Should You Start Blogging on Medium in 2026? The Honest Truth for Beginners (Pros, Cons & Better Alternatives)

Are you sitting on ideas, stories, or expertise you want to share with the world — but the thought of setting up a website feels overwhelming?

Many aspiring writers ask the same question in 2025: “Should I just start blogging on medium?”

The short answer: Yes, Medium is still one of the easiest and fastest ways for beginners to start blogging in 2025 — especially if your main goals are building confidence, getting initial reads, and testing your voice without spending money or dealing with tech headaches.

But it’s not the only smart move — and for long-term growth, AdSense earnings, affiliate income, or true ownership, it often falls short compared to your own blog.

In this in-depth guide, I’ll break down exactly when Medium makes sense (and when it doesn’t), real pros and cons based on 2025 realities, how the Partner Program works now, and why most serious bloggers eventually move to (or combine with) a self-hosted site like WordPress on Hostinger.

Let’s dive in.

Table of Contents

What Is Medium in 2026? (Quick Overview)

Medium is a clean, distraction-free publishing platform launched in 2012 by Twitter co-founder Evan Williams. It’s part blogging tool, part social network, part publisher.

Key facts in 2025:

Over 100 million monthly visitors
Built-in audience discovery through recommendations, tags, and publications
Partner Program pays writers based on member engagement (paywalled reads)
Recent updates reward external traffic (search, social shares) more generously — a big win for writers who promote outside Medium

It’s free to start writing and publishing. Readers pay $5/month (or $50/year) for unlimited access, and writers earn a share.

Who Should Start Blogging on Medium Right Now?

Medium shines for specific people in 2026.

Ideal for beginners if you are:

Completely new to writing online and want zero setup friction
Focused on creative, personal, opinion, or storytelling content (personal development, tech thoughts, life lessons)
Want quick feedback and early validation through claps, comments, and reads
Don’t have $5–10/month for hosting yet
Planning to use it as a testing ground or traffic source for your main site/newsletter

Not ideal if:

You want full control over design, ads, affiliates, or email capture
Your goal is consistent AdSense revenue or building a branded asset
You write in highly monetizable niches (finance, health, tech reviews) where ownership matters

Pros of Blogging on Medium in 2026

Here’s why many writers (including beginners) still love it:

Zero cost & lightning-fast setup — Sign up, write, publish in under 10 minutes. No domain, hosting, or plugins needed.
Built-in audience & distribution — Medium’s algorithm recommends stories to readers who like similar topics. Good pieces can go viral with zero promotion.
Clean, professional look — Every story looks polished. No ugly themes or broken layouts.
Strong SEO potential — Medium has massive domain authority. Many stories rank well on Google, especially with recent search traffic bonuses in the Partner Program.
Partner Program improvements — As of late 2025, external reads (Google, Twitter/X, newsletters) now boost earnings (5%+ bonus). Medium is actively tweaking payouts monthly to reward real engagement.
Community & networking — Publications, comments, and followers help you connect with other writers fast.
Low risk for experimentation — Test niches, headlines, lengths without losing anything.

Real example: Many beginners hit 10k–50k views on their first viral piece with zero marketing — something rare on a brand-new personal blog.

Cons of Blogging on Medium in 2026 (The Real Dealbreakers)

Don’t romanticize it. These limitations hurt long-term:

You don’t fully own your platform — Medium can suspend accounts, change algorithms, or shut down (unlikely but possible). You own copyright, but distribution lives on their land.
Limited monetization control — No Google AdSense, no direct affiliate banners, no sell digital products easily. Earnings depend on Medium’s payout pool and member reads — often unpredictable ($50–$500/month for most consistent writers; top 1% earn thousands).
No email list ownership — You can link to newsletters, but no embedded forms. Readers follow you on Medium, not your list — huge risk if algo changes.
Customization is almost zero — Same clean design for everyone. No custom themes, sidebars, popups, or advanced SEO plugins.
Algorithm dependency — Views can vanish overnight if Medium tweaks recommendations. Many writers report feast-or-famine patterns.
Competition inside the platform — Millions of stories. Standing out requires nailing tags, subtitles, and engaging first paragraphs.

