateway of your choice. If you need step-by-step instructions, see this tutorial on how to accept Stripe payments in WordPress.
Once you have set up your payment methods, you will need to create different membership levels. With each membership, you can specify the level of access a user has for viewing restricted content.
To get started, go to the MemberPress » Memberships page from the WordPress admin panel and click the ‘Add New’ button.
This will open the membership editor, where you’ll need to add a name and description for your membership.
Then, set the price and expiration for your membership plan. For instance, you can select the billing type as recurring or one-time and choose the interval to be yearly, monthly, weekly, or custom.
If you are new to using MemberPress, then you can check out WPBeginner’s ultimate guide to creating a membership website for more instructions.
After you’re happy with your membership plan, click the ‘Publish’ button to store your settings. You can now repeat the process to add as many membership levels as you like.
Next, you have to restrict access to your content so that only logged-in users can view it. To do this, head over to the MemberPress » Rules page from the WordPress dashboard.
Here, click on the ‘Add New’ button at the top.
This will take you to a new screen, where you must choose the ‘A Single Page’ option from the ‘Protected Content’ dropdown menu.
Next, enter the slug (URL) of the page where you want to require users to log in before being able to view the content.
Note: Although using MemberPress is ideal for having granular control over restricted content, you can also choose the ‘All Pages’ option from the dropdown menu to require WordPress login for all pages on your site.
Now, you need to set a condition for the kind of members who can view this page.
To do this, select ‘Member’ from the dropdown menu and type ‘logged in’ in the field next to it. This means that anyone with the Member user role can access this content once they log in.
After that, scroll down to the ‘Unauthorized Access’ section and choose the ‘Show’ option for the login form from the dropdown.
Then, click the ‘Save Rule’ and ‘Publish’ buttons at the top.
At this point, you’ll need to create the login page that users will see when they try to access your restricted content.
To do this, head over to Pages » Add New Page from the WordPress admin sidebar.
This will open the block editor, where you can customize the page. Once here, I recommend giving the page a descriptive title, like ‘Unauthorized’ or ‘Login Here,’ to make it clear to users why they are seeing the page.
Below the title, you might also want to add a simple message like “You cannot view this page because you haven’t logged in.”
Next, click the ‘Add Block’ (+) button and choose the ‘Login Form’ block.
Wondering where this handy block came from? MemberPress creates it automatically, so you don’t have to. This is just another perk of using the plugin.
Adding the login form here allows users to sign in quickly so they can view your exclusive page.
Once you’ve added the login block to your page, I highly recommend including a link to your main signup or pricing page using the link icon in the toolbar. This gives visitors a clear next step if they’re not members yet.
You can add a short, friendly message along with the link to encourage signups — something like: “New here? Visit our Sign Up Page to choose your membership plan.”
Make sure your message is clear, inviting, and matches the tone of the site. If you’re not sure how to insert a link, see our step-by-step tutorial on how to add a link in WordPress.
When you’re done with your changes, click the ‘Publish’ button in the top right corner of your editor to make your login page live.
Now, copy the URL of your new login page. You’ll need it in a moment.
💡 Haven’t created your signup page yet? Check out our in-depth MemberPress review to learn more about the plugin’s built-in registration features and how they can save you time.
Visit MemberPress » Settings » Pages from your admin sidebar and scroll down to the ‘Unauthorized Access’ section.
Now, simply check the ‘Redirect unauthorized visitors to a specific URL’ option.
Then, add the URL for the published page that you copied earlier and click the ‘Update Options’ button to save your changes.
Now, when users try to visit your page with exclusive content without logging in, they will be automatically redirected to the ‘Unauthorized’ page.
Here, they can log in to view the locked content on this page.
If a new visitor lands on this page, they can simply click the signup link to be taken directly to your registration or membership plans page.
Now that your ‘Unauthorized’ page is set up with clear login and signup links, it’s easy for visitors to take action — whether they are returning users or new to your site.
But what if you want to go a step further and give new visitors a glimpse of what they’re missing if they don’t sign up? That’s where MemberPress really shines.
It lets you go beyond simply locking pages. You can actually show a snippet or preview of your content using the Excerpts feature.
This is perfect for teasing blog posts, lessons, or gated resources.
For example, you might display the first few paragraphs of an article to everyone, but then prompt them to register or upgrade their plan to continue reading.
This approach not only improves user experience but can also boost your conversions since visitors get to see the value of your content before signing up.
For more information about this feature, see our guide on how to create paywall options in WordPress (with preview options).
Alternative: While I highly recommend MemberPress for creating members-only content, many other options are available on the market. For more recommendations, see our expert pick of the best WordPress membership plugins.
If you are looking for a free and simple way to restrict access to your entire website, then using My Private Site is a great option.
This free plugin locks down your WordPress site, requiring users to log in before they can view any page. However, keep in mind that it doesn’t allow you to choose which pages you want to make private, so it won’t be suitable unless you want to require login for your entire website.
First, you need to install and activate the My Private Site plugin. For details, see this tutorial on how to install a WordPress plugin.
After you activate the plugin, you need to head over to the My Private Site » Site Privacy page from the WordPress dashboard and check the ‘Enable login privacy’ box.
Then, click the ‘Save Privacy Status’ button to store your changes. Now, users will need to log in to view any page on your website.
Next, go to the ‘Landing Page’ section. This is where you decide where users should be redirected after they log in.
You can choose to return them to the same URL, so they land back on the page they were trying to access. Alternatively, you can redirect them to the home page. You can also send users to the WordPress dashboard after they log in.
If none of those options work for you, then you can set a custom URL instead. This way, you can redirect users to a specific page, like a welcome page or members-only content area.
Make sure to click the ‘Save Landing Page’ button to store your changes.
After that, switch to the ‘Home Page’ tab.
Here, you can check the ‘Allow site home page to remain accessible without requiring login’ box if you want the home page to remain accessible to everyone.
Then, click the ‘Make Page Public’ button.
