WordPress is the leading content management system (CMS), and its market share is overwhelming. However, even though WordPress’s supremacy isn’t in danger, a few rivals have excellent features. One of the most feature-rich rivals is Blogger (aka Blogspot).
The fact that Google owns it is enough to convince you to pay attention to it. But is it better than WordPress? In which context is Blogger better than WordPress?
No matter how much thought one puts into a Blogger vs WordPress review, all the answers start with “it depends on…”
This kind of answer is frustrating for beginners; usually, they don’t have patience and want precise solutions. If you are in this situation or don’t have the time, the short answer is “WordPress is better than Blogger” in most cases.
Before using Blogger or WordPress, this article will help you make the right decision.
Blogger’s Evolution
On 23 August 1999, Pyra Labs launched Blogger—a basic blogging platform. Four years later, Google acquired Blogger and has substantially improved it.
Currently, Blogger is a free publishing platform, and users can create blogs with a Blogger.com subdomain (e.g., mywebsite.Blogger.com) or use a custom domain (mywebsite.com). Customising a layout and launching the first post is a breeze. You can create a website regardless of your level of expertise.
WordPress’ Evolution
Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little launched WordPress on 27 May 2003. Nowadays, WordPress is worldwide and used by millions of users. Even though many blogs have covered the matter of WordPress.com vs WordPress.org, many users cannot spot the differences.
WordPress.com
WordPress.com is a platform owned by Automattic. Users can create websites using WordPress.com, and the platform hosts their works. Users don’t need to care too much about website maintenance and security; the WordPress.com team handles these for them.
WordPress.org
WordPress.org is where you can download the latest version of the WordPress software. Unlike WordPress.com, this self-hosted blog platform requires you to sign up for a hosting provider. Users are also responsible for website design, security, and functionality. WordPress.org provides significantly more options but also more responsibilities.
Now that I have introduced Blogger and WordPress, it’s time to check out their advantages and disadvantages and see who wins the Blogger vs WordPress fight.
Blogger’s advantages:
Free to Set Up a Website
Quality that comes with no price tag is worth your attention. You don’t need to pay for a hosting service or a domain name to get a Blogger site up and running.
No Learning Curve
Blogger is a simple blogging platform with a straightforward and intuitive interface. A non-technical person can set up the website and start posting hassle-free. To use Blogger, you don’t need to install software—create an account and a domain name. Users can set up and manage multiple blogs.
Security and Reputation
You will be relieved that Blogger (a Google service) handles your website’s security and software updates. Your Blogger blog runs on Google’s servers so you can be sure that it’s secure and safe from online threats.
Make Money from AdSense
Google AdSense is a great way to monetise your blog. You could earn decent money by creating valuable content and attracting heavy traffic. You can make money with zero investment!
Blogger’s disadvantages
You Don’t Own Anything
It’s frustrating to create tonnes of posts only for your blog to disappear suddenly. It may be a nightmare, but it could happen, and you can’t do anything. Blogger owns all your work and has reserved the right to shut down your website.
The Lack of Plugins
The lack of plugins is a huge disadvantage in the Blogger vs WordPress fight. A plugin extends the functionality of a website. For example, WooCommerce transforms a WordPress site into an online store. Unfortunately, Blogger lacks the option of adding plugins.
Poor Theme Offerings
Everyone wants their website to be different from others’. The limited number of Blogger themes doesn’t give you many chances to be different from competitors. No matter the customisation work you have done, it’s a high chance that your site layout will look like many others.
Who Should Use Blogger
The Blogger platform works best for complete newbies willing to learn the ins and outs of blogging. The user-friendly interface and free hosting are its main selling points.
Blogger is for people who want to share their thoughts, passions, or ideas without interest in creating a business. It could be called blogging for fun.
Blogger is a solution if you are working on limited funds. You can create a website and start making money from AdSense ads. However, you need serious traffic to earn a decent amount of money.
WordPress.com’s Advantages
The Pricing Plan Includes a Free Account
WordPress.com comes with multiple pricing plans: Free, Personal, Premium, and Business. The Free plan is more than enough if you want to test the waters, as it offers similar features to Blogger, such as a free blog hosting service. If you want more features, the higher-priced tiers are for you.
