15 Best Blogging Platforms to Create Your New Blog

In spite of the ongoing cries that blogging is dying out slowly at the hands of new communication methods such as social media, there are still heaps of people who want to start their own blogs or switch to a better platform on the Internet.

As a matter of fact, there couldn’t be a better time to blog than now! Just like good old email, blogging is alive and well. Its status as one of the most popular online activities hasn’t changed even though facts have dispelled the view that blogging’s days are numbered. So, it’s safe to say blogging, in some form or another, isn’t going anywhere for a long time to come.

However, which blogging platform should you use? With many services available today to help you start and manage your own blog, it can be quite daunting to choose the platform that’s perfect for you. Don’t worry, though; we’ve researched and listed below (in no particular order) 15 of the best blogging platforms:

1. Ghost

If you’re a minimalist, Ghost is your dream come true! With an uncluttered and clean interface, you can just jump in and start writing on any device you’re using. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the platform isn’t powerful. It has an entire marketplace with spectacular themes for your blog and a range of team collaboration tools.

The split-screen Markdown syntax feature is particularly interesting. It eliminates the need to jump back and forth continuously unlike many other platforms out there. If you have your own server, you can host your blog for free. However, if not, plans start from $8 per month and go up to $200 per month.

2. MarketPress

Typepad One of the earliest blogging platforms on the Internet, Typepad has been around for longer than a decade. If you want to set up a beautiful blog, without the headache of handling the coding, hosting, or any other technical stuff, this platform is just for you. But if you love programming, you can customize the CSS according to your likings.

You can easily write posts on your mobile device, desktop, and even via emails! Moreover, you can also join its affiliate program or run ads to monetize your blog, which is something that most other blogging platforms out there don’t offer. If you need any help along the way, its great customer support team has you covered. Plans start at a reasonable $8.95 per month.

3. WordPress

It’s no secret: WordPress is the most popular blogging platform in the world today! WordPress alone powers around 25 percent of the sites on the World Wide Web. Also, more than 48 percent of the most popular sites use WordPress as their Content Management System. You have to admit those are some pretty impressive numbers!

Writing, posting, and managing your content is incredibly easy with this platform. You can also customize your blog with a range of editable themes and thousands of plugins that allow you to do just about anything. There are two versions of WordPress you can choose from, with each offering something different:

WordPress.org –It’s free to use and lets you host your own blog. WordPress.com – It’s free for basic blogging, but if you’re looking for something more than that, premium plans start at $99 a year.

4. Anchor

A super-simple blogging platform, Anchor, is also one of the fastest. To start using the platform, download and install it on your server. The program is lightweight, so space is definitely not an issue. It’s ideally suitable for advanced bloggers since as you need to know Markdown and HTML to make optimal use of the platform.

You can find some drag-and-drop functionality, as well, which will come in handy. It allows you to add information, especially pictures, without hassle. Anchor also has an enormous open-source community on GitHub whose members actively share their work to help others. You can download the platform free, but you can also donate $5 if you’re in a generous mood.

5. Postach.io

Have you ever used Evernote? If you love what the digital workspace has to offer, it’s likely you will feel the same way about Postach.io. The platform works flawlessly with your workflow on Evernote. Creating blog posts are easier than ever. Just tag the post as “published,” and it goes live on your blog.

The platform also offers a range of themes to choose from, which you can edit using a GitHub account. You can do all this absolutely free, but you will have to subscribe to a plan ($24.99 per year or $49.99 per year) for more options and features that will help you be at your most productive.

6. Bolt

Bolt is an open-source content management system, free to use for both commercial and personal websites. The platform is ideal for bloggers who like having an amazing interface to work with while playing around with the site’s back-end. Once you’ve downloaded Bolt and uploaded the platform on your servers, you can change just about anything. Truly a developer’s dream CMS, isn’t it?

On the writing front, the platform is fully responsive, which is something even the biggest blogging platforms don’t offer currently. If you have a GitHub account, you can download the work of other community members at no cost. Bolt also makes editing straightforward and easy for editors!

7. Tumblr

If you want to create a blog where you can easily and quickly share videos, links, pictures, or even your random thoughts, Tumblr is a great option. The platform is simple to use, which allows you to go about your blogging tasks with ease. With the help of its social media components, you can expose your content to the masses by connecting with millions of Tumblr users.

If you’re looking for a platform to integrate into your existing business or personal site, Tumblr may not be the best option available. However, if you want to set up a standalone blog, this platform is worth a shot. There is a range of premium templates available, and best of all, Tumblr is absolutely free.

