So you decided that you want to start a blog but donāt know which blogging platform is right for you. Check out myĀ comparison ofĀ Blogger, a hosted WordPress blog and a self-hosted WordPress blog in a platform showdown to help you decide.
We will cover cost, domain name, ownership, free design options, customization abilities, space/storage, e-commerce, updates/back up/security, whether or not you can display advertisements, and finally support. Let's get started.
[bctt tweet=”Can't decide which blogging platform to choose? Check out this showdown! ” username=”blogmelovely”]
Cost
Hosted WordPress ā You have three plan choices with a hosted WordPress blog. The Basic plan is free for life, Premium plan is $99 per year and the Business plan is $299 per year as the date of this post.
Self-Hosted WordPress ā There is no charge to use the WordPress software, so your cost depends on your hosting. I personally use and recommend Siteground (affiliate link). You can get hosting for a year for as little as $3.95 per month.
Blogger ā Free for life!
Cost can be a big issue. But if you are planning on having your blog or website for more than just a hobby, I recommend spending the money.
Domain Name
Hosted WordPress ā With the Basic plan your URL will end in .wordpress.com unless you pay $18 to buy and map a new domain or $13 to map an existing domain. Both the Premium and Business plans include a custom domain name.
Self-Hosted WordPress ā You have to purchase a custom domain name, they start as low as $11.99 at Siteground (affiliate link) and you can purchase with your hosting plan.
Blogger ā You can purchase a domain name for as low as $12.
Ownership
Hosted WordPress ā Ultimately WordPress owns your site. You have to conform to their Terms of Service and they can take down your site if they choose.
Self-Hosted WordPress ā You have complete ownership of your site.
Blogger – Ultimately Blogger owns your site. You have to conform to their Terms of Service and they can take down your site if they choose.
[bctt tweet=”Do you know which blogging platform gives you COMPLETE ownership over your content?” username=”blogmelovely”]
Design
Hosted WordPress ā There are over 300 free and premium themes for WordPress.com. If you have the Basic or Premium plan, you can pay between $18-$175 for a premium theme. With the Business plan, 50+ premium themes are included.
Self-Hosted WordPress ā You have access to hundreds of free and premium themes. Plus you can buy premium or custom themes and install them on your site.
Blogger ā There are only seven templates but you have the ability to easily add/remove/change the sidebars and footers.
Design can make or break a site. You want to be memorable, you don't want to look like everyone else's blog. But you would be surprised at the affordable options out there, especially if you aren't afraid of a little DIY.
Customization
Hosted WordPress ā The Basic plan comes with basic customization. The Premium and Business plans come with advanced customization, but even that is limited to only full font and CSS customization. None of the plans support custom plugins.
Self-Hosted WordPress ā You have complete control over your site. You can install a custom theme or design your own using HTML, CSS and PHP. You can also install any free or custom plugin.
Blogger ā You have full access to the HTML and CSS code. There are no plugins, however, Blogger does have a wide range of widgets for added functionality.
Space / Storage
Hosted WordPress ā The Basic plan comes with 3 GB of storage but no video storage. The Premium plan comes with 13 GB of storage and supports dozens of videos. The Business plan gives you unlimited storage.
Self-Hosted WordPress ā Your amount of storage will depend on your hosting plan. I chose a plan with unlimited storage.
Blogger ā 1 GB of storage if you use Picasa or 15 GB if you use Google+ (which is my recommendation).
E-commerce
Hosted WordPress ā Any form of e-commerce is not allowed on the Basic and Premium plans. However, the Business plan does allow it.
Self-Hosted WordPress ā Since you have complete control over all aspects of your site, you can create an e-commerce site if you choose.
Blogger ā E-commerce is allowed.
This might not be as big of an issue up front, many bloggers don't start out thinking they will sell a product or service. However, if you plan on selling something (including ad space) this is something to consider.
Updates / Backup / Security
Hosted WordPress ā All of this is taken care of by WordPress.
Self-Hosted WordPress ā All of this is your responsibility. However, if you purchase hosting through Siteground (affiliate link) I would recommend adding the automatic backups for $1.99 per month.
Blogger ā Updates and security are taken care of by Google. However, backing up your site is your responsibility.
Showing Advertisements
Hosted WordPress ā The Basic plan may show ads. The Premium and Business accounts have absolutely no ads, unless you put them up yourself.
Self-Hosted WordPress ā No ads, unless you put them up yourself.
Blogger ā No ads, unless you put them up yourself.
