9 Best Free Blogging Sites In 2024 [Free Blogging Platforms]

Looking for a list of free blogging sites to start your own blog?

In this internet world, blogging is one of the best ways to make money online.

We are the live example of one who makes money online, and we’ve been successfully making money from blogs since 2021.

In general, blogs come in two types: free and self-hosted (premium), for which you have to pay.

Both have their own advantages and disadvantages.

However, for this article, we’ll talk about free blog sites.

So, in this article, we’ll talk about some of the free blogging sites and platforms you can use to get started with a blog for free.

How Does Your Blog Address Look on Free Blogging Sites?

On free blogging platforms, you will be getting a sub-domain as your personal blog address.

For example, if we try to register Pickup WP as your blog URL on Blogger, in that case, our blog URL will be pickupwp.blogspot.com (If it happens to be available).

So blogspot.com will be added with each blog, which is created for free on Blogger.

The same thing applies when you create blogs on other free blog websites like WordPress.com, weebly.com, etc. So, the general blog syntax for your blog address will be abc.wordpress.com or abc.weebly.com, where abc is your blog name.

9 Best Free Blog Websites to Start Blogging for Free

Below are the best sites for blogging you can use for free to start a blog:

1. WordPress (Self-Hosted)

WordPress.org Best Blogging Platform

Our top choice among the best free blogging sites is Self-Hosted WordPress. It is an open-source blog platform that is completely free to use. Furthermore, WordPress currently powers 43% of all websites on the internet.

WordPress is fully free to use, but you will need a paid web hosting plan and get a domain name in order to use it (i.e., self-hosting).

While you can find many free WordPress hosts, a better long-term plan is to pay a reasonable cost for a reliable WordPress host.

Our personal recommendation for affordable & reliable web hosting is Bluehost. We’ve used them for years and are really satisfied with their services.

Even if you select their cheapest plan (about $3.95/mo), you’ll get a lot of wonderful features, including a free SSL certificate, free domain name, and free CDN—along with their excellent 24/7 technical support to solve any problems you have.

They are also one of three hosting companies officially suggested by WordPress (the other two being DreamHost and SiteGround). Furthermore, it provides a simple 1-click installation for installing WordPress as the free blogging software that will power your blog behind the scenes.

Overall, WordPress is a popular blogging platform.

Pros of WordPress (Self-Hosted) as a Free Blogging Site

WordPress.org offers complete control over your website. You can customize the appearance, functionality, and features according to your preferences.
Offer a vast library of premium and free WordPress themes and plugins to enhance your blog’s appearance and functionality.
Using self-hosted WordPress allows you to have a custom domain name for your blog (e.g., www.yourblog.com) instead of being limited to a subdomain (e.g., yourblog.wordpress.com). Having a custom domain gives your blog a more professional and unique identity.
If you’re planning on monetizing your blog, WordPress.org is a good avenue. You’re allowed to monetize your blog any way you choose. Zero restrictions.
You can use WordPress.org to create an online store or membership site. You can also sell courses, coaching, or any other product.
WordPress is well-known for its search engine optimization (SEO) capabilities. It provides numerous SEO plugins and tools to optimize your content for search engines. As a result, improve your chances of ranking higher in search results and attracting organic traffic to your blog.
WordPress has a vast and active community of users, developers, and contributors. If you fall into any problems or have questions, you can find support through forums, online communities, and official documentation.

Cons of WordPress (Self-Hosted) as a Free Blogging Site

Although the WordPress software is free, you have to pay for hosting and a domain to host your website.
WordPress is an excellent choice, even for beginners. It does, however, have a steeper learning curve than some of our other free blogging platforms, such as Wix or Weebly.
With self-hosted WordPress, you are responsible for maintaining your site updated with the most recent WordPress version, themes, and plugins.

2. Wix

Wix is a website builder that can be completely handled from the front end. The key characteristic of this blog platform is that it has drag-and-drop options, so you don’t have to deal with anything on the backend. The design is very user-friendly and modern, and both beginners and expert users can use it.

The great thing about Wix is that it offers free hosting, so all you have to do is organize the layouts, choose a template, and you’re done. Plus, it has a good collection of paid and free themes and templates for many uses, including blogging.

