Top 10 Free Blogging Sites for 2023
A common way for people and small businesses to communicate their views, ideas, and experiences to the world is through blogging. A blog can effectively reach a larger audience, whether trying to share your specialist knowledge on a particular subject, chronicle your journey, or advertise your business.
Today’s digital world is heavily reliant on blogging. Blogs allow you to express your thoughts or opinions, much like keeping or writing a diary. You can submit reviews of certain books, movies, or anything you may have bought as well as articles about fashion, cinematography, lifestyle, travel, and other topics.
Since college student Justin Hall started blogging in 1994 on links.net, blogging has advanced significantly. Blogging allows you to express yourself through words and photographs, audio, GIFs, quotes, and much more.
In addition, individuals can develop their careers through blogging and become professionals. Whether you want to start blogging solely for fun or whether you want to try it professionally is irrelevant. Blogging doesn’t have to be expensive to start, which is one of its significant advantages.
Several free blogging platforms let you start a blog, personalize its look, and publish material. WordPress.com, Blogger (Blogspot), Wix, Medium, Weebly, Tumblr, and Ghost are a few of the most well-liked free blogging platforms.
This blog will examine the many free blogging platforms, analyse their advantages and disadvantages, and assist you in selecting the best one for your requirements. This book will give you the knowledge you need to launch your blog, whether you are a novice or a seasoned blogger. Then let’s get going!
Top 10 Free Blogging Platforms for 2023
WordPress
According to statistics from 2022, WordPress is the preferred website for anyone looking to build a blog, with 835 million websites as of that year. Matt Mullenweg introduced WordPress in 2001, known as WordPress 0.5 or B2/Café Log. Many people looking for a free blogging platform consider WordPress one of the most well-liked solutions.
When starting blogging, you should know that WordPress has three flavours: wordpress.org, wordpress.com, and WordPress VIP. WordPress.org is what we mean when we say “Free WordPress.” While WordPress.org is entirely free to download, you will need to buy a Domain name and hosting plan to use WordPress.org to launch your website.
WordPress.org is the free version; since WordPress.org is open-source software, anyone with coding skills can modify the platform’s source code. Additionally, there are numerous plugins for Wordpress.org that one can download to personalize the website as desired.
WordPress’s free plan has some restrictions, but its commercial plans offer various capabilities, including hosting, domain names, website builders, business solutions, and professional email.
Many bloggers and small companies prefer using wordpress.com rather than downloading free wordpress.org and acquiring domain names and hosting from various other vendors. Numerous Fortune 500 firms and prominent organizations also use WordPress.com.
Benefits of WordPress
- With various options, including font, colours, images, and more, you may modify the theme to get the look you desire for your website. Although many articles are available for download, coding expertise is needed to personalize a piece.
- The website is more accessible to new users to use.
- It provides data about your website’s performance based on statistics about the traffic directed there.
- You can use tags and categories to categorize your blogs.
- It enables you to cross-post on several social media sites, like Facebook, Twitter, and others.
- Offers alternatives for plugins that make blogging simple.
Cons of using WordPress.org
- Some plugins are resource-intensive and use many server resources, which slows down websites.
- Although there are many modification possibilities, you cannot modify the entire theme.
- To access all of the capabilities of plugins like Yoast Seo and OptinMonster, you must purchase.
- Compared to other CMS like Ghost, the dashboard is complicated for beginners.
- Because WordPress is built on PHP, it requires a particular environment to function correctly, which may restrict your alternatives for hosting.
- It lacks integrated analytics. Therefore you must use third-party services or plugins to track your traffic.
Wix
Over 200 people use Wix to grow their internet businesses and market their brands worldwide. You can manage your website from the front end with Wix, a free blogging and website-building platform. The drag-and-drop features on this platform are user-friendly and don’t require any back-end management. Both new and seasoned users can benefit from its cutting-edge, user-friendly design.
Wix allows users to select from a vast selection of professional-designed templates that can be modified. Wix has you covered whether you want to build a personal blog, develop an online store, an e-commerce website, or your professional portfolio.
