SquareSpace is a website builder well-known for its stunning templates, and this SquareSpace review finds no reason to argue this at all.
In a recent update, SquareSpace added new features including pre-built page sections and even more templates which we’ll discover more about in this SquareSpace review. They now support Members Areas, SquareSpace Scheduling, and their own email marketing tool.
Unlike some website builders, SquareSpace don’t offer a free plan. They focus and market to users who want a VIP experience at an affordable price, offering website and eCommerce pricing plans to suit every budget. If you’re thinking of creating a website for your blog, personal website, or portfolio, SquareSpace is a solid option with the right features that will get you to where you want to be.
Our SquareSpace review will look in-depth at this website builder, allowing you to make an informed decision.
Table of Contents
SquareSpace Review: Who Is SquareSpace Suitable For?
SquareSpace is a beginner-friendly website builder, though it takes a little more getting used to in comparison to Wix or Weebly. SquareSpace’s main selling point is their beautiful templates which are all mobile-friendly and suitable for a range of websites or businesses.
You can change your SquareSpace website template at any time if you choose to, though it’s recommended to stick with the same template once your website is live to save the hassle of re-organizing your content.
SquareSpace’s pricing plans start from $12 per month and offer a free domain, SSL certificate, and unlimited storage and bandwidth. They have two website plans suitable for personal websites and business sites, as well as two eCommerce plans suitable for setting up an online store.
If you’re considering SquareSpace as your website builder, I’d recommend them for:
- Professional looking websites
- Beginners and advanced users
- Blogs, portfolios, small businesses, and online stores
- Membership websites
SquareSpace Pricing And Plans
As I touched on earlier, SquareSpace doesn’t offer a free plan. However, they do cram plenty of features into their pricing plans and all plans include a free domain and SSL certificate. They don’t place any SquareSpace ads or branding on your website, so even though their plans are more expensive than Wix’s, you’ll get a professional website from the outset.
It works in your favour if you sign up to SquareSpace’s annual plans. You can save up to 30% by paying annually in comparison to the monthly equivalent.
You won’t need to pay for additional hosting as this is included for free. If you don’t want to continue with your SquareSpace plan you can cancel at any time, so you’re not really losing out if you decide you don’t want to stick with them.
SquareSpace’s website plans, suitable for personal websites and business websites, start from $12 per month. Their features are very similar, though you’ll get more business-focussed features in the Business plan, like marketing, ad credits, and promotions.
If you want to create an online store, SquareSpace’s eCommerce plans start from $26 per month and both offer fully integrated eCommerce. You can sell unlimited products on both plans with 0% transaction fees.
Note: For a more detailed look at SquareSpace’s plans, you can read our full SquareSpace pricing guide for 2023. We look at the pros and cons of SquareSpace’s pricing including all of the features available on their website and eCommerce plans.
SquareSpace Review: Pros and Cons
Now we know who SquareSpace is suitable for, it’s important to weigh up the pros and cons of what’s on offer. We sign up to all of the services we review to give you an honest account of our experience. We take into account value for money in this SquareSpace review and compare against other website builders so you can make an informed decision.
Pros
- SquareSpace’s templates are unmatched in the website builder world. They offer more than 100 templates that are all optimized for mobile. Every template offers perfection, providing the right fonts and designs for their purpose.
- SquareSpace offer fantastic blogging features if this is what you’re after. You’ll have a fully-fledged commenting feature, scheduled posts, AMP support, and lots more.
- If you need support from SquareSpace they are on hand 24/7 and offer a live chat feature for instant answers.
- There are multiple SquareSpace mobile apps for iOS and Android so you can manage your account and website on-the-go.
Cons
- When you make any changes to your website in the editor, SquareSpace asks you if you want to save after every edit. It would be better if they could improve this feature and auto-save your work as you go.
- If you have a large website with lots of pages and complex hierachy, you may find SquareSpace isn’t sufficient for your needs. It makes it difficult to create multilingual sites which you can do with Wix.
- You will need to spend more time optimizing your website for speed as SquareSpace’s templates aren’t very well-optimized in terms of page speed.