Now, when you visit your website, your home page will be visible to everyone.
However, when users try to access any other page without logging in, they will be taken to the default WordPress login page, where they can add their details.
Looking for more tips and tricks to manage your membership site or user login pages? Check out these useful guides below:
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
The post How to Require Login to View a Page in WordPress (2 Easy Ways) first appeared on WPBeginner.
When I first tried to add podcast episodes to my WordPress website, I quickly realized that embedding them from Apple Podcasts wasn’t as straightforward as I’d hoped. Like many of you, I wanted a simple solution that wouldn’t require coding knowledge.
Through trial and error (and plenty of coffee), I discovered several different methods for embedding Apple Podcasts in WordPress. And by testing them all out, I found the best solutions for podcasters and other WordPress users.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the exact steps you need to embed Apple Podcasts in WordPress, ensuring your audio content looks great and works perfectly on any device.
Whether you’re sharing your own show or featuring episodes from others, these methods make it easy to display an attractive, functional podcast player.
Apple Podcasts is one of the top platforms for discovering and listening to podcasts on iPhones, iPads, and other Apple devices.
If you have an audio show on Apple Podcasts, then embedding episodes on your WordPress site is a great way to promote your production and grow your audience.
Instead of linking out or using a generic player, you can display your episodes right on your podcast website, where listeners can instantly hit play.
When you embed your show:
Perhaps most importantly, any first-time website visitors who discover your brand or business will immediately know about your podcast. This can help you gain tons of new listeners.
Even if you’re not embedding your own show, featuring Apple Podcasts on your website is a great way to share your favorite podcast episodes or curate recommendations.
For example, if you’re a blogger, then you might include relevant episodes to enrich your articles or support key points. Meanwhile, businesses and authors can feature podcast appearances as social proof.
Additionally, online course creators could use embedded interviews or discussions as bonus material for students.
Related Posts: See our expert pick of the best podcasting plugins and the best podcast themes for WordPress.
Now that you know why embedding Apple Podcasts in WordPress is a smart move, I’ll walk you through 2 easy ways to do it – no technical skills required.
You can use the quick link below to jump to the different methods:
Ready? Let’s get started.
Note: The Apple Podcasts interface may look a bit different depending on whether you’re using the web, desktop, or mobile app. In this guide, the steps are based on the web version.
This method works well if you’re using the WordPress block editor and want a quick, free way to embed an Apple Podcasts episode.
You don’t need to install any plugins – just copy the embed code from Apple Podcasts and paste it into a ‘Custom HTML’ block.
That said, please note that some themes may style the embedded podcast player differently. So be sure to preview how it looks on mobile and desktop.
Step 1: Copying the Apple Podcast Embed Code
First, let’s head over to the Apple Podcasts site. You can do this on any browser — no need to use iTunes or the Apple Podcasts app.
Next, use the ‘Search’ bar in the left-hand panel to look for the podcast you want to feature. You can search by podcast title, episode name, and host name.
For example, I looked for a show called ‘The Climate Question.’
Once you find what you’re looking for, click on the relevant search result to open the show or episode.
On the podcast page, click the three-dot menu next to the ‘+ Follow’ button.
From the dropdown, go ahead and select ‘Copy Embed.’
Apple Podcasts will automatically copy the show’s embed code to your clipboard.
If you want to embed a specific episode, then you can scroll down the show page to the ‘Episodes’ list.
Give the three-dot menu in the episode section a click. Then, hit the ‘Copy Embed Code’ button.
Alternatively, you can click on a specific episode title.
This will take you to the episode’s page, where you can see a brief description of what the episode is about. You’ll also find links to social media pages, an email address for inquiries, the episode’s content rating (like Clean or Explicit), and details about the host.
Once there, just click the three-dot menu next to the ‘Play’ button and select ‘Copy Embed’ from the dropdown.
With that done, you have the episode’s embed code copied to your clipboard.
Step 2: Add the Apple Podcast Embed Code to WordPress
Now that you have the Apple Podcasts embed code, it’s time to add it to your WordPress website.
You can embed the player on any post or page. For this tutorial, I’ll show you how to embed it in a blog post using the block editor.
From your WordPress admin area, go to Posts » Add New or open an existing post where you want to add the podcast.
In the block editor, click the ‘+’ button to add a block.
Then, type ‘Custom HTML’ into the search bar and select the ‘Custom HTML’ block.
Paste the Apple Podcasts embed code you copied earlier into the block.
It should look something like this:
If you want to see how the Apple Podcasts player will look on the front end, select the HTML block and click the ‘Preview’ tab in the toolbar.
This will load the front-end preview of the player in the content editor.
If the embedded player looks good, go ahead and click ‘Publish’ (or ‘Update’ if you’re editing an existing post).
Now, your visitors can listen to Apple Podcasts directly from your site.
It’s that simple!
The Custom HTML block is a great free option, but it can feel a bit clunky, especially if you’re not comfortable working with code.
On the other hand, EmbedPress offers more streamlined embedding experience. With EmbedPress, you just need to paste the Apple Podcasts URL into the EmbedPress block, and it instantly shows a mobile-friendly player in your content.
Step 1: Get the EmbedPress Pro Plugin
To embed Apple Podcasts using EmbedPress, you’ll need the Pro version of the plugin.
You can visit the WPDeveloper website and sign up for a Pro account. Then, choose a plan based on how many sites you want to use it on.
After signing up, you’ll be redirected to your EmbedPress dashboard, where you’ll find:
You can download the .zip file and keep the tab open, as you’ll need the license key in the next step.
📝 Note: You’ll need EmbedPress Pro, not its free version to embed Apple Podcasts.
Upgrading to the premium version will also let you make your content exclusive, display video or image ads, tweak the player’s design, and add your own branding. It even allows you to enable lazy loading to improve site speed.
Step 2: Install EmbedPress Pro and Activate the License Key
Once you’ve downloaded the EmbedPress Pro .zip file from your account dashboard, it’s time to install it on your WordPress site.
