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SquareSpace and WordPress are two solutions that allow you to create your website and manage your content. These two CMS are intended for individuals and professionals who want to share their activity online without any coding knowledge. But should I use WordPress or Squarespace? In this post, we take a look at two leading website building platforms and compare them in terms of pricing, user interface, features, and more to help you choose the best CMS.
Should I Use WordPress or Squarespace?
If you can't read the full WordPress and Squarespace comparison, this table can help you make the right choice.
Feature |
WordPress (Self-Hosted) |
Squarespace (SaaS Platform) |
Ease of Use |
Requires some tech knowledge for setup and hosting; advanced dashboard with a moderate learning curve. |
Simple drag-and-drop interface; ideal for beginners. |
Setup Time |
30 minutes to a few hours depending on experience and hosting. |
Just a few minutes — no installation or configuration needed. |
Design & Templates |
10K+ free and premium themes; fully editable with Elementor or similar tools. |
About 100 minimalist templates; limited customization. |
Plugins & Features |
60K+ plugins for SEO, security, eCommerce, and more. |
Built-in tools only; no third-party plugins allowed. |
Blogging Tools |
Extremely powerful: tags, categories, comments, and block editor. |
Great for simple or personal blogs; basic blogging tools. |
eCommerce |
WooCommerce integration with full control and zero transaction fees. |
Built-in store available on higher plans with 3% fee. |
SEO (Search Optimization) |
Advanced control via plugins like Yoast or RankMath. |
Basic SEO tools (meta tags, sitemap, alt text). |
Security & Maintenance |
Manual updates and backups can be automated. |
Fully managed and secure; no technical worries. |
Performance & Speed |
Depends on hosting; easily optimized with CDN and caching. |
Consistent performance but less control. |
Pricing |
Free software; hosting & domain cost ~$50–150/year. |
Plans from $96–$480/year, all-inclusive. |
Data Ownership |
Full ownership and manual backups. |
Data stored on Squarespace servers; no full backup option. |
Scalability |
Virtually unlimited; perfect for large projects. |
Best for small to medium sites. |
Support |
Huge community and extensive documentation. |
24/7 live chat and email support. |
Updates |
Fully controlled and manual. |
Automatic system updates. |
Best For |
Professional bloggers, growing businesses, and developers. |
Artists, freelancers, and beginners. |
TL;DR answer to “WordPress or Squarespace”: If you value simplicity and quick setup, Squarespace is a good choice. But if you need finer control, unlimited features, and long-term growth, WordPress is the superior option.
What Are WordPress and Squarespace?
First of all, let's briefly get acquainted with these two website development platforms.
What is WordPress?
WordPress is one of the leading CMSs on the market. Since 2003, it has been helping Internet users create their professional or personal websites. WordPress has long evolved without competition and is still one of the most widely used website creation software. Nearly 40% of the sites you visit were created with WordPress. The solution remains as popular as ever and is renowned for its advanced customization options.
To learn more about how this powerful platform works and why it remains the world’s most popular CMS, check out our detailed guide on What Is WordPress.
What is Squarespace?
SquareSpace is both a web host and a solution for creating your website without technical knowledge. The tool also allows you to share content in various formats and grow your business. The software is renowned for its ease of use, responsive and knowledgeable customer service, and beautifully designed templates. Squarespace focuses on its polished, professional visuals, which inspire more and more professionals and individuals.
Key Factors to Consider Before Choosing
Okay, now that you are somewhat familiar with these two platforms, let's compare them in more detail to find out which one is better: WordPress or Squarespace.
Ease of Use & Learning Curve
Which is easier, WordPress or Squarespace? WordPress is a relatively easy-to-use CMS. The administration interface offered is not the easiest to use... but you will have no trouble finding your way around. At a glance, you will be able to find and manage all aspects related to your site.
On the other hand, Squarespace is extremely easy to use! First, you'll need to answer a few questions so the platform can identify your needs. You'll then be guided step by step through the process of creating, customizing, and putting your website online.
WINNER: TIE
If you want to experience how simple WordPress can be to manage on your own server, check out our step-by-step guide on Installing WordPress on VPS.
Blogging Features & Flexibility
Is WordPress or Squarespace better for blogging? WordPress offers a wide range of features to create a blog perfectly suited to your needs. The content editor offered by WordPress is easy to use and offers you unparalleled publishing comfort compared to other blogging platforms. WordPress also allows users to directly access the HTML code.
