Are you looking to start your own blog, but can’t figure out how to choose the best blogging platform? It’s a tough choice since there are several different blogging platforms out there. How do you find out which one is right for you?
In this article, we’ll help you choose the best blogging platform by going over the pros and cons of the most popular blogging sites.
Here are the popular blogging platforms we’ll be comparing in this article. If you’re interested in a particular platform, you can click the link to skip ahead in the article.
Choosing The Best Blogging Platform – What to Look for?
Before diving in the list, it is helpful to know what you’re looking for in a blogging platform.
As a beginner, you’ll want a blogging platform that’s easy to set up, has a low learning curve, and doesn’t require any coding skills.
You’ll also need to think about what kind of blog you want to create, now and in the future.
As your blog grows, you may want to change the look of your site and add more features for your growing audience. That means it’s important to choose a blogging platform that’s flexible, with room to grow.
Starting off with the wrong platform can make it very difficult to switch later on.
Lastly, even if you don’t have plans to make money blogging right now, it’s smart to make sure you have the option to do so in the future.
With all that in mind, let’s compare the best blogging platforms for beginners.
1. WordPress.org
WordPress.org is the world’s most popular blogging software. Started in 2003, WordPress now powers more than 43% of all websites on the internet.
Note: It’s easy to confuse WordPress.org with WordPress.com, which is a blog hosting service mentioned later in this list. See our guide on the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com.
WordPress.org is an open source free blogging platform that allows you to build your website or blog within minutes.
It is a self-hosted solution which means that you will need to sign up with a WordPress hosting provider. WordPress is a great option if you want to have full control over your blog’s future.
Pros
- WordPress.org gives you control over every aspect of your website.
- You can grow your blog and add extra features like forums, online store, paid memberships, and sell online courses. This makes WordPress the best free blogging platform to make money.
- There are thousands of free themes available for WordPress. This allows you to create a beautiful website that stands apart from the crowd. Most popular WordPress themes come with built-in customization options that gives you full design control without editing any CSS code.
- You also get access to more than 59,000 free WordPress plugins. These plugins are like apps for your WordPress blog that allow you to add features like contact forms, galleries, etc. See our list of must have WordPress plugins for all websites.
- WordPress is search engine friendly. You can easily create SEO friendly URLs, categories, and tags for your posts. Plus, there’re a good number of great SEO plugins for additional optimization.
- You can easily enable Google Analytics powered website analytics in WordPress, so you can see the stats that matter. This helps you grow your new blog traffic and subscribers.
- Last but not least, WordPress’ drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to create any type of content on your blog site. It also has options to embed dynamic content like videos, social media feeds, Google Adsense, graphs, charts, and more without any technical know how.
Cons
- Managing your own website comes with a bit of a learning curve as you would have to familiarize yourself with WordPress admin backend.
- You will have to manage your own backups and security.
Pricing
WordPress software is free, but you’ll need to have a domain name (about $14.99/year) and hosting (usually starting from $7.99/month).
You need a domain name and web hosting for starting any type of website.
WPBeginner users can get started for only $2.75 per month with Bluehost, an official WordPress recommended hosting provider. They are offering our users 60% off on web hosting and a FREE domain name.
See our guide on how to start a WordPress blog for complete step by step instructions.
Overall, WordPress is an excellent choice for both personal blogs as well as professional blogs.
Majority of the well-known bloggers on the internet use WordPress as their content management system because it’s user-friendly and comes with all the functionality that you’ll need to create a successful blog.
Bonus: Aside from creating a blog site, you can also use WordPress to create a small business website as well as an online store. For more details, see our detailed guide on how to make a WordPress website.
2. Web.com
Web.com is a well-known website builder platform that comes with the built-in feature to add a blog section to your business website or online store.
Their drag & drop website builder platform is extremely easy to use for non-techy users, and they offer very affordable prices to get started ($1.95).
You can choose from their dozens of pre-made template and then customize your blog layout without writing any code. It comes with all the powerful features like SEO tools, blog security features, autosave & backup, website analytics, and more.
Pros
- Beginner friendly drag and drop website builder (no coding needed).
- Dozens of fully customizable templates for your blog.
- Easy setup with no hassles, since Web.com takes care of all the technical details of hosting your website.
- Affordable starting pricing – $1.95 per month and it includes all the essential features
- Free domain is included with all paid plans.
- 24/7 customer support available via phone, live chat, and email.
Cons
- The extensions / app ecosystem is small, so there aren’t as many third party plugins like WordPress.
- Blogging features are no where near as powerful as WordPress.
