WordPress has made significant advancements since its initial release in 2003, and the statistics that define this powerful tool have also seen substantial progress.
From powering a meager 4.9% of websites when it first launched to now acting as the back-end for 43.3% of all sites online, WordPress is truly a success story with plenty of stories yet to be told. Nearly two decades since its launch, WordPress enthusiasts everywhere are confident that the content management system will continue to thrive in 2023 and beyond.
The most loyal WordPress users would know that the platform was created by co-founder Matt Mullenweg while he was working at CNET Networks using PHP programming and MySQL databases. These same users could also tell you that there are currently 73 million sites using WordPress and an estimated 77 million sites likely to appear over the following year using this open source software tool.
The development of WordPress involved extensive collaboration and took an estimated 151 person-years and cost over $8 million. The continuous emergence of new content management systems every five minutes on average highlights why WordPress remains the dominant market player. Furthermore, 2024 is expected to be another year of strong growth for this constantly evolving web development tool.
Lets take a look at some of the wildest WordPress statistics that make this giant of a CMS what it is today.
WordPress
WordPress is a web content management system.
The Top 5 WordPress Statistics
Here are some of the top wordpress statistics:
1. WordPress is used by 43.2% of all websites on the internet.
The most widely used content management system in the world, which now powers 43.3% of all websites on the internet, has a lesser-known origin story that is mostly known within the community of dedicated WordPress users.According to data from W3Techs, WordPress powers 43.2% of all websites on the internet in 2022. The percentage has increased from 39.5% in 2021.
2. WordPress holds a significant market share of 65.1% in the CMS market.
Among the world's most prestigious and high-traffic websites, WordPress is the CMS of choice for 14.7% of them. This statistic highlights the trust that major brands, publications, and institutions place in WordPress for managing their online content. It underscores WordPress's capability to handle the demands of even the largest and most prominent websites globally.
3. WordPress powers 14.7% of the most popular websites worldwide.
Among the world's most prestigious and high-traffic websites, WordPress is the CMS of choice for 14.7% of them. This statistic highlights the trust that major brands, publications, and institutions place in WordPress for managing their online content. It underscores WordPress's capability to handle the demands of even the largest and most prominent websites globally.
4. The WordPress Plugin Directory includes over 55,000 plugins.
WordPress offers a vast library of plugins, with over 55,000 available in the official WordPress Plugin Directory. These plugins enhance and extend the functionality of WordPress websites, allowing users to customize their sites to meet specific needs. This extensive selection covers everything from SEO optimization to e-commerce, demonstrating the adaptability and flexibility of the WordPress platform.
5. WooCommerce is used by 22% of the top 1 million ecommerce sites in the world.
WooCommerce, a popular e-commerce plugin for WordPress, has been adopted by a substantial 22% of the world's top 1 million e-commerce websites. This statistic illustrates WooCommerce's prominence and effectiveness as a solution for creating and managing online stores. It offers a wide range of features, making it a preferred choice for businesses seeking to sell products and services online while leveraging the power and ease of WordPress.
How many websites use WordPress?
The following WordPress statistics focus on WordPress' market share and other usage statistics.
According to the most accurate estimations, around 810 million websites use WordPress as of 2023. This accounts for approximately 43% of all websites.
The figure is experiencing significant growth. On a daily basis, more than 500 websites are created using WordPress, while competitor platforms like Shopify and Squarespace only see 60-80 new sites being built.
WordPress is considered the world's most widely used CMS platform and is also experiencing rapid growth.
10-year WordPress growth statistics :
- 2023: 43.1% (+0.3%)
- 2022: 43.0% (+3.7%)
- 2021: 39.5% (+4.1%)
- 2020: 35.4% (+2.7%)
- 2019: 32.7% (+3.5%)
- 2018: 29.2% (+3.5%)
- 2017: 27.3% (+1.9%)
- 2016: 25.6% (+1.7%)
- 2015: 23.3% (+2.3%)
- 2014: 21% (+2.3%)
- 2013: 17.4% (+3.6%)
More and more website are using wordpress. WordPress is not only the most widely-used CMS, but it is also experiencing rapid growth. Out of the top 10 million websites online, a significant number of sites, more than 500 per day, are powered by WordPress, in comparison to the 60-80 per day that are built on managed platforms like Shopify or Squarespace.
The Current State of WordPress
WordPress is responsible for powering 14.7% of the world's top websites. The list of top websites includes The New York Times, Spotify, TechCrunch, The White House website, BBC America, and various portfolios and ecommerce websites.
On WordPress, there are approximately 17 blog posts published per second. Additionally, the term "WordPress" receives around 37 million global searches every month, indicating its widespread popularity.
Lastly, WordPress activity data reveals that on a monthly basis, there are more than 409 million individuals viewing over 20 billion pages on WordPress. Moreover, there are approximately 70 million new posts and 77 million new comments.