Pros of Wix as a Free Blog Site

Choose from over 900 free, customizable templates built with everything you need.
Offer drag & drop website builder so that you can build a blog easily if you are new to blogging.
Free web hosting to help you grow your online presence.
Built-in SEO tools to help you compete in organic search.
Offer faster loading sites that perform great on any device.
Offer a free Logo Maker to build your own logo.

Cons of Wix as a Free Blog Site

If you use Wix’s free website builder, your site will contain Wix branding (which is a typical feature of all free platforms).
The free plan only offers 500MB of storage, which is insufficient if you intend to post a large number of multimedia on your blog.
Wix will display advertisements on your free blog until you subscribe to a premium plan.
Once you’ve chosen a template, you can’t change it without re-inserting your content.
It is really hard to migrate away from their free blogging service.
There is no eCommerce option for Wix’s free blogging sites.

3. WordPress.com

WordPress.com is a hosted blogging platform and website builder that offers a simplified and user-friendly experience for individuals and small businesses looking to create and manage their websites. With WordPress.com, you don’t need to worry about finding separate web hosting as it provides hosting as part of its service.

One of the key advantages of WordPress.com is its ease of use. The platform is designed to be beginner-friendly, allowing you to easily set up a website without requiring technical knowledge. It offers a selection of pre-designed templates and a simplified interface, making it easy to create and customize your website’s appearance.

Pros of WordPress.com as a Free Blogging Site

You don’t need to worry about finding separate web hosting or managing server-related tasks. The platform hosts your blog, ensuring that it is always online and accessible to visitors.
WordPress.com offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it suitable for beginners.
As a hosted solution, WordPress.com takes care of server maintenance, security, and updates.
WordPress.com has an active community of bloggers and users. You can connect with other bloggers, participate in forums, and receive support from the community.
WordPress.com offers mobile apps for iOS and Android devices, allowing you to manage your blog on the go.

Cons of WordPress.com as a Free Blogging Site

You have limited customization options compared to the self-hosted WordPress.org version.
WordPress.com shows ads on the free version.
When using the free version, your website will have a domain name in the format “yourwebsite.wordpress.com.” This can make your website appear less professional compared to the custom domain name.
With the free version, you have limited options to make money from your blog.

4. Blogger

Blogger is a free blogging tool offered by Google, the developers of a well-known search engine.

You may simply set up a free blog using the .blogspot.com subdomain (e.g., yourblog.blogspot.com), or you can purchase your own domain name and use it with this free site.

Overall, it’s a good choice for basic blogs. However, it sometimes feels a bit dated, and other blogging sites offer more modern features and interfaces.

Pros of Blogger as a Free Blogging Platform

Blogger is designed to be user-friendly. Setting up a blog, creating and publishing posts, and managing content is straightforward and intuitive.
Blogger provides free hosting for your blog, which means you don’t need to pay for separate web hosting services.
It offers a range of templates and design options to customize the appearance of your blog.
Since Blogger is owned by Google, it seamlessly integrates with other Google services. You can use Google AdSense to make money. Use Google Analytics for tracking website statistics. Or, use Google Search Console to optimize your site for search engine visibility.

Cons of Blogger as a Free Blogging Platform

While Blogger does offer customizable templates, the level of customization is somewhat limited compared to other blogging sites.
Blogger is a hosted platform. You don’t have full ownership and control over your blog. Google owns the platform, and they have the authority to suspend or remove blogs that violate their terms of service.
It may not offer the same modern interface and features as newer blogging platforms. The interface looks outdated or lacking in terms of visual appeal and functionality.

5. Weebly

If you’re looking to build a professional website that will help your business expand, Weebly is another website builder or one of the top free blogging sites to consider.

This website builder allows you to not only showcase your writing skills but also sell products in your portfolio. As a result, it is one of the free blogging sites to earn money.

It is similar to Wix as it offers a WYSIWYG editor with drag-and-drop features. If you want to make certain buttons, simply drag and drop the page and customize it.

Furthermore, the platform has built-in analytics and allows you to use a custom domain (for which you need to pay).

