Hey there! I'm Hongbeom, the founder of BlogPro - a blogging platform that integrates with Notion to help writers publish, grow, and monetize their content. As a Notion power user myself, I understand the challenges writers face in turning their Notion notes into a professional blog. That's why I created BlogPro - to provide a streamlined solution tailored for Notion users who want to establish their online presence and build a successful blog.

I've tried all the blogging platforms while building my own tool. In this guide, I'll show you the best ones that let you own your brand, focus on writing, and monetize your way.

I'll also tell you which platforms to avoid, like the ones that are outdated, or not meant for serious blogging.

1. 1. Want to establish and grow your personal brand as a writer

2. Are a solo writer or small team

3. Will invest in premium blogging tools

1. 1. A user-friendly and intuitive blogging experience that streamlines the writing and publishing process

2. Purpose-built for blogging

3. Robust monetization options, including built-in support for Google Ads, affiliate marketing, sponsored content, and paid subscriptions or memberships

1. WordPress: While a powerful and flexible platform, it can be bloated and require many plugins for essential blogging features, potentially leading to compatibility issues and a steeper learning curve

2. Medium: While offering a built-in audience and a clean writing experience, it lacks the ability to fully own and control your brand identity, and may have limited monetization options compared to self-hosted platforms

3. Blogger: While a free and beginner-friendly option, it is an aging platform that may lack modern features and regular updates, potentially hindering long-term growth and scalability for serious bloggers

4. Wix/Squarespace: While offering visually appealing templates and e-commerce capabilities, these platforms may not be optimized for the specific needs of bloggers, such as robust content management, SEO tools, and a distraction-free writing experience

5. Drupal: A powerful and flexible platform, but may require advanced technical expertise and a steeper learning curve, potentially making it less accessible for bloggers without coding or web development experience

6. HubSpot: While a comprehensive marketing platform with robust blogging capabilities, it may be more feature-rich than necessary for individual bloggers or small teams, potentially leading to a steeper learning curve and higher costs

Overview of the Top Blogging Platforms

1. Ghost—Best overall newsletter, membership, and blogging platform for writers
   • Pros:
     • Built-in membership and paid subscription options for monetization
     • Highly customizable themes and a distraction-free writing experience
     • Extensive third-party integration capabilities for added functionality
     • Scalable architecture to accommodate growth in traffic and content
     • Robust SEO tools and features for optimizing content visibility
   • Cons:
     • Higher pricing compared to some other blogging platforms
     • Limited customer support options, especially for lower-tier plans

2. BlogPro—Best for Notion users and writers seeking a seamless Notion integration
   • Pros:
     • Seamless integration with Notion, allowing writers to effortlessly turn their Notion databases into a professional blog
     • Minimal maintenance required, streamlining the blogging process
     • Clean and minimalist design, providing a distraction-free writing environment
     • Conversion-optimized layout and built-in SEO tools for improved visibility and engagement
   • Cons:
     • Relatively new platform with a smaller user base compared to more established options
     • Limited theme and customization options compared to some other blogging platforms

3. Substack—Best for newsletter writers, independent content creators, and building a paid subscriber base
   1. Pros:
      • Free to get started, lowering the barrier to entry for new writers
      • Simple and intuitive user interface, providing a distraction-free writing experience
      • Access to a large existing reader base, facilitating content discovery and growth
      • Clean and minimalist design, allowing the content to take center stage
      • Conversion-optimized layout and built-in tools for monetizing content through paid subscriptions
   • Cons:
     • Limited customization options compared to self-hosted platforms, potentially restricting branding and design flexibility
     • Lack of full ownership and control over content and subscriber data, as it resides on Substack's platform

4. WriteAs—Best for privacy-conscious writers and teams prioritizing collaboration
   • Pros:
     • Privacy-focused features, including no IP logging and private blogs by default
     • Built-in add-ons and tools for enhanced functionality, such as:
       • submit.as: enables you to collect submissions, review them, and publish them directly to an online publication
       • snap.as: a simple tool for sharing photos on the internet
       • remark.as: a commenting system for your blog
     • Collaboration features for teams, including shared drafts and publishing workflows
   • Cons:
     • Limited theme and design customization options compared to other platforms
     • Lack of advanced call-to-action (CTA) and conversion optimization features

5. Hashnode—Best for bloggers with a technical background or focus
   • Pros:
     • More affordable pricing compared to some other blogging platforms like Ghost
     • Built-in developer community and resources tailored for tech bloggers and developers
     • Clean, modern, and responsive design that adapts to various devices
     • Built-in newsletter feature and RSS feed for content distribution and subscriber management
     • Automatic GitHub backup for your posts, providing version control and collaboration capabilities
   • Cons:
     • Fewer customization options and design flexibility compared to more robust platforms like Ghost
     • While functional, the overall design and user experience may not be as polished or visually appealing as some competitors

1. Posthaven: a simple blogging platform used by Sam Altman. But lacks monetization options

2. Inblog: amazing blog builder for businesses. Lacks monetization options.

3. Feather: another Notion to Blog solutions. Not much updates.