WordPress has made significant advancements since its initial release in 2003, when it started as a basic blogging tool, and the statistics that define this powerful tool have also seen substantial progress.
What makes WordPress so popular is its combination of user-friendly features, extensive customization options, and a robust support community, all of which contribute to its ongoing success. It was created by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little as a more elegant personal publishing system.
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. As of October 2025, WordPress’s market share among all websites climbed to 43.3%, further solidifying its dominance in the web development space. Notably, its market share has doubled since 2014, when it stood at 21%.
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 WordPressand an estimated 77 million sites likely to appear over the following year using this open source software tool. WordPress is powered by PHP and MySQL and licensed under the GPLv2, which ensures its open-source nature and accessibility.
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. The vast WordPress ecosystem, with its thousands of themes, plugins, and global contributors, enables unparalleled customization and innovation. Furthermore, WordPress has had 52 major releases since its inception, with each release named after a jazz musician, showcasing its rich history and commitment to creativity. More than 1,200 WordCamps (WordPress conferences) have been held globally, further emphasizing the platform’s vibrant community. 2024 is expected to be another year of strong growth for this constantly evolving web development tool.
As a continually evolving content management system, the WordPress software benefits from regular updates, new features, and ongoing security improvements. The majority of sites (around 88%) run on a recent version of WordPress software, reflecting the platform’s commitment to keeping its users up-to-date and secure.
WordPress today stands as the leading website platform, demonstrating unmatched relevance and dominance in the current web development landscape. It has been the most common way to build a website since 2021, further solidifying its position as the go-to CMS for users worldwide.
Let’s take a look at some of the wildest WordPress statistics that make this giant of a CMS what it is today. On average, over 660 new WordPress sites are launched daily, showcasing its immense popularity and adoption rate.
WordPress
WordPress is a free and open-source content management system (CMS) that enables users to easily create, manage, and publish websites. It was originally developed as a blogging platform in 2003 but has since evolved into a versatile tool used for building a wide range of websites, from personal blogs to complex enterprise sites. WordPress is known for its user-friendly interface, extensive customization options through thousands of themes and plugins, and a strong global community that contributes to its continuous development and support.
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. WordPress usage statistics reveal its dominance, with comprehensive data showing its market share, the number of global websites using WordPress, and its continued growth in popularity. By October 2025, WordPress powers about 36% of the top 1 million websites, further highlighting its trustworthiness and scalability for high-traffic sites.
According to data from W3Techs, WordPress powers 43.2% of all websites on the internet in 2022. This means that a significant portion of the web consists of a WordPress website, whether for ecommerce, blogs, or business sites. 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 wordpress plugin statistics showing over 55,000 available in the official WordPress Plugin Directory and usage trends continuing to rise. There are tens of thousands of plugins to choose from, giving users an extensive selection to enhance and extend the functionality of WordPress websites. These plugins allow 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. Collectively, plugins have received over 2 billion downloads on WordPress, reflecting their widespread adoption and importance in the ecosystem. Popular plugins are often measured by their active installations, which reflect the trust and widespread adoption they have earned in the community.
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. With over five million active installations, WooCommerce demonstrates widespread adoption and trust among users. 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. Additionally, WooCommerce is the most-used WordPress ecommerce plugin, having been added to one-fifth of all WordPress websites.
6. WordPress powers over 563 million websites worldwide as of 2025.
According to recent reports from NetCraft and other sources, WordPress is estimated to power more than 563 million websites globally. This staggering number underscores WordPress’s massive footprint on the internet and its role as the backbone for a wide variety of sites, from personal blogs to enterprise-level platforms.
7. WordPress holds over 61% market share among websites using a CMS.
Within the subset of websites that utilize a content management system, WordPress dominates with a market share exceeding 61.3%. This means that more than six out of every ten CMS-powered websites rely on WordPress, outpacing competitors like Shopify and Wix by a wide margin.
8. There are over 65,000 free and paid WordPress plugins available.
The WordPress ecosystem boasts an extensive plugin library, including over 60,000 free plugins in the official WordPress Plugin Directory and thousands more premium plugins available on marketplaces such as Envato Market. These plugins allow users to add a vast range of functionalities to their sites, from SEO optimization to ecommerce capabilities.
9. The WordPress theme directory contains nearly 13,000 free themes.
Users can choose from almost 13,000 free themes in the official WordPress theme directory, with many more premium themes available through third-party providers. When combining themes from the WordPress.org directory and ThemeForest, there are at least 25,000 WordPress themes available. Popular themes like Hello Elementor and Astra have millions of active installations, highlighting their widespread adoption.
