Do you want to create your own blog site, but aren't sure how to pick the best blogging platform? It's a difficult decision because there are so many different blogging platforms available in the market. How can you know which blogging platform is the best choice for you?
In this article, we'll go over the advantages and disadvantages (Pros and Cons) of the most popular blogging platforms which may help you to choose the best blogging platform.
So let's get started.
The popular blogging platforms we'll be comparing in this article are listed below. If you're interested in a specific platform, you can skip forward in the desired section of the article by clicking the link.
What to Look for? When Choosing the Best Blogging Platform?
It's helpful to know what you're searching for in a blogging platform before jumping into the list.
If you are a beginner, you'll want a blogging platform that's simple to set up, has a small level of difficulty and doesn't require any coding knowledge.
You should also consider the type of blog you want to start.
As your blog improves in popularity, you may want to update the look of your site and add new features to accommodate to your rising audience. As a result, it's essential to choose the best blogging platform that's flexible and has the capacity for improvement.
Starting on the wrong blogging platform and then switching to another platform later may be very difficult.
Furthermore, even if you don't want to make money blogging right now, it's a good idea to plan carefully so that you can do so in the future.
Let's compare the finest blogging platforms for beginners with all of this in mind.
WordPress.org
WordPress.org is the most widely used blogging platform in the world. WordPress was founded in 2003 and currently powers more than 44% of all websites on the internet.
Note: WordPress.org is most often confused with WordPress.com. WordPress.com is a blog hosting service mentioned later in the list. See our article on the differences between WordPress.org and WordPress.com for more information.
WordPress.org is a free and open-source blogging platform that allows users to easily create a website or blog.
It's a self-hosted platform, which means you'll have to sign up for a WordPress hosting account. If you desire complete control over the development of your site, WordPress is an excellent choice.
Pros
WordPress.org offers you complete control over your website.
You can expand your blog by adding forums, an online store, premium subscriptions, and the ability to sell online courses. As a result, WordPress is the most profitable blogging platform.
There are thousands of free WordPress themes available. This enables you to create a stunning website that stands out from the competition. The majority of popular WordPress themes include built-in customization tools, giving you complete design flexibility.
In addition, you'll get access to over 60,000+ free WordPress plugins. These plugins function as apps for your WordPress blog, allowing you to add features such as contact forms, galleries, and more. Check out our selection of important WordPress plugins for all types of websites.
WordPress is optimized for search engines. For your posts, you may easily setup SEO-friendly URLs, categories, and tags. Additionally, there are a number of excellent SEO plugins available for further optimization.
In WordPress, you can easily install Google Analytics-powered website analytics so you can see the statistics that matter. This will assist you in increasing your new blog's traffic and users.
Finally, the drag-and-drop editor in WordPress makes it simple to create any kinds of content for your blog. It also has the ability to add dynamic content such as movies, social media feeds, Google Adsense, graphs, charts, and more without having any technical knowledge.
Cons
It takes some time to learn how to manage your own website.
You'll have to manage your website backups and security by yourself.
Pricing
The WordPress software is free, but you'll need a domain name (which costs around $14.99 per year) and hosting (which costs around $7.99 per month). But it may vary by company.
For any kind of website, you'll need a domain name and web hosting.
As a part of our community you may get started with Bluehost, an official WordPress recommended hosting provider, for only $2.75 per month. They are providing our users a 60% discount on web hosting as well as a free domain name.
Complete step-by-step instructions may be found in our tutorial on how to start a WordPress blog.
Overall, WordPress is a good platform for both personal and professional blogging.
The majority of well-known bloggers choose WordPress as their content management system since it's user-friendly and has all of the features you'll need to run a successful blog.
Bonus: WordPress can be used to create a small business website as well as an online store in addition to a blog site. See our in-depth guide on how to create a WordPress website for additional information.
Blogger
Blogger provides non-technical users with a simple and quick approach to start a blog.
Blogger is one of the most well-known blogging platforms. Pyra Labs officially introduced it in 1999. Google bought Blogger in 2003 and redesigned it into the brand we know today.
To establish a free blog on Blogger, all you need is a Google account.
Pros
Blogger is a completely free service.
It's simple to use and manage even if you don't have any technical knowledge.
