WordPress
Build a website, blog or shop with themes and thousands of add-ons.
No server needed to start: Cloudgate can provide one. What happens when you click Deploy
What is WordPress?
Self-hosted WordPress, the open-source Wix and Squarespace alternative: build a website, blog or online shop with themes and thousands of plugins.
WordPress is an open-source website builder and content management system that lets anyone create and run a website, blog or online shop. It powers everything from one-page sites for a local café to large online shops and news sites. You pick a theme for the design, then add pages, blog posts and images with a visual editor.
Plugins add almost any feature you can think of: contact forms, online shops with WooCommerce, appointment booking, newsletters, translations and search engine tools. A hairdresser, for example, could have a site with a price list, a photo gallery, online booking and a blog, without writing any code, and pay no monthly fee to a website builder.
WordPress works with thousands of services through plugins, including Stripe, PayPal, Mailchimp and Google Analytics, and the free WordPress mobile app lets you write posts from your phone. You can import posts from Blogger, Tumblr, Squarespace and other WordPress sites.
Cloudgate installs WordPress and its database on a server Cloudgate provides or one you connect and gives it a secure web address, with upload limits large enough for photos and themes. The first person to open that address chooses the site's name and creates the admin account. You can later point your own domain name at it and invite editors.
What you can do with WordPress
- Choose a theme Start from thousands of free and paid designs, then change colours, fonts and layouts.
- Edit pages visually Build pages from blocks such as text, images, buttons, columns and galleries.
- Publish a blog Write and schedule posts, sort them into categories and let readers comment.
- Sell online Add the free WooCommerce plugin to sell products, services or downloads with card payments.
- Add what you need Plugins add contact forms, bookings, newsletters, translations and search engine tools.
- Work as a team Give editors, authors and contributors their own accounts with the right permissions.
- Update from your phone The free WordPress mobile app lets you write posts and check comments on the go.
Replaces Wix, Squarespace and Medium
WordPress does the same job as Wix, Squarespace and Medium. Here is what changes when you switch.
- No monthly platform fee or plan to upgrade
- Any theme or plugin you like, with no locked features
- You can move your site to any host at any time
- The biggest community of designers and developers to help you
- You keep WordPress, your theme and your plugins up to date yourself
- Sending emails, such as contact form messages, needs an email plugin and sending service
- More choices to make than on Wix or Squarespace
- Some popular themes and plugins are paid
What happens when you click Deploy?
You do not need a server or any technical knowledge. Four steps, and WordPress is running at its own web address.
- Step 1 Click Deploy and create your account
Deploy takes you to Cloudgate. Create an account, or log in if you have one. WordPress itself is free.
- Step 2 Choose a server
No server? Get one from Cloudgate: pick a size and a country, and Cloudgate gets it ready. Already have one? Connect it instead.
- Step 3 Cloudgate sets up WordPress
It prepares the server, makes the passwords the app needs and starts it. There is nothing to install and nothing to write down.
- Step 4 Open your app and sign in
Your app gets a free web address to start, without https. Add your own domain, like app.yourshop.com, and Cloudgate secures it with https for you.
New to Cloudgate? See the ways to get it
Run Cloudgate yourself? Deploy from your own console
In your Cloudgate console, open Templates and choose WordPress.
Questions
Is WordPress free?
Yes. WordPress is free, open-source software under the GPL licence, so self-hosting it costs only your server. Some themes and plugins are paid, but thousands are free.
Is WordPress a good alternative to Wix or Squarespace?
Yes, if you want full control and no monthly platform fee. WordPress has far more themes and plugins than Wix or Squarespace, and you can move your site to any host. In return you keep it updated yourself and have more settings to learn.
Can I move my site from Wix or Squarespace to WordPress?
From Squarespace, yes; its export file can be imported into WordPress with the built-in importer. Wix has no export, so pages are usually rebuilt in WordPress, often with a theme that looks similar.
How do I self-host WordPress?
Pick WordPress in Cloudgate's template list and press Set up. Cloudgate installs WordPress and its database on your server and gives it a secure web address, where you choose the site name and create your admin account.
Can I run an online shop with WordPress?
Yes. Install the free WooCommerce plugin to sell physical products, services or downloads, and take payments through Stripe, PayPal and other providers.
Is my data private?
Yes. Your pages, posts, customer details and form entries are stored on your own server. Plugins you add may send data to their own services, so check what each one does.
What server size do I need?
A small server (1 GB of memory) runs a typical business website. Choose a larger one for a busy online shop or a site with many plugins.
Do I need technical skills?
No. Click Deploy, create your Cloudgate account and choose a server, and Cloudgate sets up WordPress and gives it a web address. You use it in your browser like any other online tool.
Do I need my own server?
No. When you deploy WordPress, hosted Cloudgate can provide a server. If you already rent one, you can connect it instead.