If you require assistance or have issues with your blog, Wix provides customer care. With Wix, you can start a blog for nothing. You cannot have a unique domain name on the free version, nonetheless. The screenshot below shows a comparison of features between the free and premium programmes.
Benefits to utilizing Wix
- It is user-friendly and adapts the blog’s components to various devices. Wix has built-in SEO tools available.
- It provides you with the required tools to manage your business quickly and without fuss, such as an online store, booking tools, analytics, and more. • Enables you to preview your blogs and share the invite code to edit using the Spaces app.
- It features a website and an app so that blogging is available from anywhere, and you can create groups based on similar interests.
Cons of utilizing Wix
- This does not offer as many plugins as other CMSs, such as WordPress.
- Wix’s SEO capabilities are constrained and might not be as effective as those of other website builders or content management systems.
- The site’s functionality cannot be expanded due to the few add-ons available.
- Wix-built websites depend on the Wix platform, so your website would be affected if Wix went out of business.
- Adding new features or making significant adjustments as a website expands could get more challenging.
- Since there aren’t many themes and design alternatives, making a genuinely original website could be challenging.
Blogger
They were purchased from Pyra Lab by Google back in 2003. One of the first free blogging platforms is Blogger, albeit its use has declined recently. Because it doesn’t require users to purchase, instal, or maintain other apps for website construction, this blogging platform is simple to use.
Blogger offers you a wide variety of fashionable themes that you can personalize with various tools, sophisticated colour editing, etc. But in terms of customization and design, it is not complex. Since Blogger typically offers only a few simple look options, the focus is primarily on the content.
It is the most well-known free blogging platform on the web. Your website will be hosted on a Blogger sub-domain, such as https://mywebsite.blogspot.com, and using Blogger is completely free. Any third-party domain name supplier will sell you a custom domain if you request one.
Some Bloggers would instead purchase their domain name and continue to host their blogs on Blogger. Although Blogger hosting is free, there are undoubtedly some restrictions, but these shouldn’t affect you when you’re just starting your site. Later, after your blog has grown to a particular size, switching to a paid hosting plan is unquestionably the superior option.
Benefits of using Blogger You can make money with Google AdSense, and you don’t need to be tech-savvy to use it. The Blogger app gives you 15 GB of space and unlimited bandwidth for high-quality video and photo uploads.
Benefits of Blogger
- Because Google hosts it, it’s dependable and secure.
- If you know HTML and CSS, you can modify the templates.
- You can get your domain name for free.
Cons of using Blogger
- It does not give users as much control over SEO as other platforms, which can make it more challenging to increase blog traffic.
- Its limited selection of design options and template choices might not be enough for those who desire a highly customized website.
- It has less functionality than other blogging platforms, like WordPress.
- It lacks built-in e-commerce features, making it difficult to sell goods or services straight from your blog.
- It doesn’t support plugins, making it impossible to add new functionality.
Medium
An online blogging platform, Medium, allows users to share their thoughts and stories. Users can express their distinctive viewpoints and share them with the community or the world by blogging on this free platform. This blogging platform can aid in your discovery of intriguing concepts, facts, and viewpoints.
It was designed for connecting, writing, and reading. The outlet offers an excellent forum for exchanging ideas on any subject with millions of readers. Communities of writers, journalists, and bloggers have been hosted there.
With more than 50 lakh downloads, it holds the top spot and top revenue spot in the news and periodicals category on Google Play Store.
Benefits of using Medium
- The website has no ads.
- You can increase your readership through newsletters and other means.
- The statistics display the performance of your blog.
- You can concentrate better thanks to the interface’s simplicity and clarity.
- Using the design editor, you can upload images and alter the homepage, header, fonts, and background.
- It offers tools like the clap and highlights buttons so that visitors can interact with your blog uniquely.
Cons of utilizing Medium
- Limited ability to influence article layout and style.
- There aren’t many formatting possibilities, and users can’t create their templates or styles.
- Because of its business model, which pays authors according to how many “members” read their content, writers might tend to focus more on quantity than quality.
