Starting your blog in 2025 is easier than ever—but with the amount of blogging platforms available, selecting the best one can be overwhelming. Whether you're a beginner, hobbyist, small business owner, or professional writer, the best platform is determined by your goals, budget, and technical skills.
Below is often a breakdown of the free blog platforms, their strengths, weaknesses, and who they're best for.
1. WordPress.org (Self-Hosted)
✅ Best for: Professional bloggers, businesses, and SEO-focused writers
Pros:
Complete control over design and functionality
Thousands of free and premium themes and plugins
Excellent for SEO and scalability
Integrates with almost everything
Cons:
Requires hosting and domain purchase
Has a learning curve for beginners
Cost: Free software, but hosting costs start at ~$3/month
2. Wix
✅ Best for: Beginners and inventive professionals
Pros:
Drag-and-drop website builder
Visually stunning templates
All-in-one hosting and tools
Easy to use with minimal technical skills
Cons:
Limited flexibility for advanced blogging needs
Not well suited for long-term SEO growth
Cost: Free plan available; Premium plans from ~$16/month
3. Squarespace
✅ Best for: Designers, artists, and small businesses
Pros:
Beautiful, modern templates
Easy to make use of with built-in blogging tools
All-in-one solution (hosting + design)
Cons:
Less customizable than WordPress
Fewer plugins and third-party integrations
Cost: Starts at ~$16/month
4. Medium
✅ Best for: Writers and storytellers focused on content, not customization
Pros:
Clean, distraction-free writing environment
Built-in audience and possibility of virality
No should manage hosting or design
Cons:
Limited treating branding and monetization
Medium owns your audience (no direct contact info)
Cost: Free to publish; Medium Partner Program designed for monetization
5. Ghost
✅ Best for: Publishers, newsletters, and independent journalists
Pros:
Fast, minimalist, and SEO-friendly
Built-in email newsletter and subscription tools
Open-source and privacy-focused
Cons:
Technical setup required for self-hosted version
Limited themes in comparison to WordPress
Cost: Self-hosted is free; managed Ghost(Pro) starts at ~$9/month
6. Blogger (by Google)
✅ Best for: Simple personal blogs
Pros:
Free as well as simple to set up
Integrated with Google services
No hosting required
Cons:
Outdated interface
Limited design and SEO options
Fewer updates and declining popularity
Cost: Free
7. Substack
✅ Best for: Writers emphasizing email newsletters and paid subscriptions
Pros:
Simple setup for blogging + email list
Monetization built-in with paid subscriptions
Great for writers and thought leaders
Cons:
Very limited customization
Revenue split with Substack
Cost: Free to start, Substack takes 10% of subscription revenue
Choosing the very best blog platform boils down to what you want beyond blogging. If you want full control and flexibility, go with WordPress.org. If you want simplicity, Wix, Medium, or Substack could possibly be ideal. For a growing newsletter-driven blog, Ghost is really a great modern alternative.