Overall, Weebly is a great option for bloggers to start a blog for free that makes money.

Pros of Weebly as a Free Blog Website

Lets you design your blog using a simple visual editor with drag-and-drop control.
Weebly provides SSL certificates even with the free option.
E-commerce integration to sell products directly from your blog.
Offers advanced search engine optimization settings to let you optimize your blog for search engines.
Easily track website performance directly from the Weebly dashboard.
Offer premium chat & email support.

Cons of Weebly as a Free Blog Website

Limited storage space, so you can’t create a professional blog with their free option.
The free Weebly plan contains Weebly branding on every page.
You cannot use your own unique domain name unless you upgrade to a premium plan.

6. Medium

Medium is a popular online publishing platform that is commonly used as a blogging site. It provides a space for bloggers, writers, content creators, and students to share their ideas, stories, and expertise with a wide audience.

On Medium, you can create your own blogs, publish articles, and engage with other writers and readers through comments and recommendations. The platform lets you focus on your content while taking care of the hosting, formatting, and distribution aspects.

Medium offers various features to enhance the blogging experience, such as adding images, embedding videos, formatting text, and organizing articles into collections. It also provides social sharing options to easily share your articles on different platforms.

Overall, Medium functions slightly like a social media platform.

Pros of Medium as a Free Blog Site

Medium is absolutely free to use. There are no hidden costs or upgrades needed, making it a completely free blog site.
It has a large and diverse user base, which means your blog posts have the potential to reach a wide audience.
You can make money via the Medium Partner Program.
You don’t have to think about maintaining servers, upgrades, or security. It takes care of hosting and technical aspects, allowing you to focus on writing and publishing.

Cons of Medium as a Free Blog Site

When you post on Medium, you are basically publishing on a third-party site. As a result, you have less control over the platform’s rules, algorithms, and overall direction of your site.
Medium has a standardized style and design for all articles, which means you have little control over the visual appearance and branding of your blog.
While Medium has a Partner Programme that allows writers to earn money based on reader interaction, it is not available to everyone.
While Medium gives basic statistics and insights on article views, reads, and recommendations, the data is restricted in comparison to other blogging platforms or self-hosted websites.
To use the custom domain name, you must be a member of Medium.

7. Ghost

Ghost is a lot like WordPress in that it is free, open-source software that you may install on your own web hosting to create a blog. However, unlike WordPress, Ghost is entirely dedicated to blogging and publishing.

Ghost also has built-in tools to help you create a membership community around your blog, as well as charging for access if you want to monetize your blogging.

Pros of Wix as a Free Blogging Site

Offers a clean and intuitive user interface that makes it easy to create and manage your blog content.
Ghost is built with performance in mind. It is optimized to deliver fast loading times and a smooth browsing experience for your readers.
Supports markdown, making it easy to format your posts.
Integrated with popular tools like HubSpot, Shopify, Google Analytics, Google AdSense, etc.

Cons of Wix as a Free Blogging Site

It may lack certain advanced features and functionalities compared to more complex content management systems like WordPress.
Ghost is primarily designed for blogging, so if you plan to expand your website beyond a blog, you might find Ghost’s capabilities to be limited.

8. Tumblr

Tumblr is a free micro-blogging site, which means it’s ideal for short-form content and visual media but not so great for long-form blog articles. Imagine Tumblr as a platform that sits in between a comprehensive blog article and a Facebook status update.

If you want to publish this type of short-form content, it’s one of the best free blogging platforms for you. Its built-in social network allows your content to be noticed by other Tumblr users, especially if they share/quote one of your posts.

Pros of Tumblr as a Free Blogging Site

Easy for beginners to start a blog without any technical knowledge. The platform offers intuitive post-creation tools and a straightforward dashboard.
Offer mobile app for iOS and Android, making it convenient to manage and post to your blog on the go.
Tumblr, like Medium, is free to use. You can do whatever you want on the platform without paying anything—it’s a 100% free blogging platform.
Tumblr allows you to monetize your blog in a number of ways, including ads and affiliate links.
Offers many free and premium themes to let you customize the style and look of your blog.