- Since Web.com is a proprietary website builder, switching your website to another platform later is difficult.
Pricing
Web.com pricing starts at $1.95 per month for their website starter plan which comes with their drag & drop site builder, blogging platform, hundreds of beautiful templates, thousands of free stock images, and a free domain.
If you want their powerful SEO tools or eCommerce features, then you’ll need to upgrade to their Marketing plan starting at $2.95 per month or their eCommerce plan starting at $3.95 per month.
These prices are available for WPBeginner readers as part of our Web.com coupon deal. All you need to do is click on our link to get these special prices.
If you’re a small business who don’t want to use WordPress, then Web.com is the next best choice considering everything you get for the price.
3. Wix
Wix is a popular hosted platform to build websites. Their drag & drop website builder offers a solution for small businesses to easily build a website. You can also add a blog to your website by adding the Wix Blog app.
Wix.com was founded in 2006 as a platform where anyone could create their own stunning website with no coding skills required. It has currently over 110 million users across the globe.
Pros
- You can customize your site using dozens of templates and third party add-ons.
- Build your site with easy drag and drop tools; no coding or HTML skills required.
- Setup is quick and easy.
Cons
- The free account is limited and shows Wix branding and ads on your site.
- Free third party apps are limited.
- Once you choose a template you cannot change it.
- Ecommerce features are limited to paid plans, and even those features are limited.
See our article on Wix vs WordPress for a detailed comparison of the two platforms.
Pricing
The basic Wix website builder is free. With a free Wix account, you’ll get a Wix subdomain that looks like this: https://username.wixsite.com/example.
However, you can add a custom domain for $4.50/month. Their premium plans start from $8.50/month and go up to $24.50/month.
4. HubSpot CMS
HubSpot CMS Hub is an all-in-one blogging platform for small, medium, and enterprise websites.
It’s built on top of HubSpot’s marketing and CRM tools, so you can use a single platform to create a website, get more subscribers, send newsletters, manage your customer list, and more.
Their website builder makes it easy for you to customize your website design layout, and you can even personalize the content readers see based on their past behavior.
Pros
- Easy-to-use drag and drop website builder with no coding skills required.
- Quick and easy setup, since HubSpot will host your website for you.
- Fully optimized for SEO and conversions.
- Free SSL certificate is included.
Cons
- While the HubSpot CRM itself comes with free tools (like contact management, email marketing and forms), the CMS does not have a free version available.
- Pricing may be steep as you move up the tiers.
- If you’re moving from another blogging platform, the migration process may be lengthy, depending on your previous provider.
Pricing
HubSpot CMS plan starts at $25 per month and includes all the main features to have a secure, well-designed blog, as well as the marketing tools you’ll need to grow it.
For the custom SEO recommendations and advanced features, you’ll want to upgrade to the higher tiers.
WPBeginner readers get a free 14-day trial.
Note: You can use WordPress combined with HubSpot free plugin to combine the power of the best blogging platform and marketing tools.
5. Gator by HostGator
Gator is a website builder and blogging platform created by HostGator, the popular web hosting company that we use to host the WPBeginner website. Gator offers a drag & drop tool that you can use to build any type of website including blogs, business sites, and even an online store.
It’s important that you don’t confuse the Gator builder with HostGator website hosting. You can use HostGator hosting service to start a WordPress blog like we have done.
However if you are looking for a non-WordPress all-in-one blog platform and hosting solution, then Gator is the perfect option.
Pros
- Easy drag and drop builder to customize your blog & website design.
- Quick setup – no technical hassle.
- Backups, performance, and security is all handled by HostGator (no headaches).
- Free Domain and SSL certificate is included in all plans.
- Can easily add an online store to your blog with just a few clicks.
Cons
- There is no free account, but they do have a 45-day money back guarantee.
- Ecommerce features are restricted to higher plans only.
- Limited number of apps and extensions.
Pricing
WPBeginner users get 55% off on all Gator builder plans. The Starter plan costs $3.46/month and it comes with all the features you need to start a successful blog including a free domain and SSL certificate.
You just need to make sure to use our Gator Website Builder coupon code: wpbeginner to get 55% off.
6. WordPress.com
WordPress.com is a blog hosting service offered by Automattic, a company created by WordPress.org co-founder Matt Mullenweg.
WordPress.com offers a basic blog hosting service for free. You can purchase additional options like a custom domain name, additional storage, and other premium services.
Started in 2005 with a goal to bring WordPress experience to a larger audience, WordPress.com is a good blogging site for users who don’t want the advanced features of self-hosted WordPress.