In your WordPress admin area, go to Plugins » Add New.
Then, you can click the ‘Upload Plugin’ button at the top.
Choose the .zip file you downloaded from EmbedPress.
Then, click the ‘Install Now’ button followed by ‘Activate.’ For more detailed instructions, you can go to our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
The next step is to activate the premium plugin using your license key. To do this, go to EmbedPress » License in your WordPress dashboard.
Here, you will need to paste your license key (which you can find in your WPDeveloper dashboard) and click ‘Activate License.’
At this point, a verification code will be sent to the email address you used to purchase EmbedPress Pro.
Simply open the email, copy the verification code, and then return to this page to enter it in the new box that appears below the license key box. Then, hit ‘Verify.’
Once you activate the plugin, you’ll unlock support for premium platforms, including Apple Podcasts, and gain access to extra customization features.
Step 3: Copy the Apple Podcast URL
To embed Apple Podcasts into WordPress using EmbedPress, you’ll need the correct URL for the entire show or a specific episode.
Let’s say you want to copy a show link.
To do this, go to Apple Podcasts and use the search bar to find the show or episode you want to feature.
For example, I searched for ‘The Psychology of Your 20s.’
In the search results, click on the podcast name to open the show’s main page.
Then, click the three-dot button next to the ‘+ Follow’ button to expand the menu.
Now, go ahead and click the ‘Copy Link’ button to get the link for the show.
Apple Podcasts will then automatically copy the link to your clipboard.
Now, to copy a single episode link, scroll through the list of available episodes in the Apple Podcasts show.
Once you find what you’re looking for, click on the episode’s three-dot button and click the ‘Copy Link’ button.
Want to see more details about the episode?
Just click on the episode section to open its page. There, you’ll find a short description of the episode, links to social media pages, an email address for inquiries, the content rating (like Clean or Explicit), and information about the host.
From the episode’s individual page, click the three-dot button next to ‘Play.’
Then, select ‘Copy Link’ to get the episode’s link.
Alternatively, you can copy the show’s or episode’s URL directly from your browser’s address bar.
This saves you from having to find the three-dot menu and click the ‘Copy Link’ button.
Just make sure you’re right where you want to be: a show or a specific episode.
Step 4: Add the Apple Podcast URL to WordPress Using the EmbedPress Block
Next, it’s time to embed your podcast using the EmbedPress plugin.
You can add it to any page or post, but in this example, I’ll show you how to do it in a WordPress blog post.
From your WordPress dashboard, go to Posts » Add New or open an existing post.
In the block editor, you can click the ‘+’ button.
Then, search for the EmbedPress block.
Just select the block when it appears, and WordPress will add it to your content editor.
Next, simply paste the URL you copied before into the EmbedPress block.
Don’t forget to click the ‘Embed’ button or press ‘Enter.’
EmbedPress will instantly fetch and display the Apple Podcasts player right inside your editor.
You can adjust the player’s appearance right inside the ‘Block’ tab.
In the ‘General’ section, just set the width and height to control the size of the embedded player.
You can also toggle ‘Social Share’ to add social share buttons for Facebook, X (Twitter), and more to your Apple Podcasts embed.
This lets visitors easily share the episode on their social media accounts.
In addition, EmbedPress Pro includes monetization and content protection tools. You can find them in the ‘Ads Settings’ and ‘Content Protection’ sections in the ‘Block’ tab:
You can configure these settings as needed.
Once you’re happy with how the Apple Podcasts embed looks, just click ‘Publish’ or ‘Update’ to make it live.
Your visitors can now listen to the show directly from your site — and even share it on social media with a single click.
Embedding your Apple Podcasts in WordPress is just the beginning.
Here are some easy ways to grow your podcast audience and keep listeners coming back:
These small touches can go a long way in building a loyal podcast community. 🌐
Still have questions? Here are some common questions I get from readers looking to feature Apple Podcasts on their WordPress sites:
Can you embed a podcast into a WordPress website?
Yes, you can! WordPress supports both HTML embed codes and direct URLs for many podcast platforms. That means you can easily display podcast episodes using built-in blocks or plugins – no coding required.
How do you embed Apple Podcasts into a website?
The easiest way is to copy the embed code directly from Apple Podcasts and paste it into a Custom HTML block in WordPress.
Alternatively, you can use a plugin like EmbedPress, which lets you embed Apple Podcasts by simply pasting the episode URL.
Do I need a website for my podcast?
While it’s not required, having your own website gives you more control over your content, branding, and audience. You can promote episodes, collect emails, add show notes, and even improve SEO to reach more listeners. For details, see our guide on how to create a podcast.
Is WordPress a good option for a podcast website?
Yes, WordPress is a highly adaptable, beginner-friendly platform that supports a wide range of podcast plugins and themes. WordPress makes it easy to manage and promote your podcast in one place, whether you’re just starting out or growing your show.
I hope this guide has helped you learn how to embed Apple Podcasts in WordPress. Next up, you can check out our guide on how to start a podcast or our expert picks of the best podcast hosting.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
The post How to Embed Apple Podcasts in WordPress (2 Easy Methods) first appeared on WPBeginner.
Many business owners feel stuck with HubSpot because they worry about losing their content, breaking their SEO rankings, or disrupting their email marketing. These are valid concerns – I had the same worries when I decided to migrate one of my HubSpot sites to WordPress.
The good news is that moving from HubSpot to WordPress is completely doable with the right approach. All you need is to follow the right steps in the right order.
Let me show you exactly how to move your site from HubSpot to WordPress while protecting your content, preserving your SEO rankings, and keeping your sanity intact.
Most people start using HubSpot because it is a powerful customer relationship manager (CRM) with marketing automation.
They tend to be really happy with it as a CRM, which doesn’t surprise me, as I love it myself. I even recommend it! See my detailed HubSpot review for more information.
However, what often happens is people start using the default blogging feature in HubSpot simply because it’s convenient. Then, they end up feeling limited.
