Looking for successful blog examples to learn from?
You’re in the right place.
Below are 17 blogs making real money in 2026. Each one is sorted by niche. For every entry, you’ll see:
- The platform it runs on
- Monthly traffic
- How it makes money
- One thing you can learn from each blog today
I’ve been running BloggersPassion since 2010, and it now earns over $15,000 a month. So these aren’t random picks. They’re the blogs I study myself.
So are you ready to find them out? Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
17 Best Blog Examples in 2026 [A Handpicked List]
Examples of Tech & Software Blogs
These blogs cover startups, software, and AI. They monetize in very different ways: ads, paid subscriptions, sponsorships, or product signups.
1. TechCrunch
Platform: WordPress VIP Traffic: 2.7M+ visits per month How it makes money: Display ads, sponsored content, paid events (TC Disrupt conferences)
TechCrunch is the most-read startup news site on the web. Michael Arrington started it in 2005, and AOL bought it in 2010 for $25 million.
The site has changed hands a few times since (Verizon, then Apollo, then Yahoo). In March 2025, Yahoo sold it to Regent, a private equity firm.
The blog still runs on WordPress VIP, the enterprise version of WordPress used by major news brands.
What can you learn from it: Publishing news in your niche every day builds momentum fast. Google rewards sites that stay active and consistently fresh. You don’t need to publish 30 stories a day like TechCrunch.
2. Stratechery
Platform: WordPress Subscribers: 40,000+ paying readers How it makes money: Paid email newsletter at $12/month or $120/year
Ben Thompson started Stratechery in 2013. He writes in-depth takes on tech companies and how they make money, delivered daily via email.
No ads. No affiliate links. No sponsors. Just paid readers.
At $15 a month from 40,000+ subscribers, the blog likely earns $4-$5 million a year. The best part? It’s run by only one person.
What can you learn from it: You don’t need millions of readers to earn huge money. 10,000 readers paying $10 a month is $1.2 million a year. Pick a topic worth paying for, and you only need a small audience to make a full-time income.
3. Ben Evans
Platform: Squarespace Newsletter: 200,000+ weekly subscribers How it makes money: Free newsletter that brings paid speaking and advice work; Also paid newsletter ($150/year)
Benedic Evans is a tech expert from London. He worked in tech investing for years, then went out on his own.
Did you know that he sells nothing on the blog? The newsletter brings him speaking gigs, board seats, and paid advice work. In fact, he has a massive paid email list of over 200,000 subscribers. Some of his premium subscribers pay him $150 a year for an analysis of the key ideas in tech each week.
What can you learn from it: A free email list can be your biggest asset. Get 100,000 smart readers in your niche, and the high-paying work comes to you.
4. Perplexity Hub
Platform: Framer Tied to: Perplexity AI How it makes money: Brings free users to Perplexity Pro at $17/month
Perplexity is an AI search engine launched in 2022. The Hub is their company blog with product news, research, and partner stories.
The blog runs on Framer, a drag-and-drop website builder used by many new startups.
This blog isn’t built to chase Google rankings. It’s built for existing Perplexity users. Every post helps persuade free users to upgrade to Perplexity Pro.
What can you learn from it: Company blogs work differently. If you’re selling a product, write for the people already on your site, not the stranger on Google.
Personal & Creator Blog Examples
These blogs are built and run by just one person. Each blog shows a different way creators can earn a full-time living from writing.
5. Ali Abdaal
Platform: Ghost Newsletter: 370,000+ weekly subscribers How it makes money: Online courses, book sales, YouTube ads, sponsorships
Ali Abdaal is a former UK doctor who quit medicine to teach productivity. He runs a YouTube channel with over 6.5 million subscribers and a popular weekly newsletter.
His blog is built on Ghost, a clean platform made for writers and creators.
The blog ties his whole business together. YouTube videos send people to his free newsletter. The newsletter then sells his courses, such as the Part-Time YouTuber Academy, for $745.
What can you learn from it: A blog ties everything together. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok bring in new people, while the blog and newsletter help turn them into paying customers.
6. James Clear
Platform: WordPress Newsletter: 3 million+ weekly subscribers (3-2-1 Newsletter) How it makes money: Book sales, paid habit journal, speaking fees
James Clear wrote Atomic Habits, one of the top-selling self-help books of all time, with 25+ million copies sold worldwide.
His blog came first before the book, as he started writing at jamesclear.com in 2012, posting in-depth articles on habits and decision-making. That consistent work built the email list that launched the book.
