Let's be real, Medium is a great starting point. It has a clean interface and a built-in audience. But if you're serious about blogging, you'll eventually hit a wall. You don't truly own your content, you have almost no control over SEO, and your ability to make money is tied to their algorithm.
If that sounds familiar, you're in the right place. Moving away from Medium is a huge step toward taking control of your content and building a real asset.
This guide cuts straight to the point. We'll break down the 10 best Medium alternatives today, so you can find the perfect home for your writing.
Our Top 3 Picks: The Best of the Best
No time to read the full list? Here are our top picks for different needs.
🏆 Best for Professional Publishers: Ghost
For writers and businesses that want total control without the technical headache of WordPress, Ghost is the clear winner. It’s a powerful, fast, and beautiful platform with built-in monetization. It’s what Medium should be for professionals.
🚀 Best for Content Teams & SEO: WritingManager.com
For businesses, SEOs, and content teams that need to produce high-quality, optimized content at scale, WritingManager.com is our top recommendation. It’s a complete content workflow platform that integrates keyword research and SEO briefs directly into the writing process, ensuring every article is built to rank from day one.
** newsletter Best for Paid Newsletters: Substack**
If your goal is to build a loyal audience and monetize it through a paid newsletter, Substack is still the king. Its simplicity is its greatest strength, letting you focus entirely on writing and connecting with your subscribers.
The 10 Best Medium Alternatives: The Full List
Here’s a detailed breakdown of each platform, including who it’s best for and what to look out for.
1. Substack (For Paid Newsletters)
Rating: ★★★★☆
Substack has become the face of the newsletter boom. It’s an incredibly simple platform built to help you publish a newsletter and get paid for it through subscriptions. If your main goal is to build a direct, monetized relationship with an audience via email, this is your best bet.
Who it's for: Journalists, independent writers, and experts who want to build a paying community.
Key Features:
- Extremely simple editor and publishing process.
- Integrated free and paid subscription tools.
- You keep 90% of subscription revenue.
The Catch: You are responsible for bringing your own audience. While you can export your email list, you're still building on someone else's platform.
2. Ghost (For Professional Publishers)
Rating: ★★★★★
Ghost is a powerful, open-source platform for professionals. Think of it as a supercharged version of Medium, giving you a sleek, modern feel with the power of a full Content Management System (CMS).
Who it's for: Professional bloggers, media companies, and businesses that want a fast, beautiful site with built-in membership and newsletter features.
Key Features:
- Incredibly fast performance, which is a big plus for SEO.
- Native tools for managing paid subscriptions (Ghost takes 0% commission).
- A great editor and highly customizable themes.
The Catch: Ghost isn't free. You'll need to pay for their managed hosting (Ghost Pro) or have the technical skills to host it yourself.
3. WordPress.org (For Ultimate Customization)
Rating: ★★★★★
WordPress.org is the undisputed king of the web, powering over 43% of all websites [https://w3techs.com/technologies/details/cm-wordpress]. This is the self-hosted version, giving you complete and total control over every pixel of your site.
Who it's for: Anyone who wants limitless customization, from individual bloggers to huge companies.
Key Features:
- Total Control: You own everything, from your data to your design.
- Massive Plugin Ecosystem: Add any feature you can imagine, from e-commerce stores to SEO tools.
- Scalability: It can handle a tiny blog or a high-traffic media empire.
The Catch: You are responsible for everything: hosting, security, updates, and maintenance. The learning curve is steep.
4. WritingManager.com (For Serious Content Teams & SEO)
Rating: ★★★★★
WritingManager.com is a command center for your entire content operation. It’s built for serious bloggers, SEOs, and marketing teams who need a streamlined workflow to produce content that ranks. It handles everything from keyword research to writing and editing before you publish on your main site (like WordPress or Ghost).
Who it's for: Professional content creators, marketing teams, and SEO agencies focused on producing high-quality, optimized content at scale.
Key Features:
- All-in-One Content Workflow: Manage your entire content pipeline in one spot.
- Built-in SEO Tools: Create content briefs, analyze SERPs, and optimize your writing directly in the editor.
- Seamless Team Collaboration: Perfect for writers, editors, and managers working together.
The Catch: It's a professional tool with a subscription fee. It solves the process of creating amazing content, not the final hosting of it. You still need a website to publish on.
5. LinkedIn Articles (For B2B & Thought Leadership)
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Don't sleep on the professional network you already use. Publishing articles on LinkedIn is a fantastic way to build authority and reach a targeted business audience. The creator economy is booming, expected to hit over $480 billion by 2027 [https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/the-creator-economy-could-approach-half-a-trillion-dollars-by-2027], and LinkedIn is a key player.
Who it's for: B2B professionals, consultants, and anyone looking to build their personal brand in a corporate world.
