Best Blogging Platforms to Make Money in 2025 (Beginner-Friendly Guide)

If you're thinking about starting a blog, you're probably asking the big question:

"Which platform actually helps me make money?"

In 2025, blogging is more than just sharing your thoughts — it’s a serious income stream for creators, freelancers, and digital entrepreneurs. But not all platforms are created equal when it comes to monetization.

Some are easy to use but limit your options. Others offer full control — if you’re ready to handle a bit of setup.

To save you the research, here are the best blogging platforms to make money in 2025, ranked by earning potential, ease of use, and flexibility.

1. WordPress.org (Self-Hosted) – Best for Full Control

If you’re serious about building a blog that makes money, WordPress.org is your best bet.

💰 Why It’s Great for Making Money:

• Total freedom: run ads, sell digital products, use affiliate links

• Thousands of plugins to grow and scale your blog

• Works with tools like Google AdSense, Amazon Affiliates, and WooCommerce

⚠️ What to Know:

• Requires separate hosting (like Bluehost, Hostinger, etc.)

• Slight learning curve for beginners

🔥 Pro Tip: Choose a fast, beginner-friendly host and a clean WordPress theme to launch with ease.

2. Medium – Best for Writing and Getting Paid Per Read

Medium is perfect if you want to write and get paid — without worrying about design, hosting, or promotion.

💰 Why It’s Great for Making Money:

• Join the Medium Partner Program to earn from reader views

• Focus solely on writing, not setup

• Access to a built-in reader base

⚠️ What to Know:

• Limited monetization options (no ads, no affiliate links)

• You don’t fully own your content or audience

3. Substack – Best for Newsletter-Based Income

If you love writing and connecting through email, Substack is a rising star.

💰 Why It’s Great for Making Money:

• Easy to charge readers via paid subscriptions

• Built-in newsletter system (no extra tools needed)

• Ideal for niche-focused content

⚠️ What to Know:

• Income depends on email list growth

• No advanced design options

4. Ghost (Self-Hosted or Managed) – Best for Membership Blogs

Ghost is a minimalist blogging platform that focuses on content and paid memberships.

💰 Why It’s Great for Making Money:

• Built-in tools for subscriptions and member-only content

• Clean, distraction-free writing experience

• Great performance and speed

⚠️ What to Know:

• Requires some tech setup (unless using Ghost(Pro))

• Not as plugin-rich as WordPress

5. Blogger – Best for Quick AdSense Monetization

Blogger is Google’s free blogging platform, perfect for casual bloggers looking to earn from ads.

💰 Why It’s Great for Making Money:

• Easy to connect with Google AdSense

• Free to use and beginner-friendly

• No hosting required

⚠️ What to Know:

• Outdated design options

• Limited monetization features beyond ads

6. Shopify – Best for Blog + Product Sales

While Shopify is mainly an eCommerce platform, its blog feature is great for driving product sales through content.

💰 Why It’s Great for Making Money:

• Sell digital or physical products through your blog

• Built-in SEO and marketing tools

• Monetize through content-driven product pages

⚠️ What to Know:

• Not ideal for content-only blogs

• Monthly subscription fees

7. LinkedIn – Best for B2B and Lead Generation

If you offer coaching, consulting, or business services, LinkedIn blogging can help attract high-value clients.

💰 Why It’s Great for Making Money:

• Professional audience = more qualified leads

• Authority-building in your niche

• Free to use and easy to publish

⚠️ What to Know:

• No direct monetization like ads or subscriptions

• Best for personal branding and networking

🔚 Final Thoughts

Here’s the simple truth: the best platform to make money blogging depends on your goals.

Platform	Best For	Monetization Method
WordPress.org	Full control, all strategies	Ads, affiliates, products
Medium	Writers, no setup	Paid reads via Partner Program
Substack	Email-focused bloggers	Paid newsletter subscriptions
Ghost	Minimalist + membership blogs	Subscription-based access
Blogger	Quick AdSense setup	Google AdSense
Shopify	Product-focused bloggers	eCommerce + content
LinkedIn	Service providers	Lead generation