Comparing Typepad and Wordpress is comparing apples to oranges. Wordpress is a fully fledged and highly customizable CMS, Typepad is a very capable blogging platform.
We use Wordpress for everything from blogging to hosting websites to our company extranet. Plugins and highly customizable themes like Atahualpa and Headway make Wordpress infinitely more flexible than Typepad. Add to this the fact that WP is community developed and the contest is over before it even began.
That does not mean that Typepad isn't good at what it does, but where Wordpress is a Swiss Army knife, Typepad is one tool and one tool only.
Denise
· 1 month ago
I agree that this poll is pointless. Of course if you use one of these platforms you will vote for it. I voted for Typepad because that's what I've used for two years and I love it. Yes, it costs, but the customer service is exceptional and that peace of mind is worth it, they go above and beyond. Wordpress looks nice and offers flexibility but so many people I know have abandoned it in frustration, it's not for everyone. Typepad offers a platform for those who are capable of customising it themselves and also for those who need handholding. That's my opinion in this silliest of contests.
Congrats Wordpress, you win the popularity contest and you get to take the homecoming queen to prom.
Frederic.C
· 1 month ago
Wordpress.org is probably more powerful than TypePad, if you have technical skills (HTML PHP, JavaScript ...) and you don't care spending hours/days on maintenance/upgrade/customization, then probably Wordpress.org is better. Wordpress.com is far more limited !!!
TypePad is all built-in, no plugins, no code change to apply a new design, no uprade or maintenance by the user, and support is great.
I think this poll is comparing two products that can't be compared as it is mainly comparing an hosted service and a downloadable software.
Wordpress is probably better for a geek, but to start a blog and write but not code TypePad is easier and powerful enough to make your blog growing.
Foliovision
· 1 month ago
Actually Frederic, in my five years on Typepad, I've found the support there to be incompetent.
Instead of reading your support requests, Typepad support staff just copy and paste from an out of date knowledge base. Any competent user has already been to the knowledge base and tried those non-working solutions.
Extremely frustrating.
Crappy Typepad support was the main reason I wanted to move La Vie Viennoise out of Typepad.
With Wordpress, you can get lots of free support on the forums and if you want a helping hand, there is huge pool of freelance talent to help you with your site professionally.
For me, if I have to choose between free support and competent support, I know what I'll choose every time.
Alex
· 1 month ago
WordPress is free for most of its user base. TypePad is not. Thus, they have different audiences, and WordPress has a bigger market share. Because hardly anyone uses both WordPress and TypePad, bigger market share == more votes in this poll. Also, the fact that so few people use both platforms makes this poll meaningless because of the number of votes with no basis of comparison.
Phoenix
· 1 month ago
Pretty weird survey. Typepad doesn't even stand anywhere near Wordpress. Blogger vs Wordpress might have some competition.
shamasis
· 1 month ago
Though I am a WordPress fan, I still think that this is an unfair poll. Primarily because the difference in the way the two blogging platforms pitch their products.
In my opinion, WordPress and Blogger would have been a fairer poll.
sudhir
· 1 month ago
@shamasis well I feel ur someway right. Typepad goes for corporates so it's not fair competition. Yes I would really luved to see WP vs Blogger, where it wud be gr8 competition considering so many G fans, but still nyday Wordpress would have won if u tell me to bet on!
We network
· 1 month ago
You should add Blogger to the poll. These are the three choices we offer to our clients and they always choose Blogger. We let them make the decision by showing the features and then draw attention to the other benefits signing up for a Google ID. We find that most businesses are attracted to Blogger because they can save a lot of time maintaining their blog and their online presence from the Google Dashboard. Wordpad is the second most popular choice followed by TypePad. These blogging platforms are are usually preferred by those who use the blog as their primary web address. We would like to see the results of a Blogging for business poll...
