Blogging is getting immensely popular with every passing day. Some people prefer starting with a professional self-hosted WordPress blog, while others prefer using free blogging sites and platforms.
As against most people think, selecting a good blogging platform is very critical if you want to reach the right audience. This is the reason I thought of writing this post to help people choose the best free blogging sites.
Is It Advisable To Use Free Blogging Sites?
I usually don't advise my reader to go with free blogging sites if they are serious about blogging as a career. This is because most of the free blogging sites have their own set of limitations which makes them unsuitable for professional blogging.
However, free blogging sites are recommended in certain scenarios. So let us find out the pros and cons of each blogging site.
Pros And Cons Of Free Blogging Sites
Below are the pros and cons of free blogging sites in general.
Pros Of Free Blogging Sites
Cons Of Free Blogging Sites
Do I Recommend Free Blogging Sites?
Free blogging sites have a lot of cons as compared to pros. So, if you are planning to be a professional blogger, I DO NOT recommend free blogging sites. This is especially when you can start a self-hosted WordPress blog for just $35.4 (Price including Hosting For 1 Year, Free Domain For 1 Year, and Free Domain Privacy For 1 Year with Dreamhost
In fact, if you are a casual blogger, you can always get free hosting from 000WebHost to host your blog. However, as I said this hosting is recommended only for casual bloggers as their web hosting plans are heavily restricted for a professional blog.
What Are The Best Free Blogging Sites In 2023?
Below is the list of best and free blogging sites in 2023
1. WordPress.com: Best Free Blogging Site
WordPress.com is often confused with self-hosted WordPress.org. However, as against WordPress.org which requires you to buy a Hosting server and Domain name, WordPress.com is a free blogging site powered by the WordPress.Org blogging platform.
By registering with WordPress.com you get free hosting services along with a subdomain of the format example.wordpress.com. So, you don't have to buy a separate hosting and domain name as with WordPress.Org.
WordPress.com is considered to be the Best Blogging site among the free ones. This is mainly because of its ease to set up a blog.
It hardly takes 5-10 minutes to get started on WordPress. It also offers a large number of high-quality themes which most other free blogging sites lack.
Pros And Cons Of WordPress.com
Pros Of WordPress.com
Cons Of WordPress.com
Suitable For
2. Strikingly: Best For Blogs With Dynamic Website
Strikingly is the new kid on the block having started operations as late as 2012. It is a free website builder that makes it easy to create and publish beautiful, professional-looking websites.
With Strikingly, you don't need any technical or design skills to get started. You can select from dozens of modern templates, customize the look and feel of your site with drag-and-drop features, add powerful features like an online store and blog, and share your site with the world.
Strikingly is the perfect platform for anyone looking to start a free blog and make their mark on the web. Whether you're looking for a personal website to showcase your work or an online store to generate sales, Strikingly can help you get started quickly and easily.
Pros And Cons Of Strikingly
Pros Of Strikingly
Cons Of Strikingly
Suitable For
3. Blogger: Free Blogging Platform With Fewest Restrictions
Blogger, also known as Blogspot, is the oldest Blogging site that comes from the house of Google. It was started way back in 1999 by Pyra labs and was acquired by Google in 2003.
It is the only blogging platform that gives you access to source code as well as allows you to monetize your blog as you want. However, the freedom in monetization comes at a cost. Blogger is also the most difficult to customize the platform.
Yes, you get several readymade Blogger Templates. However, for any advanced features, you have to alter the source code.
Even though Blogger is from Google, it is not an SEO-friendly Blogging Platform
Pros And Cons Of Blogger
Pros Of Blogger
Cons Of Blogger
Suitable For
4. Tumblr
Tumblr is another very popular blogging site owned by Automattic, the same company that owns WordPress.com. It is considered the best blogging site for Microblogging.
Though Tumblr does not have any word restrictions, most Tumblr bloggers keep their posts between 100-500 words which makes it an ideal option for Personal Blogging.
It can be considered a bridge between a conventional blog and Social Media Platform. I say so because, like Facebook and Twitter, at Tumblr, you can share pictures and quotes, follow people, and like their content. Tumblr's "Reblog" feature works very similar to the "Retweet" feature of Twitter and you will find many people "Reblogging" your content which can often make your content go viral.
However, unlike social media, on Tumblr, you write and create original content which is more like blogging. One more feature that separates it from social media is the ability to have multiple authors for a blog.
Pros And Cons Of Tumblr
Pros Of Tumblr
Cons Of Tumblr
Suitable For
5. Medium
Medium is a blogging site founded by Twitter's co-founder Evan Williams. It was created with the intention of providing a platform for users which provides more than just 140 characters of Twitter.