Has the added benefit of Google's trustworthy and secure platform.
Cons
You can only use basic blogging tools, and you won't be able to add new features as your site grows in popularity.
Design possibilities are limited, and there are fewer templates to choose from. Blogger themes from third parties are frequently of poor quality.
Blogger doesn't get new features or updates very often.
Google has the ability to suspend or even terminate your blog at any moment. (They have a habit of suddenly abandoning projects, such as Feedburner.)
See our WordPress vs Blogger comparison for additional information on the benefits and disadvantages of Blogger (Pros and cons).
Some users begin with Blogger since it is free, but as their blog grows, they migrate to WordPress in order to gain additional features and control over their website.
Pricing
A Blogger subdomain, such as https://example.blogspot.com, is free. You must purchase a custom domain from a third-party domain registrar if you want to use it.
Web.com
Web.com is a popular website-building platform that includes the ability to add a blog section to your business website or online store.
Their drag-and-drop website builder tool is incredibly user-friendly for non-techies, and they have very low entry fees which is $1.95.
You may pick from dozens of pre-made templates and then modify the look of your blog without having to write any code. It includes SEO tools, blog security features, autosave & backup, website analytics, and other useful features.
Pros
An easy-to-use drag-and-drop website builder for beginners (no coding needed).
For your blog, there are dozens of totally customizable layouts.
Web.com handles all of the technical aspects of hosting your website, so it's simple to get started.
Starting at just $1.95 per month, it offers all of the essential features. All priced plans come with a free domain.
Customer service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via phone, live chat, and email.
Cons
Because the ecosystem for extensions and apps is small, there aren't as many third-party plugins as there are for WordPress.
The blogging features aren't even equal to those of WordPress. Switching your website to another platform later is tough because Web.com is a proprietary website builder.
Pricing
Web.com's website starting package is $1.95 per month and includes a drag-and-drop website builder, blogging platform, hundreds of stunning themes, thousands of free stock pictures, and a free domain.
Upgrade to their Marketing plan, which starts at $2.95 per month, or their eCommerce plan, which starts at $3.95 per month, if you want their powerful SEO tools or eCommerce capabilities.
As part of our Web.com discount deal, our readers can get these prices. To take advantage of these amazing discounts, simply click on our link.
If you're a small business that doesn't want to use WordPress, Web.com is the next best option when it comes to good value.
Wix
Wix is a popular website-building platform. Their drag-and-drop website builder makes it simple for small businesses to create a website. The Wix Blog app can also be used to add a blog to your website.
Wix.com was launched in 2006 as a platform that allowed anyone to create a beautiful website without having to know how to code. It now has over 110 million users all over the world.
Pros
Hundreds of templates and third-party apps are available to help you customise your site.
No coding skills are required to create your site. The setup is simple and quick.
Cons
The free account is limited, and your site will include Wix branding and advertisements.
The number of free third-party apps is limited.
You can't modify a template once you've chosen one.
Ecommerce features are only available on paid accounts, and even then, they are limited.
For a thorough comparison of the two platforms, see our Wix vs WordPress article.
Pricing
The Wix website builder is completely free. You'll get a Wix subdomain that looks like this if you sign up for a free Wix account: https://username.wixsite.com/example.
You can, however, add a custom domain for $4.50 per month. Their premium plans range in price from $8.50 to $24.50 per month.
HubSpot CMS
HubSpot CMS Hub is a complete blogging platform for small, medium, and large businesses.
It's built on top of HubSpot's marketing and CRM tools, so you can establish a website, attract more subscribers, send newsletters, manage your customer list, and more all from a single platform.
Their website builder allows you to easily change the style of your website, and you can even customise the content that visitors see based on their previous activities.
Pros
No technical skills are required to utilize this easy-to-use drag-and-drop website builder.
Because HubSpot will host your website for you, it'll be simple to get started.
Fully optimized for search engine optimization and conversions.
There is a free SSL certificate included.
Cons
While the HubSpot CRM comes with a number of free features (such as contact management, email marketing, and forms), the CMS does not have a free version available.
As you progress through the phases, pricing may become more expensive.
Depending on your previous provider, the transfer process from another blogging platform may be lengthy.
Depending on your previous provider, the transfer process from another blogging platform may be lengthy.