Dave Barnhart
· 1 month ago
My sentiments echo those of Dave Weiss. I use both and set clients up on TypePad or Wordpress depending upon which one is better suited to the needs of the client. Most small business owners are not geeks. Their business is running their *business*, not running their blog. They have neither the desire, time, or technical ability to properly manage and administer a self-hosted blog. These clients appreciate the 'set it and forget it' nature of TypePad.
malexandria
· 1 month ago
I don't think this is a valid comparison you are talking about a paid hosted solution vs. a self managed one obviously a lot of folks voting in this would go for WordPress because it's free. To do this properly it should be Wordpress.org vs. the Open Source version of Moveable Type. I use WordPress and used to like it, but the direction it's heading has me concerned and the last few updates are been pretty awful.
Bryan Hauer
· 1 month ago
That's simply not true. It's amazing how many so called bloggers here have no idea what they're talking about. Both offer self hosted and hosted solutions. Some of the largest blogs in the world like CNN's blogs, NYT's blog etc... are on Hosted WordPress. That's WordPress.com for those that don't know.
Also from Dave above who seems to have a stick in his ass... it's a perfectly legitimate question/poll. Both offer the same solutions. The hosted solution is easier for newbies and both offer solutions. I could careless who wins, but saying it's like voting on apples and oranges is crazy talk. Plus I like oranges more. :)
carte memoire
· 1 month ago
I'd bet with a bit of custom tweaking in the custom templates, you could build the Creative Therapy Arizona site on TypePad. But thanks for this article - all very fair points. It's tricky because WP.org and WP.com so frequently get conflated - WP.org is more comparable to Movable Type, where WP.com is more comparable to TypePad (hosted, we take care of the updates, etc.)
Let me know if you ever want a TypePad (or Movable Type!) account to hack on for fun. :)
ConnorJack
· 1 month ago
Wordpress = Much better
Manuel Molina
· 1 month ago
I've used typepad for at least 4 years (I have several accounts) and I'm really happy with them. Ease of use, reliable infrastructure, awesome themes, incredibly simple SEO setup, one-click integration with social networks and superb customer support (Superb, really). Wouldn't change typepad for anything. I'm there to stay!
Risa Edelstein
· 1 week ago
I have to say that the support at Typepad is great. I deleted my blog by mistake (don't ask) and they restored it.
kiren
· 1 month ago
Wordpress is used more widely than typepad wordpress is more customizable wordpress wins
DaveWeissDotNet
· 1 month ago
I don't think you're using a full set of criteria to appropriately judge which platform is "better".
In fact, I'd go as far as saying that the author of this post inappropriately sets up an argument without laying any groundwork as to what people will argue about. I understand TypePad inside and out - the nitty gritty details of every nook and cranny of their system and their templates and tags.
I also run a few blogs built on WordPress, customizing templates to my liking. So I understand both the WordPress and TypePad worlds thoroughly.
Here are things I think about when considering which platform is the "best" for a particular need:
Hosted Solution vs Self Hosted - As a blogger, do you have the technical ability to host your blog, and understand all the maintenance issues that go along with it? Just finding a decent hosting company can be painful. They all have their pros and cons. Backups, upgrades, technical support... A lot of bloggers just want to blog - not be a system administrator. TypePad's platform allows for a nice looking blog that can be customized to a great degree, without the maintenance issues that come along with WordPress.
Technical Support - Again, there are bloggers who just want to blog, and not have to spend time with "self help". You have a problem or issue with TypePad, you log into your account and file a help ticket. They have customer support reps to help you out.
Yes, their templating system is not as robust and flexible as you'll find in WordPress, but you don't need to know php to manipulate and customize the look and feel of your blog. Learning php, javascript, or JQuery is a big hurdle for a lot of bloggers.
The platforms are aimed at two different sets of people. If you want ease-of-use on a hosted platform, TypePad may be a good solution for you. If you want infinite control over every aspect of your installation and templates, perhaps WordPress should be your platform of choice.
The "TypePad vs. WordPress" thing is nonsense.
Josiah
· 1 month ago
You know you don't have to vote.
DaveWeissDotNet
· 1 month ago
Well, that's a silly comment.
The premise of the poll is bogus to begin with. It's like having a poll that asks "Which do you like better - apples or oranges?"
