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What is the difference between a Free vs Self-Hosted Blog?

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Last Updated on 3 years by Charbel Coorey

What is the difference between a Free vs Self-Hosted Blog? | Is it better to have a free or self-hosted blog? DIfference between Free and Self-Hosted Blog

Blogging. It takes work, but it is incredibly enjoyable and rewarding. After all, isn’t it so great to grab your favourite beverage and get ready to produce an awesome piece of cricket content?

However, a common question that bloggers have is “what is the difference between a free and self-hosted blog?”

More, the question often extends to “which is better?”

Ultimately, this depends on your situation. If you are a beginner, then a free blog is a great way to build up skills, such as writing and getting into a solid schedule. If you are looking to take the next step in your blogging journey, then a self-hosted blog is recommended.

In this article, I will compare the two, which will provide you with more of an idea as to which option is better for you.

Free vs Self-Hosted Blog

What is a Free Blog?

A free blog is exactly that. It requires no initial investment to set up the site. However, a free blog doesn’t allow for your own domain name. For example, when you set up a website or blog on WordPress, you will have “.wordpress” at the end of your domain name i.e. cricblog.wordpress.com. The same applies for Google Blogger (.blogspot).

Also, the content is stored on the provider’s server (i.e. WordPress, Blogger).

What is the difference between a Free vs Self-Hosted Blog? | Is it better to have a free or self-hosted blog? Free vs Self-Hosted Website and Blog
Free vs Self-Hosted Blog: Setting up a free blog.

Pros vs Cons of a Free Blog

Pros of Free Blogs:

There are some excellent advantages of having a free blog. Personally, I started my blogging journey with a free blog, as it allowed me to get used to blogging and build some strong habits.

  • No up-front investment.
  • Very easy to use.
  • Can look to build good blogging habits with less pressure.

Cons of Free Blogs:

However, there are some key disadvantages. Given that the blog content is stored on the provider’s server, it means you have limited bandwidth, video and memory space. So, you can only produce what you are limited to.

Other cons include:

  • Almost impossible to generate long-term, consistent Google Search traffic: Google doesn’t really consider free blogs when ranking content.
  • Free blogs don’t look as professional.
  • Less control over your blog: limited customisation options.

Also read: How to drive more Google traffic to your blog

What is a Self-Hosted Blog?

So, in a free blog, your content is stored on another server. With a web hosting, your content is stored on your very own server. You have your own domain name (i.e. https://cricblog.net), where you would typically have an initial investment plus pay a small monthly fee, depending on your provider.

What is the difference between a Free vs Self-Hosted Blog? | Is it better to have a free or self-hosted blog? Free vs Self-Hosted Website and Blog
Free vs Self-Hosted Blog: A self-hosted blog.

Pros vs Cons of a Self-Hosted Blog

Pros:

  • You’re in control with a self-hosted blog: Customise your blog the way you want to.
  • It is much easier to get found. Find out how today!
  • You don’t have to be a web professional to produce a nice looking site. With WordPress, you can choose a theme and then drag-and-drop widgets to set up the look of your site.

Cons:

  • It can feel daunting to make that initial investment.

However, speaking from experience, the benefits outweigh the costs. Since moving to a self-hosted blog, my traffic, especially from Google, has significantly increased. As a result, the blogging journey certainly becomes more rewarding!

Want to find out a little more about web hosting? Check out these articles by digital.com:

My choice of web hosting provider?

I chose Bluehost for my blog, as they are recommended by WordPress and provide a great platform for content creators to thrive.

However, after plenty of research, I have selected my top five web hosting providers. Each have their benefits, suited to different budgets and needs. So, if you’re looking to have a self-hosted blog, be sure to have a read!

Download my free E-Book or get in touch!

So, are you looking to get going on your blogging journey? Learn about some of my key tips and strategies to help you start. Download my free E-Book or email me at charbelcoorey@cricblog.net today to learn more!

Thanks for reading!

Charbel Coorey
Charbel Cooreyhttps://cricblog.net
Charbel is the owner & founder of cricblog.net, based in Sydney, Australia. He started the website to fulfill his love for the game of cricket. Charbel has been featured on other publications including OP India, Times of India, and The Roar, among others. He is also a keen fantasy sports player. Charbel has also had the privilege of interviewing cricketers on the CricBlog TV YouTube channel, including James Neesham, Rassie van der Dussen, Andrew Tye, Shreyas Gopal, Jaydev Unadkat and Saurabh Netravalkar: https://www.youtube.com/@cricblogtv For any story tips or questions, you can contact Charbel at charbelcoorey@cricblog.net.

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