Squarespace
Basics to Understand
Since Squarespace offers so many branding and search engine optimization options, you’ll be able to establish yourself online quickly.
Specifically, its SEO tools will guide you in creating an SEO-friendly site that suits your market.
In addition, it provides multiple cost-effective plans with discounts if you pay annually.
Also, since Squarespace is a hosted service, you won’t have to pay separate hosting fees.
It’s a bit of a one-stop shop for site designers and business owners looking to get established.
Notable Features
Squarespace has gained popularity as a website builder due to its extensive features and easy-to-use editor.
Although Squarespace has some limitations compared to our other top picks, its essential elements make it a valuable tool.
When you sign up for Squarespace, you’ll get access to:
- A vast library of templates and stock photos
- Branding tools and options
- Free custom domain with all plans
- eCommerce tools
- 24/7 customer support
- No transaction fees for eCommerce
Pricing & Cost
Squarespace offers four paid plans.
Users will receive discounts on all paid plans when they pay annually instead of monthly.
- Personal: $16 per month
- Business: $23 per month
- Commerce (Basic): $27 per month
- Commerce (Advanced): $49 per month
All plans come with a custom domain and hosting services included.
The personal and business plans receive a 30% discount for annual purchases, while both commerce plans receive a 25% discount.
Can You Try Squarespace for Free?
Unfortunately, you won’t have access to a free plan with Squarespace.
However, Squarespace offers a free trial for their paid plans.
For two weeks, you can test drive all of Squarespace’s best features to determine if the builder suits your needs.
The best part is that you don’t have to submit credit card information during your trial, so it’s completely risk-free.
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My Honest Thoughts
Pros of Squarespace
Squarespace offers a ton of useful features for site designers.
As a website builder, you’ll get:
- Features To Increase Traffic: Detailed analytics, SEO tools, and mobile site optimization provide increased traffic and visibility.
- High-quality Support: Squarespace has award-winning tech support.
- Optional Access To Contractors: Access to independent contractors and Squarespace’s portfolio of third-party extensions for added functionality.
The higher tier plans offer more features, but everything above is included with all paid plans.
Cons of Squarespace
Squarespace is an excellent platform, but there are a few downsides worth considering, including:
- Difficult Customization: Structured editor makes customized layouts difficult.
- No Free Plan: No free plan to test out services.
- Slow Load Times: Low page speed causes decreased load times.
Of these drawbacks, the low page speed could be your biggest problem.
If you have graphic-heavy content, including photos and videos, Squarespace might not be for you.
Squarespace vs. Other Top Recommendations: How They Compare
Squarespace is a top competitor of Wix for a good reason.
Its prices are comparable, it offers plenty of branding options, and its plans are comprehensive.
In addition, its user-friendly interface minimizes the learning curve.
However, Squarespace tends to have lower page speeds than Wix, which can lead to a poor user experience.
It also offers less flexibility, with a highly structured editor that limits where you can place elements on each page.
It also doesn’t offer a free plan.
Conclusion: Should You Choose Squarespace?
Site owners who want to build perfectly branded sites with few limitations will love Squarespace’s options.
If you don’t need highly-customized layouts or a free plan, Squarespace will be a great option.
However, if you’re building on a budget or want to control every aspect of your site, Wix will be a better choice.
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