Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

GitHub Pages VS Medium

Compare GitHub Pages VS Medium and see what are their differences

GitHub Pages logo GitHub Pages

A free, static web host for open-source projects on GitHub

Medium logo Medium

Welcome to Medium, a place to read, write, and interact with the stories that matter most to you.
  • GitHub Pages Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-19
  • Medium Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-08

GitHub Pages features and specs

  • Free Hosting
    GitHub Pages provides free hosting for static websites, making it an economical choice given no cost is involved.
  • Easy Integration with GitHub
    Direct integration with GitHub repositories allows for seamless deployment directly from a repository’s branches.
  • Custom Domains
    Users can use their own custom domains, providing greater control over their site's branding and URL structure.
  • Jekyll Integration
    Built-in support for Jekyll, a popular static site generator, allows for easy creation and management of content.
  • Version Control
    Since your website's source code is hosted on GitHub, you can use Git version control to manage changes and collaborate with others.
  • SSL for Custom Domains
    Free SSL certificates provided for custom domains enhance security and improve SEO performance for your website.
  • GitHub Actions
    Integration with GitHub Actions allows for advanced CI/CD workflows, automating the process of testing and deploying updates.
  • Community and Documentation
    Extensive documentation and a large community make it easier to troubleshoot issues and find examples or guides.

Possible disadvantages of GitHub Pages

  • Static Site Limitations
    GitHub Pages only supports the hosting of static content, which means no support for server-side scripting or dynamic content.
  • Resource Limitations
    Imposed restrictions on bandwidth and storage may not be suitable for high-traffic or large-scale websites.
  • Configuration Complexity
    Initial setup and configuration, especially when dealing with custom domains or SSL, can be complex for beginners.
  • Limited Customization Options
    While Jekyll is powerful, there are still limitations in terms of plugins and customization compared to more robust CMS solutions.
  • No Backend Support
    Inability to run backend processes or databases means that dynamic applications requiring real-time data and complex backend logic cannot be hosted.
  • Corporate Restrictions
    Enterprises or organizations with strict security or compliance policies may find GitHub Pages insufficient for their needs.
  • Dependent on GitHub
    Reliance on GitHub's platform means that any downtime or outages on GitHub can directly affect the availability of your website.

Medium features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Medium offers an easy-to-use interface that makes it simple for anyone to start writing and publishing content without any technical knowledge.
  • Built-in Audience
    The platform has a large and active user base, so new content has the potential to reach a wide audience quickly.
  • Publishing Tools
    Medium provides versatile publishing tools that support text, images, and various media formats, which helps in creating rich and engaging content.
  • SEO Benefits
    Articles posted on Medium tend to rank well in search engine results, thanks to the platform's high domain authority.
  • Community and Interaction
    Medium encourages reader engagement through comments, claps, and highlights, fostering a sense of community among writers and readers.

Possible disadvantages of Medium

  • Monetization
    While Medium has a Partner Program, it may not be as lucrative as other methods of monetization available on independent blogging platforms.
  • Control and Customization
    Medium offers limited customization options compared to dedicated blog platforms like WordPress, restricting how you can brand and personalize your blog.
  • Content Ownership
    By publishing on Medium, you agree to their terms and conditions, which may include giving up some control over how your content is used and distributed.
  • Paywall Issues
    Some articles are placed behind a paywall, which might limit the reach of your content if you want it to be freely accessible to everyone.
  • Dependency on Platform
    Relying solely on Medium means that any changes to the platform's policies or algorithms can directly impact your reach and engagement.

Analysis of GitHub Pages

Overall verdict

  • Yes, GitHub Pages is a good option for hosting static websites, especially for those who are already familiar with GitHub. It provides a straightforward, reliable, and cost-effective solution for many small to medium-sized projects.

Why this product is good

  • GitHub Pages is a popular choice for hosting static websites because it's directly integrated with GitHub, making deployment seamless and efficient. It supports custom domain configurations, offers free hosting, and automatically integrates with GitHub's version control system. These features make it particularly appealing for developers looking for a simple and effective way to host project sites or personal blogs.

Recommended for

  • Developers and tech-savvy users who are comfortable with Git and GitHub.
  • Individuals or organizations looking to host static sites, such as blogs or project documentation.
  • Users interested in a free hosting solution with easy Version Control System (VCS) integration.
  • Open-source project maintainers who want to provide project documentation or demos.

Analysis of Medium

Overall verdict

  • Medium can be considered a good platform for those who enjoy a wide array of content and appreciate quality writing on diverse subjects. However, the value of Medium depends on individual preferences and whether the topics and writing styles align with what the reader is looking for.

Why this product is good

  • Medium offers a diverse range of articles from both professional and amateur writers, providing readers with numerous perspectives on various topics. Its clean user interface and ease of use make it an appealing platform for both writers and readers. The platform also supports monetization for writers, allowing them to earn from their content.

Recommended for

    Medium is recommended for avid readers seeking a variety of topics ranging from personal development to technology. It's also ideal for writers looking to publish their work to a broad audience and potentially earn revenue through the platform's Partner Program.