Donna Maria Coles Johnson
· 1 month ago
Great comment, Dave. I voted for WordPress. I have used MovableType, Blogger, WordPress at one time or another. Of the 3, I used TypePad for the longest period of time. As a blogging trainer, I agree with all of your points and I recommend either Typepad or WordPress to my students and clients based on what their particular needs are. My big beef with Typepad is that, when I switched to WordPress, Typepad held my graphics hostage. They would not allow me to transfer them with the other content in my blog. I think that is bad policy and poor customer service. It seems clear to me that more people are switching from TypePad to WordPress than the other way around. If I had known that Typepad would not release my graphics, I would probably have started with WordPress. I tell my students to consider this "hostage" situation when they choose their long-term blogging platform. Typepad should change that policy, and instead, like phone companies that port our telephone numbers, allow users to port all of their blog content to a new platform if that's what they desire. I think they should create a self-hosted option so they can compete with WordPress in a more effective way.
Foliovision
· 1 month ago
Hi Donna,
I completely agree with you about Typepad export. As the world's leading conversion service from Typepad to Wordpress, we've moved dozens of old huge sites and hundreds of people have followed our DIY guidelines. Despite all our experience, the way SixApart have deliberately crippled export makes it hard work to do a clean transfer. Until SixApart get their act together and fix export (it's a ten minute fix to templates, which we've offered to give Anil Dash at no cost), no one should start a new website on Typepad, or heaven forbid, recommend it to new webloggers.
A Typepad website is a ticking time bomb.
DaveWeissDotNet
· 1 month ago
TypePad, or more correctly, Six Apart, DOES have a self-hosted solution. It's called Movable Type. If you want complete control over everything, just like you get with WordPress, maybe Movable Type is the platform for you.
This just re-emphasizes my original point. "TypePad vs. WordPress" is silly.
Your point about the image situation in TypePad is interesting. It would be nice if all uploaded images went into an "images" folder at the root of your domain. It would also be nice if you could download the entire directory structure of your blog using FTP or some other method.
Donna Maria Coles Johnson
· 1 month ago
Good point, Dave. What I meant and should have said is that I've used WordPress and Movable Type (both self-hosted) and the Movable Type platform for me was inefficient and inflexible. I considered my personal experiences with Movable Type, WordPress and TypePad before sharing my opinion. Your solutions about images are good ones. I hope TypePad would consider them. Nice to meet you Dave, and have a great day!
Alex
· 1 month ago
Hi Dave.
I haven't ever really looked into Typepad before until recently and your comparison has been helpful in weighing up the pro's and cons of using Typepad or Wordpress (which I have used for some time).
On reflection, I am sticking and voting with worpress, but I agree, it does largely depend what you expect or want from the blogging platform.
izzat aziz
· 1 month ago
wordpress have selfhosted and hosted with same exact name.. and typepad also have both, so why don't we just take it referring to both service. if typepad vs wordpress is nonsense, so as movabletype vs wordpress. just suggesting.
Robert Basil
· 1 month ago
Looking at your personal blog ( http://www.daveweiss.net ) I see you are using the default Wordpress theme with ZERO changes. Looks like you have a lot to learn about Wordpress. You do NOT need to know php, javascript or JQuery to customize a Wordpress blog.
P.S. Wordpress also offers a hosted solution.
DaveWeissDotNet
· 1 month ago
Yes, I have the default theme enabled. I haven't had much time to figure out exactly what I want to do with my design yet. I'm not going to debate my CV, but if you want a better example of what I've done with WP, my wife's site is a much better choice than my own.
www.risaweiss.com is a customized version of the Agent theme from StudioPress.
I have other sites on WP that are customized versions available themes.
Thanks for the speculation on my capabilities, though!
jondonley
· 1 month ago
I agree - apples and oranges. I used Typepad for years, have used both the enterprise Movable Type with a major media company, and self-hosted Movable Type. I think you're off in comparing WordPress to self-hosted Movable Type, though. This is another apples and orange issue. Movable Type SH has an extreme learning curve, especially in modifying design and functionality . . . and the support community is only a fraction of that working with WordPress. I've been involved in design and backend work on MT, and it has a reputation for quirkiness (justly deserved). The free community version shares those quirks. MT as a competitor for WordPress is rather an afterthought for Six Apart . . . an attempt to keep up and gain a share with the exploding self-hosting and CMS movement.
