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WriteFreely alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave WriteFreely: no memberships, payments or built-in newsletters, and limited theming compared with Ghost or WordPress. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces WriteFreely, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Write.as currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Ghost logoGhostOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted5 of 562.6
2MaMataroaFree plan + paidYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 459.6
3Bear Blog logoBear BlogFree plan + paidNoWeb4 of 455.3
  1. Ghost logo

    1. GhostTop pick

    Best for: Independent publishers who want their own branded site, newsletter and memberships

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from WriteFreely

    Self-hostable too, but adds newsletters, memberships and rich themes.

    Pros

    • No transaction fees from Ghost on paid memberships
    • Open source and self-hostable for full control
    • Custom themes and a large integration marketplace
    • Fast sites with strong SEO defaults

    Cons

    • No discovery network to bring in readers
    • Starter plan lacks custom themes and paid subscriptions
    • Self-hosting needs a server and some sysadmin work
    Visit Ghost Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Ghost a good WriteFreely alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Starting price
    $18/month (Starter, billed yearly)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026ghost.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Publisher plan
    $29/month, billed yearly
    Checked Oct 25, 2026ghost.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Transaction fees
    0% from Ghost (processor fees apply)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026ghost.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes, Ubuntu or Docker
    Checked Oct 25, 2026ghost.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026ghost.org(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Ma

    2. Mataroa

    Best for: Minimalist writers who want text-only blogging with email subscribers and easy export

    Free plan + paidOpen sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from WriteFreely

    Open-source minimalist blog platform you can use hosted or self-host.

    Pros

    • No tracking, ads or cookies for analytics
    • Very cheap premium tier billed yearly
    • Strong export options and open-source code

    Cons

    • No themes, custom CSS or design choices at all
    • No tags, categories or paid subscriptions
    • Small project with limited support
    Visit Mataroa Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Mataroa a good WriteFreely alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Premium price
    $9/year
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mataroa.blog(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    Yes, most features
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mataroa.blog(opens source in a new tab)
    License
    AGPL
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mataroa.blog(opens source in a new tab)
    Email subscriptions
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mataroa.blog(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Bear Blog logo

    3. Bear Blog

    Best for: Writers who want a fast, minimal personal blog without trackers or bloat

    Free plan + paidWeb

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from WriteFreely

    Hosted minimalist blog with custom CSS, if you'd rather not run a server.

    Pros

    • Extremely light pages with no trackers or ads
    • Custom CSS and free themes for personal styling
    • Discovery feed helps new posts find readers

    Cons

    • Run by one developer, which is a continuity risk
    • No paid subscriptions or memberships
    • Detailed analytics require the paid upgrade
    Visit Bear Blog Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Bear Blog a good WriteFreely alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Tracking
    No trackers, ads or scripts
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bearblog.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Custom domain
    Supported
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bearblog.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Feeds
    RSS and Atom
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bearblog.dev(opens source in a new tab)
    Newsletters
    Email subscribers supported
    Checked Oct 25, 2026docs.bearblog.dev(opens source in a new tab)

The best WriteFreely alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Write.as logo

Best WriteFreely alternative for most people

Write.as

The hosted version of WriteFreely, with no server to maintain.

Ghost logo

Best WriteFreely alternative for a free option

Ghost

Self-hostable too, but adds newsletters, memberships and rich themes.

Ma

Best WriteFreely alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Mataroa

Open-source minimalist blog platform you can use hosted or self-host.

Blot logo

Best WriteFreely alternative for open source

Blot

Open-source blog that publishes from a synced folder, also offered hosted.

Ghost logo

Best WriteFreely alternative for self-hosting

Ghost

Self-hostable too, but adds newsletters, memberships and rich themes.

Bear Blog logo

Best WriteFreely alternative for working in the browser

Bear Blog

Hosted minimalist blog with custom CSS, if you'd rather not run a server.

WriteFreely alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to WriteFreely?

Write.as ranks first right now. The hosted version of WriteFreely, with no server to maintain. Ghost and Mataroa follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to WriteFreely?

Yes. Ghost (open source), Mataroa (free plan + paid) and Bear Blog (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to WriteFreely?

Yes: Ghost, Mataroa and Blot. Ghost, Mataroa and Blot can also be self-hosted.

Why do people switch from WriteFreely?

The complaints we hear most: no memberships, payments or built-in newsletters; limited theming compared with Ghost or WordPress; you maintain the server yourself.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces WriteFreely, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.