Blogging has become easier to manage in the last few years. Blogs were regarded as a personal space or a diary at the beginning where people would share their thoughts. As time passed by and the world was touched by WordPress, things changed drastically and it is all turned in to a marvelous adventure. It is never too late to step into blogging and setting up a blog is as simple as writing an email.
Here we will discuss the comparison between WordPress.com which is a blogging platform and Blogger. Please note that we are not discussing WordPress.org which is an opensource software or application that you can install on the server and use it as a content management system.
With WordPress.com you will get a link to your blogs such as XYZ.wordpress.com or you can buy a domain name and get paid space on WordPress.com to mask it with your domain name.
On the other hand with WordPress.org you get the application files which you can use to install WordPress on your self-hosted domain.
WordPress vs Blogger – The key differences
WordPress.com
- WordPress.com is a commercial service and it has made it simple and innovative to run a blog. A free WordPress.com blog will give you access to a blog that can be turned in to a static or hybrid website. Under the free account you will get:
- 3 GB storage for your media files.
- Free stats.
- The free social media publishing tool is known as Publicize.
- Hundreds of free non-premium themes that you can use on your blog.
- An app to manage your blog from any mobile platform such as Android, iOS and BlackBerry.
Blogger
- Blogger is not a commercial entity. Unlike WordPress.com there is no premium option available. You will get:
- Free hosting and free sub-domain which you can mask with your domain name.
- Static pages.
- Access to Google Adsense.
- Mobile access on different platforms including iPhone and Android.
- Ability to blog via SMS and email.
- Signing up
- While there is no restriction on what email ID you use to create a blog on WordPress.com, you will need a Google account to create a blogging profile on Blogger.
Creating the first blog
While WordPress.com takes you the section where you can set up your blog and select theme along with other options, Blogger may need more information to move to the next step. Once the sub-domain for the blog is setup, you can move ahead with creating your first blogpost on both platforms.
Managing the blog
Both WordPress.com and Blogger have similar ways to let you manage your blog. The backend of WordPress.com looks strikingly similar to a self-hosted blog with an additional option to add a store to the blog. On the other hand, the only issue with Blogger is that it hides some features which you need to hunt to use such as Menu Items. In terms of widgets, WordPress.com wins the race.
Customization
WordPress.com allows you to use thousands of free themes available but Blogger has a very limited set of themes available under its roof. However, if you are not familiar with WordPress’s backend it may get a little confusing.
Monetization
If you want to make money on WordPress.com you have to buy their premium package which is a shame. On the other hand, Blogger gives you access to Google Adsense which is the most popular monetization platform.
Writing post
Both WordPress.com and Blogger provide tons of options to manage your posts. You can add images, embed videos and add links to other websites while creating posts.
Conclusion
While WordPress.com and Blogger are meant to serve as blogging platforms, if you are looking for a simpler and monetization-ready platform Blogger should be your choice. On the other hand, if you are looking for a feature-rich platform that gets regular updates in terms of themes and options, WordPress.com should be your choice.