- Introduction: Why WordPress Still Rules the Web
WordPress was officially released in May 2003. More than 20 years later, it continues to dominate the internet as the most popular content management system (CMS) in the world.
At CodeKilla, we focus on platforms that deliver real skills, real projects, and real career opportunities—and WordPress consistently tops that list.
Thanks to its free, open-source, and user-friendly design, WordPress allows anyone—from beginners to professional developers—to build fast, scalable, and visually impressive websites without deep technical expertise.
Its massive ecosystem of themes, plugins, page builders, and ecommerce tools has completely transformed how websites are designed, customized, and scaled.
But just how popular is WordPress in 2026?
Let’s break down the latest WordPress statistics to understand its growth, dominance, and future.
- Key WordPress Statistics (2026)
WordPress has consistently evolved to meet modern web development needs—and that’s a major reason behind its success. Here are the most important WordPress statistics you need to know:
- WordPress holds 62% of the global CMS market
- 43.6% of all websites on the internet use WordPress
- 36% of the world’s top 1 million websites are powered by WordPress
- Over 500 new WordPress websites are built every day
- Competing platforms like Shopify and Squarespace build only 60–80 sites per day
- The WordPress Plugin Directory hosts 59,000+ free plugins
- Elementor powers 26.9% of top ecommerce WordPress websites
- Around 13,000 WordPress sites are hacked daily
- 37 million searches per month for the keyword “WordPress”
- 409 million users view over 20 billion WordPress pages daily
- WordPress isn’t just popular—it completely dominates the CMS industry.
- WordPress Usage Statistics
As of 2024, over 810 million websites are built using WordPress.
That means nearly 2 out of every 5 websites you visit are powered by WordPress.
What’s even more impressive is its growth:
- In 2011, WordPress powered just 12% of websites
- In 2026, it powers 43.6% of the entire internet
This makes WordPress a must-learn platform for developers, freelancers, and businesses.
- Used by the World’s Biggest Brands
WordPress is not limited to blogs or small businesses. It powers some of the largest global brands, including:
- The New York Times
- Bloomberg
- BloombergNike
- Sony Music
- Disney
- TechCrunch
- BBC America
- Mercedes-Benz
- PlayStation
Currently, 36% of the top 1 million websites worldwide rely on WordPress.
- WordPress Publishing Power
WordPress dominates online publishing like no other platform:
- A top-10-million website adopts WordPress every 2 minutes
- Over 1,000 new WordPress sites are created daily
- 17 blog posts per second are published
- 70 million posts are read daily
- 77 million comments are posted daily
These numbers highlight WordPress’s unmatched global activity and reach.
- WordPress Market Share Statistics
WordPress leads the CMS market by a massive margin.
|
Rank |
CMS Platform |
Market Share |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
WordPress |
62.0% |
|
2 |
Shopify |
6.7% |
|
3 |
Wix |
4.6% |
|
4 |
Squarespace |
3.2% |
|
5 |
Joomla |
2.2% |
|
Others |
Combined |
15.8% |
|
WordPress holds nearly 10× more market share than its closest competitor. Learning WordPress gives you access to the largest CMS job and freelancing market in the world. |
||
- WordPress Subcategories Statistics
One of WordPress’s biggest strengths is its powerful ecosystem of subcategories—including page builders, ecommerce tools, LMS platforms, and forums.
|
Rank |
Subcategory |
Usage |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Elementor |
26.9% |
|
2 |
WooCommerce |
21.0% |
|
3 |
WPBakery |
9.9% |
|
4 |
Beaver Builder |
1.1% |
|
5 |
LearnPress |
0.2% |
|
Elementor and WooCommerce dominate because they allow users to build custom layouts and full ecommerce stores with minimal coding. |
||
- WordPress Plugin Statistics
Plugins are the backbone of WordPress functionality.
- 60,000+ WordPress plugins available
- 53+ million websites use at least one plugin
- 90% of WordPress vulnerabilities are plugin-related
|
Rank |
Plugin |
Active Installs |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Yoast SEO |
10M+ |
|
2 |
Elementor |
10M+ |
|
3 |
Wordfence Security |
5M+ |
|
4 |
WooCommerce |
7M+ |
|
5 |
Contact Form 7 |
10M+ |
|
Yoast remains the most downloaded plugin of all time, though many professionals now prefer Rank Math for its performance and advanced SEO features. |
||
- WordPress Theme Statistics
Themes define the design, performance, and structure of WordPress websites.
- 9,000+ free WordPress themes
- 31,000+ total WordPress themes
- Average premium theme cost: $77.57
|
Rank |
Theme |
Websites |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Hello Elementor |
11,363 |
|
2 |
Divi |
10,032 |
|
3 |
Astra |
9,788 |
|
Hello Elementor leads due to its lightweight structure and seamless Elementor integration, making it ideal for fast, modern websites. |
||
- WordPress Security Statistics
WordPress’s popularity makes it a prime target for cyberattacks.
- 13,000 WordPress sites hacked daily
- 47 million hacks annually
- 44% of hacks caused by outdated software
| Cause |
Percentage |
|---|---|
|
Hosting Vulnerabilities |
41% |
|
WordPress Core |
37% |
|
Themes |
11% |
|
Plugins & Others |
11% |
|
Using trusted plugins, updated themes, reliable hosting, and security tools like Wordfence or Sucuri can reduce hack risks by over 94%. |
|
- Wrapping It Up: CodeKilla’s Final Take
WordPress remains the undisputed leader in the CMS ecosystem.
Its flexibility, scalability, ease of use, and massive ecosystem make it the preferred platform for bloggers, businesses, developers, and freelancers.
However, popularity comes with responsibility. Security, updates, and best practices are essential for running a successful WordPress website.
At CodeKilla, we believe mastering WordPress is a gateway skill—one that opens doors to web development, freelancing, SEO, and digital entrepreneurship.
If you’re serious about building, ranking, and scaling websites, WordPress is still the platform to bet on.