Pros
- No setup required.
- Easy to use and manage.
- It’s completely free if you are happy with a WordPress.com subdomain. Your free website name looks like this: https://example.wordpress.com.
Cons
- Limited options to extend your own site. You cannot use custom themes and plugins for customizing your blog.
- You cannot run advertisements on your blog. Instead, WordPress.com will show their ads on your free website.
- You do not own your blog, and WordPress.com can suspend your account if they find you are violating their terms of service.
Pricing
The basic WordPress.com account is free, but it will have WordPress.com ads and branding.
You can upgrade to their Personal plan for $4/month (billed yearly) to remove WordPress.com logo and advertising from your website. You also get a custom domain (such as www.yoursite.com).
For $8/month (billed yearly) you can get additional design tools and extra storage.
Because of the similarity in names, beginners often start with WordPress.com thinking they are getting the powerful WordPress.org software. After seeing the limitations, users often end up switching from WordPress.com to WordPress.org to have more features, ease of use, and control over their website.
7. Blogger
Blogger is a free blogging service by Google. It offers a quick and easy way to create a blog for non-tech-savvy users.
Blogger is one of the earliest blogging platforms in existence. It was first launched in 1999 by Pyra Labs. Later in 2003, Google acquired Blogger and redesigned it as the product we know today.
All you need is a Google account to start a free blog on Blogger.
Pros
- Blogger is free.
- It’s easy to use and manage without any technical skills.
- Has the added advantage of Google’s robust secure platform and reliability.
Cons
- You’re limited to basic blogging tools, and can’t add new features as your blog grows in popularity.
- Design options are limited, with fewer templates available. Third party templates for Blogger are often low quality.
- Blogger does not receive frequent updates or new features.
- Google can suspend your blog at any time, or even cancel the Blogger service altogether. (They have a history of abandoning projects without warning, such as Feedburner.)
For more pros and cons of Blogger, see our comparison of WordPress vs Blogger (Pros and cons).
Some users start out with Blogger because it’s free, but eventually as their blog grows, they end up switching from Blogger to WordPress to get more features and control over their website.
Pricing
Blogger is free with a Blogger subdomain like https://example.blogspot.com. If you want to use a custom domain, you need to buy from a third-party domain registrar.
8. Tumblr
Tumblr is a little different than other blogging platforms. It is a microblogging platform with social networking features including following other blogs, reblogging, built-in sharing tools, and more.
Pros
- Tumblr is free with a Tumblr subdomain like https://example.tumblr.com. You can also connect a premium custom domain name.
- It is very easy to set up and use.
- It has an integrated social media platform which makes discoverability easier because there’s a built-in audience.
- As a microblogging tool, Tumblr makes it easy to quickly blog videos, GIFs, images, and audio formats.
Cons
- Tumblr comes with a limited set of features that you cannot extend as your blog grows.
- There are many themes available for Tumblr, but they can’t offer additional features.
- Backing up your Tumblr blog or importing it to other platforms is difficult (see our guide on how to move from Tumblr to WordPress).
Pricing
Tumblr is free to use. You can use a custom domain (purchased separately) for your Tumblr blog, and there are also third-party themes and apps available to purchase.
9. Medium
Launched in 2012, Medium has grown into a community of writers, bloggers, journalists, and experts. It is an easy-to-use blogging platform with limited social networking features.
Medium works much like a social networking site where you can create an account and start publishing your articles. After you sign up, you’ll have a profile address like this: https://medium.com/@yourname. But you cannot use your own domain.
Pros
- Medium is easy to use, with no setup required and no coding skills needed.
- It allows you to reach an existing online community of people of similar interests.
- You can focus solely on writing, instead of designing a website.
Cons
- Features are very limited in terms of design or building a brand.
- Medium owns your audience, so losing your blog means losing all your followers.
- You cannot use your own domain name. You’ll simply get a profile page like in Facebook, e.g. https://medium.com/@yourname.
- You cannot run your own ads to make money because monetization is limited to their partner program.
For more detailed comparison, see our guide on WordPress vs Medium – which one is better?.
Pricing
Medium is free to use.
While the platform looks attractive at first, the lack of monetization and control leads to most people switching from Medium to WordPress.
10. Squarespace
Squarespace is a website building service that allows you to create beautiful websites using easy drag and drop tools. It focuses on small business owners who are looking for an easy way to create an online presence.
Started in 2003, Squarespace currently powers millions of websites online (source: CMS market share).
Pros
- Squarespace is simple and easy to use for beginners who aren’t very tech-savvy.
