websites to use for blogging

The 16 Best Blogging Platforms for 2024 (& How to Pick One)

Published: April 03, 2024

Companies that blog get 55% more visitors than businesses that don't. But to get that increased traffic, you need the best blogging platform for your needs and goals.

Publishing blog content offers many benefits . Blogging can help you establish authority in an industry. It can drive brand awareness, share company news, and better convert website traffic into leads.

But the wrong platform can also limit your returns. It can restrict your ability to gather leads, improve SEO, monetize your blog, and more.

There are many great choices for blogs that come at little or no cost, with a ton of valuable features that can bring you results for your efforts. To find the best platform for your new blog, keep reading or jump to the section you’re looking for.

What is the best blogging platform for you?

How to choose a blogging platform, finding the best blogging platform for seo, best blogging platforms.

Building a blog takes time and dedication. It's a long-term investment, and that includes the platform you use to create it.

This means that no matter how great a blog platform is, it needs to be right for you. It's challenging to move a blog to a new site after it gets going, so the better you prepare before you start blogging, the more likely you are to have lasting results.

So, before we cover the most popular choices, let's talk about what you need in a platform for your blog.

If you're just starting out , you'll want a platform that's easy to set up and use. If you don't have coding experience, it's important to find a platform for your blog that doesn't need you to code. Developing a blog isn't simple, and you'll have more than enough to do without adding new skills to your to-do list.

Next, you'll want to do some big-picture thinking about the type of blog you want to make. This means drawing inspiration from the blogs you admire. It's a good idea to create a list of layouts and features you like, and take note of blog tools you may need as your blog grows.

Below are a few questions you'll want to ask yourself to prepare:

• Do you plan to monetize your blog with a newsletter now or in the future?
• Is a multimedia experience with lots of images and videos your goal?
• Are you starting a blog to build SEO for your small business site?
• Or are you hoping it can build your reputation as a thought leader?
• What skills do you need to learn to build your blog?
• How many of those skills can a blogging platform help with?

Once you have a clear plan for your blog, you're ready to choose the best blogging platform for you.

For many, choosing a blog platform starts with cost. Some of the best blog software is free. So, check what plans each provider offers and how many tiers there are. Then look into their primary and unique features. Pay special attention to the value that out-of-the-box features offer in comparison to add-ons.

Start blogging with HubSpot's Content Management System.

But what you're willing and able to pay is just the first of many important decisions. Let's take a look at some other features you might need for your blog. This can help you compare different blogging platforms.

Themes and Templates

Themes and templates allow you to customize a blog quickly and easily. When looking at different blogging platforms, check out their selection of themes and templates.

Ask yourself:

• Do they have a lot of templates for blogging specifically?
• Do they have a variety of free and premium templates and themes?
• Can you edit the themes and templates to create a truly customized look for your site?
• Do you want to create your blog from scratch instead of a predesigned theme?

These are just a few questions that can help you choose a platform with the design and customization options you need.

There's also a strong chance that you'll fall in love with a blog theme and want to start building your blog right away. But if you're blogging for your business, it's about more than aesthetics.

Content Editor

The content editor is the core of every blogging platform. As a blogger, you might be working with this editor every day, so make sure you pick a platform with an editor you like.

Think about ease of use. You want to be able to set up a blog and start adding content to it quickly. And you should be able to get a sense of the functionality and flexibility of the tool.

To test this, you may want to create a complex blog draft. Be sure to add internal links, videos, and different images. Anything you think you might want to include in your final blog should be ready to test on each platform.

As you start comparing platforms you'll start to get stuck on specific details. It can help to break your list of desired features into must-haves and nice-to-haves.

For example, maybe your editor must have drag-and-drop functionality and an auto-save feature. But it'd be nice to have the option to preview how your post looks on different devices.

Another important factor is how a blogging platform's capabilities align with your goals and needs. For example, if you need to boost your visibility in SERPs, you'll need a platform with built-in SEO tools.

Optimizing your content for search is essential to driving traffic to your blog. According to a Backlinko study, sites listed on the first SERP in Google get 27% of all clicks for a keyword or phrase.

It's well-established that blogging can improve SEO if it's a useful resource for your customers. But SEO takes time to learn if you're just beginning your content marketing journey.

On-page SEO, off-page SEO, and technical SEO are all important strategies that take time and effort to learn.

SEO Features and Tools

So, to get on that first page, you ideally want a platform with built-in tools to help you optimize your content.

Many blogging platforms offer plugins or add-ons to help with SEO. But the features that will be most useful to you will depend on your current know-how. For example, some platforms can help you build a site map or manage your blog URLs.

Many SEO techniques are repetitive processes full of details. So, it's also ideal to have a platform for your blog that can remind you to optimize for search as you build each blog. For example, HubSpot SEO software offers on-page tips like reminding you to add alt text to blog images.

If a platform doesn't have this type of advanced functionality, then check if you can install a third-party SEO tool. Otherwise, you'll have to get up to speed on SEO best practices and make sure to add them to your blog.

Extensions and Integrations

No blogging platform can offer every single feature every single blogger wants out of the box. Besides, your blogging needs and goals will likely change over time as your audience grows or strategy shifts.

That's why it's important to choose a blogging platform that offers extensions or integrations with third-party tools. Platforms with an ecosystem of apps will be able to scale with you over time. This helps make sure that you don't have to migrate to a more flexible alternative in the future.

Now that you know some features to consider in your selection process, let's take a look at some of the best blogging platforms on the market.

• Content Hub
• Squarespace

1. Content Hub

Best for: content marketers.

Blog Software Cost: Free, With Premium Options

Content hub ideal users.

What sets Content Hub apart from other blogging platforms is that it seamlessly integrates with the rest of HubSpot's CRM platform, making it ideal for business bloggers. It has the tools, technologies, and workflows you need to create and distribute your blog content. At the same time, it offers a great user experience with easy access to features that drive conversions.

Furthermore, Content Hub has AI capabilities baked right into the platform. For example, you can leverage the Free AI Blog Writer to create blog posts.

Content Hub Pros

The biggest advantage of this free blog software is that it's powerful but still easy to use. You can start by choosing a pre-designed theme or building your own custom theme with the drag-and-drop website builder . Content Hub includes free web hosting and it's easy to connect a custom domain .

Then, using HubSpot's blog editor and built-in SEO tools, you can create blog posts with CTAs, forms, and other interactive elements.

You can even create multi-language variations of your blog posts and run A/B tests on them to reach a global audience. Before you publish, you can preview how your posts and pages look on different types of devices.

Once you're ready to start promoting, you can connect your blog to your social media accounts. That way, you can automatically share new blog posts on your social networks in the same place that you wrote them.

As you publish more content, you can analyze your blog performance. This can help you understand what topics and types of content are resonating with your readers. That's because Content Hub is part of HubSpot's CRM platform.

Content Hub Cons

Since Content Hub is an all-in-one solution for marketers and developers, it has lots of rich functionality and a ton of attractive themes. This is a good thing for most bloggers and G2 gives HubSpot a 4.5/5 rating with almost 1400 reviews.

But, if you're an individual or small business just starting to blog, then you may not have the time or expertise to leverage the full power of the Content Hub. In that case, you might be better off with a simpler alternative to start.

Content Hub Website Example

Below you can take a look at this company's feature-rich blog built on the Content Hub.

Content Hub Key Takeaways

• Meets the needs of both developers and marketers
• Fully-integrated CRM to streamline sales and marketing processes
• Built-in multi-lingual support, SEO recommendations, and more

2. WordPress

Best for: themes and plugins.

WordPress Ideal Users

Creating and managing a blog on WordPress could mean more maintenance than other platforms, but it will offer the extensibility and content management features publishers and other businesses need to create a complex blog.

WordPress Pros

WordPress was originally created as a blogging platform and it has a 4.4/5 rating on G2 with over 8,000 reviews. Though it has evolved into a multi-purpose content management system, it still has many features and themes for blogging.

WordPress enables you to not only purchase a custom domain and download one of 3,500+ themes specifically designed for blogs — it also lets you add social media buttons, forms, affiliate links, and other features with plugins.

The customization options are virtually limitless with the 60,000+ free plugins available.

WordPress Cons

You will have to make sure your theme and plugins are compatible and up-to-date. Otherwise, they can disrupt the user experience or break your site. Other maintenance tasks like finding and fixing broken links, updating the core software, and optimizing your database will also be your responsibility. This can be difficult for site owners who don't have the time or technical expertise to regularly maintain their sites.

WordPress Blog Example

Tech Crunch , one of the largest and most popular technology news blogs, is powered by WordPress. Take a look at this WordPress website example below.

WordPress Key Takeaways

• Ideal for publishers and others who want to extend the platform with plugins
• Over 3,500 free blogging themes
• Website maintenance can be time-consuming

3. Squarespace

Best for: design.

Blog Software Cost: Paid, With Plans From $16-65 per Month

Squarespace ideal users.

Squarespace is an ideal blogging platform for businesses and individuals creating image-rich content. It also has a 4.4 rating on G2 . With Squarespace's award-winning designer templates and integrations with Getty Images, Unsplash, and Google AMP, you can create visual content that's engaging and shareable.

Squarespace Pros

While Squarespace only offers about 140 templates, they are all mobile-optimized and fully customizable so you can create a blog that looks the way you want it to. Once you've designed your pages, you can use Squarespace’s blogging and SEO tools to create and optimize your content.

Finally, after publishing your blog posts, you can connect your social media accounts to easily promote them. Then use the built-in analytics tool to learn where your traffic is coming from, what your visitors are looking for, and how they’re interacting with your content.

Squarespace Cons

Squarespace offers even more features , from audio file support to newsletter signup forms, but ultimately it's limited in functionality. That's because it supports around 30 extensions, so you're mostly limited to the features Squarespace offers out-of-the-box.

Since they lack some features that bloggers need — like an auto-save feature, for example — Squarespace isn’t the ideal platform for everyone.

Squarespace Blog Example

Squarespace does allow some bloggers to create beautiful sites, like this lifestyle blog below.

Squarespace Key Takeaways

• Best suited for individuals and brands who want to customize a blog to their personal style
• Small but high-quality selection of templates
• Limited to features and few extensions that Squarespace offers

Best For: Beginners

Blog Software Cost: Paid, With Plans From $16-59 per Month

Wix ideal users.

Wix is a popular blogging platform for beginners who are looking for hosting and blogging tools in one place and who prioritize speed and design over functionality.

Wix has a 4.2 G2 rating and gives you two choices for creating your blog within the Wix Editor. You can start by choosing from over 800 pre-designed templates that any blogger can use, whether you own a retail business or run a food review website. You can also use Wix ADI by filling out a quick questionnaire to have a blog created for you.

Then you can begin writing and editing posts on desktop or mobile, embed Wix's stock photos and videos or your own media, and organize them into topics.

Once you're done writing, you can configure your SEO settings to boost your organic reach, push your content to your subscribers with Wix's email tool, and share them through your social media accounts. You can further foster a sense of community among your readers by letting them become members.

While Wix is more versatile than other hosted website builders, it lacks customization options and content management features, particularly when comparing Wix vs. WordPress or another CMS.

For example, to add more advanced elements to the page, like music or maps, you’ll have to add HTML code. This process can be intimidating for beginners.

Wix Blog Example

Take a look at this Wix blogger's site below for an example of a stylish but relatively simple blog.

Wix Key Takeaways

• Ideal for bloggers who prioritize speed and design over functionality
• Can use pre-designed templates or start from scratch
• Editor lacks drag-and-drop functionality

Best For: Bloggers, designers and creatives

Blog Software Cost: Paid, With Plans From $6 to $25 monthly

Pixpa ideal users.

Pixpa is a great option for bloggers in creative fields who want to showcase their work and share their ideas through attractive and professionally designed blogs. The platform offers a user-friendly interface and a wide range of templates, allowing bloggers to customize their blogs to match their own style and branding.

Pixpa's integrated blogging feature provides bloggers with a convenient and user-friendly platform to create, manage, and optimize their blogs. With Pixpa’s wide range of 150+ professionally designed templates, bloggers can easily customize their blog layouts, colors, fonts, and more to create a unique and engaging online presence. Pixpa offers essential features for content organization, customization, SEO optimization, and social sharing, making it a comprehensive solution for bloggers. Pixpa's e-commerce integration and 100+ built-in apps enable bloggers to power up their blog, website and an online store - all in one place.

While Pixpa offers easy-to-use, out-of-the-box blogging capabilities, it may not provide the advanced customizations and features available in dedicated blogging platforms such as Wordpress.

No built-in traffic analytics are available. You need to use Google Analytics or any other similar tool to measure traffic analytics.

Pixpa Template Example

Pixpa offers a diverse range of blog templates to cater to various blogging styles and aesthetics. Whether bloggers prefer a minimalistic and clean design or a bold and vibrant look, Pixpa's collection of blog templates offers options to suit diverse preferences.

Pixpa Key Takeaways

• User-friendly interface for easy blog creation and management.
• Customizable templates to match the blogger's unique style.
• Responsive design for optimal viewing on different devices.
• SEO-friendly features to improve search engine visibility.
• Integration with social media for easy content sharing.
• Limited third-party integrations compared to other platforms.
• Advanced coding customization may have limitations.

6. Craft CMS

Best for: customization.

Craft CMS Ideal Users

Craft CMS is a blogging platform designed for developers, designers, and web professionals.

Craft CMS Pros

With Craft's personalized content modeling, powerful templating, and the option to edit your source code, you can completely control the appearance and functionality of your site — if you have the necessary experience.

Craft CMS also offers an image editor, collaboration tools, and a localization feature that can translate your content to specific languages. You can now also manage multiple blogs from within a single Craft install. To analyze your content's performance, you can integrate Craft CMS' dashboard with Google Analytics & also get familiar with Craft CMS Hosting . This blog platform has a 4.1 G2 rating .

Craft CMS Blog Example

If you have the web development experience to fully leverage the power of Craft CMS, you'll be able to create a complex blog with custom post types, like this travel blog below.

Craft CMS Key Takeaways

• Advanced functionality including personalized content modeling and localization feature
• Free version for single admin accounts
• Requires some web development experience

7. Contently

Best for: enterprises.

Blog Software Cost: Paid, With Quote-Based Pricing

Contently ideal users.

Contently is a robust blogging platform that's ideal for enterprise companies with large budgets but few internal editorial resources. It has a 4.5/5 G2 rating with just over 80 reviews.

Contently Pros

Contently allows you to manage your entire content creation process in one place. You can create and visualize your editorial strategy with their customizable production calendar tool or organize your blog posts with their tagging tool. It can also help you effectively collaborate with your team on projects by leveraging their advanced workflow tools. You can even pay for Contently's well-vetted freelancers to write some of this content for you.

Before publishing your content, Contently's smart content review tools will ensure your content is aligned with your brand, optimized for search, and legally compliant. Finally, to refine your content strategy, Contently enables you to compare your content's performance against industry benchmarks, quantify its ROI, and measure its performance by topic, format, and sources directly in your dashboard.

Contently Cons

The biggest drawback of Contently is that it's beyond many small businesses' and individuals’ budgets. Contently can be expensive and could be a better fit for enterprise companies.

They offer quote-based pricing that varies for each client. Their costs factor in editing, strategy, and help from their content creators, as well as visual assets.

Contently Blog Example

The Royal Bank of Canada, one of North America’s largest banks, uses Contently to streamline content creation across 14 marketing departments. Check out its blog below.

Contently Key Takeaways

• Can manage the entire content creation process
• Deep-dive analytics
• Pricing is mainly for enterprise companies

Best For: Community Building

Blog Software Cost: Paid, With Plans From $8-33 per Month

Joomla ideal users.

Joomla is an open-source CMS with advanced content and user management features built directly into the platform. This makes it an excellent choice for creating community-centric blogs.

Joomla Pros

Joomla offers rich built-in functionality as well as thousands of extensions. For example, Joomla allows you to create custom post types, manage hundreds of users, and publish content in multiple languages right out of the box.

It also offers some great extensions for blogging. EasyBlog by StackIdeas , for example, has a much cleaner drag-and-drop editor than Joomla's built-in editor. You can also enable star ratings on your blog and automatically publish posts to your social media platforms with this extension. Joomla’s G2 rating is 4/5 .

Joomla Cons

Because of its robust built-in functionality, Joomla does have a steeper learning curve than a CMS so it'll take more time to set up. It also offers a smaller selection of themes and extensions, which can limit your customization options.

Joomla Blog Example

Below is an example of a Joomla blog built with EasyBlog .

Joomla Key Takeaways

• Advanced content management features
• Steep learning curve due to robust built-in functionality
• May need a blogging extension

9. Hostinger Website Builder

Best for: ai-powered website creation.

Blog Software Cost: Paid, With a Single Plan Costing $2.49 per Month

Hostinger website builder ideal users.

Hostinger Website Builder is a drag-and-drop, intuitive builder for multiple purposes, including blogs. It’s excellent for first-time website owners and established bloggers alike. It has a G2 rating of 4.4 with over 500 reviews.

Hostinger Website Builder Pros

With a user-friendly interface, Hostinger Website Builder ensures a smooth and intuitive experience. The platform’s standout feature is the AI builder. It can instantly generate a full-functioning website only by having you answer three questions about the blog you want to create.

You can also choose to build a website with pre-made templates. With 20 blog-related templates available, it’s easier to pick a blog template that suits your brand the best. Since it’s an all-in-one website-building solution with built-in SEO and eCommerce features, most users won’t need to install additional plugins or integrations. 

As a scalable platform, you can easily upgrade your hosting plan to support your blog's growth with the necessary resources.

Hostinger Website Builder Cons

Currently, the builder has no blog search functionality. This feature is under development and will soon be available to users.

Hostinger Website Builder Website Example

Below is a blog example built with Hostinger Website Builder that features a clean background with a simple layout.

Hostinger Website Builder Key Takeaways

• 20 fully-customizable and responsive blog templates
• Upgradable web hosting plans
• 24/7 customer support via live chat and email

Best For: Minimalistic, Personal Blogs

Blog Software Cost: Free, With Premium Options

Btw ideal users.

btw is a minimalistic blogging platform ideal for personal blogs, with a focus on writing. It is also open-source, so it is popular with technologists and product folks.

Clean minimalistic editor, that inspires you to write. btw also features a writing assistant that helps you understand the readability of your content and simplify if required. It highlights unnecessary adverbs, hard-to-read and monotonous sentences to help make your writing flow. You can also see your analytics on a dedicated analytics dashboard to understand who's reading your content, how long they're spending, and which countries your readers are from.

With btw, the focus is on writing. So if you're looking to build a portfolio or an image heavy blog, btw might not be the best choice for you.

btw Blog Example

Check out an example of a personal blog built with btw below.

btw Key Takeaways

• Best for creating a minimalistic personal blog
• Open-source
• Free to use, no ads

11 . Drupal

Best for: advanced bloggers.

Blog Software Cost: Free, Open-Source Software

Drupal ideal users.

Drupal is a highly flexible open-source CMS that's best suited for advanced users, as well as enterprise companies, with complex blogging needs who are looking for a self-hosted solution. It has a G2 rating of 3.8 .

Drupal Pros

Drupal has hundreds of out-of-the-box features and modules. If you know how to use them or have the time to learn, then Drupal will give you more power than other open-source platforms.

Specifically, Drupal supports a wide selection of content types, page templates, blocks, and more for creating and managing content. It also has advanced user permissions so you can give site admins, content editors, and other stakeholders personalized access to specific content. This — along with its multilingual capabilities, Layout Builder, and other modules — will allow you to create and manage large, complex blogs.

Drupal Cons

If you don’t know how to use Drupal's out-of-the-box features and modules, and you don't have the time to learn, they can be confusing and hinder your blogging efforts. In that case, you might be better off with a simpler platform.

Drupal Blog Example

Below is a Drupal blog that features add-ons and modules.

Drupal Key Takeaways

• Best suited for technical users with complex blogging needs
• Powerful content management features
• Advanced user permissions

12. LinkedIn

Best for: thought leadership.

Blog Software Cost: Free

Linkedin ideal users.

LinkedIn lets users directly share blog posts, helping users reach some of the 875M people on the platform. This gives businesses with new blogs an audience for thought leadership and to drive site traffic.

LinkedIn Pros

LinkedIn is an excellent choice for blogging to build brand awareness and drive site traffic. It's also a valuable tool to develop thought leadership. The built-in audience on LinkedIn can help generate conversations about your content that can boost growth.

It's also an excellent choice to supplement an on-site blog. Creating a LinkedIn blog can help you create insightful content specifically for niche users. This can build industry awareness of your brand and products. It can also help your blog generate more authority.

LinkedIn Cons

Because LinkedIn blogs live on their platform, you won't get the SEO benefits of an on-site blog. It will also be important to optimize your blogs for search on their platform as well as search engines. Without this investment, it's possible that only your current connections will see your content.

You also may want to look for another platform if you're blogging for lead generation. Blogs are a great way to collect new contacts for your newsletter and sales team. But blogging on LinkedIn can mean a longer journey to your lead generation forms, which can decrease conversion.

LinkedIn Blog Example

These blog examples are from the COO of L'Oréal and the Chief Customer and Commercial Officer at Coca-Cola . They show how this platform can build awareness and engagement for brand initiatives.

LinkedIn Key Takeaways

• A good pick for new thought leaders
• Easy-to-use interface
• Offers potential access to a large and immediate audience

13. Write.as

Best for: privacy.

Write.as Ideal Users

Write.as is a lightweight blogging platform that's ideal for individuals looking to create simple blogs with minimal design. It’s popular with its user base, with a 4.4 rating and almost 30 reviews on G2.

Write.as Pros

Offering a stripped-down editor with nothing but an auto-save feature, Write.as offers the experience of writing in a virtual journal. This makes it another of the best blogging platforms for writers. Write.as is also free to use and doesn't support ads.

Teams can also use it like Google Docs to share updates, proposals, and works-in-progress (for a monthly subscription).

Write.as Cons

Write.as does require you to use Markdown , a syntax that uses special characters to format text. For example, you'd type in asterisks to create bullet points, hashtags to create headers, and [Link] to add a link.

The syntax isn’t difficult to learn, but it might take some practice. If you'd prefer to simply click a button to create bullet lists or add hyperlinks, then you'll be better off with another blogging platform.

Write.as Blog Example

Check out an example of a writing blog below.

Write.as Key Takeaways

• Best for individuals who want a minimalist interface and design
• Requires you to learn and use Markdown syntax
• Free version is ad-free

14. Blogger

Best for: lifestyle bloggers.

Blogger Ideal Users

Blogger is a free platform designed for newbie bloggers. While it lacks many content management features, Blogger is more feature-rich than most free blogging platforms. For that reason, Blogger is perfect for individuals looking to create blogs as a hobby.

Blogger Pros

The biggest advantage of Blogger is how easy it is to create and customize a relatively basic blog.

To get started, you just need to create an account with Google, choose a template, and get publishing. You can purchase a custom domain, optimize your SEO settings, connect your blog to Google Analytics, optimize your posts with Adsense, and even edit the HTML and CSS of your site — but you won't be able to do much beyond that.

Blogger Cons

To get a better sense of the platform's limitations, you can compare Blogger vs. WordPress or another CMS. With Blogger, you can't install plugins to extend the functionality of your site. You can't create different content types, like portfolio pages. And you can't change the default display of your content from reverse-chronological order to, say, your most popular posts.

In short, if you need the content management features and customization options of a CMS, then look into alternatives to Blogger.

Blogger Blog Example

Take a look at this personal blog below for an example.

Key Takeaways

• Best for lifestyle bloggers
• More feature-rich than other free blogging platforms
• Can't create custom post types or change the display of posts

Best For: Writers

Medium Ideal Users

Medium is often called the best blogging platform for writers. It gives businesses a chance to build a blog and connect with a wide range of industry-specific users. Storytelling is popular on Medium, and many businesses use this to their advantage to build a blog audience.

Medium Pros

This blogging platform is easy to use and publish content.

Another pro is Medium's readership. The site also features a reader recommendation engine that can generate an audience for new blogs. Since on-site blogs can often take six months or more to generate traffic, a site like Medium can be an attractive alternative.

Medium also has community publications. Each user on the platform can create up to seven publications. Users can also submit blogs to Medium publications to build a larger audience. For example, the Towards Data Science publication has over 645,000 followers.

If you're just starting out, Medium publications can help draw attention and followers to your new blog. This blogging platform can also complement a website blog, and some businesses republish their onsite blog content here without worrying about penalties.

Medium Cons

Like LinkedIn, a Medium blog won’t help you get the SEO benefits of an on-site blog. It also has a large community that can favor trends or long-time members over newcomers. While you can use Medium to generate traffic for an on-site blog, it may present a duplicate content risk if you don't properly set up your website.

Medium Blog Example

Both businesses and government agencies use Medium to promote their brand content.

Medium Key Takeaways

• Ideal for writers and others who want to connect with an existing audience
• Clean and simple interface
• Less likely to offer the SEO and lead generation benefits of an on-site blog

Best For: Multimedia

Ideal Users

Tumblr appeals to personal bloggers and brands alike. While bloggers might be able to use this as their only platform, brands tend to use it as one platform among many to show their personality.

Tumblr Pros

Tumblr combines the power of blogging and social networking in one highly-visual publishing platform.

Tumblr offers everything you need to create a professional-looking site. You can select from hundreds of free and premium themes and add multiple pages, sidebars, social sharing buttons, comment sections, and more. You can also buy a custom domain name from a domain name registrar rather than use the free subdomain: yourusername.tumblr.com. If you have HTML coding skills, you can further customize your site.

When you’re satisfied with your site's design, you can start creating and publishing multimedia post types. Featuring photos, GIFs, links, chat dialogue, audio files, and video in your content makes it more engaging, memorable, and shareable.

Since other users can easily like, reply, and reblog your posts on their Tumblr as well as their other social accounts, right from their dashboard, this is an excellent platform for engaging and fostering an online community.

Tumblr Cons

There are restrictions on the site that can frustrate users. For example, you can only schedule (or "queue") 50 posts in a day, which might limit your ability to plan and execute a long-term content strategy. You can also only upload videos under 500MB and only track 20 tags at a time. Furthermore, your site can be suspended at any time if you’re found in violation of Tumblr’s community guidelines .

Tumblr Blog Example

Vogue has a highly visual and multimedia-rich site on Tumblr. Check it out below.

• Ideal for publishing multimedia posts
• Restrictions on what you post, when, and how often
• Ideal for individuals and brands to engage with followers

Get Started Blogging

Once you figure out your blogging goals and needs, you can choose the right blogging platform. With a little focus, you can find a tool with the functionality and flexibility you're looking for.

Whichever platform you decide on should combine ease of use and power to propel your business. So get choosing and start blogging to reap the SEO and traffic benefits.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in April 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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The 10 best blogging platforms in 2024 (+ how to choose), share this article.

Blogging increases your chances of ranking higher in search by 434% . 

Starting a blog is a winning way to get found by your target audience and connect with them directly, helping you to deliver valuable information, tips, and advice straight to your readers’ eyeballs.

If you’re looking to get into blogging, there are some key considerations you need to make to help you choose the right blogging platform for you – including the level of customization you’re looking for, potential monetization strategies, email marketing features, and more.

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Choose from the best blogging platforms on the market, best blogging platforms quick look, 10 best blogging platforms in 2024.

Here’s our pick of the best blogging platforms in 2024 – and why we chose them.

One of the best known blogging platforms around, Wix is a powerhouse for creators and business-owners alike. Its super easy drag-and drop website builder has everything you need to get started, including AI tools to make designing your site and writing your content simple. 

Create your first site for free with the Wix Free plan and choose from a library of pre-built templates to create a fully customized blog and website – with your ideal layout, brand colors, images, and more. If you want to connect a custom domain and access additional features, you’ll need to sign up for a paid plan, starting from around $4.50 per month.

Wix contains the basic tools you need for building a blog, as well as a straightforward dashboard for writing, customizing and publishing blog posts. It also contains basic SEO features and prompts to help you optimize your content. 

This blogging platform is ideal for finding your feet in the world of blogs – but it’s not great for growing your business long-term. The in-built SEO features will only take you so far and you’ll struggle to compete for top ranking spots against bloggers using custom built sites, so it’s not recommended for big-name blogging businesses. That’s why Wix is best for beginners only.

• Easy to get started
• Affordable pricing
• Basic SEO tools
• Google analytics integration
• Library of pre-built templates
• Few features on free plan
• Limited advanced SEO
• Less flexibility than custom site
• Free plan available
• Paid plans start from $4.50/month

WordPress lets creators build any kind of website – depending on your goals and your needs. It’s hugely flexible and adaptable for any blog or business. WordPress also makes it easy to expand your blog as you go – such as adding digital products, a membership or community space, and more. And if you’re on a tight budget, you’ll be happy to hear that you can get started on WordPress for free! 

If you’re looking for an ultra-customized blog and website, you’ll probably want to opt for a WordPress site over more restrictive blogging platforms like Wix or SquareSpace. The downside of WordPress is that it can be overwhelming for complete beginners or non-technical bloggers. It’s helpful to have experience using code to allow you to customize your site and create the blog you’re looking for or get help from outside sources.

• Fully customizable
• Easy to add and expand as you go
• Plug-ins add extra functionality
• Mobile-friendly themes
• Free to use
• Less suitable for complete beginners
• Requires some technical know-how
• Weak security
• Paid plans start from $4/month

Loved by small business owners, SquareSpace is a great platform for blogging beginners. It’s ideal for building a seamless, stunning website with minimal time, effort and technical knowledge needed. Choose from a range of templates to suit your style and needs and get a free custom domain too, as well as decent security and privacy measures. SquareSpace websites are mobile-optimized so you can meet your audience wherever they are and on-the-go.

Now for the downsides… SquareSpace has limited flexibility and functionality for bloggers, especially if you’re looking to build a business from your blog. It’s perfect to help you get started, but if you want to expand the reach of your blog in the future, you’ll need to opt for a different blogging platform to take it to the next level.

• Wide range of themes
• Drag-and-drop builder
• Made for beginners
• Good security and privacy
• Comprehensive customer support
• Limited SEO functionality
• Doesn’t support complex designs
• Fewer plug-ins than other alternatives
• No free plan
• Paid plans start from $16/month

If you’re just looking to start your blog as a hobby or a straightforward side hustle, SquareSpace could be the right blogging platform for you. SquareSpace is a little different to the other options in this list – the platform combines email newsletters with blogging features, helping creators grow an  audience of paying subscribers for their work.

Let’s say you enjoy creative writing as a hobby and you want a way to share your work with your audience – be it friends, family or complete strangers. Substack helps you write, publish, and distribute your work using email newsletters. And you can also expand your content to include podcasts, videos, and more.

With Substack, it’s easy to monetize your blog content by setting up subscriptions. Readers who like your content can subscribe and pay to access your premium content or additional resources. This makes it easy to start earning from your work right away.

While Substack has a lot of great features for beginners, it’s not the best blogging platform if you’re looking to build a thriving blogging business. Substack has limited functionality – that’s both the good thing and the bad thing about it. It’s easy to use, but it’s also very basic. You have minimal control over the look and feel of your content and when it comes to SEO, your blog content is linked to Substack rather than your own site.

• Quick to start
• Easy to distribute content
• Built-in monetization tools
• Keep ownership of your content
• Add podcasts and videos to blogs
• Platform dependence
• Limited customization for blogs
• Poor SEO features
• 10% fee for each transaction through Substack

Related: How to Use Substack Newsletters to Monetize your Audience

Created by the clever people over at HubSpot, CMS Hub is a cloud-based content management platform that’s built with marketing in mind. When it comes to the best blogging platforms, Hubspot’s CMS Hub has a lot to offer in terms of SEO features and data-tracking.

The CMS Hub is all about optimizing your blog for more marketing success – and it includes helpful tools like a fully integrated CRM and recommendations to improve your SEO. With their adaptive testing tool, you can also test up to 5 versions of one page to see which is performing best, allowing you to optimize as you go.

This blogging platform includes a drag-and-drop editor so you don’t need to worry about having coding experience or a developer on hand to help you. And all templates are responsive so your audience can see your content across any device (another plus for your SEO). 

• Responsive templates
• Comprehensive analytics dashboard
• Adaptive testing tools
• Security monitoring & threat detection
• Need 3rd party solution to backup data
• Not suitable for eCommerce
• Less intuitive than other site builders
• Paid plans start from $23/month

Designed as a content marketing platform, Contently offers businesses the chance to produce and publish content with the help of other creators and content specialists. Originally intended to help brands tell a story, Contently has a range of templates to showcase your content on your own custom-built site. What’s more, their creative marketplace links businesses with freelancers to help write your blog content for you and come up with a comprehensive content strategy for your brand.

When it comes to the best blogging platforms, Contently is geared towards bigger businesses rather than beginners or solo creators. But if you’re looking for done-for-you content from top freelancers, then this could be the choice for you.

• Tailored to established businesses
• Focus on content marketing
• Create optimized content
• Comprehensive content creation services
• Creative marketplace to find freelancers
• Less suited to solo creators
• Limited distribution options
• More expensive than other platforms
• Bespoke pricing only

It’s impossible to talk about blogging platforms without mentioning Medium. One of the best-known solutions for bloggers, Medium is all about giving creators a platform to air their views and entertain their audience.

Medium is great for growing your blog quickly and winning fans and followers in record time. Earn money from Medium’s partner program when you reach 100 followers and above – you’ll get a percentage of every readers’ membership fee each month (though the sums are small for most creators).

Another big plus for Medium-based bloggers is their built-in audience. Medium attracts millions of monthly visitors so there’s big potential to get more eyes on your content. Because of the high authority of the site, it’s easier for your content to rank higher in searches too.

But bloggers should be aware that Medium is a nightmare for monetization. If you post on Medium, you can’t post your content anywhere else – and Medium owns everything you publish on their platform. It’s also harder to monetize your Medium blog because of rules and regulations on the site, including restrictions on affiliate marketing that limit your earning potential. 

That means you’re effectively handing over your knowledge and ideas to Medium in exchange for their audience. While the system works well for many creators, it’s something to consider when choosing the best blogging platforms for your needs.

• Built-in audience
• High domain authority
• Grow your readership fast
• Earn through Medium’s partner program
• Easy to write and edit posts
• Limited monetization options
• No content ownership for creators
• Few customization features
• Paid plans start from $5/month

Drupal is a free-to-use open-source software solution that you can utilize to build and grow your own blog. It’s continuously updated and improved and is endlessly customizable. But like all open-source software, it requires some technical knowledge to get started. You’ll need to have some basic coding skills to tailor Drupal to your blogging needs – or enlist the help of a developer instead. 

If you have the experience or the budget to customize Drupal for your business then it’s a great choice for blogging. Drupal is used by some of the biggest brands and institutions in the world. And once it’s installed, it’s easy to upload and edit your blogs to your site and there are advanced commenting features built-in too. If you can get over the initial tech hurdle, you’re good to go.

• Free open-source software
• Completely customizable
• Suitable for blogs of any size
• Intuitive once installed
• Good for security
• Complex for beginners
• Need technical skills or developer
• Additional web development and maintenance costs

Affordable and easy to use, Weebly is a popular choice for bloggers. Targeted at beginners, this blogging platform features a library of pre-designed templates and a simplified drag-and-drop editor for building your site.

Weebly’s template library is less substantial than other competitors and the customization is limited – but if you’re looking for a straightforward route to starting your first blog on a budget, Weebly is a good choice. Their free plan offers a wider selection of features than many others in this list and their paid plans are also not going to break the bank – the most expensive plan bills at $26 per month and includes unlimited storage, advanced insights and priority customer support.

Take advantage of Weebly’s dedicated app store to enhance your site. It’s organized into categories according to the outcomes you’re looking to achieve, including ‘Boost Traffic’ and ‘Spike Sales’. It’s also easy to start an eCommerce site with Weebly when you’re ready to start monetizing your budding blogging business.

• Good eCommerce features
• Dedicated app store
• Drag-and-drop editor
• SEO beginner guides
• Limited site customization
• Poor blog customization
• Limited mobile optimization
• Paid plans start from $10/month

If you’re looking for a dedicated site that’s built for publishing – take a look at Ghost. This blogging platform boasts a range of features dedicated to building a business around your content.

Use Ghost to build a custom website, deliver your blog content, engage your audience with newsletters, and set up paid subscriptions for members. Ghost offers a range of custom themes or the chance to build your own design from the ground up. Enhance your blogs with rich media and dynamic cards, including audio, video, products, and toggles.

When it comes to monetizing your content, Ghost makes it easy to win subscribers with customer offers and promotions, as well as integrations with the tools you’re already using. Link your Ghost site with your existing referral programs, social media channels, payment gateways, and more.

Ghost also takes care of your blog SEO with automatic and custom metadata, automatic updates to XML sitemaps, canonical tags, and structured data. Site performance is also better with Ghost than other blogging platforms. It’s simple and efficient. 

