Starting your site in 2025 is a lot easier than ever—but with so many blogging platforms available, deciding on the best one can be overwhelming. Whether you’re beginner, hobbyist, small business owner, or professional writer, the perfect platform depends on your goals, budget, and technical skills.

Below is a breakdown of the top blogging 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 treatments for 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 artistic professionals

Pros:

Drag-and-drop website builder

Visually stunning templates

All-in-one hosting and tools

Easy to work with 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 have to manage hosting or design

Cons:

Limited control over branding and monetization

Medium owns your audience (no direct contact info)

Cost: Free to publish; Medium Partner Program available 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 essential for self-hosted version

Limited themes when compared with WordPress

Cost: Self-hosted is free; managed Ghost(Pro) starts at ~$9/month

6. Blogger (by Google)

✅ Best for: Simple personal blogs

Pros:

Free and straightforward 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Outdated interface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 centering on 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 top blog platform comes down to what you want out of blogging. If you want full control and suppleness, opt for WordPress.org. If you want simplicity, Wix, Medium, or Substack may be ideal. For a growing newsletter-driven blog, Ghost is often a great modern alternative.