For self-hosted blogging or small CMS sites, WordPress is the clear winner. Sending MT out to this job requires a burdensome learning curve and is akin to sending a main battle tank out to hunt rabbits.
TypePad vs. WordPress.com - for hosted blogging, that's a bit of a coin flip for me.
On the self-hosting, I think you're overstating the case - there is an easily obtained list of WordPress-approved hosts, who feature easy installs. There are also a growing number of individuals and companies offering "WordPress-in-a-Box" - installs, customizations, tutorials and often even free hosting for a flat fee.
In the end, it depends on whether you're satisfied with the service and limitations of hosted blogging.
DaveWeissDotNet
· 1 month ago
Well, that's a refreshing, well thought out and reasonable response! Much appreciated!
el desalmado
· 1 month ago
so what's your vote?
DaveWeissDotNet
· 1 month ago
My vote is that it's a stupid poll.
I have a ton of respect for Mashable and read it daily. But this author either didn't think about what they were writing, or worse, didn't care.
Bryan Hauer
· 1 month ago
Ummm. Why couldn't one use WordPress.com if they weren't tech savvy enough and didn't want to worry about all the problems? That my friend is a hosted solution and you can still customize your site completely if you choose. Look at CNN, BlogMaverick, NYT's blogs. All hosted solutions on WordPress.com.
On the self hosted side... most hosting companies now offer 1 click installs of WordPress. Sets up the mysql database and everything. All they have to do is login and start blogging. Finding a theme is easy free or premium as there's many more choices.
As for support... WordPress.com offers support and WordPress.org has a huge community around it where I'd bet anyone I'd get a quicker answer to a question than I would through a host. Also, most premium theme developers also offer full 24 hour support along with 3rd party designers/coders that for a couple hundred bucks would completely get your site exactly the way you want it. As for the backend... if you can use a word processor you can use WordPress.
I guess what I'm saying is the majority of your long comment is bs and not well thought out. Also it's a little whiny.
Foliovision
· 1 month ago
Hello Dave,
Typepad vs Wordpress is not nonsense.
If you would like to be trapped in a dying platform with no working export, yes Typepad is for you.
If you want to have free access to all your data in an open source environment with full portability, Wordpress is for you.
That's not my idea of ease-of-use. I'm surprised it's yours.
Tinh
· 1 month ago
Yes, I do agree with you on this. That is why I stay with it after trying several blogging platforms now
Young
· 1 month ago
Yes, I agree that WordPress will win, since WordPress : TypePad is 10:1 up till now!
justingoldberg
· 1 month ago
Blogger/Blogspot FTW! J/k
Roseli A. Bakar
· 1 month ago
Voting for wordpress !
Ruud
· 1 month ago
got to be honest, I never heard of TypePad, but have been using wordpress (both .org & .com) so for now they have my vote. :)
Pietert
· 1 month ago
Wordpress has better ready made solutions for average blogging needs which is the main customer base.
The retweet comments annoy me.
Stephen Bates
· 1 month ago
This isn't so much a face-off as a blog-beatdown....typepad? lulz.
joker400
· 1 month ago
WordPress used widely, it has more plugins and more themes
nuphero
· 1 month ago
No doubt that Wordpress is the best blogging platform for now. Look at market share, look at temporary result of this voting, obviously Wordpress is the winner.
jack
· 1 month ago
I prefer wordpress
Interview
· 1 month ago
wordpress will be my best choice
Ashish
· 1 month ago
And Wordpress has KNOCKED OUT TypePad :p
quicoto
· 1 month ago
WordPress just owned Typepad
Money-Era
· 1 month ago
I am writing my blog (www.money-era.com) with WordPress; I have experience with other open source systems like Mambo, Joomla, Zencart, VirtueMart but by far the WordPress software is the most advanced and thought through.
