If this is your first time building a website, WordPress and Squarespace are probably two of the most common names you’ve seen.
As you’ll soon see, both offer an easy site building experience, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
In this article, we set out to pit Squarespace vs WordPress in a battle to the death. Well, not to that extreme. But you will see each platform in detail, so you can make the best decision about which of the two tools is the best for your new website.
Clever? Let us begin.
Squarespace vs WordPress: How much do they cost?
Before discussing any other aspect, it is important that we talk about the cost. Most likely, this is one of the most important factors for decision making. Each platform handles prices differently, as you will see shortly.
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With WordPress, it can be a bit more difficult to get an exact cost estimate. The only thing you really have to pay is the and the .
For example, our plans include a free domain name if purchased for 12 months or more. You will get all the tools to create a secure, reliable and responsive website, with an average monthly spend of €6.
However, you may have other expenses depending on the needs of your project. For example, if you decide to upgrade to a plan, you’ll pay a higher monthly fee, but you’ll get more power and dedicated resources in return.
Also, you should take into account the cost of buying a premium theme/plugins, if you go that route. Although it is possible to find most of the and .
Ultimately, with WordPress, the price you pay is up to you. You will be able to design a solution that works for you regardless of budget.
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With Squarespace, pricing is pretty straightforward, though it does have its details.
The cheapest plan is Personal for €11 per month (if paid annually), or €15 per month paid monthly. It has limitations, such as the number of pages you can create and higher transaction fees for eCommerce. But it is a solid plan that will help you build a functional and basic website.
The Business plan costs €17 per month (if paid annually), or €24 per month paid monthly.
If you want to create an eCommerce site there are different pricing options to consider.
The first is the Basic plan which will cost you €24 per month if paid annually or €28 paid month to month. With this plan, you’ll have access to eCommerce features like unlimited products, zero transaction fees, integrated Xero accounting, and more.
The last plan is the Advanced, which costs €36 a month if billed annually, or €42 a month paid monthly. It gives you access to the same features as the basic eCommerce plan, but you’ll also get abandoned cart recovery and real-time shipping features.
Verdict
Overall, we give WordPress the clear winner in this regard. While Squarespace has a pretty straightforward pricing model, you should also keep in mind that adding more than 20 pages or building an eCommerce site will end up paying a much higher monthly fee.
With WordPress, what you pay is up to you. Beyond hosting and domain, it is possible to create a website completely free. If you are on a tight budget, WordPress should be your choice. Especially with the plethora of affordable web hosting options available.
Squarespace vs WordPress: Which is Easier to Use?
If you’re just starting out on your online journey, you’re probably not familiar with HTML or CSS. And looking at code can make you feel like you’re learning a foreign language. But instead of spending time on , you want your website to be up and running as quickly as possible.
The last thing you want is a platform that creates more headaches than it solves. Next we will see what Squarespace and WordPress offer us.
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WordPress is an incredibly versatile platform. It can be used by beginners and advanced web developers alike. It is commonly used by beginner bloggers, but also brands like , and even use WordPress to manage their sites.
When you start using WordPress, your first hurdle is and .
Next, you’ll need , but as complicated as it may sound, most hosting providers (including us) will allow you to install WordPress with a single click. And although these initial steps may seem technical, they are easier than you think.
The initial setup process can be completed in about 5-10 minutes.
After installing WordPress is when the real fun begins. You’ll pick a theme, start customizing it, add content, and you’re ready to party.
The only tricky step is theme setup. Some themes can be more difficult to use than others. However, most themes also come with extensive documentation to guide you through the process of creating your site.
WordPress has a steeper learning curve. But, once you understand the basics, you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish.
It’s like riding a bike. At first, you will be a little wobbly, but over time you will be descending at 90 km/h.
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Squarespace makes it relatively easy. Their platform is intended for beginners who want to get an attractive site up and running as quickly as possible.
