Blogger vs WordPress – Which is better?

In this article we will pit these two giants head-to-head against each other to see which is the king of blogging! Both
WordPress and Blogger are used extensively by bloggers but each has it’s pro’s and con’s.

Please note that when we say WordPress, we are talking about the WordPress software downloaded from WordPress.org which is installed on your own web host, not the hosting platform at WordPress.com (which is very similar to Blogger.)

Let’s look at how Blogger and WordPress rate in five key areas:

Ease of Use:

As a one-person show, you need a blogging solution which is easy-to-use. So which is best? Let’s look first at Blogger. It is designed for newbies so all you need is a Google account to login and you can have a blog setup in less than 60 seconds using one of the pre-built templates. Of course, this ease-of-use comes at the expense of flexibility and variety. Blogger blogs tend to look the same. Plus, you are stuck with the “.blogspot.com” as part of your URL. This is not the sign of an established brand.

In comparison, WordPress can seem dauntingly complex. A quick run-down of how to setup your WordPress blog includes registering a domain name, signing up for a webhost, setting your domain name to point to that web host, and then finally installing the WordPress software on your own webhost. Complex? Yes. Time required? About 60 minutes if you have a general idea of what you are doing. This is much more complicated than Blogger. Fortunately, there are plenty of good tutorials out there to help you get started and you can even hire someone off of Fiverr to do the dirty work for you for a measly $5.00. Now with the complexity of WordPress comes a few advantages. Namely, flexibility in design via the countless themes, the ability to add additional flexibility through the plugin system, and last but not least the ability to establish your brand via your own domain. For example, TheCSIProject.com has value in itself as a brand. We couldn’t imagine trying to run such a large blog as thecsiproject.blogspot.com.

First of all, you need more than just the WordPress software to setup you blog. You will need a domain name, a hosting account before you can even start to install WordPress. And once it is setup, the near limitless number of themes (which provide styling options) and plugins (which provide additional functionality) can be absolutely overwhelming. Fortunately, there are plenty of good tutorials out there to help you get started.

The winner of this round? Blogger due to it’s simplicity. But keep in mind the limitations that come with that simplicity.

Expense:

Both blogger and the WordPress software are completely free, so you may consider this a tie. But wait there before you declare this round over you also have to consider the additional costs involved. You see, with a WordPress blog you will need a domain name as well as a hosting account on which to install WordPress. So what at first appeared to be free, will actually cost you a little bit of dough. Not a lot mind you, but certainly more than zero. For example, we recommend Hostgator for a hosting account which provides a monthly web hosting for a monthly fee of about $7.00. Also you will need to pick and register a domain name. This runs about $8.00 per year from Godaddy (always look for coupons!)

The winner of this round is easily Blogger based on the fact that WordPress blogs have additional costs besides the software itself.

Flexibility:

The ease-of-use of Blogger is going to really hurt in this round. The limitations of Blogger mean that you won’t be able to vary the style or content in as many ways as WordPress. You are stuck with the built-in templates available with Blogger and just a few “gadgets” which are small snippets of content comparable to widgets in WordPress. With a WordPress blog the style options are virtually limitless with hundreds of thousands of themes available (both free and paid) which will completely alter the look and style of the blog without changing the content. Additionally, there are thousands of plugins available which provide additionally functionality to the blog. Most of these plugins are free as well. So if you are creative and are looking for a different look, then WordPress is the way to go.

WordPress wins this round hands down with it’s limitless options with themes and plugins. Blogger blogs look just plain and boring in comparison.

Money Making Potential:

If your goal is to make money from your Blog, then this is where things get interesting. You see, many people start out using Blogger due to the ease-of-use and lack of expense, only to find out that the capability to display ads is extremely limited. You can install adsense on your Blogger blog, but good luck adding any other banner advertising.

On the other hand, WordPress has no such restrictions and there are many ways to monetize your blog using WordPress such as Ad networks, Google Adsense, Shopping Carts, etc. Some of the world’s biggest eCommerce sites use WordPress. If you plan to run a substantial business through your blog, then WordPress is your friend.

This is a clear win by WordPress.

Long Term Value:

If you are trying to brand yourself, then you should look at your blog as an asset. So with that in mind, would you rather be renting a trailer out back of an abandoned gas station or would you like to buy a property on main street next to Macy’s? If you chose the former then Blogger may suit you. Blogger is not considered a professional grade blog platform and as a result isn’t appropriate for long term branding potential. So if you are trying to setup a professional presence to build your unique brand, then WordPress is definitely the way to go. With WordPress you can select a domain name that will be unique to your business, without the “blogspot” moniker. URLs in and of themselves can have tremendous value. That along with the monetization options available through WordPress blogs that aren’t available with Blogger make this category easy win for WordPress.

Conclusion:

For casual bloggers who aren’t interested in monetizing their blog, then Blogger is a simple and easy solution. If all you want to do is create a blog for family and friends to read where you can share kid stories and vacation pictures, then Blogger will serve you just fine. However, for the CSI University type of blogger, the type of blogger that wants to grow their blog beyond their immediate circle of family and friend, the type of blogger that wants to brand themselves and establish a property on the internet, then WordPress is the way to go. It will require more effort upfront without a doubt, and there is some recurring cost involved with monthly hosting fees, but the flexibility and monetization options well outweigh these disadvantages. There is a reason why successful bloggers overwhelmingly use WordPress. It is the go-to platform for the growing blogger.

Overall Winner: WordPress!

Winning 3 of 5 categories, and showing capability where it counts (Money Making Potential and Long Term Value) WordPress is crowned Champion of the Blogging Platforms!