Artful Dodger
· 1 month ago
This is the dumbest poll ever, Wordpress quite easily wins. I bet you already new that before you created this post.
Shabbir Bhimani
· 1 month ago
Wordpress for me as well. I prefer wordpress above everything and see Blogspot vs Wordpress comparision I did sometime back.
facebook-1297187535
· 1 month ago
TypePad might be the one blogging platform that care even less than Wordpress about photobloggers.
sudhir
· 1 month ago
well I did not think this Poll was needed.. it's WORDPRESS all the way...kudos Ma.tt !
J U Hasan
· 1 month ago
Typepad has no change against Wordpress. Wordpress is the best and this faceoff is 100% meaningless.
Put some more competitive ones against each other.
Chuck Reynolds
· 1 month ago
Hands down: Wordpress - no questions asked
Andy Fitzpatrick
· 1 month ago
I like and use Wordpress but I haven't used Typepad will take a look now though as quite a few people seem to prefer it.
chupchap
· 1 month ago
Well this one looks like a one-sided poll =D
Dr Robert Schertzer
· 1 month ago
I use Squarespace after comapring w/ WordPress; how 'bout head-to-head between those?
stevesidea
· 1 month ago
No contest. Wordpress. If you're paying to blog, you're using the wrong software.
mattycraig
· 1 month ago
Wordpress hands down. I have never even heard of Typepad so I guess its not fair for me to judge... Allthough judging by the looks of the results so far I don't think it matters that my answer is bias.
Amy
· 1 month ago
It's not even close -- Wordpress by a mile!
TheIconGuy
· 1 month ago
I'm just going to call it and say WP wins.
amarendra
· 1 month ago
WP rocks! It's best. It's under GNU license. It's free. It's for all. Did I already mention it rocks? :P
Donagh Mc Sweeney
· 1 month ago
No surprise that TypePad is getting creamed in this poll!
CharlesFernando
· 1 month ago
Wordpress is easier, popular and elegant. Did i mention free? I guess it should be compared to blogspot, not typepad.
I host my blog on wordpress after i used blogger, the community is larger and i gain the double of visitors in this change.
To be honest, i never used typepad, and not trying to be rude, but never found a popular blog there.
Tom
· 1 month ago
Wordpress is free, but you pay for hosting if you want your own domain. Typepad isn't free, but hosting is included. Last time I checked, the difference in cost is negligible.
Christopher Ross
· 1 month ago
Typepad who?
WP offers the most flexibility in terms of platform (hosted or self-managed; windows or linux), customization (themes, plugins), and developer community. I'm looking at 3 books on the platform in my personal library, and can't recall seeing even one for TP anywhere.
Oh, and let's not forget WordPress Multi-user, BBPress (forums) and BuddyPress (communities). While not perfectly integrated (it's coming!), there are some phenomenal sites out there built on the WP platform.
Like with any platform, there will always be devoted fans of one or the other, and that's what I am with WP. But I got that way because there were no barriers to entry as a casual user (WP.com), fledgling developer (thanks to GoDaddy) or now as a full-on WP hacker with several sites that I manage.
matt
· 1 month ago
i have never used typepad so i will say wordpress
barringtonarch
· 1 month ago
wordpress is fantastic, best thing i ever started using.
GrokSurf
· 1 month ago
Thanks Dave, Donna, Jon, and others who added some nutritious meat to this post. I guess if you want a comparison/contrast item but don't want to write it, just put up a poll, turn comments on, and hope for the best!
DaveWeissDotNet
· 1 month ago
Exactly.
Mashable Poll for Today = FAIL
sms scrape
· 1 month ago
i think wordpress is best and every one used also we first time watch this typepad.thanks for show new typepad.
ffcode
· 1 month ago
what a comparison? isn't typepad paid? and wordpress open source? on what basis is that a voting thing?
Srikanta
· 1 month ago
WordPress rocks till last :)
gwoodard
· 1 month ago
The ongoing result of the most fateful small business decision I can think of. OTOH, consumer computer users are so influenced by emotion that one image can slant some of them for the rest of their lives.
