Top 10 Blogging Platforms: Prices, AdSense, Pros and Cons

For most bloggers in India, the best blogging platform is self-hosted WordPress if you want full control and ad income, or Blogger if you want to start for free. Medium and Substack are better if you care more about writing and readers than about running a website. The other platforms on this list suit narrower needs: Ghost for paid newsletters, Wix and Squarespace for design-led sites, Hashnode for developers and LinkedIn for professional branding.

Below are the top 10 blogging platforms with prices checked on each official page as of October 2026, whether you can run Google AdSense, and who each one is really for. Many sites show prices in US dollars; what you pay in India can differ because of local pricing, GST and currency conversion.

Blogging platforms compared at a glance

1. WordPress.org (self-hosted): best for serious bloggers

WordPress.org is free, open-source software you install on your own hosting. You choose any theme, add any plugin, and place ads wherever you like. Most large blogs and news sites run on it.

Cost: you pay for hosting and a domain. As of October 2026, Hostinger India listed WordPress hosting from ₹69 a month, but only on a 48-month term, before GST, renewing at ₹289 a month. Bluehost India also sells rupee-priced plans; check current pricing, intro offers change often.

• Pros: full control, every monetisation option, thousands of free themes (Astra, GeneratePress, Kadence) and SEO plugins (Yoast SEO, Rank Math).
• Cons: you handle updates, backups and security; a bad host or too many plugins makes it slow.

Our guide on how to start a blog walks through the installation step by step.

2. WordPress.com: WordPress without the hosting work

WordPress.com is a hosted service run by Automattic. You get the WordPress editor without managing a server.

Cost: the pricing page lists Free, Personal (US$4 a month on a yearly plan, US$9 monthly), Premium (US$8 yearly, US$18 monthly), Business (US$25 yearly) and Commerce (US$45 yearly). Annual paid plans include a free domain for the first year; monthly plans don't.

• Pros: no maintenance, decent security and backups handled for you.
• Cons: the free plan has a wordpress.com address and no plugins. WordAds is on Premium and above, and adding AdSense code needs a plugin-enabled plan with hosting features turned on, according to WordPress.com support.

3. Blogger: best free blogging platform

Blogger is Google's free platform. Hosting is free, you get a blogspot.com address, and you can connect your own domain later.

Earning: you apply for AdSense from the Earnings tab inside Blogger, and then add ads between posts or in the sidebar, as explained in Blogger Help. Approval still depends on your content meeting AdSense policies.

• Pros: ₹0 forever, nothing to maintain, quick AdSense setup.
• Cons: limited themes and features, few new updates, and you depend on Google keeping the service running.

4. Medium: best for writers who want readers fast

Medium is a writing platform with a large built-in readership. You write; Medium handles design, hosting and distribution.

Earning: no AdSense. Instead, the Medium Partner Program pays writers based on member engagement with paywalled stories. As of October 2026, Medium's eligibility page lists India as a supported country. You need an active paid Medium membership, at least one published story, a bank account in an eligible country, and you must be 18 or older.

• Pros: zero setup, clean editor, chance of being read from day one.
• Cons: it's not your site, little control over SEO and design, and earnings are unpredictable.

5. Substack: best for newsletters

Substack combines a blog with an email newsletter. Every post goes to your subscribers' inboxes, and you can export your email list if you leave.

Earning: paid subscriptions. Substack keeps 10% of subscription revenue, and Stripe charges its own processing fees, per Substack support. Payouts go through Stripe, so check whether your Indian bank account is supported before you plan around paid posts.

• Pros: free to start, direct relationship with readers.
• Cons: no display ads, limited design, and payment setup can be a hurdle in India.

6. Ghost: best for paid memberships

Ghost is an open-source platform built for publishers who sell memberships and newsletters.

Cost: the Ghost(Pro) hosted plans start at US$18 a month billed yearly (Starter, which doesn't include paid subscriptions), then US$29 (Publisher) and US$199 (Business). Ghost takes 0% of your subscription revenue on Publisher and above; payment processor fees still apply. You can also self-host the free software if you're comfortable managing a server.

• Pros: fast, clean, built-in newsletters and memberships, an official AdSense integration, and you own everything.
• Cons: more expensive than WordPress hosting, fewer themes and integrations.

7. Wix: best drag-and-drop builder

Wix lets you design pages visually by dragging elements around, with a blog section built in.

Cost: the Wix plans page shows Free, then Light, Core, Business and Business Elite, with prices from US$17.77 a month on a yearly plan. Wix says the US dollar prices are for reference and that prices vary by location, so you'll see different numbers in India. The free plan uses a username.wixsite.com address and shows Wix branding.

• Pros: very easy, good templates, extras like bookings and a store. AdSense works through Wix's own app once you have a Premium plan and a connected domain, per Wix support.
• Cons: costs more than shared WordPress hosting, and it's harder to move your site elsewhere later.

8. Squarespace: best for design-led sites

Squarespace is known for polished templates, especially for portfolios, photographers and small brands.

Cost: the pricing page lists Basic at US$19 a month billed yearly (US$25 monthly), Core at US$29, Plus at US$49 and Advanced at US$99 on yearly billing, with a 14-day free trial and no free plan.

• Pros: beautiful designs out of the box, hosting and security included.
• Cons: no free plan, priced in dollars, limited add-ons compared with WordPress. AdSense has no built-in support; you paste the code yourself, which Squarespace says needs the Core plan or higher.

9. Hashnode: best for developers

Hashnode is a blogging platform aimed at programmers. It's free to start, supports writing in Markdown, and lets you put your blog on your own domain.

• Pros: developer community, good code formatting, custom domain.
• Cons: narrow audience; not suited to general topics or display ads.

10. LinkedIn Articles: best for personal branding

Any LinkedIn member can publish articles, and you can turn regular articles into a LinkedIn newsletter that followers subscribe to.

• Pros: free, your work reaches recruiters and clients already in your network.
• Cons: no ads or direct income, and LinkedIn controls your content and reach.

Which blogging platform should you choose?

• You want AdSense income and long-term control: self-hosted WordPress.
• You want to start for ₹0 and test the habit: Blogger.
• You only want to write and don't want a website: Medium.
• You want readers to pay you directly: Ghost, or Substack if payouts work for you.
• You need a good-looking business or portfolio site with a blog: Wix or Squarespace.
• You're a developer: Hashnode.
• You want to be noticed by employers or clients: LinkedIn Articles, alongside your own blog.

If you plan to earn from your blog, also read our guide on how to make money online, which covers affiliate marketing and freelancing beyond ads.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best free blogging platform in India?

Blogger is the most complete free option because hosting is free and AdSense is built in. WordPress.com, Medium, Substack, Hashnode and LinkedIn are also free to start, but each limits ads or design in some way.

Is WordPress better than Blogger?

For growth and flexibility, self-hosted WordPress is better because you control themes, plugins, speed and ad placement. Blogger is better if your budget is zero or you're not yet sure you'll keep blogging.

Can Indians earn from the Medium Partner Program?

Yes. As of October 2026, India is on Medium's list of supported countries. You need a paid Medium membership, a bank account in India, at least one published story and you must be 18 or older.

Which blogging platform is best for Google AdSense approval?

The platform doesn't decide approval; your content does. AdSense needs original, useful content and a site you own. Self-hosted WordPress and Blogger both make it easy to add the ad code once you're approved.