- It has beautiful professionally designed templates.
- It separately offers domain name with SSL/HTTPs and eCommerce stores.
Cons
- Squarespace is limited to the features built into their proprietary platform.
- Integrations are limited to a select few services and tools.
See our guide on WordPress vs Squarespace for a more detailed comparison.
Pricing
Squarespace has different pricing plans for websites and online stores.
Pricing for their Personal website plan starts at $16/month, or $12/month if you pay for the year in advance. For the Business plan, pricing starts at $26/month, or $18/month billed annually.
Whereas pricing for online stores starts from $26/month and up to $40/month.
Often users end up switching from Squarespace to WordPress to minimize their expenses and add more features on their websites.
11. Ghost
Ghost is a minimalist blogging platform with features entirely focused on writing blog posts. Started in 2013, Ghost is available as a hosted platform and as a software that you can install / host yourself. We’ll take a look at both options.
Pros
- Focused on blogging and writing.
- Clean, clutter-free, and intuitive user interface.
- Written in JavaScript, so it’s super fast.
- No setup required for the hosted version.
Cons
- Not easy to customize with apps.
- The simplified user interface means options are very limited.
- Not enough themes to change appearance of your site.
- Complicated setup if you install it yourself.
Take a look at our comparison of WordPress vs Ghost for more details on the topic.
Pricing
The self-hosted version needs a custom domain (about $14.99/year) and web hosting (starting from about $7.99/month).
Pricing for the hosted version starts at $29/month for 2 staff users with a 100k page view limit. Unless you buy a custom domain from a third-party domain registrar, your blog will be a Ghost subdomain ending with ghost.io.
12. Weebly
Weebly is a well-known website builder platform owned by Square’s payment platform. They offer easy to use website building tools for business websites and eCommerce stores.
They also have a blog feature along with free blog templates that you can add to your website.
Pros
- Fully hosted website and blogging platform.
- Seamless integration with Square payment platform.
- No setup required for the hosted version.
Cons
- Free plan has limited features and bandwidth. It also includes Weebly branding.
- Paid subscription are expensive compared to top blogging websites.
- Blogging and SEO features are not as powerful as WordPress.
Take a look at our comparison of Weebly vs WordPress for more details on the topic.
If you’re looking to switch from Weebly to WordPress, we have created a detailed step by step tutorial on how to properly move from Weebly to WordPress.
Pricing
They have a limited free version that comes with Weebly branding and ads.
Their paid plans start from $8 per month billed annually. The pro plan costs $12 per month, and their business plan costs $25 per month.
Our Pick for the Best Blogging Platform
We believe that WordPress.org outperforms all other blogging sites. It is powerful, easy to use, affordable, and the most flexible of all available blogging platforms. Here are all the reasons why you should use WordPress.
To help you start your own WordPress site, we have created a complete guide on how to start a blog in 7 Easy Steps.
If you need help, then WPBeginner’s team of experts can even help setup your blog for free. Learn more about our free WordPress blog setup service.
If you’re looking for a WordPress alternative, then our second choice for the best blogging platform would be either Web.com or HubSpot.
Their drag & drop website builder makes it easy to build any type of website from blog to business website to an online store at a very affordable price.
Blogging Platform FAQs
We have helped over 400,000+ users start their website and have answered quite a lot of questions in the process. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about blogging platforms.
Which is the best blogging platform for SEO?
In all our marketing research, we have found that WordPress is by far the best blogging platform for SEO because it has powerful SEO plugins like All in One SEO that you can use to improve your blog’s rankings.
Which is the best free blogging platform?
Most blogging platform that we have listed above offer a free version, but in our expert opinion, WordPress is the best free blogging platform. There is a reason why over 43% of all websites use WordPress.
Now while WordPress itself is free, you still need a domain name and web hosting both of which costs money. A domain is your website’s name on the internet (i.e wpbeginner.com) and web hosting is where your files are stored.
Some blogging platforms like Blogger or Medium will give you free hosting, but they put advertisements on your site which isn’t ideal.
This is why we recommend making a small investment of $2.75 per month to fully own your blog by using WordPress in Bluehost.
You may also want to see our guide on why is WordPress free and what’s the catch.
How can I make my blog popular?
The best way to make your blog popular and grow your audience is by creating high quality content and promoting it on social media networks. You must understand the problems your target audience is having and then help them solve it.
We have created the ultimate guide on how to increase your blog traffic with 27 proven tips that you should check out.
Which blog topic is the best for earning money?
