Webcomics are a great way to share your creative work with the world. They can also be a great way to make some extra money. But, in order for people to see your webcomic, you need to host it somewhere.
In this article, we will discuss how and where to host your webcomic so that as many people as possible can see it!
Webcomic Hosting Options
There are a few ways to host your webcomic.
The first way is to use a third party social media and webcomic specific platforms for this purpose. This includes general social media platforms like Instagram, Reddit, Twitter and Tumblr, as well as webcomic hosting platforms like Tapas, Webtoons and ComicFury.
The second way to host your webcomic is to do so on your own website.
In this article, we’ll walk you through some of the pros and cons of each method, so you can decide which is right for you.
Hosting Webcomics on Your Own Website
The most common and recommended method for hosting your webcomic is to create a website of your own.
This has a few key advantages:
- You’re in complete control of your webcomic and can design it however you like.
- You don’t have to worry about the webcomic platform changing its rules or shutting down (as can happen with social media platforms).
- You can more easily monetize your webcomic by selling ads, setting up a Patreon, or other methods.
However, hosting your webcomic on your own website does have a few disadvantages:
- You’ll need to pay for web hosting.
- You’ll need to put in more work to promote your webcomic, as you won’t have the built-in audience of a social media or any other type of platform.
- It can be more difficult to build up a following.
However, we recommend hosting your webcomic on your own website using WordPress if you’re serious about building an audience and making money from your comic.
If you do decide to go this route, we have a few recommendations for web hosting providers that are well-suited to hosting a webcomic.
🔥 We have a whole article about creating webcomic websites. Check it here!
Our Webcomic Hosting Recommendations
SiteGround – SiteGround is a great option for those who are looking for an affordable and reliable web hosting provider.
Siteground offers a wide range of plans, all of which come with an unmetered traffic, free SSL and 30 days money back guarantee.
We particularly like their GrowBig plan, which starts at just $4.99 per month and includes features like on-demand backups, staging and unlimited websites.
WPX – WPX is a bit more expensive than SiteGround, but they offer a few features that may be worth the extra cost for some webcomics. In particular, they offer unlimited site migrations (so you can easily move your webcomic to WPX if you’re not happy with your current host), and they promise to fix any hacked sites within 24 hours.
WPX plans start at $24.99 per month.
Cloudways – Cloudways is a great option for those who are looking for a bit more flexibility and control over their web hosting.
With Cloudways, you can choose from a wide range of cloud providers (including DigitalOcean, Vultr, and AWS), and they offer a wide range of features like unlimited applications, 24/7 support and free SSL certificates. Plans start at $12 per month.
Cloudways also offers a free no credit card required 3 days free trial. So, you can try it at no risk for 3 days to see how it works for your webcomic.
Website Builders
You can also create a website with free website builders like WordPress.com, Wix, or Weebly and host your webcomic there.
But this won’t be a 100% independent site. It’ll still be tied to a specific platform and be more like hosting on third party sharing platforms and social media about which we’ll talk next.
Hosting Webcomics on Third Party Websites and Social Media
The other option for hosting your webcomic is to use a third-party platform like social media or a webcomic sharing site.
Advantages of hosting a webcomic website on third-party platforms and social media:
Using webcomic specific platform to host your webcomic has a few advantages.
It’s usually easy and often free.
You can simply create an account on a site like Twitter or Instagram and start posting your webcomic there.
Free webcomic hosting service like Tapas, Webtoons and ComicFury are also great because they are specifically tailored to webcomics (and similar type of art), plus they are easy to use and don’t cost anything.
Another advantage is that these platforms are designed for hosting and sharing media (including webcomics).
This means that they typically offer a lot of features that are specifically tailored to visuals, such as easy ways to share your comic with others, commenting systems and forums.
Plus, social media and webcomic platforms often have a built-in audience of people who are interested in webcomics. This can make it easier to get your comic seen by a lot of people, as opposed to hosting it on your own website where you would need to do more marketing and promotion to get people to see it.
Disadvantages of hosting a webcomic website on third-party platforms and social media:
However, there are also some important disadvantages to using a third party platform to host your webcomic.
The first disadvantage is that you will usually need to adhere to the platform’s rules and guidelines. This means that you may need to compromise on some aspects of your comic in order to be able to host it on the platform.
Another disadvantage is that you will not have full control over your comic. This means that the platform could shut down or change its rules at any time, which could result in your comic being taken down or becoming unavailable.
On top of everything, third-party platforms often have ads on them, which can be distracting for your readers. Additionally, some free webcomic hosting services may delete your comic if it is not updated regularly, so be sure to check the terms of service before you use one of these services.
Reddit, Imgur and Tumblr
You can also host your comics on sites like Reddit (for example on /r/comics/ subreddits), Imgur and Tumblr.
There are a few things to keep in mind when hosting your webcomic on these sites.
First, make sure that you have the rights to the comics you’re posting.
Second, be aware of the site’s content guidelines. Reddit, for example, has strict guidelines about what content is allowed on the site.
Finally, be prepared to promote your comics on these sites. If you don’t promote your comics, they’re likely to get lost in the shuffle.
Summary
So, those are some of the options for hosting your webcomic. Now it’s time to decide which option is best for you. Consider your needs and the pros and cons of each option before you make a decision.
Our recommendation is to start your own webcomic website and host your work on your own medium. That way you are in full control of your work, you own everything, plus it looks more professional.
You can always use third-party platforms to share and promote your comics, but we recommend that you consider hosting your webcomic on your own website.
What do you think?
Do you have a webcomic? Where do you host it? Let us know in the comments!
Further reading:
