Tistory

Tistory is a creator platform for making blogs, portfolios, and websites. Members can publish posts, read public blogs, and comment on other members’ content. Sites can use Tistory skins or user-created skins, with skin variables that apply Tistory data to a design. Users can also add custom code and connect a custom domain. Posts can be scheduled, and blog analytics are available. Teams can share blog responsibilities through owner, administrator, editor, and author roles, while plugins add functions beyond the built-in features. The Android app supports writing and editing posts with photos and videos, spell check, feed subscriptions, and search across Tistory blogs and posts; it requires Android 8.0 or later. Tistory is also available on iOS and the web, and sign-in uses a Kakao account. The service is free. It may place ads, and new Kakao AdFit connections are closed; Google AdSense, Dable, and Tenping remain available for connection. Direct video uploads ended on February 23, 2026, so videos need to be embedded from an external platform such as YouTube.

Tistory offers publishing, site customization, and team roles at no listed cost. Consider its Kakao sign-in, advertising, and external-video requirement when deciding whether it fits your publishing needs.

Tistory suits people creating blogs, portfolios, or websites who want design customization, scheduled posts, and analytics. Team roles and plugins may also suit collaborative blog projects.

Tistory is a platform for publishing blogs, portfolios, and websites, with public posts and reader discovery built in. It suits independent publishers and small teams who want a free service with custom domains and code-based design control. Its strongest case is flexible publishing without a subscription; Kakao-only sign-in and externally hosted video narrow the fit.

Overview

Members can publish content, read public posts, and comment on other members’ work. Feeds and search help readers find blogs and individual posts, making Tistory useful for publishers who want their work to participate in a wider blog community. Custom domains and scheduling add practical control over a publication’s identity and release cadence.

Blogs can be run by teams with owner, administrator, editor, and author roles. Those clear responsibilities suit collaborative publishing, though the service still requires a Kakao account to register and sign in. Tistory transferred to AXZ Co., Ltd. on December 1, 2025. Accounts with no login for three consecutive years are withdrawn, their blogs closed, and their data deleted, so an unattended blog is not a dependable long-term archive.

Key features

Site design and publishing

Tistory supports custom domains and skins customized with code. Its skin system uses design variables to apply blog data, and publishers can choose Tistory skins or user-created ones. This gives technically confident owners room to shape a distinct site; it is less appealing to someone who wants to make visual changes without working with code. Plugins can extend built-in blog functions, while scheduling and blog analytics support a more organized publishing routine.

Mobile writing and discovery

The Android app supports writing posts with photos and videos, editing, and spell check. Its home tab, feed subscriptions, and search across blogs and individual posts connect writing with discovery. The app requires Android 8.0 or later. The Android listing also says data is encrypted in transit and users can request data deletion.

Advertising and video

Tistory may place ads and sets their format, position, frequency, and revenue attribution. Publishers should account for that control when deciding whether the service suits a site whose advertising presentation must remain entirely their own. New Kakao AdFit connections closed on June 29, 2026; Google AdSense, Dable, and Tenping remain available to connect. The announced AdFit approval criteria for new connections included a blog at least 30 days old, 20 public posts in the previous three months, and an average of 500 daily page views.

Direct video uploads ended on February 23, 2026. Publishers who include video must host it on an external service, such as YouTube, and embed it in their posts. That works for creators already using external video platforms, but adds a dependency for anyone who wants video hosted alongside their blog.

Pricing

Tistory’s free plan costs nothing. Custom domains, skins, team roles, scheduling, and analytics make the no-cost plan useful for independent publishers and small teams who want more control than a basic public posting feed. No usage limits are stated for the plan, so there is no published quota to weigh against that flexibility. The trade-offs are the Kakao account requirement, Tistory’s control over ad placement and attribution, and the need to embed externally hosted video.

Platforms

Tistory is available on Android, iOS, and the web. The Android app requires Android 8.0 or later. The service supports custom domains, while mobile writing and discovery features make it possible to work with the blog through its app as well as on the web.

Who it's for

Tistory is a strong fit for independent writers and creators who want a free public blog, custom-domain support, code-based skin control, scheduling, and analytics. Team roles also make it suitable for small groups that need defined publishing responsibilities. It is a weaker choice for publishers who need a separate sign-in, full control over ad presentation, direct video hosting, or an account that can remain inactive indefinitely without losing its blog.

Pros and cons

Pros

• No-cost publishing: The free plan includes the core blog platform without a stated usage quota.
• Design control: Custom domains and code-based skins give owners room to shape their site’s identity.
• Team and publishing tools: Four team roles, post scheduling, and blog analytics support collaborative and planned publishing.
• Reader discovery: Public posts, feeds, comments, and search help connect blogs with readers and other members.

Cons

• Kakao account required: Registration and login depend on Kakao, which limits account flexibility.
• Ad presentation is controlled by Tistory: The service determines ad formats, placement, frequency, and revenue attribution.
• Video requires an external host: Direct uploads have ended, adding a separate hosting step for video posts.
• Long inactivity closes the blog: Three years without login leads to account withdrawal and deletion of blog data.

Alternatives

Consider Blogging Platforms to compare more options. WordPress.com is a better fit for someone who wants a freemium service with a stated 1 GB storage allowance, unlimited pages and posts, and basic stats for seven days on its free plan; its Personal plan is $2.75. Tumblr suits publishers looking for a free social blogging service with Android, iOS, and web access, while its Premium plan is $6.99 a month and renews automatically until canceled.

Edublogs is worth considering for education-oriented publishing needs: its free plan allows 256 MB storage, 50 posts and pages daily, and a 30 MB maximum file size, with Pro at $39.95 a year. Hatena Blog offers a free plan with three blogs, 300 MB in monthly photo uploads, and five article revision histories, making it a fit for someone who values those specific allowances.

livedoor Blog is another free option with custom domains, access analytics, and HTML/CSS design customization. Pika has a free tier and paid plan details that include 50 blog posts, three pages, and 50 guestbook entries. Medium may suit readers and writers interested in its Member plan features, including unlimited story access, ad-free reading, audio stories, offline reading, custom domains, and publications. Ameba Blog is a freemium alternative with a free trial and mobile and web apps.

Verdict

Choose Tistory if you want a free, customizable blog with custom-domain support, team roles, scheduling, and analytics. Its combination of code-based design control and collaborative publishing is compelling for independent creators and small teams. Look elsewhere if you require a non-Kakao login, direct video hosting, firm control over ad placement, or a blog that can remain untouched for three years without deletion risk.