The site now gets over 10 million visitors a year.
What can you learn from it: Old blog posts can keep making money for years. Articles written by James Clear a decade ago still bring readers and book sales today. Focus on writing content people will still search for 5 years from now, not 5 weeks.
7. Austin Kleon
Platform: WordPress Newsletter: Over 300,000 loyal subscribers How it makes money: Book sales, speaking fees
Austin Kleon is a writer and artist based in Austin, Texas. He wrote 4 bestsellers: Steal Like an Artist, Show Your Work, Keep Going, and Don’t Call It Art, all about creative work.
Unlike most authors, he built his audience through blogging first. Even today, the blog remains the PILLAR of his website because that’s what made him popular.
He posts short notes, photos, and ideas almost every weekday.
What can you learn from it: Short and frequent posts build a loyal audience faster than long and inconsistent ones. Sometimes, even a 200-word post with one good idea is enough.
Examples of Food & Recipe Blogs
Food blogs are a HUGE business. These three started out simple and turned home cooking into a full-time job.
8. Pinch of Yum
Platform: WordPress Traffic: 2.1+ million monthly visitors How it makes money: Display ads, cookbook, courses (Food Blogger Pro), affiliate
Lindsay and Bjork Ostrom started Pinch of Yum in 2010 as a hobby blog. Today, it’s one of the world’s biggest food blogs.
They became famous in the blogging world for publishing monthly income reports. Some months crossed $90,000 in revenue. Yes, you heard that right.
The site uses WordPress with a recipe-focused theme. It attracts millions of visitors, thanks to SEO and step-by-step instructions.
What can you learn from it: Appealing photos are what make food recipes go viral. Spend time on photography before you spend time on SEO. A beautiful photo gets pinned on Pinterest. A single pin can send traffic for years.
9. Minimalist Baker
Platform: WordPress Traffic: Over 1.4 million monthly visitors How it makes money: Display ads, cookbook, paid meal-plan app
Dana Shultz started Minimalist Baker in 2012 with one simple rule: every recipe needs 10 ingredients or fewer, takes 30 minutes or less, and uses just one bowl.
Interesting concept for a food blog, right? That’s what turned the blog into a brand. Readers know exactly what they’re getting.
She wrote a cookbook, runs a paid meal-plan app, and earns a steady income from display ads.
What can you learn from it: Sometimes, simple beats smart. Give readers one thing your blog always delivers. When people know exactly what they’ll get every time they visit, they keep coming back.
Platform: WordPress Traffic: 4.6 million monthly visitors How it makes money: Display ads, cookbook (Love Real Food), sponsored content
Kathryne Taylor started Cookie + Kate in 2010 and named it after her dog, Cookie. Her recipes are vegetarian and focus on whole foods.
She wrote a popular cookbook, Love Real Food, published in 2017.
The blog is a HUGE success because every recipe includes appealing photos and simple step-by-step instructions.
What can you learn from it: Pick a specific niche. “Vegetarian whole-food recipes” is much better than just calling yourself a “food blog.” A HIGHLY focused niche helps readers remember you and makes it easier for Google to understand and rank your content.
Fitness & Health Blog Examples
Fitness is one of the most crowded niches online. Yet, these three blogs found different ways to stand out and build a huge income.
11. Nerd Fitness
Platform: WordPress Newsletter: 100,000+ newsletter readers How it makes money: 1-on-1 online coaching, courses, an app, in-person camps
Steve Kamb launched Nerd Fitness in 2009 for people who hate normal gyms. He has helped 10,000+ clients get in shape since 2018.
The brand is built on personality. Steve writes like a friend, not a trainer.
Most of the income comes from coaching, where each member gets a real coach.
What can you learn from it: Pick a unique angle in a crowded niche. Fitness is everywhere. “Fitness for nerds” is NOT. That’s unique. That unique point of view helps your blog stand out.
12. Muscle & Fitness
Platform: WordPress Newsletter: Over 100K subscribers How it makes money: Display ads, sponsored content, supplement brand deals, and magazine subscriptions
Muscle & Fitness started as a print magazine in 1935, founded by bodybuilding legend Joe Weider.
The site is filled with a ton of free workout plans, gym tips, nutrition guides, and athlete interviews.
What can you learn from it: Brand trust takes a lot of years to build, but eventually works. Even after print magazines died, Muscle & Fitness still ranks at the top of many fitness searches. Stay consistent, and you’ll reap rewards.
