Squarespace is an all-in-one hosted platform with built-in hosting and support ideal for beginners, while WordPress is a self-hosted content management system offering maximum customization and control for users willing to manage their own infrastructure. WordPress powers 43% of all websites globally compared to Squarespace's ~2.5%, but Squarespace requires no technical setup.
Squarespace vs WordPress — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
All-in-one website builder and e-commerce platform known for designer templates and integrated functionality.
Open-source content management system installed on self-hosted servers, offering unlimited customization and control.
Setup Time to Live Website. Monthly Cost (Entry-Level Plan). Design Templates Available. Plugin/Extension Ecosystem. Technical Skill Required. Data Ownership & Export. Global Market Share (2025)
Choose Squarespace if you're a non-technical user, small business owner, or creative professional who values simplicity, included hosting, 24/7 support, and getting online in under 30 minutes. Choose WordPress if you need maximum customization, plan to scale significantly, want to minimize costs, require thousands of plugin options, or need complete data portability and long-term flexibility.
Squarespace: $16/month (included) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Not available | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Limited integrations | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Lower fees | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: More attractive & polished aesthetics | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Extensive, section-based editor | WordPress: 10 (full code access)
Squarespace: Advanced, highly customizable | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: SSL certificate, daily backups, security updates | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 2/10 (minimal) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Email & Chat | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Plan-dependent | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 50+ professional designs | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 15–30 minutes | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 4.5/5 (3,394 reviews) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Automatic (all templates mobile-optimized) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: $23-33/month | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 3,394 reviews (Capterra) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Basic collections only | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Block animations, limited transitions | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Proprietary global CDN included | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Yes, with inventory and payments | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: $15/month (Starter plan) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: $33/month (Core plan) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 40% - template parameter-based | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 4.4/5 stars (3,394 reviews) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Basic content management; third-party integrations needed | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Yes, integrated with advanced product filters (April 2026) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 3,396 reviews | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: No native B2B support | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Limited integrations (primarily Squarespace native) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Basic API, limited headless support | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Basic coupon and discount tools | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: All paid plans included | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 14-day trial only | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: $12-33 (Creator/Business) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 3-4% per transaction | WordPress: 2.9% + $0.30 (Stripe)
Squarespace: Unlimited (with per-transaction fees) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 70+ professionally designed templates | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Requires integration (Mailchimp, Klaviyo, etc.) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Limited; requires apps or custom integration | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Advanced on-page SEO, image optimization, blogging | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 2.9%-3% | WordPress: 2-3% via Stripe/PayPal plugins
Squarespace: 2.9% + $0.30 or 3% + $0.20 | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: $15 (Business plan starts here) | WordPress: $3-10/month + free software
Squarespace: ~200 | WordPress: WordPress plugins
Squarespace: 1-2 hours (drag-and-drop) | WordPress: 4-8 hours
Squarespace: 1+ million stores | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 24/7 phone and chat support | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: $180-276 (included) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Unlimited (Commerce plan) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Limited/Not published | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Basic (single-location, limited variants) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Limited; mainly Facebook and Instagram | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Full drag-and-drop with no coding needed | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: $16/month (Personal) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 3% (Squarespace Payments) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 500+ built-in integrations | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Yes (all plans) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 4.5/5 stars | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: $23-529 first month | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: $23-529 (all-inclusive) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: ~1,000 (performance degrades beyond) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 100+ pre-built templates | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 24/7 live chat, email, phone | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: $2,784-6,348 (subscription + fees) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: No, ~$20/year | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Phone, Chat, Email (24/7) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: $23 (Business plan with e-commerce) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 2-4 (drag-and-drop template) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: ~200 pre-built apps | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Unlimited | WordPress: Unlimited
Squarespace: Yes, managed hosting | WordPress: No, separate purchase
Squarespace: $0 (included in plan) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 5 (template + drag-drop limits) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Instagram Shop only (1) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Limited API with restricted code | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 2-4 hours (drag-and-drop) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 3.2 | WordPress: 2.5 (optimized)
Squarespace: Limited/No direct API | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 500 free/month built-in | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Premium, cohesive design system | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: ~200 integrated apps | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Included in all plans | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Up to 20% off | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 100+ responsive templates | WordPress: 90,000+ themes
Squarespace: Limited (requires workarounds) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Full shopping cart, inventory, tax, shipping | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Basic (Business plan $23+/month) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Yes (all plans included) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 99.9% | WordPress: Depends on host (typically 99.9%)
Squarespace: 4 built-in (Stripe, PayPal, Apple Pay, Square) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Limited CSS/JavaScript injection | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: No (14-day trial only) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Yes (unlimited bandwidth) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Basic (scroll effects, transitions) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 24 hours avg | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Advanced (meta, schema, sitemaps) | WordPress: 9/10 (full control + advanced plugins)