With Squarespace, you simply navigate to the page you want to make some cosmetic changes to and click on a piece of content to edit it: you'll then see your changes in context on the page, as you make them. While Squarespace has solid blogging tools built in, it simply can't beat WordPress in the content management department.
WINNER: WordPress
Customization (Themes, Plugins, Integrations)
our opinion is that you won't find anything better than WordPress on the content management system market. The possibilities are truly numerous! In terms of themes and plugins, you will find several thousand references, both free and paid. WordPress will allow you to modify absolutely everything!
Does Squarespace do as well as WordPress when it comes to customization and features? The answer is no! This may be enough for a beginner, but if you want to take things further, you will quickly see the limits of such a solution. Squarespace offers quite a lot of things, but it's far from the diversity offered by WordPress.
WINNER: WordPress
SEO & Performance (WordPress plugins vs Squarespace SEO tools)
Is WordPress or Squarespace better for seo? In WordPress, you have access to a wide variety of options through its interface (URL structure, title, meta description, sitemap, robots.txt). WordPress's many SEO plugins, renowned for their effectiveness, are there to help you optimize your SEO with ease.
BUT Squarespace has long suffered from a poor reputation in terms of SEO, particularly due to the lack of loading speed of its sites. However, the platform has actively worked to improve its SEO optimization, notably with options integrated into themes
WINNER: WordPress
Pricing & Cost Structure
So which solution is cheaper? Is WordPress or Squarespace cheaper?
Plan / Item |
WordPress (Self-Hosted) |
Squarespace |
Software |
Free (open-source) |
Included in all plans |
Hosting |
$3 – $10 / month |
Included |
Domain |
~$10 – $15 / year |
Included |
Total Monthly Cost |
~$5 – $15 |
€11 – €36 / month |
Overall Value |
Cheaper but needs setup |
All-in-one, higher price |
Squarespace CMS offers a range of pricing plans. These prices include a domain name, templates, and mobile optimization. On the other hand, WordPress is a free CMS, but you will definitely need web hosting to make your website accessible to everyone.
Winner: It depends on you and your needs!
To understand how hosting impacts your website’s performance and cost, take a look at our detailed guide on What is WordPress hosting.
Maintenance, Security & Updates
Squarespace has the advantage of managing your entire site, which maximizes the chances of detecting a security breach quickly. The development team also constantly updates and expands this ecosystem, which is a good thing.
WordPress also receives regular updates that both expand its features and patch security holes. However, to maximize WordPress protection, you should install the right plugins (e.g., WordFence) and take proper security measures, such as implementing SSL.
WINNER: TIE
🌐 Ultimately, it can be said that WordPress has the upper hand in most metrics, but Squarespace can still be a great choice for novice users, non-technical users, and small projects.
If you’re still unsure whether WordPress is the right fit for you, check out our complete guide on Why You Should Use WordPress for Your Website to understand its long-term advantages and why so many professionals rely on it.
Pros & Cons of Each Platform
When it comes to choosing between WordPress or Squarespace, knowing the strengths and weaknesses of each will help you make a decision without confusion. Let’s start with WordPress.
WordPress Pros
These features are the reasons why WordPress is a popular choice for millions of websites:
- Infinite flexibility: There are thousands of templates and plugins for everything (shops, forms, SEO, etc.).
- No ownership restrictions: Since it’s open source, you own all the data and files on your site.
- Best for blogs: A powerful content management system designed specifically for blogs, from the core.
- Better SEO: Advanced SEO features and plugins, and complete control over optimization.
As you can see, WordPress is powerful and flexible, but like any other platform, it also has its limitations and challenges.
WordPress Cons
Before making a final decision, it’s a good idea to consider these points:
- Higher learning curve: It’s a bit more complicated for beginners and requires some initial learning.
- Maintenance required: You’ll need to manage updates, backups, and security yourself.
- Variable costs: The final cost depends on your hosting and plugin choices; it can go up if you choose professional hosting and premium plugins.
After reviewing WordPress, let’s now move on to Squarespace to see what it has to offer its users.
To get the most out of WordPress, it’s worth exploring our comparison of the Best WordPress Hosting Providers to find a reliable option that fits your needs and budget.
Squarespace Pros
If simplicity and attractive design are important to you, these benefits will probably catch your attention:
- Simple and integrated: Ready to build a site quickly; no installation steps or separate hosting required.
- Beautiful templates: All templates are professional, modern, and easy to modify.
