If you’re planning to build a website, two of the most popular options are Squarespace and WordPress. Both platforms offer powerful website-building tools, but they cater to different types of users. We’ll compare Squarespace against WordPress in terms of ease of use, customization, pricing, SEO, eCommerce capabilities, and more to help you decide which one is the best fit for your needs.
Overview: Squarespace vs WordPress
What is Squarespace?
Squarespace is an all-in-one website builder that provides hosting, design templates, and built-in features for creating and managing a website. It’s a great choice for beginners and those who want a visually appealing website with minimal effort.
What is WordPress?
WordPress comes in two flavors:
- WordPress.com (a hosted solution like Squarespace)
- WordPress.org (a self-hosted, open-source platform)
For WordPress.com, you can create an account on WordPress.com and start building your website for free. In the case of WordPress.org, you need to download the WordPress web application (developed in PHP) and host it on your own web server before proceeding from there.
In this comparison, we’ll focus on WordPress.org, which is the most popular and powerful option. It offers complete control over website design and functionality, making it the preferred choice for advanced users and developers.
Ease of Use
Squarespace
- Drag-and-drop builder
- No coding required
- Easy-to-use interface
Squarespace is ideal for beginners because it provides pre-designed templates and a user-friendly drag-and-drop editor. You don’t need any coding skills to create a professional-looking website.
WordPress
- More flexibility but has a learning curve
- Requires hosting setup
- Can use page builders like Elementor
WordPress is more powerful, but it requires more effort to set up. You’ll need to choose a hosting provider, install WordPress, and manage plugins and themes. However, once you learn how to use it, WordPress offers unlimited customization.
Winner: Squarespace (for beginners), WordPress (for customization)
Design & Customization
Squarespace
- High-quality, modern templates
- Limited customization (can edit using CSS & JavaScript)
- Built-in mobile responsiveness
Squarespace’s templates are visually stunning and mobile-friendly, but customization is limited compared to WordPress. You can tweak colors, fonts, and layouts, but deep customization requires custom CSS or JavaScript.
WordPress
- Thousands of free & premium themes are available
- Unlimited customization with code
- Full control over design
WordPress offers thousands of themes, both free and paid. If you know how to code, you can customize everything from layouts to animations. Plugins like Elementor or Divi allow you to build websites visually, similar to Squarespace.
Winner: WordPress (more customization options)
Pricing & Cost
| Feature | Squarespace | WordPress |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Fixed monthly plans | Free to start with |
| Hosting | Included | Additional cost |
| Domain | Free for 1st year | Seperate Cost / Depends on Host |
| Themes/Templates | Included | Free & Premium |
| Plugins | Limited built-in features | Free & Premium |
Squarespace Costs
Squarespace offers monthly subscription plans. This includes hosting, templates, and basic eCommerce functionality.
WordPress Costs
WordPress itself is free, but you need to pay for:
- Web Hosting (depending on the provider)
- Themes (free and/or premium)
- Plugins (free and/or paid for extra features)
While WordPress can be cheaper initially, adding premium plugins and themes can increase costs.
Winner: WordPress (more flexible pricing)
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Squarespace
- Basic SEO tools included
- Clean HTML structure
- Limited advanced SEO customization
Squarespace provides built-in SEO tools, including clean URLs, meta descriptions, and automatic sitemaps. However, advanced SEO customization is limited compared to WordPress.
WordPress
- Full SEO control
- Plugins like Yoast SEO and Rank Math are available
- Faster page speed (with optimization)
With WordPress, you can fully control SEO settings, optimize your website speed, and use powerful plugins to improve website rankings in search engines.
Winner: WordPress (more SEO flexibility)
eCommerce Capabilities
Squarespace
- Built-in eCommerce features
- Simple product management
- Limited payment options (Stripe, PayPal, Square)
Squarespace allows you to sell products and services directly, but it’s not as flexible as WordPress when it comes to payment gateways and customization.
WordPress
- Powerful eCommerce options via WooCommerce
- Supports multiple payment gateways
- More flexibility for product management
WordPress, with WooCommerce, is the best choice for serious eCommerce stores. You can customize everything from the checkout process to payment integrations.
Winner: WordPress (for larger online stores), Squarespace (for small businesses)
Plugins & Add-Ons
Squarespace
- Limited third-party integrations
- Some extensions available
Squarespace offers a few built-in features, but it lacks flexibility when it comes to adding extra functionalities through third-party plugins.
WordPress
- Thousands of free plugins available that can be installed from wordpress dashboard
- Multiple Plugins for SEO, security, performance, etc. to choose from
With WordPress, you can add any feature using plugins, from advanced contact forms to membership sites and more.
Winner: WordPress (more options for customization)
Security & Maintenance
Squarespace
- Automatic security updates
- Built-in SSL certificate
- No maintenance required
Since Squarespace is a hosted platform, it handles security and updates for you, making it a hassle-free option.
WordPress
- Requires manual updates (or auto-updates with a plugin)
- Security depends on hosting provider or security plugins
- SSL certificate must be installed separately
WordPress requires regular maintenance and security measures (such as installing security plugins like Wordfence).
Winner: Squarespace (less maintenance)
Customer Support
Squarespace
- 24/7 customer support via email & live chat
- Helpful guides and resources
WordPress
- No official support (community-based support is available)
- Support is available for hosting by hosting providers. For plugins, developers provide support via wordpress forums or private ticket system if you bought the plugin or theme.
With WordPress, support depends on the hosting provider or theme/plugin developers. However, there are tons of tutorials and forums available.
Winner: Squarespace (better direct support)
Squarespace vs WordPress: Which One is Right for You?
| Feature | Squarespace | WordPress |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | Beginners | Advanced users |
| Customization | Basic | Full customization |
| SEO | Basic SEO tools | Advanced SEO Capabilities |
| eCommerce | Built-in but limited | Full control with WooCommerce |
| Pricing | Fixed monthly cost | Flexible cost depending on needs |
| Security | Hands-off | Requires maintenance and active involvement |
Choose Squarespace If
- You want an easy-to-use, all-in-one solution
- You don’t want to worry about hosting, security, or updates
- You need a simple blog, portfolio, or small online store
Choose WordPress If
- You need full control over design and functionality
- You want better SEO and scalability
- You’re building a large or complex website
Which One is Right for You?
- Squarespace is best for beginners who want a simple, beautiful website with minimal setup.
- WordPress is best for those who want full control over their site’s design, features, and SEO.
If you’re a beginner and/or own a small business, Squarespace is easier. But if you want full flexibility and scalability, WordPress is the better long-term choice.
Links
WordPress.org
WordPress.com
Squarespace
More about WordPress