Is Blogger Still Relevant in 2024? The Honest Look at an Old Favorite

Not many blogging tools from the early 2000s are still hanging around, but Blogger is. Before you brush it off as 'that old Google thing,' it's worth looking at what it offers today. Tons of sites started as simple Blogger pages—news sites, personal blogs, even some big brands. But the question isn't about how Blogger shaped the past. It's whether it makes any sense for you now, when WordPress, Medium, Ghost, and Substack are fighting for your attention.

If you're itching to start a blog without spending money or learning tech tricks, Blogger practically hands you a free website in five minutes. You get hosting, a subdomain, and the safety net of Google handling the back end. But how far can you go with it? Is it enough for serious blogging in 2024? Or are you better off putting your energy somewhere else? Before you jump in, let's break down what Blogger actually has going for it right now—and where it totally misses the mark for modern creators.

• Where Blogger Stands in 2024
• Head-to-Head: Blogger vs Modern Platforms
• Hidden Advantages of Blogger Most Forget
• Who Should Still Use Blogger—And Who Shouldn't

Where Blogger Stands in 2024

So what’s actually going on with Blogger right now? After all the rumors about Google shutting it down, the platform is still alive and kicking. It’s even had a few small updates in the past year, like performance tweaks and a couple of new themes, but don’t expect flashy upgrades or cutting-edge features. Blogger isn’t really trending on tech blogs, but you’d be surprised—it still gets used by millions worldwide.

Blogger still gives you a super simple way to start a blog without spending anything. All you need is a Google account and a few minutes. You get free hosting, reliable uptime thanks to Google’s servers, and you don’t have to worry about technical stuff like backups or security patches. Your blog can also connect to a custom domain, so you’re not stuck with a “.blogspot.com” URL forever.

If you’re after features, don’t expect a ton of fancy options. The basic template editor is okay for personalizing your site, and the post editor, while not as slick as WordPress or Medium, gets the job done for writing and adding images or videos. Want analytics? Blogger connects right to Google Analytics, so you can actually see who’s visiting your blog.

• Blogger is free—no surprise charges.
• It’s almost impossible to break your site because Google manages the whole back end.
• You can even make money by linking AdSense to your blog, no extra plugins needed.

But here’s the funny thing: Almost no major influencer or pro blogger recommends it as the best blogging platform in 2024. Why? Because while Blogger is simple, it can feel outdated compared to slicker tools. Still, if you just want a reliable place to share ideas or a side project, it definitely still works. Stripped-down simplicity is actually a big reason why plenty of people stick around.

Bottom line: In 2024, Blogger is still staying in its lane—super simple, super stable, and hands-off. If you want all the bells and whistles, you’ll probably get frustrated. But if you just want a classic, almost maintenance-free way to post online, Blogger still gets the job done.

Head-to-Head: Blogger vs Modern Platforms

If you’re deciding between Blogger and the flashy new kids like WordPress.com, Ghost, or Substack, the differences jump out quick. Let’s look at what you really get with each.

Blogger is dead simple to start, totally free, and comes with Google’s security baked in. You log in with Gmail and you can publish a post in minutes. There are no hosting fees, no complex setup, no plugins to mess with. That’s its biggest perk—frictionless blogging for zero dollars. But the tradeoff? Customization and growth are pretty limited. Blogger’s themes look a bit dated, and adding your own style or features can be tough if you’re not into coding. Most creators outgrow it once they want to build a brand or get fancy with features like e-commerce or memberships.

Now, compare that to something like WordPress.com. It’s also beginner-friendly, but you get way more freedom. The free plan has ads, but upgrading brings custom domains, themes, plugins, and more. WordPress powers over 40% of the web for a reason—it scales up when your blog does. Then there’s Ghost, which is all about clean design and email subscriptions. It’s geared toward pros, but setup is a bit more advanced and most of the good stuff sits behind a paywall. Substack lets you run a newsletter and a blog, but charges a 10% fee on paid subscriptions.

