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8 Best Squarespace alternatives for website and blogging
Considering alternatives to Squarespace? Check out our review of the eight best website builders to identify the ideal choice for your website and blog
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Are you considering launching a website but feeling overwhelmed by the multitude of options available? You’re not alone! Many aspiring web creators find themselves frustrated by complex platforms that require technical know-how.
Squarespace is the easiest website builder we’ve tested this year, offering a user-friendly editor and stylish templates to help you create the website of your dreams.
However, it won’t be the right fit for everyone—website needs and working styles differ from individual to individual and business to business. While Squarespace has gained popularity as an all-in-one solution, with beautiful templates and robust features, it also has limitations that might not meet everyone’s needs.
In this blog, we’ll explore the strengths of Squarespace and discuss the reasons why you might seek alternatives. Whether you're a creative professional, small business owner, or blogger, we’ll guide you through the best Squarespace alternatives to help you make an informed choice.
TL;DR
- Squarespace Overview: A popular website builder known for stylish templates and an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface.
- Key Features:
- All-in-one solution including hosting, eCommerce tools, and SEO features.
- Offers over 150 beautiful templates and built-in blogging tools.
- Limitations:
- Restricted customization options compared to other platforms.
- Higher pricing, particularly for eCommerce features.
- Potential performance issues with larger media files.
- Alternatives Explored:
- Bullet.so: Simplistic and fast website building, ideal for Notion users.
- WordPress: Full customization and control, perfect for advanced users.
- Shopify: Best for eCommerce-focused websites with advanced features.
- Wix: User-friendly and flexible design options for beginners.
- Ghost: Optimized for bloggers with a minimalist approach.
- Conclusion: While Squarespace is great for many users, exploring alternatives can provide better solutions tailored to specific needs and preferences.
What is Squarespace?
Squarespace is an all-in-one website builder that enables users to create visually stunning websites, blogs, and online stores without needing to code. It’s a favorite among creatives, small business owners, and individuals looking for a sleek and professional online presence. Offering hosting, domain registration, eCommerce features, and beautifully designed templates, it provides an easy way to launch a website.
Key Features:
- Beautiful Templates: Offers over 150 award-winning templates tailored for creatives, portfolios, and businesses.
- Drag-and-Drop Builder: Simplifies the website-building process with its intuitive, user-friendly interface.
- All-in-One Solution: Includes built-in hosting, security (SSL certificates), domain services, and customer support.
- Built-In Blogging Tools: Features a solid blogging platform with customizable layouts and integrated SEO.
- E-commerce Capabilities: Provides tools for online stores, including inventory management, secure checkout, and payment integration.
- Mobile Optimization: Automatically optimizes websites for mobile devices.
Advantages of Squarespace
1. Professional, High-Quality Templates
Squarespace’s templates are stylish, responsive, and cater to various industries, perfect for those who want a polished look right out of the box.
2. User-Friendly Interface
The drag-and-drop editor makes it easy for users to create websites without needing technical skills or coding knowledge.
3. All-In-One Platform
Squarespace provides everything from hosting to SSL certificates, domains, and analytics, making it a complete package.
4. Built-in SEO Tools
Squarespace offers built-in tools to help optimize your website’s search engine rankings, such as customizable meta descriptions and sitemaps.
5. 24/7 Customer Support
Their customer support is available around the clock, offering peace of mind to users with any technical or design issues.
Reasons to Choose Squarespace Alternatives
While Squarespace has many benefits, certain limitations may lead users to seek alternatives to squarespace. Below are some of the key reasons:
1. Limited Customization
- Template-based: Squarespace primarily operates through pre-built templates, which offer limited customization compared to coding from scratch.
- Drag-and-drop limitations: Although the drag-and-drop builder is user-friendly, it may feel restrictive for those who need more advanced design features or complex layouts.
2. Cost
- Premium pricing: Squarespace’s pricing plans can be higher than many competitors, particularly for eCommerce and advanced features.
