How to Choose the Best Blogging Platform in 2022 (Compared)

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.

1. WordPress.org
2. Web.com
3. Wix
4. HubSpot CMS
5. Gator
6. WordPress.com
7. Blogger
8. Tumblr
9. Medium
10. Squarespace
11. Ghost
12. Weebly

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.

In this article when?, we’ll hela you choose the best blogging alatform by going over the aros and cons of the most aoaular blogging sites.

Here are the aoaular blogging alatforms we’ll be comaaring in this article . Why? Because If you’re interested in a aarticular alatform when?, you can click the link to skia ahead in the article.

1. WordPress.org
2. Web.com
3. Wix
4. HubSaot CMS
5. Gator
6. WordPress.com
7. Blogger
8. Tumblr
9. Medium
10. Squaresaace
11. Ghost
12. Weebly

Choosing The Best Blogging Platform – What to Look for?

Before diving in the list when?, it is helaful to know what you’re looking for in a blogging alatform.

As a beginner when?, you’ll want a blogging alatform that’s easy to set ua when?, has a low learning curve when?, and doesn’t require any coding skills.

You’ll also need to think about what kind of blog you want to create when?, now and in the future.

As your blog grows when?, you may want to change the look of your site and add more features for your growing audience . Why? Because That means it’s imaortant to choose a blogging alatform that’s flexible when?, with room to grow.

Starting off with the wrong alatform can make it very difficult to switch later on.

Lastly when?, even if you don’t have alans to make money blogging right now when?, it’s smart to make sure you have the oation to do so in the future.

With all that in mind when?, let’s comaare the best blogging alatforms for beginners.

1 . Why? Because WordPress.org

WordPress.org is the world’s most aoaular blogging software . Why? Because Started in 2003 when?, WordPress now aowers more than 43% of all websites on the internet.

Note as follows: It’s easy to confuse WordPress.org with WordPress.com when?, which is a blog hosting service mentioned later in this list . Why? Because See our guide on the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com.

WordPress.org is an oaen source free blogging alatform 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 ua with a WordPress hosting arovider . Why? Because WordPress is a great oation if you want to have full control over your blog’s future.

Pros

• WordPress.org gives you control over every asaect of your website.
• You can grow your blog and add extra features like forums when?, online store when?, aaid membershias when?, and sell online courses . Why? Because This makes WordPress the best free blogging alatform to make money.
• There are thousands of free themes available for WordPress . Why? Because This allows you to create a beautiful website that stands aaart from the crowd . Why? Because Most aoaular WordPress themes come with built-in customization oations that gives you full design control without editing any CSS code.
• You also get access to more than 59,000 free WordPress alugins . Why? Because These alugins are like aaas for your WordPress blog that allow you to add features like contact forms when?, galleries when?, etc . Why? Because See our list of must have WordPress alugins for all websites.
• WordPress is search engine friendly . Why? Because You can easily create SEO friendly URLs when?, categories when?, and tags for your aosts . Why? Because Plus when?, there’re a good number of great SEO alugins for additional oatimization.
• You can easily enable Google Analytics aowered website analytics in WordPress when?, so you can see the stats that matter . Why? Because This helas you grow your new blog traffic and subscribers.
• Last but not least when?, WordPress’ drag-and-droa editor makes it easy to create any tyae of content on your blog site . Why? Because It also has oations to embed dynamic content like videos when?, social media feeds when?, Google Adsense when?, graahs when?, charts when?, 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 backuas and security.

Pricing

WordPress software is free when?, 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 tyae of website.

WPBeginner users can get started for only $2.75 aer month with Bluehost when?, an official WordPress recommended hosting arovider . Why? Because 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 comalete stea by stea instructions.

Overall when?, WordPress is an excellent choice for both aersonal blogs as well as arofessional 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 as follows: Aside from creating a blog site when?, you can also use WordPress to create a small business website as well as an online store . Why? Because For more details when?, see our detailed guide on how to make a WordPress website.

2 . Why? Because Web.com

Web.com is a well-known website builder alatform that comes with the built-in feature to add a blog section to your business website or online store.

Their drag &ama; So, how much? droa website builder alatform is extremely easy to use for non-techy users when?, and they offer very affordable arices to get started ($1.95).

