10 Best Free Blogging Platforms 2021

Trying to find the very best free running a blog platform to start out your personal weblog on a funds?

In 2021, there are many nice free locations to start out a weblog, it doesn’t matter what your targets are. If you wish to construct your personal platform, you need to use WordPress. To create your personal subscriber neighborhood, you may want Substack or Ghost. You may as well use Medium to get entry to a built-in viewers or select from numerous different choices.

It doesn’t matter what your targets are, there’s a nice free running a blog resolution to your wants.

In whole, we’ll cowl 10 totally different platforms. Let’s get began, starting with the most well-liked solution to make a weblog.

1. WordPress.org (Self-Hosted WordPress)

By the numbers, WordPress is by far the most well-liked solution to make a weblog or any sort of web site typically. Over 40% of all web sites use WordPress and it additionally powers over 96% of the blogs in BuiltWith’s high a million web site index.

WordPress began as solely a running a blog platform, earlier than later morphing right into a full web site constructing resolution. Though it’s nonetheless nice as a running a blog platform, which means that you even have the flexibleness to increase and add options to your weblog sooner or later, similar to launching your personal on-line programs or including a merch retailer.

To perform this, you need to use tens of 1000’s of themes (these management your weblog’s design) and plugins (these add new options to your weblog) — most of those extensions are free!

It’s vital to notice that, whereas the WordPress software program itself is 100% free, you’ll need internet hosting to run the WordPress software program, which could value you cash.

You can discover free WordPress internet hosting which may work for a interest weblog. However for a critical weblog, I like to recommend investing in a paid internet hosting service, which prices as little as $5 per thirty days once you’re simply getting began. You may take a look at our picks for the very best low-cost WordPress internet hosting suppliers.

Benefits of WordPress.org (Self-Hosted WordPress)

• Self-hosted WordPress provides you essentially the most flexibility of any running a blog platform.
• You may simply management how your weblog appears to be like utilizing themes and add new options utilizing plugins.
• You’ve 100% possession and management over your weblog, which isn’t the case with numerous different free running a blog platforms.
• You may select from a spread of various content material editors, together with the essential default editor or visible, drag-and-drop editors by way of web page builder plugins.

Disadvantages of WordPress.org (Self-Hosted WordPress)

• Whereas the WordPress software program is free, critical bloggers will wish to put money into paid internet hosting, which suggests it’s not essentially a 100% free resolution.
• As a result of you want to buy internet hosting and set up the WordPress software program, it’s extra sophisticated than a number of the different free running a blog platforms the place you simply have to register for an account and begin writing.

How one can Get Began with Self-Hosted WordPress

To get began with a weblog utilizing self-hosted WordPress, you’ll need to:

• Buy hosting and a website identify.
• Set up the WordPress software program.
• Begin writing.

To see the whole lot intimately, take a look at our full information on the right way to begin a weblog with self-hosted WordPress.

Medium is an attention-grabbing mixture of a running a blog platform and a writer. As a author, you may enroll and begin posting identical to another running a blog platform. However since you’re publishing on Medium, you even have an opportunity to get your content material featured to Medium’s readers, which is type of like getting featured in {a magazine}.

Nonetheless, the draw back is that you just’re type of locked into Medium’s platform. So within the brief time period, it’s helpful to entry this built-in viewers. However in the long run, it is perhaps extra helpful to construct your personal platform utilizing one thing like WordPress, particularly in case your objective is to make a residing out of your weblog.

Alternatively, when you don’t care about cash and simply wish to get your writing in entrance of individuals’s eyeballs, Medium generally is a nice alternative.

Benefits of Medium

• The Medium content material editor is a pleasure to make use of and makes it actually nice to create content material.
• Medium has a built-in neighborhood of readers, which provides you entry to an viewers if Medium chooses to characteristic your content material.
• You may earn cash by way of the Medium Accomplice Program (although in all probability not rather a lot). Constructing your personal platform might be a greater possibility for critical money-making blogs, however Medium may be good for aspect hustles or beer-money-type earnings.