13. MyFitnessPal Blog
Platform: WordPress Tied to: MyFitnessPal app (200 million+ downloads) How it makes money: Generates signups for MyFitnessPal Premium ($100/year)
MyFitnessPal is one of the most popular calorie-tracking apps ever made.
They often publish topics covering nutrition, easy recipes, workout tips, and weight-loss science.
Every post helps turn their free users into Premium users.
What can you learn from it: If you sell a product, your blog should educate your users. A solid blog can boost your app or product signups more than paid ads.
Examples of Marketing & SEO Blogs
Marketing is where you can combine commercial intent with high-value content. These two blogs prove multiple ways marketing/SEO sites earn money.
14. HubSpot Blog
Platform: HubSpot CMS Traffic: Over 4.5 million monthly visitors How it makes money: Lead generation for HubSpot’s CRM software (free and paid plans)
HubSpot was founded in 2006 by Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah. Their blog is one of the high-traffic marketing sites on the planet.
The blog publishes daily content on marketing, sales, customer service, and AI. Each post offers a free template or tool as a download.
That freebie attracts email subscribers. Then, the email funnel turns the lead into a paying HubSpot customer.
What can you learn from it: Free templates > free advice. A “marketing email examples” post may work well, but a “marketing email examples PDF download” can quickly build your email list.
15. BloggersPassion
Platform: WordPress Income: Over $15,000 monthly revenue How it makes money: Affiliate marketing (Bluehost, Semrush, Hostinger) and eBook sales
This is my blog. I started BloggersPassion in 2010, and it now earns over $15,000 a month.
The site covers SEO, blogging, and affiliate marketing for beginners. Most posts are highly informative and aimed at beginners. Few money-making posts target keywords with strong commercial intent, such as “best web hosting” or “Semrush vs Ahrefs.”
The income mostly comes from affiliate sales.
What can you learn from it: Affiliate marketing still works in 2026, but only if you write reviews readers actually trust. Use the tools yourself. Show real screenshots. Recommend honestly.
Travel Blog Examples
Succeeding in travel blogging is hard because of heavy competition, but these two blogs prove it’s still possible with the right approach.
16. Nomadic Matt
Platform: WordPress Newsletter: Over 100K subscribers How it makes money: Books, online courses, group tours, affiliate links (booking and insurance)
Matt Kepnes started Nomadic Matt in 2008 after quitting his job to travel. He picked one simple angle: traveling the world on a small budget.
His book How to Travel the World on $50 a Day hit the New York Times bestseller list.
The blog now connects to travel blogging courses, hosted group trips, and an active community called The Nomadic Network.
What can you learn from it: A 100% highly targeted niche becomes a brand. When it comes to “budget travel”, Nomadic Matt comes to mind. Pick a space you can own completely.
17. Adventurous Kate
Platform: WordPress Traffic: Over 400K monthly visitors How it makes money: Display ads, affiliate (booking sites, travel gear), sponsored content
Kate McCulley started Adventurous Kate in 2010, focused on solo female travel. That niche was NOT at all covered back then.
She shares personal stories from over 89 countries, safety tips for women travelers, and honest reviews of destinations.
What can you learn from it: Personal voice ALWAYS converts. Big travel sites can’t say, “I felt really scared in this city.” But a solo blogger can. So, build a personal brand and be authentic.
FAQs | Blog Website Examples
Here are some of the commonly asked questions about blogs.
Blogging is the process of maintaining a blog where you’ll manage everything from idea generation to publishing to monetization. Blogging helps you earn money, build your online reputation, network with other bloggers, etc.
Here are some of the successful blog examples;
– HubSpot
– Semrush blog
– Nomadic Matt
Here are a few ways to find topic ideas for your blog or website.
– Use keyword tools like Semrush
– Use Google autosuggest
– Research your competitors’ websites
If you’re looking for affordable hosting options, try Hostinger. Its pricing plans start at only at $2.69 per month.
Here are some popular websites built using WordPress.
– TechCrunch
– Reuters
– The Obama Foundation
Related Posts:
Final thoughts on WordPress blog examples
We tried to include the best blog examples from almost all the major industries, ranging from food to finance to marketing.
Go through all these examples of blogs to get inspiration and ideas to launch your own successful website.
Did we miss any of your favorite successful blogs on the list? If you still have any questions, let us know in the comments.
This is one of the best articles that I have read about making money. I will be starting new blogs by the beginning of the year and I will be referring back to this article foe the valuable information. Thanks for writing this post.