Some links may be affiliate links. They help keep WebTools.directory running at no extra cost to you.
A blog or niche site is mostly time rather than money. You need somewhere to publish, a way to see how Google treats your pages, and help writing well. Analytics and email capture can come once you've got a few posts up.
Start with the three essentials below, then add the rest as traffic grows. Each step links to listings picked for WebTools.directory, where you'll find current plan and deal details.
Start with these
1. Website builders
Why: Somewhere to publish your posts that's easy to update and easy for search engines to read.
- WordPress.com: a free hosted WordPress site with no expiry date and no card needed, with basic SEO and site statistics. Free sites use a WordPress.com address and show WordPress.com ads, and a custom domain needs a paid plan.
- Webflow: a website builder with a CMS, which suits a growing collection of posts. The free plan is for building and testing, and you need a paid plan to launch on your own domain.
- Ghost: an open-source blog and newsletter platform. There's no free hosted plan, but its cheapest plan, Starter, includes your own custom domain and no payment fees.
2. SEO tools
Why: Help people find you on Google without paying for ads, and spot problems that stop pages ranking.
- Google Search Console: Google's own free tool for seeing your search queries, clicks and rankings, and fixing indexing issues. Set this up first.
- Ahrefs Webmaster Tools: free site audits plus backlink and keyword data for websites you verify. It works alongside Search Console.
- Nuwtonic: SEO audits, fixes and AI-search tracking for one site, as a one-payment deal.
3. Writing and email
Why: Clear writing keeps readers on the page, and an email list means you're not relying on search traffic alone.
- Grammarly: spelling, grammar and tone checks wherever you write, with a limited number of AI prompts on the free plan.
- Kit: a newsletter platform with landing pages and forms, so readers can subscribe. Its free plan covers a large list.
Add these later
4. Analytics
Why: See which posts bring visitors in and which ones they read to the end.
- Umami: simple, privacy-focused web analytics for one site.
- Visitor Tracking: website and conversion tracking for unlimited sites, as a one-payment deal. Handy if you run more than one niche site.
Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (step 2) also includes web analytics for verified sites.
5. Email capture
Why: Forms that turn one-off readers into subscribers, for example with a free checklist or guide.
- Tally: unlimited forms and submissions on the free plan, with file uploads and conditional logic.
- Deftform: unlimited forms on your own domain, as a one-payment deal.
Browse the categories
Compare more options in each category:
- Build a Website, for blogging platforms and website builders
- Improve SEO
- Create Content, for email and newsletters
- Analyse Performance
- Generate Leads, for forms
- AI Tools, for writing assistants