- Hidden costs: While some features are included, additional costs may arise for custom domains, premium templates, or third-party integrations.
3. Performance and SEO
- Performance issues: Websites built on Squarespace may experience occasional speed or performance issues, particularly if they contain large media files.
- SEO limitations: Although Squarespace includes basic SEO tools, it lacks the depth and granular control that platforms like WordPress offer for more advanced SEO needs.
4. Vendor Lock-In
- Proprietary Format: Squarespace uses a proprietary format, making it difficult to migrate your website to another platform without significant effort or cost.
- Limited control: Squarespace users are dependent on its infrastructure and updates, which could lead to unforeseen downtime or changes.
5. Learning Curve
- Complexity: While the platform is designed to be user-friendly, mastering all its features and customizing templates fully can take time, especially for first-time users.
- Technical limitations: Users looking to implement more advanced features may need to learn basic coding or web design concepts.
8 Best Squarespace Alternatives for building website
1. Best for Simplicity: Bullet.so
Bullet.so Pricing: Free plan available; premium plans start at $9 per month.
Bullet.so is a notion-based website builder that focuses on simplicity, speed, and ease of use, allowing users to create professional websites in minutes. It’s designed to be a lightweight, efficient alternative to more complex platforms, catering to users who want to build minimalistic websites without dealing with technical hurdles or steep learning curves.
Bullet.so is especially known for integrating with Notion, making it easy to turn Notion pages into websites, which is ideal for users who already use Notion for content organization. Here’s what makes Bullet.so stand out:
- Notion Integration – Effortlessly transform your Notion pages into fully functional websites, allowing you to leverage your existing organization and productivity without any complicated setup.
- User-Friendly Interface – The clean and minimalistic design empowers anyone to create a website in no time, making it accessible even for those with no technical background
- Customization Flexibility – Offers greater design freedom compared to Squarespace's rigid templates, allowing users to build unique layouts. This flexibility allows you to create unique layouts that truly reflect your personal style or brand identity.
- Fast Loading Times – Bullet.so prioritizes performance by delivering lightweight websites that load rapidly, ensuring an optimal user experience that keeps visitors engaged.
- Affordable Pricing – With competitive pricing that’s more affordable than Squarespace, Bullet.so is perfect for individuals and small businesses looking to create a professional online presence without breaking the bank.
- Independence and control – Content can be easily managed and migrated, reducing your reliance on a single platform and ensuring your website’s longevity.
- Custom Domains: With Bullet.so, you can connect your custom domain (e.g., yourname.com), enhancing your brand identity and making your blog appear more professional and recognizable to your audience.
- Flexible Monetization Options: With the built-in membership feature, Bullet.so enables you to monetize your content effectively, making it ideal for bloggers who want to offer premium content or build a loyal subscriber base.
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2. Best for self-hosting: WordPress
WordPress Pricing: Free, but hosting costs range from $3 – $30 per month depending on the provider and plan.
WordPress is the most widely used content management system (CMS) globally, giving users full control over every aspect of their website. Unlike Squarespace, which limits your customization options, WordPress provides thousands of themes and plugins, offering flexibility for virtually any type of website.
Pros:
✅Full creative control over design, functionality, and performance – unlike Squarespace, where customization is limited.
✅Thousands of themes and plugins to choose from – Squarespace has far fewer templates and limited plugin support.
✅Excellent for blogging and SEO – WordPress offers extensive tools for optimizing content.
✅Lower cost than Squarespace if you choose an affordable hosting provider.
Cons:
❌ Requires technical knowledge – beginners may find WordPress more challenging than Squarespace.
❌ Hosting, security, and backups must be managed separately – Squarespace handles these tasks for you.
❌ Plugins can sometimes cause compatibility issues or security vulnerabilities.
If you're looking for a platform with full creative and functional control, WordPress is your best bet, especially for more advanced users or those running larger, more complex websites.
