• Best Overall
    wix

    Wix

      Wix is a website builder platform that allows users to create and manage websites without needing to know any code. It offers a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, making it accessible to beginners.
  • Versatile
    LinkedIn icon

    LinkedIn

      LinkedIn is a valuable tool for any individual who wants to connect with others in their field, upload blogs, stay up-to-date on industry news and trends, and build their personal brand effectively.
  • 100% Free
    Blogger icon

    Blogger

      Blogger is a free, online content management system owned by Google, allowing you to create and publish blogs easily without any coding knowledge. Blogger boasts a simple and intuitive interface.

Ever fantasize about publishing high-quality blogs to educate audiences? Hold on, don't reach for your wallet just yet. While fancy themes can aid in visual appearance, they're not the key to unlocking your blogging capabilities.

The truth is, countless bloggers have kickstarted their journeys on completely free platforms. Think of it as a writer's bootcamp – you hone your craft, build an audience, and all without breaking the bank.

This may sound too good to be true, but you really can start blogging with little to no investment. If you're looking for a free platform to publish your blogs, this guide is about to show you the ropes.

I'll share the best free blogging platforms that won't leave you bankrupt. Plus, I'll show light on the not-so-secret methods to earn from your blogs (yes, you read that right!). Let's get started.

How to Start a Blog for Free?

Before you know the best free blogging sites, you need to know how to start a blog for free. Many people don’t know the process, and sharing the websites would only confuse them. 

All you need to do is keep a few tips in mind. While the process isn’t daunting, it is a little time-consuming. Let’s get started. 

1. Find the Perfect Niche and Name

Make sure you conduct a thorough research. Look at the popular niches and what your competitors are doing. More importantly, what can you deliver with utmost perfection? 

If you want to thrive in your writing career, you need an interesting niche. You also need to pick something you’re knowledgeable about. 

After you find your niche, the name for your blog should come automatically. Make sure it’s catchy and simple. Most platforms will let you find an available blog name. 

2. Choose a Reliable Blogging Platform

Your success in starting a blog for free will heavily depend on your chosen blogging platform. You need to choose a platform where you can store your website’s data without paying anything

One downside of using such free blogging platforms is that you will be sharing the space with other clients. As it’s a free account, the provider extends the URL by attaching a subdomain name. 

But when you go with a paid option, you will get a custom URL, a custom yet free domain name, and your private server. This self-hosting storage will give you more control over space and storage. You should consider this when your free blog starts getting traffic. 

3. Pick a Theme

Free blogging platforms offer free themes to choose from. The themes will influence your site's appearance. The way you design your blog will impact its readability. 

You can customize the themes according to color, layouts, fonts, and color schemes. The customization options are limitless. 

Don’t forget to experiment with different widgets, effects, wordings, and plugins. However, ensure the design doesn’t overwhelm your blog or the visitors. 

4. Publish your Post

Once you choose these essential aspects, you need to publish your blog. If you want to know how to start a blog for free, you need to focus on picking a blogging platform first. 

Do some research on your target audience to determine the perfect uploading timing. You also need to ensure your blog is SEO-optimized for higher SERP rankings. This way, you can also monetize a blog and earn a commission. 

Best Free Blogging Websites

Now that you know how to start a blog for free, you’re ready to set up a blog publishing platform. However, not everyone knows the best free blogging websites to publish their blog

Moreover, most options come with paid pricing, which you might not find feasible. To help you with the process, I have researched and highlighted nine free blogging platforms. Let’s take a look at them. 

1. Wix

If you’re looking for a free blog and website builder, consider choosing Wix. One of the best things about Wix is that you can manage it entirely from the front end. 

Wix how to start a blog for free

However, the most notable feature of Wix should be its 100% free services. You can launch your blogging platform under Wix’s subdomain. 

Wix

  • Faster content deployment
  • Dedicated account support
  • Multi-site management
  • Custom integrations

Wix also has an extensive collection of free and premium templates and themes. Depending on your needs, you can use these templates for blogging. The simple design of Wix is great for beginners and professionals alike

To start blogging on Wix, all you need to do is just sign up. The Wix ADI can create a blogging website from your questionnaire, or you can build one yourself. 

Wix dashboard

If you want to build a blogging website independently, use the Wix editor to choose the perfect layouts and templates

Pros

  • You can create and publish a website for free
  • The drag-and-drop editor is incredibly user-friendly
  • Offers over 800 professionally designed templates
  • The free plan has SEO tools, contact forms, social media integration

Cons

  • Your free website will have a subdomain

Wix comes with a drag-and-drop feature, which will prove extremely helpful when you’re working on your blog. This feature allows both technical and non-technical users to upload their blogs on Wix easily

Wix Pricing Plan

  • Free: $0

  • Lite: $23/month

  • Core: $34/month

  • Business: $38/month

  • Business Lite: $172/month

You can also add numerous elements to your blogging page. This includes menus, video boxes, backgrounds, forms, typography, etc

? Why use Wix?
  • Wix's free plan is a great option for anyone who wants to create a simple website for personal use or a small business with limited needs.

