Write.as
A minimalist, privacy-focused blogging service with optional email subscribers and fediverse support.
- Verified facts
- 4 of 4
- Alternatives ranked
- 6
- Approved reviews
- 0
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About Write.as
Write.as is a hosted blogging service built for distraction-free writing and privacy. There is no news feed, likes or follower counts; you write in a clean editor, publish to a simple blog and let readers follow by RSS, email or from Mastodon and other fediverse apps through ActivityPub. It collects very little personal data and lets you publish under pen names. Pro accounts add custom domains, themes, newsletters, photo hosting and up to three blogs, and a Team plan supports shared publications. It runs on WriteFreely, the open-source software from the same small, founder-owned company, so you can move to a self-hosted install later. The free plan is currently closed to new sign-ups, so in practice it is a paid service. It runs in the browser. It suits essayists and privacy-minded writers who want a calm place to publish without engagement metrics or a sales funnel.
Best for: Privacy-minded writers who want a calm, simple blog with optional email subscribers.
Pros and cons
What works
- Very clean, distraction-free writing and reading
- Collects minimal personal data; pen names supported
- Fediverse following through ActivityPub
- Built on open-source WriteFreely, so you can self-host later
Why people leave
- Free plan currently closed to new users
- No paid subscriptions or memberships
- Newsletter features are basic
Top Write.as alternatives
See all 6- 1
WriteFreely66.5The same software, self-hosted for free on your own server.
- 2
Bear Blog62.6Similarly minimal and privacy-friendly, with a free tier open to new users.
- 3MaMataroa59.6
Minimalist blog with email newsletters for a few dollars a year.
- 4
Micro.blog57.2Adds short posts, photos, podcasts and cross-posting while staying indie.
- 5
Substack55.3Free newsletter with paid subscriptions and discovery, if you want an audience push.
Why people left Write.as
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Reviews
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Write.as: common questions
Is Write.as free?
No, Write.as is a paid product. Starting price: $6/month (Pro, billed yearly) (checked on Write.as's own site).
Is Write.as open source?
No, Write.as is not open source. Open-source alternatives include WriteFreely, Mataroa and Mastodon.
What platforms does Write.as run on?
Write.as is available for Web.
What are the best alternatives to Write.as?
The highest-ranked Write.as alternatives right now are WriteFreely, Bear Blog and Mataroa. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.