Pricing
The HubSpot CMS package starts at $25 per month and contains all of the essential features for creating a safe, well-designed blog, as well as the marketing tools you'll need to expand it.
Upgrade to the higher tiers if you want personalized SEO recommendations and extra features.
A 14-day free trial is available to our readers.
Note: You can combine the power of the top blogging platform and marketing tools by using WordPress and the free HubSpot plugin.
Gator by HostGator
HostGator is a famous web hosting company that have a website builder and blogging platform which is known as Gator. You may use Gator's drag-and-drop technology to create any type of website, including blogs, business sites, and even an online store.
It's important not to mix up the Gator builder and HostGator website hosting. You can start a WordPress blog with HostGator's hosting service.
On the other hand, Gator is perfect if you're looking for a non-WordPress all-in-one blogging platform and hosting solution.
Pros
You can customize the look of your blog and website with a simple drag-and-drop builder.
It's simple to set up and there's no technical complexity.
HostGator is in care of backups, performance, and security. You don't have to worry about those.
All plans include a free domain and SSL certificate.
With just a few clicks, you can easily add an online store to your blog.
Cons
Although there is no free account, there is a 45-day money-back guarantee.
Ecommerce functionalities are only available on higher-tiered plans.
A small number of apps and extensions are available.
Pricing
All Gator builder plans are discounted by 55% for our users. The $3.46/month Starter plan includes all of the features you'll need to create a successful blog, including a free domain as well as SSL certificate.
The $3.46/month Starter plan includes all of the features you'll need to create a successful blog, including a free domain as well as SSL certificate.
WordPress.com
WordPress.com is a blog hosting service provided by Automattic, a company founded by Matt Mullenweg, co-founder of WordPress.org.
WordPress.com provides a free basic blog hosting solution. More choices, such as a custom domain name, additional storage, and other premium services, are available for purchase.
WordPress.com is an excellent blogging service for users who don't want the powerful features of self-hosted WordPress. It was founded in 2005 with the goal of bringing WordPress experience to a larger audience.
Pros
There is no need to set up anything.
It's simple to use and maintain.
If you're comfortable with a WordPress.com subdomain, it's entirely free. https://example.wordpress.com is the name of your free website.
Cons
You only have a few possibilities for extending your own site. Custom themes and plugins are not available for customizing your blog.
Advertisements are not allowed on your blog. Instead, adverts from WordPress.com will appear on your free website.
You do not own your blog, and WordPress.com reserves the right to terminate your account if you violate their terms of service.
Pricing
The basic WordPress.com account is free, but it will be branded with WordPress.com adverts.
You can remove the WordPress.com branding and advertising from your website by upgrading to their Personal plan for $4/month (paid annually). You'll also get your own custom domain (such as www.yoursite.com).
Additional design tools and storage are available for $8/month (paid annually).
Beginners frequently start with WordPress.com thinking they are getting the advanced WordPress.org software because of the similarities in names. After realizing the limitations, u sers frequently migrate from WordPress.com to WordPress.org in order to gain additional features, freedom of use, and control over their website.
Tumblr
Tumblr differs from other blogging systems in a few ways. It's a social networking microblogging platform with features like following other blogs, reblogging, built-in sharing tools, and more.
Pros
With a Tumblr subdomain like https://example.tumblr.com, Tumblr is free. A premium custom domain name can also be connected.
It's incredibly simple to set up and use.
It has a built-in social media component.
Cons
Tumblr has a limited range of features that you won't be able to expand as your site grows.
There are several Tumblr themes available, but none of them can provide additional functionality.
It's difficult to back up your Tumblr blog or migrate it to another site (see our guide on how to move from Tumblr to WordPress).
Pricing
Tumblr is completely free to use. For your Tumblr blog, you can purchase a custom domain (which must be purchased separately), as well as third-party themes and apps.
Medium
Medium, which was founded in 2012, has developed to become a community of authors, bloggers, journalists, and professionals. It's a simple blogging platform with a few social networking options.
Medium acts similarly to a social networking site, allowing you to create an account and start publishing content. You'll get a profile address like this after you sign up: https://medium.com/@yourname. However, you are unable to use your own domain.