Disadvantages of Medium

• You don’t get full management over your weblog’s design, nor are you able to add your personal customized options like you may with WordPress. You’re very locked-in to utilizing the Medium platform “as-is”.
• You must be a Medium member to make use of your personal customized area identify, which prices $5 per thirty days or $50 per 12 months.

How one can Get Began with Medium

To get began, all you want to do is register for a Medium account and start writing.

WordPress.com is one particular implementation of the WordPress.org software program really useful above. Whereas WordPress.org/self-hosted WordPress is an open-source, non-profit enterprise, WordPress.com is a for-profit enterprise from an organization referred to as Automattic that’s based mostly on the open-source WordPress software program.

WordPress.com makes it rather a lot easier to create a fundamental weblog utilizing WordPress, however the trade-off for that simplicity is that you just lose numerous the flexibleness of the self-hosted WordPress software program (until you pay for one in every of WordPress.com’s pricier paid plans).

WordPress.com allows you to create a free weblog utilizing a wordpress.com subdomain similar to yourblog.wordpress.com. To make use of your personal customized area identify and/or unlock extra options, you’ll have to improve to a paid WordPress.com plan.

Benefits of WordPress.com

• WordPress.com eliminates the necessity to buy separate internet hosting (as you want with self-hosted WordPress), which makes it rather a lot simpler to create a fundamental weblog. All you want to do is register for an account.
• Even on the free plan, WordPress.com nonetheless has extra options than most different free running a blog platforms.

Disadvantages of WordPress.com

• The free model of WordPress.com is much more restricted than self-hosted WordPress as a result of you may’t set up your personal WordPress themes and plugins until you pay for the $300 per 12 months Marketing strategy.
• You may’t use your personal customized area identify until you improve to a paid plan.
• The free plan consists of WordPress.com advertisements.

How one can Get Began with WordPress.com

To create a free weblog with WordPress.com, all you want to do is register for an account, select your weblog’s theme from a restricted choice, and begin writing.

Substack is a brand new platform that’s rapidly grown in reputation, particularly with big-name journalists seeking to make a solo profession, similar to Glenn Greenwald and Matt Taibbi.

Substack calls itself a platform to construct an e-mail e-newsletter, but it surely’s actually only a running a blog platform with built-in e-mail performance. Whenever you publish a chunk of content material, it seems in your web site identical to a standard weblog, but it surely additionally goes out to all your e-mail subscribers.

One of many distinctive issues about Substack is its give attention to producing paid recurring subscriptions, which it does with built-in options (so that you want zero technical data to start out accepting funds). You may make all of your content material free, make your weblog 100% paid, or do a combination the place you supply each free and premium content material.

Substack is 100% free till you wish to begin charging for entry to some/all your writing. That’s, you may publish as a lot free content material as you need with out ever paying. When you begin publishing premium content material, Substack will take 10% of the cash you accumulate, however there’s no charge past that.

Benefits of Substack

• Substack makes issues tremendous easy — all you want to do is write content material.
• You get built-in e-mail listing options to develop a neighborhood of subscribers relatively than one-off guests.
• Substack makes it very straightforward to cost for content material (although keep in mind you’ll want to present Substack its 10% reduce).

Disadvantages of Substack

• You may’t add options and also you don’t get a lot management over design — Substack is actually only for publishing content material.
• You must pay a one-time $50 charge to unlock the flexibility to make use of your personal customized area identify (as a substitute of a Substack subdomain).

How one can Get Began with Substack

To create your personal Substack, all you want to do is register for a free account and begin writing. Keep in mind, you’ll solely be charged when you begin accepting paid subscribers. And even then, you’ll solely pay a share of the particular cash that you just earn (there’s no flat-rate charge).