GitHub Pages videos

Intro to GitHub Pages

More videos:

  • Review - What is GitHub Pages?
  • Tutorial - How to Setup GitHub Pages (2020) | Data Science Portfolio

Medium videos

Medium Review - with Tom Vasel

More videos:

  • Review - Starting a blog on Medium.com? Watch this FIRST.
  • Review - The Medium Review
  • Review - The Medium - Before You Buy
  • Review - I recommend: The Medium (Review)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to GitHub Pages and Medium)
Static Site Generators
100 100%
0% 0
Blogging
9 9%
91% 91
Cloud Computing
100 100%
0% 0
Blogging Platform
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare GitHub Pages and Medium

GitHub Pages Reviews

Exploring alternatives to Vercel: A guide for web developers
GitHub Pages is a free hosting service provided by GitHub, primarily intended for hosting static sites directly from a GitHub repository. While it lacks some of the advanced features found in other platforms, its simplicity and integration with GitHub make it an attractive option for certain types of projects.
Source: fleek.xyz
Top 10 Netlify Alternatives
Static Site Generators — It is a good way for developers to build sites on GitHub pages with the help of site generators. Yes, it has the ability to publish and release any static file. But it is recommended to proceed with Jekyll.

Medium Reviews

19 Best WordPress Alternatives in 2025
Medium focuses on thoughtful content and community engagement. It offers a user-friendly interface, a large readership base, and various features for writers and readers.
Source: www.pixpa.com
25+ Medium Alternative Platforms for Publishing Articles
Medium is an online platform that was created in 2012 by Evan Williams. It is a place for people to share their thoughts and ideas on various topics. Medium has about 100 million monthly visitors, which makes it one of the most popular platforms for publishing articles.
Source: forgefusion.io
10 Best Medium Alternatives for Reading and Publishing
From thе simplicity of Ghost to thе vеrsatility of Substack, thеrе’s a homе for еvеryonе seeking great Medium alternatives. Thеsе altеrnativеs offеr a world of possibilitiеs for rеadеrs and authors alikе. Whеthеr you’rе in sеarch of a uniquе platform to sharе your thoughts or want to read frеsh contеnt, thеsе platforms havе somеthing spеcial to offеr. All in all, we...
9 Best Medium Alternatives for Making Money With Your Writing in 2023
Substack and Medium differ primarily in their monetization methods. Medium pays creators based on reader engagement, while Substack enables writers to monetize directly through paid subscriptions to their newsletters. This business model allows Substack users to build a direct relationship with their readers via their email inboxes, whereas Medium interactions primarily...
How to Choose the Best Blogging Platform in 2021 (Compared)
Medium works much like a social networking site where you can create an account and start publishing your articles. After you sign up, you’ll have a profile address like this: https://medium.com/@yourname. But you cannot use your own domain.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Medium should be more popular than GitHub Pages. It has been mentiond 2607 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

GitHub Pages mentions (497)

  • Show HN: GitHub as Blogging Engine
    Doesn't GitHub already support blogging/blogs out of the box? It also has a Web Editor / IDE (VSCode) built-in. Hit the `.` on any of your GitHub pages/code/files. https://pages.github.com. - Source: Hacker News / about 8 hours ago
  • Publishing in Arabic, Hebrew, or Persian?
    Because of the lack of right-to-left (RTL) support I'd probably not use DEV to publish in any of the RTL languages. That is Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian. Instead I'd use one of the Static Site Generators that support RTL and GitHub pages or GitLab pages for free hosting. The only cost is the domain name, if you'd like to have your own. - Source: dev.to / 3 days ago
  • How To Connect a Squarespace Domain to a Website Hosted on GitHub Pages
    A working site hosted on GitHub Pages. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • The Carpet feature that nobody will use
    The documentation is built with MkDocs and hosted on GitHub Pages. You can browse the complete documentation at carpet.jerolba.com. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Build a Personal Portfolio Website (2-Minute Tutorial)
    Upload your folder to Netlify, GitHub Pages, or Vercel — and boom, your portfolio is online! - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
View more

Medium mentions (2607)

  • Apple's Liquid Glass UI marks the end of flat design
    Https://medium.com/@dahsmartgirl/apple-just-killed-flat-design-at-wwdc25-heres-what-it-means-for-ux-8a84cdf00234. - Source: Hacker News / 7 days ago
  • Show HN: ChatToSTL – AI text-to-CAD for 3D printing
    - Walkthrough + real prints (bowl, hook, box, door stop): https://medium.com/@nchourrout/vibe-modeling-turning-prompts-into-parametric-3d-prints-a63405d36824. - Source: Hacker News / 7 days ago
  • Kennedy guts CDC's vaccine panel of independent experts
    Https://medium.com/@jsteier_29203/all-childhood-vaccines-were-tested-against-placebos-heres-the-evidence-e90487c94624. - Source: Hacker News / 10 days ago
  • Reverse Engineering Boosted Board Remotes
    Those who still have boosted boards and have lost their remotes know that it can get crazy expensive to replace since YC company, Boosted Boards, is no longer around. Last year, I reverse engineered the pairing protocol with an ESP32 and open-sourced everything here: https://github.com/johnathanchiu/boosted-project. - Source: Hacker News / 10 days ago
  • The Illusion of Thinking: Understanding the Limitations of Reasoning LLMs [pdf]
    One of the best analysis I found is this blog by Vishal Misra https://medium.com/@vishalmisra/the-illusion-of-thinking-why-language-models-cant-improve-themselves-0c71a13811e2. - Source: Hacker News / 13 days ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing GitHub Pages and Medium, you can also consider the following products

Vercel - Vercel is the platform for frontend developers, providing the speed and reliability innovators need to create at the moment of inspiration.

Ghost - Ghost is a fully open source, adaptable platform for building and running a modern online publication. We power blogs, magazines and journalists from Zappos to Sky News.

Jekyll - Jekyll is a simple, blog aware, static site generator.

WordPress - WordPress is web software you can use to create a beautiful website or blog. We like to say that WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time.

Netlify - Build, deploy and host your static site or app with a drag and drop interface and automatic delpoys from GitHub or Bitbucket

Tumblr - A feature rich and free blog hosting platform offering professional and fully customizable templates, bookmarklets, photos, mobile apps, and social network integration.