Best Blogging Platform To Make Money In 2023

There are million platforms out there, so which one is the best blogging platform to make money in 2023?

First things first – does blogging actually still make money, in 2023? Short answer – Yes!! You can make money from blogging in various ways, but it all starts with having a successful blog.

Before you think I’m hypothetical, here’s what I made from my blogs before shutting it down and moving on to another venture. I know blogging works!

How much money you can make depends on a variety of factors like the niche you blog in, how successful your blog is and how much time you commit to growing it. But with so many different blogging platforms out there, which are the best platforms to make money (without draining your wallet)?

In this blog, I’ll walk you through some of the key considerations for choosing a platform and give you my take on the best blogging platforms to make money.

By the way, AI writers are shaking up the world of blogging, here’s more on AI writers.

Best Blogging Platform To Make Money: Key factors to look for

Before ranking the best blogging platforms, we should first consider some of the key factors to when choosing a blogging platform.

1. Paying audience

It’s about the money! Where are your audience come from, and how will they pay you for the content is one of the most important factors to consider.

The easiest way to start monetizing your blog post is to use a platform that has built-in paid audience, advertising and sponsorship options.

However, if you are looking for more control or a more direct way to make money, you may want to consider one of the other blogging platforms that are geared towards e-commerce, affiliate marketing, or direct sales.

2. Design and functionality

The design and functionality of your blog is another important consideration when choosing a blogging platform. Many platforms are very user-friendly and allow you to customize your site with a wide range of themes, plugins, widgets, and tools.

However, if you are looking for a more niche-specific platform that is designed specifically for bloggers who want to focus on e-commerce, affiliate marketing, or other direct revenue models, you may want to consider platforms like Shopify or Amazon Associates.

3. Running Cost – Is it a free blogging platform

Cost is also an important factor to consider when choosing a blogging platform. You should look for a blogging site /free platform that offers a free or low-cost plan, so that you can start blogging without breaking the bank.

But remember, most free blogging platforms do not give you free domain as well. For example, you cannot have yourname.com, but instead yourname.freedomain.com as your address.

However, if you are looking for a more scalable platform that can grow with your blog (and your online business!) you may want to consider a more premium platform, such as Bluehost, WordPress or Wix.

4. Ease of Use

One of the most important factors to consider when choosing a blogging platform is ease of use. You should look for a simple blogging platform that is easy to set up & use, so that you can focus on creating content, rather than learning how to use the platform.

You should be able to easily create and edit posts, as well as customize the look of your blog. Additionally, the platform should be easy to navigate so that your readers can find the information they are looking for.

5. Community and Support

Another key consideration is the community and support available through your blogging platform of choice. Whether you need help with setup, design customization, or troubleshooting, you should look for a platform that offers comprehensive support and resources to help you get up and running quickly.

Some platforms, like WordPress, have a large and active online community of users who are happy to offer support and guidance. Other platforms, like Medium and Instagram, have their own forums or online groups where you can find help and tips from fellow bloggers.

6. Reliability

You should also look for a platform that is reliable and has a good reputation. You don’t want to choose a platform that is known for being buggy or unreliable, as this could cause your blog to crash or lose data.

To find reliable options, it can help to read reviews and ratings from other bloggers or online platforms.

Additionally, you may want to consider the hosting options offered by your platform of choice, as this can impact the reliability and performance of your blog.

So here are my top choices!

1- Medium.com

Medium.com ranks on the top of the list of best blogging platform for many reasons.

Pros – Why Medium?

Medium is Free

You can get started on this free blogging platform instantly. There are no set-up fees or monthly costs, making it an ideal option for new bloggers who want to get started quickly and easily.

While you can write for free, you can only read limited content on the platform.

The paid version is $5/month, but is totally worth it. It allows you to access all the content on Medium, and it is a gold mine for anyone who wants to learn blogging. That is where I got started!

Medium has in-built paying audience

Medium is one of the best blogging platforms for those who want to make money directly through their blog.

You get paid for how much your content gets read by paying members. This means that you can quickly build an audience and start generating revenue on a platform that is built for bloggers.

With Medium partner program, it is much easier to monetize your blog, or grow your business through the platform’s in-built community.

Only 8% or so active writers on Medium make more than $100 a month. But it is not hard to get there (as you can see from my results).

Medium ranks on Google quickly

Medium has a very high domain rating, which means that blogs on this platform will be ranked highly by Google. This is great for bloggers who want to build an audience quickly, as it makes your content much easier to find and view.

This is one great way of attracting audience from outside Medium to your blog.

Here’s my own blog on Medium ranking on the first page of Google, it ranked #3 before other pages took over.

If you use the right SEO tools to create your content, you’ll quickly find out that Medium outranks many other free blogging platforms and blogging sites.

Here’s another example of mine.

With a Domain rating of 94 (Facebook is at the top – DR 100), and a traffic of almost 25 million a month, Medium is a great place to start.

Ease of Use

Medium.com is one of the most user-friendly blogging platforms available, with a simple design and easy-to-navigate interface.

