How To Blog For Free
Because building a blog has gotten so much easier in recent years, Hera are my picks for the ten best free blogging sites you should use to create your first site and lay the foundation for what's to get in your blogging journey.
Blogging has a long and rich history. Since 1993, people wealthy person been creating blogs that interest them, generate income or help promote their main businesses.
Since you're here along my blog, I'm guessing you're concerned in start a blog of your personal.
You may possess a career unplumbed to web log about a personal passion. Or, you may want to start a corner blog as a side hustle to make money blogging outside of your day lin. Whether you want to create a web log for family pictures, for monetization, surgery to let the world get it on about your passions—chances are, you don't want to pass a lot of money to get things started.
While there are much of blogging platforms available today, non complete of them are free. A free blogging site, however, allows you to try out without creating a commercial enterprise strain. It's an excellent way to get creative and find your vocalisation without spending more than of anything aside from your own time up nominal head.
If you want to use a free blogging land site to power your blog, I've compiled my lean of the 10 best free blogging sites you can puzzle started with right outside.
10 Better Free Blogging Sites to Shape Your Blog for Free in 2022
- WordPress (Self-Hosted)
- Wix
- WordPress.com
- Weebly
- Medium
- Blogger
- Ghostwriter
- Tumblr
- Joomla
- Yola
Disclosure: Please note that approximately of the links below are consort links and at none additional cost to you, I'll earn a commission. When you purchase one of the products I urge using my ane of my associate links, the company compensates me, which helps me run this blog and keep my content unhampered charge to you. Know that I also solitary recommend products I personally stand behind.
Once you've done your research and are quick to build a remunerative web log—head terminated to my supreme guide to opening a blog.
Want to Start Your Blog (decently)?
Check off out my ultimate guide: How to Pop out a Web log (on the Side).
1. WordPress (Self-Hosted)
My #1 recommendation amongst the world-class free blogging sites is: Self-Hosted WordPress. WordPress currently powers 34% of websites happening the internet.
Self-Hosted WordPress, also known as WordPress.org, is an agaze-source platform to build a blog along—and it's 100% free people to purpose, because the creators of WordPress believe in democratizing publishing and the freedoms that come with open source.
Put differently, the people who created and make out WordPress believe that masses should stimulate memory access to a platform where they tin can publish the things that interest them—in the way they choose to do it. That's the power of resolve behind this free blogging situation.
World Health Organization is a Self-Hosted WordPress Blog for?
One of the acme reasons I recommend self-hosted WordPress Eastern Samoa the absolute unexcelled free blogging site to use, is that it's an all around great tasty for a wide-screen cast of bloggers (and different blog budgets too).
Whether you're an absolute beginner eruditeness what a blog is nowadays—operating theatre running a six-digit web site, WordPress gives you the best tools to make an incredible site capable of structuring a rewarding blog business architectural plan around it. To the highest degree importantly, a WordPress-high-powered blog can grow with you as you develop your style, branding and content concluded meter.
As WordPress.org explains, "Umpteen destruction users of WordPress are non-technically tending. They don't know what AJAX is, nor do they care for about which variant of PHP they are victimisation. The ordinary WordPress user just wants to exist able to write without problems surgery interruption."
But then, they go on to enunciat that with the umpteen themes, plugins and admittance to cryptography (if you want), those bloggers who are Thomas More technically tending also have the exemption to defecate their own websites however they want.
Whether you'atomic number 75 brand young or a seasoned blogger, WordPress is more than than likely your best choice of free people blogging sites—hands land.
General Information About Self-Hosted WordPress
WordPress.org (also known as self-hosted WordPress) is an open-source smug management system (CMS) created in 2003 with the goal of giving the world a truly free blogging platform. Unfold-source means software that's offered freely and can be qualified aside others. CMS is a software OR computer programme that lets you make and manage your digital content.
WordPress is completely rid to use, but you will need to sign up for a paid monthly network hosting plan and purchase a domain cite in order to use information technology (i.e. self-hosting).
We'll go into more detail about web hosting below, but it's important to note that it's super affordable to run a self-hosted WordPress blog—think back $2 to $10/mo.
What is WordPress Hosting?
Hosting refers to a companion that stores your website so it throne atomic number 4 viewed along the internet. Without it, your blog isn't actually in play and readable to others.
In order for your content to be stored and distributed by rights, you need what's called a server. A web waiter is connected to the Internet and IT receives requests (people inadequate to understand your blog content) and responds by displaying the pages of your website.
A plate computer is not set heavenward for properly hosting your own website (without some difficult modifications and expenses). That's wherefore you call for the go-to-meeting web hosting programme from a trusty company to cause sure your blog is connected to the Cyberspace.
My personal recommendation for affordable &A; reliable entanglement hosting is Bluehost. I've victimised them for eld and am precise happy with their services.
Even if you choose their least expensive plan (around $2.95/Show Me State), you'll get a lot of great features like a free SSL certificate that makes your website ultra bastioned, unmetered bandwidth and a free domain name—on with their great 24/7 technical support to answer any questions you've got.
They're besides one of leash hosting companies specifically recommended by WordPress themselves (like these managed WordPress hosting plans), and they offer an easy 1-click installation for installing WordPress as the free blogging land site to power your blog behind the scenes.
Examples of Websites Created on Soul-Hosted WordPress
Jane Goodall Institute
The Trailblazer Woman
The Making Lifetime
A Look Inside Self-Hosted WordPress (Free of Blogging Site)
If you log up into your WordPress account and prize "Contribute a New Post" this is the screen you will see.
Thither are a couple of plugins added onto this free blog example, including Elementor and Yoast SEO.
In WordPress' editor, you can add media, change text, add a contact class and many other things.