Support
Hosted WordPress ā There is community support for all plans, direct email support for Premium plans and then live chat support for Business plans.
Self-Hosted WordPress ā There is community support and the WordPress Codex. Plus any support offered by your hosting company.
Blogger ā You have access to community support.
The Verdict
It really depends on what you want to get out of blogging. If you are blogging for business, I would consider having a self-hosted WordPress blog. That way you own everything and have complete control and customization over your site.
[bctt tweet=”I've decided which blogging platform works best for me. Have you?” username=”blogmelovely”]
Which blogging platform do you think works the best for you? Let me know in the comments below!
I love this! I’ll have to also share this with my blogger friends who would greatly appreciate it! I personally love Self-hosted WordPress! xoxo
Lauren Ashley
http://www.thefashionistasdiary.com
Thank you so much! š
This is seriously so helpful! I started off with blogger, but as my blog grows the more important it is to do your research and understand the pros and cons of different platforms.
Pick Your Beau
I am glad you liked it!
I currently use blogger but I am thinking about switching sooner or later once I grow my blog a little more.
xoxo, Jenny Breakfast at Lillys
I think switching is a good move if you plan on growing your blog. It is a bigger step cost wise but definitely a great investment.
This is awesome! When I started blogging, I used wordpress, but then switched over to Blogger just because so many of the bloggers I admired were using it. I really appreciate how you broke everything down for us!
XX, SS || A Little Seersucker Sass
Thank you! I think WordPress.com has improved over the past few years with its offering plans rather than individual add-ons. But I think Blogger probably beats them out because you have more flexibility with the layout (if you know HTML/CSS). So many bloggers I follow still use Blogger.
This is such a great post!! I have been using Blogger since I started blogging in high school. It works for what I’m wanting to accomplish still right now with my blog, but perhaps I might switch to self-hosted WordPress sometime in the future!
Blogger is a great platform since it still provides you with so much flexibility! But I still prefer WordPress.org mainly for the fact of complete ownership.
Bookmarking this post for future reference! It was super easy to follow and compare the 3 options; thank you for making such a straightforward guide.
xx Kim
mainelyfashion.blogspot.com
I am so glad you found this helpful Kim! I think it is nice to see a comparison of all three. I haven’t seen one any where and thought it would be helpful!
I struggled for the longest time to make the switch Blogger to WordPress but so worth it!
It is definitely more of an investment but totally worth it!
I’ve been using Blogger for over two years, but I’ve been trying to save up to switch to WordPress.org. I love all of these comparisons. So helpful!
I am glad you found it helpful! I think switching would be a great step for you!
I just switched to wordpress.org and almost switched to Blogger before that, but I love wordpress.org and it was definitely worth the money.
http://thealwaysblog.com
I love it too! It provided so much more control!
This is such a helpful and informative post! I’ve been on Blogger since I started blogging and really like the platform, but I am considering a move to self hosted WordPress.org once I have the funds!
I think that would be a good move! I would highly recommend Bluehost! You can get it pretty inexpensive. I believe their lowest plan for a year is around $80.
This is such a great post. I currently have both a Blogger and hosted WordPress blog. For my digital marketing class we are required to use WordPress. I’ve always wondered the break down of how exactly they compare. Thanks for sharing.
xx. Brittany
Life Like a Twenty Something
I am so glad you enjoyed it. I think WordPress is a very powerful platform. So many companies use it, which is probably why it is required in your marketing class.
Oh definitely. My professor also says how when you’re applying for many jobs knowing WordPress is a big thing!
It is! You would be surprised at how many companies use it! You can do some pretty amazing things with WordPress, it is not just limited to blogging.
This is such a great post! I’ve experienced all three platforms and you really hit the nail on the head for all three!
Thank you! It took me a while with this post. I wanted to make sure I covered as much as possible without going overboard!
This is really informative! I just had someone ask me about the differences in platforms. I’m a new blogger myself, so I referred her to this post. Thanks!
Thank you! What is your blog? I would love to go check it out.
What a great post! I’m pinning this to refer new bloggers to. š
Thank you so much Jenn!
Thanks so much for posting this! Seriously, this is so helpful.
I am so glad that you found it helpful!
This has been so helpful! I am currently on blogger liked it. I have heard so many good things about WordPress and considered switching over in the future!
xoxo
Amy | Pastel N Pink
I really like WordPress. And I am so glad you found this helpful!
Very helpful, specially for new bloggers or someone who wants to start a blog š
So glad you found it helpful!