You can make money with just about every blog topic as long as you have an audience, but there are several blogging niches that are more successful than others. The top blog topics include health & fitness, personal finance, fashion, lifestyle, business & marketing, and travel.
For a full list, see our best blogging niche guide as well as our proven tips to monetize your blog.
What is the best time to publish a blog post?
According to research and studies, the best time to publish a blog post for maximum traffic is Monday around 11 a.m EST.
But the real answer is that it depends on your audience and their location. For example, if majority of your audience is in Australia, then 11 a.m EST would not work.
We have a detailed guide on how to test the best publishing time for your blog.
How long does it take before a blog becomes popular?
Too often beginners start a blog with expectations that it will immediately become successful. Based on our experience, most blogs take at least 7 – 8 months before seeing decent traffic with the real long-term results showing up after 2-3 years.
This is also true for just about any kind of creator based business like a YouTube channel or a course.
Of course there will be some exceptions where a creator can find instant success, but those are not the norm.
For example, our WPBeginner blog which is one of the highest earning blog on the planet was started in 2009. See WPBeginner income report.
How many times a week should I blog?
The frequency of how much you publish is less important than the consistency. We recommend that you start with consistently publishing one blog post per week. If you can do that for 3 weeks in a row, then try doing 2 and then ramp it up.
At WPBeginner blog, we publish 5 days a week (Monday to Friday).
But on our other business blogs, we only publish two blog posts a week.
Which is are the top 3 best blog sites for beginners?
Our top 3 choices for the best blog sites for beginners are:
- WordPress – self-hosted with WordPress is the best blogging site overall.
- Web.com – a low-cost alternative to WordPress with web site building solution for small businesses.
- Wix – full website builder platform and a good WordPress alternative.
We hope this article helped you choose the best blogging platform for your next blog. You may also want to see our guide on how to create an email newsletter to grow your blog subscribers, and our guide on how to create a business email address for your blog.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
Cloudi5 says
I found your write up really helpful, that I made a full note out of it. Thank you so much.
But if I may ask, for how long, how much posts do you have to write, or how much traffic does one need before one earns from the new blog?
WPBeginner Support says
Sadly, with the number of factors involved in a site, there is no easy answer for a question like that and it can vary from person to person.
Admin
arvind says
Hi
I find this website useful however, I also find it bias towards WordPress. Like at the top of the page list the blogging pros for each then the cons NOT WORDPRESS so they suck. Am I the only one who got that vibe? Guess I will keep poking around. Thank you xx
WPBeginner Support says
Thank you for your feedback, we will certainly look into our wording for future articles and updates and we may have a bias as we use WordPress daily
Admin
Lor says
I just created my blog yesterday using blogger platform…its easy to use and its free
Giaa says
My friends and I wanted to start a blog just to see if we like it. The problem is the money, after reading the article it seems as though the free websites have major setbacks. Would it be worth the setbacks just to try it or should we just pay the money?
WPBeginner Support says
Hi Giaa,
If you and your friends are serious about the project, then it is worth spending money on. You can start with free platforms but later it would be a headache to move your site to a self-hosted platform.
Admin
gary n. smith says
Hello, Shalom: I want to cancel my subscription with Weebly. It is to difficult even at the start to use the system for blogging. I am a university student and our teacher wanted us to use Weebly in the free ad. Help. Could you give me a phone number or address were I can cancel. Today at 1:150PM on 11/7/2018 I signed up. Thank you, Gary.
WPBeginner Support says
Hi Gary,
Please contact Weebly to cancel your subscription.
Admin
contacthp says
Thank you so much for providing this information.
zikin says
Choosing a Blogging Platform that is suitable for my blog is quite difficult. And I’m looking for it. Glad you share it. Thanks for the recommendations. This will also help others.
kyrie says
wordpress is NOT easy!! If you understand computers and can set up a web page, it might be easy. For those of us who have NO concept of these platforms, it is beyond difficult. I spent hours on WordPress and was never able to successfully able to set up the website. The learning curve is VERY high!
WPBeginner Support says
Hi Kyrie,
We understand. It can be frustrating for a beginner to try for the first time and fail. However, there is plenty of help available online and learning curve is becoming significantly lower as more web hosts now install WordPress automatically.
Admin
Mohammad Naurose says
HI
wordpress is the best platform for blogging in my opinion not only fr blogging wordpress i getting improved day by day i was reading on wordpress offical webste that wordpress can handle easly more than 1 Lac products for online store. this is something impresses me alot.