If you want to add a new page you wish attend a screen that looks pretty much identical to the add new web log post screen.
Present you can add different things or you dismiss use the Elementor plugin to use a drag-and-swing interface for easier viewing.
The free version of Elementor gives you a serial publication of "widgets" happening the left-give column that you can use to custom-make your site.
Pros of Self-Hosted WordPress as a Exempt Blogging Land site
Customization and Flexibility
One of the most appealing features more or less someone-hosted WordPress as a free blogging site, is that information technology is extremely customizable. In that location are over a G themes to choose from and finished 55,000 plugins. Many of the themes and plugins are free to use, but there are insurance premium ones that add even more functionality equally asymptomatic.
With WordPress.org, you're pretty much free to do anything you require with your blog, yet starting a podcast and embedding episodes from your show with pleasing-to-economic consumption widgets and plugins—just be sure you choose the right podcast hosting political platform.
Easiest Blogging Site to Monetize happening 💸
If you're provision on monetizing your web log, WordPress.org is a good boulevard. You're allowed to monetise your blog whatsoever way you prefer. Zero restrictions.
If you besides want to use your blog as an eCommerce site, you can use a plugin like WooCommerce (one of the best eCommerce website builders along the market) to accept payments, display products and manage armory.
It's a Released Blogging Site That Grows With You
Unlike many an of the other rid blogging sites, WordPress can actually grow with you. If you find that you truly like blogging and you want to take it to the following level, WordPress can take you there.
Cons of Self-Hosted WordPress as a Free Blogging Site
Hosting Isn't Free
The WordPress blogging platform is free, only you'll still deliver to earnings for self-hosting. You'll also need to wage for a domain name with WordPress.org. This English hawthorn be a baulk for you, peculiarly if you'rhenium looking something that is completely unrestrained.
Just, chances are as your web log grows you're probably going to want to find a weapons platform that offers a good deal more tractableness than the another free options. Instead of upgrading with a plan like Wix Oregon Weebly, you can find a fairly dirt cheap hosting plan and develop a web log that's exactly what you want.
Higher Learning Crook
WordPress is a good choice, even up for newbies, but it does give birth a higher learning curve than more or less of our unusual free blogging sites the like Wix or Weebly. The user interface International Relations and Security Network't quite a as easy to navigate as the other "what you assure is what you get" (WYSIWYG) website builders connected this list—without the the right way theme and page constructor.
If you make out want to use a drag-and-drop Page builder to create your web log, I'd highly recommend Elementor. Here's what it looks like slow the scenes:
Elementor has an amazing free version that you can use and information technology allows you to view what your site bequeath look like before you gain publish.
Plus, when this page builder is paired with their Hello Elementor (free) WordPress theme, it's a lightning swift combination that'll get your blog off the ground quickly—and set sprouted well for the months and years to come.
Criminal maintenance
One high potential drawback to exploitation self-hosted WordPress as your free blogging weapons platform, is that you'Re responsible managing and maintaining everything on your blog. That includes things ensuring security plugins are safe, backups are natural event regularly and updates are going away live.
Some of these things may be provided for you through your web hosting plan, especially if you're using a top hosting company like Dreamhost operating theatre Bluehost—but regardless, it does take a trifle bit more time to maintain than some of the other independent blogging sites we're covering here.
2. Wix
Wix first entered the fit as a footloose blogging program in 2006. Since then, it has provided a internet site platform to a remarkable 150 million populate. It is too used in 190 countries around the world.
Wix is a website builder with a drag and dribble interface. IT's a (WYSIWYG) software so you know exactly what your blog wish look like before you hit the "bring out" button.
They have several paid plans, but they also offer a resign option.
Who Would Like Wix
Wix is a neat tasty for someone who wants a really gentle way to depart their web log for free. If you want to jump a blog without having to take tutelage of things like security, backups, hosting and indeed along, Wix is a beneficial option. Wix takes care of entirely that for you, even up on their free platform plans.
The free version of Wix would non bring on for someone who is looking to monetize their web log or create a more customized look.
General Selective information about Wix
Wix was created by three founders who wanted a "platform that authorized anyone to create their own internet site with no coding or design skills needed." Hence their continued focus on providing a free blogging site option to new bloggers around the world.
Put differently, they wanted to create a really easy way for multitude to create a blog or internet site.
With the liberate version of Wix you get:
- Busy 500MG storage
- Up to 500MB bandwidth
- Customer Support
Examples of Wix Websites
If you lack to start a food blog and preserve it ultra simple, here's a model of how to pull it off connected this clear blogging site:
And hither's an example of a more portfolio-driven situation:
These are examples that Wix highlights as what you can create with their unimprisoned blogging site tools.
They're visually very stunning, but they were in all likelihood created using Wix's more premium plans.
A Bet Inside Wix
Wix is a true drag-and-drop builder. That agency you take out features from the left go with pillar and drop them directly connected to the page. You can then control text, images, videos, apps, and more just away moving them roughly.
Then nice affair about Wix is you can really change any factor along your pages.
One of the drawbacks of Wix arsenic an editor though, is information technology does non offer the same flexibility with blogging features as it does on your more static pages.
The blogging interface is fairly basic with Wix. There are a limited number of settings for images and text making this far less appealing for a free web log site.
Pros of Wix as a Free Blogging Site
Very Available to Use
It tush't be denied that Wix is really easy to use. With drag-and-drop for the website and the ability to see exactly what you're getting, it's super simple for beginners.
Altogether Freeborn (if You Stay along the Rightish Contrive)
The free variant of Wix is wholly free. No need to sign upbound for hosting or a domain name.
Cons of Wix as a Free Blogging Site
Wix Branding and Advertising
Like-minded WordPress.com, if you use a slaveless Wix site, your site will deliver Wix branding on it (which is a standard boast of all free blogging sites).
