A list of good enough blogging platforms by price if you just want to write
Plus some blog recommendations as a nice side effect.
So you have decided to write a blog. Maybe you too are tired of cramming your thoughts in tiny social media posts for the cold algorithm and deleting all nuance in the process. You want to share your real expertise with the world, or maybe just some organic human thoughts and experiences. You don’t want to figure out which is the “best” blogging platform. You don’t know what is a good design for your blog. You don’t want to worry or bother about SEO. You merely want something that just works. Something that would last a while. Something that might even feel like your home on the internet. And you know what you’re willing to pay for it—even if it is $0.
This curated list of good enough blogging platforms sorted by price range is for you. It’s not for someone who already knows their preferences and wants to maximize every single aspect of their blog. The list is for people who want something great at whatever price they pick without having to do much else but write. For every platform, I’ve included two examples of blogs hosted there so you can see how your blog might look and feel. You’ll notice that even with minimal differences, blogs can have a touch of personality that you can never get in the infinite sameness of every Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn profile.
My advice for people new to blogging: just pick any platform in your price range, and write your first human post on the world wide web. That’s all that matters.
Free blog!
Pika
- Beautiful themes, simple interface, 50 posts for free.
- Example blogs:
Mataroa
- Write in markdown, newsletter integration, fast and barebones.
- Example blogs:
Telescope
- Simple stylish design, good editor, newsletter integration.
- Example blogs:
$1-2 per month
Pagecord
- Post by email, good online editor, newsletter integration, custom domain.
- Example blogs:
Micro.one
- Quick posting like social media, extendable like blogs, custom domain.
- Example blogs:
Ghost via DigitalPress
- Powerful editor, newsletter integration, custom domain.
- Example blogs: (Ghost blogs look similar wherever they’re hosted)
The next two categories intentionally have fewer recommendations because the more you pay, the more you should get in terms of features and polish. So my bar for curation is higher here.
$3-5 per month
Posthaven
- All core features from above, multiple blogs, long-term archive.
- Example blogs:
Bear Blog
- Write in markdown, multiple blogs, retro themes, long-term archive.
- Example blogs:
$6-12 per month
Ghost via MagicPages
(referral link, only because I personally use it happily)
- All core features from above, top notch support and performance, document and video uploads, beautiful themes
- Example blogs: (Ghost blogs look similar wherever they’re hosted)
Some notes
- If your blogging platform lacks newsletter integration, you can copy-paste your blog posts on free newsletter platforms like Substack, Beehiv or Buttondown. This allows readers to subscribe to your posts via email—a medium everyone has, and the connection of which you own.
- You can copy-paste your blog posts on Medium or other such reading networks for potential discovery.
- If you’re curious, Manu has created a big list of blogging platforms, which is what partially inspired this post.
Hope my curated list helps you start a blog and write your first post. When you do, maybe share it with me?