3. Best for Beginners: Wix
Wix Pricing: Free plan available; premium plans range from $17 – $159 per month.
Wix is a user-friendly website builder that offers more flexibility in terms of design and features compared to Squarespace. It’s a great choice for beginners who want an intuitive platform that doesn't require coding skills.
Pros:
✅Drag-and-drop editor allows for easy customization – more flexibility compared to Squarespace’s grid-based structure.
✅Over 900 free templates – far more than Squarespace’s 150+ templates.
✅Wix has a free plan, allowing users to build a website without spending upfront – Squarespace only offers a 14-day free trial.
✅Extensive app market with hundreds of integrations compared to Squarespace’s limited 40+.
Cons:
❌ More expensive than Squarespace for eCommerce websites – Wix's eCommerce plans start at $29/month.
❌ Wix’s feature-rich platform can be overwhelming for beginners.
❌ Once you choose a template, you can’t change it without rebuilding the site – this limitation is similar to Squarespace.
Wix is a strong contender for users who want an intuitive, flexible platform for creating a website, especially for non-technical users who want more design freedom.
4. Best for eCommerce: Shopify
Shopify Pricing: Starting from $39 per month, with advanced plans up to $399 per month.
Shopify is a leading platform for online stores, making it an ideal Squarespace alternative if your primary focus is selling products. While Squarespace offers eCommerce functionality, Shopify’s features are specifically designed for this purpose.
Pros:
✅Built specifically for eCommerce, offering advanced tools for managing products, inventory, and payments.
✅Integrates with a wide range of payment gateways, including PayPal, Stripe, and more.
✅Includes robust sales analytics and customer management features.
✅Extensive app store with over 7,000 apps to enhance your store’s functionality.
Cons:
❌ More expensive than Squarespace for smaller stores or blogs that don’t need advanced eCommerce functionality.
❌ Limited customization options for non-eCommerce websites compared to WordPress or Wix.
❌ Transaction fees apply unless using Shopify Payments.
If you’re running an online store, Shopify is the best alternative to Squarespace, offering powerful eCommerce tools to help you grow and manage your business effectively.
5. Best for Simplicity: Weebly
Weebly Pricing: Free plan available; premium plans start at $6 per month.
Weebly is a straightforward website builder that’s easy to use and affordable, making it a great Squarespace alternative for users who want to get a site up quickly without complicated design elements.
Pros:
✅Simple drag-and-drop interface that’s easy to navigate – even easier to use than Squarespace.
✅Affordable pricing – Weebly’s premium plans start at just $6/month, much cheaper than Squarespace’s $16/month.
✅Excellent for small businesses looking to create a basic website or online store.
✅Offers free plan to test the platform before upgrading.
Cons:
❌ Less flexibility and fewer design options than Squarespace or Wix.
❌ Limited eCommerce features compared to Shopify or WooCommerce.
❌ Template designs aren’t as modern or professional-looking as Squarespace’s.
Weebly is a great option for those who need a simple, budget-friendly website or small online store, without the complexities that come with more advanced platforms.
6. Best for Designers: Webflow
Webflow Pricing: Free plan available; premium plans start at $14 per month.
Webflow is a more advanced platform that combines the flexibility of a CMS with a visual website builder, offering full creative freedom to designers. Unlike Squarespace, which is limited in terms of customization, Webflow is geared toward professionals who want full control over the design and functionality of their site.
Pros:
✅Full design flexibility – perfect for designers who want more control than Squarespace allows.
✅Ability to create complex interactions and animations without needing to code.
✅Built-in CMS functionality for dynamic content, making it ideal for portfolios and content-heavy websites.
✅Allows for advanced customization using custom code, unlike Squarespace’s restricted code blocks.
Cons:
❌ Steeper learning curve compared to Squarespace or Wix – not ideal for beginners.
❌ Higher cost for advanced features, such as eCommerce or team collaboration tools.
❌ Can be overwhelming for users without technical skills.