Wix's identify will comprise in your URL, and there will be Wix advert on your site.
Small-scale to No Monetization
Because Wix uses their own advertising, they do not set aside you to run your own ads on the free interlingual rendition. In that location's also zero eCommerce option for Wix's free blogging sites.
Controlled Blogging Functions
While Wix has very responsive website features that pull through rich and intuitive to use, its blogging platform isn't as strong. It's nevertheless effortless to use, merely information technology's far more restrictive than the rhythmic site pages you fanny create on Wix.
Bonus: If you'ray interested in food blogging as a potential ecological niche to nosedive deep into, then agree out my own true-world approach to food blogging with my girlfriend's vegan food web log, Vegan Anj.
No Site Migration
If you start your blog and adjudicate that Wix International Relations and Security Network't where you'd like to stay, it's extremely difficult to transmigrate away from their free blogging site. They have no easy option for place migration, so you'll have to be to a greater extent tech-savvy to transpose your substance.
Can't Change Templates
Wix has a dainty selection of scenic templates, but you'atomic number 75 more operating theatre less stuck with one once you've Chosen it—a middling common occurrence with atrip blogging sites like this. This is a large-mouthed downfall if you have a incompatible vision for your blog in the future, but cypher that can't be overtake by working with their support team up.
3. WordPress.com
Even if you're new to blogging, you've probably detected of WordPress.
What you may not know nonetheless—is that there are two different types of WordPress. In that location's WordPress.org (Person-Hosted) and WordPress.com. Some of this actually offer options to serve as united of the best unconstrained blogging sites.
I reviewed (self-hosted) WordPress.org first A our #1 pick here amongst the best free blogging sites, but now let's talk about it's counterpart—WordPress.com
WordPress.com has paid plans, merely they also offer a limited free version as well.
Who Would Like WordPress.com
The free version of WordPress.com would work well for someone who wants to try out out a blog, but isn't too concerned with monetizing it or having access to a lot of features—at least for in real time. While this is common amongst the free blogging sites on the marketplace now, IT's a pretty substantial drawback in my opinion.
For those who want a unproblematic spare-time activity blog, surgery for those who just want to fancy if they enjoy blogging, WordPress.com is an prosperous option for a hard-line, free blog site.
Another nice benefit of WordPress.com is you do have board to grow with this platform. You sack buy up more expensive plans for added benefits. You can also migrate your site easy from WordPress.com to WordPress.org if you would like more flexibility in the future.
Unspecific Information About WordPress.com
WordPress.com launched in 2005 as a way to "bring the WordPress experience to an even larger audience," and has continued to offer their truly released blogging sites as a gateway for new message creators to enter the public of blogging on a budget.
WordPress.com describes themselves as, "a hosted version of the ASCII text file software. Here, you can start a blog or work up a website in seconds without any technical noesis."
Instead of paying for soul-hosting, the hosting plan is part of the WordPress.com experience. This is true even with the free interlingual rendition of WordPress.com.
The unloose variation of WordPress.com includes:
- Jetpack Essential Features
- 3G Storage
- Dozens of free themes
Examples of Websites Created on WordPress.com
Present's a look at around of the themes on hand for WordPress.com:
A Look Inside WordPress.com
WordPress.com's interface has some similarities to the self-hosted WordPress.org version, but it's non identical and doesn't occur with as much functionality.
Once you make up a blog on WordPress.com you'll be taken to this page. You can choose options like "stats," "excogitation" and "tools."
WordPress.com does give you access to the admin dashboard that's used in self-hosted WordPress, but it can be a second much confusing using both dashboards if you're not already familiar with WordPress.
Pros of WordPress.com as a Free Blogging Site
Completely Extricated
If you use the unhampered version of WordPress.com, you tin function a blog completely free. You don't even want to worry about paying for a domain gens as your free blogging site will glucinium hosted at a URL like yourblog.wordpress.com.
Upkee Unoccupied
With WordPress.com, you don't have to worry about things like site security, updates, or hosting. These things are taken care of for you through with WordPress—even on their free people platform.
WordPress.com as wel offers live chat community supporting and a forum where you can involve questions.
Cons of WordPress.com atomic number 3 a At large Blogging Site
WordPress Branding
When you use a loos WordPress.com account, your entanglement address will include WordPress (look-alike yourblog.wordpress.com), which is fair mutual amongst free blogging sites.
While you don't have to pay for a domain name, it doesn't look clean and professional to have the WordPress stigmatization. Information technology's also harder for people to remember your web address than if it was simply yourdomainname.com.
Limitations with Customization
WordPress.com does pass a mixed bag of free themes and plugins that you can use with your blog. But, it doesn't offer nearly as many as the paid versions of WordPress.com. Neither the free or paid version of WordPress.com offers as such access to plugins and themes as WordPress.org.
Pocket-size to No Monetisation
WordPress.com is not a good choice if you'ray planning to monetize your blog. The free version of WordPress.com may allow you to restrictively use affiliate links, but you bequeath non be able to advertise in whatsoever another way.
Their ads are displayed on your site and you have no control over them nor do you make revenue from them.
On that point's as wel no eCommerce option with the free blogging site adaptation of WordPress.com.
More Difficult to Use Than Other Website Builders
WordPress.com is not an extremely difficult interface, but it isn't Eastern Samoa easy to use as Wix and Weebly.
The power to shift 'tween the WordPress.com interface and the WordPress.org admin does give you more tractableness with this free blogging site, merely it makes things more complicated for new bloggers.
4. Weebly
Weebly is another extremely popular option amongst the best free blogging sites today—largely because it's elementary to use and built especially with eCommerce in creative thinker.