Cons of Tumblr as a Free Blogging Site

While Tumblr allows some customization options, the level of customization is relatively limited compared to other platforms.
When using Tumblr, you are essentially building your blog on their platform. This means you don’t have full ownership or control over your content.
Tumblr is not as SEO-friendly as other blogging platforms.

9. Joomla

Joomla is similar to WordPress. It is an open-source & free content management system (CMS). It’s used by millions of users worldwide to create websites of all kinds, including personal blogs, business websites, e-commerce websites, and more.

However, the software is free, but it requires hosting and a domain name. As with WordPress, we recommended Bluehost since it is both inexpensive and reliable (plus it includes a free domain).

Further, Joomla is easy to use, even for beginners with no technical experience. It has an easy-to-use interface and numerous features that allow you to build a free blog without any coding.

Joomla is an excellent option if you want a free, user-friendly, and secure CMS.

If you’re looking for a free blogging site that is easy to use, then Joomla is a great option.

Pros of Joomla as a Free Blog Platform

Joomla offers a high degree of flexibility in terms of website design and functionality. It offers a number of templates and extensions that let you customize your website according to your specific needs.
Joomla has built-in multilingual support, allowing you to create websites in multiple languages.
Joomla allows you to monetize your site in any way you want, even as a free blogging platform, which is a useful feature. You can use ads and affiliate links and sell items as you see fit.

Cons of Joomla as a Free Blog Platform

Although the Joomla CMS is free to use, you will have to pay for your domain name and hosting.
In comparison to other CMS platforms, Joomla has a higher learning curve.
While Joomla provides a number of extensions and templates for customizing your website, the overall design and layout possibilities may be more limited than those provided by blogging platforms such as WordPress.org.
Again, like any CMS, it is your task to make sure that your site is secure and well-maintained.

Final Thoughts on Free Blogging Sites

We hope our list of the best free blog posting sites allows you to create free blogs and share your thoughts with the rest of the world.

As we mentioned, there are several free blog writing platforms available online. Choosing a free blog site is not an easy task, and you cannot try them all at once. So, first, identify your blogging needs, and then select a blogging platform based on your profession.

If you’re a beginner looking for a way to earn money from your blog, we strongly recommend that you try self-hosted WordPress from the list of free blogging sites above.

It is a free and open-source blog platform that runs 43% of all websites on the internet. Additionally, it offers thousands of free themes and plugins for customizing the design and functionality of your site.

However, to use it, you need web hosting and a domain. We recommended Bluehost for this.

That’s it!

For more, check out these other helpful resources:

Lastly, follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay updated on the latest WordPress and blogging-related articles.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Blogging Platform?

A blogging platform is software that allows individuals or businesses to create and publish their own blogs on the internet. It offers a user-friendly interface and a set of tools that allow users to write, edit, and manage their blog content without requiring extensive technical knowledge.

Is Blogging Free?

The cost of blogging can vary depending on the specific approach and platform you choose. While there are free options available, it’s important to consider that they often come with limitations and may not provide the same level of control and flexibility as paid alternatives.

Are There Any Limitations on Using Free Blogging Platforms?

Yes, free blogging sites have limitations such as limited storage space and fewer customization options, and the site may show its own ads on your blog.

Can I Make Money With a Free Blog Site?

Yes, even with a free blog, you can make money with it. Some free blogging sites, such as WordPress.com, have restrictions on monetization options. However, other blog sites, like Blogger and Wix, allow their users to monetize their blogs through advertising or affiliate marketing.

Does a Free Blogging Site Allow Me to Use My Own Domain Name?

The ability to use your own domain name with a free blogging site varies depending on the platform you choose. While some free blogging platforms offer this option, others may restrict the use of custom domain names to their paid plans.

Can Blogging be Profitable?

Yes, blogging can be profitable. While not all blogs generate income, there are several ways to monetize a blog and turn it into a profitable venture. Here are some common methods bloggers use to make money:

Displaying ads on your blog
Using affiliate marketing to promote products or services
Sell digital products such as e-books, online courses, etc
Offer consulting services

For more, check out these best ways to make money blogging.

Murtaza Malek

Web Engineer, Evid Learner and Reader, Techentreprenuer, Tech Evangelist.

7 June 2023