SquareSpace Rating
SquareSpace Features
SquareSpace has cleverly organized their features in terms of their pricing plans, offering the right set of features for each plan and purpose. There’s a lot on offer, including membership areas, blog features, and eCommerce features.
Domains
SquareSpace’s plans all include a free domain which you must register within the first year to claim it. If you decide to renew your SquareSpace domain or purchase a separate domain through SquareSpace, their .com domains start at $20 per year. When you purchase a domain with SquareSpace you’ll get the same-rate renewal each year, SSL certificate, WHOIS privacy, spam-free parking page, and easy DNS management.
Widgets/Apps
SquareSpace offers plenty of features, but if you want to connect third-party apps to your website, you can do this through SquareSpace Extensions. There’s everything from accountancy apps to inventory management. Simply click on an app to navigate to the app page. Here you’ll find details on the app itself, key features, and pricing. You can easily connect an app to your site with the click of a button.
eCommerce
SquareSpace’s eCommerce features are incredibly rich. They offer dedicated eCommerce plans where you can sell unlimited products. It’s also possible to connect your services with secure partners like UPS, Square, PayPal, Apple Pay, and lots more. SquareSpace don’t charge any transaction fees, so what you earn is all yours.
SEO
If you want your website to be found on search engines related to keywords, you’ll need some decent SEO tools. While, in my opinion, nothing compares to WordPress, SquareSpace do a pretty good job with SEO. You can add page titles, meta descriptions, alt tags, and submit your sitemap to search engines like Google. I don’t believe SquareSpace’s SEO tools are as intuitive as some website builders, but there are manual workarounds if you know what you’re doing.
Security
All of SquareSpace’s plans include a free SSL certificate, and if you purchase a SquareSpace domain, you’ll get a free SSL certificate too. SquareSpace use cloud hosting servers to ensure your website is available and online at all times. They offer 2FA on member accounts and they utilize Web Application Firewall (WAF) technology.
Support
SquareSpace’s support is second to none. I’ve always had a good experience with their support staff, some go as far as showing videos to you so you can locate the exact place an issue occurs. They offer an extensive knowledgebase with tutorials and guides, and their live chat service is available 24/7. This is a must-have feature for me, and I think it’s a real bonus for beginners who might have burning questions that need to be answered quickly.
SquareSpace Alternatives
After reading our SquareSpace review, you’ve probably got a good idea whether it’s the right website builder for you, or not. If you want to explore other options, we’ve signed up to plenty of website builders in our time, so have a few alternative recommendations below.
Wix
Wix is a beginner-friendly website builder that offer plenty of pricing plans as well as a free option. If you've never created a website before, you'll benefit from Wix's ease of use, straightforward editor, and Wix's clever ADI tool. You can create a professional website or blog with Wix in no time at all.
Weebly
Weebly is another free website builder that is well-known for how easy it is to use. I'd recommend Weebly for beginners or those that want to create a simple no-frills website or blog. You can sell online with Weebly, though I'd recommend sticking to SquareSpace for eCommerce websites.
WordPress
For advanced users or individuals who have some coding skills, WordPress is offers almost-endless opportunities for any kind of website. Nearly 40% of all websites on the internet are built with WordPress. There's thousands of free plugins and themes, as well as a free eCommerce plugin called WooCommerce.
SquareSpace Review: Is SquareSpace The Best Choice?
Do I recommend SquareSpace? YES! It’s simply a joy to use and you can get a lot out of it if you know how.
SquareSpace’s templates are unmatched; they are mobile-friendly, optimized well, and they’ll allow you to create a professional looking website in no time at all. You can build a personal website, blog, or online store, whilst leveraging SquareSpace’s handy integrations and extensions.
Although they don’t offer a free plan, I think SquareSpace is great value for money. Their plans start from $12 per month and come with all the basics, and more, to start building a professional website.
In comparison to Wix, SquareSpace is a little more difficult to use, but once you know your way around the editor, it becomes second-nature.
I highly recommend SquareSpace for:
- Online stores and portfolios
- Small businesses
- Membership websites and forums
- Getting your website online fast
- Outstanding template designs