You can easily create and edit posts, as well as customize the look of your blog to suit your style and branding.

Community and Support

Medium.com also has a large and active online community of users who are happy to offer support and guidance when you need it.

Whether you need help setting up or want to learn more about blogging, you can find a wealth of resources on the Medium.com blogs and forum.

Cons

• You cannot benefit from Google Adsense or similar advertising platforms. (This is beginning to change though, Medium is experimenting on models to pay for views from outside the Medium universe)
• You cannot customize the design too much & cannot make it your own online store.
• Medium’s partner program is the primary monetization tool.

Verdict

Go for Medium if

• If you are new to blogging and just want to to blog online today, Medium is the best option. Stop reading this blog now and get started. It takes less than 30 seconds to start!
• If you do not want to cough up more than $5/month
• If you do not want to spend hours learning how the platform works

Medium is THE best blogging platform for beginners.

2. WordPress

WordPress is a popular content management system (CMS) that is used by millions of people around the world to create and manage websites.

It is an open-source platform, which means that it is free to use, and there are thousands of plugins and themes available to make it customizable for your needs.

WordPress is a great option for bloggers who want more control over their website design and functionality, as it is easy to use and allows you to customize every aspect of your site.

There are also many support forums and tutorials available online if you need help getting started.

There are two versions of WordPress: WordPress.com (free) and WordPress.org (paid).

The WordPress blog free version comes with the some limitations while WordPress.org (the self-hosted, paid version) comes with access to a LOT more features. 

By far the best part about WordPress.org is that you get access to THOUSANDS of plugins that allow you to customize your blog in a variety of ways, including adding contact forms, email forms, social media buttons, and so much more.

Pros

• You own your domain – you have a long term, scalable digital real estate
• Design your WordPress site however you want with more control than ever before – be it creating your own online store as a small business owner, or a blog site for creating leads for your consulting business or anything else.
• Personalize your blog with thousands of plugins and themes – you have hundreds of themes which you can just drag and drop
• Good customer service and a plethora of platform-related articles.
• As your blog grows, it becomes easier to integrate with most other software.
• Connect to ad networks are display your own ads
• Easy integration to popular social media platform

Cons

• A steeper learning curve than some other blogging platforms. You have to install WordPress and a number of plug-ins and learn how to use them.
• You may need to purchase hosting and set up your blog manually.
• Some of the most popular plugins can be pricey

Verdict

WordPress is one of the most popular blogging platforms for small business owners / freelancers who want their own online store. WordPress can play multiple roles – just a web hosting service that lets you have your own domain name or can be a full blogging platform with all the bells and whistles you don’t even know exists.

Go for it! But know you’ll have to shell out some money to get started if you choose to pay for the premium access.

3 – Substack

Substack is a user-friendly email newsletter service that enables writers to make money from subscriptions. Not only does Substack provide tools for creating newsletters, but it also has purpose-built web publishing capabilities for paid subscribers. Because of its many features and benefits, Substack has become a popular choice among writers who want to monetize their newsletter.

Not only does Substack enable audio creators to charge for and distribute their podcasts, but it also allows bloggers to utilize a hybrid of the newsletter and blogging models. This means that you can (1) send subscribers newsletter posts and (2) have those posts published on your Substack newsletter domain – all in one place!

Pros

1. Substack is easy to use and setup, requiring little technical knowledge or expertise. This makes it a good choice for those who want to start a blog or newsletter without having to worry about setting up a website or dealing with hosting and other technical details.
2. Substack offers an option to monetize your email subscription list.
3. Substack offers a range of customizable templates and design options, allowing you to create a professional-looking blog or newsletter that reflects your brand and style.
4. Substack provides robust analytics and metrics, giving you insight into your audience and how your content is performing. This can be helpful for understanding what types of content your readers enjoy and how to improve your writing and engagement.
5. Goes beyond text, also is a Podcast hosting platform now

Cons

1. Substack’s monetization methods are limited, and completely excludes Ad revenues
2. Substack does not offer as many features and customization options as some other blogging platforms, such as WordPress. This can be a drawback if you are looking for more advanced functionality or want to create a more complex website.
3. Substack’s revenue model is based on taking a percentage of your subscription fees, which can be a disadvantage if you are trying to maximize your income from your blog or newsletter. This may make it more difficult to achieve financial stability or scale your business.

4 – Vocal Media

Vocal.Media is a discoverability platform for creators. Vocal provides the storytelling tools and engaged communities that writers, musicians, filmmakers, artists, and all types of creatives need to get discovered and fund their creativity. Vocal was designed to expand the audience for content distribution and advance writers’ efforts on monetizing their content through various features.

There are a couple different ways that Vocal helps writers earn money.

creators get paid based on how many times their stories are read. For example, if a story gets 1000 reads, the creator is paid $3.80 . If the story is published on Vocal+, which costs $4/month , then the creator earns $6 per 1000 reads.

Secondly, readers can also choose to directly tip creators for their stories through micropayments. These go straight into the creator’s Stripe account.