Bottom line: Medium is rented land. Great for starting — risky for building an empire.

Medium Partner Program in 2026: How Much Can You Actually Earn?

Medium pays based on:

Member reading time on your paywalled stories
External traffic bonuses (new in 2025 — search & shares rewarded more)
Boosts & curation (higher earnings when featured)

Realistic earnings:

Beginners (first 3–6 months): $0–$100/month
Consistent writers (6–12 months): $100–$800/month
Top performers: $2k–$10k+/month (rare, requires viral hits + large following)

Payouts are monthly via Stripe. You need ~100 followers + consistent publishing to join.

Recent changes favor writers who promote externally — a smart shift.

Medium vs Own Blog (WordPress): 2026 Head-to-Head Comparison

Aspect	Medium	Self-Hosted WordPress (e.g., Hostinger)
Setup Time	5 minutes	30–60 minutes
Cost	Free	$2.99–$10/month hosting + domain (~$15/year)
Ownership & Control	Limited (rented)	100% yours
Customization	Minimal	Unlimited (themes, plugins)
Monetization Options	Partner Program only	AdSense, affiliates, products, Gumroad, sponsorships
Email List Building	Links only	Full forms, popups, automation
SEO Control	Good (domain authority)	Excellent (full optimization + plugins)
Long-Term Asset Value	Low	High (builds equity)
Best For	Beginners, testing, exposure	Serious growth, multiple income streams

Verdict in 2026: Start on Medium to learn and gain traction — then migrate or cross-post to your own blog for real control and earnings.

How to Start Blogging on Medium (Step-by-Step for Beginners)

Sign up at medium.com (free with email/Google).
Set up your profile — add photo, bio, link to your newsletter/site.
Join the Partner Program (Settings → Partner Program).
Write your first story — focus on strong hook, short paragraphs, subheadings.
Use tags (5 max), compelling subtitle, eye-catching featured image.
Publish and share on X, LinkedIn, Reddit, your network.
Engage — reply to comments, read others, submit to publications.
Track stats in your dashboard — iterate on what works.

Pro tip: Cross-post summaries or teasers from your own blog to drive traffic both ways.

Why Most Successful Bloggers Use Both (Hybrid Strategy)

The smartest path in 2025:

Publish original long-form on your own site (full control, AdSense, affiliates)
Repurpose or write Medium-exclusive pieces to tap built-in audience
Link back to your site/newsletter in bio and story footers
Build email list aggressively (Medium can’t take that away)

This way you get exposure + ownership.

How to Become a Verified Book Author on Medium in 2026 & Earn $500–$2,000/Month (Step-by-Step Guide)

WordPress vs Medium 2025: Which Blogging Beast Will Skyrocket Your USA & Canada Audience?

Ready to build your own blog the right way? I recommend Hostinger for beginners — affordable, fast, one-click WordPress install, and excellent support. Start here: https://hostinger.com?REFERRALCODE=TAMZID99

You can also explore digital products for writers on Gumroad: https://gumroad.com/discover?a=593719699

For more writing tips, monetization strategies, and behind-the-scenes insights, subscribe to my newsletter — Writers Hive delivers weekly value straight to your inbox: https://writers-hive.beehiiv.com/

Final Verdict: Should You Start Blogging on Medium?

Yes — start today if you’re a beginner. It’s free, fast, and gives real momentum.

But don’t stop there. Within 3–6 months, build your own site. Own your audience, diversify income (AdSense, affiliates like Hostinger), and future-proof your work.

Blogging isn’t dead in 2028 — it’s evolving. Platforms like Medium lower the barrier; your own domain builds the empire.

Your move: Write that first piece today.

What’s holding you back? Drop a comment — I read them all.

TAMZIDUL HAQUE 🖋️Writer

https://tamzidulhaque.com/ | https://medium.com/@tamzidulhaque | https://writers-hive.beehiiv.com/ | https://substack.com/@haquetalks