Like Wix from higher up, this unbound blogging site also has a drag out-and-drop feature, and is centralized just about a WYSIWYG Sri Frederick Handley Page builder. It's very easy to a brand name new blogger that wants to test things taboo victimization a free platform to let acquainted with blogging.
Weebly starts kayoed as a free web log site, but also offers superior plans to unlock more features, get your own blog name and allow more readers to your site.
Who Would Like Weebly?
Weebly is another good selection for a blogger who wants a really easy (free of) website builder to work with.
IT besides has an eCommerce pick thus you fire use information technology to take up a small stage business and sell personal or digital items right from your blog.
The free version of Weebly would not be a advisable choice Eastern Samoa a long terminal figure blog that you designate happening monetizing.
Miscellaneous Information About Weebly
Weebly was established As a free blogging site back in 2006, the same yr as Wix. Their Free Plan Includes:
- Free SSL Security
- 500MB Memory board
- SEO
- Lead Capture and Contact Forms
- Profession Assembly
- Chew the fat and E-mail Abide
Examples of Weebly Sites
The Whiskey Ball:
Detailed Engagements:
These examples are featured along Weebly's website, but they're more than possible created with premium plans (rather than just their free blogging situation features).
A Look Inside Weebly
If you choose Weebly's free plan, you'll get this initial selection:
For our free blogging sites roundup here, I've definite to choose a web site with an online store to fully research what Weebly has to offer. If you want to run only a content-driven blog, choose "I just need a website."
Then you canful choose from a number of free themes.
Once you pick a theme you can go to the editor program.
The sidebar dash is very to ease, only it is non as intuitive OR available to use as the Wix interface. Advantageous, you also have very much more customization options with Wix.
If you want to add a blog post, information technology's really spearhead-shaped. Nonnegative, thither's more tractability with Weebly connected this side of things, than with Wix. The same drag-and-drop options you have for your website are on hand with your web log posts.
Because Weebly is centralised on eCommerce, you tin also add products and categories.
Pros of Weebly as a Free Blogging Site
Completely Free
Weebly's free version is completely free. No orbit Beaver State hosting costs. A outstanding way to get started if you wish to test things out along a unbound blogging site with none strings attached.
Easy to Use
Weebly is really easy to use and offers the same quick set to make over posts through their unhampered blogging political program. You lav make engaging and interesting blog posts using Weebly's free plan. The Weebly blog selection has more features and customization ability than Wix's blogging program.
Change Themes Well
With Weebly, you bum vary your themes as a great deal as you ilk. You'atomic number 75 not fastened into a theme forever, which is a discriminating option if you'd like to change things up aft you get your blog off the ground.
eCommerce Options
There is an option to sell items right field from your blog with Weebly. If you'd like to utilise this as a way to monetize your site, it is possible with Weebly.
Cons of Weebly A a Free Blogging Site
Weebly Stigmatisation
As with WordPress.com and Wix.com, you'll have to tidy sum with the Weebly stigmatisation for the free version. That way your Universal resource locator will have the Weebly branding and they testament run Weebly ads on your site.
Unlike the past two options, Weebly does take into account you to throw in a custom domain name with the free version of Weebly. You still have Weebly ads, but you will be competent to use your own domain name.
Not as Easy equally Wix to Memorize
Weebly has a more customizable blogging feature article, but the platform, in general, is non as rich or intuitive Eastern Samoa Wix.
Limited Customization
Compared to my crest pick amongst unloosen blogging sites (WordPress.org), Weebly has far fewer ways to custom-make your free web log site. With only a handful of themes and apps, it doesn't compare to WordPress.com or WordPress.org.
5. Medium
Medium is unlike the other name calling on this list of free blogging sites, because it's not really a true website builder.
In fact, while Medium is a free people blogging web site, information technology functions slightly more like a residential district of writers meets social media platform.
That being said, Medium is completely free to share your blog subject matter happening, and you can get started reactionist away.
WHO Would Like Medium
Medium is a good option for writers superficial for exposure through a free blogging land site that also has a large collective-in community component. It would work well for a hobby blog, or to start finding your phonation American Samoa a writer.
Another reason people utilisation Medium is to give new life to the content they produced elsewhere. Since Sensitive has a reinforced-in consultation, some citizenry choose to republish web log posts that they have already posted on their primary web log—to help drive dealings hind to their blogs.
General Selective information About Medium
Medium was in the first place created not as a unpaid blogging site, but rather to be a social media outlet for citizenry who wanted to write longer posts than the ones you could happen connected Facebook operating room Twitter.
When Medium launched in 2012, CEO EV Hiram Williams posted a blog post called, "Welcome to Medium." In IT, he explained the determination of the platform.
"Medium is a radical place on the Internet where people share blog place ideas and stories that are thirster than 140 characters and not just for friends. It's configured for little stories that give your Day wagerer and manifestos that change the populace…"
"On Medium, you can contribute often surgery just in one case in a blue-blooded moon, without the commitment of a blog. And either way, you're publication into a healthy, pulsing network — not a standalone website, which you incomparable are responsible keeping alive."
So the intense appeal of Medium is that it gives you a intrinsic interview—suchlike to when you post content on YouTube, Chirrup or LinkedIn.
Object lesson of a Blog Post Created on Medium
Here's a post I wrote for my Medium blog a few years ago, where I sometimes republish content to attract more than readers:
There's no need to show you multiple blog posts on Medium, because separated from different pictures operating room videos, the blog layouts are essentially all the Saami.
A Look Inside Medium
When you start your Medium history you'll atomic number 4 asked to pick topics you're interested in.
This has more to do with the type of articles that will show informed your feed and less nigh your have web log.
When you start writing a blog post, this is what your first screen will look like.
These are your editing options. Here's what it looks corresponding one time you write a headline and add a top double.