- Despite having a sizable and active user base, Medium is still a tiny platform compared to other websites.
- It gives some basic information on how well articles perform, such as the number of views, but it does not provide as much information and analytics as other platforms.
Ghost
An open-source content management system (CMS) called Ghost is explicitly created for online publishers and bloggers. It is a cutting-edge, stylish, and cost-free blogging platform that enables users to quickly develop and manage the content of their websites or blogs.
It emphasizes usability and simplicity. Users may easily access and generate content on the platform thanks to its simple and intuitive user interface. Ghost also gives customers many customisation choices to alter the look and feel of their website.
Benefits of using Ghost include that it is an open-source project with a sizable and vibrant community of users and developers who contribute to its development and offer support.
Benefits of Using Ghost
- It has an SEO tool that aids users in creating search engine-friendly blogs.
- It has a user-friendly interface solely devoted to blogging and publishing articles.
- It has a vast array of customization tools that enable users to alter the look and feel of their website.
- If you wish to use ghost hosting, it also offers a premium plan that you can use.
- You can instal this CMS for free on your hosting and local servers.
Cons of utilizing Ghost
- Although Ghost provides a wide range of customization choices, only a few templates can be used.
- It has a smaller developer community than other platforms, which may lead to a shortage of plugins and add-ons.
- Users might need a certain amount of technical expertise to configure, customise, and maintain it.
- Requires a different server to host the website, which can be difficult for some users who are not accustomed to server administration.
Hubspot
Although Hubspot is most known for its sales and marketing tools, it also provides a free website builder that enables you to start a blog for free. Its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface makes website customization simple for users without technical knowledge. Users have a large selection of pre-designed themes or can construct their layouts from scratch.
Users can optimize their websites for search engines with its built-in SEO tools. This includes tools for finding keywords, creating meta descriptions and sitemaps, and analytics that indicate how visitors interact with the website. Thanks to its seamless integration, users may quickly connect their websites to various platforms and tools to maintain their online presence.
Benefits of using Hubspot
- The Hubspot website builder lets customers set up a blog, manage their material, and pre-schedule entries.
- HubSpot only produces mobile-responsive websites.
- There are tools available that aid in writing SEO-friendly articles.
- Provides a large selection of pre-designed templates that can be quickly adjusted to meet the user’s brand and style;
- Drag and drop interface for easy customization of the layout and design of their website without any coding or design experience.
Cons of utilizing Hubspot
- It is not appropriate for huge and complicated websites that need a lot of flexibility and scalability.
- There aren’t many themes available.
- A $25 monthly fee must be paid to use this tool’s premium features.
- It is pretty limited in modifying the website beyond what the pre-designed templates provide.
Jimdo
Without prior coding knowledge, anyone can design a great website using Jimdo’s straightforward interface and many features. Before choosing a paid plan, users can test out the free program first. Its simple drag-and-drop interface makes designing and arranging your blog’s layout simple.
Blog postings, including categories, tags, and comments, are simple to make and maintain. Additionally, the platform offers calendar creation and post-scheduling tools, making it simple to maintain consistency and organization when blogging. It contains built-in SEO features that can increase your blog’s visibility and draw more visitors.
Benefits of using Jimdo
- Built-in analytics allows you to monitor their website’s effectiveness and gauge the volume of traffic it receives.
- Jimdo-built blog websites are mobile-optimized, enabling people to browse your blog from any device.
- Creating a polished and unique web address for your blog is simple, thanks to the option to link your domain name to your blog.
- It’s simple to optimize your website and blog entries for search engines.
- A drag-and-drop interface that makes it simple to design and configure the website’s layout.
Cons of utilizing Jimdo
- Although Jimdo offers built-in blogging capabilities, they may be less robust than other blogging systems.
- Its formatting possibilities are restricted, and users cannot use custom templates or styles.
- It does not allow the possibility of expanding the site’s functionality through plugins or add-ons.
- It might not be the most excellent choice for people who want to build big, sophisticated websites.