I’ve worked with clients who started blogging on HubSpot and eventually felt the same way.
Now, I’ll be honest. HubSpot’s content management system is useful for landing pages and integrated marketing campaigns. But for blogging specifically? WordPress comes out on top.
Just making a simple design tweak or changing the layout of a post on HubSpot can feel like navigating a maze.
WordPress, on the other hand, is built for content. It started as a blogging platform and evolved into a powerhouse.
So, if blogging is a core part of your strategy, and you’re feeling a bit constrained by HubSpot, then WordPress can be super refreshing. You’ll get greater simplicity but more flexibility, more design control, and a whole lot more options to grow your blog the way you want.
Worried you won’t get to keep using all of HubSpot’s other powerful CRM features? The good news is that WordPress integrates seamlessly with the platform, so that won’t be an issue.
With any significant change, it’s helpful to know what lies ahead. Here is a brief roadmap of the journey we will take together:
All that said, you’re probably ready to move your site from HubSpot to WordPress! Here’s how you can do it step by step:
I’ll walk you through the entire process so you’ll be able to follow along even if you’re a beginner. But, if you change your mind at any time, you can always jump to the alternative option – which is getting help from the professionals.
Before you even think about touching anything in HubSpot, the first thing you’ll need to do is export your essential content. Later in this tutorial, you will import this content into WordPress.
It’s also wise to back up the link structure of your website. I’ll show you how to do both.
Exporting Your HubSpot Blog Content
The most important step in your WordPress migration is exporting your HubSpot blog content. Luckily, HubSpot makes it pretty easy to export your blog posts in a way you can import into WordPress.
Simply go to your HubSpot account and find your blog content at Content » Blog.
Now look for the ‘Export blog posts’ option on the ‘Actions’ drop-down menu.
This option will let you export your posts as a .CSV or Excel (XLS or XLSX) file. I personally like using the .CSV option because it can be easily imported into WordPress.
Once your blog has been exported, you will receive a link to the .CSV file in your email. You will have 90 days to download the file before it expires.
Exporting your blog posts like this is a great starting point because you can easily import them into your new WordPress website.
However, the export only includes your blog content, and not other pages like landing pages or sales pages. Later in this article, I’ll show you how to recreate those pages manually.
Backing Up Your Link Structure
Backing up your blog’s link structure is super important for SEO.
For this, you’ll need to gather a list of all the web addresses (URLs) from your HubSpot blog. This is important because we’ll use this list to create redirects. Redirects help maintain the SEO benefits you’ve built up over time, even after moving to WordPress.
For this, I like using a browser extension called Link Klipper, because it’s super handy. It’s also free and works with Chrome and compatible browsers.
To get started, install Link Klipper. Then, go to your HubSpot blog homepage. Click the Link Klipper icon in your browser toolbar and choose ‘Extract All Links.’
This will quickly grab all the links on that page and download them as a .CSV file. When you open this file in Excel or Google Sheets, you will see a list of your blog URLs.
Now, I recommend using Link Klipper as a quick and easy way to grab URLs. However, you can also use an online sitemap generator like XML-Sitemaps.com. This tool crawls your website and creates a list of URLs, which you can then export.
Sitemap generators can sometimes find more URLs than Link Klipper, as they crawl your entire site structure. XML-Sitemaps will generate the usual XML sitemaps, but also create a text file called urllist.txt containing all the URLs that you can easily use when creating redirects.
With your blog content, pages, and URLs exported, you’ve done a great job! You have a safety net and a set of files that can be imported into WordPress.
You need hosting to run a WordPress website. It’s non-negotiable since it provides your site with the resources it needs to be online.
A good hosting provider is like a reliable landlord – you want them to be dependable and keep things running smoothly.
In short, WordPress hosting is where all your WordPress content and files will live. It’s what makes your blog accessible to the world.
Now, you might be thinking, ‘Can’t I just install WordPress on my current HubSpot hosting?’ Unfortunately, no. HubSpot is a closed platform. You can’t install WordPress on HubSpot.
So, you’ll need to get new hosting specifically for your WordPress blog. If you’re new to WordPress or just want a straightforward experience, I recommend Bluehost.
Right now, they’re offering a deal for WPBeginner readers that includes a free domain name and a huge discount on hosting. You can get started for just $1.99 a month.
Alternatives: Hostinger and SiteGround are also popular hosting providers. They have good reputations and offer different features and price points. It’s worth checking them out if you want to compare.
For this guide, just to show you the general process, I’ll use screenshots from Bluehost. But honestly, the steps for most good WordPress hosts are pretty similar.
You can get started by visiting the Bluehost website and clicking the ‘Get Started Now’ button.
You’ll land on a page showing different hosting plans. For a new blog, especially when you’re just migrating over, the Basic plan is usually perfectly fine.
Choose a plan that fits your needs by clicking the ‘Select’ button.
Next up, you’ll need to set up a domain name. This is your blog’s web address, like www.yourblogname.com.
Now, you probably want to keep using the same domain name you were using with your HubSpot blog, right?
The good news is that you can! Just choose the option that says ‘Use a domain you own’ and type in your current domain name.
Or, if you’re starting fresh with a new domain name, then you can choose to register a new one. This will be free for the first year.
Now, follow the steps to enter your account details and payment info and complete the purchase.
After you sign up, Bluehost (and most WordPress hosting providers) will send you a welcome email with your login details. Keep this email safe! You’ll need it to access your hosting account.
Now, here’s where picking a good WordPress hosting provider pays off.
When you log in to your Bluehost account for the first time, they will automatically install WordPress for you. I love how this streamlines setting up new WordPress websites.
From your Bluehost account page, go to ‘Websites’ then click ‘Edit Site.’
That should take you right into your brand-new WordPress dashboard.
Want a more thorough walkthrough of installing WordPress? My team has created a super detailed WordPress installation tutorial if you’re curious.