Ghost is much like WordPress in that it’s free, open-source software program which you can set up by yourself hosting to make a weblog. Nonetheless, not like WordPress, Ghost is 100% targeted on running a blog/publishing.

Ghost additionally consists of built-in options that can assist you create a membership neighborhood round your weblog and even cost for entry if you wish to monetize your running a blog. It’s type of like Substack in that respect, however you’ve extra management since you host the Ghost software program by yourself internet hosting.

Benefits of Ghost

• Ghost is free and open-source.
• It’s self-hosted, which provides you extra management than many different running a blog platforms.
• Ghost consists of built-in membership and monetization options.

Disadvantages of Ghost

• Putting in Ghost is a bit more sophisticated since you want your personal internet hosting (until you’re prepared to pay for Ghost’s internet hosting service).
• Utilizing Ghost can also be simply usually a little bit extra sophisticated as a result of it’s a self-hosted device.
• Whereas the Ghost software program is free like WordPress, most critical bloggers will nonetheless wish to put money into paid internet hosting, which suggests it’s not essentially a 100% free resolution.

How one can Get Began with Ghost

To make use of Ghost totally free, you may obtain the Ghost software program and set up it by yourself hosting. For interest blogs on a funds, you could find free hosting. Nonetheless, for critical blogs, I’d advocate investing in paid internet hosting, which may value you as little as $5 per thirty days.

Wix is a full web site constructing platform, relatively than a devoted running a blog platform. Nonetheless, it does embody running a blog performance, so you may simply use it to create a weblog with the additional advantage that you just nonetheless get entry to these web site constructing instruments if wanted.

Most individuals in all probability know Wix for its paid plans, but it surely does supply a free plan that works for fundamental blogs, although there are some notable limitations, similar to necessary Wix advertisements on each web page and you have to use a Wix subdomain.

To make use of your personal customized area identify, you’ll want the $4.50 per thirty days Join Area plan and to take away advertisements you’ll want not less than the $8.50 per thirty days Combo plan.

Benefits of Wix

• Wix allows you to design your web site/weblog utilizing a visible, drag-and-drop editor.
• It consists of full web site constructing performance, which provides you extra flexibility than numerous different running a blog platforms.

Disadvantages of Wix

• The free Wix plan shows Wix advertisements on each web page.
• You may’t use your customized area identify until you pay.
• Wix’s weblog editor isn’t fairly as good because the devoted free running a blog platforms.

How one can Get Began with Wix

To get began with Wix, all you want to do is register for an account and select one of many templates to behave as your web site’s baseline design.

Weebly is one other full web site builder that, much like Wix, additionally consists of running a blog options, which makes it an sufficient possibility for a free weblog web site.

It shares just about the very same execs and cons as Wix, so your alternative between the 2 ought to actually simply come all the way down to the interface and templates.

That’s, it provides you the benefit of getting a full web site builder, however the free plan has necessary Weebly advertisements and you may’t use your personal area identify. To make use of a customized area, you’ll want the $5 per thirty days Join plan and to take away advertisements you’ll want the $12 per thirty days Professional plan.

Benefits of Weebly

• Weebly allows you to design your web site/weblog utilizing a easy visible editor with drag-and-drop management.
• It consists of full web site constructing performance, so it provides you extra flexibility than platforms similar to Substack or Medium.

Disadvantages of Weebly

• The free Weebly plan shows Weebly branding on each web page.
• You may’t use your customized area identify until you improve to a paid plan.

How one can Get Began with Weebly

To create a weblog with Weebly, all you want to do is register for a free account and select a template.

Jekyll is a wonderful running a blog platform for extra technical customers who’ve not less than some improvement data. If you happen to’re a non-technical person, you’ll undoubtedly wish to select a unique platform. However when you’re a developer seeking to make a easy weblog, Jekyll generally is a nice free resolution.

In a nutshell, Jekyll provides you a database-free solution to flip textual content/media content material right into a weblog, full with classes, pages, posts, and so forth.

