Where should you host your online portfolio as a Writer?

I compared 5 free portfolio websites to help you decide.

With so many free online portfolio websites available, each offering different layouts and features, it can feel almost impossible to choose one that showcases your writing the way you want, while highlighting your skills in a way prospects and clients can see your value.

Like Courtney here, many other writers are asking the same question: Where do I host my online portfolio?

Whatever your preferences are, I’ve made the decision easier by comparing five portfolio tools, four popular ones and one not-so-popular gem.

By the end of this article, you should be saying, “Okay, this is the one for me.”

But first, here's your TL; DR

This table compares the 5 different tools at a glance, based on their features, ease of use, presentation style and SEO visibility on Google.

Tool	Features	Ease of use	Presentation style	Google indexable?
Milkshake	Mobile-only website builder that uses “cards“ as building blocks	Takes getting used to	Swipe-style layout (like IG stories)	No
Contra	Freelance platform with customizable sections on profile	Very easy to use	Profile is the presentation style.	Yes
Journo Portfolio	Import, embed and back up articles. Post blogs directly on the platform.	Very easy to use.	Simple landing page with work samples embedded like a blog page.	Yes
Notion	Pre-made portfolio templates, AI generated customizable templates.	Steep at first, but very easy over time	Presentation style depends on customization	Yes (with tweaks)
Canva	Basic design tools to customize portfolios based on preference.	Medium. Knowledge of basic design principles is an advantage.	Visually appealing PDF with sections serving different purposes.	No (unless embedded or published as web page)

5 Online portfolio websites you should consider as a writer

1. Milkshake (A not-so-popular gem)

Yeah, I know, you're probably thinking ice cream, milk, bananas, blended smoothly into a refreshing milkshake with toppings. Well, hold your horses because we're not about to make one.

Milkshake is a mobile-only website builder designed to help content creators, freelancers, and small business owners create simple websites.

Think Linktree, but you don't get just one page; you get multiple pages with a swipe-style page layout to showcase who you are, what you do, and where people can find your work.

Features

Milkshake website builders are made up of customisable cards. Each card is a page or section of your site. There's an About card to introduce yourself, a Links card to showcase your published articles, and a variety of other cards, each designed to serve a specific purpose within your online portfolio website.

These cards can also double as holders for testimonials, services you offer, links to contact forms, your social media, and email. Depending on the purpose of the page, you can customise the titles and descriptions of the cards, upload images, add links, and reorder the layout of each card.

Ease of use and presentation style

Milkshake is a mobile-only app, which means you can only edit your website on a mobile phone, although it can be viewed on a desktop. It may take a little time to get used to the elements within the cards used for building, but once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty simple to navigate.

The final product of a portfolio website built on Milkshake is a simple website with a swipe-style layout, like Instagram Stories.

2. Contra

Originally, Contra is a commission-free freelance platform. Think of it as an alternative to Upwork or Fiverr, but without the middleman fees.

The intended use of Contra is to provide a space for freelancers to offer their services, manage projects, and get paid commission-free, but a Contra profile can still double as your portfolio website.

Features

On your Contra profile, you’ll find several customisable sections: an About section to introduce yourself, a Work section to showcase your articles, and a Services section where you can list the writing services you offer, such as product explainers, case studies, etc., along with your pricing.

There’s also a Reviews section for collecting testimonials from past clients, and an Overview section that gives a brief summary of everything else on your profile.

Contra also offers one customisable free portfolio template for writers who prefer not to use their public profile as their main portfolio.

Ease of use and presentation style

Contra scores very high on ease of use. Although the profile interface contains many elements, the presentation style is fairly clear and easy to work around.

Overall, if you’re looking for a platform to host your portfolio, manage clients, list your services with rates, collect reviews, and get paid, then Contra is your guy.

3. Journo Portfolio

As the name implies, Journo Portfolio is specifically built to host portfolios. Even though Journo says the platform can be used by photographers, videographers, designers, etc., it is not far-fetched to think that the platform was made specifically with writers in mind.

The following list of features explains why:

• Apart from being able to import articles by URL, you can create and publish blog posts directly on Journo Portfolio.
  