When you’re done customizing your blogging website, click on the Publish button, and you can publish your blogs. You can edit the content blocks anytime after publishing. 

2. WordPress

WordPress is an excellent option for someone who doesn’t know how to start a blog website for free. As WordPress is an open-source platform, you will get a plethora of customization options

WordPress dashboard

You can implement thousands of free templates and themes. This way, you can give your blog a more professional and appealing look without worrying about any coding knowledge. 

WordPress

WordPress logo
  • Unlimited pages
  • Brute-force protection
  • Smart redirects
  • Built-in newsletters & RSS

Additionally, WordPress has an active community. Even if you face problems with any technical aspect, they will be more than happy to help you. 

WordPress dashboard 1

While you can access WordPress for free, you need to purchase a hosting service to make your website live. These services will store your website files and make them accessible to visitors. 

Pros

  • Most flexible and customizable platform
  • Large and supportive community.
  • The core software is free to use
  • Complete control over your website

Cons

  • The free version will have a subdomain, which doesn't reflect professionalism

However, you can create a free blogging website without purchasing a hosting service. But your website will have a WordPress subdomain. 

WordPress Pricing Plan

  • Free: $0

  • Starter: $5/month

  • Explorer: $11/month

  • Creator: $35/month

  • Entrepreneur: $63/month

  • Enterprise: Visit website

Your free WordPress website may not be as fast as the other shared hosting, but it’s certainly a great starting place. You can install free cache plugins to enhance the speed and performance of your WordPress website

? Why use WordPress?
  • The free version is a major advantage, especially for beginners or those on a tight budget. You don't need to pay for the software itself, and with a bit of research, you can find affordable web hosting and domain names

WordPress.com takes care of website updates and security, which is a major advantage for non-technical users. This saves you time and effort compared to self-hosted WordPress.org.

3. LinkedIn

You may wonder why I included LinkedIn on my list of free websites to start a blog. It isn’t the first option for most people when looking for the best blog site. However, LinkedIn can help you publish your first blog. 

LinkedIn

Two primary reasons to use LinkedIn are the easy-to-use tools and the pre-existing audience. This is why you will find most professionals, including CEOs, CFOs, CMOs, and other C-suite executives, on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn Logo
  • Simple interface
  • Free version is excellent
  • Extensive user and connection base
  • Easy setup

The best thing about LinkedIn’s user base is that you will have access to a great community of people. From business owners to professionals, everyone is present on LinkedIn. 

LinkedIn dashboard

In fact, reports suggest that over 60 million businesses are active on LinkedIn. Besides searching for jobs or posting vacancies, people use LinkedIn to consume high-quality content. 

Pros

  • LinkedIn can increase blog visibility and reach
  • Establish yourself as a thought leader
  • Improve your personal brand
  • Build relationships with like-minded people

Cons

  • Creating high-quality content takes extensive time and effort

In short, LinkedIn is the best platform to get exposure from like-minded people. This makes LinkedIn one of the most eye-catching and free blogging sites in the market. 

Keep in mind that LinkedIn offers multiple pricing plans, and some of them are curated for recruiters and sales navigators. However, I will only list the pricing plans that would prove relevant to your goals.

LinkedIn Pricing Plan

  • Basic: $0

  • LinkedIn Premium Career: $29.99/month

  • LinkedIn Premium Business: $59.99/month

Publishing blog content on LinkedIn is also easy. Just go to your LinkedIn feed and create a new post. You can also choose “Write an article on LinkedIn” for complete viewing. 

? Why use LinkedIn?
  • LinkedIn blogging offers a powerful way to establish yourself as a thought leader, build professional relationships, and strengthen your personal brand.

You will also find numerous editing tools that will help you add images, format your texts, and more. However, you won’t get any themes or templates. 

4. Weebly

Weebly is another website builder that you can use for your blogging purposes. If you have plans to promote your blog and sell something through it, you can also use Weebly. 

Weebly

Let’s say you’re a professional content writer like me, and you want to showcase your diverse portfolio. In such cases, Weebly will capture your attention. 

Weebly

weebly logo
  • Free SSL Security
  • Third-party embed code
  • Inventory management
  • Item badges

While Weebly is somewhat similar to Wix, Wix comes with a drag-and-drop feature and a WYSIWYG editor

Weebly dashboard

If you want to add any specific button, you can add it to the web page and then customize it as per your needs. This also applies to slideshows, photo galleries, and other multimedia elements

Pros

  • You can create and publish a website completely free
  • Intuitive and user-friendly
  • Mobile-responsive websites
  • Decent selection of free themes

Cons

  • Your free website will display Weebly ads and have a subdomain

Weebly comes with media boxes, sidebars, ad spaces, forms, newsletter subscriptions, social media icons, and many more. 