With Squarespace, you don’t even have to buy hosting or a domain. You just have to select a theme, and in a matter of minutes you will be creating your website.
The platform is also quite intuitive. Simply answer a few questions about your site’s goals, choose a theme, and you’re ready to start customizing.
It doesn’t come equipped with a ton of options, but this simplicity can be your best friend, so you don’t get lost in a sea of different options. In fact, it’s quite similar to ours in terms of ease of use.
In addition, the entire system is based on a visual editor. So you just have to drag and drop to create your site. There’s more on the customization options below.
Verdict
In this category, Squarespace takes the lead, but not by much. Getting started with Squarespace is definitely easier, just create an account and start building.
With WordPress, there are more initial steps before you can start building your site. Also, the creation process itself will be more time-consuming since, in most cases, you won’t be using a drag-and-drop tool.
In any case, we have to think about ease of use in general, considering what you can do with each tool. With WordPress, your customization options are limitless (more on that later), while with Squarespace you will eventually run into the limitations of the platform.
Squarespace vs WordPress: Flexibility and Customization Options
You probably want to create more than a super basic three page website. And in this regard WordPress and Squarespace handle customization differently. Below, we discuss how each platform allows you to customize, expand, and add features to your site.
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To begin with, WordPress is an open source platform. Since its code is open to anyone to customize and use, it has spawned a whole universe of themes and plugins.
And precisely because of its incomparable flexibility, .
The basics of your site will be handled by the theme, but additional features can be added with plugins.
Because the WordPress plugin market is so large, you will be able to find a plugin to add just about any feature to your site.
Also, if it’s important to you to build your site with a drag and drop tool, there are a variety of plugins you can use to accomplish this, such as and .
However, since you can accomplish literally anything with WordPress, this comes with a steeper learning curve.
In addition to learning how to use your theme, you’ll also need to configure each plugin you install and make sure there are no conflicts.
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Squarespace makes it easy to quickly create your site, but depending on your goals, you’ll hit the limits of customization pretty quickly.
Here’s a quick rundown of what you can customize with Squarespace:
- Change and create your content.
- Add custom CSS (if you know how to program)
- Add social media buttons to your site
- Adjust basic SEO settings
- Format your content and page structure with content blocks
There’s a decent amount of stuff you can do. However, the real limitations come when you’re trying to add more features to your site, as you’re limited by Squarespace’s plugin ecosystem.
Verdict
WordPress rises with this category. With its endless variety of plugins and themes, you can build your site however you see fit. This is especially true when you appreciate the amount of control that WordPress gives you.
With Squarespace, you are limited by what the platform provides you. There is a growing selection of themes and plugins, but it falls short compared to what WordPress has to offer.
Since Squarespace is a closed platform, they can only expand as their team develops more features. WordPress, with its open source nature, makes it possible for anyone to create themes or plugins, giving you an almost endless supply to choose from.
Squarespace vs WordPress: Site Design
When you start to create your website, it can be easy to get stuck in the . Pick the right theme, tweak little details, customize page layouts, and more.
Next, we’ll look at how each tool approaches site design.
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As we saw earlier, the layout of your WordPress site is controlled by the theme you choose. Your biggest hurdle is probably choosing a theme.
Currently, there are thousands of free and paid WordPress themes to choose from. Plus, dozens of different markets to shop at.
Regardless of the industry, niche, or type of site you’re building, you’ll find hundreds of potential themes that can get the job done.
If you are stuck on the choice of theme, visit the following markets:
And if you have a limited budget, you can count on the wide offer of to choose from.
Once you’ve chosen a theme, that’s when the real fun begins. Not only will you have design and customization options based on your chosen theme, but you can also add more features thanks to the vast offer of plugins.
There are thousands of paid and free plugins that you can install on your site to add the features it lacks. From to , or simple plugins to share on social networks.
However, try not to lose your mind with plugins. Although he can be quite tempting, it’s always a good idea to take an approach…
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