• Dedicated publishing site
• Built-in subscriptions and memberships
• Email marketing features
• Out-of-the-box SEO support
• Customizable themes
• No plug-ins
• Few blogging integrations
• Limited flexibility
• Paid plans start from $9/month

How to choose the best blogging platforms for you 

If you’re looking to start a blog for the first time, it’s a good idea to think about the type of blog you want to build and the features you’ll need to be able to do that. Here are some essentials you need to know.

The usability and simplicity of blogging platforms varies wildly – some are as simple as a few clicks and you’re done. Others call for technical skills and even coding knowledge to go past go. 

There are a wide range of user-friendly blogging platforms in this list that are ideal for beginners. Or if you’re looking for something more complex and more customizable, there are options for that too. Be clear on what kind of platform you’re looking for and how long and how much you want to spend to get your site up and running.

SEO features

If you’re starting a blog and hoping to get traffic, you need to be thinking about SEO from the get-go. SEO is essential for helping your blog show up in searches and be seen by your target audience.

While there’s a lot you can do to improve your on-page SEO through your content – such as targeting specific keywords and making sure you offer your readers genuinely valuable info – your technical SEO depends a lot on the platform you’re using.

Technical SEO includes:

• Mobile-friendliness

When it comes to SEO, not all blogging platforms are created equal. For example, platforms like Wix, Weebly and SquareSpace are great for getting started as a beginner blogger – but they have serious limits when it comes to SEO.

If you want to build a top-performing blog business, you’d be better off opting for a platform like Hubspot CMS Hub or Drupal, for example.

For many bloggers, pricing will be a key consideration when choosing blogging platforms. If you’re concerned about costs then you’ll probably want to opt for the platforms in this list with free and more affordable plans.  

But before you sign up, make sure you’re getting the features you need to avoid wasting time and effort on a blog that isn’t fit for purpose.

Customization

If you’re choosing a blogging platform, you’ll also want to think about the level of customization you need for your site to make sure you can put your ideas into practice.

To help you build the blog of your dreams, many of the blogging platforms in this list have built-in libraries of templates and themes for your website. You can then customize the templates to your liking, including:

• Color scheme

Look out for blogging platforms that also have 3rd party add-ons and integrations to enhance your site even further and create a unique blog to show off your expertise.

While most blogging platforms will give you the option to upgrade your subscription to access more storage space, if you know your blog is going to be data-heavy such as a photo site or video library, make sure your platform and plan has the capacity to handle what you’re trying to build. And be aware that the more storage you need, the more you might have to pay for your blogging platform subscription.

Security is a top priority for any online business in today’s world – it’s essential that you’re able to keep your and your customers’ data safe from malicious activity and attacks. If you know that your blog is going to be handling particularly sensitive information, security should be an even bigger priority. 

We’ve highlighted Drupal for their advanced security measures but it’s a good idea to do your own research to make sure that the blogging platforms you’re choosing have the right safeguards in place to protect your customers.

If you’re starting a blog for the first time, researching blogging platforms is just the beginning of a long and beautiful journey. Here are 3 more tips to help you start blogging and find success.

Find your niche

If you’re starting blogging as a complete beginner, it’s a good idea to find a specific focus for your blog. This is known as your niche. It is the single topic that will be the cornerstone of all your blog content. 

If you already have an existing business or brand, your niche will probably be directly related to your products and services. If you have a blank slate, choose your niche based on 3 criteria:

• Profitability 

Your blog should ideally tick all 3 boxes. You might find that your niche changes over time or becomes more specific depending on your readership but it’s a good idea to start here.

When you’re picking a niche, it’s also helpful to do keyword research and competitor analysis to see what other blogs are already out there. Try a simple Google search to see how many other blogs are in your niche. A keyword research tool like SEMRush or Ahrefs will help you to get a more detailed picture of how many people are searching for your blog topic and how easy it will be for your content to rank in searches, as well as suggested keywords for you to target in your content.

Related: How to Find Your Niche in 4 Simple Steps

Build a community

In 2024 building a business is all about building a community – and blogging is no different. If you want to attract readers to your blog and gain a loyal following, you need to know who you’re talking to and make sure that your content is written for them. Every post you write should be offering them something of value.

To do that you need to know who your target audience is – including key demographics, their needs, wants, and the problems they’re currently facing. That way you can figure out how to help them. Check out our guide to How to Define Your Target Audience for a more detailed guide.

If you can write for one person – your ideal reader – you can make sure that you’re always producing content that speaks to them. And more people will follow.

By knowing who you’re writing for and why, you can create a community around your brand. And when you’re ready to take the next step, you can even build dedicated community spaces for your readers to forge closer connections with them. Find out how here.

Related: 7 Steps to Building an Online Community (with Examples)

Think about monetization

When you’re starting blogging for the first time, it’s a good idea to think about how you’ll potentially monetize your blog down the line. The monetization strategies you want to use will have a role to play in choosing the best blogging platform for your needs and how you go about creating your content.

Here are a few popular monetization strategies for bloggers:

• Ads: Sell ad space on your blog to make money from visitors to your site. It’s easy to run ads on your website once you have enough traffic – check out Google AdSense as a straightforward way to start earning income from ads.
• Affiliate links: Many bloggers and businesses also earn money from affiliate marketing on their blog – that means promoting other brands’ products or services. When a reader clicks on the link and makes a purchase, you’ll get a percentage of the sale. And it can quickly add up
• Digital products: Digital products are a great way to monetize your expertise and build your brand. If you’re planning to use your blog to promote digital products such as downloadable guides, online courses, and ebooks, you’ll need to find a blogging platform that supports it.
• Membership or subscription: If you have a loyal following for your blog, you can monetize your content by creating a membership or subscription for your readers. Charge your visitors a monthly fee to read your content and join your community – you can incentivize them to sign up with exclusive events, downloads, and resources.

Think about what monetization strategies you’ll use for your blog when choosing your blogging platform to make sure that when the time comes, you’ve got everything you need for a seamless set up. Find out more about content monetization strategies here .

Related: How to create digital products

Take your pick from our list of the best blogging platforms and get started building your blog right away. 

Many creators use blogging as a way to drive traffic to their website – and as an additional income stream too. To find out more about how to build a business through blogging, check out this guide . And when you’re ready to start growing your business and monetizing with digital products, try Thinkific for free.

Elizabeth Harris is a content marketer and copywriter with a passion for helping businesses get the most out of their content, helping to educate, inspire, and engage audiences.

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15 Best Blogging Platforms To Help You Get Content Out in the Wild

Even with the advent of YouTube and social media, blogging is still alive and well. Over 409 million people  read personal and professional blogs hosted on WordPress.com alone each month.

That’s not even including self-hosted WordPress blogs and those hosted using other CMS solutions. So it’s not too late  to start a blog .

But what is the best blogging platform?

That’s what we will cover in this post.

Best Self-Hosted Blogging Platforms

Below, we’ll cover the best self-hosted blogging platforms out there in detail, and why they are the best choices on the market. “Self-hosted” means that you need a separate server and domain to use the blogging software to create your blog or website.

1. WordPress.org

So you want to start a blog. If you’ve looked around even a little bit, chances are you’ve already heard about WordPress .

The .org website is the home of its open source self-hosted Content Management System (CMS) . A CMS is a piece of software that helps you create a website and publish/manage/update its contents.

WordPress is the nr.1 CMS on the internet , and powers millions of blogs and websites. It’s the clear leader out of all the popular blogging platforms listed in this post.

If you’re creating a blog or website for business purposes, we 100% believe that WordPress is your best option. It’s completely free , open source, and makes it easy to create a professional-looking blog thanks to many themes.

Why WordPress Is the Industry Standard

But it’s not just beginners, solopreneurs , and bloggers who use WordPress. It has become a clear leader in the CMS industry.

Almost half of the internet’s top one million most-visited sites use WordPress. And these aren’t just amateur bloggers or aspiring writers .

People use WordPress because it has over 55k free plugins and 7k+ free themes in its official directory. There are also thousands of more premium themes and plugins available on other sites (check out our curated lists of the best WordPress themes and WordPress plugins ).

So you can mix and match, find the theme that you want, and extend the functionality with WordPress plugins as necessary.

Not to mention it has one of the largest and most active developer community . There are hundreds of developers devoting their time to provide support to users , keeping their plugins/themes updated, or releasing new ones .

This active and huge community has a great advantage for everyone involved: issues and bugs are usually discovered and fixed quickly, which is good for security .

This community also means that it’s a lot easier to get help and guidance with potential issues if your WordPress business needs it. For example, it’s not hard to hire WordPress developers or designers .

WordPress is also SEO-friendly out of the box, which makes it easy to rank content in Google and other search engines .

Key Features

• WYSIWYG Editor.
• Monetization .
• Multilingual (through plugins).
• Multi-user Environment.
• Password protection .
• Global Navigation .
• Full Customizability of Theme /Template Files.
• Content Scheduling .
• SEO-Friendly Content Structure .
• Advanced SEO Options (with SEO plugins ).
• Extensive number of plugin solutions (both free and paid).
• Extensive number of themes (both free and paid).

Interface and Ease of Use

If you are relatively confident with the internet and using new services or technology, you don’t even need instructions to figure out the interface.

Most web hosts offer one-click installation of WordPress, so it’s effortless install and setup. (With any of our WordPress hosting  plans, we take care of the installation for you.)

The built-in tutorial will help you get familiar with the dashboard and create your very first blog post.

And even without the tutorial, the WordPress dashboard is not hard to navigate at all. Hover the plus sign to open a dropdown menu , where you can choose to create a new post, page, or even user.

To edit the design of your website, click the “Appearance” section, where you’ll have different options.

Self-hosted WordPress is on an open source license and is 100% free , forever.

That alone, though, isn’t enough. You’ll also need a domain name and hosting.

If you care about loading speed, security, and reliability, Kinsta managed hosting plans start at $35 per month and comes with free migrations , a CDN , malware protection , automatic daily backups , and more.

You can also use the Kinsta API to create a new WordPress site/installation without accessing DevKinsta .

Drupal  is the second-largest open source CMS. Rather than a strict blogging tool, it’s better described as a professional, scalable online publishing platform.

Drupal has full-fledged versioning and content scheduling/planning built into the core. You have much more granular control over user permissions . You can even create unique permissions for specific users. There’s also support for multilingual sites in the core, which makes it a prime option for larger companies.

But it’s not as easy to use and it might be a bit more difficult when it comes to creating a blog that “looks good”.

• Basic Editor.
• Monetization.
• Multilingual.
• Password Protection.
• Global Navigation.
• Full Customizability of Theme/Template Files.
• Customizable Access Control and Tiered Permissions.
• Advanced Content Scheduling.
• Full-Fledged Versioning (with module).
• SEO-Friendly Content Structure.
• Advanced SEO Options (with module).

The interface is quite dated and not very intuitive for beginners. When you first log in to your installation, there is no tutorial. Instead, you start on the user page and have to figure out how to edit your new website by yourself.

It has a reasonably steep learning curve. Now don’t get me wrong, for someone with CMS or similar software experience, it’s not too difficult to figure out how to do the basics.

But it’s not even close to intuitive. So if you’re not a developer or a techy person, Drupal is probably not the right choice for you.

Drupal is open source and completely free and you’d need to pay for your domain name and hosting provider.

Drupal vs WordPress

The main difference between Drupal and WordPress is that it is specifically designed for developers, agencies, and enterprises. It has advanced features, like multilingual support in core, but it can be difficult for beginners to learn to use.

You can read more about the pros and cons of each in our comparison post Drupal vs WordPress .

When Ghost  first launched in 2013, the main goal was to be a strict blogging platform that was easy to use. But since then, it’s developed into a sleek, 100% headless Node.JS CMS .

It has built-in advanced SEO options and a sleek web app dashboard that is powered by JavaScript.

• Sleek Markdown Editor.
• Multi-User Environment.
• Content Scheduling.
• Advanced SEO Options.

As far as ease of use goes, installing Ghost can be a little bit complicated since it’s not offered as a one-click installation option. But once it’s installed, the Ghost dashboard is simple, sleek, and easier to use.

New installations are automatically populated with content that is essentially a tutorial on how to use Ghost.

Like WordPress’ Gutenberg editor , the Ghost editor is truly on-page WYSIWYG. It feels like you are writing and editing a live page on the site, but you can only add images, links, quotes, and format your text with markdown.

Since the entire dashboard, not just the editor like with WordPress, is based on JavaScript, the user experience is exceptionally smooth. It’s a one-page web app and acts like one. You never have to load a new admin page or wait for a page to refresh.

The self-hosted version is open source and free. The hosted pro version starts at $29 per month .

Ghost vs WordPress

Both Ghost and WordPress are easy to use and easy to learn. Any complete beginner can pick either up and get a blog up and running within an hour.

But installing Ghost can be a bit more difficult since it’s a less popular CMS, few web hosts offer one-click-installation.

The Ghost dashboard is a little sleeker, and for developers, using a Node.JS powered CMS might seem more appealing than good old PHP and MySQL .

The extensibility and vibrant community of WordPress still make it the best choice for most beginners. There’s also little support for monetization options in Ghost, you’d have to manually insert ads via code .

(Suggested reading: How to add Google AdSense to WordPress )

Joomla  is another open source CMS that launched in 2005 and has managed to stay relevant ever since.

It’s a flexible platform that allows a lot of customization without knowing too much code. You can extend the functionality with “extensions” and use templates to change the look of your site.

• Multilingual (core).
• Tiered Permissions and User Management.
• Password protection.
• Full Customizability of Template Files.
• Advanced SEO Options (through extensions).

Joomla is another CMS that can typically be installed with a single click if your host uses cPanel or another standard dashboard. Once you have installed it, you can log in to the admin dashboard.

The dashboard in Joomla 3 is a little bit dated, and despite being announced as “around the corner” in early 2019, Joomla 4 is nowhere in sight.

There’s no intuitive tutorial, but instead a link to good old fashioned documentation.

All-in-all, it’s not a hard interface to learn your way around and beginners could probably get their site up and running with a template of their choice without too many issues.

Free, except for hosting and DNS costs as with other open source platforms.

Joomla vs WordPress

Joomla offers multilingual support out of the box and you have better options for user management. That said, the interface is dated, harder to use, and many of the existing templates and extensions are old, and in sore need of updates.

WordPress has a better interface and a lot more up-to-date plugins and themes. To read more about the pros and cons, check out our post that covers WordPress vs Joomla .

Best Hosted Blogging Platforms

Below we’ve compiled a list of the best hosted blogging platform. With a hosted alternative, you don’t need to invest in a domain name and a web server; the service includes hosting and a sub-domain or full domain name.

5. WordPress.com

On the .com domain, WordPress is a hosted blogging/website platform. You don’t need a domain name or hosting to get started: all you have to do is sign up.

It’s hard to argue against getting the technology that powers 36% of the web, for free.

• Unlimited Visits/Bandwidth.
• Limited Customizability.

Since you don’t need separate web hosting or domain name, getting started is as easy as signing up and choosing your blog’s name .

The WordPress.com interface is a JavaScript-based web app and might remind you more of the Ghost experience.

Most beginners will be able to change the theme and add new content without needing a tutorial. Also, the editor powering WordPress.com is what is usually referred to as the Block editor (aka Gutenberg ), which provides a good writing experience:

The basic plan is 100% free . You can sign up for a free blog/website that will be hosted on a WordPress subdomain. There will be WordPress.com ads on your blog.

If you want your own .com domain, more customizability, and no ads, the Personal plan costs $4 per month. With the basic plan, your blog will be hosted at a subdomain such as yourblog.wordpress.com.

WordPress.com vs WordPress.org

Same package, but very different contents. Instead of thousands of themes to choose from, WordPress.com limits you to a few dozen.

If you just want to create a simple website or blog, and you have little technical skills and no plans to expand or monetize your website, hosted WordPress (.com) is the way to go.

If you want more control over the design and have the opportunity to expand your blog as you go along, self-hosted WordPress is the best choice.

Learn more about the WordPress.com vs WordPress.org  differences.

Blogger is Google’s hosted blogging platform. It’s free, more customizable than most other hosted options (for example, you can edit your themes ), and there’s a decent amount of available themes out there.

With a free account, your blog will be hosted on the Blogger subdomain and be reachable at a URL like yourblog.blogspot.com.

Signing up is the only necessary step to getting your blog up and running. Once logged in, you can easily create new content or change the theme of your new blog.

The interface is simple and easy to use. There are no unnecessary sections in the dashboard. Complete beginners will easily be able to get started with no extra guidance as this is a simple rich-text editor .

Free (with subdomain and ads).

Blogger vs WordPress

Blogger is meant as a simple solution to help complete beginners create a blog . And if you just want to create a simple personal blog or journal, it’s not a horrible choice.

If you’re creating a professional blog or website and you want to generate business in the future, there are better options among which WordPress .

Medium  is more of a social platform for sharing your writing and getting it read than a strict blogging platform.

The design is sleek and intuitive, and you don’t get distracted by themes, logos, or layouts. All you have to think about is creating content .

• Rich Editor.
• Limited Monetization through the Medium Partner Program .

Getting started with Medium is extremely simple. Just sign up with your Twitter, Google, or Facebook account, and start writing your first post.

You have zero design options and can focus 100% on creating and sharing content.

The editor is sleek and the published posts look identical to the editor. The limited options make it very easy to use, but it also creates a narrow playing field.

Medium offers limited access to articles and Medium membership for $50/year for full access. As from the content creator’s pov, you can host unlimited content for free.

Medium vs WordPress

Medium is an excellent option for writers that just want their blog posts to get read. If you want a domain name and a customizable blog and site , WordPress is the way to go. You can still share your articles on Medium even if you have a dedicated blog.

Read more about the pros and cons of Medium vs WordPress in our guide.

8. HubSpot CMS

HubSpot CMS is a blogging platform and website builder powered by an easy-to-use  drag and drop editor . The blogging editor provides both a WYSIWYG editor or the source code view if you need to edit the code . Of course, the easy native integrations with HubSpot’s marketing tools — including features like email marketing, landing pages, forms, pop-ups, etc. — give you the ability to drive traffic and convert that into subscribers or customers.

HubSpot CMS has a built-in integration with the free HubSpot CRM . This is valuable for bloggers because you can automatically collect and store leads from your blog posts into the CRM. Additionally, you can use this CRM data to do cool things like personalizing your content and CTAs, which helps you drive higher conversion rates .

Developers can customize the site and build out templates, custom objects, and more, while non-technical users easily write, edit, and publish with very little red tape.

• Multiple users with governance and partitioning
• Built-in A/B/n testing to optimize your content
• SEO recommendations
• Content scheduling
• Version control to manage and view updates over time
• Contact attribution to analyze where your leads and sales come from
• 24/7 security monitoring
• 24/7 support

The interface is slick. Marketers and bloggers will have to spend very little time learning the interface and how to get started.

If you want to do more technical customizations, however, that’s available, too (though with the help of a HubSpot developer).

Plans start at $300/month for HubSpot CMS Professional and the Enterprise plan begins at $900/month.

HubSpot vs WordPress

HubSpot competes favorably on both usability as well as convenience, though its price might be intimidating for single or amateur bloggers (check out how to monetize your blog ). When compared with other blogging platforms, its key advantages are how smoothly integrates with the HubPost ecosystem (of course) and the freedom you’d gain from not worrying about updates, security , and patching together dozens of plugins to get the functionality you need.

Wix  is a drag-and-drop website builder, but it’s also a decent blogging platform for creative individuals.

If you are an aspiring designer or a creative soul but don’t want to deal with any code or anything technical, you might want to give Wix a try.

• Drag-and-Drop Website Builder (similar to those available for WordPress ).
• Wix ADI (AI-powered Design).
• Monetization (Paid Plans Only).
• Up to 500 MB Data/Bandwidth (with Free Plan).
• Ads (Free and $4.50/month plan show Wix ads on your website).
• Monetization (With premium plans).

You can sign up by logging in with Facebook or Google or creating an account with your email address. Once you sign up, the Wix tutorial will start and will ask you a couple of questions.

If you answer that you don’t have a lot of experience, it will suggest that you let the ADI create your website for you.

The ADI uses artificial intelligence to design your website based on a few questions.

The standard dashboard is centered around their drag-and-drop website builder. You can edit elements by clicking them and rearrange them by clicking the arrows in the top-right corner.

It’s reasonably intuitive and easy to use, but it’s easy to waste time nitpicking the design instead of focusing on creating content for your blog .

Full control over the design, no coding skills required.

The free plan comes with ads, a Wix subdomain, and bandwidth limited to 500 megabytes. Plans with monetization and ecommerce functionality start at $17/month.

Wix vs WordPress

While Wix helps you get up and running in minutes, it’s almost designed to help you focus on the wrong thing as a blogger. It’s easy to spend hours nitpicking the design and resizing individual elements. Advanced features are also locked behind some fairly pricey plans.

Not ideal for bloggers, but Wix could be a good option for portfolio sites for creative professionals (here’s how to create your portfolio in WordPress ).

Read more about the pros and cons of Wix vs WordPress in our comparison guide.

10. Squarespace

Squarespace is another drag-and-drop website builder that gives you full creative control of your site or blog. It’s a hosted service, so you don’t need to prepare a server or domain name.

• Sleek Drag-and-Drop Website Builder.
• Monetization and Ecommerce.
• Multiple Users.
• Email Campaigns .
• Site Analytics .

To create your website, sign up for an account, pick a theme, and get started. The page builder is very easy to use.

Just by hovering and clicking elements, you can easily change and move text and images around your site.

Note that there is no free plan, so you will only have access to the site without paying during the 14-day free trial.

Personal plans start at $12 per month (if paid annually).

Squarespace vs WordPress

Squarespace offers full customizability and their premium plans provide some pretty impressive options for ecommerce, but the company requires “a bit too much control” over your own.

Here’s what I’m referring to. From their ToS , section 2.2, you can read:

2.2. Your License To Us.  When you provide User Content via the Services, you grant Squarespace (including our third party hosting providers acting on our behalf) a non-exclusive, worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, sublicensable, transferable right and license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works of (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes we make so that User Content works better with the Services), communicate, publish, publicly display, publicly perform and distribute User Content for the limited purposes of allowing us to provide, improve, promote and protect the Services. This Section does not affect any rights you may have under applicable data protection laws.

I want to make this clear: they’re not “stealing” any of your content and any rights you own over that remain yours. Yet you might find, let’s say, one of your photos being used to promote their platform. Although this could be sometimes nice to experience, it’s not always the case and permissions shouldn’t be granted by default.

Nevertheless, Squarespace powers ~2.5% of sites using a CMS in the world and, in fact, is a good option for those who are looking to have an all-in-one platform without the desire to deal with technical issues.

Read more about the pros and cons in our comparison guide about Squarespace vs WordPress .

Weebly is the last website builder on this list, also powered by a nice drag-and-drop builder. It offers a free plan where you can create a site and publish it on a yourblog.weebly.com subdomain.

• Drag-and-Drop Builder.
• 500 MB Storage (Free plan) / Unlimited Storage (All Paid Plans).
• Basic Lead Capture.

Again, it’s quick and easy to get started. Nothing technical, no servers, no preparation needed. Just sign up and decide on a theme.

That opens the website builder, which is almost intuitive and uses a block system to let you customize the design.

The experience is slightly underwhelming, self-hosted WordPress has page builder plugins that offer equal or better designs and usability.

Free with a subdomain, $5/month to connect your domain and pro plans start at $12/month.

Weebly vs WordPress

While setting up self-hosted WordPress requires a little more preparation, you can get equally good page builders and better customization options.

Weebly is easy to get started with and could be a good place to create your first personal blog or website.

Read more about Weebly vs WordPress  in our dedicated post.

12. Typepad

Typepad used to be a cutting edge blogging platform in the early days of blogging, but it’s lost steam over the years. Until 2018 , Seth Godin used to run his blog on Typepad but then he moved over to…. WordPress!

The interface is dated, just like the feature list. If you like simple, retro designs, it’s not bad. It’s not outright hard to use, but it’s not intuitive either. It might remind you of the WordPress dashboard a couple of years back.

Plans start at $8.95 per month for unlimited storage and bandwidth.

Typepad vs WordPress

When it comes to Typepad, it’s not a worthwhile alternative to WordPress. Even if you want a simple option, you need to prepare a DNS and domain name for Typepad. The hosted WordPress.com option is easier to use, has a sleeker interface, better-looking themes, and costs less than Typepad for pro plans.

Fun fact: Typepad has been the very first blogging platform I worked with, back in 2005.

13. LiveJournal

LiveJournal was one of the first online blogging platforms on the internet, which is now owned by SUP Media, a Russian media company. LiveJournal is a mix between a microblogging platform and a social network.

• Remove ads (Paid feature).

The interface, although a bit dated, is not outright hard to use. It’s not intuitive either if you ask me. It might remind you of the WordPress dashboard a couple of years back.

Most of the features come in their free plan but there’s the possibility to unlock more with a Professional Package which sets you at $19.95 per year if you opt for automatic payments.

LiveJournal vs WordPress

I honestly think LiveJournal could hardly find a place in someone’s preferred list of blogging platforms as it gave me the experience of using an anachronistic tool. Nevertheless, if your target audience speaks Russian, you might find LiveJournal worth a try.

Tumblr  is a popular microblogging site, although a lot less popular than it was a few years ago.

Interestingly, Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, acquired Tumblr in 2019 from Verizon so we might see some exciting changes to the platform in the coming years.

• Audience and Sharing.
• Unlimited Uploads/Visits/Bandwidth.

Tumblr has a sleek interface and you can get your first post live in just seconds.

The great mobile interface makes it easy to write short posts from your cell phone. It’s also a great place to read content and get inspiration for your next work.

Free, with unlimited storage/bandwidth.

Tumblr vs WordPress

If you’re an artist or photographer looking to start a blog to share your art, rather than build a platform for your business, then Tumblr could be a good option for you.

It’s easy to join and start sharing your work in just a few steps. There is a built-in audience that you can reach.

But if you want full customizability of your blog and total control over your content, WordPress is the way to go. Here’s how to import Tumblr into WordPress .

15. Instagram

Instagram might not fit your idea of a blogging platform, but in some cases, it can be the best place to build an audience given how it’s grown .

• Engagement tools.

As if you don’t already know what Instagram is like, well, it’s really easy to use. The only downside of the Instagram interface is that you can’t add posts from your laptop without a workaround.

That makes it inconvenient for any writer or blogger that prefers long-form content.

Free, with unlimited storage/bandwidth (just like Facebook).

Instagram vs WordPress

There are a few scenarios where Instagram makes more sense than WordPress for blogging. If you are a videographer or vlogger , Instagram could really be your major channel and preferred blogging platform.

In most cases, though, it would probably be better to choose both and have a professional blog/website as well. Here’s how you can feature your Instagram feed on WordPress .

What Is the Best Blogging Platform?

If you’ve read this far, it’s only fair that you get our answer to the question: Which is the best blogging platform and why?

Spoiler alert: We think that the best choice for most serious bloggers and businesses in general is WordPress .

There might be alternatives that will get you to publish your content faster, but WordPress is the best option for people that are looking to make their blog a platform for their online presence and business in the long term.

What Is the Best Blogging Platform for Beginners?

It depends on your intention with the blog. The best option who want to create a personal blog is probably a free hosted solution like WordPress.com , Blogger, or Medium .

If you just want a place to share your art, you can even dip your feet in the water with Tumblr or Instagram.

But if you want to create a company blog for business and grow visitors and customers, a self-hosted option like WordPress or Drupal gives you the most options for future expansion.

Which Blogging Platform Is Best for Making Money?

WordPress has the most options for extending your blog, both with plugins for ad placements and affiliate marketing , as well as developing a full-blown ecommerce store or membership site .

Which Blogging Platform Is Best for Writers?

If all you want is to find an audience online, Medium could be the best place to start for new writers to share their craft.

But if you are a published author and want to maintain a professional platform, build your existing audience, and assets like email lists , self-hosted WordPress is the way to go.

What Is the Best Blogging Platform for SEO?

Self-hosted solutions that give you full control over page content, like WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla, are the best for SEO.

WordPress is easy to set up, and lots of great SEO plugins empower complete beginners to create SEO-friendly content . Of course, you also need a reliable host with fast loading times to get the best results.

The best blogging platforms supply the blogger not only with a place to write their thoughts but all the tools they need to grow a following and even business .

That’s what separates self-hosted solutions like WordPress from the rest on this list.

If all you want is a personal blog, or to share and get feedback on your writing, hosted solution like Medium or WordPress.com might be better for you.

Ultimately, the best blogging platform depends on your goals and your current situation. For us — obviously — nothing compares to WordPress.

What about you? What’s your preferred blogging platform?

Head of Content at Kinsta and Content Marketing Consultant for WordPress plugin developers. Connect with Matteo on Twitter .

Related Articles and Topics

Powerful Managed WordPress Hosting

How to Change a WordPress Theme (Without Breaking Your Website)

• Web Development

Thanks for the post really helped

Has your analysis changed with the block editor from WordPress? I used WordPress happily for years, and I loathe the block editor – it’s awful for writing and editing long-form content. The experience of writing is ruined. I’m searching desperately for a hosting service that allows me to focus on writing instead of fiddling with layout and code.

Ditto, all the way!!!! You said it best, and quite helpful too. Thank you for sharing your experience. Amidst setting up a WordPress blog via mobile and because of the hiccups took a breather to note your comments of fresh air! Lovely! Aloha.

Thanks for the blog with lots of information.

Hi, I loved, this article. You should also take a look at development-focused blogging platforms like dev.to

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• Best Blogging Sites and Platforms in 2024

The Definitive Guide to Choosing the Best Blogging Platform

• Software & Services

⏳ Short on time? Here are the best blogging tools for 2024:

WordPress.com – Most popular free software, used by Fortune 500 companies and millions of bloggers.

WordPress.org – Best open-source blogging platform for serious bloggers. 1-click WordPress install provided by Bluehost.

Are you planning to start a blog but not sure which blogging site to use?

You are not alone. In fact, the most common question I get asked is – What is the best blogging platform for beginners?

When I started blogging in 2010, I wondered the same thing.

Hi there, my name is Artem.

In this guide, I’ll share with you all of the available sites for blogging and give you recommendations based on my hands-on experience working with blogs for the last eight years.

Also, our team has done several surveys and collected blogosphere stats to find the most popular free blogging sites (and premium blogging platforms) on the web.

P.S.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact us for any assistance.

Disclosure : FirstSiteGuide is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site (i.e. WordPress.com blogging platform), we may earn an affiliate commission and it comes at no extra cost for you. We test and try all the products that we recommend.

EDITORS’ CHOICE

Whether you want to build a blog for hobby blogging or you would like to find the best blogging software to make money and grow your blog as a business, finding the right blog site is imperative for your blog’s success.

Several top blogging platforms offer a range of capabilities – and one is bound to suit your needs.

The 9 best blogging sites and platforms

Let’s take a look at some of the best blog sites available on the web today and how they compare against each other.

• WordPress.com Best free blogging platform
• WordPress.org Best platform for serious bloggers
• Wix.com Best blog website builder for beginners
• Medium.com Simple platform for writing
• Blogger.com Publishing platform by Google
• Tumblr.com Best microblogging site
• Ghost.org Best WordPress alternative
• Postach.io Blogging powered by Evernote
• Weebly.com Plain drag and drop builder functions

If you are a beginner, you will want a platform that is easy to set up and easy to use (requires no coding skills). I’ll explain what each blogging platform has to offer, by highlighting their key features and showing their pricing plans.

WordPress.com — Best free blogging platform

WordPress.com is a hosted version of the open-source platform WordPress.org. It is a commercial project that offers a free trial plan with upgrades for a premium plan and custom domain.

According to our survey , it’s one of the most popular hosted blogging platforms out there. If you are an absolute beginner with no technical knowledge, but you want to build your blogging site, WordPress.com is the perfect site for you.

I recommend this software to all new bloggers as a good starting point.

The online publishing software is free to use (but your domain name will be formed as a subdomain and look like this – yourblogname.wordpress.com), and you can test it out after you create an account on the WordPress.com site.

This gives you a unique opportunity to try the best blogging platform and blog for free before you decide to upgrade to a premium plan. With the upgrade, you will be able to set up a domain and use the advanced features.

The WordPress site often rolls out new features and updates to continually enhance the user experience.

Key features

• Custom domains – free domain for one year, available for a paid plan on WordPress.com.
• Get traffic stats – determine what your visitors find engaging.
• Create media galleries – integrate images and videos with the drag & drop option.
• Social media integration – share your posts on social platforms automatically.
• Comprehensive SEO tools – help your readers find you easily.
• Variety of personalized themes – with new themes being added every week.
• Mobile-responsive blog sites – select from several mobile-responsive themes.

Plans and pricing

WordPress.com comes with the following plans – Free, Personal, Premium, Business, and eCommerce:

• Free of charge

Free of charge, 1GB of space storage, use with limited features and subdomain only.

• $4 per month 1-year plan billed as one payment of $48.00
• $9 per month

Comes with a free domain name (1 year), 6GB of space storage, SSL certificate, a custom email address with your own domain, unlimited website administrators, access to email chat support, and no ads on a page.

• $8 per month 1-year plan billed as one payment of $96.00
• $18 per month

Comes with a free domain name (1 year), SSL certificate, custom themes, 13GB of space storage, email and live chat support, no ads on a page, automated website backups, unlimited website administrators, built-in social media tools, ads monetization option, and Google Analytics support.

Business plan

• $25 per month 1-year plan billed as one payment of $300.00

$40 per month

Power your small business website with a free domain name (1 year), SSL certificate, 200GB of space storage, custom plugins and themes, 24/7 live chat support, SFTP & database access, SEO tools, ads monetization option, and Google Analytics support.

eCommerce plan

• $45 per month 1-year plan billed as one payment of $540.00
• $70 per month

Best for online stores, powerful and flexible plan that lets you grow easily. It includes everything from the Business plan plus advanced eCommerce features.

WordPress.org — Best platform for serious bloggers

WordPress.org is free software (blogging platform) that combines simplicity with powerful features.

We used this CMS (content management system) to build our website, FirstSiteGuide.com.

We also recommend it as a preferred platform to create a blog for all serious bloggers in our – How to start a blog guide .

This tool enables you to start a blog website from scratch in a matter of minutes.

Many popular bloggers ( Tim Ferriss , John Lee Dumas , Pat Flynn , and more) use this platform to create highly functional and profitable blogs. It is easy to set up – all you need to do is select a reliable WordPress hosting provider , install WordPress software, and explore the wealth of features that come with it. You get to build your blog just the way you want to, by using pre-designed free themes. There are templates that you can pick based on your preferred layout, look and feel, and color scheme.

The WordPress platform also comes with a powerful administration area (Dashboard) for maintenance, easy-to-use content publishing, and an overview of what’s happening on your blog.

WordPress.org has a large community of experts who provide tutorials that help newbies. Here, at FirstSiteGuide, we also cover various WordPress topics. You can check out our Learn WordPress section to level up your skills and understand the best practices.

• Reliable and secure – keeps data safe from malware.
• Mobile-responsive websites and blogs – pick from many mobile-friendly themes.
• Free themes – select a customized theme from hundreds of options in the theme WordPress theme directory.
• More than 55,000 plugins – access plugin directory to find ways to enhance your WordPress site.
• SEO tools – install Search Engine Optimization plugins that help you rank high in search engines.
• Simple publishing process – create content, integrate media, and make it live with a single click.

WordPress.org is an open-source (free) tool you can use to create a beautiful website or blog.

• Free software

Open-source blogging platform. Your expenses will be a domain name and web hosting services of your choice.

To build a blog with WordPress.org, you will need a web hosting space and a custom domain name. For new bloggers, I recommend Bluehost .

I was able to negotiate a special deal only for my visitors, which includes:

• Free domain name
• The 30-day money-back guarantee period
• Discount price of $2.75 per month

→ Claim an Exclusive Bluehost Discount Offer ←

Wix.com — Best blog website builder for beginners

Recently, they’ve been tapping into the blogging vertical with a specific blog website builder offer. You don’t need any prior coding experience or web development expertise to build a website or blog with Wix . 

It’s simple to control and maintain blog sites with Wix. You can select a pre-made theme from their resources or customize an existing one according to your taste. In addition to stunning templates, here are examples of some great Wix sites . The Wix platform also packs the power of these amazing features

• Customizable templates – select a prototype and personalize it according to your blog’s theme.
• Mobile-responsive – mobile editor makes blogs mobile-friendly .
• SEO Optimization – create a personalized SEO plan to rank your blog.
• Freedom to design – drag and drop editor to customize any part of the site.
• Third-party integrations – integrate apps without coding skills.
• Comprehensive site builder – building and maintenance need in one place.

