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Head-to-head · Blog Software

Medium vs Pelican

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 2 checks side by side
Higher score Medium #3 in Blog Software 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 3 features Visit Medium
Pelican #8 in Blog Software 7.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 3 features Visit Pelican

Medium leads on 0 checks, Pelican on 0, and 2 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 2 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreMedium · 8.6/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresMedium · 1 of 3

Medium scores higher on our rubric for blog software: 8.6 against 7.9 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #8.

Medium is the better fit for writers seeking built-in readership and publication tools. Pelican is the better fit for technical bloggers who prefer static publishing.

  • Medium fits best

    Writers seeking built-in readership and publication tools

  • Pelican fits best

    Technical bloggers who prefer static publishing

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Medium 8.6/10 Visit ↗ Pelican 7.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.6 7.9
Ranking #3 in Blog Software #8 in Blog Software
Best for Writers seeking built-in readership and publication tools Technical bloggers who prefer static publishing
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free
Starting price — Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Self-hosted
Platforms Web, iOS, Android Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Email, Tickets, Docs Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market Solo, Small business
Features Medium 1/3 · Pelican 0/3
Custom domain ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Post scheduling Not checked yet Not checked yet
Built-in analytics Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Content editor Not checked yet Not checked yet
Included users Not checked yet Not checked yet
Content export Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Publish free stories and schedule posts from web or mobile.
  • Coordinate editors and writers in multi-author publications.
  • Add newsletters, statistics, custom domains, and member-only stories.
  • Authors can write in Markdown or reStructuredText.
  • Generates static HTML with themes, feeds, and multilingual articles.
  • Imports content from WordPress, Dotclear, or RSS.
Cons
  • Theme editing is basic, limiting visual customization.
  • Publication layouts and sections offer less control than a fully custom site.
  • Cloud and mobile deployment may not suit teams seeking a self-hosted blog.
  • Publishing requires command-line site generation.
  • You must deploy the generated files using external hosting.
  • Themes require custom code, and analytics need external services or configuration.
Our verdict

Medium gives individuals, organizations, and editorial teams a place to write and distribute stories on the web, iOS, and Android. Its free plan supports story publishing and editing, while publications let multiple writers and editors…

Read the review →

Pelican is an open-source static site generator for bloggers who want to publish from files rather than manage a hosted blog editor. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and turns Markdown or reStructuredText into static HTML pages and…

Read the review →
  1. MediumBlog Software 8.6Free plan
  2. PelicanBlog Software 7.9Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Medium — where it wins

    • Publish free stories and schedule posts from web or mobile.
    • Coordinate editors and writers in multi-author publications.
    • Add newsletters, statistics, custom domains, and member-only stories.

    Where it doesn't

    • Theme editing is basic, limiting visual customization.
    • Publication layouts and sections offer less control than a fully custom site.
    • Cloud and mobile deployment may not suit teams seeking a self-hosted blog.

  • Pelican — where it wins

    • Authors can write in Markdown or reStructuredText.
    • Generates static HTML with themes, feeds, and multilingual articles.
    • Imports content from WordPress, Dotclear, or RSS.

    Where it doesn't

    • Publishing requires command-line site generation.
    • You must deploy the generated files using external hosting.
    • Themes require custom code, and analytics need external services or configuration.
  • Medium8.6/10 · Free plan

    A hosted writing and publishing home with built-in newsletters, statistics, and reader memberships.

    Visit MediumFull verdict →
  • Pelican7.9/10 · Free plan

    A free, command-line static publishing tool for technical bloggers comfortable with self-hosting.

    Visit PelicanFull verdict →

More comparisons

All blog software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update