Squarespace and WordPress are two of the most popular website building platforms on the market, and as a website designer with 10+ years' experience, I have used both on client projects.
As with comparing most things, when you weigh Squarespace vs WordPress it is difficult to say one is definitively better than the other, it largely depends on your priorities, technical comfort and how the site needs to grow. This 2026 guide compares cost, design, SEO and maintenance honestly so you can choose the platform that fits, not the one an agency prefers by default.
What is Squarespace?
Squarespace is a popular website builder that lets you create visually polished sites without writing code.
The main difference from self-hosted WordPress is that Squarespace is an all-in-one platform: hosting, SSL, templates and core commerce tools live in one subscription. You build a website, blog or online store inside the same environment, updates, security patches and backups are handled by Squarespace rather than you.
What is WordPress?
WordPress is free, open-source software for creating websites. You install it on hosting you buy separately, from providers such as Zume in the UK or any host that supports PHP and MySQL.
Because you manage hosting, security, updates and backups yourself (or pay an agency to do it), WordPress is often called a self-hosted platform. That trade-off buys flexibility: thousands of themes and plugins, custom code when you need it, and no ceiling on what you can build, provided you invest in upkeep.
Squarespace vs WordPress: Comparisons
Squarespace vs WordPress: Pricing and costs
How much does Squarespace cost?
Squarespace refreshed its plans in early 2026. UK pricing on annual billing (cheaper than paying month-to-month) currently looks roughly like this, always verify on squarespace.com before you commit, as tiers and fees change:
- Basic, from about £12/month: portfolio or simple brochure sites; limited commerce.
- Core, from about £17/month: the tier most small businesses land on; marketing tools, custom CSS and digital/physical product sales (transaction fees may apply on lower commerce tiers).
- Plus, from about £29/month: stronger commerce features, lower transaction fees, more video storage.
- Advanced, from about £79/month: larger stores; compare with Shopify if commerce is your main business.
On top of the subscription you will need a domain name (often free for the first year on annual plans, then roughly £10–£16/year for a .co.uk or .com).
The cost to work with a Squarespace designer
Squarespace is built so business owners can launch from templates themselves. If you want a more distinctive brand presence, custom layout work, code tweaks or a full template overhaul, a website designer or developer can help. Because the starting point is always a Squarespace template, prices vary with how far you push beyond the defaults; £2,000+ is a realistic benchmark for meaningful custom work.
The cost of WordPress
WordPress software is free. You pay for hosting to run it. UK hosts such as Zume start from around £12/month, plus a domain name and any premium plugins or themes you choose. Many excellent plugins have free tiers; paid add-ons are optional, not mandatory.
How much does it cost to hire a WordPress designer?
Costs depend on scope, integrations and how much custom development you need. Berlew WordPress builds start from {% Fact id="price.onePage" /%} for a considered custom site; larger projects with bespoke functionality are quoted individually. Cheap template installs exist, but they often need rework once the business outgrows the defaults.
Three lenses for comparing platforms
Before you get lost in feature lists, weigh both options against the three decisions that actually matter for most UK small businesses.
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Cost & hosting
Squarespace bundles hosting, SSL and core features into one monthly fee. WordPress software is free, but you pay separately for hosting, domains and any premium plugins or themes.
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Design & flexibility
Squarespace templates are polished and fast to launch; deep customisation usually means custom code. WordPress offers thousands of themes and plugins, with room for bespoke builds when you outgrow templates.
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Maintenance & support
Squarespace handles updates, security patches and backups. WordPress puts you (or your agency) in charge, more control, more responsibility, and no platform helpdesk if something breaks.
Templates and designs to build your website
Squarespace templates
Squarespace offers 100+ polished templates designed in-house. You can start from a template and customise within the editor, or extend further with custom code if your plan allows. The design system is cohesive, which keeps sites looking professional quickly, but can feel familiar if you never push beyond the defaults.
WordPress templates to help you build your website
WordPress themes range from free defaults to premium template shops and fully bespoke builds. The flexibility is greater: page builders, block themes and custom post types let you shape almost any layout, at the cost of a steeper learning curve than Squarespace's drag-and-drop editor. Migrating from Squarespace to WordPress is possible but is a project, not a button click; plugins can help import content, but design and URLs usually need deliberate rework.
