Best website builders for writers in 2026: Journo Portfolio ($84/yr), Clippings.me ($9.99/mo), Substack (Free), WordPress.com ($2.75/mo), Squarespace ($19/mo), Carrd ($9/yr) and Heya ($0)

The short answer

Best dedicated journalism portfolio Journo Portfolio starts at $7 per month billed annually, and its $10 per month (billed annually) Pro plan adds automatic article import, article backups, password protection, and a custom domain.
Best simple clip showcase Clippings.me has a free tier for a small selection of clips, while its $9.99/month or $99.00/year Professional plan includes unlimited clippings, PDFs, and a custom domain.
Best for paid newsletters Substack is free to publish on regardless of subscriber count, takes 10% of paid subscriptions plus Stripe fees, and offers an optional custom domain for a $50 one-time fee.
Best cheap custom domain page Carrd Pro Standard costs $19 / year and lets you publish up to 10 sites with custom domains, contact forms, and third-party widgets from Stripe, PayPal, and Gumroad.
Best free multi-page link site Heya Free costs $0 for up to 3 sites with up to 5 pages per site, 68 templates, and a links block holding up to 50 links. Heya Free publishes at yourname.heya.bio, while 1 custom domain per account is available on Heya Pro Standard ($6 a month for up to 5 sites and up to 20 pages per site).

Writer website builders compared side by side

This table compares free plans, starting paid prices, custom domain rules, and portfolio features across seven platforms.

Platform	Free published site	Cheapest paid plan	Custom domain	Clips and writing tools	Contact forms and email
Journo Portfolio	No (unpublished draft only)	$7/month billed annually ($9 monthly)	Included from Pro ($10/month billed annually)	Auto article import, article backups on Pro	Built-in contact form; weekly subscriber email on Pro
Clippings.me	Yes, for a small selection of clips	$9.99/month or $99.00/year	Included on Professional ($9.99/month or $99.00/year)	Online articles, PDFs, unlimited clips on paid plans	Spam-protected contact form on paid plans
Substack	Yes, unlimited subscribers	10% of paid subscriptions (plus Stripe fees)	$50 one-time fee	Newsletters, podcasts, video, paid posts	Subscriber list, private group chats
WordPress.com	Yes (1 GB storage, has ads)	$2.75/month billed every 3 years ($4/month billed annually)	Unlocked on paid plans; free for 1st year on annual plans	Unlimited pages and posts, RSS	Built-in newsletter functionality and 60,000+ plugins on paid plans
Squarespace	No (14-day free trial only)	$19/month (Basic plan)	Free custom domain included on Basic ($19/month)	Portfolios, blogs with paywalls, memberships	Email Campaigns and lead capture tools
Carrd	Yes (free Basic experience)	$9/year (Pro Lite)	From Pro Standard ($19/year)	Third-party widget embeds on Pro Standard and Pro Plus	Contact and email signup forms from Pro Standard ($19/year)
Heya	Yes (up to 3 sites, 5 pages per site)	$3/mo (Pro Lite)	Yes, included with Pro Standard at $6/mo (1 custom domain per account, up to 5 sites)	Up to 50 links per block for articles, clips, and newsletter links	Link a button to a Google Form or Tally form; links to email, phone, and 29 social networks

Swipe the table sideways to see every column.

Prices reflect the billing terms stated by each provider; Substack charges a percentage of paid subscriptions rather than a monthly hosting fee.

Detailed review of each writer website builder

Journo Portfolio

Unpublished free plan; paid from $7/month billed annually ($9 monthly)

Journo Portfolio lets you build on its Free Plan without a card, though publishing requires upgrading. Plus is $7 per month billed annually ($9 monthly). Pro ($10 per month billed annually, $12 monthly) adds custom domains, automatic imports, and backups.

Better at: Automatic article imports, article backups, and password protection on the Pro plan.
Watch out: Your site stays unpublished on the free plan and unpublishes if you downgrade.

Clippings.me

Free tier; Professional at $9.99/month or $99.00/year

Clippings.me has a free tier for showing a small selection of online articles, PDFs, and YouTube, Vimeo, or SoundCloud embeds without code. The Professional plan ($9.99/month or $99.00/year) adds unlimited clippings, a custom domain, Google Analytics, password protection, and a spam-protected contact form.

Better at: Purpose-built for showcasing article links and PDF clips with a free tier that stays live.
Watch out: Contact forms, custom domains, and unlimited clips require the $9.99/month or $99.00/year plan.

