Medium
WordPress
Medium
WordPress
Medium
WordPress
Medium
WordPress
Medium
No signals
WordPress
Medium
No signals
WordPress
Medium
No signals
WordPress
Users: 1
Storage: N/A
Limits: Limited to 3 paywalled articles/month, No audio features, Constant paywall prompts
Users: 1
Storage: N/A
Limits: No writing-specific features included, Reading only
Users: 1
Storage: N/A
Limits: Same as monthly membership
Users: 1
Storage: N/A
Limits: Primarily a way to support writers, minimal additional features
Users: 1
Storage: Unlimited
Limits: Must be accepted into program, 100 followers required, Earnings vary wildly
Users: Unlimited
Storage: 1 GB
Limits: WordPress.com subdomain only, Ads displayed, No plugins, Very limited storage, Basic themes only
Users: Unlimited
Storage: 6 GB
Limits: No plugins, Limited themes, No monetization, Basic features only
Users: Unlimited
Storage: 13 GB
Limits: Limited plugins, Not full self-hosted flexibility, Template restrictions
Users: Unlimited
Storage: 50 GB
Limits: More expensive than self-hosted alternatives, Annual commitment
Users: Unlimited
Storage: 50 GB
Limits: Extensions cost extra, Annual commitment, Less control than self-hosted
Users: Unlimited
Storage: Depends on host
Limits: Requires hosting, Maintenance responsibility, Technical knowledge needed, Security management
| Feature | Medium | WordPress |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Free publishing Write and publish for free | ||
| Core | ||
| Open-source software Completely free, open-source CMS | ||
| Growth | ||
| Built-in audience Millions of readers, but reaching them is difficult | ||
| Ecosystem | ||
| 60,000+ plugins Massive plugin ecosystem for any feature | ||
| Large developer community Easy to find developers and resources | ||
| Monetization | ||
| Partner Program monetization Earn from member reading time | ||
| Predictable earnings Earnings are highly volatile | ||
| Selling | ||
| WooCommerce e-commerce Leading open-source e-commerce | ||
| Usability | ||
| Beautiful reading experience Clean, distraction-free design | ||
| Beginner-friendly Learning curve for non-technical users | ||
| SEO | ||
| Best-in-class SEO Comprehensive SEO with plugins | ||
| Collaboration | ||
| Publications Collaborative publishing, though less powerful now | ||
| Customization | ||
| Unlimited customization Complete flexibility with code access | ||
| Engagement | ||
| Engagement features Claps, highlights, comments | ||
| Hosting | ||
| Self-hosting option Host anywhere, full control | ||
| Managed hosting available WordPress.com and managed hosts | ||
| Access | ||
| Mobile apps iOS and Android apps | ||
| Audio articles For members, articles can be read aloud | ||
| Control | ||
| Audience ownership Cannot export follower emails | ||
| Security | ||
| Automatic security updates Requires manual updates or management | ||
| Built-in security Needs security plugins, vulnerable plugins | ||
| Built-in spam protection Needs Akismet or similar plugins | ||
| Distribution | ||
| Algorithm transparency Opaque, frequently changing | ||
| Email newsletter Limited email features | ||
| Performance | ||
| Fast out of the box Requires optimization for speed | ||
| Branding | ||
| Custom domain (free) Requires payment for custom domain | ||
| Design customization Very limited options | ||
| Support | ||
| Official customer support Self-hosted has no official support | ||
| Quality customer support 1.7/5 Trustpilot rating | ||
| Maintenance | ||
| Maintenance-free Requires regular updates and monitoring | ||
| Integrations | ||
| API access Very limited API | ||
| Reliability | ||
| Built-in backups Needs backup plugins or host features | ||
