When you think “blog,” you might imagine a website full of conversational posts. Or if it’s a content site then you’d imagine a website filled with informative articles.
But in 2025, blogging (publishing online with a specific point of view) has evolved to include written, visual, and spoken content — and the platforms you choose will shape what you can create, how you share it, and who owns it (a detail that lots of aspiring publishers are not aware of).
This guide breaks down the main blogging platforms available to beginner niche bloggers, separated into categories to compare which ones give you full control, which ones rent space on, and which ones work best for text, video, or audio — plus how much they cost to start.
Self-Hosted Platforms – where You Own Your Content
What does it mean to ‘own your content’?
Simply put, you own the content you write, film, or record, in its entirety and no one has any rights to any fraction of it in any context. It is unconditional until you sign away any rights to it in its entirety or any fraction or usage of it.
Self-hosted means you rent server space from a hosting company and install your blogging software there. You own your files, your database, and your design — full control, but more setup responsibility.
WordPress.org
- Best for: Long-term bloggers who want maximum control and flexibility.
- Pros: Open-source, endless plugins, themes, and customization.
- Cons: Steeper learning curve than hosted platforms.
- Cost: Free software, but requires paid hosting (typically $5–$15/month to start).
TIP: Wondering who I use to host this blog?
Ghost.org (the self-hosted version)
- Best for: Writers who want a minimalist experience or paid membership blogs.
- Pros: Clean interface, built-in subscription tools, fast performance.
- Cons: Fewer themes and plugins than WordPress.
- Cost: Free software; hosting costs vary depending on provider (roughly $9–$25/month for managed Ghost hosting).
Hosted Platforms – where you don’t fully own your content
What does it mean if they ‘own your content’?
You will always be the author of your content -that copyright to it, exists in perpetuity.
However, the moment you upload – and the platform should flag a T&C upfront before upload – you acknowledge that the platform can use and distribute that content without asking permission in writing. You sign away that right.
Still confused? It is the basis of the transaction, which makes it a fair trade. Except not really, because you’re paying them anyway if you’re a subscriber.
But, here’s where it works out brilliantly (for them) with free accounts – which is most of humanity and that’s makes for a ton of free accessib- you get a free account, have a platform for your content to be seen my millions (hopefully) in exchange (surely) for them, the platform, and because they’re giving you a free service, to use it and distribute it to their business advantage, helping them to grow their business (so that you can keep having a platform for your content you don’t need to pay for) and round and round the wheel turns. You get the idea.
So, decide what your budget allows and what you’re comfortable with. If you’re at an experimental stage, sign up for a free account and don’t worry too much about ownership. Express yourself and your message, and then hit publish. Find the answers first before you commit.
This is exactly what I miss about hosted platforms – they handle the uncomfortable bits for you. If this sounds comforting, then sign up for a subscription and get on with the business of creating.
Hosted platforms are easier to start with, but remember that you’re bound by their rules, and they can remove your site or change their terms at any time without you having any ‘say’ in it.
WordPress.com
- Best for: Beginners who want a simple way to start without worrying about hosting.
- Pros: No setup hassle, free tier available.
- Cons: Limited plugins and themes on free or low-tier plans.
- Cost: Free basic plan; paid plans start at $4/month (billed annually) for custom domains and more features.
Blogger
- Best for: Absolute beginners who want something free and easy.
- Pros: Completely free, integrates with Google services.
- Cons: Very limited design, outdated features.
- Cost: Completely free, but no custom domain included (you can buy one separately).
Squarespace
- Best for: Creatives who want beautiful, drag-and-drop templates.
- Pros: All-in-one hosting + design, great for portfolios.
- Cons: Less flexible for complex blogging features.
- Cost: Plans start at $16/month (billed annually).
Wix
- Best for: Small business owners or visual creators who want a simple site setup.
- Pros: Drag-and-drop design, templates for many industries.
- Cons: Less control over site performance and SEO.
- Cost: Free basic plan with Wix ads; paid plans start at $14/month.
Platforms for Written Content – those that aren’t a traditional CMS (content management system)
Blogs are synonymous with all things ‘written’. But, they’re also very visual or can be very gimmick-heavy. Sometimes, writers just want to write and convey ideas with words without any visual tricks.
As a designer, even I, often feel this way. Which is why I love ‘words-only’ platforms because they blur the line between blogging and newsletter publishing. They’re less about building a complex website and more about publishing regular posts.
