Here are some of the best Tumblr alternatives that you can use to express your thoughts. The list is not exhaustive because there are thousands of options today. However, these are the top picks when it comes to choosing alternatives to Tumblr.
WordPress
WordPress comes with hundreds of themes and plugins. This makes it one of the best Tumblr alternatives in terms of customization. You can enhance the functionality of your blog easily using the add-ons. WordPress also offers administration features that make it easy to use. You can also upgrade to a premium WordPress account to use your own domain name. This will also give you more tools to optimize your blog for the web. In a nutshell, WordPress is a fully-loaded blogging service. It can be the ideal choice for blogs, which are mean for monetization. Pros:
Free and premium versions available Ideal for getting started with blogging Highly scalable with loads of customization options Comes with robust administration features Best for monetization focused blogs
Cons:
Can be a bit complicated to use custom plugins Free blogging post editor seems outdated
Check out WordPress
Reddit is not a traditional blogging platform, but it does allow you to share content easily. You can submit text posts, images, and links on different subreddits. This allows you to reach a wider audience in no time. Reddit started as a simple link submission forum. Today, its communities let you discuss different topics. It can be ideal for those looking for community-based alternatives to Tumblr. You just need to pick a few subreddit communities as per your genre to get started. The content you see on the Reddit homepage is based on engagement and upvotes. This keeps you updated on posts from all over the world in your genre. Reddit has high traffic and can be a great tool for link building activities. You can also start a poll on Reddit for better user engagement. Pros:
Allows sharing posts and videos Easy to search for and join subreddit communities Supports creating polls on different topics Simple homepage with quick links to trending posts High traffic for wider reach
Cons:
Too many user disagreements can distract the audience from the post Not much customization options for blogging
Check out Reddit
Pillowfort
Pillowfort is very much similar to Tumblr. The blogging platform allows creators to share their work in a safe environment. You can also post NSFW content on Pillowfort, which is not allowed on Tumblr anymore. You can have full control over how others can interact with your content on Pillowfort. It also allows you to create a community to share your interests and discuss various topics. There are also options to block offensive users from seeing your content. This will remove their ability to comment on your posts or send private messages to you. Pillowfort allows you to share text posts, images, gifs, videos, and audio files easily. However, joining Pillowfort requires a one-time registration fee. There is a demo option available though. This allows you to test run the service as a regular user before signing up. Pros:
Allows sharing any kind of content and illustrations Easy to create community spaces Full control on user interaction on posts Allows blocking offensive users One of the best alternatives to Tumblr for NSFW content
Cons:
Community interactions are not that lively No free version
Check out Pillowfort
Soup
Soup is a simple publishing platform. It has a very similar interface as seen on Tumblr. The features are quite alike too. However, you can post NSFW content in Soup, which is not possible anymore on Tumblr. You can post texts, quotes, images, videos, and more in Soup to share with a wide audience. It also gives you the option to import your posts from different social networks. Soup currently supports importing content from Twitter, Reddit, Flickr, and SoundCloud. You can cross-post to Facebook via Soup as well. The unique micro-blogging platform is free to use. You can easily point your custom domain to your Soup account. There are paid options available too, that will remove the ads from the site. Premium plans also give you exclusive servers for faster access to content in peak times. Pros:
Very similar to Tumblr in terms of appearance and features Allows sharing any type of content Supports importing content from other platforms Easy to cross-post on Facebook Free and premium versions
Cons:
Annoying ads No custom plugins or monetization support
Check out Soup
Ello
Ello is a platform for like-minded artists and designers to connect with each other. It has a huge community of creatives. You can also collaborate with different people on Ello. This can be a great way to complete a project if you are stuck. You get a simple image-centric interface in Ello. This makes it one of the top Tumblr alternatives for artists and designers. It looks somewhat like Pinterest. However, it gives you the option to sell your artwork and illustrations. You can even embed a link in the image for quick buying. Ello is somewhat limited in terms of social networking features. Yet its monetization features make it a good choice for creatives. It allows posting all kinds of digital art forms, including NSFW and adult content. There are no options for blogging or posting text content directly though. Pros:
A global community of artists Allows posting artworks, images, and illustrations Easy to connect with fellow creatives and collaborate Simple image-centric interface Supports selling digital art forms
Cons:
Not many social interaction tools Does not support text posts or blogging
Check out Ello
Mastodon
Mastodon is a network of independent communities. It allows you to share posts, follow interesting people or topics, and create or join a community. Mastodon also offers you effective anti-abuse tools. This way, you can protect the integrity of your content. You will get a 500-character limit to post an update on Mastodon. This makes it somewhat like Twitter, but with more characters. Besides, you can also adjust the thumbnails of your images before you post them. It supports adding custom emojis and hiding content behind spoiler warnings as well. Mastodon is free and open-source software that you can install on a server. It follows many standard protocols on how servers exchange information. This way, users can interact seamlessly on Mastodon. You also get dedicated servers for each type of content, like links, texts, images, and videos. Pros:
Open-source and free software Easy to create or join a community A massive network of independent communities 500-character limit Different servers for different content
Cons:
It can be a bit confusing to get started with Mastodon The interface could be better
Check out Mastodon Also read: How to Mute Words and Phrases on Twitter
Medium
