Our verdict · 8.2/10 Excellent
The best choice for brands that care about looks and want simplicity. Less flexible than Wix or Webflow.
Key takeaways
- Best for: Creative and design-led businesses.
- Strongest area: Ease of use (8.8/10). Weakest: Integrations & ecosystem (7.6/10).
- Price: From around $16–25 / month (billed annually) — free trial available.
- Watch out for: Less layout freedom.
What is Squarespace?
Squarespace offers design-led templates, ecommerce, scheduling, email campaigns and domains in a tightly integrated platform.
Squarespace is made by Squarespace and is reviewed here as a website builder (it also appears in our 1 other category). It is priced on a subscription basis, and our editorial score is 8.2 out of 10, calculated from six weighted criteria.
Who it’s for — and who should skip it
Choose Squarespace if
- Creative and design-led businesses
- Portfolios
- Small shops
Not for you if
- Complex sites
- Large catalogues
Key features
Design-led starting points.
Sell products and subscriptions.
Bookings.
Built-in marketing.
- Google Workspace
- Mailchimp
- Stripe
- PayPal
Pros & cons
What we like
- Stunning templates
- Integrated tools
- Reliable hosting
- Good mobile editing
Watch out for
- Less layout freedom
- Fewer integrations
- Transaction fees on lower plans
Pricing & true cost
| Plan | Indicative price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | ≈ $16 / mo | Billed annually |
| Business | ≈ $23 / mo | — |
| Commerce | ≈ $28 / mo | — |
Contract questions to ask before you sign
- Does the plan auto-renew, and how many days’ notice do you need to cancel?
- Is the advertised price for annual billing? What is the month-to-month price?
- Is the first-year price a promotion? What will renewal cost, and is it capped?
- Is there a minimum number of seats, or a charge for inactive users?
- Are onboarding, implementation or premium-support fees extra?
- How do we export all our data if we leave, and in what format?
General questions for any vendor — not findings about this product. Build a full checklist with our requirements builder.
Indicative USD pricing, last checked October 30, 2026. Vendors change prices and promotions often — always confirm on their website. Model your own numbers with our SaaS TCO calculator.
Score breakdown
| Criterion | Weight | Score | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Features & fit | 20% | 8.2 | 1.60 | |
| Ease of use | 15% | 8.8 | 1.30 | |
| Value for money | 20% | 8.0 | 1.60 | |
| Support & reliability | 20% | 8.2 | 1.60 | |
| Security & privacy | 15% | 8.2 | 1.20 | |
| Integrations & ecosystem | 10% | 7.6 | 0.80 | |
| Overall | 100% | Weighted for web hosting products | 8.2 | |
Security & compliance facts
| Item | Status | Question to ask Squarespace |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-factor authenticationStops most account takeovers from reused or phished passwords. | Not verified by us | Can admins enforce MFA for every user, on every plan? |
| Single sign-on (SAML/OIDC)Lets you remove a leaver’s access everywhere from one place. | Not verified by us | Is SSO included on the plan we are buying, or only on enterprise tiers? |
| SOC 2 Type II reportIndependent audit of the vendor’s security controls — often required by larger customers. | Not verified by us | Can we see your current SOC 2 Type II report (under NDA if needed)? |
| ISO/IEC 27001 certificationInternational standard for running an information-security programme. | Not verified by us | Which legal entity and services does your ISO 27001 certificate cover? |
| GDPR data processing agreementNeeded if you handle personal data of people in the EU/UK. | Not verified by us | Do you offer a signed DPA and list your sub-processors? |
| HIPAA business associate agreementRequired before US healthcare businesses store protected health information. | Not verified by us | Will you sign a BAA, and on which plans? |
We have not yet verified these items for Squarespace against a primary source, so we don’t claim them either way. Check Squarespace’s trust or security page and ask for documents in writing.
Before you buy any website builder
Check Squarespace against the same list we use for every website builder — and confirm each point on the plan you intend to buy, not the top tier.
- Templates that suit your industry
- SEO controls and redirects
- Forms, booking or ecommerce if needed
- Mobile editing
- Content export options
See every ranked option in Website Builders.
Squarespace alternatives
Pick an alternative by what matters to you
- Cheaper
Hostinger≈ $3/mo vs $16/mo at 10 users (cheapest paid plans, indicative) - Has a free plan
WixSquarespace has no free plan; Wix does - Better integrations
ShopifyIntegrations score 9.6 vs 7.6 - Stronger on securityShopifySecurity & privacy score 8.8 vs 8.2
- Higher overall scoreShopifyOverall 8.8 vs 8.2
Computed from our published scores and indicative pricing for tools in the same category as Squarespace. Scores are editorial; see the methodology.
Editor’s picks
Flexible drag-and-drop website builder with a huge app market.
Professional visual development for designers and marketing teams.
The leading hosted ecommerce platform for stores of every size.
Head-to-head comparisons
Featured in: Best Website Builders for Small Business, Best Ecommerce Platforms for Small Business, Best Shopify Alternatives, Wix vs Squarespace vs Webflow vs WordPress
Review history
- Scored under methodology v2.0 (six weighted criteria, computed overall score).
Squarespace FAQ
Is Squarespace good for SEO?
It covers SEO fundamentals well; content and structure matter most.
Does Squarespace have a free plan?
No, Squarespace does not offer a permanent free plan, but a free trial is available. Pricing starts at From around $16–25 / month (billed annually) (indicative).
Who is Squarespace best for?
Squarespace is best for: creative and design-led businesses; portfolios; small shops.
How is the Squarespace score calculated?
The 8.2/10 overall score is a weighted average of six sub-scores — features & fit, ease of use, value, support & reliability, security & privacy, and integrations — using the published weights for hosting products. Affiliate relationships have no input. See our methodology page for the full rubric.
What are the best alternatives to Squarespace?
Popular alternatives include Wix, Webflow, Shopify. See our comparisons for side-by-side verdicts.