Pros
Medium is simple to use, requiring no setup and no coding knowledge.
It enables you to connect with a pre-existing online community of people who share your interests.
Instead of designing a website, you can focus completely on writing.
Cons
In terms of design or brand building, the features are severely limited.
Your audience is owned by Medium, so losing your blog means losing all of your followers.
You are not permitted to use your own domain name. You'll obtain a profile page similar to Facebook's, for example, https://medium.com/@yourname.
You can't make money by running your own ads.
See our guide on WordPress vs Medium: Which Is Better? for a more comprehensive comparison.
Pricing
Medium is a completely free platform.
While the platform appears attractive at first glance, the absence of monetization and control leads the majority of users to migrate from Medium to WordPress.
Squarespace
Squarespace is a website-building platform that allows you to design stunning websites with simple drag-and-drop features. It is designed for small business owners that want a simple solution to create an online presence.
Squarespace, which was founded in 2003, now powers millions of websites.
Pros
For those who aren't very techy, Squarespace is simple and easy to use.
It includes templates that have been professionally designed.
It sells domain names with SSL/HTTPs and eCommerce stores separately.
Cons
Squarespace's features are restricted by the limitations of their proprietary platform.
Only a few services and technologies are available for integration.
For a more complete comparison, see our WordPress vs Squarespace guide.
Pricing
Squarespace offers a variety of pricing plans for websites and online stores.
The Personal website plan is $16 per month, or $12 per month if you pay annually. The Business plan costs $26 per month, or $18 per month if paid annually.
Online store prices start at $26 per month and go up to $40 per month.
Users frequently migrate from Squarespace to WordPress to save money and add additional functionality to their websites.
Ghost
Ghost is a simple blogging platform with just capabilities dedicated to creating blog posts. Ghost, which was launched in 2013, is accessible as both a hosted platform and as a software that you can install and host by yourself. We'll look at both options.
Pros
Mainly focused on blogging and writing.
The user interface is simple, clutter-free, and intuitive.
It's very fast because it's written in JavaScript.
The hosted version does not require any setup.
Cons
Apps are difficult to customize.
Options are very limited due to the simplicity of the user interface.
There aren't enough themes to change the design of your site.
If you install it yourself, it's a bit of a hassle.
For additional information on the topic, see our WordPress vs. Ghost comparison.
Pricing
A custom domain (approximately $14.99/year) and web hosting (beginning at roughly $7.99/month) are required for the self-hosted version.
The hosted version costs $29 a month for two staff users with a limit of 100k page views. Your blog will be a Ghost subdomain ending in ghost.io unless you purchase a custom domain from a third-party domain registrar.
Weebly
Square's payment platform owns Weebly, a well-known website creation platform. They provide simple website-building solutions for businesses and online stores.
They also include a blog option, as well as free blog layouts you may use on your site.
Pros
Website and blogging platform that is fully hosted by them.
Square payment platform integration is seamless.
The hosted version does not require any setup.
Cons
The free plan comes with a limited number of features and bandwidth. It also has the Weebly logo on it.
Paid subscriptions are pricey when compared to the most popular blogging platforms.
The blogging and SEO features aren't as powerful as those found in WordPress.
For more information on the topic, see our Weebly vs WordPress comparison.
If you're seeking to make the transfer from Weebly to WordPress, we've put up a full step-by-step guide.
Pricing
They offer a limited free edition that includes Weebly branding and ads.
Paid plans start at $8 per month and are billed annually. The pro plan costs $12 per month, while the business plan costs $25.
Best Blogging Platform: From our side
We believe that WordPress.org beats all other blogging platforms. It is the most powerful, user-friendly, cost-effective, and customizable blogging platform. All of the reasons why you should use WordPress.
We've put together a detailed guide on how to start a blog in 7 Easy Steps to assist you in getting started with WordPress.
If you're looking for a WordPress alternative, Blogger, Web.com or HubSpot are our second, third and fourth choices for the top blogging platform.
Their drag-and-drop website builder makes it simple to create any type of website, from a blog to a business website to an online store, at a very low cost.
We hope that this post helped you in selecting the best blogging platform for your future project. You might also be interested in our guides on how to start an email newsletter to increase your blog subscribers and 27 proven methods to boost your blog traffic.
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