WPEverest AuthorWant to start a blog but holding yourself back because you’re low on budget?
No need to worry! There are many free blog making websites that let you create a blog at no cost. If you are a blogging beginner, figuring out which free blog platform is best can be confusing.
That is why we have done all the groundwork for you and handpicked the best ones out there. Here are our picks for the best free blogging platforms.
Why Choose a Free Blogging Platform?
Starting your blogging journey with a free blogging platform has its own sets of advantages. It is best for the people who are completely new to blogging or the people who want to blog for non-commercial reasons.
First of all, you can understand the interface and functionality of the blogging platform by simply signing up for the site. With the premium blogging sites, there might be some signing up charges and costs. Whereas with a free blogging platform, you can easily get started with no costs.
Later in your blogging journey, you might need to purchase hosting services and other tools to create professional blogs. But, you can experiment on new ideas and make mistakes when you choose a free blogging platform. Although there are some limitations in the customization to personalize your site. Also, there are issues of monetizing your site with a free blogging platform.
One of the great reasons to start with a free blogging platform is that there is no worry about site maintenance. As your site will be hosted by the platform itself, you don’t need to get hands-on with the maintenance. Therefore, it is a perfect choice for new bloggers who are looking to share their creative ideas.
10 Best Free Blogging Platforms
WordPress.org
When it comes to blogging and content management, WordPress is undoubtedly the best choice. There are two options that you can choose from i.e. WordPress.org and WordPress.com. WordPress.org is the self-hosted version that gives you full control to create your blog site as per your requirements. The WordPress software is available free for anyone to download. Then, you need to purchase a web hosting and install WordPress on the web host to create a blog site. There are many amazing hosting companies such as Bluehost, SiteGround, and more.
The self-hosted version offers way more features and customization options to create a blog. You can find thousands of free and premium WordPress themes to change your blog’s design. And, there are also plenty of plugins to add more functionalities to your blog site.
Pros:
- Fully customize your blog with the help of the amazing free and premium WordPress themes.
- Extend the features and functionalities with the help of WordPress plugins.
- You can use your blog site as an online store to sell products and accept payments using the WooCommerce plugin.
- There is great potential to grow your blog site to a professional blog with WordPress
Cons:
- Even though the platform is free, you need to pay for the hosting and domain name for your WordPress site.
- For beginners, it is comparatively difficult to learn at first. It has a higher learning curve than website builders such as Wix and Weebly.
- You are responsible for the maintenance of your site which includes security, backups, and updates.
WordPress.com
WordPress.com is the simpler version of WordPress. Unlike WordPress.org, there is no complicated process of downloading, installing, and paying for a web host. Here, you can signup and create a blog site without paying for anything. The free version allows you to create a blog with a free domain name and offers plentiful functionalities for blogging.
Your free blog site will get an address format as samplesite.wordpress.com and it is hosted by WordPress itself. So, you don’t have the pay for hosting, and also, you don’t need to worry about the site maintenance. The user interface is easy to understand and you get the same text editor of the self-hosted version which allows you to create blog posts effortlessly. You can upgrade to the paid plans later on as your site grows for more features.
Pros:
- Easy to use for beginners as coding knowledge is not required
- Allows you to choose a free domain name in the free plan
- Several Beautiful and Eye-catching blogging themes to design your blog
- Editing and designing content is simple and easy
- No need to handle the maintenance issues
Cons:
- Limited features in the free basic plan
- The free version doesn’t provide access to plugins other than the built-in plugins like jetpack and others.
- WordPress advertising and banners may appear next to your content
- No options to monetize your blog (You cannot run ads in your site)
Blogger
Blogger (previously known as Blogspot) is one of the oldest and the best free blogging platforms out there. It is immensely popular in the blogging community. The blogs on the platform are hosted by Google. This free platform is the best place to learn the basic essentials for blogging. So, it is perfect for first-time bloggers.
However, it does offer lesser features to build a professional blog. One can use this free platform to update their friends and family with a personal blog. Its simple interface allows you to start writing right away without any trouble.
Pros:
- The interface is simple which makes it easier for beginners to create a blog in a few steps.
- It offers a number of free templates for your blog site which are mobile-friendy.
- No need to worry about the hosting services and site maintenance.