Alright, WordPress is installed. Now for the fun part: making it look like your website. That’s where themes come in.
WordPress themes are ready-made design blueprints for your blog. They control everything visual, like the colors, the fonts, and how your blog posts are laid out. It’s like choosing the style of your new house.
WordPress has a huge collection of themes. Seriously, thousands upon thousands. Free themes, paid themes, themes for every niche imaginable.
The WordPress Theme Directory is a good place to start exploring free themes.
But having too many choices can be a bit paralyzing. To help you narrow down the options, my team has created a helpful guide on selecting the perfect WordPress theme.
In my experience, clean, uncluttered designs tend to work best. They look professional, they’re easy for readers to navigate, and they put the focus on your content – which is the most important thing.
Once you’ve chosen and installed a theme, you’ll be ready for the next big step: actually moving your content from HubSpot into WordPress.
This step is like unpacking your moving boxes and arranging your furniture in your new WordPress home. It’s where your blog really starts to take shape.
At this point, you’re going to take the HubSpot content you exported earlier and import it into WordPress. To do that, I’m going to use a plugin called Import any XML, CSV or Excel File to WordPress.
First, you need to install and activate the plugin in your WordPress dashboard. If you need help, see our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
Once the plugin is activated, navigate to the All Import » New Import page in your WordPress dashboard. Once there, you should click the ‘Upload a file’ button.
Now, you’ll be asked to choose your import file. Remember the .CSV file you exported from HubSpot in step 1? You need to select it now and then click the ‘Import’ button.
The plugin will automatically detect the type of content you’re importing (usually “Posts” for blog posts). It’s pretty smart like that.
Next, click the ‘Continue to Step 2’ button. You will be shown a preview of the import file and can browse through a spreadsheet view of your posts, one at a time.
Once done, click ‘Continue to Step 3’ at the top or bottom of the page.
Now comes the important part: mapping fields. This is where you tell the plugin how the columns in your .CSV file correspond to fields in WordPress. Don’t worry, you only need to do this step once, not for each post.
For example, you’ll want to drag the column from your import file that contains your blog post titles to the Title field in WordPress.
You can do the same for the post content, tags, and any other data you exported from HubSpot. It’s like matching up labels on boxes when you’re unpacking – you want to put everything in the right place.
Once you’ve mapped all the fields, click ‘Continue to Step 4’ at the bottom of the page.
Next, you’ll be asked to set a unique identifier for your posts. This is used internally by WordPress to keep track of your imported content.
Just click the ‘Auto-detect’ button and the plugin will handle this for you.
Finally, click ‘Confirm & Run Import.’
The plugin will now start importing your content. The time it takes will depend on how much content you’re importing. For a large blog, it might take a few minutes.
Once it’s done, the plugin will show you an ‘Import Complete!’ message.
Now, you can navigate to Posts » All Posts in your WordPress dashboard. You should see your HubSpot blog posts there! Check them out to make sure all your blog posts are imported correctly.
Let’s talk about those special pages you might have built in HubSpot – landing pages, sales pages, or other custom pages.
Unfortunately, these often don’t transfer perfectly with a simple import like blog posts do. HubSpot’s page structure and design elements are quite different from WordPress.
So, the best approach for these pages is to recreate them in WordPress. It might sound like extra work, but it gives you the most control over the final result and makes sure everything looks right.
Now, while you could try to rebuild these pages using the standard WordPress block editor, it’s worth considering a dedicated page builder for landing pages.
The block editor is great for creating regular content pages and blog posts. It uses a system of blocks that you can easily add and arrange to build your page. However, for more complex layouts, a page builder plugin like SeedProd offers more advanced features and flexibility.
SeedProd is a drag-and-drop page builder specifically designed for creating landing pages, sales pages, and other marketing-focused pages. It offers a more visual and intuitive way to design intricate layouts without needing to write code.
Whenever I’ve used SeedProd, I’ve found it to be very user-friendly, even if you’re not a design expert. It has a visual interface, tons of pre-designed templates, and all sorts of elements you can just drag and drop onto your page.
The first step, of course, is to install and activate the SeedProd plugin. For details, see our tutorial on how to install a WordPress plugin.
Once SeedProd is active, you can go to SeedProd » Landing Pages in your WordPress menu and then click ‘Add New Landing Page.’
SeedProd will then show you a library of templates.
Browse through them and pick a template that looks similar to the HubSpot landing page you want to recreate.
Don’t worry about getting it exactly the same at this stage, you can customize everything later.
Next, give your new page a name and set the URL slug.
Click the ‘Save and Start Editing the Page’ button to open the SeedProd page builder.
Here’s where the fun begins! You’ll see a visual drag-and-drop interface. You can click on any element on the template and edit it – change text, images, colors, fonts, everything.
On the left-hand side, you’ll find a panel with all sorts of elements you can add to your page – headings, text blocks, images, videos, buttons, forms, and much more. Just drag and drop them onto your page to build your layout.
Take your original HubSpot landing page as a reference. Section by section, element by element, recreate it in SeedProd.
For more details, see our tutorial on how to create a landing page in WordPress.
Want to explore other page builder options? Thrive Architect is another excellent page builder plugin for WordPress, and it’s also very visual and drag-and-drop based.
Thrive Architect is particularly strong if you are heavily focused on marketing and sales pages. It’s built by the team behind Thrive Themes, which is known for its conversion-focused tools. It excels at creating high-converting sales pages, opt-in pages, and webinar registration pages.
If your primary goal is to build pages specifically designed to drive conversions and sales, Thrive Architect is a powerful alternative to consider.
Yes, recreating your HubSpot landing pages in WordPress takes a bit of hands-on work. However, it’s the most reliable way to bring those important pages over properly.
And the great news is, using a page builder like SeedProd makes the process much smoother and allows you to build even more powerful and customized landing pages in WordPress.
You might notice that after importing your content, your images are still being hosted on HubSpot’s servers. You’ve copied the text over, but the images are still living at their old address.
