10 Best Blogging Platforms for Beginners (Pros & Cons)

Are you looking to start your blog but can’t figure out how to choose the best blogging platforms?

It’s a tough choice since several different blogging platforms are out there. How can you know which one is the best fit for you?

In this post, we have made it simple for you to choose what works best for you by creating a list of the best blogging platforms for beginners.

How to Select the Best Blogging Platforms?

Before jumping into the list, it’s a good idea to know what you’re looking for in the best blogging platforms.

• Ease of use: If you’re a beginner, search for a platform that’s easy to set up, has a low learning curve, and doesn’t require any coding knowledge.
• Scalability: Another vital factor to consider is if the platform you’ve selected is flexible enough to enable you to scale your blog and add new features as it grows.
• Monetization options: If you want to monetize your blog, pick one that allows customization, enables third-party plugins, and lets you design your advertising to make revenue.
• Price: When you’re just getting started with blogging, pricing is a crucial element to consider. There are some free platforms available, but you usually get what you pay for.

Let’s select the best blogging platform for beginners with all that in mind.

Best Blogging Platforms for Beginners

Following are the best blogging platforms for beginners:

1. WordPress.org

WordPress.org is the most popularly used blogging platform on the internet. WordPress was founded in 2003 and today runs over 43% of all websites on the internet.

WordPress.org is a 100% free and open-source blogging platform that lets you create a website or blog in minutes.

It’s also highly customizable, fast, and good for SEO (search engine optimization).

It’s a self-hosted option, which means you’ll have to sign up for a WordPress hosting account. WordPress is an excellent choice if you need complete control over the future of your site.

Pros:

• It’s easy to set up.
• You have total control over customizing the elements of your website using various design options.
• You may expand your blog by adding features such as forums, online stores, paid memberships, and the ability to sell online courses. This makes WordPress the best blogging platform to make money.
• Thousands of free and premium WordPress themes are available to help you establish a great blog without the help of a designer.
• You have access to over 59,000 free WordPress plugins as well. These plugins function as applications for your WordPress site, allowing you to add features such as contact forms, galleries, and more. See our list of essential WordPress plugins for all websites.
• WordPress.org is completely optimized for search engines. This makes it simple to rank your blog post in Google using search engine optimization (SEO), mainly if you use some best WordPress SEO plugins.
• In WordPress, you can easily add Google Analytics so that you can view the data that matters. This will help you in increasing your new blog’s traffic and subscribers.
• WordPress drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to create any content on your blog site.

Cons:

• Basic customization is simple, but there may be a learning curve if you want to make more complicated adjustments.
• It is self-hosted, Which means you will need to take responsibility for hosting and any technical issues that may arise.
• You will have to manage your backups and security.

Pricing:

WordPress.org is 100% free, but you will need web hosting and a domain name to start any type of website.

See our post on how to start a WordPress blog for complete step-by-step instructions.

Aside from creating a blog, WordPress can also be used to create a small business website and an online store. For more details, check out creating a website with WordPress.

2. Web.com

Web.com is a popular website builder platform that includes the option of adding a blog area to your company’s website or online store.

Their drag-and-drop website builder tool is highly user-friendly for non-techies, and they have very low start-up costs ($1.95).

You may choose from dozens of pre-made templates and then customize the layout of your blog without having to write any code.

It includes SEO tools, blog security features, autosave & backup, website analytics, etc.

Pros:

• A drag-and-drop website builder that is simple to use.
• Simple to set up and manage.
• Offer dozens of fully customizable templates for your blog.
• Free domain name for all paid plans.
• 24/7 customer support.

Cons:

• The blogging feature is limited in comparison to other platforms, such as WordPress.org.
• You are limited to 50 products with the eCommerce plan.
• Web.com is a proprietary website builder. Moving your blog to another platform in the future will be difficult.

Pricing:

The basic website package is just $1.95 per month!

You may also subscribe to the marketing plan for more effective SEO services, beginning at $3.95 per month. If you wish to add an online store to your blog, the eCommerce plan starts at $9.95 per month.

3. Wix

Wix is one of the most popular blogging platforms, with over 110 million users. Their drag-and-drop website builder allows small businesses to create a website quickly.