Substack
- Best for: Writers who want an audience via email but still have a public archive.
- Pros: It comes with Built-in subscription tools, making it easy to start.
- Cons: Limited design control, your audience “lives” on Substack.
- Cost: Free to start; Substack takes a 10% fee on paid subscriptions.
Medium
- Best for: Writers who want access to Medium’s built-in readership.
- Pros: Minimalist editor, exposure to Medium’s audience.
- Cons: Less control over branding; monetisation limited to Medium’s partner program.
- Cost: Free to publish; readers pay $5/month for full access (Medium’s revenue model).
Notion (Public Pages)
- Best for: Organisers, educators, and note-takers who want to share resources.
- Pros: Fast setup, flexible layout.
- Cons: Not built for SEO or traditional blogging.
- Cost: Free for personal use; paid plans start at $8/month.
Platforms for visual or motion content (video blogging)
Expression, whether for business or self-development, can be about bold quietness in words or a performance. Which one, depends entirely on your ‘voice’, compulsions, or which medium suits the translation of your message best.
In this case, if your content needs to be performed through moving images and voice-over narration, these platforms can act as your “blog” in motion.
YouTube
Cost: Free to start; optional paid equipment/software.
Best for: Vloggers and educators who want discoverability via video search.
Pros: Massive audience (you don’t need millions, even a 1000 can yield meaningful results), monetisation options, strong SEO benefits.
Cons: Requires consistent production and video editing skills.
Vimeo
- Best for: Creatives and filmmakers who want more control over presentation. Plus, it’s independent – unlike YouTube, it’s not owned by a dubious parent company. So, if you have ethical concerns, you might want to align with this instead
- Pros: Ad-free experience, high-quality streaming; it’s been around for years and is well established
- Cons: Smaller audience compared to YouTube.
- Cost: Free basic plan; paid plans start at $7/month.
TikTok
- Best for: Short-form video content creators in trending or lifestyle niches. My take is – it’s best for provocative insights and learnings and done provocatively too – you’ll need that kind of irreverence to stand out. It has a different type of flavour from YouTube – you can build slowly on YouTube, but on TikTok, you need to make your point fast, punchy, and most importantly the more raw the content, the better you’ll perform. YouTube allows for priming your audience and more visual polish. You’re wasting your time on TikTok if ‘polish’ is what you’re after.
- Pros: Viral potential, built-in audience.
- Cons: Fast-paced content cycle; platform-owned reach.
- Cost: Free to use.
Platforms for spoken content (podcasting as blogging)
Podcasts can be your “blog,” especially if your audience prefers listening over reading.
Spotify for Podcasters (formerly Anchor)
- Best for: Beginners who want to start a podcast without technical hassle.
- Pros: Free hosting and automatic distribution to major podcast platforms.
- Cons: Limited website features.
- Cost: Free.
Buzzsprout
- Best for: Podcasters who want a clean dashboard and analytics.
- Pros: Easy uploads, scheduled publishing.
- Cons: Paid plans are required for longer-term hosting.
- Cost: Free plan with 2 hours/month; paid plans start at $12/month.
Transistor.fm
- Best for: Small networks or creators who want multiple podcasts under one account.
- Pros: Built-in podcast website, analytics, private feeds.
- Cons: Higher monthly cost for beginners.
- Cost: Plans start at $19/month.
How to Choose Your Platform
- Use this if you want full control and scalability, go self-hosted (WordPress.org, Ghost).
- If you’re looking for fast and easy, go hosted (WordPress.com, Squarespace, Wix).
- For newsletter-style blogging, go to Substack or Medium.
- If you want video-first blogging, go to YouTube or TikTok.
- For audio-first blogging, start a podcast on Spotify for Podcasters or Buzzsprout.
Pro tip: Many niche bloggers combine platforms — e.g., WordPress for their main blog, YouTube for video content, and Substack for a newsletter — and link them all together. Your “blog” can be an ecosystem, not just a single site.
In conclusion: Ready to make brand ‘you’ stand out?
Starting your blog is only the first step. To make an impact, your brand needs to shine through everything you create.
I’ve put together a free checklist called “How to Make Brand You Stand Out” — a simple, actionable guide to personal branding for bloggers who want to be memorable, authentic, and confident themselves online.
Grab your free checklist here and start shaping your unique voice today!
Download the Checklist below.