You can embed videos now into your web log posts on Medium.
You can also embed social media posts like this one from my Twitter report.
Apart from those features, there's very miniscule you can do to interchange the look of your blog post or customize it.
And you derriere search the Unsplash media gallery to ADHD pictures consanguineal to your blog post.
Pros of Moderate American Samoa a Free Blogging Site
Unchaste to Learn and Publish
Medium mightiness just be the easiest free blogging site to use out of all the options on this list. Fair polarity up and start writing. No motive to set up a web site Oregon anticipate hosting. Everything is ready for you to get cracking directly.
The blogging interface is also extremely impressionable and takes no time at all to empathise.
Completely Free to Practice
Medium is completely free to utilize. No more hidden fees or upgrades needed, making it a truly free web log internet site.
Built-in Audience
When you publish on Average, you'atomic number 75 committal to writing to an audience that already exists. You get into't necessarily have to contend with SEO masters on Google in regularize to learn how to incu your target audience on Medium, especially since in that location are hundreds of consecrate Intermediate publications that can characteristic your content (if you do some smart blogger outreach to impress them with your writing).
Cons of Medium Eastern Samoa a Free Blogging Site
Virtually No Customization
Asunder from adding images, videos, Beaver State embedding social media posts, all post on Medium looks the same. It's like posting on Facebook—your schoolbook and images are different—but every post has basically the same layout and design.
With Moderate, there are no themes, apps, operating room plugins to customize your posts, which does get in one of the most unproblematic free blogging platforms on the market today.
No (Real) Monetization
Medium is non a platform you can use to monetise your blog. There's nobelium option for ads operating theatre eCommerce. It's explicitly against the rules to, "promote or promote third-party products, services, or brands through Metier posts, publications, or letters," but you can still promote your blog content with maneuver like blogger outreach.
You ass use affiliate links, but you're not allowed to create content, "primarily to take traffic to, or increase the search rankings of, an external site, production, or table service… Scraping and reposting content from other sources for the primary purpose of generating tax revenue or other personal gains." One viable way to earn some income from Medium though, is to publish an eBook that you stern sell to your most engaged hearing (done cautiously on an extraneous site, of naturally).
You Don't Have a Web log of Your Own
With Medium as your free blog site, you don't have to attend of the sustainment of a blog which could be a plus for some. Connected the other hand, you ultimately undergo no control over the contented that you publish.
You do, "own the rights to the content you create and post on Medium." But your content can also be removed for "any cause."
Let me make up clear. With Medium, you're publishing on someone else's website. That means they have control o'er the direction things are presented.
They can also change the way they do things at Medium without consulting you or considering your interests… and hell, they can flat rifle unfashionable of business one day, taking your free blog site right along with it.
That's one of the biggest reasons wherefore hosting your own blog (where you're in control) is the smartest way to start a blog.
6. Blogger
Blogger is another solid (yet slenderly obsolete) option gratis blogging sites designed for those who want a free blog to test the waters on.
Purchased by Google back in 2003, with this free blogging site—instead of really owning your own website, you're more-or-less renting it from Google.
WHO Would Like Blogger
Blogger can be a the right way option if you'atomic number 75 looking for a loos place to start your hobby blog. However, with many more future-proof, modern free blogging sites available on the market today, I wouldn't personally recommend going with Blogger.
General Information About Blogger
Blogger was originally created by Pyra Labs in 1999 to constitute a free blogging web site for the masses (binding in the rattling early days of blogging), but was later purchased by Google in 2003 as the platform grew significantly.
Erstwhile, it was a very popular way to start a web log on a budget. Today, non such anymore.
Piece there are eight-fold options for customization with Blogger, information technology doesn't have the edification of Sir Thomas More forward-looking blogging sites.
Examples of Websites Created along Blogger
A Look Exclusive Blogger
Here's an example of extraordinary of the themes available with Blogger, as a free blogging site:
Your blog post editor in chief has a number of customization options, which actually come close to what you'll get from a better blogging land site like-minded WordPress.
There are a smattering of fonts you can choose from, and you can consignment pictures and videos. You lav also add HTML code for greater customization.
The website editor can beryllium a trifle clunky and difficult to navigate, though…
You also have to "preview" your blog in front you buttocks see the changes you've made.
Pros of Blogger as a Free Blogging Web site
Unloose to Use
You can make up a blog with Blogger and you'll have no fees. No hosting fees. You can choose to pay for a domain name which will eliminate the branding from blogspot in your URL.
Monetization Choices
Probably one of the best things about Blogger as a free web log site, is the power to run AdSense ads on your page. You have much more freedom to monetize your site with Blogger than many a of the other free of blogging sites we've discussed.
Cons of Blogger As a Gratuitous Blogging Site
Nary Possession of Your Site
Unfortunately, with Blogger you don't actually own your site. That means Google can choose to shut go through your site if they want to.
Non as Easy to Use as Other Options
While Blogger is fairly simple to go, it does have a high erudition curve than many of the other options. Information technology also has a smaller payoff once you do learn how to test it.
Limited Customization
On that point are respective divers things you can transfer with Blogger, simply finally it's not loaded down with customization options.
Obsolete Interface
Non a lot of people are using Blogger as a free blogging site these years, because IT isn't upbound-to-date with other options corresponding we've interrupted down here already. The user interface is not as user-friendly or modern as early blogging platforms.
7. Ghost
Specter was founded in 2013 from a Kickstarter project, with the intention of offering a free blogging site to professional writers. It has some similarities to WordPress, and like WordPress, it has a hosted and self-hosted version.
The mortal-hosted version is free, but (like with WordPress) does require a arena name and hosting.
Who Would Like Ghost
Ghost would work well for people who are sounding for a apiculate, exempt blog site that's specifically geared towards blogging. Spell WordPress began as a blogging political platform, information technology has evolved into much to a greater extent than that.
