Yes, you can use Scribbld for free. Scribbld has five account types: New, Free, Early Adopter, Paid, and Permanent. All Scribbld accounts can use Scribbld core features, such as posting entries and comments, customizing journal appearance, and participating in communities. For additional features, you can purchase a Paid Account (benefits). A feature comparison chart is available.

Your account type is listed on your User Info page.

Scribbld aims to offer all users the vital journaling features for free. However, due to the costs of running a website, such as server maintenance and bandwidth, some advanced features must be restricted to paying customers in order to keep the site running for everyone. Additionally, a few features are reserved for Paid Accounts to show appreciation to those who help support the site.

Existing users can upgrade to a Paid Account at any time. Additionally, Early Adopter and Permanent accounts offer a special set of features.

New User Accounts

• 10 userpics
  
• Can create S1 styles
  
• Can bookmark/flag up to 5 messages in their Inbox
  
• 25 messages can be stored in their Inbox
  
• 250 max friends
  
• Can have up to 25 subscriptions
  
• Can have 50 tags
  
• Can display up to 50 comments on recent comments page
  
• Can display up to 2 links if using an S2 style
  
• Can use up to 50 characters in their private messages
  

Free User Accounts

• 50 userpics
  
• Can create S1 styles
  
• Can bookmark/flag up to 20 messages in their Inbox
  
• 50 messages can be stored in their Inbox
  
• 500 max friends
  
• Can have up to 50 subscriptions
  
• Can have 100 tags
  
• Can display up to 100 comments on recent comments page
  
• Can display up to 4 links if using an S2 style
  
• Can use up to 50 characters in their private messages
  

Early Adopter Accounts

Early Adopter accounts were created before mid-January 2008. No account created after this date can be turned into an Early Adopter account. Early Adopter accounts have the following features:

• 300 Userpics
  
• Can create S1 styles
  
• Search the directory
  
• Create syndicated feeds
  
• View full RSS of entries
  
• Make polls
  
• Use text messaging
  
• Can use the AJAX user pic selector
  
• Can bookmark/flag up to 75 messages in their Inbox
  
• 100 messages can be stored in their Inbox
  
• Can mass edit the privacy on their journal entries
  
• 4500 max friends
  
• Can create moodthemes
  
• Can have up to 100 subscriptions
  
• Can have 500 tags
  
• Can display up to 100 comments on recent comments page
  
• Can track people who've de-friended you
  
• Can track comment threads
  
• Can display up to 10 links if using S2 style
  
• Can use up to 5000 characters in their private messages
  

Special Early Donator Account

Special Early Donator Account are people who donated during the Early Adopter days. They helped us purchase a new server so that Scribbld became a much better place (and more stable) place! There are only about 30 of these accounts out there, so if you have one give yourself a real pat on the back! Thank you from all of us at Scribbld!

• 1000 userpics
  
• Can create S1 styles
  
• Can make polls
  
• Use text messaging
  
• Search the directory
  
• Can create syndicated feeds
  
• Access to user domains - http://exampleuser.scribbld.net
  
• Access to full RSS feed
  
• Can bookmark/flag up to 250 messages in their Inbox
  
• 1000 messages can be stored in their Inbox
  
• Can mass edit the privacy on their journal entries
  
• Can create moodthemes
  
• Can have up to 1000 subscriptions
  
• Can have 1000 tags
  
• Can display up to 100 comments on recent comments page
  
• Can track people who've de-friended you
  
• Can track comment threads
  
• Can display up to 20 links if using S2 style
  
• Can use up to 5000 characters in their private messages
  
• Can use the AJAX user pic selector
  

Permanent Accounts

Permanent Accounts are usually given to staff members or long-term volunteers who have contributed a significant amount of time and effort to the Scribbld project. Although Permanent Accounts have been infrequently sold in the past, they are not guaranteed to be sold in the future. Future Permanent Account sales, if any, will be announced in the news journal.

Permanent Accounts have all Paid Account features without an expiration date, plus the following:

• Upload up to 1500 userpics
  
• Create create S1 styles
  
• Make polls
  
• Search the directory
  
• Create syndicated feeds
  
• Access to user domains - http://exampleuser.scribbld.net
  
• Use Text messaging
  
• Access to full RSS feed
  
• Can use the AJAX user pic selector
  
• Can bookmark/flag up to 500 messages in their Inbox
  
• 1000 messages can be stored in their Inbox
  
• Can mass edit the privacy on their journal entries
  
• Can create moodthemes
  
• Can have up to 1000 subscriptions
  
• Can have 2000 tags
  
• Can display up to 100 comments on recent comments page
  
• Can track people who've de-friended you
  
• Can track comment threads
  
• Can display up to 20 links if using S2 style
  
• Can use up to 5000 characters in their private messages
  
• Unlimited friends
  

Paid Accounts

• Can create S1 styles
  
• Can make polls
  
• 225 userpics
  
• Use text messaging
  
• Search the directory
  
• Can create syndicated feeds
  
• Access to user domains - http://exampleuser.scribbld.net
  
• Access to full RSS feed
  
• Can use the AJAX user pic selector
  
• Can bookmark/flag up to 150 messages in their Inbox
  
• 300 messages can be stored in their Inbox
  
• Can mass edit the privacy on their journal entries
  
• Can create moodthemes
  
• Can have up to 300 subscriptions
  
• Can have 1000 tags
  
• Can display up to 100 comments on recent comments page
  
• Can track people who've de-friended you
  
• Can track comment threads
  
• Can display up to 20 links if using S2 style
  
• Can use up to 5000 characters in their private messages
  
• Unlimited friends