Blogger vs WordPress: Which is Best for Blogging?

When it comes to choosing a platform for blogging, the debate between Blogger vs WordPress has been ongoing for quite some time. Both platforms have their unique features and advantages, making it essential to weigh the pros and cons before making a decision.

In this article, we will explore the key differences and similarities between Blogger and WordPress, helping you determine which platform is best suited for your blogging needs.

From customization options and ease of use to SEO capabilities and scalability, each platform has its strengths and considerations. So, join us as we delve into the Blogger vs WordPress debate and equip yourself with the knowledge to make an informed decision for your blogging journey.

Blogging is on the rise and growing in popularity as we speak.

By 2021, there will be over 600 million blogs from 1.9 billion websites on the internet, according to Ahref’s report.

Whether you own a business or run a personal website, the idea of ​​starting your blog may have crossed your mind.

do you say yes

Then welcome!

And even if you’re ignorant of blogging and its intricacies, stay tuned to learn more.

So, back to blogging,

Anyone with any ability can start a blog.

That’s correct!

It’s that simple, and there are a ton of ways it can serve up on your plate, from money to fame.

So, to get started, you need a publishing platform where you can post your thoughts and opinions and showcase your knowledge.

WordPress and Blogger are two of the most popular platforms on the web. Each of them has its pluses and minuses.

If you are unsure about which one to choose, I will help you choose one at the end of this article.

So let’s compare them to find out which is the best choice for you.

Blogger vs WordPress: Overview

Meet WordPress

Founded in 2003, WordPress is open-source software that you can use to create your blog, website, or application. It is a content management system (CMS) that makes it easy to create, edit, and publish your content online.

It currently powers about 38% of the entire web, powering the largest websites and hobbyist blogs. It has powerful features, and beautiful designs and gives you the freedom to create excellent web products that offer a truly “priceless” experience.

To get started with a WordPress blog, you need a domain name and web hosting. A domain name refers to the address that people on the internet type to access your blog, for example – xyzxyz.com. It’s similar to the physical address that people use to visit your home.

Web hosting, such as Blauwirt, will host your blog and display it to your visitors. Compare this to a rented house, which you can change based on your needs and whether you want to stay there or find another that suits you better.

Meet bloggers

Blogger is a blogging-only platform that you can use for FREE to publish your blogs. It was previously known as a Blogspot when it was started in 1999 by one company – Pyra Labs. Google acquired it in 2003 and then renamed Blogspot to the Blogger we all know today.

They also provide you with a free subdomain where your blog address looks like name.blogspot.com.

If you want a custom domain, you can register by paying a certain amount to a third-party domain registrar and then connect them to your blog on Blogger. Now your address will look something like this – name.com.

Read Also: 5 Key Differences to Compare Shared Hosting vs WordPress

Blogger vs WordPress: Ease of Use

What if you have no knowledge of coding but still want to start your blog yourself?

Don’t worry; You’re not alone!

You can convey your thoughts through your blog without any programming knowledge, which is why these blogging platforms are created.

WordPress

Setting up a blog is quick and easy in WordPress. All you need is basic computer skills to download, install, and set up your blog.

Once you have it configured, choose a WordPress theme for your blog that can complement the niche. It is essential to the look and feel of your blog. You can also install some WordPress plugins to enable more features on your blog.

When it comes to adding content, it couldn’t be easier!

Create content, add media like videos or images, and publish directly without any confusion. You can customize your blog to your liking with a drag-and-drop builder.

Bloggers

Setting up your blog on Blogger is even easier, and it’s already hosted CMS by Google, so you don’t have to buy a domain name or web hosting.

All you need is a Google account and you’re good to go.

Create a blog by choosing a display name, give the blog a title, blog address, topic and setup are complete. Next, configure the blog settings, manage the layout, and start adding content.

While the setup process is easy, customizing the theme or blog design can get tricky as HTML knowledge is required.

Winner – it’s a tie.

Blogger vs. WordPress: Ownership and Control

Clearly who owns your blog is a crucial consideration as you have complete freedom in your blog. You can decide how to run the blog, manage it, monetize it, or shut it down if necessary.

WordPress

When you host your blog on self-hosted WordPress, you own your blog and have complete freedom in it. You have the right to manage it the way you want it, decide how long you want it to run and it won’t shut down without warning.

Since you are not tied to a web host, you can always change your web host if you don’t like their services. Copy data anywhere, control what data you share, and migrate the entire blog if you want.

When it comes to controlling and flexibility, you can easily extend the features with third-party integrations and plugins, as there are thousands of free and premium plugins available to enhance your experience.

Bloggers

Because Blogger is hosted on Google, your blog doesn’t belong to you. If they plan to turn it off tomorrow or restrict your access, I’m afraid there’s nothing you can do.

It’s like Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc. which can suspend an account or ban people if they suspect someone is breaking their rules.

And if for whatever reason, they shut themselves down, your only option is to plan a migration, which may cost you.

Limited options are available for control and flexibility as it is just a basic blogging platform. They offer a range of tools that you can use to add some functionality such as B. Advertising, links, subscriptions, contact forms, and so on.

However, the range of functions is limited in contrast to WordPress.

Winner: WordPress.

Blogger vs WordPress: Features

WordPress

WordPress offers thousands of high-quality themes and over 55,000 plugins, making it the perfect choice for everyone to meet their diverse needs.

You can choose either free or paid for your call. All can be easily customized to match the look of your blog. If you prefer, you can opt for third-party WordPress theme providers such as Astra Themes and more.

To make designing easier, it offers a drag-and-drop editor.

Don’t have any SEO knowledge?

Then how do you plan to improve your website ranking?

Worry no more, WordPress has made SEO easier. You will love how you can manage SEO on your blog with no prior knowledge.

It’s not just words; I speak from my own experience. When I started writing a few years ago, I knew nothing about SEO.

Then came a big help from Yoast SEO – a WordPress plugin for optimizing your blog’s on-page SEO. It was a game changer for me because it offers suggestions on how to create readable text, optimize meta descriptions, use keywords, alternative image text, internal links, headings and subheadings, custom URLs, and more.

You can also try other plugins to optimize images, modify or generate XML sitemaps, integrate your blog with Google Analytics, and much more to improve your blog’s SEO.

If you use WordPress, you can move your website anywhere on the web. This implies that you can change the host, domain name, or content management system.

Apart from that, WordPress is known for offering high performance, powerful media management, and high responsiveness across different devices. It has already powered some top sites like The New York Times, The Official Star Wars Blog, MTV News, and more.

Read Also: Best 8 Keyword Tracking Tools for SEO Excellence

Bloggers

Blogger offers limited templates that you can use in a blog. These templates have been used on so many blogs out there but are pretty basic. Also, it’s difficult to get quality templates; If you want, pay extra for them.

You have the freedom to change template layouts and colors using Blogger’s built-in tools. Despite this, bloggers cannot create templates or make changes.

It disappoints again when it comes to plugins. However, there is an option to include a third-party script to add some basic functionality. For example, you can include a script to add contact forms. Not to mention that even third-party scripts have limitations unless you use premium services.

Since Blogger doesn’t offer plugins, you can’t automate SEO aspects like you can with WordPress. Blogger is ideal for someone who is already familiar with SEO practices or is willing to learn more.

However, you can optimize your content by customizing permalinks, page titles, headers, image alt text, adding keywords, hiding some pages from search, and more.

If there is a scenario where you need to move your blog from Blogger, it is a complex task. There are significant risks of losing your SEO, followers, or subscribers along the way.

Winner: Looking at theme options, SEO, and other features, WordPress once again emerges as a warrior.

Blogger vs WordPress: Cost

You would never want your blog to cost you more than you can spend on it. If it’s just a hobby, freebies might help you to a certain extent, but if you’re a determined blogger looking to make some serious income, you might struggle to grow your blog.

Therefore, there has to be a perfect balance of how much you should spend on your blog.

WordPress

As explained earlier, although WordPress is FREE software, you have to spend to buy a domain name and web host.

Some web hosts like Bluehost even offer a free domain name if you purchase their hosting service for as little as $2.75/month. So find a web host that suits your budget.