Substack

Free to publish; keeps 10% of paid subscriptions plus Stripe fees; $50 one-time custom domain

Substack is free for any subscriber count, and you own your content and list. Publish free or paid posts, podcasts, and video. Substack takes 10% of paid subscriptions plus Stripe fees. Custom domains cost a one-time $50 fee.

Better at: Free publishing with built-in email newsletters, podcasts, and paid subscriptions.
Watch out: Takes 10% of subscription revenue plus Stripe fees, and custom domains cost $50.

WordPress.com

Free; paid from $2.75/month billed every 3 years ($4/month billed annually)

WordPress.com offers a free yoursite.wordpress.com plan with 1 GB storage, unlimited pages and posts, newsletters, and RSS. Paid plans from $2.75 per month billed every 3 years ($4 per month billed annually) remove ads and add over 60,000 plugins.

Better at: Full blogging platform with unlimited posts, built-in newsletters, and 60,000+ plugins on paid plans.
Watch out: The free plan shows ads to visitors and does not support custom domains or plugins.

Squarespace

14-day free trial; paid from $19/month

Squarespace has a 14-day free trial without a credit card, and paid plans start at $19 per month on Basic with a free custom domain. Its Fluid Engine editor and CMS run pages, portfolios, paywalled blogs, memberships, and stores, alongside Email Campaigns, Invoicing, and Acuity Scheduling.

Better at: All-in-one visual editor with portfolios, paywalled blogs, invoicing, and ecommerce.
Watch out: Starts at $19 per month with no permanent free plan, and the Basic plan has a 2% store fee.

Carrd

Free Basic; Pro from $9/year (custom domains from $19/year)

Carrd lets you build sites with a free Basic plan and 7-day Pro trial. Pro Lite is $9 / year for 3 unbranded sites. Pro Standard ($19 / year, 10 sites) adds custom domains and forms. Pro Plus is $49 / year.

Better at: Custom domains, contact forms, and newsletter signup integrations for $19 / year.
Watch out: Custom domains, contact forms, and third-party widget embeds require upgrading to Pro Standard ($19 / year).

Heya

Free; Pro Lite $3/mo; Pro Standard $6/mo

Our builder, Heya, lets you start without an account and sign in with Google to publish. Heya Free ($0) gives you up to 3 sites and up to 5 pages per site at yourname.heya.bio. Pro Lite ($3 a month) allows up to 20 pages per site and removes our badge. Pro Standard ($6 a month) includes up to 5 sites, up to 20 pages per site, no badge, and 1 custom domain per account.

Better at: Free up to 5 pages per site, 68 templates, and full phone editing.
Watch out: Free sites show a small badge, custom domains start on Pro Standard ($6/mo), and publishing requires Google sign-in.

What a writer portfolio website needs: clips, bio, and contact

A writer portfolio needs three things: organized links to your best clips, a clear bio, and a fast way for editors or clients to contact you. Journalists and copywriters usually organize clips by topic or publication, while book authors need book covers, retail buy buttons, and release dates. Clippings.me supports online articles or PDFs, and Journo Portfolio's Pro plan ($10 per month billed annually) automatically imports and backs up articles.

If you just want a bio and links, our links block holds up to 50 links across 5 free pages, or 20 pages on Pro Lite ($3 a month). Journo Portfolio, Clippings.me (on paid plans), and Carrd ($19 / year on Pro Standard) include contact forms, while on Heya you link your email, phone, and 29 social networks, or embed Calendly.

When a dedicated writer platform is worth paying for

Paying for a dedicated portfolio builder makes sense if you publish often and want clips backed up or gated for editors. Journo Portfolio's Pro plan ($10 per month billed annually or $12 monthly) includes automatic article import, article backups, password protection, and a weekly subscriber email. Clippings.me's Professional plan ($9.99/month or $99.00/year) offers unlimited clippings, PDF uploads, password protection, and a spam-protected contact form.

For recurring reader revenue instead of pitching editors, Substack is free and takes 10% of paid subscriptions plus Stripe fees. To sell books or services alongside paywalled blogs and invoicing, Squarespace costs $19 to $99 per month, while WordPress.com starts at $2.75 per month (billed every 3 years) with over 60,000 plugins. For a bio and links page with up to 50 links per block, you can also look at Carrd ($9 to $49 / year) or Heya ($0 on Free, or from $3 a month on Pro Lite).