ItsJustMe says
Hey Guys, I disagree with your summary of Joomla….I have been working with Joomla from the beginning, it is extremely flexible, there are many free extensions available and as long as you work with developers/extensions from the JED (Joomla Extension Directory) the support is normally pretty good. Of course, there are some developers that do not respond, but I have found the same with WP. The possibilities with Joomla are far less restricted and it is much more easily customised if you are looking to personalise your site.
Pavani.Rajulapati says
Hello!
I’m a student and I’m having passion towards writing. I can’t pay to the sites.so,can I get any suggestion to get a free of cost site? I wanted to exhibit my skill of writing stories!!!!!
WPBeginner Support says
Hi Pavani,
You can get started with platforms like Blogger or WordPress.com. However, as your writings become popular you will soon feel the need for more features. This is why we recommend starting with WordPress.org. You will have to pay for hosting and a domain name (which is quite low cost for a starter blog) but you will have the freedom to do whatever you want.
Admin
Tapas says
Hi, i am going to start my health and fitness blog website, which plartform will be good for me?
Scott Lankford says
Medium is no longer “free” and so this part of your article very badly needs an update.
I recently wasted quite a lot of time buidling a blog on Medium, with the intention of “blogging my book.”
Belatedly discovered that my readers can only access three articles per month for free. After that it’s a $5 per month “membership” subscription. That would make the total cost of reading my book in blog form far, far in excess of the cost of an ordinary book. My intent was to put my book out there completely for free. So it’s a no go, and I’ve wasted tons of time for nothing.
On the upside, Medium looks completely amazing on a smartphone. My old reliable, Typepad, looks like crap on a smartphone. Sigh.
Still searching for “true blogging love” for free…
Varsity says
Sir how can I start a website that I can upload music and videos for download and also have blog on it tell me the website that can host that type of site
Saranya says
This Article is very useful for Beginner who want to start blogging .Thanks for Sharing.
Jason Avey says
I am sorry to say this but wordrpress is rubbish, 98% of all the templates do not work, the previews show a nice theme but once you install it, it is very uncustomisable.
Weebly is the best.
jay says
I want to start a blog that will later on have the capability of advertising and sponsorship later down the track. I wont be selling anything so no eCommerce requirement – what do you recommend?
Money is tight and monthly hosting costs isnt an option
WPBeginner Support says
Hi Jay,
We will recommend self-hosted WordPress.org site as mentioned in the article.
Admin
Suresh Kuamr says
Thanks For getting me inform as there are diffrent types of plate from each other easy to decide what i am looking for
durgaprasad says
It was really very useful blog and my hearty thanks to u
Andrew Best says
hello! thank you for this article. I want to set up an e-commerce website, would you recommend WordPress or Magento?
thank you!
WPBeginner Support says
Hi Andrew,
We will recommend WordPress and WooCommerce. For more details, please see our article on how to start an online store.
Admin
Yamini Kahaliya says
i want to start a blog & earn money . the blog is related with educations. i make notes so suggest me which platform is best for me. i have no coding skills.
Michelle says
Hello there!
I found all the discusions really useful in terms of applications for blogging that I haven’t really ever considered!
However I’m looking to set up a blog for my own ‘satisfaction’ and don’t believe it’s the kind of site that people are going to find interesting/ I don’t expect any traffic and has no sales element! I guess what I’m looking for is also a diary that people are welcome to read (and make comments if they wish) so I really want something that’s free (or costs less than the price of a paper journal)
Admittedly there always word, but I’m keen to engage in media like blogging and understand it more !
Please could anyone recommend a free & easy site to use?
I already tried ( only very briefly) but I couldn’t see anything obvious for blogging
Hope some one can help!, if not thank you for reading anyway!
Ryan says
I’d go with a free hosted blog on WordPress.com.
WordPress is the biggest blogging platform for a reason. They’ve been at it for a while, and they do a great job.
And an upside, if you decide to pay a bit of money, it’d be a seamless transition into a paid WordPress site which would allow you more freedoms to customize, monetize, and more.
amna mazhar says
i am a student. i have a passion for writing . but the problem is that i cannott pay money for these sites. what is a way to start blogging for free? does wordpress helps if i want to blog for free on a domain?
WPBeginner Support says
Hi Amna,
You can create a free account on WordPress.com or Blogger. However, if you want to take blogging seriously then you need to start with a self hosted WordPress.org website.
Admin
Kola Lanai says
“a blog for my own ‘satisfaction’ and don’t believe it’s the kind of site that people are going to find interesting/ I don’t expect any traffic and has no sales element! ”
…..HA HA SAME HERE!!!!
