I need help connecting my domain I already own.

  • Unknown's avatar
    mstovall1 · Member ·

    I purchased a domain name through HostGator (not knowing that WordPress offered this service). I then purchased a hosting plan (also through HostGator). I downloaded WordPress and am now trying to publish my website. I’m still in the setup phase and have gotten to the point where I can see the initial site with the smileyphotohsv.wordpress.com address. I’m trying to connect my domain so that I can lose the wordpress portion and my website come up at smileyphotohsv.com. When I go to connect, I’m being asked to purchase another plan on the WordPress site. How do I get around this when I’ve already purchased a hosting plan?

    WP.com: Yes
    Correct account: Yes

    The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)

  • Unknown's avatar
    helper-heroponriki · Member ·

    Hi there!

    To avoid confusion, there are three different “WordPress” at play here:

    1. The free, open-source WordPress software which powers your website.
    2. WordPress.org which is the open-source project that works on the WordPress software and where you can get the software for free to use on your own hosting provider.
    3. WordPress.com which is a managed hosting provider of the WordPress software and with whom you’re contacting now.

    The WordPress site you have at HostGator is a separate install from the one you have here at WordPress.com and they would be considered two separate websites. To use your domain for your site here at WordPress.com you need a paid plan. This is a separate purchase from the one you made at HostGator.

    Since you started to build your site here at WordPress.com, you should reach out to HostGator and cancel and refund your hosting plan with them (while keeping your domain registration), then you can purchase a plan here and indicate that you would use a domain you already own. Then, your domain would be your primary domain for your site, not the free *.wordpress.com one.

    The benefit of hosting your site with us here at WordPress.com is that you get support from our team of Happiness Engineers and we take care of the security, updates, and backups for your site so you don’t have to. You can read more about the benefits of WordPress.com’s managed hosting here: https://wordpress.com/support/com-vs-org/#managed-hosting-wordpress-com

    Let us know if you have any questions! We’re here to help. :)

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