You may create a weblog from the command-line utilizing a couple of instructions after which host it totally free utilizing one thing like GitHub Pages.

Benefits of Jekyll

• Jekyll doesn’t require a database, which suggests your weblog may be very light-weight and you may simply transfer it anymore and host it on free options, together with GitHub Pages, DigitalOcean’s free static web site internet hosting, and so forth.
• Jekyll has a easy templating system that makes it very easy to create your personal customized design. Or, you need to use a pre-made Jekyll theme.

Disadvantages of Jekyll

• Jekyll isn’t a very good possibility for non-technical individuals as a result of it requires some improvement data. This one is solely for builders or different superior customers who perceive not less than the technical fundamentals of making web sites.

How one can Get Began with Jekyll

To create a weblog with Jekyll, take a look at the Jekyll quickstart docs.

Tumblr is a free micro-blogging platform, which suggests it’s nice for short-form content material and visible media, however not so nice if you wish to publish prolonged weblog posts. Consider Tumblr as someplace in between a Fb standing replace and a full weblog publish.

In case your objective is to publish this kind of short-form content material, it’s among the best free running a blog platforms to perform that due to its built-in social neighborhood which provides your content material an opportunity to get seen by different Tumblr customers, particularly in the event that they share/quote one in every of your posts.

Word that since 2019, Tumblr is owned by Automattic, the corporate behind WordPress.com. The 2 are nonetheless separate running a blog platforms, although.

Benefits of Tumblr

• Tumblr may be very straightforward to make use of and fully non-technical.
• There’s a built-in neighborhood, which helps you get visibility.
• You need to use a customized area identify totally free.

Disadvantages of Tumblr

• Tumblr isn’t a very good possibility for long-form content material.
• You don’t get very a lot management past fundamental model choices.

How one can Get Began with Tumblr

To get began, all you want to do is register for a free Tumblr account and begin posting.

Blogger is a free running a blog platform from Google, the makers of a well-liked search engine you might need heard of.

You may simply create a free weblog utilizing the .blogspot.com subdomain (e.g. yourblog.blogspot.com) or you may pay to your personal area identify and use it with Blogger totally free.

All in all, it may be a strong possibility for fundamental blogs, although it generally feels a bit dated and different running a blog platforms have extra fashionable options and interfaces.

Benefits of Blogger

• Blogger consists of all of the core options you want in a running a blog platform.
• As a result of it comes from Google, Blogger makes it very straightforward to monetize your weblog with advertisements from Google AdSense.
• For a similar purpose, it’s straightforward to combine free net analytics utilizing Google Analytics.

Disadvantages of Blogger

• Blogger doesn’t appear to get numerous consideration from Google, so there aren’t many enhancements and it feels a bit dated. Mainly, what you see is what you get and also you in all probability shouldn’t anticipate any adjustments. For instance, WordPress just lately acquired a model new content material editor, whereas Blogger remains to be just about utilizing the identical editor it’s had for a decade.

How one can Get Began with Blogger

To get began, all you want to do is create a weblog — you need to use your current Google account, so that you gained’t even want to join something new.

The place Ought to You Begin Your Weblog?

All of those free running a blog platforms have execs and cons, so it’s exhausting to advocate a single winner. As a substitute, it’s about selecting the very best free running a blog device to your wants.

In case your objective is to construct your personal running a blog model, there’s no higher possibility than WordPress. And for accessing the total energy of WordPress on a funds, self-hosted WordPress is your only option. Try our information on the right way to begin a WordPress weblog to get began.

If you happen to publish long-form content material and don’t want the flexibleness of WordPress, Substack (or Ghost) is a good possibility if you wish to create a monetized neighborhood, whereas Medium is an effective possibility if you wish to attain an current viewers.

The others all have their very own execs and cons, however I’d say these choices are the very best place to start out your search.

Nonetheless have any questions on selecting the very best free running a blog platform to your wants? Ask away within the feedback part!