Alejandra says
hello! thank you for this article. I want to set up an astrology blog to gain an audience and clients for astrology readings. Which blog host do you recommend?
thank you!
WPBeginner Support says
Hi Alejandra,
Please take a look at our guide on how to choose the best WordPress hosting.
Admin
Towhid says
Hello
I want to create a website for blogging and selling art works. What platform you can recommend for this?
WPBeginner Support says
Hi Towhid,
We recommend using WordPress. It allows you to easily create a blog and you can also add an online store to sell your artwork.
Admin
kosigro says
May i know why wordpress is so famous
Peter Underwood says
Hi there, and thank you for a great review of blogging options.
After careful reading, I like the idea of MEDIUM but when I tried to sign up all they offered was Google or Facebook. I wish to use my own domain based email as noted here and not the awful gmail option, which is all that seems to be available at MEDIUM. I would welcome your advice.
BTW, since MEDIUM uses Google or FB, clearly there is some kind of link and perhaps modfications will be made in future to monetize content and no doubt enable Google or FB to utilise all the blogg data thus compromising authors.
Sumi says
Hi there,
Thank you for the great post.
As this is my initial phase to enter in blogging field, do you think it’s better to start off with google free blogger and then change to wordpress once i have enough post in my blog?
WPBeginner Support says
Hi Sumi,
We will recommend against it. It is time consuming to move your website, you can miss some traffic and followers, and starting it with the right platform is crucial to give you a solid foundation to begin with.
Admin
Davidson says
Thanks bro I choose wordpress because it is easy to opreate.
Arby says
WP is easy enough to operate (basics only) only once you’ve set it up. Good luck with that!
Beckie says
I agree that wordpress is an awesome site, However I have been working with it and find that there is a serious limit to what you can do with it if you’re not going to pay the 300 dollar fee for the business platform. Which most people can’t just throw out. You can not USE ANY PLUGINS OR VERY LIMITED PLUGINS ( the ones that matter) without the business platform. So here I am finding that after all I did last night to get my review blog up and running was worthless. I am angry! Excuse my ENGLISH!
WPBeginner Support says
Hi Beckie,
There are two types of WordPress websites. Please see our guide on the difference between self hosted WordPress.org vs free WordPress.com blog.
Admin
mathew says
can i pay monthly charges for domain name?
WPBeginner Support says
Hi Mathew,
While you can pay for website hosting on a monthly basis, domain registrations are on yearly basis and cannot be paid monthly.
Admin
Pallav Gogoi says
Blogger is the best and it’s getting regular updates now. It’s a Google Product hence you can rank high in search.
jim says
I am completely new to blogging world. I want to start a blogging site for sharing competion exam preparation strategy and study material. Which blogging platform I should opt ?
Rochelle says
Hello
I want to create a website for blogging and selling art works. What platform you can recommend for this?
Joan Dahlen says
Hi,
I have a blog that uses a wordpress theme, and blue host hosts my domain name. However, I don’t really understand what a platform is and I don’t know what my platform is. I am planning to start a new food blog with a different focus and use wordpress.org (whatever that actually means.) Does wordpress.org help you with setting up and explaining whether or not they are your platform? I am a granny (79 to be exact.) I have a three year old cooking blog that never gets visitors except for family and friends. I would like to do better with my blog, but I don’t even understand the idea of platform. Can you give me some advice as to how to proceed?
WPBeginner Support says
Hi Joan,
A platform is a software or service you are using to run your blog. In your case, you are already using self-hosted WordPress.org blog. If you want to get more traffic to your blog, then a good place to start would be our WordPress SEO Guide for beginners.
Admin
Kathi A Wright says
I am wanting to start a blog focusing on writing and craft/art, and photography, perhaps with reader story submissions. Is this a good platform? I know that is a lot of stuff. And what if i want affiliate links? Would this support that?
WPBeginner Support says
Hi Kathi,
You can create arts, crafts, and photography website with WordPress. You can also accept user submissions and add affiliate links.
Admin
Friday says
Can I use my smart phone for blogging.
Will WordPress features work well using phone or I need a laptop.
How do I pay and get started with the WordPress. Org.
WPBeginner Support says
Hi,
You can manage a WordPress blog from mobile browser. However, this will be difficult as many features on your screen would appear different or may not be visible. Plugins will be unable to adjust their settings page to your device size. In short, it is not practical in the long run.
Please see our guide on how to start a WordPress blog for step by step instructions.
Admin
Ricardo says
I would like to create a tech blog but also would like to be able to develop web apps and tools for the users at the same time, to show case my project and skills, so along with the blog I would need to run code and have access to database. Any host option ?
