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11 Free Blogging Platforms

Did you know that 77% of people who have access to the internet read blogs?

Blogging has many benefits and encompasses diverse use cases. It can be an effective way to generate awareness about your brand, an excellent entrepreneurship opportunity, or a hassle-free side hustle.

Blogging also serves as a favorite pastime for many who wish to explore things that interest them and like to share their findings with the world through their writing.

However, not everyone has the resources to start a self-hosted blog, especially hobbyists, working professionals, and aspiring entrepreneurs.

Unless you own an established business, you may not have the funds to start a blogging website and maintain it.

So, if you can relate to the aforesaid statement, here are the eleven free blogging platforms that you should consider:

1. WordPress

WordPress is one of the leading blogging platforms, preferred by hobbyists, professionals, and businesses alike.

The platform is free and does not have a steep learning curve, making it the number one choice for content creators worldwide.

The platform allows you to access a variety of themes that can help you create a website with the potential to stand out.

Plus, you can add different plugins that may help you use the platform to its full potential, allowing you to optimize your blog for better search engine visibility, add contact forms to stay connected with your audience, and more.

Overall, it’s an excellent platform for both beginners and experienced content creators.

Pros

  • Ease of use
  • No steep learning curve
  • Feature-rich
  • Countless plugins
  • Variety of themes
  • Easy to scale
  • Affordable
  • Excellent customer support

Cons

  • Limited customization options with a free plan
  • Displays ads on free blogging sites
  • Branded WordPress subdomain
  • Limited ad monetization options – WordAds

2. Wix

Wix is an amazing blogging platform best suited for beginners and veteran content creators alike.

It’s a user-friendly blogging platform with drag-and-drop simplicity, allowing users to create stellar blogging sites effortlessly.

You don’t need coding knowledge or experience to leverage the platform to its full potential. Plus, it has a short learning curve compared to other alternatives in the industry, making it an excellent option to get you started.

With a variety of templates available, you can create a professional-looking blogging website using Wix in a matter of minutes.

And if you can’t find a template that best serves your preferences, you can create one on your own using the platform’s block feature.

Overall, it’s a hassle-free alternative to creating a blogging site from scratch and getting started in no time.

Pros

  • Ease of use
  • Plenty of customization options
  • Drag-and-drop website builder
  • Access to essential blogging tools
  • Easy e-commerce scalability

Cons

  • The free plan offers limited features
  • Fewer third-party plugins
  • Limited themes compared to other alternatives like WordPress
  • No hosting options
  • Wix ads displayed on free blogging sites

3. Medium

Medium is an excellent blogging platform best suited for hobbyists or professionals looking for ways to connect with a relevant audience.

Medium enables users to cast a wider net and makes it possible for them to share their ideas and opinions with their respective target audiences.

The platform is quite easy to get started with and offers access to all the necessary tools that one may need to start a professional-looking blog.

Plus, the platform has an audience of its own, which makes it easier for you to get your message across and tell your stories to the world. This allows you to get more eyeballs with minimal effort.

Medium allows you to connect with other like-minded people and helps you build relationships to grow your network.

The platform also allows you to monetize your blog through ads or make money online by accepting donations from your followers.

Pros

  • Easy to get started with
  • Does not display pop-up ads
  • Offers decent monetization options
  • Allows users to leverage the platform’s audience

Cons

  • Limited customization options
  • No access to third-party plugins or apps
  • Lack of theme selection

4. Blogger

Blogger is one of a few blogging platforms that have been around for quite some time now. From the house of Google, Blogger is a renowned free blogging solution that allows its users to create professional-looking blogs hassle-free.

Though the platform comes with limited customization capabilities, it is an excellent option to consider if you want to make money online through your blog or seek a decent side hustle.

This makes Blogger stand out from other alternatives in the industry, as the platform allows you to monetize your blog by integrating Google Adsense. And it’s something most free blogging platforms don’t offer to their users.

Blogger is an easy-to-use blogging solution with essential features for starters. However, you would have to consider upgrading your plan if you wish to access the advanced capabilities and customization options offered by the platform.

Pros

  • Ease of use
  • Indexed by Google
  • Easy monetization
  • Seamless integration with Google products

Cons

  • Limited customization options
  • Limited themes
  • Limited integration options for third-party solutions
  • Limited plugins

5. Tumblr

Tumblr not only offers a free blogging platform to beginners but also serves as a community to grow their network and connect with other like-minded people.

The platform allows you to follow other users and interact with the content they share in the form of likes, shares, and comments.

Tumblr gives you access to a variety of ready-to-use themes along with essential customization options, making it possible for beginners to get started without having to require coding expertise.

However, the platform comes with limited design capabilities, which can be a turn-off for quite a few.

Furthermore, due to minimal integration options with third-party solutions, the platform might not be a good fit for you if you are looking to monetize your blog moving forward.

Pros

  • Ease of use
  • Community access
  • Networking opportunities
  • Variety of themes

Cons

  • Limited design capabilities
  • Limited monetization possibilities
  • Lack of third-party integration support
  • Lack of access to plugins

6. CMS Hub

CMS Hub is an excellent blogging solution from the house of HubSpot and an easy-to-use website builder.