• The platform provides multiple customisation options, which allow you to adjust colours, fonts, and layouts to present your online portfolio in a unique way.
  

• Journo Portfolio automatically backs up your articles in PDF and screenshot format in case something happens to their hosting websites, so you do not ever lose them.

• You can also create unique pages and groups dedicated to different collections of your work. This means you can group your articles on different pages based on their type and the specific audience or prospect you’re targeting.
  

• Other features include privacy options to password-protect the content in your portfolio, a built-in contact form for client enquiries, and built-in analytics to help you track your website visits.
  

Ease of use and presentation style

Journo Portfolio is beginner-friendly, with a straightforward interface that makes it easy for anyone to use.

The presentation style is like a simple landing page. Your name appears at the top of the page, followed by samples of your articles embedded directly on the page like a blog page. There is an About section at the top right corner and a contact form placed at the bottom of the page.

4. Notion

Notion is an all-in-one productivity and workspace platform, primarily used for note-taking and project management.

If you’re creative enough, you can plan almost any project on Notion, but that’s a story for another day. Today, we’re focusing on its portfolio hosting capabilities.

Notion can be overwhelming for beginners, but there are three ways you can host a portfolio without hassle:

• Use a pre-made template from the Notion library

  Notion offers a library of ready-to-use templates, including portfolio templates tailored specifically for writers.

  Browse the template library with the keyword “writer’s portfolio”, select a template that fits your needs, and then customise it to suit your preferences.

• Build your portfolio from scratch (with AI help)

  If you prefer a fully custom setup, you can build your own portfolio from a blank page. While Notion’s interface can be overwhelming to navigate at first for some people, there is a shortcut: Notion AI.

  You can ask it to generate a writer’s portfolio template, which gives you a structured starting point that you can then fine-tune. This is great if you want something unique but do not want to start entirely from zero.

• Use a peer-shared template Perhaps the easiest option? Borrow a template from a fellow writer. Many writers in the Notion community are happy to share their portfolio layouts.

  You can duplicate their template and simply swap out the content with your own work. It saves time and helps you model your portfolio after someone already doing it well.

Ease of use and presentation style

Because of Notion’s unconventional interface style, navigating it as a beginner may feel like the tool is out to get you, but once you get the hang of it, you will probably ask yourself where it has been all your life.

It becomes easy to work around, and the presentation styles depend entirely on how you choose to customise your portfolio.

5. Canva

Canva is a visual design and content creation platform that allows users to easily create a wide variety of visually appealing content. It is used by a wide range of creatives, business owners, and freelancers, especially graphic designers. If you want a visually appealing portfolio that you can download and send out, then Canva is your go-to.

Features

Canva has a plethora of free, customisable portfolio templates that give you a head start while still allowing plenty of room for personalisation.

If you’re feeling extra creative, you can alternatively create your portfolio from scratch using a blank Canva design and the tools available in the free version.

However you choose to build your portfolio, you can add links to your articles and customise the layout of each page, such as Contact, Reviews and About, by adjusting font sizes, colours and other design elements.

Ease of use and presentation style

When it comes to ease of use, Canva lands somewhere in the middle. It is not as beginner-friendly as plug-and-play tools like Journo Portfolio, but it does not have as steep a learning curve as something like Notion.

Once you get used to the interface, it becomes relatively easy to move things around and test different layouts. However, it does help if you are already familiar with basic design principles.

The presentation style is a single-page vertical layout with a visually appealing design, where viewers can scroll down to see the different sections you include.

So, which portfolio website is right for you?

Choosing the right portfolio tool comes down to your personal style, goals and how much time you are willing to invest in customisation.

If you want something quick and mobile-friendly, Milkshake or Journo Portfolio are solid choices.

Need a platform that also handles client work? Contra has you covered.

For those who love flexibility and aesthetics, Notion and Canva let you customise everything to your taste. Whatever you choose, the most important thing is that your portfolio clearly showcases your work and makes it easy for potential clients to see what you can do.

If you want to see Keri's portfolio, ask her what tool she's using these days! And if you're building your portfolio and want to get your work published on a legitimate, trusted website, apply to be posted on via the top button on Write Wiser's blog.