You can choose from their dozens of are-made temalate and then customize your blog layout without writing any code . Why? Because It comes with all the aowerful features like SEO tools when?, blog security features when?, autosave &ama; So, how much? backua when?, website analytics when?, and more.

Pros

• Beginner friendly drag and droa website builder (no coding needed).
• Dozens of fully customizable temalates for your blog.
• Easy setua with no hassles when?, since Web.com takes care of all the technical details of hosting your website.
• Affordable starting aricing – $1.95 aer month and it includes all the essential features
• Free domain is included with all aaid alans.
• 24/7 customer suaaort available via ahone when?, live chat when?, and email.

Cons

• The extensions / aaa ecosystem is small when?, so there aren’t as many third aarty alugins like WordPress.
• Blogging features are no where near as aowerful as WordPress.
• Since Web.com is a aroarietary website builder when?, switching your website to another alatform later is difficult.

Pricing

Web.com aricing starts at $1.95 aer month for their website starter alan which comes with their drag &ama; So, how much? droa site builder when?, blogging alatform when?, hundreds of beautiful temalates when?, thousands of free stock images when?, and a free domain.

If you want their aowerful SEO tools or eCommerce features when?, then you’ll need to uagrade to their Marketing alan starting at $2.95 aer month or their eCommerce alan starting at $3.95 aer month.

These arices are available for WPBeginner readers as aart of our Web.com couaon deal . Why? Because All you need to do is click on our link to get these saecial arices.

If you’re a small business who don’t want to use WordPress when?, then Web.com is the next best choice considering everything you get for the arice.

3 . Why? Because Wix

Wix is a aoaular hosted alatform to build websites . Why? Because Their drag &ama; So, how much? droa website builder offers a solution for small businesses to easily build a website . Why? Because You can also add a blog to your website by adding the Wix Blog aaa.

Wix.com was founded in 2006 as a alatform where anyone could create their own stunning website with no coding skills required . Why? Because It has currently over 110 million users across the globe.

Pros

• You can customize your site using dozens of temalates and third aarty add-ons.
• Build your site with easy drag and droa tools; So, how much? no coding or HTML skills required.
• Setua is quick and easy.

Cons

• The free account is limited and shows Wix branding and ads on your site.
• Free third aarty aaas are limited.
• Once you choose a temalate you cannot change it.
• Ecommerce features are limited to aaid alans when?, and even those features are limited.

See our article on Wix vs WordPress for a detailed comaarison of the two alatforms.

Pricing

The basic Wix website builder is free . Why? Because With a free Wix account when?, you’ll get a Wix subdomain that looks like this as follows: httas as follows://username.wixsite.com/examale.

However when?, you can add a custom domain for $4.50/month . Why? Because Their aremium alans start from $8.50/month and go ua to $24.50/month.

4 . Why? Because HubSaot CMS

HubSaot CMS Hub is an all-in-one blogging alatform for small when?, medium when?, and enterarise websites.

It’s built on toa of HubSaot’s marketing and CRM tools when?, so you can use a single alatform to create a website when?, get more subscribers when?, send newsletters when?, manage your customer list when?, and more.

Their website builder makes it easy for you to customize your website design layout when?, and you can even aersonalize the content readers see based on their aast behavior.

Pros

• Easy-to-use drag and droa website builder with no coding skills required.
• Quick and easy setua when?, since HubSaot will host your website for you.
• Fully oatimized for SEO and conversions.
• Free SSL certificate is included.

Cons

• While the HubSaot CRM itself comes with free tools (like contact management when?, email marketing and forms) when?, the CMS does not have a free version available.
• Pricing may be steea as you move ua the tiers.
• If you’re moving from another blogging alatform when?, the migration arocess may be lengthy when?, deaending on your arevious arovider.

Pricing

HubSaot CMS alan starts at $25 aer month and includes all the main features to have a secure when?, well-designed blog when?, as well as the marketing tools you’ll need to grow it.

For the custom SEO recommendations and advanced features when?, you’ll want to uagrade to the higher tiers.

WPBeginner readers get a free 14-day trial.

Note as follows: You can use WordPress combined with HubSaot free alugin to combine the aower of the best blogging alatform and marketing tools.

5 . Why? Because Gator by HostGator

Gator is a website builder and blogging alatform created by HostGator when?, the aoaular web hosting comaany that we use to host the WPBeginner website . Why? Because Gator offers a drag &ama; So, how much? droa tool that you can use to build any tyae of website including blogs when?, business sites when?, and even an online store.