Again, if you want premium plugins and themes, the costs add up. Don’t worry; If you want to monetize your blog, these things will pay off in the long run.

Bloggers

It’s FREE and also comes with a subdomain. So you can start publishing your content without any investment.

Of course, if you want a custom domain, premium themes, and plugins, be prepared to pay for them!

Winner: Blogger

Blogger vs. WordPress: Monetization Options

WordPress

Without a doubt, WordPress is the best option if you want to monetize a blog. You can easily add affiliate links, Google Adsense, Google Analytics, ad banners, and more.

Also, you can create an eCommerce page on your website and start selling products to earn more income. Use a quality eCommerce plugin to run your online store.

Bloggers

It is possible to monetize a blog on Blogger if you add affiliate links and Google Adsense. Good thing – Adsense comes preinstalled in Blogger.

But the catch is that many advertisers don’t appreciate a blog in Blogger since it’s free. So things get less opportunistic when you’re selling direct ads without a third-party service. What’s more, Blogger doesn’t support pre-built e-commerce integrations.

Winner: WordPress has the edge over Blogger.

Blogger vs WordPress: Security

With cybersecurity concerns growing, securing your website or blog has become imperative.

WordPress

The web host you choose must offer a good security solution, and you can add an extra layer of security by installing an efficient WordPress security plugin and web application firewalls.

Although your web host might provide regular backups, you can also manage them yourself via a backup plugin. Be prepared before things go wrong.

Bloggers

Because of Google’s robust and secure platform, you don’t have to worry about the security of your blog. In addition, you can also rely on Google to manage your server resources and create backups.

But if the platform goes down, your blog will be on it too. And there is nothing you can do to restore it. On the plus side, you’re free from additional plugins or security nightmares; Google takes care of that.

Winner: Blogger

Blogger vs WordPress: Support

The quality of support you receive must also be considered as problems can arise at any time. If you don’t have the technical know-how, you’ll find yourself in the middle of nowhere, and this could take a toll on your blog and the earning potential associated with it.

WordPress

The WordPress community is huge and helps all users around the world by contributing to the software to further improve it and share knowledge. There are forums for questions, answers, and documentation.

Apart from that, there are thousands of online tutorials available that WordPress developers have created together with the community members.

Bloggers

Blogger’s support options are very limited. They provide a basic user forum and documentation. To find support, click on “Help” in the admin panel where you can see information about support tutorials.

Winner: WordPress

Blogger vs WordPress: Pros and Cons

After seeing the comparison between the two platforms based on various aspects, let’s compare their pros and cons to summarize things.

WordPress Advantages

+ Requires a bit of work to find a good hosting service and domain name provider. But if you do, you can let the host set up your blog for you

+ User-friendly and good learning potential

+ Many design options for themes and plugins

+ Supports multiple integrations to add more features for improved user experience

WordPress Disadvantages

– money investment

– Security concerns

Bloggers Advantages

+ Very easy and fast to start

+ Super easy to create and publish blogs

+ FREE

+ Robust security from Google

Bloggers Disadvantages

– Very basic functionality

– Limited options to customize the look and feel of the blog

– You do not own your blog and it can be taken down at any time

Discover the best platform for your blogging needs. Blogger and WordPress offer unique features and customization options, making it a tough choice for writers. Explore the pros and cons to make an informed decision.

Conclusion: Which is Better, WordPress or Blogger?

I’m sure you’ve gotten some ideas about both platforms from this article so far. WordPress and Blogger are both good in their places, but when it comes down to choosing one for your blog, it depends on your needs, budget, and long-term goals with the blog.

If you just want to create a personal blog to share your experiences and stories and showcase yourself, Blogger is a good option. Here you do not have to rely on an unusual design or make additional investments. And if you want to add some twist, you can always pay for it.

However, if you want to create a professional blog in the long term and monetize it, you need a scalable, powerful, and flexible platform, in this case, WordPress. It expands your earning potential by allowing you to add an eCommerce store, membership site, etc. to earn more money.

So think about your goals and budget to choose the one that you think will fill the gap.

I hope it helps 🙂

What do you think about this article?