Wix blog builder comes with eight different plans – Free, Connect Domain, Combo, Unlimited, VIP, and Business & eCommerce (Basic, Unlimited, and VIP) plans:

• As Wix.com subdomain example : yourblogname.wix.com

With this plan use can use the Wix.com subdomain, plus Wix ads displayed.

Connect domain

• $4 per month 2-year plan billed as one payment of $96.00
• $4.50 per month 1-year plan billed as one payment of $54.00
• $7 per month

With this plan, you can connect your custom domain, but Wix brand ads will be displayed.

• $8 per month 2-year plan billed as one payment of $192.00
• $8.50 per month 1-year plan billed as one payment of $102.00
• $12 per month

This plan comes with a free domain and Wix ads will be removed.

• $11.50 per month 2-year plan billed as one payment of $276.00
• $12.50 per month 1-year plan billed as one payment of $150.00
• $16 per month

This plan comes with unlimited bandwidth and increases storage.

• $23 per month 2-year plan billed as one payment of $552.00
• $24.50 per month 1-year plan billed as one payment of $294.00

$30 per month

This plan comes with all the features as Unlimited, plus you get VIP support.

Business Basic

$24 per month

or $17 per month (1-year plan billed as one payment of $204.00). You can accept online payments and have 20GB of storage.

Business Unlimited

or $25 per month (1-year plan billed as one payment of $300.00). You get increased storage and pro eCommerce features to grow your store.

Business VIP

or $35 per month (1-year plan billed as one payment of $420.00). You get the full suite, priority response with VIP support, and 50GB storage.

Medium.com — Simple platform for writing

Medium is different from the rest of the free blogging sites. It offers a no-frills approach to content publishing as it allows bloggers to write what they are passionate about without having to worry about coding, design, domain, or other issues.

You can also use it as an additional channel to share your content; for example, you can repurpose content from your existing blog post created on other blogging platforms such as WordPress and post it on Medium. That’s how most professional bloggers use it.

You can post stories for the vast community of readers that visit Medium and get appreciation and feedback from them. It is also possible to connect with avid readers who are willing to pay for quality content through the Medium Partner Program. This way, you can monetize your blog posts while sharing your ideas and opinions with the world.

To start blogging with Medium, sign up, and share your content with the editorial team who analyze them according to their standards. If you create quality content that follows their guidelines you can start earning money by attracting subscribers.

• Vast audience – convert millions of site readers into your subscribers.
• A free app – access Medium on your mobile devices from anywhere.
• Monetization – earn money when someone reads your content.
• Social media integration – share your content on social networks.
• Media embeds – integrate various forms of media files.

Medium started as a free platform for publishers but recently started to offer membership subscriptions.

• Post your own stories

Free to use, you can post your own stories. Plus, you get access to unlimited public stories and three exclusive stories per month.

• $5 per month
• $50 per year

With the membership, you can subscribe for unlimited access to the smartest writers and biggest ideas on Medium. No ads and you can access it on any device.

Blogger.com — Publishing platform by Google

Blogger is one of the best free blogging platforms that offer a secure and reliable way to create a blog.

This hosted blog platform was launched in 1999 and later acquired by Google. You don’t need a hosting provider to start using it. All you need to do is log in using a Google account – you’ll be asked to follow the simple guidelines provided on the Blogger to make a blog for free. There’s no need for technical knowledge or coding experience as the site is quite intuitive in design and setup. It remains a widely used solution; however, I see more people moving away from it . The good news is that the platform is free, and you can test it without any commitment. Let’s take a look at some pros and cons of this blog site.

• Free or custom domain – free subdomain via blogspot.com or buy your own domain name.
• Easy to use templates – focus on the design of your blog using flexible layouts and background images.
• Featured ads – monetize by integrating with Google AdSense.
• Analytics – assess your blog’s traffic and see the content getting the most visits.
• Secure storage – store your media files with Google.

The good news is that it’s free, and you can test it without any commitment.

• As Blogger.com subdomain example : yourblogname.blogger.com

You can connect a custom domain name to your blog, by buying and setting it up .

Tumblr.com — The best microblogging site

Founded in 2007, Tumblr is a microblogging platform and social media website joined together. Tumblr’s main focus is on multimedia and short-form content. If you are a writer and planning to write longer-form content, I wouldn’t recommend starting with Tumblr. It’s often used as a social network site because you can integrate a variety of media files such as photos, videos, and audio files You can also embellish your blog with GIFS, stickers, and some text. Users have the option of designing their Tumblr page with customizable themes, fonts, layouts, and many other design options.

Tumblr is ideal for bloggers who have a heightened focus on visual content. It is a global site that is visited by millions of people every day who repost their favorite blog posts and initiate conversations.

• Custom domains – choose a domain name composed of 64 characters or less.
• Export tool – gathers your content in a ZIP file to export.
• Password-protection – blogs can only be viewed through the correct password.
• Customized themes – the ability to personalize anything you set your eyes on.
• Social media integration – share your Tumblr posts on social platforms.
• As Tumblr.com subdomain example : yourblogname.tumblr.com

You get to use this platform as a free blog site with a subdomain, i.e., yourblogname.tumblr.com. If you wish to, you can connect your own custom domain .

Ghost.org — Best WordPress alternative

Ghost is an open-source blogging platform meant for journalists, editors, and writers. The product was launched in 2013 through a successful Kickstarter campaign (and it’s a good alternative to the best blogging platform – WordPress) 

You can be in control of the design of your blog and the kind of experience you want to create for your readers. There are absolutely no rules when it comes to this tool – no limits on customizations or social media restrictions. Sign up to get started and publish your content for a vast audience as you target readers through email newsletters and monetize your written pieces through Ghost’s premium plans.

You can benefit from a collection of publishing tools perfect for professionals who want complete control over their site. These tools allow you to code and add functionality to your blog using modern technology.

Also, Ghost is fully managed through state-of-the-art cloud management technology and offers comprehensive developer control. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of the platform.

• Site editor – create and embed exciting media files and content.
• Content management – complete control over the content.
• Posts scheduling – create an editorial calendar to stay ahead of time.
• Powerful SEO tools – comprehensive SEO features for high rankings.
• Simple templates – use Handlebars stunning templates to build your blog.
• Automatic backups – never lose data with off-site location backups.

You can start using the platform for free and select one of the four paid plans after:

• Get a 14-day trial period
• $9.00 per month 1-year plan billed as one payment of $108.00
• $11 per month

Basic plan includes 1 staff user, 500 members, official Ghost themes, built-in integrations, and 5MB file uploads.

Creator plan

• $25.00 per month 1-year plan billed as one payment of $300.00
• $31 per month

Creator plan includes 2 staff users, 1,000 members, custom themes, custom integrations, and 10MB file uploads.

• $50 per month 1-year plan billed as one payment of $600.00
• $63 per month

Team plan includes 5 staff users, 1,000 members, priority support, handles easily high volume traffic, and 25MB file uploads.

• $199.00 per month 1-year plan billed as one payment of $2388.00
• $249 per month

Business plan includes unlimited staff users, 10,000 members, 99.9% uptime SLA, and 50MB file uploads.

Postach.io — Blogging powered by Evernote

Postach.io is a blogging platform powered by Evernote, and it enables you to convert your notes into blogs.

To sign up with Postach.io, you need to register a new account, or use an existing Evernote account. You’ll need to install Evernote and then integrate it with Postach.io to connect your notes. It is a convenient way to enter the blogosphere. Users are able to use the dashboard to personalize their blogging website according to their taste and write blogs on the go with Evernote.

You can set up a free blog with this software, but if you want a custom domain, subscribe to a paid package. Postach.io also offers a collection of free and premium themes to help you create a visually appealing blog.

• Add images – insert pictures to engage your readers.
• Evernote sync – integrate notebooks with Postach.io.
• Site editor – customize your blog site through a robust dashboard.
• Custom domains – optimize your site with a paid custom domain.
• Visual content – insert a logo or avatar to personalize your blog.

Postach.io is available in four plans:

Free version

• Create a free blog with no credit card required.

1-5 sites plan

• $5.00 per month or $50.00 per year

6-20 sites plan

• $15.00 per month or $150.00 per year

21-50 sites plan

• $25.00 per month or $250.00 per year

Weebly.com — Plain drag and drop builder functions

Weebly is a simple yet powerful website builder with a blog setup option available via an easy drag and drop editor.

In 2018 Weebly was acquired by Square, a mobile payment company. This change is a sign that their focus is mainly around websites, particularly eCommerce and small business sites. However, the platform offers blogging services, and anyone can try it for free.

Weebly gives you complete freedom to build your blog using beautiful themes with builder functionality. There’s also a free built-in hosting provider that ensures fast loading time for your website. All in all, the Weebly platform gives the right tools that work in combination with powerful features to create a blog in minutes.

• Drag and drop website builder – create your blog with powerful tools.
• Media management – gather images and create your galleries.
• Free personalized templates – alterable professionally designed templates.
• Search engine optimization – SEO tools to rank your website.
• App collection – multiple apps and third-party integrations that add functionality.
• Social media sharing – RSS integration to share content on social networks.

Weebly service is available in the following plans – Free, Connect, Pro, and Business:

• As Weebly.com subdomain example : yourblogname.weebly.com

Use it for free with the Weebly subdomain and branding. Free SSL certificate and 500MB storage.

Connect plan

• $5.00 per month 1-year plan billed as one payment of $60.00

Custom domain plus free SSL certificate and 500MB storage.

• $12.00 per month 1-year plan billed as one payment of $144.00

Custom domain plus free SSL certificate, unlimited storage, no ads, and site search option.

• $25.00 per month (1-year plan billed as one payment of $300.00

How to choose the best blogging platform

Now that you know about all of the options available to you, it’s time to finalize the perfect blog management tool for your needs.

Assess your options against the following checklist:

• Value for your money – ensure that your chosen service is going to deliver precisely what you need. This means easy-to-use blog software, with all of the bells and whistles you need for success.
• Types of solutions available – explore the different solutions that are designed to support you, the blogger. Use these to build a truly unique blog. Options typically include free blog sites, self-hosted platforms, and premium blog site builders.
• Ease of use – some platforms offer quite the learning curve that can discourage new bloggers. You need a simple building tool that doesn’t require any technical skills, design, or marketing expertise.
• Features – you might not need all of the features at the start, but make sure that the best blog platform of your choice lets you customize or modify your website if needed. If you would like some third-party tools to be integrated, check if they are available.
• Blog management – if needed, you’ll have to access the back-end or admin area to update your blog, make any changes, and fix the layout. It is crucial to make sure that this area is available, manageable, and easy-to-navigate.
• Rules and restrictions – before you pay for software, read through the ‘Terms of Usage’ so that you can be sure that you aren’t breaking any rules with the way that you’ll be using it.

This information should be sufficient for you to research and locate the best blogging site for your needs.

Types of blogging platforms

One of the most widely used best blogging platforms and self-hosted CMS (Content Management System) is WordPress.org. It’s recommended by a majority of blogging experts.

This system has emerged as the clear winner for professionals because:

• It takes care of all tasks related to setting up and sustaining your blog.
• The integrated dashboard can make and finalize updates with a click.
• It offers comprehensive customizations and support for blog design and functionality.

While WordPress.org is our top recommendation, if you are wondering about how to set up your new blog, there are several other options as well.

For example, you can consider the following blog sites:

• Free blogging sites (hosted) : If you opt for this option, your blog’s address will look like this: domainname.sitename.com. The most significant advantage is that it’s free, but the shortcoming is that you’ll have to follow their rules. Besides, a name with a subdomain can make you look like an amateur.
• Freemium/premium options : If you become interested in a freemium/premium solution, you can experience it in all its glory during a free trial period. If you like it and choose to continue using it, you’ll have to start paying (up to $30 per month).
• Self-hosted blogs : Select this option if you want to host your blog site on your domain and name it however you want. You’ll have to follow some rules set in place by your domain registrar and hosting company, but other than that, you are your own boss. You’ll be fully responsible for the site and its contents. The Self-Hosted CMS is free as well.
• Website builders : These tools let you create simple blogs thanks to their drag-and-drop interface. Take advantage of the WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) facilities when you use a website builder.

How WordPress compares to other websites for blogging

As explained earlier, WordPress is the absolute best in its class. WordPress is actually home to 43% of websites on the internet , proof that its self-hosted version is very popular.

I’ve already written another guide wherein I compare WordPress with other leading CMS’ so we won’t go into those details here. If you’d like to read these in-depth comparisons, here are the links:

• WordPress.org vs. WordPress.com
• WordPress vs. Blogger.com
• WordPress vs. Tumblr
• WordPress vs. Wix
• WordPress vs. SqaureSpace

These other platforms have their own unique audience as well because they are great for beginners who want to make a blog. But if you want a solid foundation for your blog, nothing beats the self-hosted WordPress.

Moving your blog across platforms

If you’ve already started your blog with another platform, but then decided to move to WordPress, it is possible to do without any downtime. The ‘Import Tool’ with WordPress takes care of it for you.

Go to the WordPress Dashboard and head to the Tools section. Here you’ll find these options to help you import from other solutions:

• Blogger – import posts, comments, and users from a Blogger blog. Read our step by step guide on How To Move Your Blog From Blogger To WordPress .
• WordPress.com – import posts, pages, comments, custom fields, categories, and tags from a WordPress export file. Read our step by step guide on How To Move Your Blog From WordPress.com To WordPress.org .
• Tumblr – import posts and media from Tumblr. Read our step by step guide on How To Move Your Blog From Tumblr To WordPress .
• Wix – import posts and media from Wix. Read our step by step guide on How To Move Your Blog From Wix To WordPress .
• Weebly – import posts and media from Weebly. Read our step by step guide on How To Move Your Blog From Weebly To WordPress .
• Squarespace – import posts and media from SquareSpace. Read our step by step guide on How To Move Your Blog From Squarespace To WordPress .
• LiveJournal – import posts from LiveJournal. Read our step by step guide on How To Move Your Blog From LiveJournal To WordPress .
• Movable Type and TypePad – import posts and comments from a Movable Type or TypePad blog. Read our step by step guide on How To Move Your Blog From Movable Type And TypePad To WordPress .

It is important to remember that WordPress plugins offer other import options as well – try searching the official plugins repository for an importer tool that works for you.

A blogging platform is a service that’s used to create and manage a blog so that you can publish your ideas and words online.  Blog sites are also sometimes known as CMS (Content Management System) since they let you efficiently manage content publishing.

You can quickly launch a free blog on WordPress or any other free blogging sites I mentioned in this article.  But if you decide to step up your blogging game and go further, I recommend a self-hosted version of WordPress. With WordPress.org you can build a website in under 10 minutes if you are ok with the default settings, and you find a theme you like.

No. Whether you want to start with simple sites on Tumblr or want to blog on WordPress, you don’t have to know anything about programming languages or databases. Most of the available blogging platforms in the modern world let you build websites through their drag and drop builders. That means that you can sit, relax, and focus on the design.

Yes, even with a free blog, you can earn money with it. There are different ways of monetization (like showing ads, joining affiliate programs, accepting sponsored content, or adding an online store). However, to make money, you will first have to invest time (and usually money) into it. This is something all popular blogs and the best blog sites have had to do. 

The most reliable way to find the best blogging platform for your needs is to understand how free blogging sites and self-hosted WordPress function. Also, your choice will depend on your budget, customization abilities, and ease of use of the software you want to use. 

Through this guide, I have informed you of all the features (pros and cons), and the pricing range of the best blog sites. And now you know how to get started with each of them.

So which one will you choose?

82 comments on “Best Blogging Sites and Platforms in 2024”

Thanks For nice post

good content

Niche keywords are specific words or phrases that relate to a particular topic, interest, or need. They target a smaller, specialized audience. For example, “vegan protein powder” is a niche keyword because it focuses on a specific dietary preference within the broader health and fitness market.

very helpful

Thanks for sharing

Very informative. Love to read the whole post.

Very helpful and practical tips.Thank you

Hi, I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post on Best Blogging Sites and Platforms in 2023. It provided some great insights, especially Key features. Thank you for sharing such valuable information. I look forward to more posts from you.

Great work!

Anya, I have been seeing that WordPress and others have been cancelling bloggers that express opinions contrary to the MSM narrative. I am afraid that some of my content may questionable. Which CMS would you then recommend to assure that I have absolute control over my content? Thanks.

Hi Cyneath! Usually, free CMS’s have limitations and want you to switch to the paid version. In order to have full control over your blog, we recommend using WordPress.org which is not the same as WordPRess.com (freemium CMS). Please read our tutorial on WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org comparison at https://firstsiteguide.com-com-vs-wordpress-org/ .

It was a good read. I just created my own website with a freelancing blog in it. I used WordPress.com, and I’m still trying to figure out which works and which doesn’t. The downside with WordPress.com is the limitations in the free and personal plan. It seems that even the personal plan is not sufficient, and you have to subscribe to their business plan if you are serious about your website. After reading this, I’m thinking of switching to Wix.com or WordPress.org. Thanks for the read.

Hi Crismael! WordPress.com is a good platform to start with but again if you want total freedom and more options for your site, we suggest using WordPress.org. Good luck with your site and blogging!

I tried many of them, but WordPress is the easiest and the most amazing tool to create a professional blog.

We agree with you Indrajeet!

Great tips! Thank you for this information. It is really informative and helpful.

Awesome. Truly, very helpful and practical tips. It will definitely help a new blogger. Thanks.

Thanks Jack!

I am thinking of starting a blog. Reading this gave me a lot of great information as I am new to this. I plan on reading some of the links you added for more information on various topics. Thank you for having this here!

Thanks Rajesh. I’m glad that you like it!

Thanks for your post, I’m probably going to go with WordPress.org

Good choice Glen! Let me know if you need any help with setting up your blog.

Hi guys! As someone who first started with Blogger, I have to say that I agree with you guys about WordPress.org.

Thanks Aartilall!

Thanks Ann! Let me know if you need any help with any of these blog sites.

Thanks for suggesting these great blog sites.

You’re very welcome Farhan!

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The 5 best blog sites for building a successful blog

Choose the best blogging platform to showcase your content..

Blogging is far from dead. As the last 12 months of Twitter—sorry, X—drama have shown, allowing a social media platform to control your audience has risks. If you want a platform where you can share your thoughts properly and keep control of things, it's impossible to beat a blog. Plus, you can always share your blog posts on social media.

Similarly, if you run a business and want to provide resources and recommendations to customers, the best way to do it is often to add a blog to your website. Best of all, your blog content gets indexed by Google—unlike almost all social media posts—so you can drive potential customers to your business through content marketing (and without having to pay for ads). Look at the blog you're reading right now: Zapier blog posts get millions of views per month and are one of the most valuable ways of getting new customers at Zapier. 

After testing all the most popular blog sites out there, these are the five best. And yes, two of them are WordPress, but there are a few great WordPress alternatives in here too.

The 5 best blog sites

WordPress.com for getting started quickly

Ghost for an alternative to WordPress

Wix for easily building more than a blog

Blogger for using your own domain for free

What makes the best blogging platform?

How we evaluate and test apps.

Our best apps roundups are written by humans who've spent much of their careers using, testing, and writing about software. Unless explicitly stated, we spend dozens of hours researching and testing apps, using each app as it's intended to be used and evaluating it against the criteria we set for the category. We're never paid for placement in our articles from any app or for links to any site—we value the trust readers put in us to offer authentic evaluations of the categories and apps we review. For more details on our process, read the full rundown of how we select apps to feature on the Zapier blog .

Blogs have been around since the earliest days of the internet, so most people have a pretty solid idea of what one is—even if they've never really thought to spell it out. Here's how I think about it: a blog is a website, maybe with a few other pages, but the most important part is the feed of blog posts in reverse chronological order. 

There's a thin line between the software you need to create a blog and the kind of content management systems (CMS) used by large companies to power their websites. Many tools like WordPress and Drupal can be used to both build a blog or power a regular website. 

When I was putting together this list, I used two criteria to decide on the essential blog-iness of the tools I was testing. They had to make it quick and easy to set up a real blog, and the backend where you write blog posts had to be nice to use and fully-featured. Squarespace, for example, is a great website builder that makes it possible to build a blog, but it's not particularly intuitive to set up, and the backend is awful to use. Drupal is an incredible CMS, but it's just too hard for non-developers to get started with to really be considered a universal blogging platform. I've tried it—it's just not worth the hassle for most people. WordPress, on the other hand, is both quick and easy for a regular human to launch a blog—and the backend is intuitive and great to use. 

So, on this list, you'll only find tools that pass the essential blog-iness test. But that wasn't enough. I also required all the blogging tools to be:

Customizable. A big part of blogging is having a customized site, rather than just another generic Instagram account. I wanted tools that would allow you to choose your own theme and create your own branded blog. The easier it was to do, the better.

Well supported . While I wanted the tools on this list to be as easy to use as possible, when you're setting up a website, you'll almost always encounter some weird technical stuff. I required these tools to have either a community of users writing tutorials and helping people solve problems or a dedicated customer care team. (Which support option you have to rely on generally comes down to how much you're prepared to pay per month.)

Affordable. This isn't a list of the cheapest blogging platforms, but affordability and value for money were still key criteria. There are free blogging platforms that you can use to start a blog, but if you expect a large amount of traffic or want premium levels of support, you will have to pay something. 

I've been a tech writer for over a decade—which is to say, I've been a blogger. To pick the best blog sites, I started with a list of around 25 potential blogging platforms, the vast majority of which I'd already tried out, reviewed, or used over the course of my career. A few good CMSes, website builders, and newsletter services were quickly cut for being too hard to set up or not having enough focus on blogging, and a few other options were too small to readily recommend or seemed to be discontinued.

That left me with around 10 options to test in full—and these are the five best. I'd love to say there are some undiscovered gems in there, but really, when it comes to something as crucial as powering a secure, fully-featured blog on the open internet, you really need to go with one of the big players.

The best blogging platforms at a glance

Best blogging platform for total control, wordpress.org.

WordPress.org pros:

Endlessly customizable and extensible

Widely used, so finding how-to guides and professional developers is easy 

WordPress.org cons:

Generally requires a fair bit of tinkering to get things working perfectly and looking great

More than 40% of all websites run on WordPress, from tiny local sites to major publications . It's the most popular blogging platform and CMS by far, and since it's open source , it's free for you to run on your own server (well, other than the hosting costs).

If you want to be in control of everything with your blog, from how it looks to what you post, then WordPress.org is the option for you. And while you can run your own server from your basement, it's a lot easier to use a hosting service (like Bluehost or Kinsta) that can automatically install WordPress for you.

Not only does WordPress make the basics easy to do, but it really is endlessly customizable. There are tens of thousands of themes and plugins that change how it looks and what it does. There are themes for photographers and designers to show off their work, plugins that let you sell products through your blog posts, and anything else you can imagine. It's a fairly wild world out there, but there is great community support that can help you navigate it.

The downside of running your own WordPress installation is that, unless you pay for managed hosting or employ a developer, you really are on your own. While basic stuff like installing a theme is relatively simple, customizing it so that it looks good and works with your content may take a bit of Googling. Similarly, while blogging with WordPress is easy and the Gutenberg editor is great to use, adding extra functionality with a plugin and getting it to work with your setup isn't always user-friendly. Depending on what you're trying to do and your level of experience with web tools, you may find WordPress a cinch—or a bit of a nightmare.

Still, the upsides of WordPress far outweigh the downsides —and even if you're starting from scratch, its peculiarities don't take that long to learn.

WordPress also integrates with Zapier , so you can do things like automatically share your new posts to Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

Post new WordPress posts to your Facebook page

Post new WordPress posts to LinkedIn

WordPress.org is the blogging platform I use for my dog product review site, Bing's Best Things , and I'll use it again in the future for any other side projects. 

WordPress price : Free; hosting costs from a few dollars to thousands of dollars per month; plugins and themes cost from free to thousands of dollars per month.

Best blogging platform for getting started quickly

Wordpress.com.

WordPress.com pros:

The WordPress experience without some of the hassle

A fast and simple way to launch a great blog

WordPress.com cons:

More expensive and less customizable than hosting your own WordPress site

WordPress.com is a hosted version of WordPress , run by the developers. It's super simple to get up and running. There are free accounts, but you have to pay to get anything close to the full customizability of the self-hosted version.

If you've ever used the self-hosted version of WordPress, you'll be right at home with WordPress.com. The backend is just a slightly simpler version, with most of the customization options removed. It's still the same great Gutenberg post editor : Go to Posts > Add New , write your blog, click Publish , and it's live on the internet, ready for the rest of the world to see. You can also add other pages if you want to have some permanent content, like an about page or a contact page. Put an afternoon into it, and you'll easily have a full blog up and running—though it will certainly look more generic than the one you can set up with a self-hosted WordPress install.

To move much beyond a basic blog with a .wordpress.com domain, you need to subscribe to a paid plan. The $9/month Personal plan lets you use your own domain name, removes ads, and gives you email support. You're still stuck with a limited number of basic themes unless you buy a premium theme or pay for the $18/month Premium plan, which grants you access to more themes and styling options. It's not until you pay for the $40/month Business plan or $70 /month eCommerce plan that you can upload and use third-party themes and plugins, like you can with your own WordPress server.

If you want the WordPress experience (or at least everything but the customization) without all the hassle of self-hosting, then WordPress.com is a great option. It's super quick to get a simple blog started for free.

WordPress.com price : Free plan available; Premium plans start at $9/month.

Best WordPress alternative for most people

Ghost pros:

The best WordPress alternative out there—at least for blogging or building an audience

Lots of features like memberships and newsletter subscriptions built in

Ghost cons:

Less customizable than WordPress

WordPress has been around since the early 2000s. Over the years, it's picked up a lot of new features, and it definitely has its quirks. Some people consider it bloated and based on out-of-date, or at least not-in-vogue, technologies. The open source community surrounding it certainly isn't drama-free either. All this led John O'Nolan, a former WordPress developer, to create Ghost roughly a decade ago.

Ghost is designed to be a powerful, hassle-free blogging and audience management platform, especially for subscription-based publications. It's a bit more focused on blogging and publishing other content like newsletters than WordPress, which, after years of development, has a lot of CMS DNA.

Ghost has a similar business model to WordPress. The platform is free and open-source: anyone can download it and, provided they have the knowledge and resources to set up a server, run it for free. It's a little trickier to get off the ground than WordPress, as there are far fewer pre-configured options, but it's totally possible if you're determined. The developers also offer a hosted version, Ghost Pro, starting at $11/month. (Ghost is actually structured as a non-profit, so all the revenue from Ghost Pro is put back into developing the open source software.)

While Ghost started out as a pure blogging platform, it's leaned into the paid newsletter and community boom over the past couple of years. Think of it as a blog-based Patreon and Substack competitor. While you can easily turn off or ignore any of the subscription and membership features, if you want to charge people for access to premium posts, a weekly newsletter, and other extra content, the options are there. It's also a big factor in the pricing structure: the cheapest Ghost Pro plan is limited to 500 members, but essentially unlimited people can visit your site and read your free blog posts.

If you want something that's a bit more focused, Ghost is a great alternative to WordPress. Even if you don't want to use the membership features, you're still ignoring less of the platform and options than you are with WordPress if you're just trying to run a blog. Ghost—once you have it running or pay for Ghost Pro—offers a simpler experience overall, though you lose out on the raw freedom to add whatever features you want to your site. Still, a lot of things like SEO management and memberships that are available with plugins for WordPress come as standard with Ghost, so the relative lack of extensibility is unlikely to be an issue unless you're looking to build something truly custom.

Ghost also integrates with Zapier , so you can do things like share your new blog posts to Buffer or send Google Docs drafts straight into Ghost.

Share new posts from Ghost to Buffer

Send new drafts from Google Docs to Ghost

Ghost price : Free for self-hosted; from $11/month for Ghost Pro.

Best blogging tool for doing more than a blog

Makes it easy to build a great website—including a blog

Simpler to use than WordPress

Expensive compared to the other options

Most website builders make for a pretty poor blogging experience. They either tuck the blog tools away in some weird subsection, are just awful to use, or both. Wix is the exception. Not only is it easy to build a website with it, but setting up a blog—and most importantly, posting to your blog—is just as simple. 

When you start a site with Wix, you're asked to describe what you're trying to build. If you use the word "blog," it will literally add a blog. Then, in the Dashboard , you have a Blog section in the sidebar where you can write new posts, configure categories, and generally do bloggy things. It just works—and you can even import your old posts from WordPress. 

Really, Wix is a great option for two kinds of people: those that want an even easier WordPress alternative, and those that want to build a full website where a blog is just one part of things. 

WordPress has its quirks, and if you aren't tech-savvy, it can be tricky to get things set up exactly how you want. Wix's website builder is a lot easier to configure than installing WordPress themes and plugins. The catch is that you can get a WordPress blog set up with a custom domain for a couple of dollars a month; for similar features, you're looking at least at Wix's $16/month Light plan. If you're running a business, that might not be a big deal, but if you're starting a personal blog, the price can add up. 

Similarly, while millions of people have built full websites using WordPress, Wix makes it simpler. If you want an online store, web bookings, or even just a big website, Wix's easier-to-use tools may make for a more pleasant experience—especially if you're looking at paying for managed WordPress hosting anyway. And Wix integrates with Zapier , so if you decide to build out your website, you'll be able to connect it to the other apps you use most.

Wix price: Free plan available; paid plans start at $16/month.

Best blog site for using your custom domain for free

Blogger pros:

Lets you use your own domain for free

That's it

Blogger cons:

Really, it's not great

Blogger isn't a standout blogging platform in terms of features. Even after an update in 2020, the interface is pretty stripped back, the built-in themes aren't stellar, and you can't customize things like the post structure. The post editor, for example, mimics an even uglier version of Google Docs—which just doesn't make for a great blogging experience. I'm shocked Google hasn't killed it yet .

Really, it's impossible to recommend, except that Blogger has one key feature that keeps it on this list: you can use a domain you already own, for free. With WordPress.com, on the other hand, unless you pay $4/month, you're stuck with a blogname.wordpress.com URL.

Sign in to Blogger with your Google account, and create your first blog by clicking New Blog . Give it a name, and pick a theme. Then, click Settings in the sidebar, and under Publishing , select Custom Domain to add your custom domain name. Unfortunately, you can't buy one through Google anymore, so you'll need to configure things yourself with your domain registrar.

If you have a domain already and want to use it with your blog without any additional costs, or you just need somewhere to park a domain name so that it stays live, then Blogger is the service for you. But if you're looking for a more customizable blog that's under more active development, go with one of the other options.

Blogger price : Free, including using your own custom domain.

Which blogging platform should I use?

WordPress—whether self-hosted or through WordPress.com—is widely used for a reason: whatever you want your blog to be, it can do it. Ghost is more focused than WordPress but more expensive out of the gate; if you're starting a publication or newsletter, or just don't want to use WordPress, it's hard to find a better option. Wix is one of the best website builders—and it just so happens to be a decent blogging platform too. If you want the convenience of an easy-to-use site builder, it's a great choice. And while Blogger is ridiculously outdated, it's totally free—and you can use your own domain name.

Of course, there are lots of other blog platforms out there that didn't make our list. In particular, if you have developers on staff, a CMS like Joomla or Drupal, or even a headless CMS like Contentful, may be the best fit. They just aren't appropriate options for most people looking to start a blog.

Related reading:

The best AI website builders

The best journal apps

Here's what happened when I used AI to write a blog post

This article was originally published in July 2019. The most recent update was in August 2023.

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Harry Guinness

Harry Guinness is a writer and photographer from Dublin, Ireland. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Lifehacker, the Irish Examiner, and How-To Geek. His photos have been published on hundreds of sites—mostly without his permission.

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7 Best Blogging Platforms in 2023 — What Should You Choose?

Maddy Osman

Web Developer & Writer

Are you starting a new blog and wondering what the best blogging platform is?

With so many unique options available, choosing can be tricky.

For this article, we tested several of the best blogging sites to help you find the platform that suits your needs.

How To Choose the Best Blogging Platform

Before starting your blog, you must know what you want in a platform.

Here are some criteria to help you choose the best blogging site:

• Ease of use : Beginners need a user-friendly platform that’s easy to set up and manage and doesn’t require coding skills.
• Support : The best blogging sites offer customer support when you need help handling problems you can’t troubleshoot — whether they’re related to technical, sales, billing, payments, or experiences.
• Flexibility : The best blogging platforms give you room to grow (scalability) and let you customize the website’s layout or functionality.
• Data/content ownership : Do you publish controversial pieces? Some blogging platforms consider themselves third-party platforms, meaning they control your content. They can remove your content if you violate their terms of service, and you can quickly lose your content when the platform shuts down.
• Monetization options : Most people don’t start blogging to monetize their website , while some start blogs for that purpose. It’s good to know you have the option to add an online store, subscriptions, or ads to your blog.
• Cost : The best blogging platforms should fit your budget and have features that are worth the price. A free platform isn’t worth it if it doesn’t do what you need.

Best Blogging Sites

• WordPress.org
• WordPress.com

1. WordPress.org

Founded in 2003, WordPress is the world’s most popular content management system (CMS). It powers 43% of the internet — from personal blogs and small business websites like WebsiteSetup to enterprise websites such as Sony, TechCrunch, and the Meta Newsroom.

Best blogging platform for : Serious bloggers who want complete control over their website.

Support : DIY. This free blogging platform doesn’t have an in-house support team but has a massive community of passionate users, so there’s someone bound to answer your question.

If you run into issues with your WordPress blog, you can:

• Check WordPress documentation .
• Ask a question on WordPress’ support forum .
• Read tutorials.

Some web hosting companies are knowledgeable about WordPress and can offer technical assistance. In fact, WordPress recommends Bluehost , DreamHost , and SiteGround .

Customization : Highly customizable, thanks to thousands of free and paid WordPress themes and plugins. WordPress plugins extend functionality and add extra features.

Data ownership : You own your content.

Monetization Options : Plenty. You can display ads, participate in affiliate marketing, sell digital products, and create membership websites.

Pricing : WordPress software is open source and free to download, but you’ll need to purchase a web host and domain name.

Check out our reviews on different web hosting plans .

2. WordPress.com

Don’t confuse WordPress.com with WordPress.org.

WordPress software powers both platforms, but their similarities end there.

WordPress.com is a fully hosted service, making it more beginner friendly but more limiting than WordPress.org — especially on the free plan.

The free plan:

• Limits domain names to [yourname].wordpress.com.
• Displays ads.
• Comes with limited built-in plugins.

Best blogging platform for : Small hobby blogs.

Support : None on the free and Personal plans. Live chat is available starting with the Premium plan.

Customization : Average. Users on the higher-tiered plans can use premium themes, install more plugins, and access advanced search engine optimization (SEO) tools.

Data ownership : WordPress.com owns your data.

Monetization Options : None on the free and Personal plans. Users to earn ad revenue on the Premium plan or higher.

Pricing : Limited free version available. Paid plans start at $4/month when billed annually.

With over 200 million users worldwide, Wix is a popular website builder primarily used to help small business owners create their websites easily.

Its blogging tool is popular with beginners because of its easy setup and built-in SEO tools.

Best blogging platform for : Beginners

Support : Ticketing, knowledge base, and phone support (for VIP clients) are available.

Customization : Wix allows you to customize your website using a drag-and-drop editor, an extensive collection of apps and integrations, and professional-looking templates.

Wix can also propose a design for your website using its Artificial Design Intelligence (ADI) software, Editor X. However, once you choose a template, you can’t change it.

Data ownership : According to Wix guidelines , you own your website data and content.

Monetization Options : Average. Wix offers a few monetization options , such as adding Google ads, creating blog post subscriptions, and adding a paywall.

Pricing : Limited free plan available. Paid plans start at $8.50/month when billed annually.

4. Ghost.org

Founded in 2013, Ghost is an open-source blogging platform created as a more streamlined WordPress alternative. Ghost uses JavaScript (WordPress uses PHP and MySQL).

Like WordPress, it’s available as open-source software (Ghost) and a hosted platform (Ghost [Pro]). Ghost is for developers or users with more advanced technical know-how. Ghost (Pro) is for creators with monetizable audiences.

Best blogging platform for : Minimalist bloggers.

Support : Knowledge base and forums available. Ghost (Pro) also includes email support on basic plans and a dedicated account manager on higher-tiered plans.

Customizations : Plenty of customization features thanks to thousands of paid and free themes and integrations (Ghost’s version of plugins). Ghost also has built-in SEO and social sharing tools and supports third-party integrations.

Data ownership : Ghost gives you ownership and access to your content, members, and membership data.

Monetization Options : Multiple, like WordPress.org. With Ghost, you can:

• Start a membership website.
• Offer subscriptions.
• Become an affiliate.
• Display ads.
• Create an e-commerce store by adding the Snipcart integration.

Pricing : For the self-hosted option, you’ll need a web host and your own domain name.

We recommend hosting plans such as A2 Hosting and DigitalOcean . They may not have a free domain, but these powerful hosting providers can keep up with Ghost. DigitalOcean also offers one-click installation for Ghost.