RestaurantZoom
· 1 month ago
WP rocks hands down. No two ways about it.
Tegar M.Aji
· 2 weeks ago
commenting the week-to-week results: - Firefox is the Best - I didn't know Tumblr & Posterous features - I never use Pandora & Last.fm - I'm tired of Facebook, I prefer Twitter
mr Cheshire
· 6 days ago
I use wordpress i have never done anything like setting up a blog before and wordpress was really easy to set up
All Comments
We use Wordpress for everything from blogging to hosting websites to our company extranet. Plugins and highly customizable themes like Atahualpa and Headway make Wordpress infinitely more flexible than Typepad. Add to this the fact that WP is community developed and the contest is over before it even began.
That does not mean that Typepad isn't good at what it does, but where Wordpress is a Swiss Army knife, Typepad is one tool and one tool only.
Congrats Wordpress, you win the popularity contest and you get to take the homecoming queen to prom.
Wordpress.com is far more limited !!!
TypePad is all built-in, no plugins, no code change to apply a new design, no uprade or maintenance by the user, and support is great.
I think this poll is comparing two products that can't be compared as it is mainly comparing an hosted service and a downloadable software.
Wordpress is probably better for a geek, but to start a blog and write but not code TypePad is easier and powerful enough to make your blog growing.
Instead of reading your support requests, Typepad support staff just copy and paste from an out of date knowledge base. Any competent user has already been to the knowledge base and tried those non-working solutions.
Extremely frustrating.
Crappy Typepad support was the main reason I wanted to move La Vie Viennoise out of Typepad.
With Wordpress, you can get lots of free support on the forums and if you want a helping hand, there is huge pool of freelance talent to help you with your site professionally.
For me, if I have to choose between free support and competent support, I know what I'll choose every time.
WordPress targets any and everyone, whereas TypePad has a more niché market of corporate users.
In my opinion, WordPress and Blogger would have been a fairer poll.
Also from Dave above who seems to have a stick in his ass... it's a perfectly legitimate question/poll. Both offer the same solutions. The hosted solution is easier for newbies and both offer solutions. I could careless who wins, but saying it's like voting on apples and oranges is crazy talk. Plus I like oranges more. :)
Let me know if you ever want a TypePad (or Movable Type!) account to hack on for fun. :)
wordpress is more customizable
wordpress wins
In fact, I'd go as far as saying that the author of this post inappropriately sets up an argument without laying any groundwork as to what people will argue about. I understand TypePad inside and out - the nitty gritty details of every nook and cranny of their system and their templates and tags.
I also run a few blogs built on WordPress, customizing templates to my liking. So I understand both the WordPress and TypePad worlds thoroughly.
Here are things I think about when considering which platform is the "best" for a particular need:
Hosted Solution vs Self Hosted - As a blogger, do you have the technical ability to host your blog, and understand all the maintenance issues that go along with it? Just finding a decent hosting company can be painful. They all have their pros and cons. Backups, upgrades, technical support... A lot of bloggers just want to blog - not be a system administrator. TypePad's platform allows for a nice looking blog that can be customized to a great degree, without the maintenance issues that come along with WordPress.
Technical Support - Again, there are bloggers who just want to blog, and not have to spend time with "self help". You have a problem or issue with TypePad, you log into your account and file a help ticket. They have customer support reps to help you out.
Yes, their templating system is not as robust and flexible as you'll find in WordPress, but you don't need to know php to manipulate and customize the look and feel of your blog. Learning php, javascript, or JQuery is a big hurdle for a lot of bloggers.
The platforms are aimed at two different sets of people. If you want ease-of-use on a hosted platform, TypePad may be a good solution for you. If you want infinite control over every aspect of your installation and templates, perhaps WordPress should be your platform of choice.
The "TypePad vs. WordPress" thing is nonsense.
The premise of the poll is bogus to begin with. It's like having a poll that asks "Which do you like better - apples or oranges?"
