Top WordPress Statistics in 2024: Facts and Figures

The digital market advances at an impressive speed, with several innovations being introduced to the market frequently.

However, to date, WordPress remains one of the most significant disrupters of the digital marketing scene in the last decade.

WordPress is a platform that provides a free and simple content management system to everyone, irrespective of their levels of technical knowledge. With this impressive tool, people can create unique websites seamlessly. 

WordPress capabilities are further bolstered by the seemingly endless plugins and library of themes provided. As a result, WordPress is the right tool to use for bloggers who wish to create a solid online presence.

However, to effectively maximize the potential of this platform, it is essential to know some of its crucial WordPress statistics.

Therefore, this article will discuss some fantastic WordPress statistics that give insight into the extent of WordPress's global domination, its vital role in the online business environment, and its immense possibilities. 

WordPress Usage Statistics

1. WordPress powers more than 40% of the web.

(W3Techs)

WordPress powers more than 40% of the web today, and the numbers keep growing. Interestingly, it was once viewed as an obscure content management system. The main reason behind WordPress' impressive power is its remarkable versatility. Anyone can use it in any location, from corporation websites to small personal blogs.

2. WordPress is used by 64.1% of all websites that use prominent content management systems.

(W3Techs)

WordPress has the largest market share globally. Among all the websites in the world today, about 46.2% of them don't utilize a CMS. About two-thirds of the 53.8% of websites that use a CMS are on WordPress.

3. About 64 million active websites use WordPress in absolute terms, according to conservative estimates.

(Internet Live Stats)

It is almost impossible to get an accurate number of websites available on the internet today. For this reason, the total number of websites that use WordPress is not definitive. However, according to Netcraft, the number of active websites in the world today is approximately 200 million. About 64 million of these functional websites use WordPress in absolute terms.

4. Every six months, about 1.1 million domains are registered on WordPress.

(Built With)

According to data collected in 2015, WordPress is responsible for an estimated 1.1 million domain registration. Interestingly, the domain registration and market penetration of WordPress have increased over the years. Therefore, the total number of domain registrations on WordPress today is likely higher.

5. About 34% of the 10,000 most popular websites worldwide use WordPress.

(WinningWP)

When the most successful websites are considered, the percentage of the internet that is WordPress-based is alarming. Out of the 10,000 most popular websites in the world today, about 3,400 of these websites use WordPress. These popular sites include Whitehouse.gov, TED, Reuters, Etsy, Yelp, TechCrunch, People and The New Yorker. In addition, top celebrities worldwide like Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Jay Z, Snoop Dogg, and Stephen Fry also use WordPress for their websites.

6. Although WordPress has many competitors, it still enjoys a massive market share.

(W3Techs)

WordPress is not the only content management system available today, as there are numerous competitors in the market. However, WordPress still holds a massive lead in such a heavily skewed market with many top competitors. Shopify, for example, holds a mere 5.2% of the market share, while the third most used CMS, Joomla, has a market share of 3.5%. Drupal and Squarespace, which come next, have a market share of 2.5% and 2.4%, respectively.

7. WordPress 4.9 has recorded more than 159 million downloads.

(WordPress)

One of the world's most downloaded pieces of software today is WordPress 4.9. As of 2021, it recorded more than 159 million downloads. So if you have not downloaded WordPress 4.9, the numbers should surpass 160 million by the time you do. Interestingly, you can see how fast the number moves by yourself because the counter tracks downloads in real-time.

8. WordPress gets almost as many new monthly visitors as Twitter.

(Automattic)

Twitter statistics show that there are about 152 million unique monthly visitors on the platform in the US alone. WordPress has almost the same figures, with about 149 million unique monthly visitors. Interestingly, some years back, WordPress had more unique visitors than Twitter and Amazon, with 199 million visitors monthly. When you consider the nature of business for these three organizations, you will appreciate how impressive WordPress data is.

9. There are about 70.5 million new posts and around 52.1 million new comments on WordPress each month.

(WordPress)

Statistics from WordPress.com on blogging are pretty impressive. Each day, the number of bloggers on the platform keeps increasing, as the platform connects and encourages more people worldwide for engaging discussions. Statistics show that WordPress records more than 70.5 million new posts and around 52.1 million new comments every month.

10. On WordPress, more than 409 million people view over 21.1 billion pages monthly.

(WordPress)

As the number of blogs on WordPress increases, readers also increase. Statistics show that more than 409 million people view over  21.1 billion pages on WordPress every month.