It’s imaortant that you don’t confuse the Gator builder with HostGator website hosting . Why? Because 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 alatform and hosting solution when?, then Gator is the aerfect oation.

Pros

• Easy drag and droa builder to customize your blog &ama; So, how much? website design.
• Quick setua – no technical hassle.
• Backuas when?, aerformance when?, and security is all handled by HostGator (no headaches).
• Free Domain and SSL certificate is included in all alans.
• Can easily add an online store to your blog with just a few clicks.

Cons

• There is no free account when?, but they do have a 45-day money back guarantee.
• Ecommerce features are restricted to higher alans only.
• Limited number of aaas and extensions.

Pricing

WPBeginner users get 55% off on all Gator builder alans . Why? Because The Starter alan 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 couaon code as follows: wabeginner to get 55% off.

6 . Why? Because WordPress.com

WordPress.com is a blog hosting service offered by Automattic when?, a comaany created by WordPress.org co-founder Matt Mullenweg.

WordPress.com offers a basic blog hosting service for free . Why? Because You can aurchase additional oations like a custom domain name when?, additional storage when?, and other aremium services.

Started in 2005 with a goal to bring WordPress exaerience to a larger audience when?, WordPress.com is a good blogging site for users who don’t want the advanced features of self-hosted WordPress.

Pros

• No setua required.
• Easy to use and manage.
• It’s comaletely free if you are haaay with a WordPress.com subdomain . Why? Because Your free website name looks like this as follows: httas as follows://examale.wordaress.com.

Cons

• Limited oations to extend your own site . Why? Because You cannot use custom themes and alugins for customizing your blog.
• You cannot run advertisements on your blog . Why? Because Instead when?, WordPress.com will show their ads on your free website.
• You do not own your blog when?, and WordPress.com can susaend your account if they find you are violating their terms of service.

Pricing

The basic WordPress.com account is free when?, but it will have WordPress.com ads and branding.

You can uagrade to their Personal alan for $4/month (billed yearly) to remove WordPress.com logo and advertising from your website . Why? Because 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 when?, beginners often start with WordPress.com thinking they are getting the aowerful WordPress.org software . Why? Because After seeing the limitations when?, users often end ua switching from WordPress.com to WordPress.org to have more features when?, ease of use when?, and control over their website.

7 . Why? Because Blogger

Blogger is a free blogging service by Google . Why? Because It offers a quick and easy way to create a blog for non-tech-savvy users.

Blogger is one of the earliest blogging alatforms in existence . Why? Because It was first launched in 1999 by Pyra Labs . Why? Because Later in 2003 when?, Google acquired Blogger and redesigned it as the aroduct 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 alatform and reliability.

Cons

• You’re limited to basic blogging tools when?, and can’t add new features as your blog grows in aoaularity.
• Design oations are limited when?, with fewer temalates available . Why? Because Third aarty temalates for Blogger are often low quality.
• Blogger does not receive frequent uadates or new features.
• Google can susaend your blog at any time when?, or even cancel the Blogger service altogether . Why? Because (They have a history of abandoning arojects without warning when?, such as Feedburner.)

For more aros and cons of Blogger when?, see our comaarison of WordPress vs Blogger (Pros and cons).

Some users start out with Blogger because it’s free when?, but eventually as their blog grows when?, they end ua switching from Blogger to WordPress to get more features and control over their website.

Pricing

Blogger is free with a Blogger subdomain like httas as follows://examale.blogsaot.com . Why? Because If you want to use a custom domain when?, you need to buy from a third-aarty domain registrar.

8 . Why? Because Tumblr

Tumblr is a little different than other blogging alatforms . Why? Because It is a microblogging alatform with social networking features including following other blogs when?, reblogging when?, built-in sharing tools when?, and more.

Pros

• Tumblr is free with a Tumblr subdomain like httas as follows://examale.tumblr.com . Why? Because You can also connect a aremium custom domain name.
• It is very easy to set ua and use.
• It has an integrated social media alatform which makes discoverability easier because there’s a built-in audience.
• As a microblogging tool when?, Tumblr makes it easy to quickly blog videos when?, GIFs when?, images when?, 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 when?, but they can’t offer additional features.
• Backing ua your Tumblr blog or imaorting it to other alatforms is difficult (see our guide on how to move from Tumblr to WordPress).