The Ghost (Pro) fully managed hosted solution starts at $9/month when billed annually. Additional features include SSL and CDN, custom domain, and support.

Twitter co-founder Evan Williams started Medium in 2012 so users could create posts longer than Twitter’s then-140 characters. It has a large pool of users — including former U.S. President Barack Obama .

People can sign up for free, choosing between two types of Medium accounts — writers and members (readers).

Writers can earn revenue through the Medium Partner Program. Readers can sign up for a paid membership to read additional articles outside their three free monthly article limit.

Best blogging platform for : Writers with a built-in audience.

Support : Ticketing and knowledge base available.

Customization : Medium allows you to embed content from other platforms, set domain names, and connect to email and social media accounts. However, it has limited customization options — almost all blogs look identical.

Data ownership : Medium controls your content. Also, it may be difficult to transfer your audience from Medium to another platform.

Monetization Options : Limited. The Medium Partner Program allows you to earn in two ways: the number of members referred and the time people spend reading your articles.

Pricing : Free plan available. Membership starts at $5/month.

Founded in 1999 and acquired by Google in 2003, Blogger is one of the original blogging platforms.

Like Medium, it’s a great no-fuss solution if you want to start writing. Because Google owns it, you can easily sign up for free using your Google account. Blogger also integrates well with other Google offerings. For example, you can store images on Google Drive.

Free blog URLs appear as [yourname].blogspot.com, but you can also buy custom domains.

Best blogging platform for : Personal websites.

Support : The Blogger Help Center is the knowledge base. It also has a community forum.

Customization : Limited. Free predesigned themes are available, but you can purchase paid themes from marketplaces like ThemeForest and Etsy. Blogger also offers a password-protection feature to limit access to personal content.

Data ownership : You own your content, but Blogger controls it. Google runs the service and can shut it down whenever you violate its Terms of Service .

Monetization Options : Limited. You can display ads on your blog if you have an active Google AdSense account.

Pricing : Free. The only cost you might incur is if you want to buy a custom domain. Check out the best places to purchase a domain name .

In 2007, Tumblr started as a microblogging website highlighting multimedia content, such as audio, video, and GIFs.

Tumblr differs from other popular blogging platforms because of its social networking element. When you log in, you’ll see scrollable posts on the feed from accounts you follow — just like Instagram. You can re-blog (or share) these posts with a click and even add comments.

Since its inception, Tumblr has always had a predominantly young audience base. Nearly half of its 135 million active users are from Gen Z.

Best blogging platform for : Microblogging.

Support : Knowledge base and ticketing system available.

Customization : Limited customization options. Free and premium predesigned themes are available. You can also purchase themes from external marketplaces like Theme Atlantic and Creative Market. Tumblr also offers password protection to limit access to personal content.

Data ownership : On Tumblr, you own your content, but Tumblr controls it. It removes content that violates its Terms of Service.

You can save and migrate your files should you want to transfer to a different blogging platform, but it can be tricky because of Tumblr’s format.

Monetization Options : Limited. In 2021, Tumblr introduced Post+ for beta creators to monetize their content.

Pricing : Free. The only cost you might incur is if you want to buy a custom domain name.

7 Best Blogging Sites — What’s Your Pick?

When starting a blog, the question isn’t whether there are available platforms — it’s what platform to choose. Each has different features, pros, and cons.

Before picking the best blogging platform, determine your needs, goals, and preferences to make the decision easier.

Here at WebsiteSetup , we like the self-hosted WordPress because it’s powerful and flexible.

What do you consider the best blogging website? Let us know in the comments below.

8 Best Blogging Platforms For 2024: Free & Paid Options Compared

Planning to start a blog but not sure which blogging platform to use? We’ve got you covered.

If you’re a beginner, you’ll want to look for a platform that makes it easy to set up your website without any coding. It should be SEO-friendly, offer extensive customization options, and be flexible enough that it leaves room for growth.

In this post, I’m comparing. the best blogging platforms that fit the bill.

I’ll be reviewing and comparing each blogging platform in detail to help you find the best solution for your needs.

What is the best blogging platform? Our top picks

This post is going to go into plenty of detail to make sure you have all the information you need to make an informed decision on choosing the best blogging platform right for your needs.

But if you don’t have time to read it all, here’s the short version. 

Our top recommendations for the best blogging platforms are:

• WordPress.org with DreamHost – The overall best blogging platform for beginners and experienced bloggers alike, thanks to complete flexibility and ownership.
• Squarespace – The best blogging platform for simplicity and the easiest one to learn.

Of course, these aren’t the only options out there, and there’s a lot more to say about each of them. Read on and we’ll tell you everything you need to know.

#1 – WordPress.org with DreamHost

WordPress (hosted with DreamHost) is the best blogging platform for beginners and experienced bloggers. Close to 40% of the websites on the internet are powered by WordPress.org.

The reason WordPress is so popular is because of how flexible and scalable it is. It’s an open-source content management system (CMS) that gives you complete control over every single aspect of your blog.

Because it’s open-source, anyone can create their own WordPress themes or plugins and make them available for others to install on their site. As a result, there are nearly 60,000 free plugins in the WordPress plugin library and countless more paid ones.

You can use these plugins to customize your site and extend its functionality. For example, want to add a live chat box to your blog? There’s a plugin for that. 

Or perhaps you’d like to create and add some lead collection forms to help grow your audience? There’s a plugin for that too. 

And there are other reasons to choose WordPress aside from its flexibility. For example, it’s the best choice when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO) as it has plenty of SEO features baked in. 

You can also take advantage of plugins like Yoast to help you optimize your site and written content. If you’re planning on driving visitors to your blog from organic search, this is super important.

Blogging on WordPress is fairly straightforward. The Gutenberg editor allows you to layout your blog content in neat ‘blocks’. You can embed images, videos, graphs, charts, or pretty much anything else without having to mess around with code.

The downside of WordPress is that it does have a bit of a learning curve. You’ll need to spend a lot more time managing the back-end to make the most out of it.

Hosting your WordPress blog

Unlike most of the other blogging platforms on this list, WordPress.org isn’t a complete blogging platform solution – it’s a self-hosted solution that only provides the software you need to actually build your blog. You need to sign up for a web hosting service separately.

We recommend DreamHost for beginners to WordPress. It’s affordable, includes solid support, offers excellent speed/performance, and makes for a great blogging platform to build upon for the future. It also comes with WordPress pre-installed so it’s super easy to get started with once you sign up.

Plus, due to the flexibility of WordPress.org, you can always upgrade to another host at any point in the future if you so choose. 

Pros and cons of WordPress.org with DreamHost

DreamHost’s shared WordPress hosting packages (which come with WordPress pre-installed and a free domain name) currently start from just $2.59 per month. Note that this may be an introductory offer and regular prices may vary.

DreamHost offers a 97-day money-back guarantee if you’re not happy.

#2 – Squarespace

Squarespace is a popular all-in-one website building platform that makes it easy to create beautiful websites from scratch using an intuitive drag-and-drop editor.

It’s ideal for beginner bloggers and small business owners who want to start growing their online presence as it’s super simple and easy to learn – their setup wizard walks you through every step. 

You don’t need any design or coding skills to get started. Simply choose a professionally designed website template from Squarespace’s extensive library, add your blog page, customize the design and layout to make it match your branding and storytelling style, and start creating your content.

All templates can be extensively customized. You can choose between a ton of different designs, color palettes, fonts, and flexible layout options. For example, you might choose to display your blog posts side-by-side, in a basic grid layout, or in a single column. 

Squarespace also gives you access to free images on Unsplash and allows you to tweak them by using the built-in photo editing features. 

Once you’ve started creating content, you can promote your blog posts using Squarespace’s integrated suite of powerful marketing tools and track your blog traffic through robust in-built analytics. 

Unlike WordPress.org, Squarespace takes care of the hosting side of things for you. You also get a free custom domain name, SSL Security, and access to 24/7 support when you sign up for a paid plan.

Pros and cons of Squarespace

Squarespace plans start from $12 per month if you sign up for an annual subscription. You can also try it out for free before you buy.

#3 – Medium

Medium is somewhere between a blogging platform and a social media site. It provides an easy way for bloggers and journalists to publish their writing to a platform with a large audience, without having to set up their own website.

Medium isn’t like the other blogging platforms on this list – and it certainly isn’t for everyone. It’s a place where anyone can create their own page on the Medium domain (https://medium.com/@yourname) and start writing and publishing content. 

Because you’ll be writing for an existing site, you don’t need to build your own from scratch, which makes it an easy option. Medium also has a huge existing community of readers, which makes your posts more visible right from the get-go.

The tradeoff, of course, is that you won’t have complete ownership, or be able to monetize your traffic in the same way as you would if you published to your own site. 

That isn’t to say you can’t make any money. The Medium Partner Program allows writers to get paid for their articles based on how much engagement it generates. If you can craft a post with lots of viral potential, there’s no reason you can’t make a good income from it. 

Pros and cons of Medium

It’s free for creators to sign up to Medium and join the Partner Program. 

#4 – WordPress.com

WordPress.com (not to be confused with WordPress.org; our number one spot) is a WordPress blog hosting service powered by Automattic. It’s a popular choice for hobby bloggers who want to get started quickly.

Remember how we mentioned that WordPress.org is the open-source software you use to build your blog, but that it doesn’t provide web hosting? 

Well, WordPress.com does. It’s a freemium hosting platform built with the same WordPress CORE software. It was created by the founder of WordPress.org as a way to make it easy for users to set up a live WordPress blog.

Read more: WordPress.com vs WordPress.org

The great thing about WordPress.com is that it’s free, as long as you’re happy with a WordPress branded subdomain (e.g. https://yourwebsite.wordpress.com), ads, and very limited customization options. This makes it a good choice for hobbyists that aren’t too concerned about branding, traffic, or monetization.

If you want your own domain or to unlock additional customization options, storage, and other features, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan. 

Pros and cons of WordPress.com

You can get started with WordPress.com for free on a subdomain, but you’ll have WordPress.com ads and branding on your site. 

Paid plans start at $4 per month. Upgrading to a paid plan will remove the WordPress ads from your site and allow you to use your own custom domain.

#5 – Ghost

Ghost is a relatively new blogging platform that was founded in 2013 following a successful Kickstarter campaign. It takes a minimalist approach to content management and is designed specifically to meet the needs of bloggers and journalists.

You can think of Ghost as a younger, more exciting version of WordPress. The founders were aiming to revolutionize professional publishing and wanted to build a fantastic open-source platform around that specific use case.

The difference between WordPress and Ghost is that WordPress tries to be flexible enough for everything, whereas Ghost focuses specifically on offering the best possible publishing experience.

As part of that goal, Ghost has implemented a rich editor with flexible post formatting for the best possible writing experience. 

The blogging platform also has a built-in suite of tools designed to help writers develop audience relationships. This includes registration forms, membership management tools, subscription support, native SEO features, and more.

And unlike WordPress, all these features are included right out of the box – you don’t need to install any extra plugins. 

Ghost also claims to be up to 1,900% faster than WordPress thanks to the modern technology stack it’s built on. Over 2.5 million bloggers and journalists have installed Ghost to date.

Pros and cons of Ghost

Like WordPress, the core Ghost application is available for free under an open-source license. The company also offers a premium platform for people who want a managed hosting service and the best possible experience.

Paid plans start from $9/month. You can also take advantage of a 14-day free trial.

#6 – Tumblr

Tumblr is a popular microblogging platform with built-in social networking features. It’s completely free and perfect for hobbyists.

Tumblr is another solution that’s somewhere between a blogging platform and a social network. 

In its heyday, Tumblr was one of the most successful social media platforms around. It was the place to go to share your thoughts and connect with others and has powered over 533.9 million blogs to date.

It might not be as popular as it once was, but it still has a thriving community with over 450 million users. Anyone can sign up to the publishing platform for free and publish engaging multimedia blog content to tap into this huge audience of potential readers.

Aside from publishing content, you can also take advantage of the platform’s social networking features like social sharing and reblogging tools to connect with your audience and grow your readership.

Related: How to get more followers on Tumblr

Pros and cons of Tumblr

Tumblr is completely free to use with a Tumblr subdomain.

If you want to connect a custom domain name to your account, you’ll have to purchase one separately from a registrar like GoDaddy or Bluehost.

Premium Tumblr themes are also available; costs range from $9 to $49.

Read more: WordPress vs Tumblr

#7 – Weebly

Weebly is a powerful, free website builder and eCommerce blogging platform that’s owned by Square’s payment solution. 

It was founded in 2007 and powers over 50 million websites. Weebly’s front-end website builder is easy to use, and it offers one of the best catalogs of fully customizable, professionally-designed themes around. 

Even if you’re a total beginner, you’ll find it easy to create a website to host your blog with Weebly. You can implement stunning effects like Parallax scrolling in just a few clicks, and with no coding required.

You can use the blog feature to write and publish posts, and utilize their collection of free blog templates to help with the design element.

The blogging platform also comes with tools to help you with your marketing efforts. You can use them to build your newsletter, promote your posts on social media, optimize your site for SEO, and more.

Pros and cons of Weebly

Weebly is free for basic use, but you’ll be limited to a Weebly branded subdomain. 

Paid plans that allow you to connect a custom domain start at $6/month.

#8 – Blogger

Last but not least, let’s talk about Blogger – a free blogging service by Google that offers a quick, hassle-free way to start your own blog.

Blogger has been around for a long-time. It was launched all the way back in 1999, which makes it one of the early pioneers of internet blogging. 

While not as popular as it once was, Blogger is still a popular blogging platform, especially amongst hobbyists. It’s completely free to use, and you can get started in minutes. All you have to do is sign up, choose a template, and start writing. 

Of course, like other free blogging platforms, you’re limited to a branded subdomain (https://yoursite.blogspot.com/), so it’s not as suitable for businesses or serious bloggers that want to host their blog on a site under their own branding.

Read more: WordPress vs Blogger

Pros and cons of Blogger

Blogger is completely free to use. If you want to connect your own custom domain, you’ll need to purchase one separately. 

Blogging platforms FAQ

We’ve covered a lot of ground already, but you may have a bunch of questions.

So, to help you out, I’ve put together a detailed FAQ section to help.

This includes which platforms I recommend for certain circumstances. If you’re still unsure, these will be well worth checking out.

A blogging platform is a type of content management system that powers your blog.

It provides an easy way for you to publish content, and edit it without having to mess around with code.

Making your blog look great is easy – many platforms provide themes/templates that change the layout with a few clicks of a button. And more than that, blogging platforms have evolved to become more than just blogging platforms.

You can use them for entire websites, or more complicated projects such as e-commerce stores, or more niche websites such as job sites (this is possible with the self-hosted version of WordPress).

We use the self-hosted version of WordPress because it gives us complete ownership and control over our content.

There is an incredible community surrounding WordPress. This means we can expand functionality with WordPress plugins, and have a wide range of themes to choose from.

With most platforms, if you want to do something that only a few people are asking for – it’ll probably never happen. But with WordPress (self-hosted), chances are someone has already created a plugin for it. The community is incredible.

We’re also free to monetize in the way we choose. And if we encounter an issue with our web host, we can simply migrate to another host (most web hosts offer free migration now).

And for a website that covers WordPress, it’d be kinda weird if we didn’t, right?!

The self-hosted version of WordPress, WordPress.org is the way to go if your goal is to earn money from your blog.

Most blog platforms have basic functionality that is helpful from an SEO standpoint.

Where most platforms fall down is if you use a free blog without using your own domain. Google could start to see your blog as an authority, but if there’s no way to ‘transfer’ that SEO work you’ve done to your new platform – your hard work would be wasted.

Overall, self-hosted WordPress is the best because you get the option to use purpose-built SEO plugins . And you always need a custom domain which is critical.

If you want to blog for a hobby, then most of the free platforms would do the job.

That said, Medium is a great option because it’s easy to use, it has a slick user interface and offers access to their built-in audience.

If you can see yourself getting serious about blogging, and earning money from it – the self-hosted version of WordPress is the way to go.

There’s a bigger learning curve, but it’s fairly easy to get started because most web hosts have a one-click install feature. And there are plenty of video tutorials on the web.

Just remember: free blogging platforms can vanish overnight or change a policy that means you’ll need to switch platforms and lose your audience. This typically happens when not using a custom domain name.

Medium.com is the best free blogging platform, in my opinion. It’s simple and looks beautiful. You also have the chance to get traffic to your articles from their built-in audience.

Medium.com – nothing else comes close.

With WordPress, you have their flagship blogging platform “WordPress.com.”

This is a hosted platform which offers a way to setup a free blog using a “.wordpress.com” domain. You can choose to use a custom domain if you wish.

You can then choose to upgrade to a paid plan for more features.

The other version of WordPress is “WordPress.org” – this is their self-hosted, and open-source blogging software that anyone can install on a web host of their choice for free.

You have to pay to host it, but the software itself is free. And most web-hosts have a “1-click” installation process that makes it super easy to set-up.

If you want to truly own your blog, and unlock it’s potential – this is the platform to use.

Most platforms support this but not all of them. So, it’s worth checking first. For example, Medium used to offer this feature but it was removed some time ago.

You’ll always lose some traffic when migrating to a different platform. For example, if you use Medium’s built-in audience for traffic – you won’t get that anymore. Although you can repurpose your content on Medium, although it’s recommended that you only do this with content that you don’t want to rank in Google.

But you can retain some traffic from Google, and direct visits.

The only way to do this is to start your free blog with a custom domain from a company like Namecheap (it’s less than $10/year).

Once you switch over to a self-hosted platform, your URL structure (e.g. myblog.com/2019/name-of-post/), may change but you can add redirect rules so anyone clicking on the old links will be directed to the new ones.

However, there is a way around this if you use WordPress.com and don’t have a custom domain name.

You can purchase a ‘site redirect’ which will forward your traffic to the new website. This does require you picking the same permalinks on your self-hosted site, so they match the ones in your old WordPress.com blog.

When it comes to free platforms, you get what you pay for. Or rather, what you don’t pay for.

Here are a number of downsides to consider:

• You have minimal control over your “own” website/blog. Because they’re hosting your blog, it does not belong to you.
• You will have “.blogspot” or “.wordpress.com” at the end of your domain. Unless you pay premium prices to have your own domain with most free platforms.
• You don’t have access to plugins (that increase the functionality of your website). As you would on a self-hosted blogging platform, like WordPress.org.
• Each platform differs – but typically you have very few blogging themes to choose from. With WordPress.com you now have the ability to access themes (and plugins), But, it comes at an extremely high-price.
• If you break a rule (that you may not have intentionally broken or known you even broke), you’ll lose your blog . You may get a backup of your blog, if you’re lucky. But that’s not guaranteed. This proves to be too much uncertainty for most bloggers.
• If you lose your website you lose all of your well-earned blog traffic. That’s right, you start over from scratch.
• You have to start over when it comes to SEO.
• Difficult to switch to a new platform. Certain free platforms make it near impossible to make an easy switch to a new platform – especially if you want to switch to a better platform, like self-hosted Wordpress.
• If you were ranking well on Google before – you can say goodbye to that. You will need to start over with any organic traffic. Those keywords you choose with precision? You’ll be starting fresh.
• They’re free.
• Excellent option if you are looking to craft a hobby blog . One that’s strictly for family and friends and you don’t have future plans of monetizing.
• They’re not self-hosted . So you don’t have to worry about hosting.
• Security is taken care of for you . So you don’t need to install a plugin for security like you would on self-hosted WordPress.org.
• Less maintenance, and ease of use.
• Great for experimentation .
• Good opportunity to get your toes wet in blogging . Before you invest in something more substantial.

But is it really worth it to take the gamble that comes with free blogging platforms?

Personally, I don’t think most of them are –  I think the cons greatly outweigh any pros, any day.

But, they do have their place on the web and are ideal under certain circumstances.

If your blog platform is the foundation of your house, the hosting is giving your blog a space to live.

Here’s how web hosting works:

Every website has to be stored somewhere. They’re stored on big computers that are plugged directly into the internet, usually known as ‘web servers’.

Web hosts sell space on these servers to customers. And because they put multiple customers on the same server, the price of hosting is far cheaper, particularly for casual users.

They provide support, and they provide software that makes it easy to use the hosting server.

All you need to do is sign up for an account, get your own domain name, point it to your server and install your blogging platform of choice.

Throughout this post, I’ve mentioned the term ‘domain name’ multiple times.

Here’s what this means:

Whenever you type a web address into the search bar of your browser, you’re entering a ‘domain name’.

For example, ours is ‘bloggingwizard.com’.

The ‘.com’ part of a domain name is called a ‘top-level domain’, or TLD. Of which there are many. But ‘.com’ tends to be the most widely used.

You need to purchase one from a domain registrar. We recommend Namecheap , but plenty of domain registration companies can be used.

Most web hosts offer this service as well. Some even go as far to offer free domain names with their hosting services.

We don’t recommend you use this. Free is great but it makes it difficult to move away from them in the future. Keeping them separate is also better for security purposes.

The blog platform you use, or your web host (if you use self-hosted WordPress, for example), will give you something called ‘Domain Name Servers’.

Or DNS for short. They’re usually included in your welcome email. Or if you’re unsure, you can ask the support team of the platform or host you’re using.

They usually appear something like this; ns1.mywebhost.com and ns2.mywebhost.com .

Once you have the details, head over to the website you purchased your domain names from and log in.

They will have a dashboard that asks for custom DNS details. Here’s an example from our Namecheap account:

Just click save and the DNS information will begin to ‘propagate’ – it can take up to 48 hours for this process to happen, usually it will be a lot sooner.

Naming a blog can be difficult, but we have an entire blog post dedicated to helping you find the perfect name for your blog.

Click here to read our guide to choosing a blog name you won’t regret.

First, you’ll need to decide on your niche. Read our article on how to choose a niche , if you need help with that.

Next, check out our post on what to blog about .

Choosing the best blogging platforms for your business

Choosing the best blogging platform is vital as it can literally make or break the success of your blog, so it’s important to make the right decision.

If you’re still not sure which option is right for you, here’s a reminder of our top three recommendations:

• Choose WordPress.org with DreamHost if you want the best all-around option and complete control.
• If simplicity is important to you, go for Squarespace . It’s super easy to use and includes everything you need.

If you’re looking for the best free blogging platforms consider trying Medium, Tumblr or Blogger. There are limitations, however, it’ll get your content out there.

We hope you found this helpful. Good luck!

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Adam is one of the top 50 content marketers in the world, according to BuzzSumo and Semrush. He has more than a decade of experience in the marketing space and previously managed marketing campaigns for 8 figure brands. Now he's sharing everything he knows to help you turn your passion into profit. Subscribe to get his best tips .

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7 Best Free Blogging Platforms 2024

Published: Feb 21, 2024, 9:59am

Reviewed By

Important Disclosure: The content provided does not consider your particular circumstances and does not constitute personal advice. Some of the products promoted are from our affiliate partners from whom we receive compensation. Read More

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Blogging platforms offer the ability to customise your blog experience and functionality depending on your level of expertise and long-term goals. In this guide, we evaluated blog sites based on their ease of use, optional costs and fees, customisation levels, added features and customer support. We’ve selected WordPress.org, Wix, Weebly, Drupal, Craft CMS, Write.as and Medium as the best free blogging platforms of 2024.

Create A Blog With Wix

Easy to use drag-and-drop builder, 900+ customisable templates, free plan available.

Via Wix’s Secure Website

• Featured Partner

The Best Free Blogging Platforms of 2024

Methodology, what is a blogging platform, how to choose a free blogging platform, which blogging platform is best for small business owners, do i need a website to start a blog, how do bloggers make money, which free blogging platform is best for making money, frequently asked questions (faqs).

• Best Website Builders
• Best E-Commerce Platforms
• Best Blogging Platforms
• Best Cheap Website Builders
• Best Free Website Builders
• Best Shopify Alternatives
• Best Web Hosting Services
• Best WordPress Hosting
• Best Antivirus Software

Starting Price

Free plan; £9 per month

Drag-and-Drop Interface

Standout Features

Free plan available, 900+ designer-made templates

On Wix’s Website

£1 per month

Professional templates, multiple language translations & site analytics

Via IONOS’s Secure Website

Starting price

Free plan; £6.99 per month

Drag and Drop Interface

Standout features

Uses AI for quick design, Full digital marketing suite included

On GoDaddy’s Secure Website

• Wix :  Best for niche bloggers
• Weebly :  Best for ease of use
• WordPress : Best for deeply customisable blogs
• Drupal :  Best for blogs with large and diverse audiences
• Craft CMS :  Best for agency content managers
• Write.as :  Best for distraction-free blogging
• Medium :  Best for large prebuilt audience

Best for Niche Bloggers

Free templates

Connect custom domain in free plan, free drag-and-drop builder.

Wix’s free plan offers an assigned URL (accountname.wixsite.com/siteaddress), 500MB of storage and bandwidth, plus web hosting. Creating a Wix blogging site is a simple process. You can either choose from over 800 website templates and use its “what you see is what you get” (WYSIWYG) editor to build a custom site or you can answer a few questions and Wix will create the site for you. You will likely need to further tweak the automated site to your needs and wants but Wix’s automated websites are a good start for building a quick and attractive blog.

As with many free plans, there are some limiting factors that will very likely encourage you to upgrade as soon as possible. Wix ads appear on every website page. You also cannot add a custom domain even if you buy one elsewhere. Finally, you cannot sell any items on the free site. However, you can set up a fully functioning blogging website with the free plan, then upgrade to a premium plan when you are able.

Its most affordable Light plan is £7.50 per month and offers 2GB of storage, a custom domain (free for one year), an SSL certificate, and 24/7 support. Its reported best-value Business plan is £20 per month and offers everything in the Light plan plus a logo, social media logo files,10 hours of video, 100GB of storage space and visitor analytics (so you know how your posts perform). Core and Business Elite plans are £14 to £119 per month.

Learn More:  Read our full  Wix review .

Who should use it:

Wix is best for companies needing a website catered to a niche market, such as a tech, music or coaching blog. With hundreds of templates, niche bloggers can quickly create a blogging website that uniquely speaks to their niche audience.

• Lots of blog templates
• Highly customisable
• Drag-and-drop builder
• Affordable premium plans
• Easy to use
• Automated website-design functionality available
• Mobile friendly
• Wix ads in free plan
• Limited storage and bandwidth in free plan
• Cannot connect a custom domain to free plan
• Pricier premium plans compared to some competitors

Best for Ease of Use

Weebly’s free plan offers a WYSIWYG editor to build a free blog. Design options include custom fonts, parallax and reveal animation effects, an image editor, video backgrounds and custom design capabilities via HTML/CSS and JavaScript (JS). The plan further offers an SSL certificate (for website security), a shopping cart, unlimited e-commerce items, inventory management, a tax calculator, SEO and lead capture tools and chat and email support.

Weebly’s free plan offers a limited 500MB of storage. You will also have to use a Weebly-branded subdomain instead of a custom domain that matches your brand. You will need to upgrade to a premium plan to use a custom domain. It also does not offer phone support if you run into an issue while building or managing your blog. Finally, unless you upgrade to the Professional or Performance premium plan, Square ads will appear on your blog pages.

While Weebly’s free plan offers a means to get your blog started, its premium plans will undoubtedly offer more features to take your blog to the next level. Starting with the very affordable £5-per-month (if billed annually) Personal plan, you can connect a custom domain to your blog. Its £9-per-month (if billed annually) Professional plan further offers blog-friendly features including unlimited storage, analytics, a free domain, an ad-free blogging experience and phone support.

With over 50 website themes to choose from, a WYSIWYG editor, free website hosting, a dashboard where you can manage your whole website from one place, a drag-and-drop photo editor, automatically mobile-responsive sites and an extensive library of royalty-free images, Weebly is one of the easiest blogging platforms to use. As such, it is best for brands or individuals looking for an overly easy and customisable blog-design experience.

• Very beginner-friendly site editor
• Built-in e-commerce tools
• Free image library
• Free photo editor
• Affordable paid plans
• Highly customisable via optional code-based design capabilities
• Very limited storage in free plan
• No ability to connect your own domain in free plan
• No phone support in free plan
• Square ads in free and first-tier premium plan

Best for Deeply Customisable Blogs

Wordpress.org.

Yes, via plugin options

WordPress.org is open-source software, meaning you can use it to build your blog for free. Its abundant features offered via plugins and themes make building your blog relatively easy compared to some other open-source options. There are over 55,000 plugins available to users—many of them for free—including drag-and-drop builders. You can combine this drag-and-drop functionality with free templates to create a custom blog site easily.

As open-source software, WordPress.org does not come with website hosting or a domain. You’ll need to buy them elsewhere and connect them to your WordPress account. However, many hosting services offer a free domain with their paid plans. GoDaddy, for example, offers a free domain with WordPress hosting starting at £3.99 per month. Hosting providers’ customer support is often willing to help plan users add hosting and a domain to a WordPress account.

WordPress.org is best for bloggers who want a deeply customised site with no need for coding experience.

• Free, open-source platform
• Drag-and-drop builder plugins available
• Free templates available
• Affordable hosting available
• Endless functionality expansion options via a 55,000 plugin directory
• Connect a custom domain
• Must pay for domain
• Must pay for hosting
• Steeper learning curve compared to some competitors

Best for Blogs with Large and Diverse Audiences

Free themes

Yes, via drag-and-drop builder modules

Drupal is free open-source content management system [CMS]. You can download the software for free to build your blog. The beauty of Drupal is that it can be used for blogs with high volumes of traffic and customised with granularity. An endless array of plugins allow you to expand your blog’s functionality. If you can imagine it, you can build it with Drupal. But most Drupal developers customise their blogs via coding, which requires a steep learning curve.

Drupal allows you to reach large and diverse audiences. Its analytics offer the ability to deeply segment audiences, then send content via email based on demographic, interest and behavior. Accessibility tools mean you can reach audiences that need unique support to access your content, such as structured metadata that is readable by screen readers. Further, Drupal’s multilingual capabilities automatically translate content into over 100 languages.

Despite it being free open-source software to download, building a publishable website via Drupal can be costly when all is said and done. You must pay for hosting and for a domain name. A hosting provider will ensure your website can be made accessible to your audiences once it is built. Further, if you want a customised Drupal blogging site and are not versed in coding, you will have to pay a developer.

Drupal offers the ability to reach large audiences but its design process comes with a steep learning curve. For this reason, it is best for developers who are building blogs for large brands and their large audiences.

• Great for high-volume blogs with high bandwidth
• Free open-source software
• Drag-and-drop functionality through Drupal modules
• Audience accessibility tools
• High-security platform
• Steep learning curve
• Must pay for third-party hosting
• Custom domain not included
• May require assistance from a developer

Best for Agency Content Managers

Craft CMS offers a free forever plan with content organisation features [such as categories and fields], the ability to run multiple related sites on one account, localisation capabilities and a single admin account. The platform offers advanced content management features such as built-in category and tag support and Structures [which store content in a set hierarchy or order]. Craft CMS’s Matrix also allows you to create mixed-content posts easily.

If you are a content manager at an agency, you may want to build content projects for clients. The free plan limits your ability to do so by restricting users to only one admin account, control panel branding (that adds a professional look for clients) and developer support. In addition to these limitations, as open-source free software, you will have to pay for a hosting solution and custom domain.

So, if you would like to build a professional blog with advanced content strategy for a client, it is best to go with Craft CMS’s paid plans. The good news is you can pay per project. Its £240.87 ($299)*-per-project Pro plan, for example, gives you unlimited user accounts, enhanced content previewing, system branding, developer support, one year of updates and more. Then, updates cost £47.53 ($59)* per year. You can pass that cost to clients or have them pay a fee to keep the blog site updated.

Craft CMS is best for content strategists who are looking to create a great reading experience with a highly organised blog, using features such as tags, content categories and content hierarchies. It is also for individuals with technical developer skills needing to create a custom blogging experience.

* conversion 5 June 2023

• Free forever plan available
• Advanced content management features
• Mixed content types
• Free version available
• Expensive paid plans
• Must use HTML/CSS or JS for web page development
• No drag-and-drop builder
• Requires third-party hosting

Best for Distraction-Free Blogging

Write.as used to offer a free platform for building a minimalist blog. However, in the last year, it has transitioned to completely paid plans. To continue servicing people who want to blog for free, Write.as provides the WriteFreely open-source software. Using WriteFreely, you can build a minimalist blog without the distractions of traditional blogging. This means there are no claps, likes, alerts or comments to distract you from your primary task of writing.

However, as open-source software, it doesn’t offer free blog hosting. You will also have to pay for a custom domain if you want to brand your site. So, you will likely need to turn to Write.as’ paid plans to make WriteFreely’s deployment easy. The Write.as Pro plan is £4.83 ($6)* a month [if billed annually] and hosts up to three personal blogs, unlimited posts per day, unlimited views per month, a custom domain with SSL, email publishing and up to 500 newsletter subscribers.

Bloggers who are looking for a distraction-free environment to help them push past writer’s block and freely express their ideas should consider Write.as. In addition, writers who would like to publish their thoughts anonymously should consider Write.as.

• Distraction-free writing
• Anonymous posting
• Community support
• Must learn Markdown syntax
• Limited customisation options
• Extremely limited customer support
• No custom domain or hosting

Best for Large Pre-Built Audience

Connect a custom domain in free plan

Medium is a blogging platform to which anyone can add content. Similar to starting a Facebook or LinkedIn profile, users simply sign up for an account, create a profile and publish content. The good news is that Medium already has a large audience. Since its founding in 2012, it has built an audience of 100 million strong and enjoys a 140% year-over-year visitor increase. You can create a personal blog on the platform or a publication with a branded domain.

Of course, the downside to building a free blog on Medium is that you cannot design a website nor use a custom domain that represents your brand. You also cannot have multiple contributors to your blog.

Medium Publications can help you get around these limitations but you must pay for a subscription at £4.03 ($5)* a month to do so. A subscription allows you to enjoy a custom domain, promo blocks for your publication’s home page, links to a feature page, a lead generation form, a post or an external link (such as your website), background colors and image options and call-to-action buttons. You can also invite contributors to your publication based on their subject matter expertise. You can even reach readers by delivering stories to their inboxes.

Companies that want an instant audience on a low budget should consider Medium.

• Access to an instant audience
• Easy publication process
• Free blog platform
• No learning curve
• No design experience needed
• No coding required
• No free branded domain
• Must pay to invite contributors
• Must pay for custom-branded blog

As we reviewed platforms for potential inclusion in this best-of list, we looked for providers that offer an easy blogging experience but also took into account the different technical experience levels of our readers. We also evaluated inclusions based on added costs and fees, customisation levels, added features and functionality and customer support.

Here is a closer look at our methodology for selecting inclusions for this year’s best-of list:

• Ease of use: We looked for providers that offer an easy blogging experience, depending on diverse needs. We did so by offering a selection of choices based on different skill levels, from zero blog-site design experience to experienced developers
• Optional cost and fees: We focused on providing a selection of platforms you can use for free to launch your blog. However, we also included some platforms that offer paid functionality options to enhance the blogging experience as budgets and goals grow
• Customisation levels: We provided a variety of inclusions with different levels of customisation capabilities, from no customisation options but an extremely easy blogging experience to the ability to delve into HTML/CSS or JS to customise every inch of a blogging site
• Features and functionality: We looked for blogging platforms that offer added features, such as marketing, search engine optimisation (SEO), e-commerce, rich media, mobile responsive and analytics capabilities and tools.
• Customer support: We recognise that free versions are unlikely to offer premium 24/7 customer support. However, we looked for platforms that offered at least a functional level of customer support, such as a community forum or email support.

A blogging platform is a service that allows users to create, curate and manage a blog or website. There are countless providers to choose from, but of the 600 million blogs* worldwide, WordPress powers over 98% of them, according to BuiltWith.com data.

Using a blogging platform makes it easier for people with little or no knowledge of how web pages are built to create something themselves. It’s not necessary for users to even know basic HTML coding.

As well as hosting your published posts, a blogging platform can hold all of the uploaded photos, videos and other media you use in your posts.

Other popular blogging platforms include Medium, Joomla and  Drupal. The majority of these platforms tend to be free, though you’ll need to pay for a domain on which to site the blog, and hosting to install your chosen platform.

*Per WebTribunal.net

When choosing a free blogging platform, it is important to consider how easy it is to build a blog on the chosen platform, its customisation options and any added costs that must be paid to make it work for your needs. This cost analysis should consider short- and long-term costs to help you meet both your immediate and future needs.

Some free blogging platforms offer the tools and space to build your own blog site. Others offer a prebuilt blogging platform where you can register your profile and publish blog posts.

If you need a free blogging platform that allows you to design your own blogging site, be sure to explore how easy the design process is. If you are not versed in coding, look for a blogging platform with a drag-and-drop builder for an easy design experience.

