am I on .com or .org?

To clear up any confusion first, WordPress.com and www.ads-software.com are two different entities: https://codex.www.ads-software.com/WordPress_vs_WordPress.com

It sounds like you have a domain name registered through Bluehost, and that domain name is mapped to your blog at WordPress.com, meaning you just have a WordPress.com blog with a custom domain. (It’s hard to tell for sure without knowing what the actual domain name is.)

If you’re interested, WordPress.com does offer an upgrade called Guided Transfer (available in the Store section of your blog’s Dashboard) where we take care of moving to a www.ads-software.com site for you: https://en.support.wordpress.com/guided-transfer/

Otherwise, you’ll need to install WordPress from here on a hosting provider, like BlueHost, by following this guide https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Installing_WordPress or using the hosting provider’s one-click installer (if available).

Once that’s done, you can move your content following this guide: https://en.support.wordpress.com/moving-to-a-self-hosted-wordpress-site/

WordPress.com has complete documentation and support contacts at https://support.wordpress.com/

Thank you so much for the information. It has helped me successfully move my blog from .com to Blue Host.

One question: I had just upgraded to the Premium plan because I was not clear about what I’d have when I moved to self hosting. Am I correct that I did NOT need the premium plan? $99 is a lot of money for me.

Thanks again for your help, Linda…

That is correct, with a self-hosted www.ads-software.com blog at Bluehost, you won’t need the Premium Plan at WordPress.com.

Thank you.

Would you please tell me if I am right in these differences:
Wordpress.com free
– wordpress.com is host
– mysite.wordpress.com
– can’t use plugins
– no extra cost

WordPress.com premium or business
– wordpress.com is host
– can’t use plugins
– you get new domain mysite.com; can self host which moves to www.ads-software.com software
– cost $99/year and up

www.ads-software.com
– need self host
– can use plugins
– pay for hosting
– pay for some plugins & themes

self hosting
– host for www.ads-software.com
– pay for hosting
– pay for some plugins & themes
?? is this the only way we can get to www.ads-software.com?

I know it’s more complicated than that but it’s where I am now in understanding.

Thanks, Linda…

I’m replying to myself ??

I’ve seen charts comparing .com with .org but not with the premium&business plans.

Could we add to the chart: easy of use/skill & knowledge required?

thanks

Basically, self-hosting gets you everything you could get in the WordPress.com Premium or Business plans.

WordPress itself is free, many of the plugins and themes to get what the WordPress.com plans offer are free (some are commercial), you just have to pay for hosting.