What is the best free blogging platform for a new blogger?

[Guest pumpkinskin]

So there's a million choices out there and I'm a little confused. What is the best FREE option if I want to start blogging?

[Guest capncalimari]

Wordpress.com is nice and clean and free and very user-friendly. Plus, once you get more advanced, it's an easier transition to Wordpress.org. The only downside of Wordpress.com is that its restrictive in terms of widgets, advertising and custom themes.

Blogger.com is very, very easy. Lots of themes, lots of widgets and you can integrate analytics and advertising right out of the box with a single click. Very social-able, too--easy to have people follow you and follow others. Plus, it's Google, so it's good.

I haven't really used any other platform extensively. Typepad is notable, but never tried it.

[Jack]

I agree with what CapnCalimari said. I might add that Wordpress.com looks a bit more "Serious." I don't know, Blogger aka BlogSpot.com always feels a little bit casual to me. Like a step up from Livejournal. That being said, there are certainly some respectable bloggers on blogger.com. I use it for personal stuff for my family and friends.

I do love Wordpress though. I use a self-hosted installation for EVERYTHING I make on the web.

[Steve Krause]

Wordpress.com is nice and clean and free and very user-friendly. Plus, once you get more advanced, it's an easier transition to Wordpress.org. The only downside of Wordpress.com is that its restrictive in terms of widgets, advertising and custom themes.

Blogger.com is very, very easy. Lots of themes, lots of widgets and you can integrate analytics and advertising right out of the box with a single click. Very social-able, too--easy to have people follow you and follow others. Plus, it's Google, so it's good.

I haven't really used any other platform extensively. Typepad is notable, but never tried it.

 

Wordpress for sure.. Start with a Wordpress.com blog then move it to a self-hosted blog using a quality provider longer-term. If you need help with hosting, let me know.

[Beyond_Life]

Wordpress.com is nice and clean and free and very user-friendly. Plus, once you get more advanced, it's an easier transition to Wordpress.org. The only downside of Wordpress.com is that its restrictive in terms of widgets, advertising and custom themes.

Blogger.com is very, very easy. Lots of themes, lots of widgets and you can integrate analytics and advertising right out of the box with a single click. Very social-able, too--easy to have people follow you and follow others. Plus, it's Google, so it's good.

I haven't really used any other platform extensively. Typepad is notable, but never tried it.

 

Wordpress #ftw. Nothing beats wordpress. I started on a .com account and after a few months, got a provider and got changed to a .org account. www.wiggersrobert.nl

[Guest pumpkinskin]

Wordpress.com is nice and clean and free and very user-friendly. Plus, once you get more advanced, it's an easier transition to Wordpress.org. The only downside of Wordpress.com is that its restrictive in terms of widgets, advertising and custom themes.

Blogger.com is very, very easy. Lots of themes, lots of widgets and you can integrate analytics and advertising right out of the box with a single click. Very social-able, too--easy to have people follow you and follow others. Plus, it's Google, so it's good.

I haven't really used any other platform extensively. Typepad is notable, but never tried it.

 

@beyond_life Nice blog. I think I'll try out wordpress to start. More options I think if I ever want to take it solo.

 

@mrgroove from what I can tell, there is no way to self-host google blogger blogs correct?