Squarespace vs. WordPress: Which Platform is Right for Your Business?
Squarespace and WordPress are two of the most popular options available today, each with its own set of features, strengths, and weaknesses.
Whether you're a small business owner, a blogger, or an entrepreneur, understanding the differences between these platforms can help you make an informed decision.
In this guide, we'll delve deep into the key aspects of Squarespace and WordPress to help you determine which platform is right for you and your business.
Overview of Squarespace & WordPress
Squarespace
Squarespace is an all-in-one website building and hosting platform designed for simplicity and elegance. Launched in 2004, it has gained popularity for its user-friendly interface and beautifully designed templates. Squarespace is ideal for users who want to create a professional-looking website without needing to code or manage hosting.
Key Features of Squarespace
Drag & Drop Builder: Easily create and arrange content with a visual editor.
Beautiful Templates: Professionally designed templates optimized for mobile and desktop.
All-In-One Solution: Includes hosting, domain registration, and security.
E-commerce Capabilities: Built-in tools for creating online stores.
24/7 Support: Access to customer support at any time.
WordPress
WordPress, launched in 2003, is an open-source content management system (CMS) that powers over 40% of websites on the internet. It offers flexibility and customization options, making it a favorite among developers and tech-savvy users. WordPress can be used for anything from simple blogs to complex e-commerce sites.
Key Features of WordPress
Open-Source Platform: Free to use with a vast community of developers.
Extensive Plugin Library: Thousands of plugins to extend functionality.
Customizable Themes: A wide range of themes with customization options.
SEO-Friendly: Advanced tools and plugins for SEO optimization.
Scalability: Suitable for small blogs to large enterprise websites.
Not picking sides here…. (#TeamSquarespace!), I hope to provide context on the pros and cons of both Squarespace and WordPress as I have had personal experience working with both CMS platforms.
Currently planning your squarespace website? Grab the free guide on how to plan and launch your website effortlessly with tips and tricks to guide you up to launch day!
Squarespace vs. WordPress Comparisons
❖ Ease of Use
Squarespace
Squarespace is designed with beginners in mind.
The drag-and-drop builder makes it easy to create and arrange content without any coding knowledge. The intuitive interface allows users to see changes in real-time, simplifying the design process.
Additionally, Squarespace handles all the technical aspects such as hosting, security, and updates, allowing users to focus on creating content.
PROS: Easy to learn and maintain
CONS: Not as many advanced options
WordPress
WordPress offers a steeper learning curve compared to Squarespace, especially for beginners.
While it provides a default visual editor (Gutenberg) among other third party builders like BeBuilder, Divi and Elementor - users often need to have some basic understanding of HTML, CSS, and PHP to fully customize their site.
Setting up a WordPress site involves choosing a hosting provider, installing WordPress, and managing updates and security. However, once the initial setup is complete, WordPress offers extensive customization and flexibility.
PROS: More customization options
CONS: Steeper learning curve
❖ Design & Customization
Squarespace
Squarespace is known for its free pre-designed templates. These templates are responsive, meaning they look great on both desktop and mobile devices.
Users also have the option to purchase pre-designed templates from Squarespace designers, like myself, for an even more customized website that’s tailored for your specific business - check out the Squarespace Template Shop for more information!
Customizing a template in Squarespace is straightforward, with options to change colors, fonts, and layout. However, customization is somewhat limited compared to WordPress, as you are confined to the features and options provided by Squarespace.
PROS: Free and premium template options
CONS: Limited to Squarespace features
WordPress
WordPress excels in design and customization. With thousands of themes available, both free and premium, users have a vast array of design options.
Themes can be customized extensively using the built-in Customizer or by editing theme files directly.
Additionally, WordPress supports child themes, allowing for advanced customization without altering the original theme. Plugins further extend the customization possibilities, enabling users to add virtually any feature or functionality to their site.
PROS: Free and premium template options
CONS: Advanced customization requires plugins and/or code knowledge, not great for beginners
NOTE: Keep in mind that users on both platforms can in fact design a website without using pre-designed templates and themes! These are just quick options for getting started.
❖ Pricing
Squarespace
Squarespace offers several pricing plans, all of which include hosting, security, and customer support. As of 2024, the pricing is as follows:
Personal Plan: $16 per month (billed annually) - Suitable for personal websites and blogs.
Business Plan: $23 per month (billed annually) - Includes e-commerce capabilities.
Basic Commerce Plan: $28 per month (billed annually) - Advanced e-commerce features.
Advanced Commerce Plan: $52 per month (billed annually) - Comprehensive e-commerce tools.
View current Squarespace pricing on their website.
You will also need to purchase a domain name (either through Squarespace or via another domain registrar).
Squarespace domain registration is usually $20 per year for each domain you register.
WordPress
WordPress itself is free to use, but there are costs associated with building and maintaining a WordPress site. These include:
Hosting: Varies from $3 to $30+ per month depending on the provider and plan.
Domain Registration: Typically $10 to $15 per year.
Premium Themes: One-time fee ranging from $30 to $100+.
Plugins: Free and premium plugins available, with premium plugins ranging from $10 to $100+.
Overall, the cost of a WordPress site can vary widely depending on the hosting provider, themes, and plugins chosen.
❖ E-Commerce Capabilities
Squarespace
Squarespace offers robust e-commerce features integrated into its platform.
Users can easily set up an online store, manage inventory, process payments, and handle shipping. The platform supports various payment gateways such as Stripe and PayPal, and includes features like abandoned cart recovery, discount codes, and product variants.