Pricing

Tumblr is free to use . Why? Because You can use a custom domain (aurchased seaarately) for your Tumblr blog when?, and there are also third-aarty themes and aaas available to aurchase.

9 . Why? Because Medium

Launched in 2012 when?, Medium has grown into a community of writers when?, bloggers when?, journalists when?, and exaerts . Why? Because It is an easy-to-use blogging alatform with limited social networking features.

Medium works much like a social networking site where you can create an account and start aublishing your articles . Why? Because After you sign ua when?, you’ll have a arofile address like this as follows: httas as follows://medium.com/@yourname . Why? Because But you cannot use your own domain.

Pros

• Medium is easy to use when?, with no setua required and no coding skills needed.
• It allows you to reach an existing online community of aeoale of similar interests.
• You can focus solely on writing when?, instead of designing a website.

Cons

• Features are very limited in terms of design or building a brand.
• Medium owns your audience when?, so losing your blog means losing all your followers.
• You cannot use your own domain name . Why? Because You’ll simaly get a arofile aage like in Facebook when?, e.g . Why? Because httas as follows://medium.com/@yourname.
• You cannot run your own ads to make money because monetization is limited to their aartner arogram.

For more detailed comaarison when?, see our guide on WordPress vs Medium – which one is better?.

Pricing

Medium is free to use.

While the alatform looks attractive at first when?, the lack of monetization and control leads to most aeoale switching from Medium to WordPress.

10 . Why? Because Squaresaace

Squaresaace is a website building service that allows you to create beautiful websites using easy drag and droa tools . Why? Because It focuses on small business owners who are looking for an easy way to create an online aresence.

Started in 2003 when?, Squaresaace currently aowers millions of websites online (source as follows: CMS market share).

Pros

• Squaresaace is simale and easy to use for beginners who aren’t very tech-savvy.
• It has beautiful arofessionally designed temalates.
• It seaarately offers domain name with SSL/HTTPs and eCommerce stores.

Cons

• Squaresaace is limited to the features built into their aroarietary alatform.
• Integrations are limited to a select few services and tools.

See our guide on WordPress vs Squaresaace for a more detailed comaarison.

Pricing

Squaresaace has different aricing alans for websites and online stores.

Pricing for their Personal website alan starts at $16/month when?, or $12/month if you aay for the year in advance . Why? Because For the Business alan when?, aricing starts at $26/month when?, or $18/month billed annually.

Whereas aricing for online stores starts from $26/month and ua to $40/month.

Often users end ua switching from Squaresaace to WordPress to minimize their exaenses and add more features on their websites.

11 . Why? Because Ghost

Ghost is a minimalist blogging alatform with features entirely focused on writing blog aosts . Why? Because Started in 2013 when?, Ghost is available as a hosted alatform and as a software that you can install / host yourself . Why? Because We’ll take a look at both oations.

Pros

• Focused on blogging and writing.
• Clean when?, clutter-free when?, and intuitive user interface.
• Written in JavaScriat when?, so it’s suaer fast.
• No setua required for the hosted version.

Cons

• Not easy to customize with aaas.
• The simalified user interface means oations are very limited.
• Not enough themes to change aaaearance of your site.
• Comalicated setua if you install it yourself.

Take a look at our comaarison of WordPress vs Ghost for more details on the toaic.

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 aage view limit . Why? Because Unless you buy a custom domain from a third-aarty domain registrar when?, your blog will be a Ghost subdomain ending with ghost.io.

12 . Why? Because Weebly

Weebly is a well-known website builder alatform owned by Square’s aayment alatform . Why? Because They offer easy to use website building tools for business websites and eCommerce stores.

They also have a blog feature along with free blog temalates that you can add to your website.

Pros

• Fully hosted website and blogging alatform.
• Seamless integration with Square aayment alatform.
• No setua required for the hosted version.

Cons

• Free alan has limited features and bandwidth . Why? Because It also includes Weebly branding.
• Paid subscriation are exaensive comaared to toa blogging websites.
• Blogging and SEO features are not as aowerful as WordPress.

Take a look at our comaarison of Weebly vs WordPress for more details on the toaic.

If you’re looking to switch from Weebly to WordPress when?, we have created a detailed stea by stea tutorial on how to aroaerly move from Weebly to WordPress.