Ghost is still solely centralized happening blogging—not on general website production or eCommerce.
John O'Nolan, founder of Ghost has shared, "If you want a swordlike internet site with eCommerce that you use to run your business, give Squarespace a adjudicate. If you want to participate in a social network with sharing and Ra-posting and lots of cats, maybe Tumblr would be a better fit for you. On the other hand, if you're looking at to develop your possess fully-fledged website or application with every imaginable Alexander Bell and whistle, WordPress might be ideal."
He continues, "If you want to throw a simple but regnant independent publication, something that's focused on the writing experience and giving you the freedom to equal in complete control of your content, then you might find Ghost newsworthy."
General Information About Ghost
Ghost exists as a free blogging site, primarily because John O'Nolan hot to make over something equivalent WordPress that was solely for writers, while being many minimalistic and easier to navigate.
Ghost is a non-profits that is noneffervescent in its infancy and still gaining its footing as a escaped blogging political platform. Piece I for certain wouldn't urge Ghost over WordPress as a free blogging site at this point, I would keep an middle out for what they're doing.
It also seems that they're planning on dynamical the direction of their platform in the upcoming months.
Here's an excerpt from Ghost's 2018 inside look for:
"We dog-tired a identical age stressful to contend happening convenience and simple mindedness. This was our biggest mistake and the hardest lesson to learn – because user feedback told us that this was what was most important… But information technology ended up being still non simple enough for the average user, and not powerful or flexible enough for the professional exploiter — the lowest of some worlds.
So the biggest takeaway aft 5 years is that we have been moving, and will continue to rise marketplace, toward professional users World Health Organization value power and flexibility over ease of signup. This is where we can win compared to the competitor. This is where Ghost comes into its own."
The hosted translation of Ghost has its worst plan priced at $29 a month, so IT obviously doesn't have a free option.
Ghost is an ASCII text file CMS though, so there is a free self-hosted version available. Sign language up for that is less straight-forward than going with WordPress.org A your free blog site of prime, though.
Hosting Options for Ghost
Non all hosting companies support Ghost as a blogging platform, but present's a list of great hosts that do:
- A2 Hosting
- Cloudways
- Digital Ocean
- HostPapa
An Example of a Ghost Subject
A Wait Internal Ghost
One caller thing that Ghost offers is an actual way of checking information technology forbidden before you honkytonk in. Information technology's called play-with-ghost.com
With it, you tush pickax a theme, insert the admin information they provide, and in reality mess around with the software free of charge.
Once you've selected a theme, information technology takes you to a testing area where you send away choose different options and play around with the features.
The blogging features are very unstained and simple.
Here's a look at some of the elements you ass add to your blog post:
An example of what you can create arsenic a web log post:
Information technology's a fairly simple layout without an abundance of options. It does, however, have a feature called "markdown" which converts message into Hypertext markup language code.
Alike this:
To this:
Pros of Spook equally a Free Blogging Site
Panduriform and Easy to Use
For those who want a clean space to sit and write—Ghost offers just that.
It's rich to navigate and isn't weighed down by a good deal of extras. It's minimalistic setup makes it easy for bloggers to sit down and write.
There's Room to Grow
Shade is a newer administration and so information technology testament be interesting to see how they develop finished the next some eld. They may switch the blogging empyrean in riveting ways—like victimization javascript as an alternative of PHP to break awa their blogging land site.
Cons of Spook as a Unfreeze Blogging Site
Not the Most Customizable Option
It's pro is also somewhat its con, as give Saint John the Apostle O'Nolan has noted. In their effort to create simplicity, they have uncomprehensible some other group of people who neediness more flexibility and customization.
Hosting and Domain Distinguish Fees
As with WordPress.org, Ghost offers no altogether free blogging site option, because you'll still embody responsible for your every month hosting plan and getting a domain name.
Harder to Find Hosting Plans
Because Ghost chose to use of goods and services javascript (node.js) to power their free blogging platform, it's more difficult to find a hosting company that supports it from a technical standpoint—aside from their own hosting plans, of course.
8. Tumblr
Tumblr is an option free blogging site that presently hosts 476 million different blogs, and it was just late purchased past Automattic (the company behind WordPress). Like Medium though, Tumblr is a mix between a blog and a social media transmission channel.
Who Would Ilk Tumblr
Tumblr is geared towards a junior generation and trends well with 18-29 year olds. It's a fun and interesting way to dea your content. Tumblr describes itself as a place where you can find about anything, making it a fascinating intermix of free blogging site and built-in community.
It's a great select for citizenry who want to produce comparatively quick or short self-satisfied and don't want to be bogged down by site output or the extra work involved with running your own site.
Tumblr would not be an abstract choice for someone interested in owning their personal blog/website. Information technology would also be an last prize for someone starting a business, although you could use Tumblr to funnel shape traffic to an outside shop like Etsy or eBay.
General Information About Tumblr
Tumblr was created as a independent web log platform in 2007 by David Karp. Sometimes Tumblr is referred to as micro-blogging, which is what Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are. But, Tumblr is more middle of the road between Twitter and WordPress. It's multi-media and a little contrastive than most other forms of blogging sites extinct there.
In an consultation with TechCrunch, St. David Karp describes the reason he created Tumblr. "All blogs took the same form… I wanted something so much more free-shape, much less verbose."
He went happening to explain that some masses want to create an online identity without learning the process of website edifice. He aforesaid, "IT's a commitment, you deman to sit downfield for an hour and hammer knocked out a post." He believes that WordPress is the best tool for people who enjoyed writing and wanted to inject the special sentence, but it was the wrong tool for those who didn't.
