If you're reading this article, you've probably decided that WordPress isn't for you. If it's because you tried WordPress and didn't like the structure or design of the platform, then that's fine. Totally valid.

But if it's because you couldn't get WordPress set up properly, or if it was too much work to maintain and administrate, we recommend reconsidering. Try using a managed WordPress host like WP Engine, which handles the hassle of WordPress sites for you and allows you to focus entirely on your content.

If you still want to try some WordPress and Blogger alternatives, here are some of the best blogging platforms for your content. In this day and age, we're all spoiled for choice.

Blogging Platforms: Making an Informed Decision

When mulling over your options, it's a good idea to consider which features and components of a blog-hosting site you'll need:

  1. What kind of design tools do they offer? Some platforms have hundreds of free templates; others require significant coding experience. Be sure to pick a platform that is at the right level of complexity (and quality) for your needs.
  2. What hosting options are available? Some platforms offer free web hosting as part of their package. While this is convenient and cheap, it also means that they retain some rights to your content and, technically, have the option of deleting it at any time. In addition, there may be significant limits on your site's bandwidth and performance.
  3. How much does it cost? If you're writing a hobby blog, chances are your budget won't stretch very far. On the other hand, for blogs that are part of a larger business strategy, or blogs that are businesses themselves, it may be worth spending money on a premium blogging platform.
  4. Who can you reach? Blog posts published on some platforms remain largely within that user base, whereas others are more likely to reach the internet at large. Depending on the purpose of your blog, you may prefer one or the other.

So, with these points in mind, let's look at your options.

1. Medium

Medium is a platform dedicated to the essence of blogging: the craft of writing. As a blogger, you can post text-heavy posts with a few videos or images on your Medium account. It also lets you create posts using the web tool or through Medium's dedicated mobile apps.

Download: Medium for iOS | Android (Free, in-app purchases available)

Design Tools

The uniform appearance of all Medium posts puts all the emphasis on your writing. You can accompany posts with audio, video, or images, but all posts will look the same, and you cannot customize your profile page.

Hosting Options

All profiles are hosted on Medium.

Cost

Completely free.

Reach

Medium has a strong community of writers sharing information on numerous topics. Through hashtags, highlights, and responses, you can communicate with other authors and reach new audiences.

Ideal Choice For

If you're just looking to get your words out on paper, and you don't care about how they look or about building an independent site, Medium may be the best choice for you. You can join a strong, existing community for free and will spend virtually no time working on anything other than writing.

Those looking for customization, a stand-alone URL, or a multipurpose blog should look elsewhere. Check out this guide if you want to learn more about how to get started with Medium.

2. Tumblr

Tumblr, done right, is an effective microblogging platform. You can post videos, images, audio clips, text, GIFs, and links to your blog, which can be accessed by other Tumblr users and the Internet at large. You can share unique content or re-blog other users' content using either the web platform or the Tumblr mobile apps.

Download: Tumblr for iOS | Android (Free, in-app purchases available)

Design Tools

You can create custom themes for your Tumblr blog using basic HTML or choose from a wide selection of free and paid existing blog templates. It's important to note that while these themes will allow you to customize your blog's homepage, they will not affect how your posts are seen on other users' Tumblr feeds.

Hosting Options

Blogs are automatically hosted on Tumblr, but you can choose to use an external URL for your blog from a different host.

Cost

Tumblr's basic functions are free, but external hosting or upgraded themes cost extra.

Reach

If you get in with the right community, Tumblr can have incredible reach. On the other hand, it's also easy for your blog to fade into obscurity if your blog content doesn't mesh well with Tumblr's culture.

Hashtags and cross-promotion on other forms of social media are key to attracting followers. Unfortunately, Tumblr's default analytics are significantly lacking compared to other platforms—you may need to add Google Analytics to your blog's theme using some HTML. Here's how you can create a blog with Tumblr.

Ideal Choice For

Tumblr is suitable for casual bloggers who are willing to spend a small amount of time making minor changes to a pre-existing theme and who regularly use mobile devices for posting. As well, bloggers interested in niche topics with an active Tumblr community are likely to find success.

Those looking for a platform with significant customizability and analytics should likely choose a different platform.

3. Wix

Okay, so you don't want to join a new social media platform—you want a stand-alone and customizable blog that's easy to create (and maybe with some e-commerce compatibility). In this case, Wix may be the perfect fit for you.

Download: Wix Owner for iOS | Android (Free)

Design Tools

Wix prides itself on being a visually appealing platform. You'll find a fantastic drag-and-drop design process with some limited HTML customization. To remove Wix branding from your site, you need to purchase a premium plan.

Hosting Options

By default, sites are hosted on Wix. But, custom domains are available with a premium plan.

Cost

Free to create. Premium plans begin at $4.50/mo.

Reach

Wix doesn't have a built-in community, but does have the benefit of being a stand-alone site with good opportunities for content promotion and SEO.

Ideal Choice For

It is best for beginner bloggers who want to focus more on their writing than blog design, but who want some room to grow in the future. More advanced bloggers looking for significant customizability, security, and numerous plug-ins may prefer other options.

Here is our guide on creating a website with Wix.

4. Joomla

Joomla is a powerful open-source, multi-purpose blogging platform. However, with great power comes great responsibility: if you don't know what you're doing, you may find yourself out of your depth!

Design Tools

Armed with HTML, your design options for a Joomla site are basically endless. Or you can choose to use one of the 100+ templates available.

Hosting Options

You must find an external host for websites using the Joomla platform.

Cost

While creating your site with Joomla is free, you have to renew it every 30 days and have a data limit of 500MB only. Depending on your blog's performance, the upgrade to lift these limitations might cost you a lot. You also need to pay for the external hosting fees.

Reach

While some Joomla themes are mobile-friendly, this is not true for all of them. The platform has e-commerce support, built-in analytics, and SEO plug-ins.

Ideal Choice For

If your blog is part of a larger website or business, upgrading to a full content management system like Joomla may make sense. The platform is secure, with significant customer support and room to grow your blog in any direction. However, the cost and learning curve may make it less than ideal for beginner bloggers.

This is specifically about Launch Joomla, which is a hosted version of Joomla. As with WordPress, you can always download Joomla for free and host it on your own web server. Here is a comparison of WordPress and Joomla.

5. Ghost

Ghost is an open-source platform focused on providing blogging functionality with a simple and intuitive interface. It's ideal for those who value beautiful content but who aren't quite ready for the intensity of a full-blown content management system.

Design Tools

Ghost features a live preview tool, which allows you to immediately notice any spelling or coding errors. Ghost users have access to over 100 design templates and HTML customization.

Hosting Options

Custom domains are available with a premium plan; otherwise, Ghost hosts your blog for free.

Cost

Free to create. Premium plans start at $9/mo.

Reach

Ghost has SEO optimization tools, as well as built-in analytics and ad integration tools.

Ideal Choice For

It is suitable for bloggers with some experience who want more design freedom than a free platform but who also value ease of use. Ghost is not ideal for individuals who require e-commerce functionality or who rely heavily on plug-ins.

Here is our guide on how to install Ghost CMS on PC and Mac.

Which Blogging Platform Is Right for You?

If you want to move away from WordPress and Blogger, then one of these alternative blogging platforms may be exactly what you're looking for. Don't like them? There are plenty more sites out there, including Weebly, TypePad, and Squarespace.

Having tried all of these alternatives, if you decide that WordPress is the right blogging platform for you, after all, consider using a managed WordPress host like WP Engine. It will make blog management significantly easier for you.