Blogger vs WordPress
Both are free to start, but Blogger, self-hosted WordPress.org and hosted WordPress.com trade convenience for control in very different ways.
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Blogger and WordPress may both be free choices, but that does not mean they are built to host the same type of blog. Blogger is the simplest hosted experience, run by Google. WordPress, however, is not one service: it comes as open source software for your own website (WordPress.org) and as a hosted service with paid plans (WordPress.com).
WordPress.org: Full Control, Your Own Hosting
On WordPress.org, you download WordPress and install it on a web host. The software itself is free and released under the GPL, but hosting, a domain and any premium themes or plugins are separate costs that depend on the provider. Because it runs on your choice of hosting service, updates, backups and security become your responsibility.
In exchange, it provides full control: you can install any theme or plugin, edit the code and move the whole site to another host whenever you like. The platform is often described as having a steeper learning curve because of plugin installations and hosting-level controls, but those controls are also what give the most long-term ownership.
WordPress.com and Blogger: Hosted Convenience
WordPress.com uses WordPress software as a hosted service with plan-based restrictions. According to WordPress.com support, installing plugins requires a paid plan, and free sites display WordPress.com ads to visitors until the site is upgraded. Earning money with ads through WordAds also depends on the plan. Plan names and what each includes can change, so check the current plan page before choosing.
Like WordPress.com, Blogger is a hosted service: Google provides the platform and the hosting at no charge, including a blogspot.com address and support for a custom domain. Blogger does not offer server-side plugins like WordPress.org; site features are mainly handled through built-in settings, gadgets and theme edits, and the theme editor allows HTML edits. Blogger has a built-in Earnings section for connecting Google AdSense. Menu names on both platforms can change over time.
Moving Away Later and Which to Choose
Leaving Blogger is possible but not a one-click transfer. The free Blogger Importer plugin for WordPress brings over categories, posts, comments and images, but not pages, widgets or the theme, and post URLs change, so old addresses need redirects. Moving from WordPress.com to a self-hosted WordPress.org site is usually simpler, because both run the same software and use the WordPress export format.
When deciding between Blogger, WordPress.org and WordPress.com, you're choosing between tiers of convenience. Hosted solutions (Blogger and WordPress.com) let you focus on writing rather than hosting, maintenance and security. WordPress.org goes the other way, as self-hosted software with the most control and the most upkeep.
For a blog that may grow into a business site with custom features, start with WordPress.org. Choose Blogger for a free, low-maintenance blog with minimal design burden. WordPress.com sits in between, stretching control further than Blogger as you move to higher plans.
