5 Best Blogging Platforms for Beginners

So you finally decided to start a blog, but you're not sure which blogging platform is the best for you. From the classic Blogger to self-hosted WordPress, there are so many options for you. 

However, you may wonder how to find blogging platforms that are suitable for anyone who barely knows anything about web development or design. 

Maybe you're a writer looking to start a blog to build your writing portfolio, or maybe you just want to build your personal brand to share your expertise. 

In this post, I'm going to share some easy blogging platforms for beginners. So, what are the best platforms to start blogging? Let's dive in!

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5 Best Blogging Platforms for Beginners

As a beginner who wants to test the waters of the blogging world, you may have a lot of considerations when it comes to choosing a blogging platform to get you started. 

Maybe you want something easy that won't require too many technicalities to start your digital presence through your blog, or you just want something free or even cheap for a blogging platform to showcase your portfolio. 

No matter what you consider when choosing your first blogging space, we've compiled some of the best blogging platforms for beginners in this section. From the easy-peasy blogging platform to one that requires a little bit of learning curves!

1. Blogger

It was one of the pioneers in the blogging industry until Google acquired it in 2003, and it's still a popular blogging platform in 2024. 

Despite the fact it's been years since the last time I used Blogger (formerly known as Blogspot), I'd still recommend Blogger time and time again, especially if you're looking for a cheap blogging platform for beginners. 

It's one of the best free blogging platforms for beginners, and its user-friendliness is one of the reasons why Blogger is a really great platform for newbie bloggers. Blogger is easy to set up, and creating a blog and publishing content on the platform is pretty straightforward. 

As Google currently owns Blogger, you can also seamlessly integrate your blog with other essential Google products to support your blogging journey. These include Google Analytics and Google Search Console to analyze your blog performance, and Google AdSense if you plan to monetize your blog through ads. 

Blogger offers free hosting for your blog, and you can create a free blog with the blogspot.com subdomain. However, I still recommend you get a custom domain and connect it with your Blogger account, especially if you're planning to grow your personal brand through your blog. 

You can either get a Google domain (now managed by Squarespace) or purchase it separately from other domain registrars. 

If budget is your issue, you'll be glad that companies like Namecheap or Domain.com usually offer pretty affordable domains, and it's pretty easy to integrate them with your Blogger account! 

2. WordPress.com

WordPress is by far the most popular blogging platform on the market, and one of the things you need to know is that there are actually two different types of WordPress: wordpress.com and self-hosted WordPress. 

WordPress.com is probably the easiest blogging platform out of the two, especially if you're a newbie with limited tech knowledge. 

All you need to do to start a new blog on WordPress.com is go to their website, and sign up for a new account there. If you want to start a blog for free, you can still set up your blog using the wordpress.com subdomain. Just like Blogger, you can also add a custom domain with WordPress.com. 

While you can also purchase a domain from other domain registrars like Namecheap or Domain.com, the easiest way to do it is to upgrade your WordPress plan. 

They have a few website plans that you can choose based on your needs. However, depending on the plan you choose on WordPress.com, it may come with limitations compared to self-hosted WordPress. 

For instance, you will need to upgrade to the Creator plan in order to install plugins for your website. Otherwise, the functionality of your website can be pretty limited, especially if you want to start growing and monetizing your blog. 

3. Self-hosted WordPress

I can't vouch for self-hosted WordPress even more, because it's the platform that I've been using since I started taking blogging seriously in the past few years. So, what makes it stand out from WordPress.com?

For a start, there are so many WordPress hosting providers on the market, so you can make a better purchasing decision to ensure you pick one that's most suitable for your needs. 

From GoDaddy and BlueHost, to Hosting.co.uk, you can do your own research to ensure the one you choose is the best in terms of pricing, speed, or customer service. Some can be even cheaper than if you upgrade the plan on WordPress.com!

The only downside is that the learning curve for self-hosted WordPress can be quite steep for novice bloggers, especially if you're not very comfortable dealing with tech stuff. However, WordPress.org is probably the best option if you plan to eventually scale your website into a real business, whether as a professional blogger or even starting to sell your own products. 

