The Best Blogging Tools for Windows: Apps, Extensions & More
Blogging on a Windows PC? You’re in luck. There are plenty of tools to help you write, edit, and publish with ease. But finding the right ones? That’s where things get tricky. Some are outdated. Others promise more than they deliver.
This guide cuts through the noise. Below, you’ll find the best blogging apps, extensions, and writing tools that are actively maintained and compatible with platforms like WordPress, Medium, Blogger, and Ghost. Whether you’re looking for a full-fledged editor, a distraction-free writing app, or browser extensions that make blogging smoother, this list has you covered.
Let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
Best Full-Fledged Blogging Platforms for Windows
WordPress Desktop App
If you run a WordPress blog, the WordPress Desktop App is a must-have. It lets you manage multiple sites, write posts offline, and moderate comments—all without opening a browser. The clean interface makes editing a breeze, and you can even track your site’s stats in real time.
- Platforms: Works with both WordPress.com and self-hosted WordPress sites, provided Jetpack is installed.
- Key Features: Provides an intuitive, distraction-free writing environment with a clean interface. Users can upload media files, moderate comments, and manage multiple sites all in one place. The built-in analytics feature allows for quick performance tracking.
- Price: Free
Download WordPress Desktop App
Ghost Desktop
Ghost is a modern alternative to WordPress, built for publishers who want a clean, fast, and distraction-free blogging experience. The Ghost Desktop App gives you a focused writing space and seamless integration with Ghost blogs.
- Platforms: Exclusively for Ghost blogs, including both self-hosted installations and Ghost Pro accounts.
- Key Features: Comes with full Markdown support, enabling users to write and format posts efficiently. Real-time previews show exactly how posts will appear before publishing. It also supports managing multiple Ghost blogs from a single dashboard.
- Price: Free for self-hosted users; Ghost Pro starts at $9/month.
Tumblr Windows App
If short-form content is your thing, Tumblr’s Windows app makes posting quick and easy. You can write posts, add images, and engage with other bloggers—all from your desktop.
- Platforms: Compatible only with Tumblr blogs.
- Key Features: Users can post various content types, including text, images, quotes, and links. Offers easy customization with themes, allowing bloggers to personalize their page aesthetics. Integrated social features let users like, reblog, and interact with content seamlessly.
- Price: Free
Best Blog Writing Apps for Windows
Open Live Writer
Think of Open Live Writer as “Word for your blog.” It’s an open-source desktop editor that works with multiple blogging platforms. You can write offline, insert images, and format posts before hitting publish.
- Platforms: Works with WordPress, Blogger, TypePad, and any platform supporting the MetaWeblog API.
- Key Features: A robust WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor allows for rich formatting. Users can insert images and videos easily, with built-in support for automatic image uploading. Works offline, meaning you can draft posts and publish when ready.
- Price: Free
BlogJet
If you want a more feature-packed editor, BlogJet is worth a look. It supports multiple blogging platforms, offers built-in spell check, and makes it easy to insert videos and images.
- Platforms: Supports WordPress, Blogger, TypePad, Movable Type, and more.
- Key Features: BlogJet provides an advanced rich-text editor with spell-check, auto-replace shortcuts, and customizable text styles. It allows direct embedding of YouTube videos and Flickr images, making multimedia integration seamless. Also supports offline drafting and multiple account management.
- Price: Free (previously a paid software but now freely available for download)
Microsoft Word (Blog Feature)
Yes, Microsoft Word can publish directly to WordPress, Blogger, and other platforms. If you prefer writing in Word but hate copying and pasting, this feature saves time.
- Platforms: Compatible with WordPress, Blogger, TypePad, and SharePoint blogs.
- Key Features: Provides a familiar interface for writing and formatting posts. Users can apply themes, tables, and other Word-based styling. The built-in spell check and grammar tools enhance readability before publishing.
- Price: Included with Microsoft 365 subscription.
Learn More About Microsoft Word Blogging
Best Browser Extensions for Bloggers
ScribeFire
ScribeFire is a lightweight blog editor that works right inside your browser. If you want to quickly draft and publish posts without opening your blog dashboard, this extension is a great option.
- Platforms: Works with WordPress, Blogger, TypePad, Drupal, and LiveJournal.
- Key Features: Enables in-browser post creation and formatting. Users can drag and drop images or text from any webpage directly into the editor. It supports multiple blog accounts and allows publishing without leaving the current page.
- Price: Free
Medium Blog Chrome Extension
If you use Medium, this Chrome extension lets you save articles and snippets as draft posts. It’s great for curating content or starting blog ideas on the go.
- Platforms: Works exclusively with Medium.
- Key Features: Allows users to save entire articles or portions of web pages as draft blog posts. Automatically captures source URLs for referencing. Syncs directly with the Medium editor for easy post completion later.
- Price: Free
Download Medium Blog Extension
Grammarly
Grammar mistakes? Typos? Grammarly’s browser extension helps you write clean, polished blog posts. It works inside WordPress, Medium, Blogger, and nearly every other online editor.
- Platforms: Compatible with all web-based text editors.
- Key Features: Offers real-time spelling and grammar suggestions. Advanced features include clarity improvements and tone adjustments. The premium version detects plagiarism and provides deeper style recommendations.
- Price: Free basic version; Premium starts at $12/month.
Sapling.ai
An AI-powered writing assistant that helps bloggers refine their writing style and improve sentence structure with real-time suggestions.
- Platforms: Works with WordPress, Medium, and other online text editors.
- Key Features: Offers grammar and style enhancements, autocomplete suggestions, and AI-powered sentence rephrasing.
- Price: Free basic version; Premium available.
ProWritingAid
A robust writing assistant designed to improve clarity, coherence, and engagement in blog posts.
- Platforms: Compatible with WordPress and most online text editors.
- Key Features: Offers in-depth grammar checks, readability reports, and style improvement suggestions.
- Price: Free basic version; Premium starts at $20/month.
Final Thoughts
Blogging on Windows is easier than ever. Whether you need a full-fledged editor, a minimalist writing app, or a handy browser extension, there’s something here in this list. Pick the tools that fit your workflow and create better content today.
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