Pros

• Vocal media comes with built-in monetization features allowing bloggers to receive payments quick and easy.
• The platform offers both a free and premium version.
• Vocal Media has a strong focus on community and collaboration, with features like forums, groups, and events that can help you connect with other writers and content creators.

Cons

1. Vocal Media is a relatively new and emerging platform, which means that it may not have the same level of visibility or reach as more established blogging platforms.
2. Vocal Media does not offer as many features or tools as some other blogging platforms, such as WordPress. This may limit your ability to customize your blog or website to your specific needs.

5. NewsBreak

NewsBreak mobile app boasts 23 million monthly users with a network of more than 10,000 content providers. According to Sensor Tower’s estimation, the app has 50 million installs globally on iOS and Android devices; 99% of these users are from the U.S.

NewsBreak is essentially a blogging platform, though it does not label itself as such. The primary distinction between NewsBreak and other platforms like it is that content on NewsBreak tends to be time-sensitive and focused on regional issues.

Why NewsBreak?

• Bloggers can make money off of “time-sensitive” content, including news, local events, and issues.
• For every article, writers receive a flat payment plus additional income based on that article’s success.
• Payment terms are open for discussion and can be adjusted to meet the needs of individual bloggers.

Other honorable mentions

Blogger

This platform is owned by Google, so it is easy to get started with and has a lot of built-in traffic. However, the advertising model is not very direct, and bloggers may have to go through intermediaries or third-party sponsors in order to monetize their content.

Tumblr

While it isn’t as popular as WordPress or Blogger, Tumblr still has a large user base that can give you exposure to new readers. However, the platform is fairly restrictive when it comes to monetization options, and bloggers may need to look at alternatives if they want to maximize their earnings.

Ghost

This is a newer platform that is designed specifically for bloggers who want to make money from their writing. It offers a number of monetization options, including paid subscriptions and sponsored content. However, it is still relatively unknown, so bloggers may need to invest more time into building an audience on this platform.

Quora

This site is a popular Q&A platform, and it can be a great way to build your audience and get your name out there. However Quora’s monetization options are limited, and bloggers may need to look at other platforms if they want to make money from their content. Additionally, Quora’s community can be quite harsh, and bloggers need to approach the platform with caution.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s better? self hosted blogging platform or?

There is no definitive answer to this question, as different bloggers may prefer different blogging platforms for various reasons. Some popular self hosted blog

platforms include WordPress, Blogger, and Ghost.

These platforms offer a variety of features, including free templates, themes, and domain names. However, many bloggers opt for the free version of these platforms, as they may want to focus on building their audience or writing content rather than optimizing their blog for monetization.

Other platforms, such as Vocal and NewsBreak, are specifically focused on monetization and provide a range of tools to help bloggers make money from their content.

These platforms may be a good choice for bloggers who want to earn money from their writing, although they typically require more effort and investment to establish. Ultimately, the best choice will depend on a variety of factors, including the individual blogger’s preferences and goals.

How much money blogging can generate?

There is no definitive answer to this question, as the amount of money that bloggers can make from blogging will vary depending on a number of factors, including the size and success of their audience, the type of content they produce, and their monetization strategies.

Some popular ways to monetize a blog include advertising, affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, and paid subscriptions. However, many bloggers also rely on alternative income sources such as freelance writing or passive income streams, which can help them to generate steady revenue even if their blog is not very successful.

Ultimately, the amount of money that bloggers can make will depend on their individual circumstances, as well as the specific opportunities that are available to them.

Which is the best content management system in the market today?

There is no definitive answer to this question, as different content management systems may be better suited to different bloggers or businesses. Some popular content management systems in the market today include WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla.

Each of these platforms comes with its own set of pros and cons, so bloggers and businesses may need to do some research to determine which system would be most suitable for their needs.

Some factors that may influence this decision include the user-friendliness of the platform, the availability of support and documentation, and the range of features offered by the system. Ultimately, the best content management system will depend on the specific needs and goals of the blogger or business.

Do platforms like Medium have google analytics kind of metrics?

It is likely that platforms like Medium do offer some kind of analytics or metrics to help bloggers track and measure their performance on the site.

Some of the features that are commonly associated with Google Analytics include page views, unique visitors, engagement metrics such as time on site and bounce rate, as well as data on sources of traffic, such as social media or search engines.

However, the exact metrics available on different platforms may vary, and some platforms may offer more advanced or in-depth analytics than others. Ultimately, the best way to determine which platform offers the most useful metrics will depend on the individual needs and goals of the blogger or business.

Here are some examples from Medium & Quora.

Does search engine optimization if I choose high domain rating platform like Medium / Quora?

Getting your content out via a high Domain Rating / Domain Authority site can help you rank on the first page of Google – but IF & only IF the content is relevant and helpful to the users, and truly answers your target audience’s questions.

In order to optimize your content for search engines and get the best results, you will also need to consider factors such as your keyword usage, backlinking strategy, and site structure.

I just want to try, what’s the right blogging platform for me?

Medium is the easiest and most popular blogging platform to use. It is user-friendly and intuitive, making it a great option for anyone who is new to blogging or who wants to get their content out quickly and easily.