Free vs paid writer websites and custom domain costs

Not every free plan publishes a live site. Journo Portfolio's Free Plan and Squarespace's 14-day free trial let you build, but you must upgrade to stay live. Clippings.me, Substack, WordPress.com, Carrd, and Heya all publish live sites for $0 on platform addresses like yoursite.wordpress.com or yourname.heya.bio, though WordPress.com shows visitor ads and Carrd and Heya show a small badge.

For a custom domain, Carrd Pro Standard is the lowest yearly option at $19 / year for up to 10 sites. WordPress.com Personal starts at $2.75 per month billed every 3 years ($4 per month billed annually, with the first year's domain free). Heya Pro Standard costs $6 a month, for up to 5 sites (up to 20 pages per site, no badge, and 1 custom domain per account). Substack charges $50 one-time, Journo Portfolio includes one on Pro ($10 per month billed annually), and Clippings.me includes one on Professional ($9.99/month or $99.00/year).

How to set up a writer or author page on Heya

You can build a writer or author site on Heya in your browser without an account, or edit the whole thing on your phone. Start blank or pick from 68 templates. Add a heading and text block for your bio, an image block for your headshot or book cover (images up to 20 MB convert to WebP at 2048 pixels on the long edge), and a links block with up to 50 article links.

Book authors can add up to 6 bookstore buttons and a publication countdown block. You can also embed YouTube, Vimeo, Spotify, or SoundCloud interviews, and link 29 social networks, email, and phone. Sign in with Google to publish at yourname.heya.bio with automatic sitemap.xml, robots.txt, and HTML ZIP downloads.

Open the writers template in the editor or see what it includes.

How we checked

We compared seven website builders used by freelance writers, journalists, newsletter creators, and authors on October 28, 2026, checking their official pricing, free plan publishing rules, custom domain support, clip management features, and contact options. The facts come from carrd.co/docs/pro/plans, carrd.co/pro, clippings.me, clippings.me/pricing, journoportfolio.com/pricing, squarespace.com/pricing, squarespace.com/websites, support.substack.com/hc/en-us/articles/360037607131-How-much-does-Substack-cost, substack.com/going-paid, wordpress.com/pricing, heya.page/pricing, heya.page/docs.

Plans change often. If a number here is out of date, email hello@heya.page and we'll fix it.

FAQ

Can I build a writer portfolio website for free?

Yes, Clippings.me, Substack, WordPress.com, Carrd, and Heya all let you publish a live website for $0. Heya Free gives you up to 3 sites with 5 pages each and 50 links per block, while Clippings.me covers a small selection of clips. Journo Portfolio's Free Plan stays unpublished until you upgrade from $7 per month billed annually.

Which is better for journalists: Journo Portfolio or Clippings.me?

Clippings.me is better for a free published portfolio with a few clips, while Journo Portfolio is better for paid automatic imports and backups. Journo Portfolio costs $7 per month billed annually ($9 monthly) on Plus, or $10 per month billed annually on Pro. Clippings.me's Professional plan is $9.99/month or $99.00/year for unlimited clips and a custom domain.

What is the cheapest way to put a writer portfolio on a custom domain?

Carrd Pro Standard is the cheapest annual option at $19 / year for up to 10 sites with custom domains and SSL support via Let's Encrypt. WordPress.com Personal starts at $2.75 per month when billed every 3 years ($4 per month when billed annually) with a free first-year custom domain. Heya Pro Standard costs $6 a month for up to 5 sites and 1 custom domain per account with automatic HTTPS.

Should I use Substack or WordPress.com for my writing?

Use Substack for a free or paid newsletter with no upfront hosting costs, and WordPress.com for a customizable site with pages, themes, and plugins. Substack is free to publish, charges $50 one-time for a custom domain, and keeps 10% of paid subscriptions plus Stripe fees. WordPress.com has a free 1 GB plan, and paid plans from $2.75 per month (billed every 3 years) unlock over 60,000 plugins.

Does Heya work for book authors and freelance writers?

Heya works well for writers and book authors who want a simple site for their bio, clips, and book links using 68 templates or a blank page. You can link out to your blog, newsletter, or bookstore from a links or buttons block, add a book launch countdown, and connect a custom domain on Pro Standard ($6 a month).

Can I password-protect my writing samples for editors?

Yes, Journo Portfolio, Clippings.me, and Carrd all have password protection on specific paid plans. Journo Portfolio includes it on its Pro plan ($10 per month billed annually), Clippings.me on its Professional plan ($9.99/month or $99.00/year), and Carrd on its Pro Plus plan ($49 / year).

Best website builders for writers and writer portfolio websites in 2026