10. WooCommerce powers about one-third of all online stores.
WooCommerce, the leading ecommerce plugin for WordPress, drives approximately 33% of all online shops, making WordPress not only a content management leader but also a dominant player in the ecommerce space. Its flexibility and integration with WordPress make it a preferred choice for online retailers.
11. WordPress releases major updates roughly every 3-5 months.
The WordPress development team consistently rolls out major updates approximately every 152 days, introducing new features, security patches, and bug fixes. These frequent releases ensure the platform remains secure, modern, and aligned with evolving web standards. Major releases of WordPress bring new features and noticeable changes, such as the block editor introduced in WordPress 5.0, which revolutionized content creation and site customization.
12. The Gutenberg editor is used to create over 100,000 posts daily.
Since its introduction, the Gutenberg block editor has revolutionized content creation on WordPress. Statistics show that more than 100,000 posts are written daily using Gutenberg, reflecting its rapid adoption among WordPress users for building rich, dynamic content.
13. Cross-site scripting (XSS) is among the most common WordPress vulnerabilities.
Security analyses reveal that cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks remain one of the most prevalent vulnerabilities affecting WordPress sites. Site owners are encouraged to keep their WordPress core, themes, and plugins updated to mitigate such security risks.
14. WordPress experiences thousands of attacks daily.
Due to its popularity, WordPress sites are frequent targets for hackers, with estimates suggesting that over 13,000 WordPress sites are attacked every day. This highlights the importance of robust security measures and timely updates to protect websites from malicious activity.
15. The average cost of a premium WordPress theme is around $59.
While many free themes are available, premium WordPress themes typically cost about $59 on marketplaces like Envato Market. These themes often include advanced features, dedicated support, and regular updates, offering enhanced customization and performance.
16. WordPress is available in over 208 languages.
Reflecting its global reach, WordPress has been translated into more than 208 locales, making it accessible to users worldwide. Additionally, WordPress is available in 72 languages and counting, indicating its global reach and community effort. This multilingual support enables site owners to create content in their preferred language, broadening WordPress’s appeal.
17. WordPress users can achieve full control over their sites.
Unlike some hosted platforms, WordPress.org users have full control over their websites, including the ability to install any themes or plugins, customize code, and manage hosting. This flexibility is a key reason many website owners choose WordPress for their projects.
18. WordPress includes a built-in donate button for nonprofits.
To support charitable causes, WordPress offers easy integration of donate buttons through plugins and themes, allowing nonprofits to collect contributions directly from their websites with minimal setup.
19. The Hello Elementor theme is the most popular WordPress theme for page builders.
Hello Elementor, a lightweight and minimalistic theme designed to work seamlessly with the Elementor site builder, has become the go-to theme for users seeking fast, customizable, and user-friendly design options.
20. WordPress continues to grow its market share year over year.
Despite its already dominant position, WordPress continues to expand its user base and market share annually, driven by continuous innovation, a strong community, and adaptability to new web technologies.
How many websites use WordPress?
The following WordPress statistics focus on WordPress’ market share and other usage statistics.
A key factor in WordPress’s popularity is the vast selection of wordpress themes, which allow users to easily customize their sites and attract a wide range of users.
According to the most accurate estimations, around 810 million websites use WordPress as of 2025. This accounts for approximately 43% of all websites. WordPress users benefit from a large selection of free themes, making it accessible for anyone to create a professional-looking site without upfront costs.
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. Among these, personal blogs remain one of the most popular types of sites built with WordPress, showcasing its versatility for individual content creators.
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. The elementor site builder is also widely used within the WordPress community, offering drag-and-drop functionality and dynamic content support for building custom sites.
When analyzing the most popular wordpress themes, it’s clear they have a significant impact on site design and user experience across these top 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. Popular wordpress themes, as shown by usage statistics from sources like BuiltWith and the WordPress.org theme directory, are frequently chosen by site owners to enhance their blogs’ appearance and functionality.
Themes play a crucial role in site customization, with each wordpress theme providing unique design and layout options for users. The wordpress theme directory serves as a key resource for discovering and downloading both free and updated themes.
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. The latest wordpress version continues to see widespread adoption, reflecting the platform’s ongoing evolution and feature enhancements.
Many theme providers offer annual subscriptions, but some also provide a lifetime membership option, granting unlimited access to themes with a one-time payment.
WordPress regularly releases updates that include not only new features but also essential bug fixes, ensuring ongoing improvements and platform stability.