You may even start a blog for free using their blog app. However, if you want to connect your domain, you’ll need to purchase their premium plan.

Wix is a hosted blogging platform, so you won’t have to worry about the server. It’s ideal for those who don’t want to spend their time doing anything but blogging.

Pros:

• Setting up your website is quick and easy.
• Create your site with simple drag-and-drop tools; no coding is required.
• Hundreds of templates and third-party tools are available to help you customize your site.
• You will have a mobile-optimized website that will look amazing on all devices.

Cons:

• Wix’s free version is limited and displays Wix’s logo.
• There are just a few third-party apps that are available for free.
• You can’t edit a template after you’ve selected it.
• Limited eCommerce features are only available with premium plans.

Pricing:

Wix is completely free, and after you sign up, you’ll be given a sub-domain URL like www.yourdomain.wix.com.

You may, however, add a custom domain for $4.50 per month. Their premium plans generally cost from $8.50 to $24.50 per month.

4. HubSpot CMS Hub

HubSpot CMS Hub is a complete blogging platform for small, medium, and large businesses.

It’s built on top of HubSpot’s marketing and CRM tools, so you can create a website, get more subscribers, send newsletters, manage your customer list, and more, all from a single platform.

Their website builder allows you to change your website’s style easily, and you can even customize the content that visitors view depending on their previous actions.

Pros:

• It’s user-friendly, and you can create a blog using drag-and-drop features.
• You may quickly customize your blog based on the information and behaviors of your visitors.
• HubSpot includes built-in email marketing and newsletter features.
• Fully optimized for SEO and conversions.
• It includes a free SSL certificate.

Cons:

• No free plan, but offer 14-day free trial.
• HubSpot CMS Hub doesn’t have any eCommerce features, which is something to think about if you want to add a store to your blog in the future.

Pricing:

The HubSpot CMS plan starts at $23 per month and includes all of the essential features for maintaining a secure, well-designed blog, as well as the marketing tools you’ll need to grow it.

You’ll upgrade to the higher tiers for custom SEO recommendations and advanced features.

5. WordPress.com

WordPress.com is the most user-friendly blogging platform for beginners. It comes from Automattic, a firm founded by Matt Mullenweg, co-founder of WordPress.org.

You may get a simple blog hosting service for free at WordPress.com. You may also purchase premium services like a custom domain name, more storage, and more.

As a result, it’s a good option for people who want to use WordPress but don’t need the advanced features of other blogging platforms.

Pros:

• There is no need for any setup.
• It’s simple to use and manage.
• It’s entirely free if you are happy with the WordPress.com subdomain.

Cons:

• You have very few options with WordPress.com. You won’t customize your site using custom WordPress plugins and themes.
• WordPress.com does not accept advertisements. Instead, they’ll put their advertisements on your site.
• You do not own your blog, and WordPress.com can suspend your account if you do not follow its terms of service.

Pricing:

A basic WordPress.com account is free, but it will have ads and branding. The monthly fee for the personal plan is $4, and it is payable yearly.

6. Gator by HostGator

Gator is a website builder and blogging platform built by HostGator, a well-known web hosting provider. It has a drag-and-drop website builder that allows you to create any form of a website, including blogs, company websites, and even an online store.

It’s critical not to mix up the Gator builder with HostGator website hosting. You can start a WordPress blog with HostGator’s hosting service.

However, Gator is an excellent choice if you’re seeking a non-WordPress all-in-one blog platform and hosting solution.

Pros:

• Customize the look of your blog and website with a simple drag-and-drop builder.
• It’s simple to set up, and there’s no technical jargon.
• HostGator takes care of your backups, speed, and security.
• All plans include a free domain name and an SSL certificate.
• You can quickly add an online store to your blog with just a few clicks.

Cons:

• There is no free account but 45 days money-back guarantee.
• A limited number of apps.

Pricing:

The Starter plan costs $3.84 per month and comes with free hosting, a domain name, and an SSL certificate. The Premium plan costs $5.99 per month, while the eCommerce plan costs $9.22.

7. Blogger

Blogger has been there since the beginning, and it is also one of the best free blogging platforms.

Because of the limitations of plugins and themes, some users move from Blogger to WordPress to get more features and control over their website.