Tumblr describes their platform this way: "We made it really, actually arrow-shaped for people to make up a blog and put up whatever they wishing connected it. Stories, photos, GIFs, TV shows, links, quips, dumb jokes, smart jokes, Spotify tracks, mp3s, videos, fashion, art, deep stuff. Tumblr is 476 million different blogs, filled with literally whatever."
Some other compelling part of Tumblr is you can follow hoi polloi thereon. You can build a following through the platform and like Instagram, those people will see your new posts on their dashboard. Citizenry can also reblog your content then information technology gets shared and mutual again.
Changes for Tumblr
As of August of 2019, Automattic, the proprietor of WordPress, purchased Tumblr. It's still unclear what changes mightiness come from this accomplishment, but executives from some entities aforesaid they'Re looking for ways for WordPress.com and Tumblr to share services and functionality.
Tumblr has uncomprehensible popularity since its original launch, partly due to its more recent banish of adult material, but Automattic may breathe parvenu life into this free blogging site.
Examples of Blog Posts Created on Tumblr
Here's a play incomparable from NPR:
And Here's another example of creative Tumblr complacent:
A Front Interior Tumblr
Tumblr allows you to let in things like gifs, audio, and quotes.
It functions as a social media platform besides but IT's precise playful in nature.
Here's what it looks like when you for the first time log in to your chronicle.
You can also bring videos, images, and tags.
Pros of Tumblr as a Free Blogging Site
Fun, Creative and Interesting Community
If you want to produce amusing and fascinating content without being weighed down by site construction, Tumblr is a vibrant place to express your creativity—and unitary of the most widely used free blogging sites in the world.
Loos to Use
Like Medium, you Don't have to pay to Post on Tumblr. You're unconstrained to suffice what you want on the platform without unneeded fees—it's a rightfully 100% free blogging site.
Ability to Monetize
Surprisingly, Tumblr offers a variety of ways to monetize your blog including ads and affiliate golf links.
Cons of Tumblr as a Free Blogging Site
You Get into't Own your Site or Your Smug
When you manipulation Tumblr you have no control over changes ready-made to the platform, which is one of the biggest drawbacks of using this as a free blog site. And spell you have the "indorser pleased" you create, Tumblr also has certain rights to it. Their privacy policy explains,
"When you provide Subscriber Contentedness to Tumblr through the Services, you grant Tumblr a not-exclusive, global, royal house-free, sublicensable, transferable right and permit to use, host, store, hive up, reproduce, print, showing (publicly or otherwise), execute (publicly or otherwise), distribute, transmit, modify, adapt (including, without restriction, in order to conform it to the requirements of any networks, devices, services, or media through which the Services are visible), and create derivative works of, so much Subscriber Content."
On Tumblr, when hoi polloi reblog your content, they also have the right to modify it. This may not be the worst thing, but if you want your seminal content to remain untouched, Tumblr probably isn't your best choice.
Limited Customization
While Tumblr allows you to be real creative with the multimedia content that you share, especially amongst free blogging sites, the retail store itself is very standard. You put on't have the flexibility to extend your features or add custom themes.
9. Joomla (Self-Hosted)
Similar to WordPress, Joomla is too an open-source CMS. And like with running a self-hosted WordPress site, you'll beryllium needed to purchase your domain name and hosting plan in order to fully utilize this differently free blogging site.
Joomla is the 2nd most pop CMS in the world (behind WordPress) and powers just about 58 million websites.
World Health Organization Would Like Joomla
Joomla requires a bit more technical knowledge than WordPress and most of our opposite top free web log sites here today, so information technology wouldn't be nonsuch for somebody looking for a really comfy (non-technical) platform.
IT also has a more advanced substance abuser system, indeed that means if you do have the technical knowledge, there's more you can do right out of the boxful.
Another merchandising point about Joomla is information technology has trilingual tolerate built into it without adding some additional plugins.
General Information About Joomla
Joomla was originally called Mambo. Mambo was formulated in 2000 by an Australian companionship called Miro. Eventually, the source code was "forked" into what's now called Joomla.
Joomla was officially launched in 2005, and has had several major updates since.
If you want to increase the potentiality of Joomla, you can add an extension service.
Joomla has five types of extensions:
1. Components
Components are like mini-applications. Most have two parts to them, an body side and a site side.
2. Modules
This extension is used for foliate translation. A footer or a login would be examples of modules.
3. Plugins
Plugins in Joomla refer to a function that triggers an effect. This could live something ilk adding a kind to your site, adding shortcuts, or adding an extra certification method.
4. Templates
A templet is the way the website looks. Information technology changes the way the constituent and the modules will be viewed.
5. Languages
Extra languages are already built into the core Joomla parcel, but more fire be added with an extension.
Hosting with Bluehost
Joomla also requires you to self-host your website, which technically pushes it a bit away from beingness a wholly disentangled blogging place. I highly recommend using Bluehost for your Joomla hosting as well. Bluehost currently hosts o'er 85,000 Joomla sites, and it gives you a 1-chink installation option immediately after signing up—but you throne check off out my digest of 25 honorable Bluehost reviews and make that decision for yourself.
Examples of Websites Created along Joomla
Harvard's Grad school of Humanistic discipline and Sciences:
The Benny Hill (a political sympathies news website):
Pros of Joomla American Samoa a Independent Blogging Site
Great Multilingual Options
Joomla is a great choice for people searching for a way to translate their website into umteen different languages.
Customization and Tractableness
Joomla allows you to do many things with your website and blog. You're not fast into a particular theme or minimal set of features. This level of flexibility gives you the ability to uprise your blog.
Good for Monetization
With Joomla, you can monetise your site however you like, just as a free blogging platform which is an attractive feature. You can include ads, use affiliate links, and sell products as you see fit.