- Beginner-friendly: You can get started right away without worrying about technical issues.
- Integrated support: Hosting, security, and tools are all included in the service; you don’t have to worry about updates or backups.
But while Squarespace has a simpler user experience, you should also be aware of its limitations.
Squarespace Cons
Before choosing Squarespace, be sure to consider these challenges:
- Less flexibility: You’re limited in making major changes to your site’s structure or adding new features. You can only have what the platform has built in, such as store builders and forms.
- Higher store fees: If you have an online store, you’ll need more advanced plans and will pay transaction fees (on lower plans).
- Limited ownership: Some content (like product pages and folders) isn’t easily transferable, meaning you have limited ownership of the data.
- Fewer SEO tools: While the default SEO is good, you don’t have the ability to add specific tools and have less control over the details of SEO.
With that explained, you now have a better view of the strengths and weaknesses of both platforms and can make a more informed decision about which path is best for you.
Best Use Cases: Which Platform Should You Choose?
Depending on your goals and experience level, one of these platforms is best:
Bloggers → Squarespace
If you want to get a blog up and running quickly and easily, Squarespace is a great option. It has great templates, and you don’t have to worry about hosting or technology.
Professional bloggers or growing sites → WordPress
If you want to expand your site’s capabilities in the future, have more control, and care about SEO, WordPress is a better choice.
Artists and small businesses → Squarespace
Squarespace’s beautiful templates (for photographers, designers, restaurants, etc.) are usually eye-catching and can quickly look visually appealing.
E-commerce and growth sites → WordPress
For e-commerce sites that require good SEO, specialized plugins, and multiple payment gateways, WordPress (with WooCommerce and plugins) offers more features.
🌐 As a general rule: “Do you want a site that’s easy and quick to build and launch?” → Squarespace. “Do you care about complete control and scalability?” → WordPress.
Squarespace vs WordPress vs Wix
In addition to Squarespace and WordPress, Wix is another popular option worth comparing. Similar to Squarespace, Wix is a drag-and-drop site builder that’s very easy for beginners to use, but its features and add-ons tend to be more limited than either of its competitors.
If you’re looking for a quick launch and need limited features, Wix can be a good alternative. But if you’re thinking about the future of your site, WordPress and Squarespace are more established and mature platforms. Wix is more suited for small, simple websites than large projects.
If you’d like to explore more platforms beyond these two, take a look at our in-depth comparison of other WordPress Alternatives to find the best fit for your website goals.
Switching Between Platforms (WordPress ⇄ , Squarespace)
Sometimes, after some time of use, you realize that your chosen platform is not right for you; but don't worry, in both cases, migration is possible, but each path has its own challenges.
🔁 Transfer from WordPress to Squarespace
Squarespace officially allows you to import from WordPress. The general steps of this process are as follows:
- From your WordPress dashboard, create an XML file of content (Export File).
- Log in to Squarespace and upload the XML file from the Settings → Advanced → Import / Export section.
- Squarespace usually only transfers posts, pages, images, and some basic settings.
- The template, widgets, plugins, categories, and site design are not transferred and you have to rebuild them manually.
📌 Important note: To maintain the SEO of the site, you must set up 301 redirects for all old WordPress addresses so that your link authority is not lost.
🔄 Migrating from Squarespace to WordPress
Squarespace doesn’t allow you to export all of your content. The export file usually includes posts, pages, galleries, and a few other limited sections. However, templates, forms, embedded videos, and visual design are not transferable. To do this:
- In Squarespace, go to Settings → Advanced → Import / Export → Export.
- Set up a new WordPress site (e.g., on a WordPress VPS).
- From your WordPress dashboard, go to Tools → Import → WordPress and upload the export file.
- Finally, review the content and fix any links, as sometimes images or hyperlinks don’t transfer properly.
🔧 If you have a large site or want to make sure no content is lost, services like WordHerd can handle the entire process for you.
Conclusion
So, should I use WordPress or Squarespace? If you prefer simplicity and beautiful design, Squarespace is your best choice. But if you want flexibility, scalability, and powerful SEO, WordPress is the smarter option. For professionals who value performance and control, host your site on WordPress VPS from MonoVm. It offers high speed, strong security, and 24/7 expert support with global data centers.
An experienced tech and developer blog writer, specializing in VPS hosting and server technologies. Fueled by a passion for innovation, I break down complex technical concepts into digestible content, simplifying tech for everyone.