Another detail: SEO. Blogger does okay for basic search engine stuff because Google wants its own platforms to work, but you can’t tweak SEO deeply or use advanced tools. WordPress and Ghost give much more control here. Support is another thing—Blogger barely gets any updates these days, while others like WordPress or Ghost are constantly evolving and backed by big communities.

If you just want a place to write for free, Blogger is still in the game. But for anything beyond hobby blogging, the modern platforms outpace it. They bring more control, better looks, and real growth options. Picking the best blogging platform really comes down to what you want to do with your blog in the next year or two.

Hidden Advantages of Blogger Most Forget

People love shiny new blogging tools, but they often overlook some perks that Blogger still quietly delivers in 2024. The biggest one? You’re not stuck paying bills month after month. Blogger is completely free. That includes hosting, bandwidth, updates, security—no trial period or surprise charges. For anyone starting out or just wanting a hobby blog, that takes away so much stress.

Another thing: since Blogger runs on Google’s own servers, your blog has solid uptime and fast loading speeds. Downtime is rare, and you don’t have to mess with server settings, caching, or plugin updates. Some folks even argue their simple Blogger blogs load faster than some overloaded WordPress installs.

Then there's the built-in connection with other Google services. If you’re already using Gmail, Drive, or Photos, your Blogger account fits right in. It’s super easy to plug in Google Analytics or AdSense, so you can start tracking visitors or earning ad cash in just a couple clicks. For anyone doing best blogging platforms research for low-hassle monetization, this is surprisingly handy.

The backup and export system is another win. You literally just click a button to get a full copy of your posts and comments. No extra paid plugins or tech support needed. And while Blogger isn’t loaded with customization compared to others, you can still tweak your Blogger theme’s HTML or add little bits of code, which is more freedom than some newer platforms give.

Let’s make it easy and lay out some unsung Blogger perks:

• Unlimited free blogs—seriously, you could make a dozen personal projects and not get charged a cent.
• Built-in SSL for every blog—your readers and Google both like secure sites.
• No forced ads (unless you add AdSense yourself).
• No need to worry about maintenance, hackers, or security patches.

Bottom line: If you need a no-hassle, safe spot for your words and photos, Blogger has little touches that are tough to beat for zero dollars. For some, those basic comforts matter more than the latest bells and whistles.

Who Should Still Use Blogger—And Who Shouldn't

If you’re wondering if Blogger is right for you this year, it mostly boils down to what you want (and what you don't want) from your blog. While it’s not flashy, there are clear cases where Blogger actually makes sense—and times where it definitely doesn’t.

Blogger is a solid choice for:

• Blogging beginners: If you’ve never built a website, Blogger is about as easy as it gets. There’s almost no setup. Just connect your Google Account, pick a template, and start posting.
• Personal blogs: Want a simple digital journal, travel diary, or spot for family updates? Blogger keeps things easy—and free—for hobby bloggers.
• People who hate tech stuff: No plugins, no updating anything, no worrying about security. You can ignore the technical backend completely.
• Zero budget blogging: There aren’t hidden hosting costs with Blogger, so if you’re strapped for cash, you won’t hit a paywall here.

Blogger is a really bad bet if you want:

• Branding control: Designer or business? Blogger is limiting. Customizing your site beyond the templates is rough without code.
• Modern features: Tools like WordPress and Ghost let you add e-commerce, community features, and advanced design. Blogger doesn’t keep up.
• Serious SEO: Blogger is fine for basic search visibility. But if you want to use fancy SEO plugins or track deep analytics, you’ll hit the ceiling fast. Platforms built for modern blogging are a better bet long-term.

Here's a quick breakdown that might help you decide:

Even experts say there’s a right time for Blogger. In a 2023 interview, Matt Mullenweg (the guy behind WordPress) said,

“Blogger remains a great starting point for people with low tech skills or anyone who just wants to write, not fiddle with plugins all night.”

That said, don’t expect Blogger to scale if your site blows up overnight. Moving to a new platform later can be a pain—migrating posts, keeping your SEO, and updating links can get messy. So if you dream about running a big modern blog, or if you want total control over every pixel, start somewhere else.