11. WooCommerce has a 27.7% market share among e-commerce platforms.

(Datanyze)

The market share for WooCommerce among e-commerce platforms is about 27.7%. Such data is essential for online businesses. E-commerce platforms help merchants build digital storefronts to enable transactions over the web. WooCommerce is a WordPress-based e-commerce platform. WooCommerce has grown faster than its main competitors like Shopify and Squarespace, in recent years.

12. About 13.2% of all websites use WordPress using WooCommerce.

(W3Techs)

WordPress, which was once primarily a blogging tool, has evolved into the lifeline of global e-commerce over the years. It provides users with multiple site-building elements like WooCommerce, chat forums, photo galleries, and social networking platforms. However, according to statistics, WooCommerce is the most widely used site-building element available on WordPress.

13. Akismet blocks 7.5 million spam comments every hour.

(Akismet)

Spam comments and ads are some of the biggest nuisances on the internet today. One of the most prominent WordPress plugins that help deal with spam is Akismet. It is designed to block spam messages and save users the time spent dealing with spam. According to Akismet’s official website statistics, the application stops over 7.5 million spam comments every hour.

14. All in One SEO Pack, WordPress Importer, and WooCommerce were the top three WordPress plugins in 2017.

(WordCamp)

Data from the annual State of the Word address 2017 edition shows that the most popular WordPress plugin is the All in One SEO Pack. This WordPress plugin helps to boost the platform’s SEO capabilities. 

Therefore, these statistics suggest that people now take their content’s search engine placement seriously. This also shows why WordPress is the preferred CMS choice for many. The second and third most popular WordPress plugin is WordPress Importer and WooCommerce, respectively.

WordPress Usability Statistics

15. WordPress.com and WordPress.org are different.

(Theme Isle)

People new to WordPress may find these two versions confusing, which is understandable. WordPress.org belongs to the WordPress software, a free, open-source CMS. To use the WordPress software, you must have it installed then host it on your server.

On the other hand, WordPress.com is a blogging platform based on the WordPress.org software. Users can create an account on WordPress.com and build a functional website or blog right away. Automattic owns both WordPress.com and WordPress.org.

16. Hosting a good WordPress site could cost as little as $60 per year.

(WinningWP)

With WordPress, you can host a good site for as little as $60 per year. WordPress offers several great hosting plans with unmetered bandwidth and sufficient storage. However, you may need the more expensive hosting plan options to run a high-traffic site. The quality managed WordPress solutions are best for users running high-traffic sites. It provides better optimal performance, greater security and excellent support.

17. You can get a typical domain name for around $10.

(WinningWP)

The average cost for a .com domain is around $10. However, the exact price you pay depends on the desired domain extension and the company that sells the registration. Therefore, the total cost to run your WordPress site for a year is an average of $70 between hosting and buying a domain name.

18. WordPress is platform-agnostic.

(Wikipedia)

WordPress has native applications that support all common platforms, including Windows, iOS, Android, and WebOS. With this, you can use several functions on WordPress, irrespective of what system you use. This level of flexibility is one of the main factors that promote wide WordPress usage.

19. WordPress is available in 57 languages.

(WordPress)

The language barrier is not a limiting factor with WordPress usage, as it is available in 57 languages. Over the years, WordPress has worked consistently and relentlessly towards making its software more accessible to people from different parts of the world. Although WordPress currently doesn’t cover all languages out of a total of 180 locales the team identifies, it is only a matter of time before it is available in almost all languages in existence.

20. WordPress currently offers 47,350 active plugins.

(WPEngine)

WordPress’ Plugin Directory currently has 56,311 plugins listed. However, according to the latest stats from the WordPress site, 47,350 of the listed plugins are active. These active plugins have been downloaded about 633,274,305 times. In addition, more than 2,000 of these plugins now come with a language pack, enabling people in different parts of the world to access them in their preferred language.

However, some specialized hosts like WP Engine restrict the usage of specific plugins. Such specialized hosts depend mainly on advanced server setup for boosting WordPress speed. This is essential for a seamless user experience with such hosts.

21. WordPress provides 4,119 free GPL-licensed themes.

(WordPress)

There are 4,119 free General Public License themes on WordPress. You can find these GPL-licensed themes in the WordPress theme directory. In addition, 1,402 of the 4,119 free themes come with language packs. This is about a 25% increase from a few years ago, indicating that the number of relevant free themes on WordPress is growing.