WordPress Security and Community
With WordPress powering over 43% of all websites, its dominant market share in the content management system (CMS) market makes it both a leader in web development and a prime target for security threats. As WordPress sites continue to grow in number and complexity, security has become a top priority for website owners and administrators.
The open-source nature of WordPress, combined with its vast ecosystem of themes and plugins, offers unparalleled flexibility—but also introduces potential security vulnerabilities if not managed properly. Hackers often target outdated WordPress core files, themes, and plugins, making regular updates essential for maintaining a secure WordPress site. Using reputable plugins, themes, and security software can reduce the risk of a successful hack by over 94%. The WordPress dashboard provides site owners with direct access to update notifications and security alerts, helping them stay ahead of potential threats with just a few clicks.
To further safeguard their sites, many WordPress users rely on popular wordpress plugins like Wordfence, MalCare, and Sucuri, which offer advanced protection against malware, brute force attacks, and other common threats. The wordpress plugin directory features thousands of security-focused plugins, allowing site owners to tailor their defenses to their specific needs. Even widely-used plugins such as Yoast SEO and WooCommerce regularly release security updates to address emerging vulnerabilities, underscoring the importance of keeping all themes and plugins up to date.
Beyond technical measures, the strength of the WordPress community is a key factor in the platform’s ongoing security and innovation. Developers, contributors, and everyday users collaborate to identify and patch vulnerabilities, share best practices, and develop new tools. The community’s commitment is evident in the rapid release of security patches and the wealth of resources available for troubleshooting and learning. Events like WordCamps and online forums foster knowledge sharing and support, making it easier for both beginners and experienced site owners to operate wp statistics, understand user behavior, and make informed decisions about their content strategy.
For those looking to optimize their wordpress website’s performance and security, integrating analytics tools such as Google Analytics can provide valuable insights into user behavior and site traffic. This data helps website owners refine their content management approach and respond proactively to potential issues.
In summary, while WordPress’s widespread adoption brings increased attention from malicious actors, it also benefits from a proactive and engaged community dedicated to maintaining a secure, high-performing platform. By leveraging the latest security plugins, staying current with updates, and participating in the vibrant WordPress community, site owners can confidently use WordPress to build websites that are both robust and resilient in today’s digital landscape.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is WordPress, and why is it so popular?
WordPress is a free, open-source content management system (CMS) that allows users to create and manage websites easily. It is popular due to its user-friendly interface, extensive customization options through thousands of themes and plugins, and a large supportive community. Its flexibility makes it suitable for a wide range of websites, from personal blogs to large corporate sites.
How many websites use WordPress?
As of 2025, WordPress powers approximately 43.3% of all websites on the internet, which translates to hundreds of millions of sites globally. This dominant market share highlights WordPress’s widespread adoption and trust among website owners across various industries.
What are WordPress plugins, and why are they important?
WordPress plugins are add-ons that extend the functionality of a WordPress website. They allow site owners to add features such as SEO tools, security enhancements, ecommerce capabilities, and more without needing to code. With over 55,000 plugins available in the official WordPress Plugin Directory, they play a vital role in customizing and optimizing WordPress sites.
How does WordPress ensure website security?
WordPress maintains security through regular updates to its core software, themes, and plugins. Additionally, many users install security-focused plugins like Wordfence and Sucuri to protect against malware and attacks. The active WordPress community also contributes by identifying and patching security vulnerabilities promptly. Site owners are encouraged to keep their WordPress installations and plugins updated to minimize risks.
What is WooCommerce, and how does it relate to WordPress?
WooCommerce is a popular ecommerce plugin for WordPress that enables users to create and manage online stores. It powers about 22% of the top 1 million ecommerce sites worldwide, making it a leading solution for businesses looking to sell products and services online while leveraging WordPress’s flexibility.
How often does WordPress release updates?
WordPress regularly releases updates that include new features, bug fixes, and security patches. These updates help keep the platform stable, secure, and aligned with the latest web development standards. Users can easily update their WordPress sites via the dashboard with just a few clicks.
What role does the WordPress community play?
The WordPress community consists of developers, designers, contributors, and users who collaborate to improve the platform. They organize events like WordCamps, contribute to software development, create themes and plugins, and provide support through forums and tutorials. This vibrant community is key to WordPress’s continuous innovation and support network.
Can beginners use WordPress easily?
Yes, WordPress is designed to be accessible for users of all skill levels. Its intuitive dashboard, extensive documentation, and abundance of themes and plugins allow beginners to build professional websites without coding knowledge. Additionally, many hosting providers offer one-click WordPress installations to simplify the setup process.