Alex says
I just want to set up a website where I can put pictures, poems, articles, maybe rants. Mainly poems though. What would you recommend?
WPBeginner Support says
Hi Alex,
We will recommend self hosted WordPress.org website.
Admin
Luthfar Rahman says
Hei There,
Thanks for the nice article. Actually, this post is really helpful for the newcomer in the world of blogging. I will try to follow this post on my next journey to choosing the best blogging platform.
Zonia says
Another important thing to point out, which should be a bullet point for each of these, is social network integration. Blogger, for instance, is what I have been using for years and am now looking to move away from it because it has never done a good job of integrating with various social networks. Like, when sharing to Twitter it doesn’t even use a Twitter “card” so the only thing you see is an anonymous URL. Not very helpful when getting the word out about your latest blog post. Thanks for the great comparison, though. This has given me some good ideas on what to move to.
Hedi says
I choose wordpress cause is easy to operate
Vedic Seva says
It was really very useful blog and my hearty thanks to u ….
hildah says
Hi I want to be a blogger and also join a platform how do I start?Please contact ASAP I really need help
WPBeginner Support says
Hi Hildah,
Please take a look at our step by step guide on how to start a WordPress blog.
Admin
Beginner Blogger says
Is there a hosting service where you can actually pay BY THE MONTH? I get that you have a money back guarantee, but that’s still a lot of money for me to shell out for something that I’m just starting out. If you are looking to blog to hopefully help generate income, then it seems natural to me for a host to let someone start out slowly.
WPBeginner Support says
Hi,
You can pay on a monthly basis. Most WordPress hosting companies have monthly plans too. However, monthly plans cost more than annual plans, in the end you’ll end up paying more for the same service.
Admin
frank says
Hey nice article….can you add joomla template along with wordpress in a hosting account so that both will merge as one website….maybe you can click a link from wordpress theme into joomla theme…..
The reason is just to get both best features of each theme combined together like linking a joomla ecommerce theme with wordpress blog theme
Tonja Jean Miller says
I find this website useful however, I also find it bias towards WordPress. Like at the top of the page list the blogging pros for each then the cons NOT WORDPRESS so they suck. Am I the only one who got that vibe? Guess I will keep poking around. Thank you xx
Andre says
WPBeginner is a very big and popular site which focuses on WordPress more than anything, so this article is on the bias. I would also hope that the author actually used each platform to get a fair accessment too. However, I will give my two cents into this WP vs all others….
WordPress was built to be a blogging platform and will always be a blogging platform. It does it well and perfect for blog only sites. However, once you start incorporating other functionality into your site such as membership based concepts, e-commerce, basically more complex website structure and content, my choice would go to Joomla! hands down. I’ve got over 10 years of Joomla experience and 7 for WP, so it’s a bit easier for me to make that statement.
I’m about to build another theme site/shop and was going to use WP, but based on past experiences, I am going to use Joomla because I know the capabilities and flexibility will make managing a site like this (which will have a blog in it), go much smoother, and then there’s security.
I would love to write a comparison between WP and Joomla and detail why it depends on the kind of website you plan to build, but I would end up with a long article length comment
Julia says
Hi Andre!
Would you recommend wordpress for a travel blog?
Hari Mohan Sharma says
Can I post same contents on more than one website? Is there anything wrong in doing so?
WPBeginner Support says
It would be duplicate content and Google will penalize your site for that.
Admin
Coward says
Can you send me more tools and info for beginner
blogger
WPBeginner Support says
Please follow Facebook or Facebook for more WordPress tips and tutorials. You can also signup for our mailing list.
Admin
Coward says
Can I post many pictures on blog
Coward says
How to build a wordpress.org website for realtor
WPBeginner Support says
There are multiple ways to do that. First you would need to start a WordPress blog and then you can install a real estate theme.
Admin
Rick Rottman says
Anyone wanting to create a blog dedicated to blogging, Medium is the way to go. I’ve maintained a WordPress blog for ten years now and the only thing stopping me from migrating everything over is that you can’t migrate comments.
jbanks123 says
Thanks Rick
Dana says
Why do you find that you now’d prefer Medium over WordPress? (If you don’t mind sharing.) Thank you!
Jason Prest says
Hi Dana
I think it all depends on your needs,plans and vision for running your blog.Some people enjoy blogging as it is and for this reason they prefer ready simple solutions such as Medium,Ghost,Blogr,Svtble,etc. while other prefer to spend more time and efforts on building beautiful sites.