However, if you are not satisfied with the free themes, third-party vendors can buy several themes. Themeforest is one of the most prominent commercial theme repositories in the market, offering more than 11,000 themes for sale.

22. WordPress caters to 80% to 90% of SEO mechanics.

(WordPress)

Matt Cutts, the former head of search quality at Google and the then head of Google’s webspam team, made an encouraging statement about WordPress’ mechanics of SEO in 2009. He stated that WordPress caters for 80% to 90% of SEO mechanics. Over the years, the WordPress team has worked tirelessly to make the platform even more SEO-friendly. In addition, the availability of several plugins that assist users in getting their website’s SEO right is also a plus.

23. Over 36% of all WordPress sites are served over HTTPS.

(WPEngine)

The encrypted version of HTTP is HTTPS. The S with is the apparent difference signifies that all communication and connections between the website and the users’ browser are secure. The WordPress developers’ team aims to achieve 100% compliment for this criterion on all sites. Currently, the figure stands at 36%, a 2.5 times increase from 2016.

24. The fastest-growing web publishing software in the world today is WordPress.

(Torque Magazine, Google)

Statistics show that WordPress-related keywords consistently rank higher among search engine queries among other CMSs. This is based on keyword searches for popular CMSs from 2004 to date. Data from Torque Magazine shows that the searches for WordPress increased to around 52% since May 2020. This indicates that writing about WordPress will help draw traffic to your blog or website. 

25. It takes less than five minutes to install WordPress.

(WordPress)

Another significant factor that makes WordPress immensely popular is its ability to automate several time-consuming tasks associated with web publishing. This makes the platform seamless to use. It saves you cost as you don’t need an expensive developer to create your website or blog. You can launch a WordPress site in no time with just a few clicks, thanks to the “Famous 5 Minute Install.”

26. The most used WordPress plugin for marketers is the Jetpack.

(HubSpot)

WordPress provides several excellent options for marketers to promote their products and services and at the same time boost sales. Jetpack is the most popular of all WordPress plugins geared mainly towards marketers. Interestingly, Jetpack is a free tool designed to help facilitate essential tasks like social media integration, traffic insight, security and backups.

27. Officially, there are three recommended WordPress hosting providers.

(WordPress)

WordPress can be hosted successfully on several servers; however, three hosting providers are recommended on the platform’s official website. These endorsed hosting providers are Bluehost, Dreamhost, and SiteGround.

General WordPress Statistics

28. WordPress has 1,273 employees worldwide.

(Automattic)

There are precisely 1,273 people working for Automattic. A large percentage of Automattic’s employees are based in the United States, but the organization has substantial representation from every continent except Antarctica. All employees work jointly from their different home bases to ensure that all needs in every geographical area are met.

29. WordPress has been around since 2003.

(WinningWP)

One of the widely searched queries about WordPress online is “How long has WordPress been around?” The answer to this query is 19 years. This makes WordPress one of the oldest CMSs in the world. Its first version was launched on May 27, 2003. However, it has evolved tremendously over the years, from a simple blogging tool to a prominent content management system.

30. As of 2021, WordPress has had 44,224 code commits by more than 100 contributors.

(Github)

WordPress is ranked among the world’s most significant open-source projects. It has several contributors spread across the globe. WordPress developer team comprises more than 100 developers that contribute to the WordPress core, containing more than 1.2 million lines of code. For reference, there are around 100,000 lines for highly complex projects.

31. In 2017, WordPress held 128 WordCamps in 48 countries.

(WPEngine)

WordPress is a highly recognized organization worldwide and a proper global company. Statistics from the State of the Word show that WordPress held 128 WordCamps in 48 countries in 2017. These WordCamps involved 1,091 sponsors and 2,310 speakers.

32. In 2017, WordPress had 4,379 meetups in 73 countries.

(WordCamp)

More data from the State of the Word in 2017 shows that WordPress held 128 WordCamps in 48 countries. This was a significant increase of 43% from 2016. Ninety-nine thousand three hundred and one people were in attendance during these meetups, which is an impressive uptick of 65% from 2016. The Events widget added to the WordPress 4.8 is partly credited for the massive increase in the numbers from 2016.

33. WordPress.org showcases some of the most fantastic WordPress sites.

(WordPress)

One unique feature of the WordPress official website is that you can see all you can possibly do with the WordPress software for a great blogging experience. In addition, it showcases some of the most fantastic WordPress sites that use the platform best. This list includes names like the Obama Foundation, the City University of New York and the Houston Zoo.