Users can find any kind of article on Medium, ranging from personal stories to business advice and everything in between. There are also a variety of features available with Medium including the ability to follow other users, highlight portions of articles, comment on posts, promote posts, and more.
Medium is especially suitable for small businesses that want to get their Brand and products in front of a strong audience.
Pros And Cons Of Medium
Pros Of Medium
Cons Of Medium
Suitable For
6. Weebly
Weebly is a Drag and Drop builder that makes it simple to get create a blog as well as a website. It provides a wide range of website templates and tools so that users can create their own websites quickly and easily.
Weebly also offers the ability to customize the design and layout of blogs, as well as add powerful features like online stores, forums, and more. Weebly is good for both beginners and experienced webmasters who are looking to create beautiful, professional-looking sites with minimal effort.
Weebly offers free as well as premium services. Free services do come with Weebly branding and some usage restrictions.
Pros And Cons Of Weebly
Pros Of Weebly
Cons Of Weebly
Suitable For
7. LinkedIn Pulse
LinkedIn is the world's largest professional network. LinkedIn Pulse is the company's dedicated blogging platform which allows users to share their knowledge and experience with their LinkedIn followers.
Since LinkedIn is probably the only social platform that does not restrict organic reach, businesses can leverage their LinkedIn network to effectively reach their target audience.
Of course, LinkedIn Pulse is heavily restricted when it comes to its SEO capabilities, customizations, and even monetization methods which restricts its use as a full-fledged blogging platform.
However, on the positive side, despite limited control over SEO, LinkedIn is only next to Medium and Blogger when it comes to its ranking capabilities on
Pros And Cons Of LinkedIn
Pros Of LinkedIn
Cons Of LinkedIn
Suitable For
8. LiveJournal
LiveJournal is one of the oldest free blogging sites which was launched in the year 1999. LiveJournal is a great site for bloggers who are looking to express themselves in an informal and fun way.
LiveJournal provides features like polls, user profiles, comment systems, tags, etc which can be used to interact with the readers. Although LiveJournal may not be suitable for professional blogging or business blogs, it is still a great platform for personal blogs.
LiveJournal allows you to blog anonymously. So if you want to stay anonymous, Livejournal is the option you can consider.
Pros And Cons Of LiveJournal
Pros Of LiveJournal
Cons Of LiveJournal
Suitable For
9. Postach.io
If you are someone who uses Evernote extensively, Postachio can be a great blogging platform for you. Postachio allows you to turn your Evernote notebook into a blog by just tagging the post as "Published"
It is a freemium blogging site which offers limited functionalities with their free plan.
Pros And Cons Of Postachio
Pros Of Postachio
Cons Of Postachio
Suitable For
How To Choose A Free Blogging Site And Platform
Since there are a number of different free blogging sites available, it can be tough to decide which one is right for you. Here are a few factors to consider while selecting a free blogging site.
1. Ease of Use
One of the most important factors to consider while choosing a blogging site is how easy it is to use. If you're not comfortable with technology, you'll want to choose a platform that is user-friendly and easy to navigate.
2. Features
Another factor to consider is what features are offered by the blogging site. Some blogging sites offer more features than others, so be sure to choose one that offers the features you need.
3. Flexibility
The level of flexibility offered by the blogging site is also an important factor to consider. Some sites offer more flexibility than others, so be sure to choose one that offers the level of flexibility you need.
4. Support
The level of support offered by the blogging site is also an important factor to consider. Some platforms offer more support than others, so be sure to choose one that offers the level of support you need.
5. Community
The size and activity of the community surrounding the blogging site are also important factors to consider. Choose a blogging site that has a large and active community so you can get help and feedback from other users.
6. Security
The security offered by the free blogging site is also an important factor to consider. Be sure to choose a site that offers the level of security you need.
7. Reliability
The reliability of the free blogging platform is also an important factor to consider. Some platforms are more reliable than others, so be sure to choose one that is reliable and has a good reputation.
8. Overall Satisfaction
The overall satisfaction with the blogging site is also an important factor to consider. Choose a site that has a high satisfaction rating from users.
These are just a few factors to consider while choosing a free blogging site. Be sure to consider all of these factors before making a decision.
Final Words
Each of the free blogging sites has their own pros and cons. Most of them offer limited functionality with free plans. The paid version do offer some professional functionalities but they are costlier than hosting your own website on a quality server. Therefore, free blogging sites are never recommended for professional blogging.
I have made sure to include the best blogging sites in 2023 which are free to use. Do you know any good free blogging site which I might have skipped? If yes, then do share it with us through the comments below.