WordPress powers 42.5% of all websites in 2026, making it the most-used content management system on the internet. With an estimated 605 million sites running on WordPress and a 59.9% share of the CMS market, no other platform comes close.
This guide breaks down every WordPress statistic worth knowing in 2026. From market share and plugin data to AI adoption and security trends, you’ll find the numbers that matter most.
Top WordPress Statistics for 2026 (Quick Facts)
Here are the most important WordPress numbers at a glance:
- WordPress powers 42.5% of all websites globally
- An estimated 605 million websites run on WordPress
- WordPress holds a 59.9% share of the CMS market
- More than 61,000 free plugins exist in the WordPress.org directory
- Over 30,000 WordPress themes are available across all sources
- WooCommerce powers 33.43% of all online stores worldwide
- The United States leads with 16.5 million WordPress sites
- WordPress has been translated into 208 languages
- WordPress sites face an attack on average every 32 minutes
- Around 88% of WordPress sites run version 6.x
- The WordPress Block Editor now powers 18% of builder usage, growing fast
- Approximately 30% of WordPress sites use at least one AI-powered plugin in 2026
How Many Websites Use WordPress in 2026?
WordPress powers anywhere from 37.5 million active sites to an estimated 605 million total web properties, depending on how you measure.
The 605 million figure comes from applying WordPress’s 42.5% market share to NetCraft’s count of 1.42 billion total hostnames online. However, this number includes parked domains and inactive sites.
BuiltWith, which tracks only actively visited websites, lists around 37.5 million live WordPress sites. The real number of functioning WordPress websites likely sits between these two figures.
WordPress Site Count by Data Source
| Data Source | Reported WordPress Sites | What It Measures |
| NetCraft + W3Techs | ~605 million | All hostnames, including parked domains |
| BuiltWith | ~37.5 million | Active, visited websites only |
| HTTP Archive | ~64.3% of CMS sites | Crawlable sites with real traffic |
Regardless of the source, one fact stays constant: WordPress runs on more websites than any other platform by a wide margin.
WordPress Market Share Statistics
Among websites that use a known content management system, WordPress holds a 59.9% market share, according to Wikipedia. That’s more than all other CMS platforms combined.
Shopify sits in second place at just 7.2% of the CMS market, followed by Wix at 6%. WordPress’s lead over its nearest competitor is roughly nine times larger.
WordPress vs. Other CMS Platforms (2026)
| CMS | Share of All Websites | Share of CMS Market |
| WordPress | 42.5% | 59.9% |
| Shopify | 5.1% | 7.2% |
| Wix | 4.3% | 6.0% |
| Squarespace | 2.5% | 3.5% |
| Joomla | 1.3% | 1.8% |
| Webflow | 0.9% | 1.2% |
| Drupal | 0.7% | 1.0% |
Year-by-Year Growth (2014–2026)
WordPress more than doubled its market share over the past decade. Here’s the full timeline:
| Year | WordPress Market Share |
| 2014 | 21.0% |
| 2016 | 25.6% |
| 2018 | 29.2% |
| 2020 | 35.4% |
| 2022 | 43.2% |
| 2024 | 43.5% |
| 2026 | 42.5% |
Growth has plateaued since 2022, hovering between 42.5% and 43.5%. The slight dip in 2026 reflects market saturation and the rise of AI-powered website builders, not competitive displacement by traditional CMS rivals.
WordPress Usage by Country
The United States leads WordPress adoption with around 16.5 million sites, followed by Germany and the United Kingdom.
Top 10 Countries Using WordPress
| Rank | Country | WordPress Sites |
| 1 | United States | ~16,500,000 |
| 2 | Germany | ~1,900,000 |
| 3 | United Kingdom | ~1,400,000 |
| 4 | Brazil | ~1,000,000 |
| 5 | France | ~1,000,000 |
| 6 | Italy | ~950,000 |
| 7 | Netherlands | ~900,000 |
| 8 | India | ~760,000 |
| 9 | Spain | ~720,000 |
| 10 | Russia | ~720,000 |
Japan stands out as a particularly strong WordPress market. WordPress powers 58.5% of all Japanese websites and holds an 83% CMS market share in the country.
Emerging markets like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Kenya show the highest relative search interest in WordPress, signaling continued growth in these regions. Non-English WordPress installations now outnumber English ones globally.