We need to bring those images into your WordPress Media Library. Why? Because it’s much better to host your images directly within your WordPress website. It’s more reliable, often faster, and gives you more control.
Imagine if HubSpot changed its image hosting structure or, worse case, you decided to close your HubSpot account completely down the line. Your images could disappear!
You’re able to import your images using a fantastic little plugin called Auto Upload Images. Please refer to our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin if you need help.
Note: You may notice that this plugin is outdated, but I tested it for this tutorial, and it was working fine. For details, see this guide on whether you should use outdated plugins.
Once activated, you need to trigger the bulk image import using the WordPress bulk edit feature. Don’t worry, you’re not actually editing anything, but just using the bulk edit to tell WordPress to re-process your posts and pages.
Head over to Posts » All Posts in your WordPress dashboard. Select all the posts where you imported content from HubSpot. You can usually do this by checking the checkbox at the very top of the post list.
Then, in the ‘Bulk actions’ dropdown menu, choose ‘Edit’ and click the ‘Apply’ button.
A bunch of bulk edit options will appear. Don’t panic! You don’t need to change anything here. Just click the blue ‘Update’ button at the bottom.
What this does is tell WordPress to re-save all the selected posts. And that action triggers the Auto Upload Images plugin to kick in.
The plugin will scan the content of each post, look for external image URLs (pointing to HubSpot), and then automatically download each image and import it into your WordPress Media Library.
It will then update the image URLs in your posts to point to the newly imported images in your Media Library.
Next, you need to repeat this exact same process for your Pages. Simply go to Pages » All Pages, select all your pages, choose ‘Edit’ in bulk actions, apply, and then just click ‘Update’.
If you need detailed instructions, then see my tutorial on how to easily import external images in WordPress.
After you’ve done this bulk update for both your posts and pages, go to Media » Library in your WordPress dashboard. You should see all those images from your HubSpot blog and pages in your WordPress Media Library!
If you were already using a custom domain name for your HubSpot blog (like yourblogname.com), then you definitely want to keep using that same domain for your WordPress blog.
Why? Branding, for starters. You want people to find you at the same address. But also, and maybe even more importantly, for SEO.
Search engines have already associated your domain name with your content and authority. Keeping the same domain helps you maintain your search engine rankings.
To make this happen, you need to adjust your domain name settings. Specifically, you’re going to change something called nameservers.
Nameservers are like the internet’s phonebook for domain names. When someone types your domain name into their browser, the nameservers tell the internet where your website is hosted.
Right now, your domain name is likely pointing to HubSpot’s servers, where your HubSpot blog was hosted. We need to update it to point to your new WordPress hosting account.
Your WordPress hosting provider (like Bluehost, Hostinger, or SiteGround) will give you the nameserver information you need. It usually looks like a pair of addresses, something like:
ns1.yourhostingprovider.com ns2.yourhostingprovider.com
Your hosting provider will have the exact nameservers you need to use.
I usually find this information in my hosting account dashboard, but you can also check the welcome email they sent you when you signed up. If you’re not sure, then their support team can help you out. See the tips in my guide on how to contact WordPress support.
Okay, so where do you actually change these nameserver settings? That’s at your domain name registrar. This is the company where you registered your domain name in the first place.
Sometimes, your domain registrar is the same company as your hosting provider. But often, they are separate. Common domain registrars include companies like Domain.com, Network Solutions, or Namecheap.
You’ll need to log in to your account at your domain registrar. Find the settings for your domain name. Look for something like ‘DNS Settings’, ‘Nameservers’, or ‘Domain Management’.
For example, if your domain is registered with Bluehost, then the nameserver settings in their domain management area will look something like this:
The exact steps vary depending on your domain registrar. But the general idea is always the same: you need to replace the old nameservers (the ones pointing to HubSpot) with the new nameservers provided by your WordPress hosting company.
Our team has written a handy guide on how to easily change domain nameservers at many popular domain registrars if you need more detailed instructions.
Once you’ve updated your nameservers, it takes a little while for these changes to spread across the internet. This is called DNS propagation.
DNS propagation can take anywhere from a few hours to, in rare cases, up to 48 hours. During this time, some people might still see your old HubSpot blog, while others might start seeing your new WordPress blog. This is totally normal, don’t worry!
After DNS propagation is complete, when users enter your domain name into their browsers, they will be automatically directed to your WordPress site at its new hosting location.
You’re in the home stretch now! You’ve moved your content and images and pointed your domain to your new WordPress blog. But there’s another really important step for a smooth migration: setting up permalinks and redirects.
Your HubSpot blog probably had its own way of creating URLs. WordPress, naturally, has its own system too, called permalinks.
And here’s the thing. It’s highly likely that your old HubSpot URLs are different from how WordPress creates URLs by default.
Without proper URL redirection from your old HubSpot blog to your new WordPress site, visitors following the old blog post URLs will encounter 404 errors. These broken links not only frustrate users but also negatively impact your search engine rankings since Google penalizes sites with too many broken links.
To fix this issue, you need to do two key things:
Let’s start with permalinks.
Setting Up WordPress Permalinks
WordPress gives you control over how your website addresses (URLs) are structured. This is managed through permalink settings.
While you can choose any permalink structure, for the sake of this example, let’s choose ‘Post name’.
‘Post name’ permalinks create clean, easy-to-understand URLs that clearly include the title of your page or blog post. It incorporates keywords from your title, providing an additional SEO advantage and making it readable for people.
For example, instead of a URL that looks like this, which gives no context at all
yourblog.com/?p=123
You get something much nicer and more informative, like:
yourblog.com/your-blog-post-title
See the difference? The second option is much clearer.
Setting this up is quick and easy. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Settings » Permalinks.
You’ll see a section called ‘Common Settings.’ Find the option labeled ‘Post name’ and select it.
Then, just scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the ‘Save Changes’ button.
Done! Permalinks are set up. From now on, WordPress will use the post name structure for all your new blog posts and pages.