Tumblr
Tumblr has a sizable and lively user base and has won the Best Community Webby Award 11 times. This makes it the ideal location for social engagement with people you want to follow and blogging. Tumblr is known as a platform for microblogging and social engagement.
Unlike other platforms commonly used for publication, this free blogging service is focused on multimedia or social media material. Tumblr offers a user-friendly platform with a lighthearted interface. You only need to sign up to get started posting.
Benefits of Tumblr
- Your storage and bandwidth are unlimited.
- Google Analytics on Tumblr allows you to gather precise data on your visitors’ activity.
- The platform simplifies your blog to include many sorts of content, like videos, GIFs, photographs, audio, and quotes.
- Re-blogging and other social features make sharing simple.
- Connect to your domain name and receive a free domain name.
Cons of utilizing Tumblr
- The absence of integrated analytics tools for evaluating the effectiveness of your posts.
- It has a small audience because it’s a niche platform;
- It lacks SEO optimization to make articles search engine friendly;
- It has a limited selection of templates and design options;
- Tumblr’s support can be spotty; users frequently rely on the community for help with technical problems or troubleshooting.
- Tumblr’s limited monetization options make it challenging for users to profit from their material.
Milkshake
Envato Pty Ltd created the Milkshake app, offered on both the Google Play Store and the App Store. Using your mobile phone, Milkshake makes developing and maintaining your website quick, enjoyable, and straightforward.
Instagram users who use the Milkshake app particularly like it since they can link their Milkshake website to their Instagram account by including the link in the Instagram bio. Beautiful, editable cards may be used to construct a Milkshake app and direct users to product or content pages.
Through gorgeous cards and photographs, the Milkshake website encourages users to share more with their social network followers. By using a link; it enables users to gather everything they have to offer in one spot.
Benefits to utilizing Milkshake
- You can quickly build a website using your mobile device.
- Facilitates sharing on social media sites.
- Simple to use for both experts and novices.
- You can alter the appearance with brand-specific fonts, logos, banner images, and display images that are both aesthetically pleasing and mobile-responsive.
- Compared to a drag-and-drop website builder, it is simpler to use.
- You may use embedded link images to send people to other pages within your Milkshake website or landing pages.
- You may learn more about your website.
Cons of using Milkshake
- Only the mobile app is accessible; this tool has no web interface.
- Limited customization options to give a blog the style and feel you want.
- There is no SEO optimization function available. Your blog cannot be optimized for Google ranking.
- The lack of plugin add-ons on the site prevents you from extending its functionality.
- The absence of integrated analytics tools for evaluating the effectiveness of your posts.
- Because there aren’t many templates available, there aren’t many ways to change how the site looks.
Weebly
Around the world, more than 50 million creative enterprises, makers, and artists utilize Weebly. Located in San Francisco, it can be used to build a blog or an online store. It is simple to use and offers templates that may be modified.
Using Weebly, you may build a blog, sell things online, and show off your online portfolio. Weebly provides contact forms, sidebars, media boxes, locations for ads, social network integration, newsletter signups, and more. Additionally, the platform offers integrated statistics and the choice of using a custom domain name (for an extra fee).
Weebly does not compel you to include advertisements on your website, although you can do so if you want to use Google AdSense to monetize it.
Benefits of utilizing Weebly
It is regarded as a contemporary site builder since it is easy to use, has eye-catching themes, and has robust commerce capabilities.
- You may make changes to your website, and Weebly desktop themes are designed to be responsive.
- The dashboard lets you keep an eye on your activity, and the insights page has more features.
- Weebly has an easy drag-and-drop builder optimized for touchscreens, and it has entirely updated its mobile apps for site editing.
Cons of utilizing Weebly
- Users can easily create a website using its drag-and-drop interface without knowing how to write code, but this also implies that they have little control over the regulation of their site.
- There are only a few templates available for selection.
- Weebly is primarily intended for small-scale websites and may not be suitable for more complex sites that require advanced functionality.
- Its formatting options are constrained, and users cannot use custom templates or styles.
- It offers essential SEO tools, but they have limited control over the optimization of your site for search engines.
edited and proofread by nikita sharma
