How many websites use WordPress?

WordPress remains the most widely used content management system in the world. In 2026, it powers 42.8% of all websites, covering everything from personal blogs and small business sites to large e-commerce stores and high-traffic media outlets.

When focusing only on sites that use a recognised CMS, its share rises to 61%, which is more than all other platforms combined. This level of dominance has held for more than a decade, supported by steady growth every year since records began.

Part of the reason for its popularity is flexibility. WordPress works equally well for a simple brochure site, a full corporate presence, or an international online store. With thousands of themes and plugins available, you can customise your site’s design, features, and performance without starting from scratch. Whether you’re creating the site yourself or working with a professional in WordPress website design, the platform gives you the freedom to build exactly what you need and adapt it as your business grows.

What Percentage of Websites Use WordPress?

The proportion of websites running on WordPress has more than doubled over the past decade. In 2014, it accounted for around 21% of the internet. By 2026, that figure had risen to more than 42%.

During the same period, the share of sites without a CMS fell from over 60% to under 30%. As more businesses and independent creators moved to CMS platforms, WordPress claimed the largest share of that migration. Its ease of setup, extensive plugin library, and wide range of features have helped it stay ahead of the competition.

Today, there is almost a one-in-two chance that the site you’re visiting is powered by WordPress, making it the platform of choice for millions of site owners worldwide.

Number of Websites Using WordPress

The total number of websites running on WordPress varies depending on the source. Netcraft estimates that there were around 1.24 billion websites online in mid-2025. Applying WordPress’s 43.4% share to that figure gives an approximate total of 541 million WordPress-powered sites worldwide.

Some services track only active sites with current content and visitor activity. In that narrower view, BuiltWith reports tens of millions of active WordPress installations. The difference between these figures comes from whether inactive or parked domains are counted.

Regardless of which measurement you use, no other CMS comes close to matching WordPress in active site numbers. Its scale means there is a large ecosystem of developers, agencies, and service providers to support both small sites and enterprise-level projects.

What Is the WordPress CMS Market Share?

When focusing only on websites that use a recognised CMS, WordPress accounts for between 60% and 62% of the market. Its nearest competitors are far behind — Shopify holds around 6.7%, Wix has about 5.5%, and all other platforms, including Squarespace, Joomla, and Drupal, sit below 3%.

This dominance has created a large and mature ecosystem. If you search for themes, plugins, or WordPress hosting, you will find thousands of service providers catering to businesses of every size. The sheer number of sites using the platform means there is extensive choice in hosting packages, design expertise, and ongoing support, making it easier for site owners to find exactly what they need.

WordPress Market Share by Country

WordPress is used in more than 200 countries, with the largest numbers of installations in:

• United States – over 3.3 million sites
• Germany – around 1.46 million
• United Kingdom – around 1.08 million
• Brazil – over 850,000
• France – around 847,000

Some countries have even higher adoption rates by percentage. In Japan, for example, WordPress powers more than 58% of all websites and holds an 83% share of the CMS market.

The platform’s global reach is strengthened by its multilingual capabilities. Non-English installations now exceed English ones, and the software is translated into more than 200 locales. This makes it easier for businesses to run sites in their own language.

WordPress Use in E-Commerce

WooCommerce, the most widely used e-commerce plugin for WordPress, is installed on more than 8 million websites. It powers more online stores than any other platform, holding a 34% share of the global e-commerce market. By comparison, Shopify accounts for around 19.8%, showing how dominant WooCommerce becomes when paired with WordPress’s reach.

Its main strength is flexibility. You can run a complete online store on the same system you use for your blog, portfolio, or company site.

WooCommerce is popular with both independent sellers and large brands because it allows full control over hosting, data, and design. This makes it a strong option for businesses that want ownership and customisation without being locked into a single hosting provider.

Are WordPress Sites Outdated?

It’s a common assumption that WordPress is outdated technology, but the reality is quite the opposite. Since its launch in 2003, it has received more than 50 major releases and hundreds of smaller updates, each adding new features and improving performance.

One of the biggest changes came with the introduction of the block editor in WordPress 5.0, which transformed the editing experience. Today, you can build complex page layouts visually without touching code, or work directly in HTML and CSS if you prefer. See the block editor guide for details.

Modern WordPress also supports REST API connections, headless builds, and integration with JavaScript frameworks like React. This makes it suitable for everything from marketing sites to SaaS platforms.

Major brands such as Time Magazine, The New Yorker, and Vogue still run on WordPress. These are high-traffic, modern websites maintained with professional WordPress development, strong hosting infrastructure, and up-to-date security measures — proof that the platform is as relevant today as it has ever been.

What Is the Next Most Commonly Used CMS After WordPress?

The closest competitor to WordPress in the CMS market is Shopify, with a share of about 6.7%. Wix follows at 5.5%, while Squarespace holds 2.3%. Joomla and Drupal, both open-source and PHP-based like WordPress, have declined to 1.5% and 0.8% respectively.

Each of these platforms serves a different audience. Shopify focuses entirely on e-commerce and includes hosting in its plans. Wix and Squarespace are all-in-one site builders that prioritise simplicity but offer less scope for customisation compared to WordPress. Joomla and Drupal provide greater developer control but have smaller communities and far fewer extensions.

Why WordPress Remains the Most Commonly Used CMS

WordPress holds its dominant position for several clear reasons. It is open source, so there are no licensing fees. The only core costs are your domain and hosting, making it an affordable option for personal sites, small businesses, and large organisations alike.

Its flexibility means it can handle almost any type of website. A freelancer can launch a single-page portfolio, while a retailer can run a full-scale WooCommerce store on the same platform. This versatility is a major reason so many agencies focus on building websites with WordPress.

The theme and plugin ecosystem is unrivalled. With more than 13,000 free themes and 59,000 free plugins available on WordPress.org — plus thousands more from independent developers — site owners can add almost any feature without building it from scratch.

Ownership is another factor. With self-hosted WordPress, you control your data, files, and configuration. You can move to a different hosting provider at any time without losing your content or design.

Support is easy to find, from official documentation and community forums to video tutorials and specialist agencies. The size of the community means there’s always expertise available when you need it.

The Future of WordPress

WordPress is continuing to evolve to meet modern web requirements. The Core Performance team is working on built-in speed improvements, helping sites load faster without needing extra optimisation plugins or complex server setups.

Real-time collaboration is currently in development, allowing multiple users to edit the same page or post at once, much like working in Google Docs. Native multilingual support is also planned, making it easier to run a fully translated site without relying on third-party tools.

Headless WordPress is becoming increasingly popular. In this configuration, WordPress manages the content while the front end is built with frameworks such as React or Vue. This setup supports advanced apps and interactive sites while keeping the familiar WordPress admin interface.

Artificial intelligence is starting to appear throughout the ecosystem. AI-assisted content creation, automated SEO analysis, and intelligent layout suggestions are already available in some themes and plugins.

Conclusion – Will WordPress Keep Its Lead?

WordPress powers more than 43% of all websites and over 60% of those using a CMS. Its closest competitor trails far behind, while its community, plugin library, and hosting options continue to expand.

For new projects, the mix of flexibility, control, and affordability is hard to beat. Whether you are running a personal blog, a membership site, or a global e-commerce store, WordPress has the tools to manage it effectively. If you want to get the best results, working with a skilled WordPress web design agency will ensure your site is optimised for both performance and user experience.