Blogger’s integrated Google Adsense service allows you to monetize your blogs. It is simple to activate using their dashboard.

All you need to start a free blog on Blogger is a Google account.

Pros:

• Blogger is 100% free.
• Easy to use templates.
• Monetize by integrating with Google AdSense.
• Built-in analytics to see blog traffic.
• Store your media files with Google.

Cons:

• You can only use limited blogging tools, and you can’t add additional features as your blog increases in popularity.
• There are no plugins available to improve your blog’s functionality.
• You won’t be able to add an online store.
• Blogger does not receive regular upgrades or new features.
• Google has the power to suspend or even delete your blog at any moment.

Some users start with Blogger since it is free. But as their blog grows, they move from Blogger to WordPress to get extra features and control over their website.

Pricing:

Blogger is entirely free if you use a Blogger subdomain such as https://example.blogspot.com. If you need to use a custom domain, you must purchase it from a third-party domain registrar.

8. Tumblr

Tumblr is a little different from several other blogging platforms. It combines social networking with microblogging, built-in tools for sharing, reblogging, and following blogs.

It’s free to use, but you’ll need to buy a custom domain separately for a personal blog. Apps and themes from third parties are also available.

Pros:

• It’s really simple to set up and use.
• Tumblr is free with a Tumblr subdomain such as https://example.tumblr.com.
• It has a social media component built-in.
• As a microblogging platform, Tumblr makes it simple to post videos, GIFs, pictures, and audio files.

Cons:

• There aren’t many possibilities for adding features to your blog.
• Unlike WordPress.com, you cannot change the formatting of your site.
• Exporting your website to another platform is difficult if you decide to do so.

Pricing:

Tumblr is completely free to use. You may create a custom domain for your Tumblr blog, and you can also buy third-party themes and apps.

9. Medium

Medium is a social platform for writers, journalists, bloggers, and experts from various fields. Its blogging design is simple; however, it offers limited social networking functions.

Medium is similar to many other social media platforms in that you may create an account and begin publishing content right away. Your profile address will look similar to this: https://medium.com/@yourname.

Pros:

• Free and easy to join and use.
• It’s a content-first platform, so you can write while they take care of the design.
• With the Medium Partner Program, you may earn money.
• As a microblogging platform, Tumblr makes it simple to post videos, GIFs, pictures, and audio files.

Cons:

• Very limited in power and scope.
• It is not allowed to use a custom domain name.
• Medium has full control over the audience. It means that if you lose your blog, you’ll lose your readers.
• You can’t make money by running your advertising.

Pricing:

Medium is free to use.

10. Squarespace

Squarespace is an easy-to-use website-building platform with a drag-and-drop interface. It allows you to create beautiful websites and personal blogs without knowing how to code.

Squarespace focuses on small business owners that want a quick and easy solution to establish an online presence. It was founded in 2003 and now powers millions of websites worldwide.

Pros:

• It is simple and easy to use for non-technical users.
• Provides some beautiful and professionally created templates to ensure that your website looks great without a lot of effort.
• It provides domain names with SSL/HTTPs and eCommerce shops individually.

Cons:

• Only a few tools and services provide integrations.
• The user is limited to using the features available on a proprietary platform.

Pricing:

Squarespace has different prices for websites and online stores.

Monthly prices for personal websites start at $16. If you pay annually, the price each month is only $12. Pricing for the Business plan starts at $26 per month, or $18 per month billed annually.

Pricing for online stores begins at $26 per month.

Choosing the Best Blogging Platform for Beginners

We strongly recommend WordPress.org over all other popular blogging platforms because it gives you complete control and flexibility over your blog’s future.

If you’re searching for a WordPress alternate, our second option for the best blogging platforms would be Web.com or HubSpot CMS Hub.

Their drag-and-drop website builder allows to creation of any form of a website, from a blog to a business website to an online store, at a low cost.

We hope this article helps you choose the best blogging platforms for your blog. If you liked this post, you might also want to read:

• Best Ways to Make Money With WordPress Blog
• Essential WordPress Plugins for Your Website
• 23 Proven Ways to Increase Your Blog Traffic for Free
• Weebly vs WordPress: Which One is Better For Your Website?