Joomla has eCommerce extensions suchlike Eshop and J2Store that you can use to adjust up shopping carts and add products.
Cons of Joomla as a Free Blogging Site
Requires Moderate Level Tech Skills
If you're mark new to site construction and blogging, Joomla would probably not be the unexcelled choice for you. Someone who has some moving knowledge of coding would do better with this free blogging site.
Be for Domain and Hosting
The Joomla CMS is disentangled to use, only you bequeath still have to pay for your domain name and hosting.
Some Compatibility Issues
Some of the plugins with Joomla have compatibility issues. These could be resolved by person with to a greater extent extensive cryptography experience, only is not a reasonable avenue for the great unwashe with limited secret writing noesis.
This frustration is compounded by the fact that many of the plugins are not free, so you're remunerative for a plugin that is incompatible with other plugins you've installed.
Site and Security Sustentation
Once more, with some CMS, the onus is connected you to puddle sure that your site is secure and decently maintained. If you'Ra looking for a very easy way to maintain your situation, you English hawthorn prefer something like Wix or Weebly WHO do the background solve for you—even on some of their most underlying unfixed blog site plans.
10. Yola
Yola is a free blogging site that's fairly easy to use, with a drag-and-dip feature. It's WYSIWYG, straightforward and it doesn't take long to find out & use.
Who Would Equivalent Yola
I personally wouldn't consider Yola's unconstrained version as the best free blogging site to go under with. While IT does give you access to some nice responsive templates, the liberate version is very limited and doesn't quite stack up against the other at large blogging sites we've compared in this list.
The power to use your Yola site as an eCommerce space is plausibly one of its much alluring features. Alas, this is not available with the free program.
Well-nig importantly, you bathroom't make a blog directly along the Yola site. You can only create a web log by integrating an already existing Tumblr web log.
With these things in listen, I would only advocate the unblock version of Yola's a fashio to play around with website building surgery to determine whether you're interested in paying for a higher premium plan.
Pandemic Information About Yola
Yola began as a free blogging site in Confederate States Africa during 2007. The company is located in Cape Town and currently has over 12 one thousand thousand users.
Yola has around 80 templates — nonpareil minor issue with their templates is they are not categorised in any way. So you'll have to determine if you think the template kit and caboodle for the site you're trying to make up.
The Sitebuilder is available in six languages including English, French people, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Their goal is, "Fashioning it easy for you to get your business online."
With a free contrive you get:
- 3 Pages
- 1GB bandwidth
- 1GB storage
- Yola subdomain
An Example of a Website Created on Yola
Transportation Children's Center:
A Look Exclusive Yola
Yola allows you to choose a template to start with designing your blog. You fanny even choose a blank template if you'd wish to jump from fray.
Here's what the editor looks like with the chosen template. In order to have started, you can remove the standard pictures and exchange them for your images.
At that place are a fate of things you can custom-make along Yola including font, color, alignment etc.
You can drag-and-drop widgets into set out, but they do have to land in a predetermined field.
This can Be a little restrictive if you have a different vision of what your blog should look corresponding in your mind.
Pros of Yola as a Free Blogging Site
Fairly Simple to Use
Yola has a low pressure learning cut and it doesn't take back a lot of sentence to showtime putting together a website.
Free to Start
You can start using Yola right away without gainful for anything, but will have to upgrade to transfer Yola branding, tot multiple pages to your situation or sell products online.
Customization and Hypertext mark-up language
Yola does offer quite a few customization choices for a free blogging site and you can ADHD coding for additional features. They do explain that your steganography may conflict with their Site builder at times, so that's something to be heedful of.
Cons of Yola as a Free Blogging Site
Yola Branding
With the unrestrained plan, you will undergo a prominent Yola ad on the footer of your page.
Simply Three Pages
If you're exploitation the free program with Yola, you are only able to have ternion pages total.
No In-Theatre Blogging Options
Possibly the biggest problem with Yola is you cannot run a blog straight from the editor. You would instead bear to create a blog on Tumblr and integrate it into your Yola land site.
Have to Upgrade to Hyperkinetic syndrome a Stash awa
Yola does have quite few attractive eCommerce features, especially for a free web log site, but you'll have to rise to use them. You can't add a store with the unconfined package.
Which Free Blogging Site is Top For You?
Which discharged blogging place matches what you're looking at for is in the end up to you.
If you're looking an extremely mere fashio to starting signal a web log and aren't concerned nearly making a gain with your site, something like Wix as a costless blogging site might be your rush, at least from a starting point.
If you want something fun and a little unaccustomed with a well-stacked-in community, you Crataegus laevigata want to choose Tumblr.
For the top one-size-fits-complete answer to which of these blogging sites are outflank though… I wouldsolitary recommend self-hosted WordPress as the way for you to set out your web log today—especially if you eventually want to touch the lives of piles of readers or build a business or so your web log.
In short, if your blogging goals include eventually generating revenue from your site and having a cohesive blog strategy that attracts readers, person-hosted WordPress is still the best way to go.
WordPress gives you the greatest potential to grow as a free blogging site (without forcing you to transmigrate your site soon after you get moving). On WordPress.org you can start a simple hobby blog OR form a profitable business. And for those who want something easy to start, you don't require any tech experience in the least.
A self-hosted blog on WordPress has by far the greatest potential for bloggers who want to establish a existent occupation—and you can keep your blogging costs down to around $5.00/mo with the right flash hosting plan, too.
Once you've done your explore and are prepare to build a profitable blog—head over to my ultimate guide to starting a blog.
Want to Start Your Blog (the Right Way)?
Check out my ultimate steer How to Start a Blog (on the Side).
How To Blog For Free
Source: https://www.ryrob.com/free-blogging-sites/
Posted by: christensenplousee.blogspot.com
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