8. Hexo

If you want to generate advertising for your business, it’s likely you need a more advanced blogging platform. Hexo is ideal for this purpose but requires good coding skills on your part. You need to do most of the work on Markdown, and since Node.js powers the platform, you can take advantage of blazing fast generating speeds, which allow you to create hundreds of files within seconds.

Another plus of using Hexo is its active community. The members actively share their plugins and themes on GitHub, which you can download for free provided you have an account. If this is what you’re looking for, why not give Hexo a try? Besides, since the platform is free, you really don’t have anything to lose.

9. Svbtle

A blogging platform that’s perhaps the most minimalist of the lot, just about anybody can use Svbtle. Its management section is excellent because the developers understood how bloggers work. On the right side, you will find all the posts you’ve published, and on the left, you can list ideas as they come and eventually start working on them.

As for the writing, the platform’s interface is entirely blank so you can focus while writing. Markdown handles the formatting of your content! However, the lack of variety when it comes to themes is disappointing. Even so, if you want an easy way to go about your blogging activities, Svbtle is worth trying since it costs just $6 per month.

10. Squarespace

Although Squarespace is better known as a one-stop shop website builder, the platform offers blogging functionalities and capabilities that can give even the biggest blogging platforms a run for their money. It has an impressive team collaboration system, a range of appealing themes, and hosting, as well as analytics.

If you need any help along the way, the 24/7 customer service proves useful. The company also offer a free 14-day trial, allowing you to use the platform and decide whether it suits your needs. You can stay socially connected, as well. With a set of powerful tools, you can import from, publish to, or sync with various social media networks. Plans start from $8 per month.

11. Silvrback

Silvrback brings something new to the table: The platform effortlessly integrates the front- and back-ends of a blog. This means that when selecting any of its user interface themes, it would not only apply to what your readers see but also what you see while writing. Although the change isn’t something amazing, it effectively induces the feeling that you’re writing for your blog.

After all, not every blogger can write their best using a dull word processing program. If you’re among that group, you should consider this platform. Silvrback also offers some other features, such as an email subscription that sends your latest posts automatically, and a customizable author bio page. Plans start from $29.99 per year and go up to $49.99 per year.

12. Dropplets

Dropplets is another blogging platform based on Markdown. What separates this platform from the others on this list is the level of control it gives you over different aspects of your blog. You will need a server to host your blog when using Dropplets, though. This also means you can use this platform free.

The software also offers a range of premium templates to choose from, which you can use to give your blog a sleek, stylish, and appealing look. As a matter of fact, you can customize the templates. If you’re a developer or designer, you can create and use your own templates with Dropplets.

13. Postagon

A simple and clean platform, Postagon is ideal for bloggers who want to set up a blog easily and quickly. It comes equipped with an array of features that provide a commendable writing and reading experience. The platform allows you to post via email and even handles your email subscribers and commenting.

However, the lack of customization when it comes to themes is perhaps the biggest drawback of Postagon. You only have a default theme and no options whatsoever for advanced customization. The free trial, though, gives you an opportunity to test the platform to see if it suits your needs.

14. Posthaven

Another simple blogging platform, Posthaven offers a range of features, such as multiple authors, private sites secured with passwords, email subscriptions, auto-posting to Twitter/Facebook, as well as commenting. However, perhaps its most impressive feature is it allows you to post via email with documents, photos, videos, and music.

The platform also has some huge offerings in the pipeline, including auto posting to services like App.net, a bookmarklet, and CSS/HTML customization. You can use Posthaven for a reasonable $5 per month, and “is made to last forever,” as it says on the website. You can go through their entire pledge here.

15. Medium

Medium is a blogging platform that combines blogging with social journalism. It’s not only an ideal place to get your content to a wider audience quickly but is also extremely useful in helping you find relevant, and new articles other bloggers are publishing on various topics. The platform is particularly loved for its focus on clutter-free content and writing.

That being said, the lack of customization options is one drawback of using this platform. If that isn’t a problem and you’re only planning to write content-rich blog posts, you should give Medium a shot. Not to mention, others (with similar interests) will quickly discover your blogs, and who on earth would mind that? Plans start at $75 per quarter.

And with that, we come to the end of this post. These are 15 of the best blogging platforms you can consider using to start your blog. Make sure you take all important factors into account, such as pricing plans and features before reaching a final decision, so you can achieve the blogging success you desire. Are there any other blogging platforms you would like to use? Let us know in the comments section below!