WordPress Themes Statistics
The WordPress.org theme directory hosts nearly 14,000 free themes in 2026. ThemeForest adds another 12,000+ paid options, and independent theme shops push the total well above 30,000 themes.
Most Popular WordPress Themes
Based on data from BuiltWith’s top 1 million websites:
- Hello Elementor — 22,658 sites (12.9% share)
- Astra — 14,480 sites (7.73% share)
- GeneratePress — 11,675 sites (6.23% share)
- Divi — 11,366 sites (6.07% share)
- Flatsome — 5,643 sites (3.01% share)
Premium themes typically cost between $10 and $200, with the average price around $59. Theme membership subscriptions average $145 per year, while lifetime memberships average around $255.
WordPress Plugin Statistics
There are over 61,000 free plugins in the WordPress.org directory and more than 5,200 paid plugins on CodeCanyon. The total ecosystem likely exceeds 70,000 plugins.
Most Installed WordPress Plugins in 2026
| Plugin | Active Installations |
| Elementor | 10+ million |
| Yoast SEO | 10+ million |
| Contact Form 7 | 10+ million |
| Classic Editor | 9+ million |
| WooCommerce | 7+ million |
| LiteSpeed Cache | 7+ million |
| Akismet | 6+ million |
| WPForms | 6+ million |
Page Builder Market Share
Among WordPress sites using a page builder:
- Elementor — 43% (down from 56% in 2024)
- WordPress Block Editor — 18% (rising fast)
- WPBakery — 13% (declining)
- Divi — 10% (declining)
- Beaver Builder — ~2% (stable)
The trend is clear: the native Block Editor is gaining ground while older third-party builders steadily lose share.
WooCommerce and eCommerce Statistics
WooCommerce is the most popular eCommerce platform in the world, powering 33.43% of all online stores globally and 8.6% of all websites.
WooCommerce vs. Competitors
| Platform | eCommerce Market Share |
| WooCommerce | 33.43% |
| Shopify | 21.33% |
| Custom Cart Solutions | 12.46% |
| Wix eCommerce | 7.53% |
Applied to NetCraft’s total of 1.42 billion sites, that 8.6% suggests roughly 122 million websites running WooCommerce, though many are inactive or low-traffic.
WordPress Security Statistics
WordPress sites face an attack on average every 32 minutes, making security a constant concern for site owners.
The vast majority of vulnerabilities don’t come from WordPress core. Roughly 96% of WordPress vulnerabilities originate from plugins, with themes accounting for around 3% and core WordPress for less than 1%.
Outdated software remains the biggest risk factor. While 88% of sites run WordPress 6.x, around 12% still run version 5 or older, with some no longer receiving security patches.
WordPress and AI: 2026 Trends
AI integration is the defining WordPress story of 2026. Approximately 30% of WordPress sites now use at least one AI-powered plugin, up from less than 8% just two years ago.
The most common AI use cases include content generation, SEO optimization, image creation, and customer support chatbots. Plugins like Jetpack AI, Bertha, and Rank Math AI have seen explosive adoption.
The rise of AI website builders like Wix’s AI Site Generator, as reported by TechCrunch, presents the first real competitive threat to WordPress in years, contributing to its slight market share dip in early 2026.
Conclusion
The WordPress statistics in this guide tell a clear story: WordPress remains the dominant force in web development with 42.5% of all websites and a 59.9% CMS market share. The platform’s massive ecosystem of 70,000+ plugins, 30,000+ themes, and 600 million+ sites is unmatched by any competitor.
While growth has plateaued and AI website builders pose new challenges, WordPress’s flexibility, open-source foundation, and global community continue to make it the practical choice for everything from personal blogs to enterprise platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of websites use WordPress in 2026?
WordPress powers 42.5% of all websites globally and holds a 59.9% share of the CMS market in 2026.
Is WordPress still growing in 2026?
WordPress growth has plateaued. Market share has held between 42.5% and 43.5% since 2022, with a slight dip in early 2026 due to market saturation and competition from AI website builders.
How many WordPress plugins exist in 2026?
There are over 61,000 free plugins in the WordPress.org directory and 5,200+ paid plugins on CodeCanyon. The total ecosystem exceeds 70,000 plugins when you include independent developers.
Is WordPress losing to Shopify or Wix?
No. Shopify holds just 5.1% market share and Wix sits at 4.3%, compared to WordPress’s 42.5%. WordPress still has nine times the market share of its nearest competitor.