Medium is one of the most popular platforms for content writers and publishers. While it’s mostly used by bloggers, non-bloggers can also explore a wide range of articles on various topics.
Writers who publish on Medium can monetise their content through its Partner Program, which pays for engagement. However, Medium isn’t the only platform available. Whether you’re a writer seeking better exposure or a reader in search of different voices, several great Medium alternatives exist.
In this article on NaijaKnowHow, we’ve curated a list of the best Medium alternatives for reading and publishing quality content.
Why Look for Medium Alternatives?
People have different reasons for exploring other platforms:
- Writers might struggle to grow an audience on Medium.
- Some readers may not find the kind of content they’re interested in.
- Others want a platform that offers better earning opportunities or community engagement.
Whatever your reason, there’s a platform here that might suit your needs.
List of Medium Alternatives
Below are some of the top websites like Medium. They’re not necessarily better or worse, but offer unique features worth exploring.
1. Quora
Quora is the perfect Medium alternative, and while Quora is a social Q&A (Question and Answer) website, you can still read and publish long-form content on Quora. Even if you’re not a registered user on Quora, you can always access the website and read any topics you want. With over 400 million active users, Quora is one of the most popular websites on the internet.
Content writers and bloggers can always monetise through Quora Space, which allows link sharing and audience targeting. Quora is quite sensitive when it comes to bloggers adding links, and that’s due to their spam controls, but if you own a Quora space, you can always add links to your posts. Despite that, it’s a solid platform for knowledge-sharing and community interaction.
Why it’s great:
- Massive user base (400M+ users)
- Monetization via Spaces
- Excellent for niche audiences
2. HubPages
HubPages is another website you should keep note of; it’s been around for quite some time now, and it’s one of the most popular online publishing platforms in the world. You can be a writer on HubPages by creating an account and creating content. HubPages also pays writers for publishing content on HubPages. You can write content under different categories, and your articles will be shown with ads and affiliate banners appearing within your content.
HubPages is very popular, and it’s a good source for publishing articles. Everything you’ll do on the website is completely free, and it’s quite similar to Medium. Payments on articles on HubPages are assessed by the number of views on your articles; the higher your views, the higher your earnings will be. HubPages provides tools for writers to track performance and improve engagement.
Why it’s great:
- Free publishing
- AdSense and Amazon affiliate integration
- Long-standing credibility
3. Vocal Media
If you love writing and you’d like to connect with different audiences via your articles, Vocal Media is one of the best places you can achieve that without hassles. Vocal Media is one of the best websites out there for reading and publishing stories, and one of my favourite features about Vocal Media is that it pays writers based on the number of reads, with bonuses for premium members.
If you want to read stories about movies, music and even sports, you’ll find them all on Vocal Media. It is very easy to sign up for Vocal Media. Once your account has been created, you can access tools to help your stories connect with the right readers.
Why it’s great:
- Clean user interface
- Paid per read
- Broad storytelling categories
4. Steemit
Steemit is another popular website, and it’s home to different bloggers from around the world. This website is quite different from Medium, but if you’re looking for a website that has similar features to Medium, then you’ll want to look forward to giving Steemit a try. On Steemit, bloggers can create content and get paid in cryptocurrency; there’s no doubt that you can make a fortune on Steemit by just publishing articles on it.
Steemit also has a large community where writers and publishers can always ask questions and create solutions together; you can read news on different topics on Steemit. It’s an amazing website and one of the best publishing platforms out there.
Why it’s great:
- Earn in crypto
- Strong community support
- Transparent reward system
5. Newsbreak
NewsBreak is one of the most popular news publishing websites, and it’s been around since 2001. This website is perfect for creating news that matters. You can contribute to the NewsBreak platform, and it pays users for their hard work and contribution. Even if you just want to read news on Newsbreak, you’ll find local and breaking news in different categories like politics, economy, technology, health and so on.
Writers can contribute and get paid for their articles. With sections for contributors and publishers, NewsBreak supports content monetisation and audience building.
Why it’s great:
- Focused on news
- High visibility for local topics
- Monetisation for writers
6. Ghost
Ghost is an open-source platform that is developed and dedicated to bloggers only. If you’re a blogger and you want to have articles written and published somewhere else aside from your personal blog, you can always use Ghost as your preferred place to publish content online.
Ghost is home to not just bloggers; content creators like YouTubers can also use Ghost. It’s a very good website for reading and publishing online. You can publish stories, build your personal brand, and even offer paid subscriptions. Ghost supports customisation through themes and integrations.
Why it’s great:
- Open-source flexibility
- Great for professional bloggers
- Subscription-based monetisation
7. WordPress
The last Medium alternative on the list is WordPress. WordPress is very popular, and you’ll find most websites hosted on WordPress. While it’s a platform for blog and website creation, you can also make WordPress your platform for reading and creating content online. You can create your blog on WordPress, and you can build audiences from different sources to read your published articles.
Why it’s great:
- Full ownership of content
- SEO and monetisation tools
- Scalable for beginners and pros
Conclusion
Medium is a fantastic platform, but it’s not the only one. Whether you’re a casual reader or a serious writer, the platforms above offer great alternatives. Each option caters to different needs; some offer better revenue, and others provide niche communities or unique publishing tools. Explore, experiment, and choose what works best for your goals.
