You can start a free blog on Blogger, WordPress.com, or Medium without paying anything or knowing how to code
A free blog page lives on someone else's server — you write the posts, they handle the hosting and the technical parts. You do not own the domain name (the web address), and you cannot install custom code or plugins. But you get a working blog when ready, with no setup fees, no credit card required, and no server maintenance on your end.
The three most straightforward options are Blogger (owned by Google), WordPress.com (the hosted version, different from the self-hosted WordPress software), and Medium (a writing platform that works like a blog). Each one takes about 10 to 15 minutes to set up from account creation to your first published post.
Key Takeaways
- Blogger, WordPress.com, and Medium all offer free blogs with no coding required — you write in a text editor and click publish.
- Free blogs come with a subdomain (like yourname.blogspot.com) rather than your own domain name, and you cannot install plugins or custom code.
- Blogger and WordPress.com let you customize the look and layout; Medium keeps a fixed design but handles all the technical work for you.
- You own the words you write, but the platform owns the space — if the service shuts down or closes your account, your blog goes with it.
Blogger: The simplest option if you have a Google account
If you already use Gmail, you already have a Google account, and Blogger is the fastest route. Go to blogger.com, click the "Create your blog" button, and sign in with your Google email. You will be asked to name your blog and choose a URL — something like yourname.blogspot.com. The name and URL do not have to match.
Once the blog is created, you land in the editor. Click "New Post" to write your first entry. The text editor works like Google Docs — you can make text bold or italic, add links, insert images from your computer or the web, and preview how it will look before publishing. When you are ready, click "Publish" and your post goes live when ready.
Blogger lets you change the template (the overall look and layout) by going to the "Theme" section. You can pick from dozens of free designs and customize colors, fonts, and the sidebar. You cannot add plugins or custom code, but the built-in options cover most common needs — you can add a search box, an archive of past posts, and links to your social media accounts.
WordPress.com: More customization, slightly more steps
WordPress.com is the hosted version of WordPress — you do not install anything on your own server. Go to wordpress.com, click "Start your website," and choose the free plan. You will create an account, pick a site name (which becomes your subdomain, like yourname.wordpress.com), and choose a theme.
The WordPress.com editor is more powerful than Blogger's. You can use the block editor (which lets you add different types of content — text, images, quotes, buttons — in separate blocks) or the classic editor (which works more like a word processor). Both are built in; you do not need to install anything. The free plan includes basic customization: you can change colors, fonts, and the layout without touching code.
One difference: WordPress.com shows ads on your free blog unless you pay for an upgrade. Blogger does not show ads on free blogs. If you want to remove ads or add more features like email subscriptions or advanced analytics, you will need to pay, but the basic blog is completely free.
Medium: A platform where readers find you
Medium is not a traditional blog platform — it is a writing community where readers browse stories by topic and follow writers they like. Go to medium.com, click "Sign up," and create an account with your email or a social media login. You do not choose a URL or design a site; Medium handles all of that. Your profile page is your blog, and your posts appear there and in Medium's discovery feeds.
To write a post, click the pencil icon and start typing. The editor is minimal — just text, headings, images, and links. You cannot customize the look or layout; every Medium blog looks the same. But that simplicity is the point: Medium handles all the technical work, and the platform's built-in audience means your posts may be seen by people who do not already follow you.
Medium is free to read and write on, but the platform also has a paid membership program. As a free writer, you can publish as much as you want, but you cannot earn money from your posts. If you want to make money from your writing, you would need to join the Medium Partner Program, which requires a paid membership.
What you own and what you do not
You own the words you write — the copyright belongs to you. But you do not own the platform or the space where your blog lives. If Blogger, WordPress.com, or Medium shuts down, or if your account is closed for violating the terms of service, your blog disappears. You also cannot move your blog to a different platform easily; exporting your posts is possible but not seamless.
You also do not own your domain name. yourname.blogspot.com is a free subdomain that Google lets you use, but Google can change the rules or shut down Blogger. If you want a domain you truly control — like yourname.com — you would need to buy it separately and use a paid hosting plan, which is a different setup entirely.
Free blogs also come with limitations on customization and functionality. You cannot install plugins (add-ons that extend what the platform can do), run ads and keep the revenue, or add custom code. If you outgrow these limits, you would move to a self-hosted blog, which costs money but gives you full control.
Comparing the three platforms
| Platform | Setup Time | Customization | Ads on Free Plan | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blogger | 5 minutes | Themes and colors | None | straightforward blogs, Google account holders |
| WordPress.com | 10 minutes | Themes, colors, blocks | Yes | Blogs that need more layout control |
| Medium | 2 minutes | None — fixed design | None | Writers who want built-in readers |
Getting your first post live
On any of these platforms, your first post follows the same basic steps: write your text, add a title, insert an image if you want one, preview how it looks, and click publish. The post goes live when ready — you do not need to wait for approval or moderation (unless you are writing about something that violates the platform's rules).
Before you publish, give your post a descriptive title. The title appears at the top of the post and in search results, so it should tell readers what the post is about. You can also add tags or categories — these help readers find related posts and help search engines understand what your blog is about.
After you publish, the post has a permanent URL (web address) that you can share. You can edit the post anytime after publishing, and the changes appear when ready. You can also delete posts, but deleted posts cannot be recovered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my own domain name with a free blog?
Blogger and WordPress.com let you connect a domain you own, but you have to buy the domain separately (usually $10 to $15 per year) and pay for a premium plan to use it. Medium does not support custom domains on the free plan. If owning your domain name is important, you would need to move to a self-hosted blog.
What happens if I stop writing — does my blog disappear?
No. Your blog stays live as long as your account exists. If you do not log in for months or years, the posts remain published. However, if you violate the platform's terms of service or if the platform shuts down entirely, your blog could be removed.
Can I make money from a free blog?
On Blogger and WordPress.com, you can add Google AdSense ads and earn a small amount when readers click them, but you need to set this up and meet the platform's requirements. Medium has its own payment system for members, but free writers do not earn money. To make real money from a blog, most people move to a self-hosted setup where they control the ads and monetization.
Can I move my blog to a different platform later?
Yes, but it requires work. Blogger and WordPress.com let you export your posts as an XML file, which you can import into another platform. Medium does not have a built-in export feature, but you can copy your posts manually. Moving also means your old URLs will not work anymore, which can hurt your search engine ranking.
Do I need to know HTML or CSS to write a blog?
No. All three platforms have visual editors where you write and format text without touching code. If you want to add custom code later, Blogger and WordPress.com let you edit the HTML of your theme, but you do not need to do this to publish posts.