Key Features:
- Built-in Distribution: Your network immediately sees your content.
- Targeted Audience: You're writing for professionals in a business mindset.
- Boosts Your Profile: Articles act as a portfolio of your expertise.
The Catch: You don't own the platform, and there are no direct monetization features.
6. Hashnode (For Developers & Tech Writers)
Rating: ★★★★☆
Hashnode is a blogging platform built by developers, for developers. It's clean, fast, and packed with features for technical articles. Its best feature is that you can publish on your own custom domain for free while still getting traffic from its community.
Who it's for: Software developers, engineers, and tech writers.
Key Features:
- Free Custom Domain: Own your content on your domain and get community visibility.
- Markdown Editor: A perfect writing experience for code and technical content.
- GitHub Backup: Automatically back up your articles to a GitHub repository.
The Catch: It's very niche. If your content isn't tech-focused, this isn't the place for you.
7. Vocal.media (For Creative Monetization)
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Vocal.media is a platform that lets you earn money in multiple ways. It's similar to Medium, but you can get paid for reads and also receive tips from your audience. They also run regular writing challenges with cash prizes.
Who it's for: Creative writers and storytellers who want different ways to earn from their work.
Key Features:
- Multiple Earning Streams: Get paid for reads, receive tips, and win challenges.
- Topic-Based Communities: Helps readers discover your work.
The Catch: The payout per read is quite low, so you need a lot of traffic to earn a significant income.
8. Write.as (For Minimalists)
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Write.as is the definition of simple. It's a minimalist, privacy-focused writing platform with no comments, claps, or distractions. It's just you and the words.
Who it's for: Writers who value simplicity and privacy above all else.
Key Features:
- Distraction-Free: The editor is as clean as it gets.
- Privacy-First: No ads or tracking. You can even publish anonymously.
- The Catch: It’s not built for growing a business. The features are intentionally limited, and it requires a subscription.
9. Beehiiv (The Modern Newsletter Platform)
Rating: ★★★★☆
Built by former employees of the Morning Brew newsletter, Beehiiv is a powerful Substack competitor. It offers a more robust set of tools for growth and analytics, often at a better price.
Who it's for: Newsletter creators who are serious about growth and want more data than Substack provides.
Key Features:
- Advanced Analytics: Deep insights into subscriber behavior.
- Growth Tools: Built-in referral programs and optimization features.
- Monetization Flexibility: Includes an ad network to help you earn money.
The Catch: The best features are locked behind its paid plans.
10. Blogger (The Free & Simple Option)
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
One of the original blogging platforms, Blogger is still a viable option for beginners. It's owned by Google, totally free, and super easy to set up.
Who it's for: Hobbyists and anyone who wants a no-cost, no-fuss way to start a blog.
Key Features:
- Completely Free: No hosting or subscription costs.
- Easy to Use: Very straightforward interface.
- Google AdSense Integration: Easily run ads on your blog.
The Catch: The platform is very dated, and it lacks the professional polish and power of modern alternatives.
How to Choose the Right Platform for You
The best choice comes down to your primary goal. Use this table to decide:
| If Your Main Goal Is... | Your Best Bets Are... |
| Monetizing with Subscriptions | Substack, Ghost, Beehiiv |
| Total Control & Customization | WordPress.org, Ghost |
| Building a B2B Brand | LinkedIn Articles, a self-hosted blog |
| Optimizing a Content Workflow for SEO | WritingManager.com + WordPress |
| Just Writing (Simplicity is Key) | Blogger, Write.as |
The Final Verdict
Moving away from Medium is about taking control. While it's a good place to start, these alternatives offer the specialized tools you need to build a real audience and a sustainable creative business.
For most serious creators, Ghost offers the perfect blend of power and simplicity. For those who need ultimate flexibility, WordPress.org remains unmatched. And for teams that are serious about ranking on Google, combining a powerful workflow tool like WritingManager.com with a WordPress site is the winning formula.
Choose the platform that fits your goals, and start building your own corner of the internet today
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Which Medium alternative is best for making money?
For direct subscriptions, Ghost is best because it takes a 0% commission. For newsletters, Substack is the easiest to start with. If your goal is to make money through SEO and affiliate marketing, a self-hosted WordPress site is the most powerful option.
2. Can I move my blog from Medium to another platform?
Yes. Most platforms, including WordPress and Ghost, have tools that allow you to import your content directly from Medium. You can also export your followers' email addresses from Medium to start your newsletter list on a platform like Substack or Beehiiv.
3. Do I need to be a technical expert to use these alternatives?
Not at all. Platforms like Substack, Beehiiv, and Ghost (with their managed hosting) are designed to be very user-friendly. While WordPress has a steeper learning curve, you don't need to know how to code to use it effectively.
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