Medium is renowned as a distinctly unique blogging platform. It focuses on the quality of content as well as how it connects to readers. This makes Medium an ideal choice for content creators and businesses. It also offers user engagement statistics, such as page-views and traffic information. Medium has a minimalistic text editor and comes with many productivity features. This includes keyboard shortcuts, link-sharing options, visibility settings, and more. It also supports importing content from other platforms and set up custom domains. You can also join the Medium Partner Program to earn money when others read your posts. You can easily expand your audience using Medium. The more you publish articles that inspire and educate readers, the more you grow. This makes it one of the best alternatives to Tumblr for superior market reach. The medium does not accept advertising and there will be no ads at all to annoy readers. Pros:
High-quality curated content Easy to publish inspiring and educating stories User engagement statistics Good link-sharing options No ads
Cons:
Limited customization features No Google Analytics support
Check out Medium
Posthaven
Posthaven is an email- and web-based blogging platform. It allows you to post photos, music, videos, and text posts by emailing them to the moderators. You can also cross-post to your Twitter and LinkedIn profiles when sharing an update. There is an option to add multiple authors to contribute to your blog as well. Signing up on Posthaven requires paying a small monthly fee. However, it is not required for adding more contributors. Posthaven comes with many built-in themes that make the blogging platform attractive. You can even build your own theme with full HTML/CSS control. Posthaven has a simple and clean interface, and it does not show any ads. You will get a permanent URL to share your content and reach a wider audience. You can also use any custom domain name that you have with Posthaven. It also has reliable anti-spam commenting features. However, there are no monetization tools. Pros:
Auto-post to Twitter and LinkedIn Post by email Minimal web-based editor HTML/CSS customization No ads
Cons:
No free trial available Limited features for blogging
Check out Posthaven
Ghost
Ghost is an open-source blogging platform. It works on Node.js run time environment. This makes it an extremely fast and responsive blogging platform. Ghost features an intuitive, minimal editor. This helps to keep writing and publishing content simple. You can install Ghost on your own web server or subscribe to their self-hosted plan. Both the versions come with powerful blogging features though. It even allows for integrating many third-party tools to speed up your workflow. Ghost also has native desktop and mobile apps to make things easier for content sharing. You can easily categorize your content for the best audience reach in Ghost. It has a dynamic routing feature as well. This allows you to structure your site content as per your preferences. You can build any category, section, flow, or format to suit your needs. Ghost also gives you the flexibility to create custom homepages and URL structures. Pros:
Fast and responsive blogging platform Amazing customization features Simple and intuitive editor dashboard Allows categorizing content easily Native desktop and mobile apps
Cons:
Hosted plans are a bit expensive It may take some time to get started with it
Check out Ghost Also Read: Best Social Network Apps for Android & iPhone
Typepad
Typepad is one of the most widely used alternatives to Tumblr today. It is a reliable and flexible blogging platform and gives you full control of your content. You get numerous built-in analytics tools with Typepad as well. This allows you to keep an eye on user engagement and other stats. Typepad promotes your blogs and content on its own network. This gives you more chances of getting a wider audience reach. It also supports CSS-based theme editing. That means you can customize your blogs as per your preferences as well. You even get Google Analytics support with Typepad. You can easily publish any type of content from the dashboard or via email. Besides, you get unlimited storage options with all Typepad plans. So you can post as many text posts, photos, videos, or audio files on the platform. There is even a 14-day trial available to test drive the features of Typepad. Pros:
More opportunities to promote your content Supports posting via email CSS-based theme editing Unlimited storage 14-day free trial available
Cons:
Blogging features are not that flexible for the price Restrictions on monthly uploads
Check out Typepad
DeviantArt
DeviantArt is arguably the best content sharing platform for artists and creatives. It allows you to publish any kind of digital and hand-drawn art, including NSFW content. You do not get a wide range of customization tools in DeviantArt. Yet it is still a reliable and robust platform to expand your audience. DeviantArt has always been known for discovering unique artistic content. It has a clean and simple interface, which makes exploring artworks very easy. You can also join a community or group on the DeviantArt as per your genre. This will allow you to join a conversation or start your own thread. There is also a shop on DeviantArt, where users can buy artworks from different artists. You can see a wide range of topics on the platform. This includes 3D, fan art, cosplay, nude art, street photography, and more. There is also a poetry section with many impressive collections. Pros:
Designed for sharing creative works Easy to explore a variety of artworks Allows sharing NSFW content Integrated shop for buying artworks A wide range of topics
Cons:
Very limited features for sharing content No tools for blogging
Check out DeviantArt
NewGrounds
NewGrounds is not like the other Tumblr alternatives out there. It is a unique platform, which allows movie buffs, gamers, and artists to connect with each other. You can post text content, videos, music, and images on the site. There is no restriction on NSFW content like Tumblr as well. The content on NewGrounds is categorized into four topics – Games, Movies, Art, and Audio. You can join any of the NewGrounds community to explore post and updates from other users. Else, you can head to the forum for discussions and comments on different topics. NewGrounds relies largely on ads. However, you can become a paid supporter to remove ads from your feed. It will also allow you to change your username once in a month. Besides, you can also share up to ten pictures in a forum post by becoming a paid member. Pros:
One of the best alternatives to Tumblr for gamers Allows posting text content, videos, music, and images No restriction on NSFW content Lots of communities and forums on different topics Option to remove ads
Cons:
The interface can be a bit confusing for beginners No options for blogging
Check out NewGrounds Also Read: Quick Solutions to Improve Your Blog’s Performance
Best Tumblr Alternatives
Picking the right alternatives to Tumblr depends upon your personal requirements. Tumblr has always been a popular and unique blogging platform. However, it is somewhat limited when it comes to customization options. Therefore, Tumblr may not be a good choice for professional blogging. This is particularly the case for blogs meant for monetization purposes. The above-mentioned options offer a wide range of features to users. You just need to choose one that fits your style and needs. So check out the features of each of the Tumblr alternatives carefully to make a decision.
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