WordPress was used by 40.1% of all websites in W3Techs’ measurement on 7 October 2026. Its often-quoted 58.6% figure is different: that is WordPress’s share among websites for which W3Techs could identify a content management system (CMS), not among all websites.
How many websites use WordPress?
W3Techs reported WordPress on 40.1% of all websites in its 7 October 2026 reading. That is an adoption percentage, not a verified count of distinct WordPress websites. The report provides percentages rather than an exact number of live sites. W3Techs’ WordPress comparison is updated daily.
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W3Techs also reported a 58.6% WordPress CMS market share on the same date. This figure uses a narrower denominator: websites whose CMS W3Techs could identify. Because the two percentages describe different populations, 58.6% should not be presented as WordPress’s share of all websites.
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What do the WordPress percentages measure?
“Absolute usage percentage” describes detected WordPress use across all websites in the measurement. “CMS market share” compares WordPress with other identified CMSs among sites where the CMS is known. A site without an identifiable CMS is included in the all-websites denominator but not in the known-CMS subset.
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W3Techs explains its survey methodology in its technology overview. The percentages are estimates based on that measurement; they do not establish a precise total of distinct, currently live WordPress sites. Multiplying 40.1% by a separate estimate of the total number of websites would combine populations and definitions that may not match.
WordPress share by website ranking band
In the same 7 October 2026 comparison, WordPress accounted for 48.6% of websites in W3Techs’ top 1,000,000 ranking band where the CMS was known. This is a ranking-band CMS share, not a percentage of all websites or a standalone count of sites.
WordPress version and ecosystem statistics
W3Techs’ breakdown dated 24 September 2026 offers a snapshot of versions and subtechnologies among WordPress websites. These figures have a different date from the overall adoption reading above and should not be treated as current as of 7 October without a refreshed breakdown.
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|---|---|---|
| WordPress version 7 | 62.7% | WordPress websites; W3Techs, 24 September 2026 |
| WordPress version 6 | 30.2% | WordPress websites; W3Techs, 24 September 2026 |
| Elementor | 31.5% | WordPress websites; W3Techs, 24 September 2026 |
| WooCommerce | 19.8% | WordPress websites; W3Techs, 24 September 2026 |
These are separate breakdowns: the version percentages describe WordPress versions, while the Elementor and WooCommerce percentages describe subtechnologies. See W3Techs’ usage statistics and market share of WordPress for the dated figures.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What WordPress is and where it began
WordPress.org says the project began in 2003 as a fork of b2/cafelog created by Mike Little and Matt Mullenweg. It describes WordPress as open source and licensed under GPLv2. The project’s About WordPress page also says WordPress powers “over 43%” of the web, but that statement is undated; it is project background rather than a dated measurement comparable to W3Techs’ 7 October 2026 reading.
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