Some blogging platforms offer zero customisation options via an already-built or minimalist blogging platform. Others allow you to customise background colours and add pre-built content blocks or blog features to customise your blog’s look. Still, others allow you to deeply customise every inch of your blog via coding. Decide on the level of customisation you need and find a platform that aligns with it.

Once you’ve chosen the design ease and customisation levels you prefer, take a look at any costs you may have to pay, despite having chosen a free platform.

For example, open-source platforms may require you to pay for website hosting and a custom domain. Likewise, free versions offered by website builders, such as Wix and Weebly, do not offer a custom domain. So, if you seek a branded website, you’ll have to eventually upgrade to a paid plan.

The effectiveness of a blog will vary according to the type of website, investment into the blog and the quality of the content. But the following survey from website Techjury gives an idea of success rates.

If running a small business full time leaves you with limited resources for also running a website, some blogging platforms require less time investment and are generally more accessible for people with less experience and knowledge.

We found Wix and Weebly particularly good for niche bloggers and newcomers, respectively. Wix has more than 800 templates, meaning you can set up something professional looking that hasn’t been overused to the point of looking generic. Wix also has a site generator that will automatically create a website based on your answers to a few simple questions.

Weebly, meanwhile, makes creating easy with drag-and-drop editing, automatic mobile responsiveness and templates.

No, but you do need a domain, which is an address on the web where people can find you. You can either pay for the domain you’d like, or opt for a free domain provided by a blogging platform. For example, Wix gives you a free address in the following format: accountname.wixsite.com/siteaddress.

If you pay for a domain, you’ll need to host it somewhere before you can set up a blog. This also needs to be paid for. After that you can install your chosen blogging platform. If you use a free domain from a blogging platform like Wix, your domain will be hosted there for free but with limitations on how many pages you can have, and how much media you can upload.

There are many ways to make money as a blogger. You can host display advertising and take a share of the money earned from impressions. You can include affiliate links in your blogs which will earn you a payout if someone who visited your site goes on to spend money with your affiliate.

Depending on your niche, you can also sell products and services via your blog, or sell space on your blog for others to promote themselves. Among bloggers who earn more than £40,000 yearly, 45% sell their own product or service. In comparison, only 8% of bloggers earning less do the same.

Some research indicates that first-year earnings from blogging can range from £20,000 to £40,000 depending on the blogging platform and monetisation methods. The following chart from website, Techjury shows revenue sources among bloggers.

It depends on how you plan on monetising your blog, but Weebly has built-in e-commerce tools, while WordPress has more than 50,000 available plugins, including many e-commerce options. If you want to sell goods or services via your blog, these tools will make it easier.

As for display advertising, affiliate marketing and selling space on your blog, any of the blogging platforms on our list have the capability you’ll need.

Which blog site is best for beginners?

Blog sites that are best for beginners include those that offer an easy-to-use drag-and-drop website builder so you can design a blog website without coding experience. These include blogging platforms, such as Weebly and Wix. Another option for beginners looking for a zero-learning-curve blogging site is Medium. Medium requires no design or coding experience. You can set up an account and profile as you would on a social media platform, then publish your blog posts.

How do I post a blog for free?

You have a few options for posting a blog for free. You can set up a blog under a free subdomain, such as those offered in free Wix, Weebly or WordPress.com plans. You can also open an account on a social media platform, such as LinkedIn or Medium, set up a profile, then publish your blog post using its publishing tools.

Are blogging platforms secure?

As you might expect, all of the best blogging platforms have many levels of security in place. When selecting a blogging platform, there are several security features you want to look for, including two-factor authentication (2FA) or multifactor authentication (MFA), documentation that shows frequent security updates and patches, intrusion detection, the monitoring of user activities, data encryption and privacy protection.

Are free blogs really free?

Some free blog platforms are really free. Wix, WordPress and Weebly, for example, offer truly free forever plans you can use to design a blogging website and publish your posts. However, truly free blogs offer limited functionality, often limiting the amount of storage you can use and the number of pages you can publish. You must also use a subdomain that includes the name of the free platform and the platform’s ads may appear on your blog pages.

Over the last decade, Alana has served as a business operation, technology, and marketing consultant for countless businesses — from start-ups and mid-sized businesses like Fit Small Business to Fortune 500 tech firms like Adobe. She currently serves as a business consultant, operations manager, and content strategist at Doubting Thomas Research Foundations’ Afghan Liberty Project, a small non-profit organization. She graduated with an MBA in leadership from Excelsior College.

Kelly is an SMB Editor specializing in starting and marketing new ventures. Before joining the team, she was a Content Producer at Fit Small Business where she served as an editor and strategist covering small business marketing content. She is a former Google Tech Entrepreneur and she holds an MSc in International Marketing from Edinburgh Napier University. Additionally, she manages a column at Inc. Magazine.

11 Best Blogging Platforms to Make Money (Free and Paid Sites)

• Updated: 04/30/24
• Comments: 98

We partner with bada$$ companies that offer products that help our readers achieve their goals! If you purchase through our partner links, we get paid for the referral at no additional cost to you! Read our disclosure for more info.

Some blogging sites may feel better on your wallet, but many aren’t ideal if you plan to monetize your website. The best blogging platforms to make money are going to differ greatly from the free options.

When you’re just starting a blog, it’s very easy to get overwhelmed by the options that you have to choose from.

You need to choose a blogging platform, a hosting plan, get your domain name, a blog theme, and more.

From free to paid options, there are plenty of blogging websites to choose from. It’s an important decision to make because different blogging platforms have different limitations on how you can make money blogging.

In this article, we’ll review the best blogging platforms on the market to help you decide which one is right for you.

Whether you’re a beginner blogger or an experienced online entrepreneur, we’ve got something for everyone with our comprehensive list.

So let’s get started and dive into the details of each blogging platform!

Before we get into what the best blogging platforms are, let’s talk about what a blogging platform IS and more specifically, how it differs from blog hosting (because you need both).

What is a Blogging Platform?

A blogging platform is the software behind your blog. It’s what allows you to write, edit, and manage your posts.

Blogging platforms are content management systems that help you create fully functional websites without needing to do any coding.

They have integrated features that can handle everything from designing the look of your blog to helping you monetize with ads or affiliate marketing.

The best blogging platforms provide basic tools for creating content like a text editor, drag-and-drop builder, galleries, and embedding options for video and audio content.

Some blogging platforms also offer custom design templates while others allow access to themes stores where users can find professionally designed templates they can modify.

What is a Blog Hosting Site?

A blog hosting site is where your blog ‘lives’ online. Your blogging platform stores all of your content, images, and videos, and your web host is what makes that content visible to others online.

Think about how you upload YouTube videos or podcast episodes online. You need a hosting company to host those video and audio files. Blogging works the same way.

You have a few options when it comes to choosing a web host for your blog. You can opt for a free blogging host like Blogger or WordPress, or you can pay for a more robust service with features like unlimited storage space and custom domain names.

In some cases, your blogging platform and web hosting company can be one and the same. In most cases, it makes more sense to choose a blogging platform and a different blog hosting site because you often get a better service (for a better price) that way.

Whatever option you choose, make sure that it offers excellent customer support so that you can get help if something goes wrong with your blog.

We will explain this in more detail when we go over the blogging platforms and your options for web hosting.

What to Know About Free Blogging Platforms

We will cover a few of the best free blogging platforms in this article, but you should know the limitations of these upfront.

Free blogging platforms are always limited in terms of features, design options, and monetization capabilities.

The first thing to be aware of is that free blogging platforms are designed to be very limited so people upgrade rather quickly when they realize that they need more features in order to grow and be successful.

Don’t Own Your Domain Name

Most free blog sites don’t allow you to use your own domain name on your website.

• Free blog site: createandgo.blogspot.com
• Paid blog site: createandgo.com

This limits your branding potential and may make it harder for people to find your blog.

It also means anyone else is free to purchase that domain name if you don’t.

Limitations on How You Monetize

Many free blogging sites have restrictions on the types of ads or affiliate marketing programs you can use to monetize your website.

There isn’t much point in using a free blogging platform if you can’t make money with it anyway.

Fewer Themes, Plugins, and Customizations

Perhaps one of the biggest limitations, aside form the money, is that free blogging sites often have fewer themes, plugins, and customization options than paid options.

This means that you won’t be able to create the exact look for your blog that you want and you will be limited on integrations for SEO tools and other important software integrations.

This can affect the visibility of your blog in search engines as well as how you make money.

Lower Level of Customer Support

Finally, free blogging sites typically don’t offer the same level of customer support as paid services do — so if something isn’t working properly, you might not get the help you need quickly.

I can tell you from experience how important this is when you are designing your blog and learning how these platforms work. They can be a little technical at times and there is a learning curve.

If you ever have any trouble with your blog or find it inaccessible due to spam or whatever reason, having 24/7 customer support that can help you is absolutely vital unless you pay for a web developer to help you.

11 Best Blogging Platforms to Make Money

Now that you have a better understanding of what blogging platforms are, let’s look at the available options.

• Best blogging platform for making money: WordPress
• Best free blogging platform: Blogger
• Best blogging platform for open-source: Dupal
• Best blogging platform for stores: Wix or Squarespace
• Best blogging platform for eCommerce: Weebly
• Best blogging platform with built-in audience : Tumblr or Medium
• Best blogging platform for large businesses: CMS Hub
• Best blogging platform for selling on online marketplaces: Web.com

1. WordPress

WordPress is one of the most popular blogging platforms on the market and for good reason.

It’s free to use, easy to set up and customize, and offers a wide variety of features that allow you to make money with your blog.

There are thousands of WordPress themes and plugins to help you create a unique blog design. It also has plugins that allow you to add features like affiliate programs, ad networks, contact forms, and more.

You can either host your WordPress site on their server or use a third-party hosting provider, which is what we recommend for ease of use and affordability.

There are also two versions of WordPress:  Wordpress.com (free) and WordPress.org (paid).

WordPress.com is a free blogging platform, but if you want increased storage space and custom domain names then you will need to pay for one of their premium plans on WordPress.org.

If you want a free WordPress blog, you will not get access to as many themes or plugins and you will also be limited on how you can make money with your blog.

• More control over your blog design
• Access to thousands of plugins and themes to customize your blog
• Great customer support plus TONS of articles written on using the platform
• Easier to integrate with most other software as you grow your blog
• Own custom domain name
• A little bit more of a learning curve compared to some other blogging platforms
• You need to handle your security and backups

As low as $2.75/month but varies depending on which blog host you use to host your WordPress blog.

Our Recommendation

A self-hosted WordPress blog is what the vast majority of the highest-paid bloggers on the internet are using. Our blogging students use Bluehost with WordPress as outlined in our step-by-step tutorial on starting a blog.

WordPress + Bluehost offers the best price for customizations, including themes, plugins, and other software integrations.

You can start a WordPress blog with Bluehost for as little as $2.75/month.

Wix is another great blogging platform, particularly for beginners. probably best known for its  drag-and-drop software that allows you to create a stunning blog without any coding experience.

This makes it incredibly user-friendly with a much smaller learning curve.

It has hundreds of ready-made building blocks and professionally designed templates that make it easy to customize your blog design, add features like galleries or contact forms, and embed videos or audio content.

You can also start a free blog with Wix, but it is even more limited than the free version of WordPress.

You can sell products on your blog with its shopping cart feature or monetize your Wix blog with ads, affiliate programs , sponsored posts, email marketing campaigns, or other methods.

Most of these advanced features will not be available if you use the free blogging platform.

• Lots of customization options for designing your blog, although not as many as WordPress
• Easy to use drag-and-drop website builder
• Integrated eCommerce features for selling products on your blog
• Tons of integrations for blogging tools, search engine optimization, blog themes, and more
• Limited access to third-party plugins and themes
• Not as SEO-friendly as WordPress
• Plans are less flexible due to lack of hosting options
• Costs extra if you want to build an eCommerce store on your site
• Free version is very limited and includes Wix ads on your site

Wix pricing is $16/month and up, depending on what hosting plan you choose.

Wix is a great blogging platform if you’re just starting out and are looking to get a website up really fast.

That being said, It’s not the best blogging platform if you want to start a successful blog that makes money.

It makes it easy to create a beautiful, functioning blog without having to learn any coding skills.

Wix is better for other websites like for an eCommerce store or traditional, brick-and-mortar store (like a dentist office or hairstylist).

When it comes to blogging, you will ultimately hit roadblocks in your growth due to the limitations of plugins and other software integrations.

3. Squarespace

Squarespace is another popular blogging platform for creating a website, blog, or online store.

Similar to Wix, also has drag-and-drop software, making its user interface great for beginners with no prior website design or coding knowledge.

It’s known for its sleek templates and modern design style that make it great for those who want to create an attractive website without needing any coding skills.

You can also use Squarespace to showcase your portfolio, write a journal or share stories with friends and family.

You have several options when it comes to hosting your blog on Squarespace, including paying for their own personal domain name if you don’t already have one.

There are no ads on the free version of Squarespace, so you can’t use this as a free blogging platform if you want to partner with ad networks to make money.

• Very easy to use and good for those without coding experience
• Drag-and-drop functionality
• Unlimited storage space, bandwidth, and pages
• Great customer support with live chat
• Not as many customization options as WordPress or other blogging sites
• Themes are not as flexible or customizable as other platforms such as WordPress or Wix.

Squarespace plans start at $16/month (billed annually) and go up from there depending on which plan you choose.

Squarespace is a great platform for creating an attractive website, blog, or eCommerce store, however, it is not the best option if your primary goal is to make money blogging.

If you want to make money with your own blog, we recommend using WordPress or Wix. That being said, Squarespace is a great option if you’re running a traditional brick-and-mortar store but still want an online presence.

Weebly is a popular drag-and-drop website builder for creating an attractive blog or website.

Unlike other blogging platforms, Weebly is not limited to just blogging – you can also create a store, portfolio, or even a forum with the platform’s tools.

It comes with built-in SEO features that can help improve your search engine rankings and get more people to visit your blog or site.

A great feature of Weebly is its mobile app which makes it easy to update and manage your blog on the go.

You can also start a free blog with Weebly without having to pay anything upfront.

However, if you want access to more themes and plugins then you will need to upgrade your Weebly plan.

• Easy drag-and-drop website builder
• Lots of features for creating a blog, store, or forum
• Built-in SEO tools to improve search engine rankings
• Mobile app makes it easy to update and manage your blog on the go
• Very few software integrations available compared to WordPress
• Significantly more expensive

Weebly pricing starts at $10/month (billed annually) and goes up depending on which hosting plan you choose.

Weebly is a great platform for those who want an easy way to create a blog, store, or forum without any coding knowledge.

It’s significantly cheaper than Wix and Squarespace, but it also has a lot fewer customizations, software, and plugins available.

If you need a relatively inexpensive plan with fewer bells and whistles, Weebly is for you. If you want to create a customizable, profitable blog, you’re still better off with WordPress + Bluehost.

Blogger is an old-school free blogging platform that has been around since 1999.

It’s a free service offered by Google and allows you to create a blog quickly and easily, with limited customization options.

It’s actually one of the best free blog sites to make money because you can connect Google Adsense to it and make money with ads.

Most free blogging platforms don’t allow you to monetize with ads.

It’s a simple and easy-to-use platform that is great for new bloggers not sure if they want to turn their blog into an online business.

However, if you want access to more features and customization options then you will need to upgrade your plan.

• Best free blogging platform to monetize with ads
• Easy to use – no coding knowledge necessary
• Integrates well with Google services, like Google Analytics and Google Adsense
• Limited customization options
• Very little access to third-party plugins and themes

Blogger plans are free. You can publish up to 100 blog posts per free account.

Blogger is a great free platform for those who are just starting out blogging but not ideal for someone looking to grow and scale a blog.

It’s not very SEO-friendly compared to other blogging platforms like WordPress or Squarespace, and you won’t be able to use many third-party plugins or themes

If you want more control over your blog and the ability to make money from it, we recommend using WordPress.

Ghost is an open-source blogging platform that combines the ease of use of Wix with the power and flexibility of WordPress.

It was created in 2013 through a KickStarter campaign and has quickly become the best alternative to WordPress.

It’s a great choice for those who want to create a profitable blog or website without needing any coding skills.

The intuitive content editor makes it easy to format your posts, add images and embed videos with just a few clicks.

It also has features like membership management, analytics, and SEO optimization which makes it a great choice if you want to make money with your blog.

It’s built on modern technologies such as Node.js so you get fast loading times, high security, and scalability which are essential for any high-traffic website.

• Easy to use – no coding knowledge required
• Modern technologies for fast loading times and security
• Extensive library of themes and plugins for customization
• More expensive than other blogging platforms
• Limited customer service options

Ghost plans start at $9/month (billed annually). They also offer a free trial for 14 days.

Ghost is a great choice if you want to create a professional blog or website without needing any coding knowledge.

It’s more expensive than other blog sites like Wix or WordPress, but it offers the best combination of features and ease of use.

It’s also one of the most secure and fastest blogging platforms available, making it an attractive choice for those who need reliability and scalability.

Tumblr is one of the best free blogging platforms that is a great place to network with other bloggers and content is shared regularly in the form of “re-posting.”

This adds an additional way to get exposure to your content that other blog platforms don’t have because it is somewhat of a “social” media platform itself.

Users can follow each other’s blogs and interact with each other through likes, reblogs, comments, and messages.

Tumblr also offers an extensive library of themes so you can customize your blog’s look without any coding skills.

Though it started out as just a blogging platform, Tumblr has evolved into a full-blown social network where users can create their own communities around topics they’re passionate about.

All of this being said, the design capabilities are extremely limited on this blogging platform. You are limited to a set of themes or templates to choose from.

The design and software limitations of Tumblr also make it much more difficult to monetize.

One upside of Tumblr compared to Blogger is that you can purchase your own domain name to use with your site.

• Existing community with lots of interactions and engagement
• Extensive library of themes for customization
• Limited features compared to the other best blogging platforms
• No access to plugins or software integrations

Tumblr plans are completely free.

Tumblr is a great choice if you want to create a short-form or hobby blog without needing any coding skills. It’s easy to use and has an active community that can help promote your blog.

However, it does have limited features compared to the other best blogging platforms on this list, so if you need more features then we suggest looking elsewhere.

Still, Tumblr remains one of the best free blogging platforms out there for beginners and hobby bloggers.

8. Medium

Medium is a blogging platform created in 2012 by the founders of Twitter. It’s an online publishing platform where anyone can write and share their ideas, stories, or opinions with the world.

The platform provides various tools for making posts look great, including easy formatting options and customizable themes. Medium also allows users to create collections around certain topics or interests that they want to follow.

Additionally, the platform offers a built-in audience since all published content is visible to everyone on Medium unless it’s marked as private or unlisted. This makes it easier for new bloggers to get discovered and build relationships with other users.

One of the advantages of using Medium is that it has no ads or pop-ups unlike some other free platforms.

This helps create a better user experience and makes it easier to focus on the content.

Medium’s subscription plan also allows you to monetize your blog by displaying ads and collecting donations from readers.

• Easy to use and get started
• Built-in blog audience for discovery of new content
• No ads or pop-ups on the free plan
• Limited customization options compared to other options
• No access to third-party plugins or themes

Medium plans are free or start at $5/month (billed annually).

Medium is a great platform for those who want an easy way to write, share, and discover content. It’s free to use and has no ads or pop-ups which creates a better user experience.

It also has an active community of readers that can help promote your blog, making it easier for new bloggers to get discovered and build relationships with other users.

The downside is that there are limited customization options compared to other blogging platforms such as WordPress or Ghost.

CMS Hub is a website builder and blogging platform created by HubSpot.

It’s designed to be an all-in-one content management system for businesses and organizations of any size.

With this blogging platform, you can create custom pages, blog posts, email campaigns, and other types of content with its drag-and-drop editor.

It also offers hundreds of customizable templates as well as advanced features like membership management, analytics, SEO optimization, and more.

• Drag-and-drop website builder
• Built-in SEO tools
• Multi-language variations of your blog
• A/B split-testing
• Much more expensive than other blog platforms
• Not ideal for small businesses or bloggers

CMS Hub plans start at $23/month (billed annually).

CMS Hub is a great choice if you need an all-in-one platform for your business or organization.

It’s far more expensive than other blogging platforms but may make sense if you’re running a large business or already using HubSpot tools.

It’s also one of the most secure and fastest modern CMS’s available, making it an attractive choice for those who need reliability and scalability.

If you’re looking to start a blog on your own, a self-hosted WordPress blog is still a much better way to go.

Drupal is an open-source content management system (CMS) and blogging platform used by many businesses, universities, non-profits, and government organizations.

It’s a powerful tool for creating complex websites with advanced features like multilingual support, ecommerce capability, social media integration, and more.

Despite its complexity, Drupal is also easy to use right out of the box and offers an intuitive interface for bloggers of all levels.

Its scalability makes it much easier to grow your blog or website as you add more content or features over time.

Additionally, Drupal has a wide range of themes and plugins so you can customize the design of your blog without coding knowledge. This makes it one of the best blogging platforms for design flexibility.

• Powerful content management system
• Wide range of themes and plugins to choose from
• Intuitive interface for users of all levels
• Steep learning curve and more complex than other blog platforms
• Not the best choice for small businesses or personal blogs

Drupal is free to use.

Drupal is a great choice if you need an advanced content management system that supports various features, languages, and extensions.

It’s open-source, so it’s also free to use which makes it attractive for those on a budget. Additionally, its design capabilities are top-notch and highly customizable.

However, this may not be the best free blogging platform for those who are new to blogging since it can be quite complex and may require some coding knowledge.

If you’re looking for something more user-friendly, then we suggest going with a simpler option like WordPress or Wix.

11. Web.com

Web.com is a website builder and blogging platform that makes it easy to create an online presence for your business, organization, or hobby blog.

It offers several features to make designing your blog easier such as customizable templates, drag-and-drop content blocks, SEO features, and more.

Additionally, Web.com provides integrated tools for marketing automation and eCommerce functionality.

The platform also allows you to add a custom domain name and connect it to your blog if you want to give it a professional look.

• Easy-to-use interface with drag-and-drop content blocks
• Integrated marketing automation tools
• Customizable templates and themes
• Limited design customization options
• No access to third-party plugins

Web.com plans start at $4.95/month (billed annually).

Web.com is a great choice if you need an easy-to-use platform for creating a professional website or blog quickly.

It offers several features to make designing your blog easier such as drag-and-drop content blocks and customizable templates. It also has integrated tools for marketing automation and eCommerce functionality, making it attractive for those with business goals.

However, the lack of third-party plugins and limited design customization options may be dealbreakers for some users. If you need more powerful features, then we recommend looking into other blog platforms.

How to Choose the Right Blogging Platform

Choosing the best blogging platform for your needs isn’t always a straightforward task. Each one has unique features and design options that may or may not fit your specific blogging goals.

Purpose of Your Blog

The purpose of your blog is the first thing you should consider when choosing a blog platform.

If you want to create an online business or monetize your blog, then you’ll want to go with a more powerful platform like WordPress or Ghost.

On the other hand, if you’re just starting out and need something quick and easy and you aren’t sure if you will make money from your blog, then Wix or Squarespace may be better options.

Design and Customizations

Every blog platform has different design options and themes, so it’s important to consider how customizable the platform is.

If you want to create a unique look for your blog, then WordPress or Drupal would be your best bet as they offer more customization options than other platforms.

However, if you’re just starting out and don’t need complex features, then Wix or Squarespace may be better choices since they have pre-made templates that are easy to customize.

Other free blogging platforms like Tumblr and Medium have very few customization options.

Features and Plugins

Different blogging platforms also offer different features and plugins. For example, WordPress offers thousands of plugins to help customize your blog while Wix limits you to using its own plugins.

These plugins will impact how you publish content and connect to social media platforms, so it’s worth taking into consideration and looking into what kinds of features each platform offers before making a decision.

Another important factor you should consider is your budget. Some blog sites are free to use, while others may cost money.

On the other hand, if you want more advanced features and scalability, then you will need a paid plan.

Monetization

If you want to monetize your blog, then it can be helpful to look for platforms that offer built-in features to help you do this.

For example, WordPress has plugins like WooCommerce and Easy Digital Downloads that make it easy to sell digital products or accept donations.

Web.com also offers integrated eCommerce capabilities so you can create an online store with your blog.

FAQs About the Best Blogging Platform

When it comes to the best blog hosting sites, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Popular blogging websites such as WordPress, Squarespace, and Blogger offer a variety of features and capabilities, so it’s important to consider your needs and goals before selecting a platform. Some common factors to consider are ease of use, cost, and customization options. Take some time to research the different blog hosting sites available to find a platform that best fits your needs.

The best blogging platform on the market is WordPress . It’s a free, open-source platform that allows users to create custom websites and blogs quickly and easily. With its extensive range of features, themes, plugins, and customization options, it’s one of the best blog hosting sites available today.

Additionally, there are various paid plans offering additional features and support, making WordPress suitable for both casual bloggers and professional web developers. Other popular blogging websites include Blogger, Tumblr, Medium, and Squarespace.

Yes, a blog can be completely free. Many top blogging platforms such as WordPress.com, Blogger, and Tumblr all offer a free account that allow users to create their own blog without any cost. These services provide all the necessary tools and resources needed to set up and maintain a blog at no charge. In addition, some web hosts offer services that allow you to launch and manage your own self-hosted blog for free or at a minimal cost.

Beginner blogs can make money by utilizing a variety of monetization strategies, such as affiliate marketing, selling advertising space on the blog, creating and selling digital products, offering services to readers and leveraging sponsored posts. Building an email list of subscribers and developing relationships with readers can also help you make more money with a blog.

WordPress.com is a great free blog site that allows users to create custom blogs with a range of features, including customizable templates, an easy-to-use dashboard, and support for mobile and web publishing. It’s one of the most popular free blog sites on the internet for good reason — it makes blogging simple and accessible to anyone. Additionally, WordPress.com offers a range of premium upgrades and features for users who want to take their blogging further.

The best blog site for earning money largely depends on your specific niche, audience, and monetization strategy. However, WordPress.org consistently ranks as the top choice due to its extensive customization options, ability to host advertising, affiliate linking , and selling digital or physical products. WordPress.org provides the flexibility and control needed for blog monetization, making it highly favored among professional bloggers aiming to generate a substantial income from their blog.

Yes, it is entirely possible to make $1,000 a month with a blog, but success depends on various factors including the blog’s niche, the quality of content, the size of the audience, and the monetization strategies employed. To achieve this, bloggers often rely on a combination of advertising revenue , affiliate marketing , sponsored posts, and selling their own products or services . Consistent content creation, SEO optimization , and effective audience engagement are key to building a blog capable of generating $1,000 a month or more.

Blogs focusing on finance, personal development, health and fitness, food, and technology are often the most lucrative. Among these, finance blogs typically make the most money owing to high demand for financial advice and the willingness of financial services to pay top dollar for advertising and affiliate marketing.

Finance blogs can generate revenue through various channels such as affiliate marketing, sponsored content, and direct advertising, often surpassing other niches in terms of profitability.

Making $100 a month blogging is achievable through a combination of several tactics. Start by focusing on creating high-quality, valuable content that draws in and retains an audience. Implement SEO strategies to increase your blog’s visibility in search results. Monetize your blog by incorporating affiliate marketing links, displaying ads through Google AdSense , or selling digital products and services relevant to your niche.

Active engagement with your audience through comments and social media can further boost your blog’s traffic and income potential. Remember, consistency and patience are key as it takes time to build an audience and generate revenue.

Key Takeaways for the Best Blogging Platforms

When it comes to choosing the best blog hosting platform, you should consider your goals and budget.

If you’re just starting out and don’t want to invest any money or you have a personal blog, Blogger might be the best free blogging platform for you.

If you want a free option that also gives you access to an existing audience and a custom domain name, Tumblr is your best free blog platform.

If you want to make money with your blog, a self-hosted WordPress blog is the best blogging platform for beginners. We recommend Bluehost as one of the best and most affordable hosting options.

Bluehost also comes with a free domain and has automatic WordPress installation during setup.

You can access their entire network of free and premium themes.

If you want the best combination of ease of use and power, Ghost is your best bet.

Wix and Squarespace are the best blog sites for traditional, brick-and-mortar stores or those who only need a website without much blogging functionality.

Whichever platform you choose, make sure it meets all your needs before committing to it!

Here are some other relevant articles for your blogging journey:

• Use our blog name generator to decide on your blog name.
• Step-by-step guide on how to start a successful blog.
• Make Money Blogging: The Complete Guide

We hope that this article helped you choose the best blogging platform for your needs. If you have any questions for us, please feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

10 Best Free Blogging Sites Hand-Tested for 2024…I Tried to Build a Blog for Free

Starting a blog without spending a penny is absolutely possible, and you’re in the right place to find out how to do it. Over the years, I’ve experimented with dozens of different blogging sites and tested how they perform for various purposes and needs. This post documents my findings (as of 2024) and aims to help you pick the best solution for your project.

I will cover five great blogging platforms that allow you to easily create, customize, and host your blog at no upfront cost . I focus on options that are not only user-friendly but also come packed with all the essential tools and features you need to start your blog today.

Here’s what I’m going to cover:

• ✨ Quick summaries of what makes each platform good
• 🚀 How to start a blog for free with each of them
• 🛠️ Features and ease of use – what these sites are capable of and what skills are required
• 🎨 Customization and design – how you can personalize your blog with templates or cool design options
• 👥 Community and reach – looking at each platform’s built-in audience and how to leverage it (if available)
• ⚖️ Free plan limitations and pros/cons – what’s possible on these free plans, plus what options for growth there are as your blog expands

Ready to find your perfect blogging home without breaking the bank? Let’s dive in:

• A true 100% free option 🌱. Wix gives you access to easy-to-use website and blogging tools, hosting, and a free subdomain. You have practical control of your blog, and there are also affordable options if you ever decide to upgrade.
• Ease of use: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
• Features: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
• Design: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

While Wix mainly promotes its paid plans for website building, it actually also offers a completely free plan that can be enough for some users. This plan allows you to create and launch a website with blog functionality without any financial commitment, making it an accessible option for beginners or those on a very tight budget.

Features and ease of use

Starting with Wix is pretty easy. To create a free blog, just visit the Wix website , sign up (no credit card required), and follow the guided steps. Wix takes you by the hand from there. You’ll answer a few questions (AI-powered), and based on your responses, Wix will set up a new website (and blog) for you.

Choosing a design is straightforward, too – Wix narrows down choices by asking about your design preferences before letting you customize your homepage. Once satisfied, just click the Publish button to make your site visible online.

Adding blog posts is similarly easy. You can do that from the Wix dashboard in the Blog section. The interface lets you add text, images, and more, and then publish everything.

Overall, creating a blog with Wix is accessible to anyone, regardless of technical skill. However, navigating the Wix panel might seem daunting at first due to its many features. Wix is a fully-featured website platform first of all, so depending on how comfortable you are with tools like this, you might need to spend a while in the dashboard to find your way around all the options and ignore the things you don’t need.

👉 If you want to learn more, here’s how to build a site on Wix from scratch.

Customization and design

Wix has a library of over 800 themes. If you want to, you can browse that list manually, or you can use the guided setup I mentioned earlier. You also get to tune up your design later on and edit various details of it.

However, keep in mind that while you can customize what you see, you can’t really switch the main theme/template that your blog uses. This part of using Wix can be confusing, as it suggests that completely revamping your site’s design post-launch may pose some challenges. That’s probably because while Wix says they allow you to change your template, what they actually mean is that you can start a new site on a new template and then migrate all your info to it.

Despite this, the variety and design quality of the available themes are noteworthy, offering good modern options for users to explore.

👉 Here are some Wix website examples for your inspiration.

Free plan limitations

• Domain – free plan users get a Wix-assigned URL, which is not very good-looking ( accountname.wixsite.com/sitename ); upgraded plans allow connecting a custom domain.
• Wix ads – free plan places ads on every page; upgrading removes these ads.
• Storage – free users have up to 500MB; upgraded plans offer 2GB or more.
• Bandwidth – free plan provides up to 1GB; unlimited bandwidth with upgrades.
• There’s also no possibility to collect payments on the free plan, limited customer support, and no Google Analytics.

Who should use Wix as a free blogging site

For me, the main advantage of starting a free blog on Wix is that you’re being taken by the hand through the (usually difficult) stages of the process, ending up with a working blog very quickly. It really takes less than 10 minutes to set up a basic blog and have it published.

This makes Wix a good choice for users just entering this space who are eager to launch a blog swiftly as an experiment. It’s also a great option if you’re considering growing your presence in the future and adding further components to your site, like an ecommerce module, more pronounced pages about your business, and so on – all those options are pretty affordable.

However, keep in mind that since Wix is a hosted platform, they also control your website to an extent, which can be limiting user autonomy over their web presence. For example, while you do have practical control of your blog – meaning that you can do whatever you want with it – you still don’t want to find yourself violating any of their website guidelines or they could take your site down. If you’d like to be the sole person in control over your blog, consider other options – for example, WordPress (read below).

• Guided sign-up and blog launch
• Good choice of designs
• No tech skills required
• Affordable upgrades
• Ugly blog URL
• Inability to change your template

2. WordPress

• The ultimate DIY pick 💪. WordPress is the most popular blogging platform on the web, has world-class tools, features, and design options to choose from. Setting it up for free can be challenging but is possible.
• Ease of use: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) 𝒾 The initial install is a 3, but the everyday workflow is a 5.
• Design: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
• Worth knowing 𝒾 Free option is available for a year through 000webhost. Comes with usage limitations.

WordPress is by far the most popular blog engine and website platform online. As of today, 43.2% of all websites on the web run on WordPress. Again, that’s all websites. These numbers are not accidental. WordPress is the most functional and powerful tool on this list. Okay, so why isn’t it at No. 1? There are some disadvantages:

WordPress is free* (with an asterisk)

To build your blog on WordPress, and have that blog published on the web, you need three things: WordPress software itself (completely free), a domain name (sometimes free), and a hosting account (sometimes free).

Most of the quality web hosts are paid (like Bluehost – our actual top recommendation for all WordPress sites). If you want to keep things 100% free, you’ll need to dig a bit deeper in search of a company offering such a service.

These companies are constantly changing, due to the obvious challenges in their business models, but one that’s stuck around for a while is 000webhost . They will host your blog for free for one year, which should be more than enough for you to test out if this whole blogging thing is for you. They will also give you a free subdomain. Though a couple of things to know about this free setup:

• You get only 300MB of SSD storage and 3GB of bandwidth.
• There are user reviews on Trustpilot saying that 000webhost will archive (turn off) your site if it’s not in active use over a period of time. And you also have to log in to your hosting panel periodically to “avoid abuse of the free service.”

My take? 🤷‍♂️ Just avoid all that and spend the $2.75 / month to get started with Bluehost . They will give you great service, a free domain name , and an easy-to-use panel that’s purpose-built for beginners to use. It’s the perfect blend of cost-efficiency and quality for those looking to use WordPress for a live site.

WordPress is your ultimate do-it-all blogging platform. It can handle small blogs with little content, as well as huge enterprise publications or online magazines.

Now, your exact WordPress experience will also depend on your web host. For example, if you sign up with Bluehost , they will take care of installing the WordPress software for you (in one click). That way, you will be able to simply focus on writing content and customizing your blog.

If you’re with a different host – maybe one that doesn’t handle the installation process for you – then all the technical heavy lifting is going to be on you, which has to be considered a detriment to WordPress’ overall perceived ease of use.

That being said, once you have hosting configured and WordPress installed and ready to go, the ease of use shifts completely, and WordPress becomes a true breeze to work with.

There’s a clean interface that points you in all the right directions – highlighting the key sections for creating new blog posts, customizing your site, adding new features, moderating comments, and so on.

The part of the panel where you create new posts is also very easy to use – just add your post title, content, and media (images, videos, etc.) – and click the publish button to make the whole thing public.

With WordPress, there are truly endless ways to customize your blog. Basically, no matter what feature you might decide you need, there’s a plugin for that. In fact, there are 59,700 free plugins available in the official WordPress directory.

There are plugins for contact forms, SEO, added security, ecommerce, backups, social media, analytics, website optimization, content organization, and much much more.

Then, there’s the topic of design. While WordPress comes with a very good-looking default look, it’s true power is in the tens of thousands of free themes available on the web. We should know something about that – we make one of the most popular themes out there.

You can use either ours or other people’s themes to build a blog that fits not only the topics covered but also your own design aesthetic, needs, and brand. This list of the best free themes is a good start if you need some help.

Who should use WordPress as a blogging platform

WordPress is an ideal tool for anyone who wants to test the waters, see what blogging is all about and is also not intimidated by things like signing up for web hosting and configuring a couple of smaller details. It is the most popular blogging tool of them all. Learning how to use WordPress is a great investment in your online proficiency, and will make it easier to transition to bigger and better projects later on.