User-Friendly Interface
The WordPress admin dashboard is as intuitive as Blogger’s. It suits people with no coding skills; they can construct a website and publish a blog post in a few minutes.
Over time, your Blogger account has a built-in analytics feature that lets you see how many visitors your blog received and your most popular posts. These help you keep track of your blog’s progress and use it to write more content that your audience would enjoy.
No Maintenance Issues
The Bloggers vs WordPress battle has no winner in this area. Like Blogger, WordPress.com handles security, hosting, maintenance, and software updates. Users only have to focus on several stylising options and create valuable content.
Hundreds of Free Themes
If Blogger vs WordPress were a boxing match, WordPress would win by KO in the first round. Even free accounts benefit from hundreds of fantastic themes.
WordPress.com’s Disadvantages
Ads on Your Website
It’s a big no-no to have unwanted ads on your site. WordPress.com adds its ads to your site if you go for the free plan. You should pay to remove the ads.
Limited Use of Themes
You can’t use a premium theme unless you opt for the Premium and Business plan. Only Business users can use custom themes from outside the WordPress.com universe.
You Can’t Upload Plugins
It’s a significant disadvantage; plugins add an irreplaceable extra layer of functionality.
Who Should Use WordPress.com
Choose WordPress.com if you, for any reason, don’t like Blogger. It’s a free and reliable alternative to begin your blogging adventure. The tiered pricing plans will mark your evolution. You can start with the free account but choose the higher tiers if your website grows.
WordPress.com has a similar learning curve to that of Blogger; both are suitable for non-technical users. However, WordPress.com allows for a larger set of customisation options than Blogger.
WordPress.org’s Advantages
You Are Your Own Boss
WordPress.org lets you feel like the master of your destiny. You have a few limitations and many responsibilities. You are responsible for the design, security, software updates, maintenance, etc.
Unlimited Use of Themes and Plugins
You can install any theme and plugin from the WordPress directory—there are no restrictions.
You can also choose premium themes if you want more access to features such as one-click templates, widgets, and excellent customer support. On the other hand, premium plugins supercharge your website by helping you attract more traffic, email subscribers, and more.
Whether you choose free and premium themes for your self-hosted WordPress blog is up to you and your needs.
SEO and Credibility
WordPress is a search engine-friendly platform, but websites based on a subdomain don’t rank high in the search results. That’s why users of self-hosted sites have more tools to improve their website’s ranking.
Most people, including search engines, trust a businessweb.com website more than a businessweb.wordpress.com website. If you want to attract clients and leads, WordPress.org is the solution.
WordPress.org’s Disadvantages
You Need a Budget
While you can use free themes and plugins to keep costs low, you need to sign up for a domain name and web hosting services where you can save your website. There are many cheap hosting providers, but their services are poor. In simple terms, you need to invest if you want quality.
Setting Up Is Complicated
Compared to other blogging platforms, WordPress.org is straightforward, but compared to Blogger and WordPress.com, it isn’t very easy. Setting up a self-hosted website requires patience and some web knowledge.
Through the years, however, hosting platforms like Siteground now offer a one-click install WordPress feature to set up your website in minutes. Installing WordPress now may be much easier than before, but it’s still not as seamless compared to other
Maintenance Requires Time
Updating your WordPress version, theme, and plugins is a necessity. If you ignore this step, the chances are that hackers will break into your website. All these updates require time; therefore, you should stay committed to your site.
Who Should Use WordPress.org
Set up a self-hosted website when you are sure that you can take care of it. If you are unsure, go for WordPress.com or Blogger. WordPress.org is the best alternative for business websites, online stores, and creative agencies.
Advanced users also benefit from the flexibility and customisation of the self-hosted version. You can improve your site’s ranking and create a respected brand.
Verdict
No one platform is better than others. Both WordPress and Blogger have pros and cons that can make anyone choose one over the other. That said, it’s about how each solution meets a user’s needs.
As an experienced website developer and owner of a WordPress maintenance business, my answer here shouldn’t surprise anyone. The self-hosted WordPress platform provides a more robust blogging service than Blogger ever will. In addition, its WordPress plugins give users an immediate advantage over others as they can make their websites run better and faster even with the free plugins.
However, don’t let my subjectivity influence your decision to choose the Blogger vs WordPress winner. Which one do you prefer? Leave a comment below with your top choice.
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