Blogging Platforms
Blogging Platforms Overview
Top Rated Blogging Products

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Blogging Products
(1-25 of 38) Sorted by Most Reviews
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Wordpress is an open-source publishing platform popular with bloggers, and a content management system, known for its simplicity and modifiability. Websites may host their own blogging communities, controlling and moderating content from a single dashboard.
Key Features
- Library of website themes (131)88%8.8
- Mobile optimization / responsive design (130)86%8.6
- Admin section (132)82%8.2
Wix is a free, hosted website builder, designed to be user-friendly and customizable without requiring coding from the user. It is well-known for its eCommerce solution, which allows users to build an online store.
Key Features
- Library of website themes (89)77%7.7
- Page templates (92)74%7.4
- Mobile optimization / responsive design (92)68%6.8
Top Pros and Cons
Squarespace is a CMS platform that allows users to create a DIY blog, eCommerce store, and/or portfolio (visual art or music). Some Squarespace website and shop templates are industry or use case-specific, such as menu builders for restaurant sites.
Key Features
- Page templates (85)89%8.9
- Admin section (84)85%8.5
- Library of website themes (83)82%8.2
Weebly, now from Square, is a basic content management system with blogging and eCommerce features. It can be utilized for building standard websites or specialized webpages for online stores.
Key Features
- Mobile optimization / responsive design (39)90%9.0
- Page templates (40)21%2.1
- Library of website themes (40)21%2.1
Learn More About Blogging Platforms
What Are Blogging Platforms?
Blogging platforms are a type of web CMS designed to simplify the creation and maintenance of blogs. Blogs are text and image-heavy websites that get updated over time with new content; updates are called blog posts.
Blogging platforms are popular among freelancers and individuals looking to set up their own website blog. Many free blogging platforms provide individual users with all the functionality they need. However, for business users or more advanced individual users, paid platforms offer more functionality. For example, a paid blogging platform subscription will likely offer:
more storage space
better access to customer support
a larger number of user seats/licenses
more integrations with other software platforms
This type of software is closely related to CMS systems and headless CMS platforms.
Blogging Platforms Features & Capabilities
WYSIWYG Editor
Administration and User Management
Publishing Tools for Managing Content
Commenting System
Sharing and Distribution
Multilingual Support
Video uploading
Media Management (Videos and Images)
Performance Tracking
Templates & themes
Custom Content Types
Content storage/repository
APIs to Create Plugins
Hosted vs. Self-Hosted Blogs
Blogs can be either hosted by a third-party service or self-hosted. A hosted blog is a good option for beginners and users with less technical knowledge. This type is also good for users who do not wish to manage the back-end technical aspects of the blog. The content of a hosted blog will live in a dedicated sub-domain within the blog hosting site’s own domain.
Users who plan to self-host will need to rent a server, download blogging software, set up a database, and obtain a custom domain name. This approach grants users much more freedom for deep customization. However, it also requires coding skills and will be more work to set up and maintain.
Key Selection Considerations
Many popular blogging tools are fairly similar and fairly flexible—by design, they can be used for a variety of projects. According to users some of the most important distinctions are the following:
Technical knowledge requirements
Cost
Domain name availability
Depth of customization
Scope of blog/website
Before you choose, determine your skill level, your goals, and your timeline.
Pricing Information
There are many open-source and free blog platforms to choose from. However, blogging platforms with more features or designed for corporate use usually charge a modest monthly fee. You may also need to pay for the domain and hosting.
Related Categories
Frequently Asked Questions
What do blogging platforms do?
What are the best blogging platforms?
On TrustRadius, the most popular blogging platforms (by the number of reviews they have) are:
What are some examples of free blogging platforms?
Here are some popular free and open-source blogging platforms:
If you’re looking for a blogging platform with extra functionality, a paid platform is likely a better fit. But if all you need is a zero cost and simple blogging solution, a free blogging platform is the way to go.
How much do blogging platforms cost?
Many popular blogging platforms like WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace offer a free plan. However, free plans often have limited functionality. Paid plans for personal use start between $5-$15 per month while business plans tend to start between $25-$40 per month.
The cost will depend on a few factors, including the number of users, the amount of online storage space needed, and the range of features needed.