Weebly Pricing Plan

  • Free: $0

  • Personal: $10/month

  • Professional: $12/month

  • Performance: $16/month

I don't recommend upgrading to the premium plans of Weebly. This is because this platform is focused on helping WooCommerce and other businesses planning to sell products and services.

? Why use Weebly?
  • Weebly's free plan is a good option for individuals or small businesses who need a simple website with basic features and no budget. However, be aware of the limitations and upgrade costs if needed.

Weebly has built-in analytics, where you will be able to use your own customized domains. However, you need to pay for the customized domains. 

5. Medium 

If you’re keen on learning how to start a blog site for free, make sure you consider Medium. This multipurpose platform covers diverse topics. 

Medium dashboard

Unlike other free blogging websites, the most notable feature of Medium is that you can showcase your article to a wide range of audiences. 

Medium

medium logo
  • Simple editor
  • Member read time
  • Content importing
  • Draft privacy

Medium has over 150 million readers per month. In short, your content will be consumed by like-minded people. You can build a great connection base as they will engage with your blogs. 

Medium

Medium is also super simple to use. You don’t need to have any technical or coding skills to get started on Medium. Just sign up, create an account, and you can start uploading your blogs there. 

Pros

  • Simple and user-friendly platform
  • Monetization options to earn money
  • Availability of cross-promotion
  • Mobile application to publish and manage

Cons

  • You can't customize your stories beyond basic formatting and font choices

However, keep in mind that Medium is a third-party platform. That being said, you cannot build your own customized space like you would with Wix or WordPress

Medium Pricing Plan

  • Free: $0

Remember that writing and publishing on Medium is free. However, readers need to be a Medium member to view unlimited stories. The subscription costs from the readers allow writers to get paid.

? Why use Medium?
  • Medium is 100% free platform to publish your blog content and manage them on the go. Small businesses and individuals looking to expand their portfolio can use Medium.

With Medium, your blogs may not achieve higher rankings on the Google SERPs. This is because Google always prefers websites over these third-party platforms. 

6. Blogger

Coming sixth in my list of best free blogging sites is Blogger. This is undoubtedly one of the oldest platforms in the market. However, its popularity has decreased over time. 

Blogger

If you want to publish a personal blog, you should consider choosing Blogger. But keep in mind that it’s not the best solution for professional blogs. 

Blogger

blogger logo
  • Content publishing options
  • Reporting/analytics
  • WYSIWYG editor
  • Extensive image library

Blogger operates just like other hosted platforms. You need to sign up and create an account to get started. The creation process is simple and easy. 

Blogger dashboard

After creating an account, you must choose one of the default themes and start writing down your thoughts. Blogger’s interface is somewhat similar to the Google+ profile. The editor looks like an MS Word page. 

Pros

  • Blogger is completely free, making it accessible to everyone
  • The interface is user-friendly
  • Choose from various themes and templates
  • Blogger blogs are mobile-friendly

Cons

  • Limited flexibility with designs

Blogger offers a couple of eye-catching themes to choose from. Each of them will have different skins, minimalistic gadgets, and advanced color filtering. However, you won’t get anything too fancy or customizable. 

Blogger Pricing Plan

  • Free: $0

As Blogger is completely free, you don't need to worry about any hidden costs or subscription fees. You can also access a vast community of other bloggers for support and inspiration.

? Why use Blogger?
  • Blogger is an excellent option for beginners, thanks to its simple interface and free access. These features make it ideal for trying out blogging. If you don't need extensive features and customizations, Blogger can do the job.

In short, Blogger has a simple appearance and user interface. This way, readers will be able to focus on your writing rather than being distracted by complex designs. 

7. Tumblr

Tumblr is one of the most popular and original free blogging sites on the internet. While it’s a little bit less effective than the other options on my list, it’s still an excellent choice for beginners and professionals alike

Tumblr

Unlike most platforms that are used for blog publishing purposes, Tumblr is more focused on social media and multimedia content. 

The interface of Tumblr is also easy to begin with. You won’t find too much technical jargon or clutters. This way, you won’t face any navigational or operational difficulties

Tumblr

tumblr logo
  • Schedule and draft posts
  • Social and community
  • Themes and customization
  • Integration with Facebook and Twitter

You can simply sign up, create an account, and publish your content immediately. The sign-up process is also super smooth. 

Pros

  • Tumblr has a vibrant and diverse community of writers
  • Themes and layouts are customizable
  • Readers can discover your blog easily
  • More casual and relaxed atmosphere

Cons

  • Focused primarily on short-form content

Just like a basic blogging platform, Tumblr comes with multiple uploading formats, catering to different types of content. 