Setting Up Redirects From Your Old HubSpot URLs
Now for the redirects, which are extremely important for a smooth migration. Remember that list of old HubSpot URLs you grabbed using Link Klipper way back in the export step? We’re going to put it to good use.
To set up redirects in WordPress without pulling your hair out, I recommend the Redirection plugin. It’s free, it’s powerful, and it makes setting up redirects straightforward.
The first step is to install and activate the Redirection plugin. If you need help, then see our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
Once activated, you’ll find the Redirection plugin settings under Tools » Redirection.
In the Redirection plugin interface, you’ll see fields for Source URL and Target URL.
https://your-hubspot-blog.com/blog/my-awesome-post, then you’d just enter /blog/my-awesome-post.https://your-wordpress-blog.com/my-awesome-post/, then you’d enter /my-awesome-post/.Make sure the ‘301 – Moved Permanently’ option is selected for the Redirect Type. Using a 301 redirect is important for search engine optimization, or SEO. It signals to search engines that your content has moved permanently to a new address, and it helps you preserve link equity.
Link equity is the SEO ‘value’ or authority your old pages have built up over time, and 301 redirects help transfer that valuable equity to your new WordPress pages, maintaining your search engine ranking.
Finally, click the ‘Add Redirect’ button to save your redirect.
Now, you need to go through your entire list of old HubSpot URLs and repeat these steps for each one. Yes, it can take a bit of time, especially if you have a lot of blog posts. But it’s essential for a smooth transition.
Once you’ve added all your redirects, test them! Type your old HubSpot URLs into your browser and make sure they correctly redirect you to the right pages on your new WordPress site.
Alternative: Using All in One SEO (AIOSEO) for Redirects
Now, if you’re thinking about SEO seriously (and you should!), you might want to consider All in One SEO (AIOSEO). I use this plugin on my own websites, and it’s fantastic.
Yes, it’s a premium plugin, but it’s packed with SEO features to help your blog rank higher – and it includes a really handy Redirection Manager that lets you set up full site redirects.
What I really appreciate is that AIOSEO is an all-in-one SEO powerhouse. Instead of juggling separate plugins for redirects, sitemaps, schema, and everything else SEO-related, AIOSEO puts it all in one place.
Plus, its Redirection Manager is quite powerful and makes setting up even complex redirects straightforward. It’s a real time-saver and keeps my SEO workflow streamlined.
Now, if you’re like many HubSpot users, then you’re probably using HubSpot CRM to manage your leads and customer interactions. Good news! You can easily connect your new WordPress blog to your existing HubSpot CRM.
Think of it as keeping the best of both worlds – the flexibility of WordPress for your blog and the robust CRM capabilities of HubSpot.
The official HubSpot plugin lets you connect your WordPress site to your HubSpot account and unlock a bunch of useful features right within your WordPress dashboard.
With the HubSpot plugin, you can:
Simply install and activate the HubSpot plugin. For more details, see our step-by-step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
Once activated, the plugin will add a new HubSpot menu to your WordPress admin sidebar. This will take you to the setup wizard, where you can click the ‘Sign in here’ link at the top.
Once you have signed in, simply follow the prompts to connect the plugin to your existing HubSpot account.
After connecting, you can explore the HubSpot plugin settings to customize features like form embedding, live chat, and tracking options.
And that’s it! You’ve now integrated your WordPress blog with HubSpot CRM. You can now manage your blog content in WordPress while still making the most of HubSpot’s powerful CRM and marketing tools.
If you’d like a more detailed walkthrough of setting up HubSpot on your WordPress site, then see our guide on how to add a CRM on your WordPress site.
Bonus: Now that you’ve installed the HubSpot plugin, you can also set up HubSpot Analytics and create HubSpot forms in WordPress.
One of the best things about using WordPress is that you can easily extend your site’s features with plugins.
There are thousands of WordPress plugins available, both free and paid.
At WPBeginner, we put together a guide on how to pick the best plugins for your website. It’s worth a read to learn how to evaluate plugins and pick the right ones for your specific needs.
But to get you off to a flying start, here are a few top plugins we often recommend for almost every new WordPress blog:
For even more plugin ideas and recommendations, be sure to check out our comprehensive list of essential WordPress plugins. It’s packed with plugins we use and trust.
Okay, I’ve walked through all the steps to migrate your blog from HubSpot to WordPress. And you know what? For many of you, following these steps will be totally doable!
But let’s be real. Even with a detailed guide, moving a website from HubSpot to WordPress is still quite a technical project. And time-consuming.
Perhaps you’re not super comfortable with the website side of things. Or maybe you’re already juggling a million tasks and just want this migration done quickly, correctly, without headaches.
If that sounds like you, then WPBeginner can help. Our WordPress Website Design service team can design and build you a brand-new, custom WordPress website that’s perfectly tailored to your needs. They can handle the migration of your content from HubSpot, too.
If you’re curious to learn more about these services, or if you just have some questions, then you can easily chat with our support team on our Website Design Services page. They can give you all the details and help you figure out if professional migration help is the right path for you.
You’ve made the move from HubSpot to the wonderful world of WordPress!
Now, you might be looking at your new WordPress dashboard and thinking, ‘Okay, this is different!’ And you’d be right. WordPress works in its own way, and it has a lot of features and options that might be new to you if you’re coming from HubSpot.
Luckily, I can recommend tons of completely free resources to help you become a WordPress pro in no time. Here are just a few that I think you’ll find super helpful:
So, don’t feel overwhelmed by learning WordPress. With WPBeginner as your guide, you have all the resources you need right at your fingertips. Dive in, explore, and start enjoying the power and flexibility of WordPress!
I hope this tutorial helped you move your site from HubSpot to WordPress. You may also want to see my ultimate WordPress SEO migration checklist for beginners or my expert pick of the best WordPress migration services.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
The post How to Move Your Site From HubSpot to WordPress (Step by Step) first appeared on WPBeginner.