34. The average WordPress developer in the United States earns $54,129 in 2021.

(PayScale)

Although WordPress has reduced the need to hire developers to help maintain your site, it has some of the most skilled developers in the world today. However, there are still several ways their specialist can assist users in maximizing the platform's potential for a better experience on their websites.

These developers are always happy to help, and one apparent reason could be that they are well paid. As of 2021, the average WordPress developer based in the United States earns $54,129 per year, according to statistics from Payscale.com. This is a 4k increase from 2018. Interestingly, senior developers make almost twice that figure, as some senior developers are paid more than $100,000 yearly.

35. WordPress statistics reveal that it has denied about 61% of DMCA takedown notices till June 2018.

(WordPress)

WordPress effortlessly combines transparency to functionality, versatility and security. This can be seen from WordPress statistics that reveal that the platform has denied about 61% of DMCA takedown notices till June 2018. Companies and individuals give DMCA notices if they feel any published posts on WordPress.com infringes on their intellectual property rights.

36. WordPress has also denied about 65% of government information requests until June 2018.

(WordPress)

WordPress’ policies are in the best interest of its users. Although the company is always happy to cooperate with governments on valid cases, its policies allow it to strongly resists sharing information with anyone where it believes that the blogger’s right to freedom of expression is being abused or at stake.

37. One WordPress theme has generated over 12 million dollars in income from sales.

(digital.com)

Avada sold on ThemeForest, a premium WordPress plugins and themes marketplace, is the most popular and sought-after WordPress theme. It costs $59 and has generated over 12 million dollars in income, selling over 200,000 copies. Interestingly, this theme is still selling actively daily.

38. Less than 33.3% of all WordPress installations are updated to the latest version.

(digital.com)

The benefits of having your installations updated to the latest version can’t be overemphasized. WordPress puts several measures in place to actively encourage users to update their websites to the latest version. However, only 23% of its users have updated their software. Over 27% of WordPress users still use version 5.2. Sadly users with the outdated WordPress version expose themselves to security risks, exposing their personal information to hacks and other cyberattacks.

39. WordPress 5.3 has been downloaded more than 7,000,000 times.

(digital.com)

WordPress 5.3 is the latest version of WordPress, and it holds a stunning record for one of the most downloaded software. It has been downloaded over 7 million times since its launch. Unfortunately, this number is expected to increase because many WordPress users have yet to update their websites.

40. WordPress has 501 times fewer employees than amazon.

(digital.com)

Statistics show that WordPress has about 501 times fewer employees than amazon. Considering these numbers, it is impressive to see what WordPress has achieved over the years. Interestingly, a large percentage of these employees are not based in the United States but are scattered in different parts of the world, working entirely remotely. 

Conclusion

WordPress is arguably one of the most prominent blogging platforms and the most popular content management system globally. However, it has come a long way from a mere blogging tool to a global content management system endorsed by some of the most prominent brands and celebrities.

It is impressive to see what the company has achieved over the years. The WordPress statistics above show that the platform’s popularity is driven by factors such as simplicity, relatively low costs, security, availability of language packs, a wide choice of plugins and themes, and SEO-friendliness. If you wish to sign up with WordPress, the stats above will help you understand some of the benefits you will enjoy.

References:

• https://w3techs.com/technologies/details/cm-wordpress
• https://www.internetlivestats.com/total-number-of-websites/
• https://hostingtribunal.com/blog/wordpress-statistics/
• https://wordpress.org/download/releases/
• https://wordpress.org/support/topic/strange-results-to-much-unique-visitors/
• https://wordpress.com/activity/
• http://www.datanyze.com/market-share/e-commerce-platforms–6/woocommerce-2.1-market-share
• https://blog.akismet.com/2020/07/06/akismet-five-hundred-billion-with-a-b-spam/
• https://themeisle.com/blog/wordpress-com-vs-wordpress-org/
• https://www.wpbeginner.com/opinion/how-many-wordpress-plugins-should-you-install-on-your-site/
• https://wordpress.com/blog/2013/03/22/seo-on-wordpress-com/
• https://www.wpbeginner.com/news/the-history-of-wordpress/
• https://blog.hubspot.com/website/jetpack-plugin-for-wordpress
• https://blog.hubspot.com/website/most-popular-wordpress-plugins