best free sites for blogging
A practical, unbiased look at popular free blogging platforms — ease, features and where each one can grow.
Free blogging platforms let you start fast and cost-free. But they differ in control, SEO, flexibility and long-term growth. This guide breaks down pros and cons so you can choose the right starting point.
Popular free blogging platforms — pros & cons
Short reviews focused on ease of use, features, and how each platform supports growth.
WordPress.com (free)
Ease: Moderate. Features: Good (themes, plugins limited on free plan). Growth: Strong if you upgrade or migrate to self-hosted WordPress.
- Large ecosystem and export options
- Good SEO basics on paid tiers
- Free plan shows WordPress branding and limited customization
- Advanced plugins require paid plans or self-hosting
Blogger (Google)
Ease: Easy. Features: Basic. Growth: Limited — platform updates are infrequent; export available but migration requires work.
- Very easy to start, integrated with Google account
- Free subdomain and hosting
- Limited design flexibility and features
- Not ideal for serious brand growth
Medium
Ease: Very easy. Features: Minimal (writing focus). Growth: Good for reach inside Medium — poor ownership and discoverability outside platform.
- Built-in audience and distribution tools
- Beautiful, distraction-free reading experience
- Limited brand control and monetization options
- Harder to capture direct audience data
Wix (free plan)
Ease: Very easy. Features: Good visually; free plan shows Wix ads and uses a Wix subdomain. Growth: Reasonable if you upgrade; migrating off Wix can be tricky.
- Intuitive editor and templates
- Wix ads on free sites, limited SEO on free tier
- Deep custom code requires paid plans
Substack
Ease: Very easy. Features: Superb for newsletters & long posts. Growth: Excellent for monetisation if you build an email list, but site features are limited.
- Built-in paid subscriptions and email delivery
- Site customization and SEO are secondary
Tumblr
Ease: Very easy. Features: Social, media-rich microblogging. Growth: Community-driven but limited for professional growth or serious SEO.
- Fast to publish short posts and multimedia
- Not ideal for long-form SEO led growth
Side‑by‑side: ease, features and growth potential
| Platform | Ease | Key features | Growth potential | Ownership / export |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress.com | Moderate | Themes, blogging tools, paid plugins | High (with paid plan or move to self‑hosted) | Good — export to WordPress.org |
| Blogger | Very easy | Simple editor, Google integration | Low–Medium | Export available, but migration friction |
| Medium | Very easy | Audience network, claps, publications | Medium (within Medium ecosystem) | Poor — limited content portability |
| Wix (free) | Very easy | Visual editor, templates | Medium with upgrades | Limited — moving off Wix can be manual |
| Substack | Very easy | Email-first publishing, paid subscriptions | High for direct audience & monetization | Moderate — export email list, posts exportable |
| Tumblr | Very easy | Microblogging, reblogs, media | Low for professional SEO growth | Limited |
How to choose the right free platform
Match platform strengths to your goals. Ask these questions first:
Are you building a personal journal, a professional portfolio, or a subscriber-based newsletter?
Do you need custom domain, SEO control, or custom plugins later?
Will you sell subscriptions, products, or prefer ad revenue?
Quick recommendations
- Start with Medium or Substack if you only want to write and find readers fast.
- Choose WordPress.com or Wix if you need a fuller website that can evolve into a business.
- Use Blogger or Tumblr for hobby blogs and simple social sharing.
Ownership and migration — what you must know
Free platforms often trade convenience for control. Key points:
- Domain: Free plans usually force a subdomain (yoursite.platform.com). A custom domain often requires paid plans.
- Branding & ads: Free tiers commonly display platform branding and ads you can’t remove without upgrading.
- Exportability: WordPress.com offers the most straightforward export for full site migration. Medium and some proprietary platforms make full export harder.
- Email & subscribers: If building an audience, capture email addresses early — your list travels with you even if the platform doesn’t.
Who should start on a free platform?
Free platforms are excellent for:
You want to publish casually with zero cost.
Validate topics and tone before investing in a brand site.
Substack or similar for direct monetization and email relationships.
You should consider upgrading when the platform limits your brand, SEO, monetization, or you need a custom domain and full ownership. Also upgrade if the time you spend fighting platform limits exceeds the subscription cost.
Need more than a free blog?
Free platforms are perfect for starting. But businesses and creators who want a branded site, reliable SEO, and easy updates often move to a managed solution. Congero offers fast, mobile-optimised websites, local SEO, domain and hosting for a predictable monthly fee — plus unlimited updates via text. It's an alternative when you want ownership, speed and ongoing support without technical overhead.
- Custom domain & professional design
- Built‑for‑mobile and fast loading
- Local SEO and analytics included
If you want to compare starting free vs moving to a managed site, see how the options stack up or Try a demo
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to start on a free platform?
Which free platform is best for SEO?
Can I monetize on free platforms?
Final takeaway
Free blogging platforms are excellent to begin publishing quickly and for testing ideas. Choose based on your primary objective: quick audience reach (Medium, Substack), extreme simplicity (Blogger, Tumblr), or future flexibility (WordPress.com, Wix). If you prioritise brand control, SEO and a hands-off professional presence that scales, a managed website with predictable pricing and ownership is the clearer long-term choice.
Start small. plan for growth.
Pick a free platform to test ideas, but keep export and subscriber capture in mind. That way your content — and audience — can grow with you.
