Best Blog Platforms and Blog Sites (2024)

Best Blog Platforms and Blog Sites (2024)

Let's say you want to start your own blog or website but you don't have any web development experience. The good news is you actually don't need any web development experience because blog platforms and blog sites exist!

A blog platform or a blog site is a site that helps you build and manage a blog or website without having to worry about the coding side. These blog platforms help you design your blog and publish content. They even come with a domain for you to use for your blog. So now that you know you can build your blog, which blog platform should you choose? Let's find out the best Blog Sites in 2024.

1. WordPress

Hosted WordPress

WordPress is the most popular blogging platform currently. There are actually two different versions of WordPress platforms for website building. The first is WordPress.com which is a site that is similar to most other blog sites. It offers web hosting where your site is hosted on its servers.

Self Hosted WordPress

The second version is the Self-hosted WordPress. This version is software that you use by downloading it onto your own server. It is open source which means that users are free to use and modify its codes. This is why it is popular with the tech geeks. However, it is still very much possible to use the software without any coding skills so you don't need to worry about that.

WordPress is extremely customizable and can be used to create almost any website project imaginable. It unfortunately does not have much in terms of customer service and tech support. What this means is that it gives you full control of everything. With self-hosted word press, you need to do your own web hosting and your technical support.

On top of that, although you get the software download for free at WordPress.org, you will have to pay for a web hosting service, and plugins and also buy the themes. You can use free plugins and themes but the web hosting service is not negotiable because you need a place to download and store your WordPress software. Some places where you can get web hosting are namecheap and Hosting. Just remember that the cheaper the price for the hosting, the slower your website or blog will be when loading.

Pros

• Flexible and customizable.
• Allows both frontend and backend.
• Has more than 1000 theme templates.

Cons

• You need to buy web hosting.
• It has a steep learning curve.
• Insecure themes that might have malicious codes.

2. Wix

Wix got its name out there with its impeccable advertising but it did not disappoint when it came down to its usability as a blog platform. The platform allows you to build your blog or website and design it to your standards without having to do any coding. Unlike WordPress, Wix offers its own web hosting so you do not need to buy a web hosting service. It also provides its users with a domain name, templates, and a custom management system (CMS).

Wix contains up to 20 different categories of templates for different website needs and aesthetics. They also came up with a new product called Editor X targeting more experienced users who can code.

Wix also has an Artificial Design Intelligence feature called Wix Adi that designs and creates a website for you that you can make your own changes to afterward. It works by asking the user a series of questions and then building the website based on their preferences. This is very useful for beginners who are not used to web design and want to learn the ropes.

Wix also has a reliable customer service system and an option to hire a professional if you need anything specific for your website. It works with a monthly subscription with 8 paid plans and 1 free one. The free plan has a lot of tools but it is more suitable for casual blogs rather than professional ones. Let's look at Wix' pros and cons.

Pros

• Has an Artificial Design Intelligence feature.
• Beginner friendly.
• Access to SEO
• Professionals for hire.
• Contains an app market where you can add apps to your website.
• Automatically backs up your website.
• Unstructured editing that allows the user to drag elements on the page around.
• Built-in multilingual features.
• Email and live chat customer support.

Cons 

• Does not have a responsive web design for mobile devices.
• Monthly subscription.
• Some plans are unavailable in certain countries.
• It is not mobile responsive so you will need to do it manually.
• Flat navigation which allows only one subcategory under the home page.

3. SquareSpace 

SquareSpace is also up there together with the giants Wix and WordPress. Like the other blog platforms, Square Space has all the main features of a blog site like theme templates, galleries, and forms. 

However, unlike the rest, Squarespace has a structured page editor therefore you can't move things around while editing. It is not necessarily difficult to use but it is quite rigid. 

It also only offers around 200 themes but the themes have the same structure which makes it possible to edit after publishing your website unlike in Wix. It is also praised for having the best quality templates with gorgeous designs.

Pros

• Fully responsive on mobile, tablets, and PC. 
• Has integrated hosting for podcasts.
• Extra features for contact forms and comments.
• Email and live chat customer support.
• Comes with SEO and other marketing tools.
• Extensive help center with guides, videos, and forums.

Cons

• Requires third-party providers for certain features like live chat and forum.
• No backup options.
• Steep learning curve hence not beginner friendly.
• Flat navigation.
• Monthly subscription plan. 

4. Weebly

Although Weebly is a less sought-after blog site, it still holds its own among the top giants. However, if you thought SquareSpace was rigid then you haven't seen anything yet.

First of all Weebly only has around 50 theme templates. It also restricted blogging features. For example, their editor has a fixed format for title and content.

Regardless, it is still considered to be one of the strongest free blogging sites. You can design the themes freely with the drag feature similar to Wix but it has more of a grid structure. Their editor is also much simpler to use than all the other blog sites so far. 

Pros

• Beginner friendly. 
• Unlimited sub-levels under the homepage.
• Can accommodate a large website with more than 50 individual pages. 
• All the themes are mobile responsive.
• Manually download a copy of your site for backup.
• Unlimited storage.
• Cheaper monthly plans.
• Has a mobile app 
• You can export your website to another blog platform.

Cons 

• Headline tags are restricted.
• You have to buy a plan to connect a custom domain.
• Customer support is based on your plan.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, the best blog platform for you depends on what kind of blog you want and your workflow. I suggest trying each blog site before making a final decision because once you start it will be difficult to migrate blog sites. Luckily these blog platforms have free versions that you can use to test them out.