Moreover, WordPress can still be a viable way to start a blog for free as long as you’re willing to tradeoff a couple of things. First, you can only run your blog on a subdomain, and, second, you have to be ready to switch to a paid hosting account if you decide to continue blogging beyond the one-year mark.

If this is all okay by you, then go to 000webhost and see how you like the experience. If you’re ready for a small investment ($2.75 / month), go straight to Bluehost , which has great support, strong parameters As tested in our monthly analysis of the WordPress hosting market. (such as site speed and availability), plus throws in a free domain name (for the first year).

• The most versatile blogging platform and website platform of them all
• Powers 43.2% of the entire web
• Thousands of free plugins and themes available
• Easy to use once you get it installed
• Gives you total control of your site
• Suitable for super-small hobby projects as well as enterprise-level publications
• The initial setup is not too straightforward due to WordPress being a piece of software that needs web hosting in order to work
• Only free for one year when run on 000webhost, with not many viable other free hosting options around

3. Substack

• Publishing a blog newsletter and converting readers into paid subscribers 📰. Substack was built as a subscription newsletter platform and its core functionality reflects that. For bloggers, it offers a beginner-friendly publishing interface and access to an engaged user base.
• Ease of use: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
• Features: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5) 𝒾 Both the writing and subscriber management tools are easy to navigate, and there are lots of additional ways to grow your audience. The old-school blogging tools are not on par with WordPress though.
• Design: ⭐⭐ (2/5) 𝒾 The default design is simple and clean, but you can only tweak a few, very minor details.

Substack is a free, subscription-focused platform that allows writers, journalists, and bloggers to tap into an existing community, attract a portion of it to their content, and eventually accept payment for their work. It provides a simple publishing interface, and in recent years, it has also added features to give users additional tools for growing and engaging their audience.

Substack has been intentionally designed for non-tech-savvy individuals and the backend interface is evidence of that. The navigation menu at the top is straightforward. You can gradually explore your way through it, but if you want to start writing right away, you can quickly tap the impossible-to-miss New post button:

This will take you to the post layout, which has all of the fundamental blogging tools you’d expect – text, images, videos, and so on. There are also some useful extra features like the ability to insert code blocks and LaTeX blocks (for technical writers), and polls, to gauge how your audience is feeling about whatever you want to ask them about:

Over the past few years, Substack has also added mini-platforms within the platform. For example, there is now a micro-blogging feature called “ Notes ” which functions as a competitor to X (Twitter). There is also a podcasting option , so that you can run a podcast alongside your blogging newsletter, and a chat feature that lets you have real-time conversations with your readers.

In terms of analytics, Substack gives you data about your account and your individual posts. You can view your subscriber growth rate, where your visitors are coming from, what links they’re clicking on, and more.

Monetizing your audience is also easy, and Substack even throws in some unique elements like “ pledges .” These allow you to get a sense of how willing your current audience would be to pay you, if you were to convert your blog from being free to being paywalled.

Overall, Substack offers a fast way to open an account, publish your work, and to grow your audience in various ways.

One of the trade-offs with using Substack is that while it’s very beginner-friendly, you also sacrifice a lot of web design customization for that ease of use. The very few elements you can tweak are things like whether or not you want your links to be colored or black/underlined , or whether you want to use smart cropping or center cropping for your post thumbnails:

In short, the look is the look. If you don’t like it, well, then either you live with it, or you go with Wix or WordPress. Even the URLs are all structured the same: https://yourblog.substack.com/ . If you want to connect a custom domain so that your blog has a more conventional looking website address, it will cost you a one-time fee of $50 .

Community and reach

As of February 2023, Substack publicly stated that they had more than 20 million monthly active subscribers using the platform, with two million of those being paid subscriptions. That matters because Substack’s social and community elements are built directly into the platform itself – which means that if you start a blog there, you’ll get partial exposure to that audience of millions. Here are a few ways that Substack does it:

• Recommendations : When users subscribe to one newsletter, they are shown other similar newsletters through recommendations.
• Promotions : Creators on Substack can promote each other’s blogs. This is often seen where two writers collaborate or when one writer features another in a post.
• Search : Users can use the search function to find blogs that match specific topics or keywords. If your blog happens to meet the search criteria, then you may show up in the search results.
• Featured blogs : Substack has a page called “ Substack Reads ,” which is a weekly, curated round-up of newsletters from across the platform. If your work comes across the right set of eyes, it might end up there.
• Simplicity of interaction : The interaction mechanisms on Substack (like commenting, liking, and sharing) are integrated directly into each page. This makes it easier for readers to engage without needing to log into some third-party service.

Overall, the Substack community is extremely active. You still have to put in the work, create exceptional content, and network your way around the place, but the bottom line is that you’ll have an easier time growing your audience here than on most other blogging platforms.

👉 Here’s a more detailed look on how Substack compares to WordPress .

Who should use Substack for blogging

The prototype Substack blogger is someone who wants to turn their blog into a newsletter and who wants to focus on their writing without distractions. If you don’t care about things like color schemes, typography (font choices), layouts, or other aesthetic aspects of your blog, then Substack is a great fit.

You’ll get an ultra easy-to-use interface, access to analytics, tons of tools to help you grow your audience, and a highly-active community that’s hungry to consume quality writing. The startup cost is also $0 (hence why it’s featured here), and even if you do want to splurge on the custom domain, it’s only a one-time connection fee to get it done. Other than that, Substack is free.

• Many features designed to help your blog gain exposure
• Extremely beginner-friendly
• Several mini-platforms within the platform (podcast, notes, chat, etc) to engage your audience
• Connecting a custom domain is possible for a one-time fee
• Virtually no customization options; your blog will look like every other Substack blog
• Substack takes a 10% cut from your paid subscriptions, which can become substantial once your audience grows

4. LinkedIn

• Get your content seen from day one 👁️‍🗨️. LinkedIn offers a functional content creation panel, basic blogging tools, and most importantly, gives you access to its user base of 900 million.
• Features: ⭐⭐ (2/5) 𝒾 You can publish a post; that's pretty much it.
• Design: ⭐ (1/5)
• Worth knowing 𝒾 This is not exactly a blog - instead, you get to publish posts under your LinkedIn profile, but it functions as a blog in practical terms.

You probably didn’t see this one coming. LinkedIn isn’t most people’s first thought when considering which of the free blogging sites to use. That being said, it really does deserve some attention! There are two main reasons for this: easy-to-use tools and a pre-existing audience.

LinkedIn is a social media site first of all. The blogging component is a kind of bonus that all LinkedIn users can also take advantage of.

From a technical point of view, publishing on LinkedIn is easy. Just go to LinkedIn and click on Write article , which is a button right below the main box where you can share a status message. You’ll enter a full-screen view that has all the features you’d expect from a blogging site.

You can add text, images, and everything else you need. Then, when you’re done, you can get down to editing your piece.

LinkedIn provides you with all the editing tools that you’re used to – for text formatting, adding images, and more.

Then, when you’re ready, just click on Next and lastly, tell people what your post is about – this part is going to become the status update that appears in the news feed.

There isn’t any. Everyone’s posts on LinkedIn look the same.

Some users do get creative with what’s possible, though. For example, using emojis is a nice trick to make the posts look a bit more appealing. Same for clever image use.

The main power of LinkedIn is that 900 million users are already there and they span across 200 countries and regions. All those people you can treat as your potential audience.

Of course, whether you’ll reach those people or not depends on your own network size on LinkedIn and how eager those people are to share and react to your content.

The good news is that the core user base of LinkedIn is made up of highly focused professionals and business owners. So in many cases, at least if you’re blogging for a career-related reason (which most people are), then this means you’re putting your content right in front of the right eyeballs.

Who should blog on LinkedIn

This is no surprise, but LinkedIn is a platform for working professionals, often Millennials ( 60% of LinkedIn users ), who use the platform for networking and job seeking.

Probably not a place for travel or lifestyle bloggers, though. However, if you’re going to blog about any career-related topics, then it might be an ideal place for you!

In short, LinkedIn works great if the No.1 thing you want from your blogging project is to give you exposure to an existing audience.

• Access to LinkedIn’s 900 million of users
• Easy to use
• No limitations on the volume of stuff you can publish
• No branding elements, no way of connecting a custom domain name
• No actual “blog” per se – all you get is to publish your posts under your profile
• LinkedIn “owns” your content – they can take it down whenever they wish
• You have to rely on LinkedIn’s algorithm for attracting readers
• Immediate access to pre-existing audience 👥. Medium takes you “from 0 to blog” the fastest, plus provides good blogging tools along the way, and gives you access to its audience of more than 200 million monthly readers. They will also help distribute your work to those readers.
• Features: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5) 𝒾 The writing tools are great, but compared to WordPress or Wix, the other website features are lacking significantly.
• Design: ⭐⭐ (2/5) 𝒾 Nice and clean default design, but no way to customize it.

Medium was all the rage back in 2012, when it was launched. As of 2023, the platform is still reported to have between 50 and 60 million registered users and more than 200 million monthly readers (according to Wikipedia). This big audience and the fact that Medium provides some state-of-the-art publishing tools make it one of the places where you can blog for free.

Medium is super simple to use – you pretty much just sign up and start writing. There’s no dashboard or anything, just a lone Write button up top.

The basic blogging tools are also all there – you can add text, images, videos, etc. Plus, there are some cool integrations to make your life easier. For instance, you can import images from Unsplash with a couple of clicks; the same is true for searching for videos on YouTube.

In the end, the blogging experience is very nice and truly distraction-free. Before publishing your post, you can also indicate the topic that your post is about (category), which will help Medium show it to the right people.

You also get access to built-in readership stats. Plus, if you ever want to monetize your presence, you can upgrade to the premium plan and get access to member-only stories as well as earn money for your own writing.

Similarly to LinkedIn, there isn’t anything. But in Medium’s case, the default design is more optimized for written content and creates an overall better environment for readers (and writers as well).

Overall, every user gets the same design, same page structure, and even same URL structure, like https://medium.com/@USERNAME . You can only connect a custom domain name if you upgrade to a paid plan.

The great thing about Medium is that it gives you access to its pre-existing user base and has custom tools to help your posts get seen.

When you publish a story on Medium, it can reach readers in two main ways. First, through the “open platform” and your own network. This means your story is immediately live for anyone to see and share, especially through social media, email, or directly from your Medium profile. The second way is through Medium’s distribution and Boost networks. They use algorithms to decide who might find your story interesting and place it in various spots across the site, like the homepage or in topic sections.

This can help a lot, especially if you’re just starting out and don’t have much of an audience of your own.

Who should set up a free blog on Medium

Medium can be a great blogging site for those who want to start publishing content right away and not have to deal with any technical setup at all. Plus, the fact that you get access to Medium’s audience right from day one cannot be overstated.

That being said, it’s not the best tool if you’d like to have complete control over your blog website plus brand it in any way that stands out. Then there’s also the fact that it’s Medium that’s in full control of your content, and they can take your publication down for various reasons.

If you’re okay with the above, though, then Medium can still be a great home for your blog. Plus, if you ever decide that you’ve outgrown it, you can move to a platform like WordPress anyway.

• You get access to engaged, pre-existing audience
• Clean blogging tools, very functional, and very easy to use
• You can connect a custom domain, but only on the paid plans
• No branding elements
• Medium “owns” your content – they can take it down whenever they wish

Lightning round and honorable mentions ⚡

Of course, the space of free blogging sites, blogging platforms, or various blogging tools doesn’t end with the five solutions listed above. For those willing to dig deeper, the web has much more to offer and countless other options.

However, my goal with this post wasn’t to list all the possible options imaginable, but rather point you in the direction of the few good solutions that are the most likely to scratch your blogging itch and give you a good platform to get started.

That being said, I do realize that some of you will not enjoy the above solutions for one reason or another. Maybe you have more specific needs, maybe you don’t like how Wix is showing that pesky ad of theirs at the top of your site, maybe WordPress seems just not pro enough, etc.

Whatever your reasons might be, here are some other more than capable alternatives to the blogging platforms listed above. For each one, I share a short note on which of the previous tools it’s most similar to, plus who’d likely use it:

👇👇👇

• Direct alternative to: Wix.
• Use if you’re finding the Wix interface a bit too confusing, plus you don’t like Wix’s ad in the top bar of your site.

Weebly is a versatile website builder overall that also has a strong module for blogging. Above that, you can also showcase your portfolio or even sell products on the free plan (there are transaction fees). The tool is very similar in principle to Wix, with its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface and features.

There are some good design options and customizations available, too, alongside popular website modules like photo galleries, slideshows, social media icons, newsletter subscription boxes, built-in analytics, and more.

The free plan allows you to host your blog under a SITE.weebly.com subdomain. You have to verify your user information before you can make the blog public.

• Direct alternative to: WordPress.
• Use if you think that WordPress is a bit bloated and slow, you’d like to be on a more trendy platform that’s cleaner, and, most importantly, you’re not afraid of the technical setup process.

There was a lot of buzz around Ghost when it was first released around 2013 or 2014. The main selling point of this platform was that it was meant to be a clean, minimalist tool set and interface optimized for writing and publishing content. It also played into some opinions around WordPress growing to be too bloated and no longer optimal for “normal” blogging needs.

Moreover, Ghost has some built-in features for things like newsletters and subscriptions, making it a good choice for bloggers who’d like to get started with a more pro-blogging-centered brand from day one.

On the flip side, there are only limited options to host Ghost blogs for free, and you still have to deal with the installation process mostly by hand (and Ghost is not the easiest to install). The only sensible free hosting options for Ghost are: DigitalPress and… Amazon AWS (which is free for up to a year on the “micro” tier).

• Direct alternative to: nothing really, completely unique.
• Use if you’d like to be able to publish blog posts right from your desktop or mobile app.

This is a suggestion that might seem like it’s coming out of left field, but Notion has grown a lot in recent years and has proven to be a viable solution for multiple different purposes. It’s most known for being an Apple Notes alternative, an Evernote alternative, or a project management tool, etc. However, Notion also has a nice feature that allows you to make any Notion page public on the web.

Thus, with some slight configuration of your Notion setup, you can make it into a functional blog, too. Better yet, that blog can be 100% free, and you can interact with it fully through a desktop or mobile Notion app.

Want to know how? Here’s a full tutorial by Thomas Frank , a Notion influencer.

• Direct alternative to: developing a blog by hand.
• Use if you’re a developer and you want to experiment with database-less, static blog generation.

Jekyll is a static site generator with blog abilities. Being static means that it serves the user static web pages instead of getting data from a database (like the other tools on this list do). This makes it very fast and secure.

At its core, Jekyll takes text written in your favorite markup language (like Markdown), applies a template you’ve chosen, and then generates a website.

If you want to set up a Jekyll blog for free, you can do it by deploying to GitHub Pages . The exact how-to is a bit advanced, but any web developer not afraid of the command line will be able to do it in no time.

10. Blogger

• Direct alternative to: whatever the top solution was back in 1999, I guess.
• Please don’t use it.

I’m only listing it here since I know some of you will ask about it.

It’s 2024, and there really is no reason to use a blogging platform invented in 1999 that hasn’t really been updated since.

For everything that Blogger does, any of the other platforms on this list do better.

Conclusion and how to pick your blogging platform/site

The platforms I’ve mentioned are all different, and that’s on purpose. I wanted to find sites that do one important thing really well: let you write posts and share them with everyone.

But above that, I wanted to show you different ways to blog. That’s why you see platforms like Wix, WordPress, and even Substack or Notion together in this list of best blogging sites. Each one offers a unique way to blog, but all make it easy to get your words out there.

Here’s a short summary of the ratings we listed above (the top five of the best blogging sites and platforms):

But what do *you* think? Which of these platforms and blogging sites sounds like the best solution for you?

FAQs about free blogging sites and what it takes to create a blog

You can start blogging for free by using any of the platforms from our list. For a 100% free options, tools like Wix , Medium , or Substack are great. Keep in mind though that some of them might offer only limited features on their free plans.

A blogging platform is a service or software that facilitates the creation, customization, and management of an online blog, handling the design, and publishing of content.

WordPress is the most widely used blogging and website software on the web, and it’s also the most functional of the bunch. By a truly impressive feat of engineering, WordPress manages to be a great solution for both beginners and advanced users alike.

The process is just a couple of steps: (1) Sign up for web hosting – we recommend Bluehost . (2) Pick a domain name for your blog. (3) Install WordPress through Bluehost with one click. (4) Find your perfect WordPress theme. Personalize the design of your blog to match your taste. (5) Get some WordPress plugins to add some useful features like social sharing or image optimization. (6) Start writing, sharing and engaging with your followers on your favorite subject.

If we’re talking 100% free, then: Wix, Substack, LinkedIn, Medium, Weebly, Notion, Jekyll, Blogger all offer options to create, customize, and publish a blog for free. Some of them also come with optional paid upgrades for additional features.

This depends on whether you want to just write and worry about nothing else – in that case it’s Medium or Substack. Or, maybe you’re more interested in having full control of your blog – in which case it’s WordPress.

WordPress is a great option for small business owners because of its scalability, plugin options, and ability to add ecommerce features.

Substack is great for monetizing your audience right through the platform. WordPress is ideal for monetizing a blog through various avenues like ads, affiliate marketing, and selling your own products or services. If you want to do that, however, you’ll need to launch your WordPress blog through a web host like Bluehost , which will not limit the things/products you can showcase on your website, neither how you’re able to promote them.

Bonus video: Here’s an overview of the steps it takes to start your own blog on WordPress – all the way from scratch to a working blog:

Themeisle Contributor

Karol Krol is a writer, content strategist, and WordPress figure-outer with over 20 years of experience rooted in website building and web technologies. With his expertise underpinned by a master's degree in computer science, he authored "WordPress Complete" - the ultimate WordPress handbook for newbies. His work has been published across numerous industry websites. He leads the editorial team at Themeisle.

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thank you for sharing the information

thank you for providing useful information

Glad it was useful to you! 😉

You love Bluehost, but I found them to be like heroin dealers – you know where the dealer says the first dose is free and later . . . . This was several years ago but I suspect the same is still true today, where the initial monthly fee was a couple or three bucks. Then every year is went up. Keep in mind, this was at least a dozen years ago, before inflation craziness and excuses. I started with like $2.50/month and after about five years they were gouging me $12/month for no reason. I mean NO REASON. I had no or negligible traffic. My content was static. NO REASON for increases whatsoever.

Informative and well-crafted! Your insightful breakdown of the best free blogging sites makes it easy for aspiring bloggers to kickstart their journey with confidence. Thanks for the valuable recommendations!

I’m glad you enjoyed it and found the post helpful! 🙂

Thanks for the listing the free blogging sites,its really useful for beginners to learn lot of things,keep sharing with us.

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How to easily start a blog and make money in 2024

• Rebecca Strehlow
• 28 min read

Get started by: Creating a blog →  | Getting a domain →

If you’re wondering how to create a blog , you’ve come to the right place. As a blogger myself, I can tell you it’s a rewarding way to hone your writing skills, explore new ideas and build an online presence that revolves around your passions and expertise. You’ll get the chance to inspire, educate, and entertain your readers—and as your blog grows, you can even start making money and turn it into a full-time job or use it to start a business .

In other words, blogging is the first step toward finally pursuing your dream job or favorite hobby, so you really can’t go wrong. While starting a blog might seem daunting, I’m going to walk you through every step to make it as smooth and successful as possible. The process is actually quite easy, and you’ll have your blog up and running, as well as your first blog post written, before you know it.

In this step-by-step guide, you’ll find all the guidance and tools you’ll need to start a blog and get writing blog posts. You’ll learn how to make your website , write your first blog post and draw in loyal readers. Sounds exciting? Let’s dive in.

How to start a blog

Choose a blogging platform. Use a platform that offers customizable templates.

Pick a hosting platform. Consider a platform with good bandwidth, uptime and customer support.

Find the right niche. Narrow down your theme and have a specific audience in mind.

Select a blog name and domain. Choose a descriptive name that piques readers’ interests.

Set up and design your blog. Include imagery and effects that reflect your theme.

Brainstorm blog topics. Write down all your ideas before narrowing down topic selections.

Write your first blog post. Engage your audience with a killer title and use headers to make the content skimmable.

Create an editorial calendar. Create a calendar to help you publish consistently and hold yourself accountable.

Promote your blog. Use marketing strategies to expand your reach.

Make money blogging. Take advantage of opportunities to monetize your blog.

In this complete how to blog A to Z tutorial, we’ll cover everything from choosing your blogging platform to making money from your written work. With a little bit of guidance, you can get your blog online in 30 minutes or less.

This is going to be the most comprehensive advice you’ll find on building a successful blog from scratch. If you want to start a blog fast, though, feel free to use the numbered steps above as a quick cheat sheet. You can go directly to the step you need the most help with, or grab a cup of coffee and read it all the way through.

What is a blog?

While a blog can encompass an entire website or simply be its own section of a website, this is a place to share content about a topic you’re passionate about. A blog will typically include both written and visual elements published in an easy-to-read, article format so visitors can swiftly browse and find what they’re looking for. And with over 31.7 million blogs in the US alone, you can literally find blogs about every subject out there, from home renovation to baking to local business marketing strategies . Once you’ve established a community of readers, the possibilities are truly endless.

There's no definitive "perfect" time to start a blog. If you feel that you have the time and resources to start, manage and promote a blog and are enthusiastic about sharing your ideas with the world, it might be the right time to take the plunge and start your blogging journey. The sooner you start, the sooner you can learn and grow as a blogger.

Ready to start your blog now? Sign up with Wix today.

01. Choose a blogging platform

The first step in starting a blog is to select a blogging platform or Content Management System (CMS) for publishing your content. A quick Google search will show you that there are several different sites available that suit bloggers from all industries. I recommend Wix because it’s a good all-around blogging platform that satisfies most needs.

Wix’s blogging platform is fairly straightforward to get the hang of, and it offers a variety of attractive design options and templates to work with. In addition, it comes with features to analyze your blog’s performance and monetize your content, which will come in handy as you setup your blog and build your readership.

How much does it cost to start a blog?

When researching how to create a blog, one of the biggest questions people have is how much does it cost to start a blog . On many platforms, starting a blog is completely free .

You can decide at any point whether you’d like to upgrade to a variety of different plans, depending on your budget and needs. Learn more about how much does it cost to build a website.

02. Pick a hosting platform

Once you select your preferred blogging platform, you’ll need to choose a hosting platform. A blog, like other types of websites , requires a host. This essentially stores websites on a server under a unique address so that visitors can easily reach them.

faqOn some blogging platforms, hosting is already included, so you won’t need to find a separate web host when setting up your blog. In that case, you can skip this step and move to Step 3 .

With other website builders, such as WordPress, you will need to find and pay for a separate web hosting platform. Some popular options include:

If you’re not sure which web hosting platform to choose, take into account these factors:

Uptime: The amount of time that the server hosting your website is up and running. A strong uptime rate (99.95% or above) is a good indication that the host’s servers perform well.

Bandwidth: The amount of data your website can transfer to visitors over a certain period of time. This factor is based on the size of your website pages as well as the amount of traffic you expect. This quick bandwidth calculator can help you determine your site’s bandwidth.

Customer support: Customer service you can contact in the event something goes wrong. Ideally, your hosting provider should offer an online help center, offer callbacks and respond to questions and concerns on social media.

Once you’ve chosen your blogging platform and hosting provider, you can start coming up with your blog idea.

Don’t worry about picking and registering your domain name just yet. We’ll walk through that process together in Step 4 .

03. Find the right profitable blog niche

Let’s move away from the technical and dive into the more theoretical. Take a step back and think about the main element that will form the foundation of your blog, from its URL and domain name to its content and design: your blog’s niche. What, exactly, do you want your blog to be about?

There is virtually no limit when it comes to your choice of subjects. The most crucial thing is that you select a specific topic area that will be the central focus of your entire blog and its content strategy.

Possible blog types range from fashion blogs to real estate blogs to book blogs or food blogs . Because there are lots of other blogs focusing on the same subjects, you’ll need a way to stand out while still writing about what you love.

Here are three simple steps for choosing the perfect blog niche —one that not only is in line with your passions, but one that you can also monetize and grow:

Narrow down your interests

Research your audience, check if it’s profitable.

When you start a blog, think long term. To motivate yourself to blog regularly, you’ll need to write about something you’re genuinely interested in. If you choose a topic solely on the basis of its being popular or profitable, your efforts will peter out pretty quickly, along with your entire blog content strategy.

If you aren’t sure right off the bat what you should be blogging about, that’s okay. Begin with a simple brainstorming session about subjects you like. What do you get excited talking about? What are you eager to learn more about?

Now, write down the first five to 10 interests that come to mind. For the sake of this example, let’s say:

Next, think about your more specific interests within these subject areas and add them to your list. Your additions might look something like this:

Backpacking in Southeast Asia

Vegan recipes

Raising twins

Indie rock music

Hiking in the Rockies

Don’t worry about these niches being perfect just yet. You’ll research them more thoroughly in the next steps. (However, if you're looking for inspiration, check out how these popular art blogs are using their platforms to connect with audiences who share a similar passion.)

The next step of starting and creating a blog is to learn which topics people are interested in reading about. If your blog gains traction, you can eventually start making money from it and become a full-time blogger.

You can determine the demand for any given niche with a bit of market research. Begin by taking a look at Google Trends , which shows you how many people are searching for a particular topic. The more searches a topic gets, the more public demand it has.

For instance, let’s type “vegan recipes” into Google Trends. In the image below, you’ll see that there’s a relatively stable level of interest in this topic, so it’s a good candidate for a blog niche.

“Paleo recipes,” on the other hand, has a much lower degree of interest. This doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea—some bloggers prefer to write for a more specific crowd if they have a unique specialty—but it does mean there are fewer people interested in that particular subject area.

If Google Trends reveals that interest in a subject area is either very low or declining, then that topic is unlikely to gain traction.

Whether you run a personal blog or a professional one, it’s a good idea to check whether your niche is profitable. Even if you’re starting out as a hobby blogger or want to create a fan website , you’ll want to think about future monetization options in the event that your blogging efforts evolve into a career.

There are multiple ways to earn money as a blogger, but one of the most common methods is affiliate marketing. As an affiliate, you’ll work together with a specific company, providing a link to their products within your blog, and earning a commission for any sale made through your site.

Considering whether you could blog as an affiliate is a good way to figure out if your niche is profitable. Think about the kinds of “best of” or “how to” posts you might write. For instance, “Best kitchen appliances for easy cooking” or “How to make carrot cake in 10 minutes.” In both instances, you could include an affiliate link to your favorite food processor or electric mixer and make money for each purchase made through your blog.

You don’t need to plan out your money-making strategy just yet, but thinking generally about profitable opportunities can help you choose a niche. For now, focus on starting your blog—we’ll talk more about making money blogging in Step 10 .

04. Select a blog name and domain

As you think about how to make a blog, the question of what to name it is probably lurking somewhere in the back of your mind.

There are three main routes you can go with your blog's name. These include:

Your first and last name

The name of your business (if you have one)

A creative new name

When choosing your blog’s name, you should also think about the personality you want it to reflect. Should it be formal and professional? Sweet and romantic? Edgy and offbeat? If you’re stuck on names for your blog , this blog name generator is a helpful source of inspiration.

Once you decide, you should also go ahead and choose your domain name for your blog. Also referred to as a URL, a domain is a site’s address on the web (this website’s domain name, for example, is www.wix.com). Typically, your domain name will be the same as, or at least influenced by, the name of your blog.

If you really want your blog to stand out, consider a .blog domain extension . It's a clear and unique way to help your blog and content pop.

05. Set up and design your blog

Choose a blog template, decide which pages to include, get indexed on search engines, create a blog logo.

At this point, you’ve chosen a blogging and hosting platform, domain name and blog niche. You’re now equipped with all the basics for setting up your blog. Here's how to optimize your blog design :

The first part of setup for a blog is selecting a template. Like your blog’s name, its look and feel will be an important part of its personality.

The most efficient way to get your blog up and running is to choose a pre-designed blog template . Afterwards, you can customize it based on your preferences.

Be sure to pick one that conveys your blog’s subject area. There are website templates for bloggers of any genre, whether you’re a food blogger, photography blogger or business blogger. As you browse, think about the mood you want your website to communicate, for example. whether it’s classic, modern, rugged or minimalist.

You should also take that into account as you further personalize the template with your preferred colors. Color psychology plays a huge role in forming your audience’s impression of your blog. As you choose a color palette, keep in mind the feelings and attitudes that different colors evoke. Blue, for instance, tends to evoke dependability and trust, while yellow evokes energy and joy.

If you’re unsure of which templates to choose, these blog examples serve as a helpful source of design inspiration.

Once you’ve chosen a template, think about which pages to include. Most blogs include more than just a section to display their posts. They might also include an online store, as in the image below, or a contact page.

Here's an overview of the different options when designing your blog:

01. Contact page: This is a place to put your email address so that fans and potential business partners can reach out to you. You can also include a contact form so that people can send a message directly through your site.

02. About page: This tells visitors who you are, what you do, and why you do it, providing some context behind your blog and humanizing your content.

03. Online store: You’ll also want to add a separate online store page if you’re thinking of selling items related to your blog. You can call this page “Products” or “Shop.”

If you want to beef up your blog with even more pages, a Tutorials page, Now Trending page or Author’s Pick page are all popular options.

Furthermore, some blogs opt to place their posts directly on the homepage, while others keep their homepages and blog pages separate. If you do this, make sure to include a navigation menu so that visitors can easily access your blog as well as any other pages.

There’s no right or wrong way to set up a blog, so play around with different options to see what best suits your style and personality. Keep in mind that you can always add or remove pages over time as your blog evolves.

Another part of starting a blog is making sure it’s visible on Google and other search engines. This is crucial if you want your content to pop up in search results, so you’ll want to take care of this step right away.

First, make sure your site is indexed on Google. Essentially, this means giving Google a heads up that your blog exists. You can do this by submitting your sitemap to Google Search Console .

Pro tip: Google Search Console is not only important for indexing your site, but it’s also a valuable platform that you’ll be using throughout your blogging journey. It tells you important data about your blog’s site visitors and clicks, which you can use to improve your content.

To find out whether your site is already included in Google’s search index, do a quick site search (a site search uses your homepage URL and takes the form of site:yourblogname.com ). If your blog pops up in the search results, then your site is already indexed.

Finally, polish off your site with an attractive blog logo . This is another way to add personality to your site, and it’s an essential step if you want to create a blog that evolves into a recognizable brand.

One option is to design your own or outsource the task, but you can also use an online logo maker . These tools give you plenty of room to customize your logo with your preferred colors, fonts and icons, and tend to be quicker and more affordable than hiring a professional designer.

Once you create your logo, place it in the upper left-hand corner of your website, and link it to your homepage. This will help brand your content while improving the navigation experience for readers.

06. Brainstorm blog topics

On the technical side, your blog is now setup and ready to go. It’s time to start thinking about which topics you’ll get started with.

Begin by thinking about your experiences, successes, failures or discoveries related to your niche. What insights can you share? What ideas are you looking to explore in-depth?

As you think of topics, try to get into your readers’ heads. Here are some questions to guide you through the brainstorming process:

What characteristics does my target audience possess?

What subjects does my target audience get excited about?

What challenges does my target audience face?

You can also come up with ideas using the topic cluster model . Essentially, this is a tightly organized system that strings together related posts using a series of internal links. While this process is usually considered part of SEO, you can also think of it as a mind map for coming up with ideas.

By this model, think about a broad topic—say, recipes—and then divide that up into smaller subtopics, like dinner recipes or brunch recipes. Then, divide those up into even more specific topics, like 20-minute dinner recipes, mimosa recipes, and cake decoration ideas. Any of these topics could be its own blog post.

If you’re still stuck, this list of blog ideas can help jumpstart the brainstorming process. They include:

A 30 before 30 list (also 40 before 40, or 50 before 50)

Your sources of inspiration

Beginners’ guides

Time-saving hacks

A challenge you’ve faced

Use these ideas to guide you, but feel free to add your own creative twist based on your niche.

07. Write your first blog post

Start with keyword research, come up with a blog post title, outline your main points, write engaging content, insert images, optimize for seo, edit and publish.

Now that you’ve come up with ideas, you’re ready to dive into the writing. Let’s go over how to write a blog post from start to finish:

Finding the right keywords is crucial for getting people to read your posts. By targeting certain phrases with your article, you increase the chances of your blog appearing on search results pages for those queries.

Let’s say, for instance, that you want to share a carrot cake recipe in your blog. You’ll want to target keywords such as:

Carrot cake

Carrot cake recipe

Best carrot cake recipe

How to make carrot cake

Depending on your topic, some keywords may be more obvious than others. You can refine your keywords using free keyword research tools such as Google Keyword Planner or you can use more robust paid options like SEMrush or Ahrefs .

Next, you’ll need to strategically target your selected keywords throughout your article. This means two things: First, you’ll need to sprinkle those phrases throughout your post (but try to do so as organically as possible—no one likes unnatural keyword stuffing). Second, you should structure your article based on the format you see in the top 10 search results for those keywords (you can also reference these results when deciding how long should a blog post be ).

Let’s say, for example, that you want to write an article about your favorite carrot cake recipe. Start by checking your competitors—the top 10 search results on Google for the keyword “carrot cake recipe.”

When you type that phrase into the search engine, you’ll notice that the top results are written as numbered steps, rather than as a story. You can therefore assume that most readers prefer the list format for these types of posts. In order to provide valuable content to your readers—and to rank high on Google as a result—you’ll want your own post to assume a similar format.

Likewise, you’ll want to touch on all the main points covered by your competitors. This doesn’t mean you can’t be be creative. It’s just to say that in addition to sharing your own original insights, you should cover all the bases.

To continue with our example, let’s assume that when you look up “carrot cake recipe,” the top search results include a section about how to make cream cheese frosting. This is an indicator that many readers find this content helpful. In addition, it shows that Google has a preference for articles including that detail. You’d be wise, then, to touch on this idea in your own article.

Keyword research gives you an idea of the best format for your blog post, as well as which sections to include. This naturally segues into the outline stage of the writing process.

First, choose which type of blog post you’d like to write. Will it be a how-to guide? A product recommendation? An op-ed? Whichever blog post template you choose, you’ll want to have a clear idea in mind before structuring the outline.

Then, use headers and subheaders to break up your content into organized, bite-sized chunks. Beneath each heading, make bulleted notes of the main points you’ll include in each section. This will be the skeleton of your first blog post.

Feel free to use this downloadable blog post template to help with your outline. All you need to do is fill in the blanks:

The next part of starting a blog article is coming up with a strong title. You can come up with your blog titles at any stage of the planning process, but the best ideas often arise as you build your outline.

A blog title is a small but mighty piece of content. Often, it makes the difference between whether or not people click on your article.

To make your blog titles catchy and compelling, put yourself in your readers’ shoes. Think about what might interest and excite them, and try the following strategies:

Be clear and direct

Promise value

Appeal to your readers’ emotions

Pique their curiosity

Use humor, alliteration or wordplay

Here are a few fill-in-the-blank blog title ideas to help you:

Here’s more information on how to write a headline that stands out. If you’re curious about diving more into what makes a headline a success, Buzzsumo’s shared headlines study is also an insightful resource.

Now, it’s time to start typing away. Keep in mind that you’ll need an introduction, body text broken up by headers and sub-headers, and a conclusion (optional).

In the introduction, grab your audience’s attention with a captivating anecdote, a compelling quote or statistic, or an interesting fact. Then, share a brief summary of what the article is about, making sure to grab the interest of your readers.

Next, write the body text, using your outline as a guide. This is where you share your knowledge and expertise as a blogger. Be sure to avoid fluff; writing for the sake of writing is one of the biggest blogging mistakes . Instead, make sure each sentence is meaningful, and dive straight into sharing your original insights and actionable tips. You should also use a tone of voice that resonates with your audience, whether it’s funny and casual or serious and formal.

Finally, wrap up the post with a concluding section. While not every blog includes this final bit, it’s a nice way to tie your ideas together and share your closing thoughts.

Keep in mind that writing a blog post can take several hours, and it’s a process that shouldn’t be rushed. Set aside at least half a day to write your first draft.

There are quicker ways to research, plan and create blog content, if you choose to decide with AI content generation tools. There are several to choose from - including Open AI's Chat GPT, Google's BARD and others such as Jasper.ai. Just be sure to heavily edit any AI generated content, be on top of fact checking it's output and don't forget to bring your own voice and style to the content.

Write a blog post with AI

As AI content generators become more popular and as their output improves, considering whether to use AI to write blog posts is a valid question a lot of bloggers are asking themselves. AI content generation can speed up the blog writing process and help you create more, faster. However, in our experience, AI generated content still requires a large degree of human editing, fact checking and injecting of experience into it. So while it might help you create drafts faster, it's not going to be something you can publish fresh from an AI content generator.

