Hatena Blog review
A practical choice for Japanese bloggers managing multiple blogs.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Hatena Blog is a hosted blogging platform for individuals, writers, and organizations, with web, iOS, and Android access. Its Free plan covers blog publishing, draft saving, previewing, scheduled publication, built-in access analytics, and up to three blogs. That combination makes it particularly suitable for Japanese bloggers who want to maintain several publications without starting with a paid subscription. The web editor supports future-dated posts, while page-view and referrer data provide basic visibility into readership.
For users who need more control, Hatena Blog Pro adds custom domains, ad removal, HTML editing, multiple blog members, and static pages. Theme, HTML, and CSS customization give experienced publishers room to shape a site beyond the default presentation. Pro also fits collaborative publishing better than the Free plan because multiple members can administer a blog. Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Bing Webmaster Tools extend the platform’s measurement and search-management options, making it more suitable for publishers who want to connect blog activity with broader site operations.
Hatena Blog’s main distinction is its balance between accessible publishing and support for multiple blogs, rather than a narrow single-site workflow. The Free plan is a sensible starting point for individual bloggers, while Pro is the better fit for custom domains, ad-free presentation, static pages, or shared administration. Publishers needing advanced customization should be comfortable with HTML and CSS, and organizations relying on broad social-sharing automation should review the applicable plan restrictions. Choose Hatena Blog for multi-blog publishing with a clear upgrade path; consider another platform if extensive no-code design controls are the priority.
Hatena Blog pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Free plan supports publishing and up to 3 blogs
- Scheduled posts and built-in page-view analytics
- Pro adds custom domains and multiple-member administration
- Where it doesn't
- Custom domains and HTML editing require a Pro plan
- Deeper design customization depends on HTML and CSS
- Social sharing is limited to specified corporate paid plans
Hatena Blog fact sheet, pricing and score →
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