Squarespace is ideal for small to medium-sized online stores looking for a simple and elegant solution.
PROS: Streamlined and automatic e-commerce features
CONS: Limited customization on product pages
WordPress
WordPress, combined with the WooCommerce plugin, provides powerful e-commerce capabilities.
WooCommerce is a free, open-source plugin that allows users to turn their WordPress site into a fully functional online store. It offers extensive customization options, a wide range of payment gateways, and numerous paid extensions to enhance functionality.
WooCommerce is suitable for businesses of all sizes, from small shops to large enterprises, and can handle complex e-commerce requirements.
PROS: Advanced features for e-commerce stores
CONS: Plugins are needed to run an e-commerce store on WordPress and more features require paid plugins
❖ SEO Features
Squarespace
Squarespace includes built-in SEO tools to help users optimize their site.
These tools allow users to customize meta titles and descriptions, create clean URLs, and add alt text to images.
Squarespace also generates a sitemap automatically and provides SSL certificates for all sites, enhancing security and search engine rankings.
WordPress
WordPress is renowned for its SEO friendliness as it is the original CMS go-to for bloggers.
With plugins like Yoast SEO and All in One SEO Pack, users can optimize their site for search engines with ease. These plugins provide advanced features such as keyword analysis, XML sitemap generation, social media integration, and more.
IMPORTANT:
Don’t let anyone tell you “WordPress websites get seen more in search engines because they have ‘superior SEO’” - that’s FALSE!
It does not matter where you build your website!
All websites are equally ranked by SEO best practices, not the CMS that is used.
❖ Support & Community
Squarespace
Squarespace provides 24/7 customer support through email and live chat.
The platform also offers a comprehensive knowledge base with articles, guides, and video tutorials to help users navigate any issues.
Additionally, Squarespace conducts webinars and workshops to educate users on various aspects of website building and management. While the support is reliable, users are limited to the resources provided by Squarespace.
PROS: 24/7 customer support and online forums
WordPress
WordPress has a vast and active community of users, developers, and enthusiasts.
This community creates extensive documentation, tutorials, forums, and blogs to help users with any issues they encounter.
Additionally, many hosting providers offer dedicated WordPress support. While WordPress does not provide official customer support, the wealth of community resources and third-party support options more than compensate for this.
PROS: Vast community forum support
CONS: No direct customer support from WordPress
❖ Security
Squarespace
Security is a top priority for Squarespace.
The platform includes SSL certificates for all sites, ensuring secure connections. Squarespace also handles all security updates and patches, protecting users from vulnerabilities.
Additionally, the platform includes features such as two-factor authentication and secure payment processing for e-commerce sites. With Squarespace, users can be confident that their site is secure without needing to manage security themselves.
PROS: Built-in security with no user-based maintenance
WordPress
WordPress security depends largely on the user.
While the platform itself is secure, users must take additional steps to ensure their site remains protected. This includes installing security plugins like Wordfence or Sucuri, regularly updating WordPress core, themes, and plugins, and choosing a secure hosting provider.
With proper security measures, WordPress sites can be highly secure, but this requires more effort and attention from the user compared to Squarespace.
CONS: User-based maintenance only - and is more likely to be hacked if not properly protected and maintained
❖ Performance
Squarespace
Squarespace is known for its reliable performance.
The platform is fully managed, meaning Squarespace handles all server maintenance, updates, and performance optimization. This ensures that sites load quickly and run smoothly without any intervention from the user.
However, because Squarespace is a closed platform, users have limited control over server settings and optimization techniques.
PROS: Squarespace handles server maintenance and optimization for sites hosted through them
CONS: Less advanced maintenance options
WordPress
WordPress performance can vary depending on the hosting provider and the user's optimization efforts.
A well-optimized WordPress site can achieve excellent performance, with fast loading times and smooth operation.
Users can implement various techniques such as caching, image optimization, and content delivery networks (CDNs) to enhance performance. Choosing a reputable hosting provider is crucial for maintaining optimal performance on a WordPress site.
PROS: More advanced maintenance options
CONS: User has to pick a hosting provider and is on them to research and maintain
Which Platform is Best for You?
Choosing between Squarespace and WordPress ultimately depends on your specific needs, preferences, and technical expertise. Here are some scenarios to help you decide:
Choose Squarespace If:
Squarespace offers simplicity, beautiful design, and an all-in-one solution, making it ideal for beginners and small businesses.
▶ You are a beginner with no coding experience and prefer something easy to learn.
▶ You prefer an all-in-one solution with hosting, security, and support included.
▶ You want a quick and easy way to create a professional-looking website.
▶ You need built-in e-commerce capabilities for a small to medium-sized store.
▶ You prioritize simplicity and ease of use over extensive customization.
Choose WordPress If:
WordPress provides flexibility, customization, and scalability, making it suitable for users with technical knowledge and complex requirements.
▶ You have some technical knowledge or are willing to learn.
▶ You want full control over your site's design and functionality.
▶ You need advanced SEO tools and customization options.
▶ You plan to scale your website and require robust e-commerce capabilities.
▶ You prefer an open-source platform with a vast community and extensive resources.
Both Squarespace and WordPress are excellent platforms for building a website, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.
By understanding the key differences and evaluating your specific needs, you can choose the platform that best aligns with your goals and helps you create a successful online presence.
Whether you opt for the ease of Squarespace or the power of WordPress, both platforms can help you build a website that stands out and achieves your business objectives.
If you are currently planning your squarespace website, grab the free guide on how to plan and launch your website effortlessly with tips and tricks to guide you up to launch day!