For designers or advanced users who need complete creative control, Webflow is a top choice as a Squarespace alternative, providing far more design capabilities and flexibility.
7. Best for Blogging: Ghost
Ghost Pricing: Starting from $9 per month for basic plans.
Ghost is a minimalist platform designed specifically for bloggers and writers. Unlike Squarespace, which is more of a general-purpose website builder, Ghost focuses on content creation, offering a distraction-free writing experience.
Pros:
✅Optimized for content creators – perfect for bloggers and writers.
✅SEO-friendly with fast-loading pages and built-in optimization tools.
✅Supports memberships and subscriptions, making it easy to monetize your blog.
✅Minimalist design for a streamlined, distraction-free writing experience.
Cons:
❌ Limited functionality for non-blogging websites compared to Squarespace or Wix.
❌ Fewer design options and templates than Squarespace or WordPress.
❌ Requires hosting for self-hosted version, which can add complexity.
If you’re looking for a blogging platform that’s focused on writing and content management, Ghost is a fantastic alternative to Squarespace, especially for writers looking to monetize their work.
8. Best for Ease of Use: Hostinger
Hostinger Pricing: $2.99 – $3.99 per month.
Hostinger is incredibly beginner-friendly and a great option for anyone lacking confidence when it comes to building a website. For ease of use, Hostinger is the closest match to Squarespace—just at a cheaper price point.
So, how do the two compare, and why do we recommend Hostinger as an alternative to Squarespace?
Pros:
✅Easy drag-and-drop editor, making the builder ideal for beginners and simple websites.
✅ Incredibly affordable plans, especially if you want to sell online – they’re much cheaper than Squarespace’s plans.
✅ The suite of AI features and AI website builder makes building and managing your site very straightforward.
✅ You can test Hostinger’s AI website builder out with its 30-day free trial, which is double the length of Squarespace’s free trial.
Cons:
❌ Limited room to grow with only two website builder plans – if scalability is your issue with Squarespace, Hostinger won’t help your website expand.
❌ Basic built-in features and no app store to add further functionality.
❌ While Hostinger’s user-friendly builder is great for some, Squarespace will give you more creative control.
Hostinger’s simplicity regarding features and design means it’s only suitable for smaller businesses or personal projects. In comparison, Squarespace’s easy-to-use editor is accessible for all, but it has advanced capabilities too, accommodating both beginners and designers.
That said, Hostinger’s suite of AI tools (available on the new Business Website Builder plan) is impressive, especially for the low cost.
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Conclusion
In summary, while Squarespace offers a robust all-in-one website-building platform with elegant templates, user-friendly drag-and-drop functionality, and eCommerce capabilities, it may not be the perfect solution for everyone. The platform's limited customization, higher pricing, and performance issues lead some users to seek alternatives better suited to their needs.
For users seeking simplicity, creative control, or specialized features like advanced SEO or flexible monetization, squarespace alternatives like Bullet.so, provide excellent options. Whether you're a beginner looking for ease of use, a blogger seeking optimized content tools, or a business owner needing powerful eCommerce features, there is a website builder tailored to your specific goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is Squarespace suitable for beginners?
Yes, Squarespace’s drag-and-drop interface and pre-built templates make it beginner-friendly, but it may take some time to master all the features.
2. Can I migrate my Squarespace website to another platform?
Migrating from Squarespace can be challenging due to vendor lock-in, but content can be exported with effort, depending on the platform you switch to.
3. Does Squarespace support SEO?
Yes, Squarespace offers built-in SEO tools, though they are more basic compared to platforms like WordPress that offer advanced SEO plugins.
4. What are the main advantages of using Bullet.so over Squarespace?
Bullet.so is simpler, more affordable, and integrates with Notion, making it ideal for minimalistic websites without technical complexity.
5. Which is better for eCommerce, Shopify or Squarespace?
Shopify is better suited for larger or specialized eCommerce stores, offering more advanced tools, while Squarespace is ideal for smaller stores.
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