On top of that, as the site owner you will be responsible for ensuring security measures are in place for your website. 

Some hosting providers usually offer add-ons for security as well, so it's worth upgrading your hosting plan if you're not very comfortable doing it on your own. Alternatively, you may want to consider hiring a VA or a freelancer for web maintenance via freelancing marketplaces like Fiverr or Upwork. 

4. Wix

If you want to create a blog that's beautifully designed with the bare minimum of technical knowledge about web design, Wix can be a great alternative for that. 

Not only does Wix offer hundreds of gorgeous templates that you can customize with its drag-and-drop features, but it also comes with AI-powered web design tools that enable you to create a website in a second just by giving them a prompt about the website you want to build! 

Wix is suitable if you're looking for an all-in-one platform that includes everything you need to start a blog, including hosting, custom domain, and email marketing. 

The platform also comes with numerous plugins and apps that can add functionalities to your blog, all without any requirement to have even basic coding skills! 

However, Wix may not be the best platform if you're looking for a blogging platform that can be easily optimized for search engines. Wix offers SEO tools on their platform, but it's still somewhat limited compared to platforms like WordPress or even Blogger. 

While you can always hire Wix experts to sort it out, you may also take into consideration that there will be an extra cost if you want to ensure online visibility for your blog through the set-ups! 

5. Squarespace

One that stands out about Squarespace compared to the other blogging details is its website templates. Squarespace offers beautifully designed templates that are modern, professional, and mobile-responsive, which are the elements needed to have a fully optimized website of the World Wide Web. 

Similar to Wix, Squarespace offers an all-in-one solution so everything you need to start your blog is already included in their plan. 

The only downside is that Squarespace is pretty expensive compared to other blogging platforms in this post. On top of that, since Squarespace is a big corporation that has a lot of products, getting started with Squarespace can be pretty overwhelming if you're new to the platform. 

FAQ About Blogging Platforms for Beginners

1. Which is the best platform for beginner bloggers? 

If you're looking to get started with content creation with a limited budget, Blogger can be a great platform to build your portfolio and gain more knowledge in the blogging sphere. 

WordPress is by far the most popular blogging platform in the industry, and for good reasons. Its versatility is what makes it stand out compared to other blogging platforms in this list. However, WordPress may not be a great choice if you're not very tech-savvy. 

Meanwhile, Wix and Squarespace are the easy solutions if you want an all-in-one platform that provides everything you need for your blogging journey. However, the pricing for both Wix and Squarespace can be quite steep if you don't have a lot of budget to start a blog. 

2. Is there a downside to blogging? 

Blogging is not an easy money scheme. It can take months or even years to actually start seeing traction from your blog, especially if your goal is monetization. 

However, blogging can be a great way to build your portfolio if you're a writer looking for writing gigs online. Blogger or WordPress can be great options if you're looking for free blogging platforms for writers. 

You don't necessarily need to purchase a custom domain to build your portfolio; all you need is to just keep writing and building your portfolio.

3. Which blogging platform is best for making money? 

Among the five blogging platforms for beginners, self-hosted WordPress is probably the best one for making money, as it gives you the freedom to explore all monetization options. 

Most ad networks are compatible with self-hosted WordPress, so it's the easiest blogging platform if you want to start making money through ads. 

Conclusion

In the ever-evolving landscape of online content creation, choosing the right blogging platform for beginners is pivotal. 

As we've explored the top contenders – Blogger, WordPress.com, self-hosted WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace – each presents a unique blend of advantages and limitations.

If budget is your constraint, Blogger is probably the best choice with its straightforward interface and Google integration. Meanwhile, Wix and Squarespace shines with their user-friendly drag-and-drop editor and design flexibility with their stunning web templates. 

However, WordPress still stands out if you need an affordable blogging platform with versatile functionalities that can support your platform's growth. 

So, out of the five, which one is the blogging platform that you would recommend for novice bloggers?