Squarespace: Limited CSS-only (no JavaScript) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Yes, on Squarespace's servers | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: Yes (Squarespace Payments) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: 15-30 minutes | WordPress: 120-240 minutes
Squarespace: 140+ proprietary templates | WordPress: 10,000+ free & premium themes
Squarespace: Limited integrations (500+) | WordPress: 58,000+ plugins
Squarespace: 24/7 live support | WordPress: Community forums only (free tier)
Squarespace: Limited; vendor lock-in risk | WordPress: Complete ownership; full export capability
Squarespace: $960 (5-year total) | WordPress: $180-300 (5-year total with budget hosting)
Squarespace: Included (Email Campaigns) | WordPress: N/A
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: $100-200 (hosting only)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 6.9 (RC 7.0 March 2026)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: Self-hosted (user managed)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: $4 (WordPress.com) + $20-100 hosting
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: $260-2200+ (hosting, plugins, maintenance)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 3.4 seconds
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 40-100+ hours
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 5-20+ hours
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: $4 (managed) / $0 (self-hosted)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 24-72 hours
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: Yes - requires plugins for advanced features
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: Yes - Yjs CRDT engine in WP 7.0
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 2.5-4.0s (varies with plugins)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: Partial - WordPress 7.0 adds core AI (plugin-dependent before)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: Via plugins (WooCommerce, MemberPress)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 15+ top options
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: $60-300+ per year
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 43% of all websites (self-hosted instances)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 100% (you keep all)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: Easy via XML export (9/10)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 2-5 hours (updates, security, backups)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: You manage updates, SSL, backups
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: $240 + hosting ($10-50/month)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: Beginner (0-6 months experience)
Reported Security Vulnerabilities (2024)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 156 plugin/theme CVEs
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 10,000-50,000
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: Extensive—drag-drop, theme customizer, page builders
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: $5-15 (hosting only)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: Intermediate to Advanced
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: Full (robots.txt, schema, redirects)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 20-40 hours (with learning)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: $5-15 hosting
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: $180-360 (hosting only)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 10,000+ free & premium
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: Unlimited (WooCommerce)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 1.5-2.5 seconds (optimized)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: $0 (self-hosted, domain only)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: $25-50/month (WP Engine, Kinsta managed hosting)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 58,000+ plugins
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 2-4 hours (theme selection, plugin setup)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 38% (WooCommerce dominates)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 99% (varies by host)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 30-60 minutes
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 60,000+ available themes
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: $100-200 (domain + basic hosting)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 10/10 (complete ownership & backup)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: $120-500/year
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: Complete control via robots.txt, .htaccess, code injection
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 0/10 (None)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: Simple to Medium (Blogs, Business Sites)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 58,000+ plugins + 10,000+ themes
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 60-120 minutes
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 9.5 out of 10
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 9 out of 10
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: $4-$300/month
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: Yes, completely free
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: Requires plugins (WooCommerce, MemberPress)
Squarespace: N/A | WordPress: 1,200-2,500ms
How to choose between Squarespace and WordPress
Squarespace vs WordPress — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Squarespace vs WordPress. Contains 247 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Squarespace vs WordPress — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Squarespace vs WordPress.
Can I move my Squarespace site to WordPress?
It is technically possible but difficult. Squarespace restricts data export, so you would need to manually rebuild content, redesign pages, and reconfigure functionality in WordPress. Most users hire developers for this ($1,000-5,000). WordPress migration tools are limited compared to migrating FROM WordPress, which is seamless.
WordPress is dramatically cheaper over 5+ years. Squarespace costs $960+ for 5 years (minimum); WordPress hosting costs $180-300 for the same period. However, WordPress requires either self-management or hiring developers ($50-200/hour), so total cost of ownership depends on your time investment or hiring costs. For pure platform fees, WordPress wins 5-10x over.
WordPress with WooCommerce offers more advanced features, lower transaction fees (2-3% vs Squarespace's 3% built-in), and unlimited scalability. However, Squarespace is simpler for beginners with integrated payment processing and no plugin management. For stores expecting >$10,000/month revenue, WordPress is more economical; for <$5,000/month, Squarespace's simplicity may justify the cost.
Do I need technical skills for WordPress?
For basic setup and blogging, minimal skills required with managed hosting (like Bluehost or WP Engine). However, custom development, security optimization, advanced plugins, and troubleshooting benefit from technical knowledge. Squarespace requires zero technical skills. Many WordPress users hire developers or support plans ($30-200/month) to offset the skill gap.
WordPress has superior SEO flexibility. Plugins like Yoast SEO, RankMath, and All in One SEO provide granular control over meta tags, sitemaps, structured data, and technical SEO. Squarespace's SEO tools are basic and built-in but less customizable. For competitive keywords, WordPress's advanced SEO plugin options generally outperform Squarespace. Both can rank well; WordPress offers more control.
How to Choose Between Squarespace and WordPress
Setup Time to Live Website: Squarespace has 15-30 minutes, while WordPress has 2-4 hours.
Consider: Monthly Cost (Entry-Level Plan)
Monthly Cost (Entry-Level Plan): Squarespace has $16/month, while WordPress has $3-5/month (hosting only, domain extra).
Design Templates Available: Squarespace has 140+ proprietary templates, while WordPress has 10,000+ free & premium themes.
Plugin/Extension Ecosystem: Squarespace has Limited integrations, while WordPress has 58,000+ plugins available.
Technical Skill Required: Squarespace has None (drag-and-drop), while WordPress has Moderate to high.
Data Ownership & Export: Squarespace has Limited export; vendor lock-in, while WordPress has Full ownership; complete portability.
Global Market Share (2025): Squarespace has ~2.5% of all websites, while WordPress has ~43% of all websites.