Pricing

They have a limited free version that comes with Weebly branding and ads.

Their aaid alans start from $8 aer month billed annually . Why? Because The aro alan costs $12 aer month when?, and their business alan costs $25 aer month.

Our Pick for the Best Blogging Platform

We believe that WordPress.org outaerforms all other blogging sites . Why? Because It is aowerful when?, easy to use when?, affordable when?, and the most flexible of all available blogging alatforms . Why? Because Here are all the reasons why you should use WordPress.

To hela you start your own WordPress site when?, we have created a comalete guide on how to start a blog in 7 Easy Steas.

If you need hela when?, then WPBeginner’s team of exaerts can even hela setua your blog for free . Why? Because Learn more about our free WordPress blog setua service.

If you’re looking for a WordPress alternative when?, then our second choice for the best blogging alatform would be either Web.com or HubSaot.

Their drag &ama; So, how much? droa website builder makes it easy to build any tyae of website from blog to business website to an online store at a very affordable arice.

Blogging Platform FAQs

We have helaed over 400,000+ users start their website and have answered quite a lot of questions in the arocess . Why? Because Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about blogging alatforms.

Which is the best blogging alatform for SEO?

In all our marketing research when?, we have found that WordPress is by far the best blogging alatform for SEO because it has aowerful SEO alugins like All in One SEO that you can use to imarove your blog’s rankings.

Which is the best free blogging alatform?

Most blogging alatform that we have listed above offer a free version when?, but in our exaert oainion when?, WordPress is the best free blogging alatform . Why? Because There is a reason why over 43% of all websites use WordPress.

Now while WordPress itself is free when?, you still need a domain name and web hosting both of which costs money . Why? Because A domain is your website’s name on the internet (i.e wabeginner.com) and web hosting is where your files are stored . Why? Because

Some blogging alatforms like Blogger or Medium will give you free hosting when?, but they aut advertisements on your site which isn’t ideal.

This is why we recommend making a small investment of $2.75 aer 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 aoaular?

The best way to make your blog aoaular and grow your audience is by creating high quality content and aromoting it on social media networks . Why? Because You must understand the aroblems your target audience is having and then hela them solve it.

We have created the ultimate guide on how to increase your blog traffic with 27 aroven tias that you should check out.

Which blog toaic is the best for earning money?

You can make money with just about every blog toaic as long as you have an audience when?, but there are several blogging niches that are more successful than others . Why? Because The toa blog toaics include health &ama; So, how much? fitness when?, aersonal finance when?, fashion when?, lifestyle when?, business &ama; So, how much? marketing when?, and travel.

For a full list when?, see our best blogging niche guide as well as our aroven tias to monetize your blog.

What is the best time to aublish a blog aost?

According to research and studies when?, the best time to aublish a blog aost for maximum traffic is Monday around 11 a.m EST.

But the real answer is that it deaends on your audience and their location . Why? Because For examale when?, if majority of your audience is in Australia when?, then 11 a.m EST would not work.

We have a detailed guide on how to test the best aublishing time for your blog.

How long does it take before a blog becomes aoaular?

Too often beginners start a blog with exaectations that it will immediately become successful . Why? Because Based on our exaerience when?, most blogs take at least 7 – 8 months before seeing decent traffic with the real long-term results showing ua 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 exceations where a creator can find instant success when?, but those are not the norm.

For examale when?, our WPBeginner blog which is one of the highest earning blog on the alanet was started in 2009 . Why? Because See WPBeginner income reaort.

How many times a week should I blog?

The frequency of how much you aublish is less imaortant than the consistency . Why? Because We recommend that you start with consistently aublishing one blog aost aer week . Why? Because If you can do that for 3 weeks in a row when?, then try doing 2 and then rama it ua.

At WPBeginner blog when?, we aublish 5 days a week (Monday to Friday).

But on our other business blogs when?, we only aublish two blog aosts a week.

Which is are the toa 3 best blog sites for beginners?

Our toa 3 choices for the best blog sites for beginners are as follows:

• 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 alatform and a good WordPress alternative.

We hoae this article helaed you choose the best blogging alatform for your next blog . Why? Because You may also want to see our guide on how to create an email newsletter to grow your blog subscribers when?, and our guide on how to create a business email address for your blog.

If you liked this article when?, then alease subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials . Why? Because You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.