Resources
Tools and services for running a blog, from hosting and domains to newsletters and analytics.
Starting a blog?
One tool for each of the basics. You can swap any of them later.
Hosting
Web hosting for blogs, from managed WordPress to static site hosts, with notes on price, support and ease of setup.
Managed WordPress hosting with daily backups, free SSL and support that answers quickly.
Long-running shared and WordPress hosting with a free domain on annual plans.
Free hosting for static sites built with Astro, Hugo or Eleventy, deployed from Git.
Low-cost shared and WordPress hosting with a simple control panel, suited to a first blog on a budget.
Managed cloud hosting on your choice of provider, billed by usage, for blogs that have outgrown shared hosting.
Premium managed WordPress hosting with daily backups, staging and a built-in CDN.
Free static site hosting from a Git repository on a global network, for blogs built with a static generator.
Free static hosting straight from a GitHub repository, with custom domains and HTTPS.
Budget WordPress hosting with one-click installs, aimed at first-time bloggers.
Domains
Where to register a domain name for your blog, with privacy options and fair renewal prices, and how to keep it if you change platforms.
Platforms / CMS
Blogging platforms and publishing software, from self-hosted WordPress to hosted tools with newsletters built in.
Open-source publishing software you install on your own host. Runs a large share of the web.
A minimal, fast blogging platform with no trackers or ads, built for plain writing.
Clean, distraction-free hosted blogging with a privacy focus and optional ActivityPub support.
A free blogging platform for developers, with custom domains and a built-in readership.
A very fast open source static site generator for building a blog from Markdown files.
Themes & plugins
WordPress themes and plugins for speed, layout, backups and spam control, so you can extend a blog without writing code.
Lightweight, fast WordPress theme with a free core and a premium add-on.
Block-based theme and blocks for building layouts in the WordPress editor.
A lightweight, fast WordPress theme with ready-made blog layouts and a generous free version.
Email & newsletters
Newsletter and email tools for bloggers who want to send new posts straight to readers.
Plain, writer-friendly newsletter tool with Markdown and RSS-to-email.
Email marketing for creators, with landing pages and automations. Formerly ConvertKit.
Generous free plan, a drag-and-drop editor and simple sign-up forms.
SEO
SEO tools for bloggers: see how readers find your posts, fix indexing problems and research keywords.
See which searches bring readers to your blog and fix indexing problems.
A WordPress SEO plugin covering titles, schema and sitemaps, with a free version.
Analytics
Analytics for blogs, including privacy-friendly options, to see which posts people read and where visitors come from.
Lightweight, privacy-friendly analytics with no cookie banner needed.
Free, detailed traffic reports. Needs a consent banner in many countries.
Simple, privacy-focused open source analytics, hosted for you or on your own server.
Cookie-free, privacy-first analytics with a clean dashboard and no consent banner needed.
Writing & editing
Writing and editing tools for bloggers: grammar and spelling checkers, readability editors and Markdown writing apps.
Images & stock
Free stock photos and image tools for blog posts, including ways to compress and resize pictures so pages load faster.
Design tools
Design tools for blog headers, social images and colour palettes, with free options for personal use.
Monetization
Ways for bloggers to earn from their writing, from reader tips and memberships to one-off support pages.
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