Blog Wars 2025: Self-Hosted Blogging Engines Showdown

Here’s a deep-dive report—woven in the brisk, inquisitive style of a New York Times tech correspondent—laying out the who’s-who of open-source, self-hosted blogging platforms. We’ll explore each engine’s DNA (language and stack), licensing, core features, built-in SEO tooling, and where they shine or stumble. Strap in.

1. WordPress.org: The Indisputable Giant

Language & Stack: PHP; MySQL/MariaDB; Apache or Nginx
License: GNU GPLv2 or later

Key Features:

  • Gutenberg Block Editor: Drag-and-drop UI, real-time previews.
  • Media Library & Comments: Built-in management, spam moderation.
  • User Roles & Permissions: From Subscriber to Administrator.
  • Ecosystem: 60 000+ plugins and 8 000+ themes in the official repos.

SEO Toolkit:

  • Clean URLs & Permalinks: Configurable per site.
  • Meta-tag Management: Via extensions like Yoast SEO or All in One SEO.
  • Sitemap Generation: Plugin-provided or theme-bundled.

When to pick it: If you need a sandbox for every imaginable widget—forums, e-commerce, social feeds—and don’t mind the upkeep.
Watch out for: Plugin bloat, dependency on frequent security patches, and hosting costs that climb under heavy traffic.

2. Serendipity (s9y): PHP’s Sleek Contender

Language & Stack: PHP; MySQL/MariaDB/PostgreSQL/SQLite; Smarty templating
License: BSD-3-Clause

Key Features:

  • Spartacus Plugin Repo: 120+ one-click extensions (galleries, multilingual, podcasting).
  • Editor Modes: WYSIWYG or raw HTML/Markdown.
  • Media & Comments: Built-in database, threaded replies.
  • Multi-User & Remote Editing: Granular permissions and XML-RPC support.

SEO Toolkit:

  • Friendly Permalinks: Configurable URL structure.
  • Meta-tag Plugins: Add Open Graph, schema.org, social shares.

When to pick it: You want reliability and simplicity without WordPress’s heft.
Watch out for: A smaller community means fewer themes and slower plugin turnover.

3. Ghost: The Modern Publisher

Language & Stack: Node.js; SQLite or MySQL; runs under Nginx/Apache
License: MIT

Key Features:

  • Markdown-First Editor: Distraction-free, with live preview.
  • Memberships & Newsletters: Built in—no extra plugin required.
  • Handlebars Templating & Headless API: Build custom front ends.
  • Subscription Paywalls & Analytics: Native monetization tools.

SEO Toolkit:

  • Auto Meta-Tags & Sitemaps: Out-of-the-box support.
  • AMP & Mobile Optimizations: Via official themes/plugins.

When to pick it: You’re a professional publisher chasing speed, SEO, and built-in subscriptions.
Watch out for: Smaller theme/app marketplace and the need to manage Node.js or Docker infra.

4. Bloggr.dev: MIT-Licensed Next.js + Supabase

Language & Stack: Next.js (React/TypeScript); Supabase (Postgres, Auth, Storage)
License: MIT

Key Features:

  • Code-First Integration: Blog as a Next.js route under /blog.
  • Admin CRUD UI: Full post lifecycle, powered by Tiptap rich-text editor.
  • Image Uploads & Storage: Direct to Supabase buckets.
  • SEO Fields & Auto-Slugging: Metadata inputs and human-friendly URLs.
  • Scheduling & Previews: Draft, publish, and date-control.
  • Vercel & Webhook Support: Instant rebuilds on content change.

SEO Toolkit:

  • Server-Side Rendering/SSG: Faster first‐load and better crawlability.
  • Meta-Tag Components: Easily inject title, description, Open Graph tags.

When to pick it: You live in React and Supabase, and want blogging baked into your app.
Watch out for: Zero plugin ecosystem—every feature is code you write or import.

5. Static Site Generators (SSGs): Jekyll, Hexo, Pelican, Hugo

Platform Language/Stack License Highlights SEO Tools
Jekyll Ruby; Liquid templates MIT GitHub Pages native; Sass; pagination jekyll-seo-tag, sitemap, OG tags
Hexo Node.js; EJS/Pug/Swig MIT One-command deploy; asset pipeline hexo-generator-sitemap, hexo-tag-seo
Pelican Python; Jinja2 BSD-style WP import; syntax highlighting pelican-seo, sitemap plugins
Hugo Go; single binary Apache 2.0 Blazing builds; multilingual; image processing Built-in sitemap, robots.txt, meta helpers

When to pick:
Jekyll/Hexo/Pelican: You want version-controlled blogs, zero runtime security risks, and can endure CLI workflows.
Hugo: You crave near-instant builds and powerful shortcodes without any dynamic backend.

6. Minimalists & Git-First: Anchor CMS, Dropplets, toto, WriteFreely

  • Anchor CMS (PHP, flat-file, 200 KB): Art-directed posts, Markdown-only UI, plugin-free; clean URLs via config.
  • Dropplets (PHP, flat-file): Two-file template system, distraction-free writing; manual meta-tags.
  • toto (Git + shell scripts): 300 lines of code, deploy via Git/Heroku in 10 seconds; no built-in SEO.
  • WriteFreely (Go; AGPL): Federated blogging via ActivityPub, Markdown editor, multi-user; RSS & OG metadata.

When to pick: You want your pixels to vanish so only words remain—or you live in a Git shell.

7. Flat-File & Enterprise-Grade: Bludit, Bolt

  • Bludit (PHP; JSON storage; MIT): Themes/plugins UI; user roles; quick setup; built-in meta fields.
  • Bolt (PHP; Symfony/Twig; MIT): Headless APIs (REST/GraphQL); field-level i18n; custom content types; meta fields via extensions.

When to pick:
Bludit: You need a light CMS without database ops.
Bolt: You’re building a full CMS-style app with editorial workflows and custom schemas.

The Verdict: Matching Platform to Purpose

  1. Casual Bloggers & SMBs: WordPress or Serendipity—try before you code.
  2. React/Next.js Devs: Bloggr.dev—code-centric blogging engine, MIT-licensed, no plugin overhead.
  3. Performance-Obsessed & Git Folk: Jekyll/Hugo—static sites by day, sleep easy at night.
  4. Writing Purists: Anchor, Dropplets, or WriteFreely—zero distractions, maximum flow.
  5. Publishers & Enterprises: Ghost or Bolt—modern editor meets API-first firepower.

Each engine carries its own DNA and trade-offs. The only truly bad choice is one mismatched to your skills and ambitions. Now: pick your champion, spin up that server, and let your words take flight.