A list of good enough blogging platforms by price if you just want to write
Plus some blog recommendations as a nice side effect.
First published: March 2025 / Updated: Feb 2026
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. Something that lets you advance your writing goals. 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 tech 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 blogging platform I suggest, I’ve linked to two example 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 dash of personality that you can never get in the infinite sameness of Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn profiles.
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. It’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:
$10-30/year
Pagecord
- Post by email, good online editor, newsletter integration, analytics, your domain.
- Example blogs:
Micro.one
- Quick posting like social media, extendable like blogs, your domain, good community.
- Example blogs:
$35-60/year
Bear Blog
- Multiple blogs, great community, your domain, write in markdown, retro themes, long-term archive.
- Example blogs:
Pika Pro
- Powerful yet simple editor, newsletter integration, fun guestbook, easy theming and layouts, your domain.
- Example blogs:
$100-150/year
This category intentionally has just one recommendation because with the highest pay, you should get the best in terms of features, polish, and support.
Ghost via MagicPages
(referral link, only because I personally use it happily)
- All core features from above, top notch performance & support, best newsletter integration, document uploads, beautiful themes, full site search. In my opinion, this is ideal for serious writers who want an archive and home for their words.
- 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 uses, and the connection of which you own.
- You can copy-paste your blog posts on Medium or other such reading networks too 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?