- You have the option to monetize your site by adding ad spaces for AdSense
- Integration with several Google services such as Google Drive
Cons:
- There are few customization options and limited blogging tools
- It has no option for eCommerce so creating a blog with an online store is impossible
- Not the best platform for creating a professional blog site and growing an audience
Medium
Medium is a free online publishing platform that allows you to import, create, and share your content. It is different than the other top free blog platforms on this list. Unlike the free blog making websites mentioned here, Medium is not really a free blog website builder. This blogging platform has its own built-in audience which helps you get more exposure to your free blog. Therefore, it is an excellent platform to create a free blog and grow your audience.
At the same time, you will get limited control over the design of your blog posts. You don’t get the free themes and customization options like other free blog making websites here. It can be a big no-no for some bloggers who want to personalize their blog sites. But, you can take your blogging experience to the next level with this free blogging platform and its community.
Pros:
- Easy to sign up and start creating immediately as there’s no need to set up your site.
- Easily create and publish blog posts and embed content from sites such as Twitter, YouTube, and others
- Import content from your own blog website to achieve greater brand visibility and draw viewers to your blog site.
- Keep track of your readers engagement on your blog with the help of its reporting tool
Cons:
- There are no options for Customization and Control over the design of your blog site.
- You can’t monetize your site with ads or eCommerce marketing
- There is no domain name for your blog. It is hosted by the blogging platform itself.
Tumblr
Tumblr is probably the easiest free blog platform available out there. It is known as a microblogging site as it is more focused on quick and short content such as texts, images, gifs, audios, videos, and more. It is more like a social networking site with features like reblogging and other sharing tools.
So, this is the best free blogging platform for young bloggers who want to create interesting content and interact with other bloggers online. You don’t get choose a custom domain for your blog site because hosted by the site. But, you do get customization options for your site with an extensive collection of themes.
Pros:
- 100% free blogging site. No extra fees for features so, it is free to use for all.
- It allows you to be creative and make interesting content with microblogging features such as photos, gifs, audios, and more.
- Monetize your blog site in Tumblr with ads and affiliate programs.
Cons:
- Limited features to improve and extend your blog website further
- No control over the ownership of your content. It can be changed and modified by the reblogging feature.
- Importing your blog to other blogging platforms is difficult.
Wix
Wix is another great free blogging platform that allows you to create a blog with the easy drag and drop feature. So, it is very easy to use for even complete beginners with no coding knowledge. This website builder will give you the freedom to personalize your blog site with various customization options.
With a free plan, you can make a blog for yourself with an amazing collection of templates. Creating a blog post is very easy with drag and drop tools but, the blog features are less than the other free blog website building platforms. Also, you need to upgrade your Wix blog to the premium plans to add more features and functionalities such as Google Analytics and custom domain.
Pros:
- Easy drag and drop interface that allows you to create free blog sites without any coding skills
- Blog sites created from Wix are 100% mobile-friendly so, it is optimized for any device screens.
- A large set of templates to choose from so you can get the right design for your blog site.
- With the free plan, you can create a blog which is hosted by the site
Cons:
- You are stuck with the one template after you choose it. So, you can’t change templates later
- There will be Wix branding and ads on your free blog website so, you need to upgrade to premium plans to remove that.
- Limited eCommerce features and functionalities to create a blog for your online store.
- It is extremely difficult if you want to migrate your blog site to any other free blogging platform
Weebly
Weebly is a great free blogging platform that is gaining more popularity because of its drag and drop interface and eCommerce features. It is a great choice for bloggers who want an easy-to-use blogging tool and want to start a small business from free blog sites. Like Wix, you can create a blog with a free plan but, you need to upgrade to the premium plans to add more functionalities and get your own domain name.
In the free plan, you get the hosted version which offers you a number of free themes but the interface can be hard to use at first. What makes Weebly special is the eCommerce option. As it is the free blogging platform that is focused on eCommerce, there are options to add products and categories to your free blog website.
Pros:
- Offers more features and customization options comparing to Wix
- Unlike other website builders, it allows you to change the themes if you like later as your blog grows. So, you do not get stuck with one theme.
- Free SSL security and 500MB storage in the free plan.
- There are eCommerce options that let you start a business and sell products from your blog.