However you can use AI for other parts of the blog writing process. You can use it to:

Create blog titles

Write meta titles and descriptions

Structure your blog articles

Help you proofread for grammar and spelling mistakes

As you start your blog, remember that your choice of images can strengthen readers’ overall impression of your article. Whether you add photos, screenshots or illustrations to your articles, they should be functional as well as beautiful. Make sure they convey your main points and highlight important examples in the post.

If you don’t have your own images, begin by browsing free stock photos on the web. Pexels and Unsplash are both popular sites for gathering visual material. While you might eventually want to use photos you take yourself, stock photos are a quick way to get your blog started.

Once you create your content, there are a couple things you’ll need to take care of before hitting Publish. These steps primarily revolve around strategy, from improving your blog SEO to generating conversions through your article. Here’s a quick post-writing checklist to guide you:

Double check your keywords: Quickly search your content (CTRL+F) to review your use of keywords. Did you include all the keywords you intended to? If not, check to see whether there are any other opportunities to incorporate the keywords throughout your article. (Keep in mind that keyword stuffing is considered a bad practice, and search engines can penalize you for it. Incorporate them naturally into the text, rather than forcing them in.)

Add internal links: One trick up every bloggers’ sleeve is to link between their blog posts (also known as the practice of internal linking). This helps improve your posts’ SEO, and it also encourages your readers to browse your other articles. Rather than linking randomly, you should link between primarily related blog posts; this is better for SEO, and it also makes the links more valuable to your readers. If you’re just starting a blog and don’t have much content yet, don’t forget to go back into your posts and add in the links later.

Incorporate CTAs: The next trick in the book is to include calls-to-action (CTAs) throughout the article. These little snippets of content often take the form of phrases such as Buy Now, Subscribe, or Read More. By placing call-to-action buttons in your article, you can direct readers to buy your products, subscribe to your newsletter, or click for further reading.

Use alt text: Because Google can’t read photos, bloggers often add a short description to each image (ideally using keywords) to help the search engine understand what is being displayed. This description, called alt text, helps your images show up in Google image searches.

Write your post’s metadata: Metadata is the term for the text used to display a web page in Google search results. This includes the meta title (also known as the title tag) and meta description. Sometimes, the meta title is the same as the title of your blog post, while other times, you’ll want to choose a slightly different title for displaying your post. There’s no right or wrong here, so long as your title is engaging and includes your most important keyword. The meta description, which is the short snippet of text beneath the meta title, should also include your main keywords and should preview the article’s main points.

Choose your URL: Every webpage has a dedicated URL, and your blog posts are no different. A strong URL helps your articles rank high on search engine results pages, and typically contains a keyword. Blog post URLs often take the form of www.yourdomainname.com/blog-post-keyword or www.yourdomainname.com/blog/blog-post-keyword .

You now have everything you need for your first blog post. Give it a couple reads, and share it with family members or friends to review. It’s always helpful to have a second, third, or fourth pair of eyes.

When you think your article is ready to go, upload it to your blog. Your blogging platform will also have a place for you to type in the metadata and URL. Once that’s done, hit Publish and let the celebrations begin.

08. Create an editorial calendar

Whew! You’ve just written your first blog post. Take a break, and when you’re ready, plan out the rest of the month’s posting schedule.

Creating an editorial calendar is an important part of starting a blog. It’s an effective way to ensure you publish content consistently, letting you hold yourself accountable as a writer and ensuring you don’t deviate from your blogging goals. Your readers want new content, and you need to deliver. Plus, search engines take into account how frequently you publish when determining your site’s overall ranking.

You probably already have a handful of topics from your brainstorming session in Step 6. If not, use the same process to come up with new ideas. Once you have at least 10 or so ideas, start building a content calendar.

Your calendar doesn’t need to cost a thing, and it certainly doesn’t require the use of unfamiliar tools or platforms. Open up Excel or Google Sheets, and start building a schedule from there. The columns you use are completely up to you, but you’ll probably want to create different sections for the publishing date, blog title, main keywords, article status and comments.

Pro tip: If you know you’re prone to procrastination (aren't we all?), open up a Google Calendar and fill in your deadlines there. You can even set aside blocks of time in your calendar for writing.

How often should you blog?

When learning how to start a blog, a big question people ask is how often they should be publishing new content. As a rule of thumb, the more often you blog, the more traffic you get. There’s no black-or-white answer for exactly how frequently that is, but studies have pointed us to a few important statistics :

11 or more posts per month yields a noticeable increase in traffic. Among small companies of 10 or fewer employees, those who published at least 11 blog posts a month had twice as much traffic as those who published two to five blogs a month.

Small companies also found that publishing at least 11 posts per month yields twice as many leads as those publishing six to 10 monthly articles. This is important if your goal is to obtain subscribers, sell products or work as an affiliate (more on that in Step 10).

How often you blog also depends on your goals . If your main goal is to generate brand awareness, start with one to two new posts per week. On the other hand, if you’re primarily aiming to increase blog traffic , you should ideally be writing three to four new posts per week.

Keep all this in mind as you create your editorial calendar, but make your goals small and achievable. If you set unrealistic deadlines that you can’t meet, you’ll get thrown off course and even discouraged.

You can always ramp up your efforts once you get used to publishing and make it a habit to stick to your schedule. In addition, remember that you can always bring in guest contributors to up the quantity of published content each week.

09. Promote your blog

Share on social media

Create a blog newsletter

Write for other sites

Reach out to an existing community

Participate in question and discussion sites

Invest in paid ads

Try new content formats

At this stage, you have everything you need to start a blog. These last couple of steps will focus on how to spread the word about your blog and grow it into a serious monetization tool.

In order to get readers, you’ll need to find creative ways to drive traffic to your site. While improving your SEO is an important step, the following methods can also help you promote your blog . Note that most of them are completely free, while a few (like advertising) are paid.

Share on social media: Social media is an excellent place to post your content and draw attention to your blog. Whether you promote your blog on Facebook , Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn, it’s a great way to reach new readers. Learn more about blogging vs instagram in our guide.

Create a blog newsletter: Send out a weekly email newsletter to engage your readers and get them coming back to your blog for more. This will help you sustain a loyal fan base. To get subscribers to your blog email list in the first place, include a prominent Subscribe button in your website’s navigation bar, footer, and within your blog posts.

Write for other sites: Strengthen your reputation as a writer and expert in your niche by publishing content outside your own website. Consider opening a Medium account and making a name for yourself there, or post articles on LinkedIn . You should also keep an eye out for guest blogging opportunities, which are offered by publications such as Forbes and Entrepreneur .

Reach out to an existing community: Facebook groups, forums and LinkedIn groups are gathering places for people interested in a particular topic. If you find an online community that’s relevant to your blog niche, share your website with them and network among their group members.

Participate in question and discussion sites: Sites such as Quora and Reddit give you the opportunity to highlight your blog in discussion threads. Use one of your blog posts to answer a question or follow up on a comment, but be sure to come across as helpful and informative rather than promotional.

Invest in paid ads: In addition to sharing posts on social media, you can boost your posts with a paid promotion so that they reach more people. Likewise, you can pay for Google ads and reach new users through the search engine.

Try new content formats: Expand your reach even further by trying new content formats. These essentially repurpose the same information provided in your posts. For instance, you can turn your blog posts into videos and start a YouTube channel. You might even create a podcast or offer a webinar. The sky's the limit.

Learn more: Blogging vs Youtube

10. Make money blogging

Affiliate marketing

Advertise within your blog

Offer paid subscriptions

Write sponsored content

Sell e-books and merchandise

Provide consulting services

If you’re looking to start a blog with a large readership, chances are you’re also aiming to make money from your blog’s popularity. We touched on affiliate marketing earlier in the article, but let’s talk more about this and other money-making strategies that can help you generate passive income from your writing efforts.

There are more ways than one to make money blogging . Here’s a quick overview of each method:

Affiliate marketing: This is one of the most common ways to make money blogging, and it’s easy to get started. Intermediate affiliates can earn between $300 to $3,000 per day , and that number only goes up with experience. There are plenty of affiliate marketing programs out there, but Amazon Associates is a popular choice for beginners.

Advertising within your blog: Another option is to display ads within your blog, which means you’re essentially selling your blog real estate as ad space. This is a fairly reliable way to make money, as you’ll be earning revenue with each click. If you’re thinking of taking this route, Google AdSense is by far one of the most lucrative and popular programs.

Offering paid subscriptions: You know how the New York Times makes you pay to read their content? You can do the same thing with your blog. While some of your articles should be free, you can also create exclusive content that readers can buy access to through a subscription plan.

Write sponsored content: Reach out to companies—or, as you blog grows, make it easy for brands to contact you—regarding sponsorship opportunities. You’ll be writing articles that promote those companies’ products, and the business, in turn, will compensate you for the posts.

Sell e-books and merchandise: You can also sell digital or physical goods directly from your site. This might include branded merchandise, products related to your field, or e-books and other online resources. One way to do this is by adding a Pay button to your homepage that your readers can click to browse your merchandise.

Provide consulting services: This approach involves making use of your professional experience and harnessing the knowledge you’ve gained as a professional blogger. Based on your insights and expertise, think about the kinds of consulting services you might be able to offer to your clients. If you’re writing a nutrition blog, one such idea could be making customized diet plans or working as a nutrition coach for clients.

For further details, take a look at this article on how to monetize a blog or check out the Wix Learn online course on monetizing your blog.

5 reasons to start a blog and is it worth it

People start blogs for a variety of reasons, many of which mean blogging is still worth it, some of these reasons include:

01. Share your ideas with the world

Sometimes you just want to be heard and get your ideas out into the universe. This is where a blog can help—it’s a form of communication and space that’s entirely your own. You can use your creativity and passion to create a space customized exactly to your liking where you can share your ideas, expertise and experiences.

02. Promote a product or service

Blogging for business  is a great way to engage potential customers and provide more information about a product or service. Additionally, blogging does wonders for a website's SEO.

03. Build your brand

A blog provides a platform to showcase your knowledge and skills, establishing yourself as an authority in your field and building credibility and trust with your audience. As Ophyr Hanan, Blog Growth and SEO Outreach Specialist at Wix, says, "By fostering relationships and collaborating on content, it can help build the foundation for thought leadership and authority building both for you and within your industry."

04. Earn income

Blogging can be profitable with time and continued effort. The best way to see the monetary fruits of your labor is by posting quality content regularly that draws in new readers and brings more traffic to your website. This will help your blog gain advertisers and can also boost your status as an online influencer, which can open up the door for affiliate marketing.

05. Build a community

Thanks to the internet, we no longer need to live in the same city, state or even country to feel connected to others. A blog, as part of a wider blogosphere  community, creates a space to share your story, ideas and start conversations with people all over the world with mutual interests. A blog typically has a comments section where your readers can speak with you directly, allowing you to engage in conversation and build relationships.

Is it too late to start a blog?

Blogging is crucial to build your brand's voice and community, and allows you to expand your reach to a relevant audience who might otherwise not know you exist.

Judit Ruiz Ricart, Team Lead of Blog Growth at Wix

Blogs are still a popular and effective way to share your thoughts, ideas and expertise with the world. In fact, blogging is one of the most popular forms of content marketing. It can also be a great way to build a community and connect with other people who share your interests.

Remember that the internet is still growing, with more and more people using it every day. This means that there's a large and growing potential audience for your blog, too. While there are many blogs out there, there's always room for new voices and perspectives. If you have something unique to share, people will be interested in reading it. And the best part is that there are many tools and platforms that make it easy to create and manage a blog.

There are a number of reasons why blogging is still relevant, including:

Search engines love blogs

Blogs are a great way to improve your website's SEO and rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). This is because blogs provide fresh, high-quality content that is relevant to your target audience.

Blogs build authority

When you write informative and engaging blog posts, you establish yourself as an expert in your field. This can help you attract new customers and clients, and build trust with your existing audience.

Blogs build connections

Blogs provide a platform for you to share your thoughts and ideas and to connect with other people who share your interests. This can help you build a community around your brand. This is especially true of service industries, fitness blogs for example are a great way to build a loyal health focused audience and the same is true for almost every industry.

Blogs generate leads and sales

When you write blog posts that are relevant to your target audience, you can include calls to action that encourage them to learn more about your products or services, or to contact you for a consultation.

The blogging landscape has changed in recent years, the space is more competitive as more blogs exist and competition for audience numbers grows. Hand in hand with this social media and video have become more popular ways to consume content, especially amongst younger audiences. However amongst all of this blogs still play an important role in the content marketing mix.

Blogging resources - how to become a blogger

As you learn how to create a blog and become a blogger, browse these blogging resources to help guide you through the writing process, SEO and more:

Blog post checklist : Check off these steps to ensure you’ve covered all the bases with your first blog post.

Blogging for beginners : Read through these additional tips on how to start your blog from scratch.

Free online writing courses (Udemy) : Browse Udemy for professional writing courses that will help you develop your blogging skills.

Free SEO tutorial (Moz) : Learn the basics of SEO with this free six-part video course.

Blogging tools

Finally, online tools are a big part of launching a blog, since they make the process more streamlined and efficient. Here’s a quick list of some helpful blogging tools you can use to start a blog—don’t forget to bookmark them for future reference:

Google Keyword Planner : Get data about which keywords to use in your blog posts.

Google Analytics : Obtain insights into your blog’s data to strengthen its performance.

Google Search Console : Have a clear view of the number of website visitors and clicks your blog receives.

ShareThrough’s headline analyzer : Type in your headline and get feedback on its strengths and weaknesses.

Pexels : Find free stock photos for your blog articles.

Grammarly : Review your writing with an AI editing tool.

BuzzSumo : Keep track of trending content to create relevant, targeted posts.

Asana : Manage your writing schedule with an online task management tool.

How to start a blog infographic

That's all there is to it. Let's wrap up with a quick infographic:

At this point, you have all the tools and resources you need for starting a blog. You couldn't have found a more rewarding endeavor, and I couldn't be more honored to help you get your blog off the ground. Feel free to bookmark this guide as a reference as you begin this new journey, and happy blogging.

Start a blog FAQ

How can i start a blog for free.

First of all you'll need to choose a blogging platform with free user options. With Wix, for example, you can create a blog for free. You can also save money when starting a blog by writing all of your content yourself and by using as many free content planning and keyword research tools as possible. You can also use stock images included within the template or editor of your blogging platform for free in most cases.

How do I make a successful blog?

Is blogging still worth it in 2024, how to make a blogging website, how do bloggers get paid, can you start a blog as a side hustle, how to write a blog post with ai, do blogs make money, how do i start a blog with no money, related posts.

How to write catchy blog titles: 12 tips and examples

120 profitable blog niche ideas and how to pick the right one

How to make money blogging: the complete free guide

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The best free blogging sites in 2024

The best free blogging sites available online

• 1. Best overall
• 2. Best for personalization
• 3. Best support
• 4. Best for analytics
• 5. Best for audience
• Best free blogging sites compared
• How to choose
• How we review

The list in brief 1. Best overall : Wix 2. Best for personalization : WordPress 3. Best support : Site123 4. Best for analytics : Blogger 5. Best for audience : Medium FAQs How to choose How we review

The best free blogging sites allow you to broadcast your views to the world online, whether they be on the latest hit TV show or the top trends in your industry. Blogging is one of the most effective ways to get yourself heard, and many of the best website builders will provide you with a free plan for blogging.

According to Social Media Today, 77% of internet users still read blogs. But what's the ideal blogging site for you or your business? You need to consider whether you want to use a top website builder , a content management system (CMS) such as WordPress via the best web hosting services, or whether you just want to be able to write a blog post via a platform like Medium.

Website builders and blogging sites often utilize a drag-and-drop interface, meaning that even if you're not a confident user of HTML or website mechanics, there are many platforms available to suit even complete beginners. If you've got more advanced skills, and want a highly polished site, many free blogging platforms allow you that extra customization.

While some platforms may not offer the features of rival services, the best free blogging sites can be more than capable when it comes to launching a new blog, whether personal or professional. After testing the most popular blogging platforms on the pricing, features, and ease of use, we outline our top picks below.

The quick list

Searching for the top free blogging platform? Here’s a brief overview of the best blogging sites, emphasizing their unique features. For detailed insights, check out the full review.

The best free blogging site

Wix offers a free blogging feature suitable for all bloggers. It provides numerous design templates, a blog name generator, and advanced features like video and image integration.

Read more below

The best free blogging site for personalization and privacy protection

WordPress.com is a popular choice for many bloggers. It offers a step-by-step setup wizard, vast customization options, and plugins. Its free plan includes privacy protection.

The best free blogging site for beginners with 24/7 user support

Touted as the “easiest website builder,” Site123 offers essential features like free design templates, a drag-and-drop editor, and 24/7 online chat support.

The best free blogging platform with built-in analytics

Blogger, a product by Google, offers built-in analytics and compatibility with Google AdSense. It has an active online community but lacks support. Blogs on the free plan use a Blogspot.com domain.

The best free blogging platform for sharing your voice

Medium is a unique platform that allows you to share your voice with a vast online community. It offers in-built analytics and attracts over 170 million readers.

The top 3 free blogging sites right now

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.

Wix: The best free blogging site Wix's free blogging element is perfect for beginners with its generator tool, design templates, and advanced features for adding videos, images, and photo galleries to posts, along with the ability to push posts to Facebook. 

WordPress.com: Personalization and privacy settings WordPress.com has a user-friendly set-up wizard and vast array of customization options and plugins. While it doesn't operate on a drag-and-drop interface, users can personalize almost every aspect of their blog.

Site123: Good for beginners with 24/7 user support Site123 offers a simple and effective solution for beginners with free design templates, a drag-and-drop editor, social media integration, and 24/7 online chat support. However, note that it lacks some features provided by rival platforms.

The best free blogging sites of 2024 in full

Best overall.

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

While you’ve probably heard Wix referred to as one of the best website builders , the platform's free blogging element also has a great deal to offer wannabe bloggers of all experience levels.

For those who are uncertain about how to get started with a blog , a generator tool can give you a selection of potential blog names, while the platform also offers an impressive range of ready-made design templates that are ideal for beginners. 

Once you’ve got to grips with the platform, you can unlock a range of more advanced features for adding videos, images, and photo galleries to your posts. Ambitious bloggers may also be impressed by the unlimited page count.

Wix has expanded its app market with more blogging-related apps and services in the past year. These include social plugins that allow for more seamless sharing of your content across different platforms, comment management tools to engage with your readers more effectively, and analytics tools to track your blog's performance and audience demographics.

On the social media integration front, Wix now offers more than just the ability to push posts to Facebook. You can connect multiple social media accounts, including Twitter, Instagram, and even LinkedIn, enabling you to share your content across a broader network with just a few clicks. 

One big downside of the free plan is that your blog will automatically display Wix branding. If you’d like to remove these adverts, you’ll need to upgrade to one of the paid plans. You should also note that you’ll be limited to 500MB of data transfer a month with the free version.

Read our full Wix review .

Best for personalization

2. WordPress.com

Even if you’ve barely researched the best free blogging sites, chances are you’ve come across WordPress.com. And for many bloggers, it’s the go-to platform for launching a new site. 

It’s easy to see why. As you come to publish your first post, WordPress’s set-up wizard will walk you through the process step-by-step and will help you with decisions such as selecting your design theme. However, for those new to blogging, one point to note is that WordPress doesn’t operate on a drag-and-drop interface .

As a result, you’ll need to invest a little time and effort in understanding how to use WordPress’s various menus and interfaces if you’d like to make the most of the platform’s vast array of customization options and plugins. 

This isn’t necessarily a black mark against WordPress as, once you’ve got to grips with its menu system, you can personalize almost every aspect of your blog to create an online presence that can truly set your blog apart from the crowd.

One potential downside of the free plan is that it doesn’t include email or live chat support. That said, a big bonus of WordPress is that privacy protection is included for free with domains registered via the platform.

WordPress.com has made strides in improving the user experience with a more intuitive block editor, which simplifies the content creation process. This editor allows you to insert a variety of content types into your posts and pages with ease, from images and videos to buttons and galleries. 

WordPress.com has also expanded its selection of themes and customization options, even for free users. While the customization on the free plan might not be as extensive as on paid plans, there's still a considerable range to help your blog stand out. 

Note: If you’re setting up your blog via WordPress.com, you should ensure you avoid the common error of confusing the platform with WordPress.org: a free open publishing platform that requires users to host their own blogs through a third party. 

Read our WordPress review .

Best support

Site123 claims to be “by far the easiest website builder”. And while this may be an ambitious claim, its creators could well be correct.

If you’re looking for a simple, effective solution and aren’t concerned about having all the bells and whistles, Site123 offers all the basics, including free design templates, a drag-and-drop editor, social media integration, and a comments section. And, surprisingly for a free product, the company offers 24/7 online chat, which could prove handy for blogging newcomers.

But while Site123’s simplicity may be appealing if you’re not particularly tech-savvy, it could mean your blog lacks some of the features provided by rival platforms. Also, note that the free version only offers a subdomain, and you’ll need to upgrade to a paid version if you’d like a full domain name . You’ll also be limited to 250MB of storage on the free plan. 

Site123 has recently improved its SEO capabilities. The platform now offers more advanced SEO settings, including options for meta tags, custom URLs, and alt text for images, making it easier for your blog to rank higher in search engine results. This is a significant improvement for bloggers looking to increase their visibility and attract more readers.

Additionally, Site123 has introduced new integrations and widgets specifically aimed at bloggers. These include tools for embedding social media feeds, video content, and even podcasts directly into your posts. This allows for a richer content experience, engaging your readers with a variety of media types beyond just text and images.

For more information, read our Site123 review .

Best for analytics

Launched on the eve of the millennium, Google’s own Blogger is one of the grandparents of online publishing and holds a certain nostalgia for anyone who began their blogging career in the noughties. But despite its advanced years, it continues to be a strong proposition. And should you encounter difficulties, the platform has an active online community 

One of the most attractive features is its built-in analytics function and, if you’re seeking a more in-depth view of your readers, you can connect your blog directly to Google Analytics. Compatible with Google AdSense, Blogger could also be valuable for those looking to monetize with categorized help topics.

Google has made strides in giving Blogger a more contemporary feel, with updates to its template designs and customization tools. However, compared to other platforms, Blogger's design options still might feel somewhat limiting. 

On the technical side, Blogger remains a very reliable platform, benefiting from Google's robust infrastructure. Downtime is rare, which means your blog is likely always available to your readers. 

However, for those looking to expand beyond blogging into more complex website territory, Blogger's capabilities can be restrictive. There's no direct way to add custom functionalities like forums or online stores as you might with platforms designed for broader website creation. This limitation is something to consider if you anticipate needing more than just a blog.

Blogger also doesn’t offer tailored customer support and, although being limited to a Blogspot.com domain name may not be an issue for individuals, it could lack the level of professionalism desired by some business owners. 

Best for audience

Should you wish to avoid some of the stress involved in launching and hosting your own personal blog, Medium could be the right online publishing platform for your needs. 

While the other solutions discussed here enable you to create your own site from scratch, Medium is a blog-sharing space that gives you the opportunity to add your voice to an already thriving online community. In simple terms, you own your content on Medium, but not the platform on which you’re posting.

Launched by the co-creator of Twitter and attracting more than 170 million readers worldwide, many thought leaders and prestigious publications such as The Economist regularly post content on the platform. So you’ll definitely be in good company if you post your blog on Medium.

Under the Medium model, you won’t be burdened with any of the operational difficulties involved in running your own website and can avoid headaches such as optimizing SEO yourself—which is a definite bonus for technophobes. 

However, you also surrender a certain degree of autonomy. In a worst-case scenario, Medium’s moderators could suddenly remove your content if they deem it unsuitable or offensive. Under the platform’s terms and conditions, all content needs to take into account factors such as newsworthiness. But, crucially, your posts should adhere to all relevant laws and not pose any potential harm. Should your blog be taken down, there is little you could do about it. 

Deciding if Medium is the best choice for you ultimately comes down to whether or not you’d prefer to operate your own site, or be happy to relinquish some control over the platform if it meant promoting your brand to Medium’s enormous readership. If it’s the latter, Medium could prove an attractive choice.

The best free blogging sites, compared

Free blogging sites faqs, what are free blogging sites.

Free blogging sites can be described as online platforms that allow you to create and publish content without any cost. They are designed to make it easy for you to set up a blog, create and publish posts, and interact with readers. 

With free blogging sites, you don't need any technical skills or knowledge to get started. They provide you with templates and tools that make it easy to create a professional-looking blog. 

You can use free blogging sites to share your thoughts, ideas, and experiences with the world. Whether you want to write about your hobbies, share your expertise, or promote your business, free blogging sites can help you do it without breaking the bank.

How to choose the best free blogging site for you

The popularity of blogging, both for businesses and individuals, means that there is now an abundance of online resources that could help you find the best free blogging site for your niche. As well as reading online reviews of the platforms you’re interested in, you could visit their online communities and social media pages to get a sense of user satisfaction.

But the most effective way to find the right solution for you could simply be trial and error. By testing the different options, you’ll quickly get a sense of whether or not they’re right for you. Finding the right blogging platform for you will ultimately depend on what you most value in an online platform. 

Whether this is design customization or robust customer service, you should be able to find a free blogging site to suit your needs. 

How we review the best free blogging sites

When searching for the best blogging sites, we test and evaluate website builders and blogging platforms on a variety of criteria, including price, number of features, functionality, interface, ease of use, user support, and security. However, there is no substitute for doing your own customized research.

Read more about our testing methodology .

Next steps with website builders and web hosting

If you want to find out more about WordPress, make sure to read our range of content looking at the CMS, including our pick of the best website builders for WordPress , how to build a website with WordPress , and the biggest WordPress mistakes to avoid making.

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Katy is a freelance journalist and editor with more than 10 years' experience writing about tech and finance. Throughout her career, she has worked with tech giants such as Google and Yahoo!, as well as a host of fintech start-ups. Her work has appeared in national newspapers and independent media outlets.

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Blog with the best.

More bloggers and independent creators choose WordPress than any other blogging tool. Tap into intuitive, flexible tools that put writers, bloggers, and creators first.

Simple, meet flexible.

Whatever you’re publishing. Whoever your audience is. WordPress.com makes it simple to get started. And easy to expand your site as your audience grows.

Customize your blog’s look and feel in a couple of clicks with beautifully designed themes. Bring your writing to life with magical drag-and-drop layouts. Or put your fingerprint on every font, color, and element on the page.

From simple and clean to glossy magazine – whatever your publishing style, the intuitive block editor adapts to you. Drag, drop, and easily swap out your menu, punch in a pull quote, or make your post pop with a beautiful gallery. Just like that.

From video to audio, stories to GIFs, bring it all together—right from where you write. And with plenty of storage for every type of media, your content’s secure, easy to reuse anywhere on your blog, and owned by you alone.

You do you.

You’ve got more on your plate than running a blog. WordPress.com meets you where you are.

The Jetpack mobile app for iOS and Android puts total control of your blog a tap and swipe away. Wherever you are at the time.

With post-scheduling, you can catch your readers at the best time for them. And for you. Write up a post, set your publish date, and then leave it to your blog to hit publish.

Skim your blog stats with an at-a-glance dashboard. Or dig into the details of exactly what’s resonating with your readers with charts, graphs, and deep-dive data, powered by Jetpack.

See and be seen.

You made it. Now it’s time to get it in front of people. With baked in SEO tools, a bustling community, one-click social links, and a bunch of easy ways to get paid, you’re all set.

Get found faster thanks to built-in search engine optimization tools. Clean URLs, automatic sitemaps, and custom titles and descriptions help put your blog at the top of the stack in search results.

Find your audience

Say hello to a huge community of bloggers, creators, and avid readers, every time you publish. WordPress.com’s built-in Reader means millions of people can easily find, follow, and share your blog.

Take it to social

Put the word out on social media with no extra work. Set up automatic social updates once. Then leave it to WordPress.com to update Facebook, Tumblr, and LinkedIn every time you hit publish.

Get paid for what you made

Let your audience support your hard work with built-in monetization tools. From shipping out merch to selling downloadable content, taking donations to offering subscriptions and memberships. Everything you need to collect payments is baked right in.

People love WordPress.com.

Over the years, I’ve acquired a gratifying number of readers and followers, with more arriving each day, and I owe much of that audience to the tools and opportunities that WordPress.com provides.

WordPress.com has allowed me to present my content in an attractive way. It’s given me a platform to reach thousands of people. It’s made people notice me and what I write… With my WordPress site, I feel like a professional.

My entire life has been invested in the written word, printing and publishing. WordPress.com is the best resource I have ever used.

You’re in control.

With WordPress.com, your content belongs to you alone. Count on us to keep your site strong, safe, and lightning fast, so you’ll never lose a site visitor.

Blogs should belong to creators, not platforms. With WordPress.com, every word, every photo, and every thought you share belongs to you. And only you. That means you can easily export your entire blog and take it anywhere, at any time.

Your blog’s in safe hands. With a dedicated security team, firewalls, encryption, brute force, and DDoS protection. So when you blog with WordPress.com, security’s all in place. All by default.

WordPress.com focuses on doing only one thing really well: hosting blazing-fast WordPress sites, all over the world. So you’ll never lose a follower to a slow site or risk your blog going down with a sudden traffic spike.

Everything you need in one place.

Your WordPress.com site comes with all the most popular blogging tools—and then some.

Stats & Insights

Jetpack stats.

Monitor your site traffic and engagement from the moment you hit publish.

Google Analytics

Access in-depth data on how and why people come to your site without writing a single line of code.

Design & Editing Tools

Beautiful themes.

Kickstart your site by selecting from hundreds of pre-made, professionally-designed, customizable templates .

Block Editor

Use intuitive drag-and-drop tools to easily arrange, rearrange, and organize your content and media.

Advanced Design Tools 

Customize your blog’s design with extended color schemes, typography, borders, and control over website CSS.

Pre-Built Block Patterns

Create great-looking layouts simply by inserting elegant pre-built block patterns into your pages and posts.

Upload Any Type of Media

Create designer-worthy photo galleries, embed audio, video, documents, and more—with storage space to spare.

Get found faster with powerful built-in SEO tools , and access to premium plugins including Yoast and Rank Math.

Social Media Tools

Automatically send new posts to Facebook, Tumblr, and LinkedIn and create shortlinks, social icons, and open graph tags.

Easily insert a contact, appointment, event registration, or feedback form to your site.

WordPress.com Newsletter

Automatically send your new posts out as an email newsletter.

Connect with other likeminded bloggers —who might just be your next biggest fans, through our community hub.

Custom Domain Name

Get a personalized online address that’s easy to remember and easy to share—enjoy your first year free when you choose a paid annual plan.

Monetization Tools

Collect payments.

Accept payments for just about anything—from goods and services to memberships and donations.

Earn ad revenue by connecting your site with the biggest ad publishers, including Google AdSense, and more.

Paid Content Block

Create additional, premium content exclusive to your paying subscribers.

Paid Newsletters

Email premium content to paying subscribers.

Site Management

Post by email.

Publish blog posts on-the-go with the quick send of an email.

Post Scheduling

Schedule your posts in advance.

Spam Protection with Akismet

Prevent unwanted comments to ensure that your site remains professional and trustworthy.

Jetpack Backups and Restores

Easily restore or download a backup of your site from a specific moment in time.

Related Posts

Provide automated content recommendations to visitors based on what they’ve already read.

Jetpack Search

Deliver high quality, relevant search results to your most engaged visitors.

You asked, we answered.

You can always get started blogging for free with the WordPress.com free plan, which includes our best-in-class hosting. Our various paid plans unlock additional features perfect for personal use, freelancers, small businesses, and online stores.

Find the right plan for your blogging needs.

Your free website includes a subdomain: sitename.wordpress.com

You can register a new custom domain name or transfer an existing one to your free site, but you’ll need a paid WordPress.com plan to use it as your site’s main address.

Every paid WordPress.com plan comes with a free domain for one year when paid annually.

There are a lot of ways to earn money with your blog. You can earn ad revenue, share affiliate links, sell digital goods and services, accept donations and tips, create premium content accessible only to paid subscribers, and more.

Learn more about how WordPress.com helps you monetize your blog .

On WordPress.com we use “website” and “blog” as interchangeable terms. Any site you create on WordPress.com can be formatted as a static page or a blog. Some websites dedicate a separate section to work as a blog.

Yes! WordPress.com makes it quick and easy to import your content from other blogging or website platforms including Squarespace, Wix, Blogger, and more. You can also import your content from a self-hosted WordPress site.

Find out how to import your site’s content .

Yes, we have a custom web design service called Built By WordPress.com . You tell us about the site you envision, and we’ll work closely with you to design and build your site. The end result will be fully customized for you.

Check out our learning hub with a variety of courses and webinars, articles, and support guides for tips on getting started with your blogging journey.

Join the millions of creators publishing with WordPress.com.

Build your blog—and your audience—with the same tool that powers almost half the web. Built on lightning-fast, seriously secure, hassle-free hosting. That’s WordPress.com.

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How to start a blog: a complete guide for beginners

This is everything you'll need to start your own blog

Creating blogging sites can be a lot of fun, and it can also be an excellent way to express yourself and increase your online presence, connect with your desired audience, and at the same time, be an additional source of revenue.

In this guide, I will walk you through starting a blog from scratch. I'll cover everything from finding a niche, choosing a domain name, setting up your blog's design, and monetizing your blog.

By the end of this article, you'll have everything you need to launch your successful blog.

What is a blog?

A blog is a website or portion of a website where an individual or organization writes about topics that interest them. A blog can be focused on one particular topic, such as politics, or it can be a collection of the writer's thoughts and experiences on many different subjects. 

Blogs are usually updated frequently, and some even offer readers the ability to subscribe to updates via RSS feed or email. Many blogs also allow readers to leave comments on posts, which can create a community feel. 

Why should you start a blog?

There are many reasons to start a blog, but here are some of the most important ones:

Blogging can help you find your voice 

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If you’ve ever felt like you have something to say but don’t know how to say it, starting a blog can be a great way to get your thoughts out there. You can use your blog to share your opinions on current events, write about your hobbies and interests, or even just document your day-to-day life.

This is probably the most important reason to start a blog : even if you don’t gain much recognition or money, you can at least share your ideas and (hopefully) inspire others.

Blogging can help you connect with others 

Whether you’re looking to make new friends who share your interests or want to build a community around your blog, blogging can be a great way to connect with people from all over the world.

Blogging can help you improve your writing 

The more you write, the better you’ll get at it. And since a blog gives you a platform to practice your writing regularly, it can be a great way to improve your skills.

Even if you write regularly as part of your day job, the skills you learn from blog writing are valuable. Blog readers tend to prefer text that’s punchy and broken up into smaller paragraphs, ideally with images and infographics. You’ll also learn to optimize your text for SEO (see below). 

These skills are easily transferable to the workplace, where business jargon and long-winded e-mails are all too common. 

Blogging can help you make money 

While it takes time and effort to build up a successful blog, there are plenty of ways to monetize your site once you’ve built up a following. You could sell advertising space on your blog, promote affiliate products, or even create and sell your products.

If you can drive enough traffic to your blog, then you may even gain ‘influencer’ status and be paid by companies to review the products or services.

If you’re considering doing this for your own business though, having a blog on your company’s main website can really boost it’s SEO ratings (see below).

Blogging can help you boost your career 

If you’re looking to advance in your career or change careers altogether, starting a blog can help you get your foot in the door. By sharing your expert knowledge and insights on your blog, you can position yourself as an authority in your field and make yourself more attractive to potential employers.

Blogging myths 

Before you begin, let’s debunk a couple of common blogging myths.

Starting a blog doesn’t require you to be an absolute expert or a skilled technical writer. After all, if readers want a dry shopping list of facts they can just read manuals or technical descriptions on websites. This is the difference between telling people about your favorite chocolate chip cookie and just telling them to read the ingredients on the back of a box. 

People read blogs precisely because they want a personal perspective on things. If you have an authentic voice people will trust your opinion of a nearby restaurant, or the latest video game or any other number of topics, even if you don’t write like Shakespeare. 

While we’re on the subject of topics, you also don’t necessarily have to be an absolute expert in your blog topic. It can helpful finding a niche (see below) as it will help your blog stand out. 

Still, some bloggers do post on a variety of different topics, or have a topic area that’s so large they inevitably talk about different subjects. For instance, one of the all-time most popular blogs Life Hack broadly focuses on ways to improve your productivity but the contains multiple sub-categories like diet, exercise, focus, parenting and so on.  

Step-by-step guide to starting a blog

There are two main reasons why people start a blog; to share their thoughts and passion and to make passive income. Whichever it is, there are steps you need to follow in order to have a successful blog site.  

1. Choose a niche 

The first thing to starting a blog is brainstorming for a niche. Here, you need to choose a niche you have a passion for. 

This first step is very important because choosing the wrong niche may mar your blogging journey. So you must choose a niche familiar to you. When choosing a niche, It is recommended to do a little research before making a final decision.