I completely agree with you about Typepad export. As the world's leading conversion service from Typepad to Wordpress, we've moved dozens of old huge sites and hundreds of people have followed our DIY guidelines. Despite all our experience, the way SixApart have deliberately crippled export makes it hard work to do a clean transfer. Until SixApart get their act together and fix export (it's a ten minute fix to templates, which we've offered to give Anil Dash at no cost), no one should start a new website on Typepad, or heaven forbid, recommend it to new webloggers.
A Typepad website is a ticking time bomb.
This just re-emphasizes my original point. "TypePad vs. WordPress" is silly.
Your point about the image situation in TypePad is interesting. It would be nice if all uploaded images went into an "images" folder at the root of your domain. It would also be nice if you could download the entire directory structure of your blog using FTP or some other method.
I haven't ever really looked into Typepad before until recently and your comparison has been helpful in weighing up the pro's and cons of using Typepad or Wordpress (which I have used for some time).
On reflection, I am sticking and voting with worpress, but I agree, it does largely depend what you expect or want from the blogging platform.
P.S. Wordpress also offers a hosted solution.
www.risaweiss.com is a customized version of the Agent theme from StudioPress.
I have other sites on WP that are customized versions available themes.
Thanks for the speculation on my capabilities, though!
For self-hosted blogging or small CMS sites, WordPress is the clear winner. Sending MT out to this job requires a burdensome learning curve and is akin to sending a main battle tank out to hunt rabbits.
TypePad vs. WordPress.com - for hosted blogging, that's a bit of a coin flip for me.
On the self-hosting, I think you're overstating the case - there is an easily obtained list of WordPress-approved hosts, who feature easy installs. There are also a growing number of individuals and companies offering "WordPress-in-a-Box" - installs, customizations, tutorials and often even free hosting for a flat fee.
In the end, it depends on whether you're satisfied with the service and limitations of hosted blogging.
appreciated!
I have a ton of respect for Mashable and read it daily. But this author either didn't think about what they were writing, or worse, didn't care.
On the self hosted side... most hosting companies now offer 1 click installs of WordPress. Sets up the mysql database and everything. All they have to do is login and start blogging. Finding a theme is easy free or premium as there's many more choices.
As for support... WordPress.com offers support and WordPress.org has a huge community around it where I'd bet anyone I'd get a quicker answer to a question than I would through a host. Also, most premium theme developers also offer full 24 hour support along with 3rd party designers/coders that for a couple hundred bucks would completely get your site exactly the way you want it. As for the backend... if you can use a word processor you can use WordPress.
I guess what I'm saying is the majority of your long comment is bs and not well thought out. Also it's a little whiny.
Typepad vs Wordpress is not nonsense.
If you would like to be trapped in a dying platform with no working export, yes Typepad is for you.
If you want to have free access to all your data in an open source environment with full portability, Wordpress is for you.
SixApart is selling a lie. Once you start with Typepad, there is no way out.
That's not my idea of ease-of-use. I'm surprised it's yours.
The retweet comments annoy me.
Put some more competitive ones against each other.
It's best.
It's under GNU license.
It's free.
It's for all.
Did I already mention it rocks? :P
I host my blog on wordpress after i used blogger, the community is larger and i gain the double of visitors in this change.
To be honest, i never used typepad, and not trying to be rude, but never found a popular blog there.
WP offers the most flexibility in terms of platform (hosted or self-managed; windows or linux), customization (themes, plugins), and developer community. I'm looking at 3 books on the platform in my personal library, and can't recall seeing even one for TP anywhere.
Oh, and let's not forget WordPress Multi-user, BBPress (forums) and BuddyPress (communities). While not perfectly integrated (it's coming!), there are some phenomenal sites out there built on the WP platform.
Like with any platform, there will always be devoted fans of one or the other, and that's what I am with WP. But I got that way because there were no barriers to entry as a casual user (WP.com), fledgling developer (thanks to GoDaddy) or now as a full-on WP hacker with several sites that I manage.
Mashable Poll for Today = FAIL
- Firefox is the Best
- I didn't know Tumblr & Posterous features
- I never use Pandora & Last.fm
- I'm tired of Facebook, I prefer Twitter