Tumblr Pricing Plan

  • Free: $0

However, remember that Tumblr is purely for personal use. I won’t recommend this platform if you have business-oriented plans. 

? Why use Tumblr?
  • Tumblr can be a valuable platform for writers who want to connect with a creative community, experiment with different formats, and build a following.

While it’s not built for business, Tumblr will allow you to run ads on your page, integrate your blog with Google Analytics, and use affiliate links. These links are a great way to make money, as you can monetize your blog. Don't forget to use reliable content writing tools to enhance your writing skills.

8. Joomla

Joomla is similar to WordPress but not as effective as other free blogging platforms out there. But Zoomla will definitely help you out if you want to know how to start a blog for free and make money

Joomla

Just like WordPress, Zoomla is free to use. However, you need to invest in a domain and hosting. But unlike WordPress, where you can use it for free by creating a subdomain, you won’t get the same flexibility with Zoomla.

Joomla

joomla icon
  • Open-source software
  • Forever free
  • Organic growth
  • Powerful PHP applications

Zoomla features a simple and versatile interface that you can use for blogging purposes and complex websites. 

Pros

  • Joomla is completely free to use and modify
  • Customizable extensions, templates, and modules
  • Joomla offers built-in SEO features
  • Highly scalable

Cons

  • Managing and customizing Joomla requires technical knowledge

You can choose from various extensions and templates to customize your website. Zoomla's customization capability is hands down top-notch. 

Joomla Pricing Plan

  • Free: $0

Regarding ease of use, Zoomla comes with a traditional editor, which looks like Microsoft Word. It will allow you to customize the size, font, color, tables, emoticons, and background

? Why use Joomla?
  • Zoomla can be a powerful platform for bloggers who want flexibility, customization, and scalability. However, its steeper learning curve and technical requirements might be a barrier for beginners.

The Zoomla editor has a tabbed version. The first tab is the classic texting window. You must change the tabs to choose the post categories, date, meta description, tags, keywords, etc

9. Jimdo

Jimdo is another platform you can use to build your website for free. Although I have tried many free blogging websites, nothing comes close to Jimdo in terms of the website creation process. 

Jimdo

Give Jimdo some quick pointers and a few details regarding the blog's appearance. With these answers, Jimdo can easily create your blog without any problem

Jimdo

jimdo logo
  • Highly customizable design
  • Mobile-friendly
  • Copyright-free photos
  • Social media connection

When you choose the free plan, Jimdo will let you upload and publish your blog under its own subdomain. If you want to create a customized web address, you need to upgrade to the premium plan

Jimdo dashboard

What sets Jimdo apart is that it gives you more of a “page builder” feel. The primary difference between Jimdo and WordPress is that you can create and start your own blog directly within the website's customization page.

Pros

  • Jimdo comes with a drag-and-drop interface
  • The websites are mobile-friendly by default
  • Free plan available for individuals
  • Decent template collection

Cons

  • Your website will have a Jimdo subdomain

 You don’t need to worry about using any separate editor like you do with other blogging platforms. 

Jimdo Pricing Plan

  • Play: $0

  • Start: $9/month

  • Grow: $15/month

  • Unlimited: $39/month

If you want to edit content, click on the content box and then edit whatever you want. You can achieve all of these without going to any different page. You can also edit the logo and footer of your site through the same method

? Why use Jimdo?
  • Zoomla can be a powerful platform for bloggers who want flexibility, customization, and scalability. However, its steeper learning curve and technical requirements might be a barrier for beginners.

You will also find more editable options on the left side of the interface. You can add things like the post’s title, date, and category. You can choose to either publish the blog or keep it in draft.  

Ready to Start a Blog for Free?

Starting a blog for free is not only possible but also accessible to everyone with the right tools and platforms. 

With options like Wix, WordPress, LinkedIn, and more, aspiring bloggers like you can start your blog journey without breaking the bank.

Remember, it's not about how much you spend but the quality of your content and the value you provide to your audience that truly matters in the world of blogging. So, pick a platform, find your niche, and start sharing your voice with the world today!

I hope you liked the information provided in my blog. Do you want to start a blog journey? Let me know which platform you’re going to choose. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Beginners need to publish as much content as possible. The more they write, the better they can develop their skills and hone their capabilities to perfection.

Even if you don't have any money, you can still start your blogging journey hassle-free. Our guide covers 9 free blogging websites that will let you upload your content without any financial commitment.

Yes, free blogs will help you earn money. All you need to do is choose a blogging platform where you can run ads and affiliate links. This is the best way to monetize your blogs.

Yes, Blogger is 100% free. You don't need to pay anything as long as you don't invest in any premium third-party theme.

With Bloggers, you can sign up for Google Adsense, which will give you a code to be inserted in your blog. When someone clicks on the ad, you will earn a certain amount of commission.