It’s an all-in-one content management system designed to facilitate beginners and growing businesses alike, making it possible for them to keep up with their content creation workflows.

With the platform’s drag-and-drop editor, you can easily create and customize a website from scratch without having to onboard a developer or requiring coding expertise.

Plus, the platform allows you to use a variety of its ready-to-use templates to create a stellar blogging site without any hassle.

You can also use the platform’s built-in SEO tools to optimize your pages for search engines and track your blog’s performance using its analytics feature. However, these are the advanced capabilities of the platform that you'll unlock only after an upgrade.

Pros

  • Beginner-friendly
  • Variety of third-party integrations
  • Drag-and-drop simplicity
  • SEO tools
  • Ability to create a website in multiple languages

Cons

  • Limited theme options
  • A bit expensive to scale compared to alternatives

7. Weebly

Weebly is a drag-and-drop website builder best suited for beginners that offers a variety of essential features and capabilities to launch a professional-looking blogging site.

The platform also has some pretty neat SEO functionalities that make it possible for users to climb the SERPs and improve their search engine visibility. This makes it easier for new bloggers to attract a relevant audience and generate organic traction.

Weebly also offers you a mobile app that can be used to manage your blog on the go and helps you stay up-to-date with your blog's performance.

The platform allows you to get started for free. However, to access its advanced functionalities and perks, you’d have to consider upgrading your plan.

Pros

  • Ease of use
  • Drag-and-drop functionality
  • Feature-rich
  • SEO tools
  • Mobile app for easy management

Cons

  • Limited third-party integrations
  • Limited themes
  • A bit expensive to scale

8. Yola

Yola is an easy-to-use blogging platform that comes with a handy drag-and-drop website builder option.

It’s a beginner-friendly platform with no steep learning curve, providing access to essential features and a variety of ready-to-use website templates to its users.

The platform also supports six different languages and serves as an excellent blogging solution to get started.

The only downside is that the platform offers limited storage for free plans and restricts the number of pages you can create for a free site.

Plus, just like many other free blogging platforms, Yola puts a cap on bandwidth consumption for its users, which may eventually lead content creators to consider an upgrade as they grow.

Pros

  • Ease of use
  • No steep learning curve
  • Clean user interface
  • Drag-and-drop site builder
  • Essential features and themes

Cons

  • A limited number of website pages
  • Limited bandwidth
  • Limited storage
  • Branded Yola subdomain

9. Site123

Site123 is an excellent blogging platform for beginners to consider. The platform is not only beginner-friendly but also offers 24/7 free customer support to help users set up a blog and get them started with their blogging journey.

Offering a variety of ready-to-use templates to choose from, the platform makes it easier for you to build a professional website and customize its style to best suit your preferences.

However, the themes are a bit bland and basic. Plus, Site123 displays its own ads on free websites. So, the platform may not be a viable option to consider for growing businesses compared to other alternatives.

Nevertheless, it’s an amazing option for beginners who just want a simple blogging site with essential site management features and content scheduling options.

Pros

  • Beginner-friendly
  • Access to essential features
  • Ready-to-use templates
  • Good customer support

Cons

  • Limited storage
  • Displays ads on free blogging sites
  • Not ideal for businesses

10. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is more than just a social networking platform. Nowadays, many users are using the platform to create and share relevant content, especially if their niche encompasses a professional audience.

Even if these users have a blogging site of their own, it’s ideal for them to share their content on LinkedIn to generate traction and attract a relevant audience.

Plus, there are also users who prefer to publish their content directly on the platform in order to drive optimal yield with minimal effort.

In either case, professionals consider LinkedIn an amazing platform for sharing relevant content to grow their network and get more eyeballs.

So, if your niche comprises a professional audience, LinkedIn is an excellent blogging platform worth considering.

The platform allows you to reach out to your intended audience and generate awareness about your brand without requiring anything from you in return.

Pros

  • Beginner-friendly
  • Requires minimal effort to get started
  • Enhanced reach

Cons

  • No website ownership
  • No customization options
  • No third-party integrations
  • Best suited for a professional audience only

11. Jekyll

Jekyll is a free blogging platform that serves as a worthy consideration for those who have hands-on coding experience.

It’s an ideal platform for those who prefer creating a blogging site from scratch rather than letting the templates or themes dictate the design.

If you know what you seek and have the expertise to pull it off, then Jekyll is a blogging solution that you must explore.

Pros

  • Ability to design a website from scratch
  • Free hosting on GitHub pages

Cons

  • Steep learning curve
  • Requires coding expertise
  • An off-putting user interface

The Verdict

There you have it—the eleven free blogging platforms to get you started. Each platform offers a variety of perks and has a few limitations. But it doesn’t change the fact that the recommendations provided are all worthy solutions to consider.

It all depends on your needs and preferences, as they strongly dictate your selection of the best-suited platform.

However, if we were to choose the best of the bunch for you, we’d go with WordPress, as the platform’s limitations pale in comparison to what it has to offer.

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Article by Syed Balkhi

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