WordPress 6.8 is finally here 🥳, and we’ve been testing it since the early beta. It’s the first major release of 2025 with several important changes.
You’ll notice speed improvements after the update, thanks to the new speculative loading feature that makes pages feel like they load before you click them.
This update also introduces better design tools, stronger password protection, and a more polished site editor.
We’ve explored all the new features, and in this guide, we’ll walk you through what’s changed, with examples and screenshots along the way.
⚠️ Heads up! If you’re not using managed WordPress hosting, then you’ll need to run the update yourself.
No stress — we’ve put together a step-by-step guide on how to update WordPress safely.
ℹ️Important: As always, please don’t forget to create a complete WordPress backup before updating to the new release.
Here is a quick list of what’s new in WordPress 6.8:
WordPress 6.8 now includes speculative loading, a clever technique that helps your site feel faster for visitors.
It works by quietly loading pages in the background before someone clicks a link. This way, the next page opens almost instantly.
Think of it like setting the table before your guest even walks into the room. By the time they sit down, everything’s already ready.
This is powered by the Speculation Rules API. WordPress watches for signs like hovering over a link and starts preloading that page just in case.
Developers can fine-tune how this works by setting rules, such as choosing which links get preloaded and when.
💡 Losing customers due to a slow website? Take a look at our Site Speed Optimization service. For a small fee, our real WordPress experts can completely optimize your website for blazing performance. 🚀
In WordPress 6.8, the Style Book is now available for classic themes that support the Full Site Editor.
Previously, this feature was limited to block themes only. Now more users can access it, even if they haven’t switched to a block-based design.
The Style Book gives you a visual overview of how your blocks look, including buttons, headings, forms, and more, all in one place.
You’ll find it by going to Appearance » Design » Styles when using a compatible classic theme. This makes it easier to preview and manage styles without needing to edit templates.
WordPress has also moved site patterns to Appearance » Design » Patterns. Grouping these settings together helps keep your workflow organized.
It’s a welcome upgrade if you’re using a classic theme but still want access to modern styling tools.
WordPress 6.8 introduces several updates that make customizing your site faster and more intuitive. Whether you’re adjusting global styles or editing individual blocks, these new features help you work more efficiently.
Set Any Image Block as a Featured Image
With just one click, you can now turn any image block into a featured image.
This makes the process quicker and avoids the need to go into post settings. And don’t worry — deleting the image block won’t remove the featured image from your post.
Switch Section Styles from the Toolbar
In zoomed-out mode, the toolbar now lets you switch between different section styles on the fly.
This is great for experimenting with layouts without hunting through menus or sidebars.
Global Styles Panel in the Site Editor
The Styles panel inside the Site Editor sidebar now makes it easier to manage your site’s look and feel.
You can adjust fonts, colors, spacing, and layout all in one place. This is a big time-saver when you want to update your site’s design without digging through settings.
Image Editing Now Includes an Undo Option
After editing an image, like cropping or rotating, you’ll see a success notice with an undo link.
This makes it easier to roll back edits if something doesn’t look right.
New Query Total Block
A new block called Query Total lets you display the total number of posts shown in a Query Loop.
It’s useful for archive pages, category filters, or search results where users want to know how many posts are being shown.
Quickly Set a Posts Page from the Page List
In the Site Editor, you can now assign any page as your blog’s posts page directly from the page list view.
This small improvement makes setting up your site’s structure much more straightforward.
If you’ve ever been frustrated by sticky posts always showing at the top of a query loop, then WordPress 6.8 has a fix.
You can now choose to ignore sticky posts when creating a custom post layout using the Query Loop block.
This gives you better control over the order of your posts, which is especially useful for category pages, blog archives, or custom layouts.
It’s a small checkbox, but it can make a big difference in how your content is displayed.
WordPress 6.8 brings helpful improvements to Data Views, making it easier to manage content in the admin area.
Now, layouts behave more consistently across post types. For example, you can choose to show content previews in the grid view for pages.
You can also change the density of tables in list views.
Depending on your preference, this helps you see more content at once or keep things more spacious.
These changes don’t jump out at first, but they really smooth out the experience of managing your site.
WordPress password security has been due for an upgrade, and it finally arrived in 6.8.
WordPress now uses bcrypt for hashing passwords. It’s much harder to crack and is widely trusted by developers for good reason.
Before this, WordPress used a system called phpass that relied on MD5 hashing. It worked, but it’s outdated, and a sophisticated attack could compromise it.
Expert Tip💡: Even with stronger password hashing, it’s still smart to add two-factor authentication. That way, hackers can’t log in even if they somehow get your password.
Bcrypt adds what’s called a “work factor.” That means it takes longer to process each guess, which slows down attacks and keeps your WordPress account safe.
If you’re running a site, you don’t have to change anything. WordPress will handle it for you quietly in the background.
It’s one of those updates you won’t notice day to day, but we’re glad it’s finally here.
Alongside the big features, WordPress 6.8 includes several smaller improvements that help polish the overall experience:
WordPress 6.8 also brings several behind-the-scenes improvements that developers and power users will appreciate. These changes improve performance, consistency, and flexibility under the hood:
wp_register_block_types_from_metadata_collection() allows multiple block types to be registered with a single call. This helps plugin developers streamline their code. [Read more]body tag. They make it easier to style different parts of a website with custom CSS. [#19736]We’ve been following WordPress 6.8 development from planning to the release, and it’s great to see so many thoughtful improvements packed into this update.
The new design tools make it easier to build beautiful websites. Performance updates like speculative loading help your site feel faster without extra effort.
Even behind the scenes, changes like bcrypt password hashing and better accessibility make a real impact, especially if you’re running a busy or growing site.
If you haven’t updated yet, then we recommend doing so after backing up your site. And once you’re in, take a few minutes to explore the new features — they’re easy to miss but fun to use.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
The post What’s New in WordPress 6.8? (Features and Screenshots) first appeared on WPBeginner.