• What kind of bloggers do you follow?
• What subjects are you an expert in? If a person comes to you for help, what is it usually for?
• What kind of blog content is lacking in the industry you’re passionate about? How can you fill in the gap?

If you can’t answer all these questions yet, don’t be discouraged. Get started anyway.

As we’ve discussed, some bloggers don’t have a specific niche but talk about all kinds of subjects. Sometimes there are plenty of blogs on a certain topic but as a blogger you can make yours stand out through how engaged you are.

If you set up a Wordpress blog and find your niche is too narrow or want to write about something else, you can rename it later. If you’ve bought a domain name, you can’t change this but you can buy another with a new name (see below).

If you’ve chosen your topic but are still stuck on a name, Wix has a great blog name generator . 

2. Choosing a blogging platform 

The next step is choosing a platform to build your blog with. For this, we recommend using WordPress.org . It’s a content management system ( CMS ) with robust blogging tools and a vast collection of plugins that can help you customize the site.

Using a CMS requires a web hosting service to get the blog up and running. Here’s a list of top web hosts to launch a self-hosted WordPress blog with:

• Hostinger - This hosting company offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee and a beginner-friendly control panel, starting from $2.99/month. Our Hostinger review  shows the pros and cons of their hosting plans, service, server performance, and customer support. One of the main perks of Hostinger is they have Wordpress-specific plans.
• Bluehost -  A web hosting provider with great site performance and a one-click button to install WordPress. The prices start from $3.99/month. Bluehost actually caters to around two third of all online blogs. Read our Bluehost review  for more information.
• HostGator - A web host offering unmetered bandwidth with all of its shared hosting plans, which start from $2.75/month along with a 45-day money-back guarantee. Check out our full HostGator review  to read up on its other benefits .

Alternatively, you can use blogging sites like Blogger. This type of platform already comes equipped with blog hosting, so you won’t have to make a separate purchase.

WordPress also comes in a hosted version in the form of WordPress.com . It allows you to blog for free, although the selection of tools is not nearly as extensive.

If you’re certain that you want to use this blog for a business or know you’ll need extra features, you should consider getting a paid plan and domain name immediately. 

Otherwise consider hosting with a free service like Blogger or Wordpress : you won’t necessarily generate as much income but you can get a feel for what blogging is like. You can also switch to a paid plan and custom domain at any time. 

3. Get a domain name 

Once you have chosen and set up your blogging platform, the next step is to get a domain name for your blog. 

A domain name is like the address of your blog on the internet. It makes it easier for people to find your site. It is important to use a domain name that is relatable to your niche as this makes your blog more SEO-friendly. Once you have chosen a domain name, you can buy it from domain registrars such as GoDaddy , Hostinger , HostGator , or Namecheap .

Unlike your Blog name, once registered a domain name can’t be changed, so consider what you want to call it carefully. Ideally it should match your blog name.

When you visit most hosting sites you can type in your chosen name and they can automatically if it’s available.

If your chosen domain name isn’t available, your host may offer you the chance to buy it if it’s for sale, or register using a different TLD (Top Level Domain). For instance www.sarahjanesrecipes.com may be taken but www.sarahjanes.recipes might still be available.

When you register your domain by default your name, address and e-mail are listed in a public WHOIS database. Some hosting providers offer you the option to use their details instead, so your personal information remains private : for instance BlueHost’s “Choice Plus” plan starts at just $5.49 per month with free domain privacy.

4. Pick a blog theme

When designing your blog, start by choosing a theme. It should be responsive and have all the features needed to function correctly. At the same time, the theme should help readers navigate between the articles easily.

If you use a hosted blogging platform, the themes usually come provided on their website.

For WordPress users, free blog themes are available in the official directory . 

Third-party marketplaces like ThemeForest and TemplateMonster also offer premium WordPress themes . They usually come with perks like regular updates and customer support.

If you’re still not sure which to choose, first apply some common sense. A green, leafy theme is much more suitable for a blog promoting herbal medicines than one providing investment advice. 

Remember you can return here and change your blog’s theme at any time. It’s best to get this right before your blog goes “live” though, so as not to confuse readers.

5. Customize your blog

It’s time to customize your chosen theme. Here’s what you can do when modifying a blog:

Create the website pages 

Depending on your preferences, the homepage can double as the blog page, though many bloggers separate the two. Other than that, you need a Contact page, About page, and separate pages for the blog post categories. 

You can do this either by clicking “Posts” in the left-hand column and creating a new “static” post or choosing from the ready-made pages in your blog template.

Readers may well go to your “About Me” page before they start reading your blog. Make sure to include your reasons for starting and writing this blog. Tell them what drives you. 

For “Contact” it’s best to put a contact form instead of an e-mail address. This stops your address from being harvested by web crawlers and subjected to spam. The exception to this is you’re running a business, as you may want to put your contact telephone number and physical address here. 

Set up a navigation bar 

This should be visible on top of the header and accessible across all pages. Only include links most relevant to readers’ interests to avoid cluttering the menu.

If there’s no navigation bar already built-in to your Wordpress template, you can add by going to Appearance > Menus from the main dashboard. Depending on your chosen theme, you’ll then be asked to name the menu and can choose where to place it : we recommend the “very top” bar to make your blog easy to navigate.

Upload a logo 

A good logo can set you apart from similar blogs and increase brand recognition. Many logo generators can come up with a high-quality design using some premade icons and AI  assistance.

Customize the colors and fonts 

Ensure these represent your brand’s visual identity. Most importantly they should go with your chosen theme. 

Unless you have a very good reason to do otherwise though, stick to using white text on a black background. This is by far the easiest kind to read. 

Add a sidebar 

The sidebar space next to the main content area intended for displaying a short bio, social media handles, or call-to-action buttons, or even subject categories within your blog. 

As with your navigation bar, your chosen Wordpress blog design may come with a sidebar pre-loaded. If not go to Appearance > Customizer. You should see “SideBar” as an available “Widget”. 

Enable/Disable Comments

By default anyone can comment on your blog posts. This leaves your blog open to abuse and spam. Fortunately these can be switched off very easily. Just open the Wordpress Dashboard and go to Settings > Discussion and uncheck “Allow People to Post Comments on New Articles.”

If you do this, remember you can always include a “call to action” with each post to encourage people to send an e-mail or make a video if they want to engage with your posts. 

6. Add any necessary extensions or plugins

In CMSs and blogging platforms, extensions are add-ons users can install to enable custom additional functionality on a website. In WordPress, they’re called plugins.

A blog usually requires the following types of extensions or WordPress plugins :

• SEO - A popular example is Yoast SEO , which can guide WordPress users on optimizing blog content for search engines.
• Contact form - Enable readers to communicate with you via a fillable web-based form. WPForms is a well-known plugin in this category.
• Spam protection - Blogs are a prime target for spam comments, which can hurt your reputation and web user experience. Prevent this from happening with Akismet .
• Malware protection - Blogs can be targeted by malware, especially if strangers can add links. Use an anti-malware plugin like Bulletproof Security to protect against this 
• Speed optimization - The longer your website loads, the less likely visitors are to stay and explore its content. WP Rocket can solve this problem by enabling website cache.
• Analytics - one of the most popular plugins to view your blog stats Google in a single place is Monster Insights . 
• Also take a look at our best WordPress themes for blogs guide

7. Create a content strategy

One way to ensure your blog posts remain relevant and interesting to readers is with a solid content strategy. Here’s a guide to creating one:

• Set realistic and measurable goals - Pick a specific and achievable objective you expect to accomplish. An example of this is to accumulate a thousand readers by the end of the month.
• Define your ideal readers - Knowing your target audience can determine the type of blog posts to publish and the kind of writing style to adopt.
• Conduct keyword research - Find out your target audience’s interests using tools like Answer the Public or Google Trends . From there, select the terms that have the most potential to become blog posts.
• Set up a blog editorial calendar - Create a schedule to write and publish the blog posts. Some bloggers prefer to make many drafts in advance and post them one at a time throughout the month.

8. Learn about SEO

SEO is short for search engine optimization, which is a collection of practices that aims to make a web page rank better on search engines. That way, the website can gain more exposure and organic traffic.

If you’re a beginner, there are tons of SEO resources to learn from. For example, Google’s SEO starter guide and Ahrefs' SEO basics guide  are great places to start.

Installing some SEO tools can also make it easier to strategize your content for search engines. If you prefer using free software, Ahrefs has a free version and is an excellent choice. It can help with both keyword research and competitor analysis.

When it comes to drafting SEO-optimized content, there are strategies First, you need to do keyword research. This is to ascertain the core metrics of the keyword you intend to rank for in search engines. Second, you need to draft a format for writing your content. Here, it is very crucial to remember the role of SEO-optimized blog posts. You need to know how to use keywords to make your content search engine friendly.

After writing your content, it is time to employ SEO practices to help it rank on the first page of Google . You need to optimize the title of your content for search engines. Also, you need to make sure your keywords are included in your content's meta tags and descriptions. The next important aspect of SEO you need to pay attention to is link building: both internal and external linking. For internal inbound links, ensure all pages/articles on your blog are interlinked to each other.

You also need to sign up for analytics tools. You can sign up for the Google search console on search.google.com/search-console/ or bing .com/webmasters/ to connect your blog.

• Check out the best onpage SEO tools

9. Install analytics tools

An analytics tool can track your site’s performance, measure the effectiveness of the content strategy, and locate any web-related issues.

Google Analytics is the go-to choice for bloggers. It’s free and can show a wide range of performance metrics, such as the traffic sources and number of blog posts or pages a person visits in a single session.

You only need a Google account to get started. Then copy and paste the Tracking ID to the site’s code to begin collecting data.

• We've also rounded up the best cloud analytics

10. Set up your email list

An email list is a collection of user-submitted email addresses. In blogging, they're intended for marketing purposes, such as updating readers about new blog posts.

Creating one requires email marketing software . It will enable an opt-in form on your website, where visitors can fill in their name and email address. Additionally, it can automate the email delivery and personalize the message for each subscriber. 

Email lists play a vital role in internet marketing. They can helps you to retain your blog visitors. There are many email marketing services in the market such as MailChimp, MailerLite, etc. You can choose any according to your budget.

11. Publish and promote your blog

With the blog set up, it’s time to write your first blog posts and publish them.

Refer to the topics you’ve selected from the content strategy to decide what article to write about. Focus on making evergreen content , covering informative topics that will always remain relevant to your target audience.

Remember to promote the blog every time you publish a new post. Besides leveraging your email list, establish an online presence in social media networks often used by your readers. Also, take part in community-oriented sites like Quora and Reddit to expand your reach.

12. Collaborate with other blogs

Guest posting on other blogs in your niche offers the chance to broaden exposure and establish credibility. Plus, it’s an excellent way of link building for your blog – which is essential for ranking well on search engines.

To land your first guest posting opportunity, make sure to send an enticing email pitch. Address the recipient by name and make the message personal. Prove that you’ve researched the blog in-depth and mention some articles you like. 

Lastly, attach a draft of the post you want to write about so that the blogger can visualize what the article looks like. Ensure that it follows their submission guidelines and writing style. 

Guest posting is important. It helps you to gain backlinks thereby boosting your blog's SEO and authority. To pitch for a guest post, you need to reach out to authority blogs on your niche. 

There are two types of guest posting; free and paid. Most big blogs now charge for a guest post. To search for a guest posting opportunity, go to google and type Guest post + Keyword.

• Here's our list of the best online collaboration software

How to install WordPress 

When you log in to your cPanel , click on hosting and scroll down to Manage. Now, on the Manage menu, scroll down and click on the website section. Next, on the new window that will appear, click on Auto installer and then select WordPress. Once you click on the WordPress icon, you will be prompted to enter the domain name where you want the WordPress to be installed; here you should enter your domain name and details and click install.

Choose an SEO-friendly and responsive blog theme - After installing WordPress, it's time to choose a theme. To choose a theme, log into your WordPress dashboard, click on Appearance, and click on themes. Here, you will find tons of themes, so you must choose a lightweight theme that is SEO-friendly. To know if a theme is SEO-friendly, you can check reviews about the theme before installing it.

Customizing your blog - Now, it's time to customize your blog. You can start by changing the logo of the theme you have chosen to your logo. You can change the fonts, background images, layouts, etc. It all boils down to your taste and how you want your blog design to be.

Adding extensions for SEO, contact forms, spam protection, and speed optimization. At this stage, you need to install some plugins that will enhance your blog's SEO features. I recommend Yoast or Rank Math plugins for on-page SEO content optimization. Both plugins give you metrics on how to optimise your blog's written content for SEO purposes. For spam protection and speed optimization on your blog, installing LiteSpeed and WordFence plugins is recommended.

When it comes to drafting SEO-optimized content, there are strategies to that. First, you need to do keyword research. This is to ascertain the core metrics of the keyword you intend to rank for in search engines. Second, you need to draft a format for writing your content. Here, it is very crucial to remember the role of SEO-optimized blog posts. You need to know how to use keywords to make your content search engine friendly.

After writing your content, it is time to employ SEO practices to help it rank on the first page of Google. You need to optimize the title of your content for search engines. Also, you need to make sure your keywords are included in your content's meta tags and descriptions. The next important aspect of SEO you need to pay attention to is link building: both internal and external linking. For internal inbound links, ensure all pages/articles on your blog are interlinked to each other.

You also need to sign up for analytics tools. You can sign up for the Google search console on search.google.com/search-console/ or bing.com/webmasters/ to connect your blog.

Next, set up an email list using email marketing software. Email list plays a vital role in internet marketing. It helps you to retain your blog visitors. There are many email marketing software in the market such as MailChimp, MailerLite, etc. You can choose any according to your budget.

After publishing your first blog, it's time to promote. There are two ways you can promote your blog on social media; free and paid. You can join social media forums, groups, or communities that share the same niche as you. For paid promotions, you can run social media ads on any of the popular social sites such as Facebook or Twitter.

When it comes to building a successful blog, the role of guest posting is important. It helps you to gain backlinks thereby boosting your blog's SEO and authority. To pitch for a guest post, you need to reach out to authority blogs on your niche. 

How to monetize your blog

Now that you’re more familiar with blogging, let’s discuss the many ways to make money while doing so. Here are several profitable blog monetization methods: 

• Ad displays - This tactic requires signing up on an advertising network like Google AdSense , which will partner you with brands that want to advertise their business on your website. 
• Affiliate marketing - With this method, you will join affiliate programs to find products to promote on your blog posts. You will earn a commission every time a reader clicks on the affiliate link you’ve provided. 
• Sponsored content - This is a common monetization technique for popular bloggers. Brands will pay them to have their products or services featured on their blog posts, usually in reviews or recommendations. 
• Online courses - If you like teaching, try to monetize your blog with video courses on topics that your readers might have questions about. Besides generating income, it’s also an excellent way to establish your expertise in the field.
• eBooks - Many bloggers use this method to repurpose and combine their existing content into one in-depth file. Besides selling the eBook on the blog, you can also self-publish with Amazon KDP to gain more exposure. 
• Coaching services - This tactic is similar to that of offering online courses – it usually involves personalized mentoring sessions and virtual workshops. 
• Membership plans - If you manage to build strong audience engagement, consider launching a private community where readers can access exclusive content and connect with you more personally. Patreon is the go-to platform for this.

What makes a good blog

There are a few key features that make a good blog. First, a good blog should have interesting, original and useful content. The content should be well-written and well-researched. Additionally, the blog should be updated regularly with new content to keep readers coming back.

Another important aspect of a good blog is interactivity. A good blog will encourage comments and dialogue between the author and readers. This interaction makes the reading experience more enjoyable and helps to create a community around the blog.

Finally, a good blog should be visually appealing. Readers should enjoy looking at the site and finding it easy to navigate. If a blog is difficult to read or navigate, readers will likely move on to another site.

If you’re handy with a camera, you should have no trouble including good quality images to engage readers and break up your text. If not, consider using some high-res stock photos (see below).

If your blog includes videos of you, make sure to buy a decent webcam , as well as  a ring light. 

Tips, tricks and tools to help your blog succeed

To have a successful blog, you need to put in the effort. You need to be consistent with your postings and engage with your audience. By following these simple tips, you can ensure that your blog is attractive to both search engines and readers.

One of the most important things to remember when blogging is to keep your content fresh. This means publishing new articles regularly. If you only post sporadically, readers will quickly lose interest in your site. Likewise, if all of your posts are about the same topic, you’ll start to bore your readers. Mix it up by writing on a variety of topics and including different types of content such as videos or infographics.

Another key to success is promoting your blog through social media and other channels. This will help you reach a wider audience and drive traffic back to your site. Make sure to share each new post on social media and include engaging visuals and catchy headlines. There are plugins (see below) that you can use to automatically crosspost blog pieces to your social media channels. You can also use plugins to make it easier for readers to share your posts to social media themselves. 

You can also use paid advertising to promote your blog posts or guest posting on other sites to get exposure for your site. Some hosting providers such as GoDaddy let you do this automatically via Google’s AdSense. 

If you do this though, you’ll have no control over which specific products or services are advertised. Alternatively you can place your own old-school banner ads (with affiliate link) on your blog by contacting companies directly.  

Tools to help you start a blog

Besides the already mentioned extensions and software for SEO, analytics, and email list building, consider installing these tools as well:

• Content calendar - Use it to keep track of deadlines for writing, editing, and publishing. It can also help with scheduling your social media posts. CoSchedule is an excellent tool for this. 
• Password manager - WordPress is known for being prone to hacking attempts, so extra precautions are necessary. Tools like NordPass make it easy to create and manage strong passwords for all the websites and apps that you use.  
• Alternatively use a web browser with a built-in password manager like Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome .
• Graphic design platform - It can help create engaging visuals for the blog content and social media feed. Check out Canva for a free and beginner-friendly option. 
• Stock photos - Another great way to add more visual appeal to your content with minimal effort. Visit Unsplash if you’re looking for a free option. 
• Time management app - Use this to keep yourself focused when writing blog posts. We recommend using Toggl, which can track work hours and analyze them to help improve your productivity. 
• Grammar checker - Flawless sentence structure, spelling, and punctuation can make the blog more credible and easier to understand for readers. Install Grammarly to keep them in check.
• Webmaster tool - This software is usually provided for free from search engines to help site owners monitor their ranking performance. An example is Google Search Console , which can track the click-through rate generated from search engine results pages. 
• Crossposting tool - Plugins like JetPack allow you to crosspost your blog pieces directly to social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn .
• Sharing tool - Plugins like Social Snap make it much simpler to add social media sharing buttons to your blog, so people can post it on their own feeds.
• Loading tool - WP Super Cache improves the website's loading speed by generating small static HTML pages of your blog posts, which are cached on your webserver. This is much more efficient than heavier Wordpress PHP scripts 

Starting a blog

Now that you know how to start a blog, all that’s left to do is take the first step. Let’s recap:

• Brainstorm for a blog niche that suits your interests and has potential for traffic. 
• Choose a blogging platform. We recommend using the best WordPress hosting and web hosting plans by Hostinger, Bluehost, or HostGator.
• Pick a catchy and descriptive domain name .
• Pick a responsive blog theme that helps readers navigate through the blog posts.
• Customize your blog. Set up the website pages, navigation bar, logo, colors and fonts, and sidebar.
• Add extensions for SEO, contact forms, spam protection, and speed optimization. 
• Create a content strategy to serve as a guide for writing your blog posts. 
• Research the best SEO practices and install SEO tools .
• Install an analytics tool to keep track of your blog’s performance and locate any issues.
• Set up an email list for marketing purposes by using email marketing software.
• Publish your first few blog posts and promote the blog on social media and community-oriented websites.
• Guest post on blogs in your niche to build backlinks and broaden your exposure. 

The bottom line 

There are several things to consider before starting a blog. You need to decide what you want to write about, what your goals are, if you plan on monetizing your site. It’s fine to write a blog just for fun but make sure you’re clear about why you’re doing this from the start. 

If gaining new readers is important to you, make sure that you have the time and resources necessary to commit to regularly updating your blog.

If you’re willing to put in the work, starting a blog can be a great way to share your voice with the world and connect with like-minded people. You may also be able to market your products/services or those of someone else and earn a living.

With a little effort, you can build a successful blog that will help you achieve your personal or professional goals. 

• We've also featured the best blogging platforms

Ruby has been a freelance technology writer for over four years and has a passion for information technology and the Internet in its entirety. She has a wide range of specialities including web hosting, streaming (Firestick, Kodi, and APKs), VPN, information technology, and affiliate marketing. Ruby is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Commerce from the University of the Philippines, and regularly codes in her free time.

• Abigail Opiah B2B Editor - Web hosting & Website builders

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Meta’s A.I. Assistant Is Fun to Use, but It Can’t Be Trusted

Despite Mark Zuckerberg’s hope for the chatbot to be the smartest, it struggles with facts, numbers and web search.

• Share full article

By Brian X. Chen

Brian X. Chen is The Times’s lead consumer technology writer and the author of Tech Fix , a column about the social implications of the tech we use.

In the last few days, you may have noticed something new inside Meta’s apps, including Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp: an artificially intelligent chatbot .

Within those apps, you can chat with Meta AI and type in questions and requests like “What’s the weather this week in New York?” or “Write a poem about two dogs living in San Francisco.” The assistant will come up with responses immediately, such as “The corgi was short, with a butt so wide, the lab was tall, with a tongue that would glide.” You can also instruct Meta AI to produce pictures — like an illustration of a family watching fireworks.

This is Meta’s response to OpenAI’s ChatGPT , the chatbot that upended the tech industry in 2022, and similar bots including Google’s Gemini and Microsoft’s Bing AI. The Meta bot’s image generator also competes with A.I. imaging tools like Adobe’s Firefly, Midjourney and DALL-E .

Unlike other chatbots and image generators, Meta’s A.I. assistant is a free tool baked into apps that billions of people use every day, making it the most aggressive push yet from a big tech company to bring this flavor of artificial intelligence — known as generative A.I. — to the mainstream.

“We believe Meta AI is now the most intelligent AI assistant that you can freely use,” Mark Zuckerberg, the company’s chief executive, wrote on Instagram on Thursday.

The new bot invites you to “ask Meta AI anything” — but my advice, after testing it for six days, is to approach it with caution. It makes lots of mistakes when you treat it as a search engine. For now, you can have some fun: Its image generator can be a clever way to express yourself when chatting with friends.

A Meta spokeswoman said that because the technology was new, it might not always return accurate responses, similar to other A.I. systems. There is currently no way to turn off Meta AI inside the apps.

Here’s what doesn’t work well — and what does — in Meta’s AI.

It’s not a search engine

Meta announced its chatbot as a replacement for web search. By typing queries for Meta AI into the search bar at the top of Messenger or Instagram, a group of friends planning a trip could look up flights while chatting, the company said.

I’ll be blunt: Don’t do this. Meta AI fails spectacularly at basic search queries like looking up recipes, airfares and weekend activities.

In response to my request to look up flights from New York to Colorado, the chatbot listed instructions on how to take public transportation from the Denver airport to downtown. And when I asked for flights from Oakland, Calif., to Puerto Vallarta in Mexico, the bot listed flights departing from Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

When I asked Meta AI to look up a recipe for baking Japanese milk bread, the bot produced a generic bread recipe that skipped the most important step: tangzhong, the technique that involves cooking flour and milk into a paste.

The A.I. also made up other basic information. When I asked it for suggestions for a romantic weekend in Oakland, its list included a fictional business. And when I asked it to tell me about myself — Brian Chen the journalist — it said I worked at The New York Times but incorrectly mentioned a tech blog I’ve never written for, The Verge.

Bing AI and Gemini, which are hooked directly into the Microsoft and Google search engines, did better at these types of search tasks, but clicking on a link through an old-fashioned web search is still more efficient.

Don’t ask it to count

A.I. chatbots work by looking for patterns in how words are used together, similar to the predictive text systems on our phones that suggest words to complete a sentence. All of them have struggled with numbers.

Unsurprisingly, Meta’s assistant stinks at counting. When you ask it for a five-syllable word starting with the letter w, it will respond with “wonderfully,” which has four syllables. When you ask it for a four-syllable word starting with w, it will offer “wonderful,” which has three syllables. Gemini and ChatGPT also fail at these tests.

Focus on words

Like other chatbots, Meta’s performed better the more information you gave it.

It excelled at editing existing paragraphs. For example, when I fed Meta AI paragraphs that felt verbose and asked for the paragraph to be tightened, the chatbot trimmed all the unnecessary words. When I asked it to improve a sentence written in passive voice, the bot rewrote it in active voice and added more context. When I asked it to remove jargon from a paragraph written by a tech blog, it rewrote highly technical terms in plain language.

It’s a fine study guide

Because Meta AI is better when it works with existing text, it can be helpful for studying. For instance, if you’re taking a history class and studying World War II, you can paste a website with information about the war into the search bar and then ask the bot to quiz you. The chatbot will read the information on the website and generate a multiple-choice test.

You can use it for fun emojis

The most compelling aspect of Meta AI is its ability to generate images by typing “/imagine” followed by a description of the desired image. For instance, “/imagine a photograph of a cat sleeping on a window sill” will produce a convincing image in a few seconds:

Meta’s A.I. is much faster than other image generators like Midjourney, which can take more than a minute. The results can be very weird — images of people occasionally lacked limbs or looked cross-eyed.

Ethics experts have raised concerns about the implications of generating fake images because they can contribute to the spread of misinformation online. But in the context of using A.I. while chatting with friends and family in WhatsApp and Messenger, Meta AI is a positive example of how generating fake images can be fun — and safe — if we treat it as a new form of emoji.

In a group conversation with my in-laws, I mentioned I was shopping for a robust baby stroller that could withstand the crooked roads of my neighborhood. In seconds, my wife used Meta AI to generate an image of a stroller with enormous wheels that made it resemble a monster truck, stamped with a helpful label that said, “Imagined with AI.”

Brian X. Chen is the lead consumer technology writer for The Times. He reviews products and writes Tech Fix , a column about the social implications of the tech we use. More about Brian X. Chen

Explore Our Coverage of Artificial Intelligence

News  and Analysis

The spending that the tech industry’s giants expect A.I. to require, for the chips and data centers , is starting to come into focus — and it is jarringly large.

The table stakes for A.I. start-ups to compete with the likes of Microsoft and Google are in the billions of dollars. And even that may not be enough .

Demis Hassabis and Mustafa Suleyman, who both grew up in London, feared a corporate rush to build A.I. Now they’re driving that competition at Google and Microsoft .

The Age of A.I.

A new category of apps promises to relieve parents of drudgery, with an assist from A.I . But a family’s grunt work is more human, and valuable, than it seems.

Despite Mark Zuckerberg’s hope for Meta’s A.I. assistant to be the smartest , it struggles with facts, numbers and web search.

Much as ChatGPT generates poetry, a new A.I. system devises blueprints for microscopic mechanisms  that can edit your DNA.

Could A.I. change India’s elections? Avatars are addressing voters by name, in whichever of India’s many languages they speak. Experts see potential for misuse  in a country already rife with disinformation.

Which A.I. system writes the best computer code or generates the most realistic image? Right now, there’s no easy way to answer those questions, our technology columnist writes .

AI + Machine Learning , Announcements , Azure AI , Azure AI Studio

Introducing Phi-3: Redefining what’s possible with SLMs

By Misha Bilenko Corporate Vice President, Microsoft GenAI

Posted on April 23, 2024 4 min read

• Tag: Copilot
• Tag: Generative AI

We are excited to introduce Phi-3, a family of open AI models developed by Microsoft. Phi-3 models are the most capable and cost-effective small language models (SLMs) available, outperforming models of the same size and next size up across a variety of language, reasoning, coding, and math benchmarks. This release expands the selection of high-quality models for customers, offering more practical choices as they compose and build generative AI applications.

Starting today, Phi-3-mini , a 3.8B language model is available on Microsoft Azure AI Studio , Hugging Face , and Ollama . 

• Phi-3-mini is available in two context-length variants—4K and 128K tokens. It is the first model in its class to support a context window of up to 128K tokens, with little impact on quality.
• It is instruction-tuned, meaning that it’s trained to follow different types of instructions reflecting how people normally communicate. This ensures the model is ready to use out-of-the-box.
• It is available on Azure AI to take advantage of the deploy-eval-finetune toolchain, and is available on Ollama for developers to run locally on their laptops.
• It has been optimized for ONNX Runtime with support for Windows DirectML along with cross-platform support across graphics processing unit (GPU), CPU, and even mobile hardware.
• It is also available as an NVIDIA NIM microservice with a standard API interface that can be deployed anywhere. And has been optimized for NVIDIA GPUs . 

In the coming weeks, additional models will be added to Phi-3 family to offer customers even more flexibility across the quality-cost curve. Phi-3-small (7B) and Phi-3-medium (14B) will be available in the Azure AI model catalog and other model gardens shortly.   

Microsoft continues to offer the best models across the quality-cost curve and today’s Phi-3 release expands the selection of models with state-of-the-art small models.

Azure AI Studio

Phi-3-mini is now available

Groundbreaking performance at a small size

Phi-3 models significantly outperform language models of the same and larger sizes on key benchmarks (see benchmark numbers below, higher is better). Phi-3-mini does better than models twice its size, and Phi-3-small and Phi-3-medium outperform much larger models, including GPT-3.5T.  

All reported numbers are produced with the same pipeline to ensure that the numbers are comparable. As a result, these numbers may differ from other published numbers due to slight differences in the evaluation methodology. More details on benchmarks are provided in our technical paper . 

Note: Phi-3 models do not perform as well on factual knowledge benchmarks (such as TriviaQA) as the smaller model size results in less capacity to retain facts.  

Safety-first model design

Responsible ai principles

Phi-3 models were developed in accordance with the Microsoft Responsible AI Standard , which is a company-wide set of requirements based on the following six principles: accountability, transparency, fairness, reliability and safety, privacy and security, and inclusiveness. Phi-3 models underwent rigorous safety measurement and evaluation, red-teaming, sensitive use review, and adherence to security guidance to help ensure that these models are responsibly developed, tested, and deployed in alignment with Microsoft’s standards and best practices.  

Building on our prior work with Phi models (“ Textbooks Are All You Need ”), Phi-3 models are also trained using high-quality data. They were further improved with extensive safety post-training, including reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF), automated testing and evaluations across dozens of harm categories, and manual red-teaming. Our approach to safety training and evaluations are detailed in our technical paper , and we outline recommended uses and limitations in the model cards. See the model card collection .  

Unlocking new capabilities

Microsoft’s experience shipping copilots and enabling customers to transform their businesses with generative AI using Azure AI has highlighted the growing need for different-size models across the quality-cost curve for different tasks. Small language models, like Phi-3, are especially great for: 

• Resource constrained environments including on-device and offline inference scenarios.
• Latency bound scenarios where fast response times are critical.
• Cost constrained use cases, particularly those with simpler tasks.

For more on small language models, see our Microsoft Source Blog .

Thanks to their smaller size, Phi-3 models can be used in compute-limited inference environments. Phi-3-mini, in particular, can be used on-device, especially when further optimized with ONNX Runtime for cross-platform availability. The smaller size of Phi-3 models also makes fine-tuning or customization easier and more affordable. In addition, their lower computational needs make them a lower cost option with much better latency. The longer context window enables taking in and reasoning over large text content—documents, web pages, code, and more. Phi-3-mini demonstrates strong reasoning and logic capabilities, making it a good candidate for analytical tasks. 

Customers are already building solutions with Phi-3. One example where Phi-3 is already demonstrating value is in agriculture, where internet might not be readily accessible. Powerful small models like Phi-3 along with Microsoft copilot templates are available to farmers at the point of need and provide the additional benefit of running at reduced cost, making AI technologies even more accessible.  

ITC, a leading business conglomerate based in India, is leveraging Phi-3 as part of their continued collaboration with Microsoft on the copilot for Krishi Mitra, a farmer-facing app that reaches over a million farmers.

“ Our goal with the Krishi Mitra copilot is to improve efficiency while maintaining the accuracy of a large language model. We are excited to partner with Microsoft on using fine-tuned versions of Phi-3 to meet both our goals—efficiency and accuracy! ”    Saif Naik, Head of Technology, ITCMAARS

Originating in Microsoft Research, Phi models have been broadly used, with Phi-2 downloaded over 2 million times. The Phi series of models have achieved remarkable performance with strategic data curation and innovative scaling. Starting with Phi-1, a model used for Python coding, to Phi-1.5, enhancing reasoning and understanding, and then to Phi-2, a 2.7 billion-parameter model outperforming those up to 25 times its size in language comprehension. 1 Each iteration has leveraged high-quality training data and knowledge transfer techniques to challenge conventional scaling laws. 

Get started today

To experience Phi-3 for yourself, start with playing with the model on Azure AI Playground . You can also find the model on the Hugging Chat playground . Start building with and customizing Phi-3 for your scenarios using the  Azure AI Studio . Join us to learn more about Phi-3 during a special  live stream of the AI Show.  

1 Microsoft Research Blog, Phi-2: The surprising power of small language models, December 12, 2023 .

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Recall an email message that you sent in Outlook

Message recall is available after you select  Send and is available only if both you and the recipient have a Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Exchange email account in the same organization . Messages sent to or from a Hotmail, Gmail, or live.com account can't be recalled.

Note:  This feature isn't available in Outlook for Mac. See  Can I recall a sent email in Outlook for Mac?

Note:  If the steps under this New Outlook tab don't work, you may not be using new Outlook for Windows yet. Select the Classic Outlook tab and follow those steps instead.

Select Sent Items  in the left folder pane, then double-click the sent message to open it in a separate window.

Shortly thereafter, you'll receive a Message Recall Report in your inbox. Select the link in that message to see whether your recall has succeeded, is pending, or failed.

With message recall, a message that you sent is retrieved from the mailboxes of the recipients who haven’t yet opened it. You can also substitute a replacement message. For example, if you forgot to include an attachment, you can try to retract the message, and then send a replacement message that has the attachment.

To recall and replace a message

In the folder pane on the left of the Outlook window, choose the Sent Items folder.

Open the message that you want to recall. You must double-click to open the message. Selecting the message so it appears in the reading pane won't allow you to recall the message.

If you have the Classic Ribbon, from the Message tab, select Actions > Recall This Message .

If you don’t see the Recall This Message command, you probably don’t have an Exchange account or the feature isn’t available within your organization.

You can't recall a message that's protected by Azure Information Protection.

You can't recall a message in Outlook on the web.

Select  Delete unread copies of this message or Delete unread copies and replace with a new message , and then select  OK .

If you’re sending a replacement message, compose the message, and then select  Send .

To check on the recall

After submitting a recall request, usually less than 30 seconds later, you will get an email notification with the subject "Message Recall Report for message [original message subject]".  

Select the  View Message Recall Report  link to view the report in your browser. If you’re prompted, log in with your mailbox credentials to view the report.

Recall actions are usually quick, regardless of how many recipients are involved. But if the recall request can’t be executed right away for some reason (e.g., the recipient’s mailbox is temporarily unavailable) we'll continue to retry for up to 24 hours before marking the recall as failed.

Status updates are usually pretty quick as well but can sometimes take up to five minutes for a message with up to a few hundred recipients. For a large number of recipients (tens of thousands) the recall itself is still fast, but it can take up to thirty minutes to retrieve the recall status for all recipients.

Note:  The steps below are for Outlook.com which is the browser-based version of Outlook and is for personal Microsoft accounts such as Outlook.com, Hotmail.com, MSN.com, etc. If you're using Outlook in a web browser and have a work or school account, see the Outlook.com tab.

Recall a message in Outlook on the web

Note:  The steps below are for Outlook.com which is the browser-based version of Outlook for personal accounts such as Outlook.com, Hotmail.com, MSN.com, etc. If you're using Outlook in a browser with a work or school account, see the Outlook on the web tab.

Can I recall a message in Outlook.com?

Let's say you've just sent an email message to someone by mistake in Outlook.com. How do you recall it?

Unfortunately, you can't.

Message recall is not available for users with email addresses ending in @outlook.com, @hotmail.com, @live.com, or @msn.com. These are web-based email services where once you send an email message, it's gone from your email server and out of your control.

Set up undo send in Outlook.com

Although you can't recall a message once it's been sent, when you turn on the undo send option, Outlook.com delays sending the message so you can cancel it if you change your mind.

You can delay sending your message for 5 or 10 seconds. To turn on the undo send option:

Under Undo send , choose the how long Outlook.com will wait to send your messages.

Select Save .

Undo sending in Outlook.com

Once undo send is set up, you'll see an Undo send prompt at the bottom of the message list whenever you send a new message. The prompt will be available for the length of time you set in Compose and reply.

Still need help?

Related articles.

Can I recall a sent email in Outlook for Mac?

Cloud-based Message Recall in Exchange Online - Microsoft Community Hub

Video: Recall or replace a sent email in classic Outlook

Check if you have an Exchange account in classic Outlook

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