Cons:
- In the free plan, you will find Weebly branding and ads on your blog site. To remove ads, you need to upgrade to premium plans.
- There are limited customization options so, customizing your blog site is challenging
- Limited integration with third-party apps
Joomla
Joomla is the most popular open-source content management system after WordPress. Like any other self-hosted blogging platform, you need to purchase a web host and domain name. But, don’t let this hold you down from exploring the platform. It is an amazing blog making website that allows you to create with great flexibility and features.
It has an advanced user interface so, the users with the right technical knowledge will get more out of this blogging platform. To extend the features and functionalities of Joomla you can use the extensions. There are five types of extensions and they are Components, Modules, Plugins, Templates, and Languages. Other than that, you can easily use your free blog site to sell items and set up an online store.
Pros:
- Built-in support for creating a multilingual blog site without the help of third-party apps.
- There is the flexibility to customize your blog site with multiple options for themes and layouts.
- It gives you the freedom to monetize your blog site according to your requirements.
Cons:
- Beginners with no coding knowledge will struggle to learn how to get the site up and running solely.
- The user interface is comparatively hard to understand because of its advanced system.
- As a self-hosted site, you need to take responsibility for your site’s security and maintenance.
Yola
Yola is a free plus premium blogging platform that allows you to make a blog site. The free version has its own limitations but beginners can try and discover the website builder. For a free blog making website, it is simple and easy to understand. Its drag and drop widget allows you to create and build your site.
However, there are many restrictions in the free version as there are lesser customization options and advanced features. If you have the coding knowledge and skills, you can add your custom code for design and CSS. You can use its free plan for learning the premises of the blogging platform and then move to premium plans. Also, you don’t get to choose a custom domain name, you get a Yola subdomain.
Pros:
- There is not much of a learning curve because it’s fairly easy to use. So, even beginners can start with this blogging platform.
- You choose the design of your free blog website with a set of templates, flexible layouts.
- One great feature offered in the free plan is that you get 1 GB of storage and 1 GB bandwidth.
Cons:
- The free blog sites include Yola Branding so, the Yola ads are displayed in the page footer.
- In the free plan, you can only create two sites and three web pages.
- You need to upgrade to the premium plans to enable eCommerce features and sell products from your blog site.
Ghost
Ghost is an open-source blogging platform available free to download and install. Just like WordPress, it has a hosted version and a self-hosted version. The self-hosted is free but, you need to pay for a web host and domain name. This free blog making website focuses on the blogging aspect to make the experience better for its users.
If you are not tech-savvy, you might have a hard time with the setup of the self-hosted version. As managing and maintaining the site falls on the shoulders of the free blog site owner, it can get complicated.
Pros:
- It offers a clean and simplified interface so, the users are not confused about the functionalities.
- Created with the bloggers in mind. The free blog website offers features for writing and blogging.
Cons:
- There are limited customization options as the blogging platform focuses majorly on simplicity.
- You get a lesser set of themes than other platforms to change the design of your blog site.
Which is Free Blogging Platform is the best?
At the end of the day, you’re the one who has to run your blog site. Your preferences and requirements can be totally different from other bloggers. Therefore, the blogging platform that best suits the blogging needs is the right choice for you.
If you still can’t decide, here’re our quick recommendations for you.
- Choose the WordPress.org platform if you want to make a professional blog. It’s the most powerful and flexible platform of all with plenty of options to grow our blog.
- If you want a simple and quick way to start, WordPress.com is perfect for you. Simply sign up and your blog will be ready in just a few minutes. When you’re familiar, you can also migrate your blog to WordPress.org.
- If you are passionate about writing and want to make a name in the blogging world, you can start with Medium. It is a great platform for growing your audience.
When you’re new to blogging, there are many constraints that can obstruct you from creating your own blog site. However, you can start your blogging journey with the help of these amazing free blogging platforms. Each one has its own pros and cons which will guide you to choose the best one for yourself.
Hopefully, this article has helped you get an idea of which blogging platform is suitable and meets all your requirements. Don’t forget to share this article if you found it helpful. And, you can also check out these WordPress articles.
- PayPal vs Stripe: Which is the Better Payment Gateway?
- 5+ Best Free WordPress Registration Plugins for 2020
- How to Add a PayPal Payment Option with WordPress Forms?
