- Journal-Style Posting: Publish chronological blog entries with rich text, links, and media for ongoing updates.
- Community Groups: Join or create topic-based communities to share live posts and discussions.
- Comment Threads: Enable interactive conversations under each post with nested replies.
- Privacy Controls: Set entries as public, friends-only, or private for controlled visibility.
- Custom User Profiles: Personalize journals with profile details, avatars, and layout themes.
- RSS Integration: Follow external blogs and import feeds through the built-in RSS reader.
- Polling Tools: Add interactive polls to posts for real-time audience feedback.
- Post Promotion Options: Boost entries within the platform using token-based promotion tools.
- Multi-Language Interface: Access the platform in several languages for global community reach.
LiveJournal
Community-driven live blogging platform blending journals, comments, and discussions
Updated March 20, 2026
LiveJournal Overview
LiveJournal is a long-running live blog and online journal platform that combines personal blogging with community interaction. Users publish posts, share updates, and engage through comments, polls, and themed communities.
It supports public or private entries, RSS feeds, and social logins. LiveJournal suits individuals and niche groups who want ongoing, diary-style publishing with built-in audience interaction.
Key Features
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Free Account | $0 | Friends pages & communities Powerful privacy features Basic blogging features |
| Professional Package – 1 Month | 199 RUB (≈2.56 USD) | No advertising while logged in 100 GB Scrapbook photo storage Advanced search & custom journal styles |
| Professional Package – 2 Months | 349 RUB (≈4.50 USD) | No advertising while logged in 100 GB Scrapbook photo storage Advanced search & custom journal styles |
| Professional Package – 6 Months | 999 RUB (≈12.87 USD) | No advertising while logged in 100 GB Scrapbook photo storage Advanced search & custom journal styles |
| Professional Package – 12 Months (Automatic Payments) | 1999 RUB (≈25.76 USD) | No advertising while logged in 100 GB Scrapbook photo storage Advanced search & custom journal styles |
| Professional Package – 12 Months (Without Automatic Payments) | 1799 RUB | No advertising while logged in 100 GB Scrapbook photo storage Advanced search & custom journal styles |
Price details: https://www.livejournal.com/profaccounts/
Pros
Competitor |
Pros |
|---|---|
| WordPress.com | LiveJournal feels more community-centered out of the box. Users can join active groups and start discussions without setting up plugins or themes. For diary-style live blogging, it’s simpler and faster to publish and interact, while WordPress.com often requires more setup for comparable social engagement features. |
| Blogger | Compared to Blogger, LiveJournal offers stronger built-in social interaction through friends lists, communities, and comment threads. Blogger focuses more on standalone blogs, while LiveJournal makes ongoing conversation and audience feedback part of the core publishing experience without extra integrations. |
| Tumblr | LiveJournal supports longer-form, journal-style entries with clearer chronological structure. It works well for detailed updates and serialized posts, while Tumblr leans toward short-form and reblog culture. For structured live blogging and discussion threads, LiveJournal feels more organized. |
| Medium | LiveJournal allows more control over audience privacy and post visibility. Writers can restrict entries to friends or keep them private, which Medium doesn’t natively support in the same way. This flexibility helps users who want both public posts and limited-access updates. |
| Substack | Unlike Substack’s email-first model, LiveJournal centers on in-platform discussion and community discovery. Users can explore categories, join interest groups, and interact directly without relying on newsletters. It’s more suitable for conversational live blogging than subscriber-based publishing. |
Cons
Competitor |
Cons |
|---|---|
| WordPress.com | WordPress.com offers more modern design themes and advanced customization. LiveJournal’s layouts feel dated and less flexible for branding. Businesses or professional publishers looking for polished live blog presentation may find WordPress.com more adaptable and scalable. |
| Blogger | Blogger integrates tightly with Google services and provides straightforward monetization through AdSense. LiveJournal lacks seamless monetization tools and external integrations, which limits its appeal for users aiming to turn live blogging into a revenue stream. |
| Tumblr | Tumblr offers a more modern mobile experience and stronger content discovery through hashtags. LiveJournal’s interface can feel older and less intuitive, especially for younger audiences used to fast-scrolling feeds and visual-first platforms. |
| Medium | Medium provides built-in distribution to a large reading network and algorithmic recommendations. LiveJournal depends more on manual community participation and friend networks, which can limit reach for new writers trying to grow quickly. |
| Substack | Substack includes integrated subscription payments and email automation for audience building. LiveJournal doesn’t focus on newsletter delivery or paid memberships, making it less suitable for creators who prioritize recurring revenue and direct inbox communication. |
Reviews
- cnet.com Review: LiveJournal frustrates with just five templates and no thumbnail previews, so picking themes like “Leprechaun” or “Bumblebee” feels like guesswork until changes go live. Pages went down more often than any other tool tested, and it doesn’t host images for posts, yet the community features shine—public comments, user-run communities, and a “wizard-based Poll Creator” that quickly generates code add some real fun.
- Trustpilot Review (Rating: 2.6/5): One reviewer slammed Livejournal for failing to act on harassment, arguing that banning abusive users should be standard. Another described signing up just to view song lyrics and hitting a “You do not have the correct credentials” message, then vented about privacy concerns and feeling misled after registering.
- G2 Review (Rating: 4.5/5): It feels “fun and easy” to share experiences and thoughts without needing to be “a real coder,” which makes the platform approachable for casual blogging.
