WordPress.com Launches Free AI-Powered Website Builder

WordPress.com has introduced a new AI-powered website builder designed to let anyone create a functional website using a conversational, chatbot-style interface. Launched on Wednesday, the tool is aimed at entrepreneurs, freelancers, bloggers, and individuals who need a professional online presence — and it’s available to all WordPress users for free.

Currently, the AI builder doesn’t support the creation of more complex websites, such as e-commerce stores or platforms requiring advanced integrations. While AI-powered website builders are not new, this addition is meant to help WordPress better compete with platforms like Squarespace and Wix, which already offer AI-assisted design and site creation tools. However, like most builders on the market today, fine-tuning a site’s layout and features still requires a basic understanding of development and design tools. Over time, as AI learns from user edits and behavior, these limitations may reduce.

To use the new tool, users interact with the AI chatbot in a conversational manner, providing content and images while the bot designs the layout and structure of the site.

To begin, users type in a prompt describing the idea for their website — for example, “Create a website for my coffee shop.” The company recommends being as specific as possible, including the site’s name, a brief description, and the type of content it will host.

Once the prompt is entered, users can sign up or log in with their WordPress account. (Note: this feature is only available for brand-new websites.) After the initial setup, users can continue refining the site by chatting with the AI or manually editing elements. The AI builder offers 30 free prompts before requiring a hosting plan, allowing users to test the builder and determine if it meets their needs before committing to hosting on WordPress.com.

The AI behind the tool uses a mix of self-hosted open-source models and externally hosted models.

To make the website publicly accessible, users need to subscribe to a hosting plan. These range from $48 per year for personal sites to $300 annually for business-level hosting. WordPress.com says users who create their sites with the AI builder will need to choose between the Premium ($96/year) and Business plans.

These plans include a fixed amount of storage, a free domain for one year, access to premium themes, customer support, and more. The AI builder is included with these plans at no extra cost.