SEO options to make your site visible
Built-in SEO tools for Squarespace
Squarespace includes SEO fundamentals in its structure, custom meta titles and descriptions per page, alt text on images, clean URLs and automatic sitemaps. For many small business sites, that is enough without add-ons. You still need good content, sensible internal linking and fast-loading pages; the platform does not write your copy for you.
WordPress tools and customisability for SEO
WordPress's open ecosystem means you can add dedicated SEO plugins. Yoast, Rank Math and others offer checklists for titles, schema and readability. Performance plugins such as caching tools can help load times on well-configured hosting. None of this is automatic: plugins suggest improvements; you still implement them. Because you choose your host, a faster server can help Core Web Vitals, but only if the site is built and maintained properly.
The Pros & Cons of WordPress
| Pros of WordPress | Cons of WordPress |
|---|---|
| WordPress software is free (you pay for hosting, themes and some plugins separately). | Setup can feel confusing when you are new, hosting, DNS, plugins and updates all sit with you. |
| Near-unlimited design and feature possibilities through themes, plugins and custom code. | Advanced customisation often needs developer time and budget. |
| Powerful SEO and performance tooling when configured well. | Steeper learning curve than Squarespace for non-technical owners. |
| Strong ecommerce options via WooCommerce and extensions. | Self-hosted means you are responsible for maintenance, security and backups. |
| Full control over mobile layouts and user experience. | No central WordPress support desk, help comes from your host, agency or community. |
The Pros & Cons of Squarespace
| Pros of Squarespace | Cons of Squarespace |
|---|---|
| All-in-one pricing covers hosting, SSL and core features. | Monthly cost is fixed, you cannot shop around for cheaper hosting as you might with WordPress. |
| Drag-and-drop editor, most owners can build and edit without code. | Fewer third-party plugins; advanced features often mean custom code and developer cost. |
| Built-in SEO tools cover what most small businesses need. | Less flexibility for specialist SEO or performance tuning compared with WordPress plus plugins. |
| Commerce built in on eligible plans, fine for many small to medium stores. | Large or complex stores may outgrow Squarespace; Shopify or WooCommerce can be better fits. |
| Templates are mobile-responsive by default. | |
| 24/7 Squarespace customer support for platform issues. | |
| Fully managed updates, security and backups. |
Choosing WordPress or Squarespace
Many businesses choose WordPress for long-term flexibility, blogs, marketing sites, membership areas or stores that will grow in complexity. Squarespace wins when you want to launch quickly, stay within a polished template system and avoid thinking about hosting or plugin updates.
On pricing: WordPress software is free, but hosting, domains and optional paid tools add up. Squarespace's subscription includes more out of the box, which can be simpler to budget even if the headline monthly fee looks higher.
When deciding between WordPress and Squarespace, match the platform to your technical ability and roadmap. If you want full control and can manage (or outsource) maintenance, self-hosted WordPress is the stronger long-term bet. If you want fewer moving parts and are happy within Squarespace's design and commerce limits, Squarespace is a legitimate choice, not a compromise.
We build primarily on WordPress at Berlew, but we would rather recommend the right platform upfront than shoehorn every client into the same stack.
Squarespace vs WordPress FAQs
Is Squarespace or WordPress better for small businesses?
For a straightforward brochure site or small shop where you want to launch quickly without managing hosting, Squarespace is often the simpler path. WordPress suits businesses that expect to add custom features, integrate specialist tools or scale content and functionality over time, provided you have time or budget for maintenance.
Is WordPress really free?
The WordPress software from wordpress.org is free and open-source. You still pay for hosting, a domain name, and optionally premium themes or plugins. Managed WordPress hosts bundle some of that for a monthly fee, but it is never truly zero-cost once the site is live.
Which platform is better for SEO in 2026?
Both can rank well when content, structure and performance are solid. Squarespace includes sensible SEO defaults out of the box. WordPress offers more advanced options through plugins like Yoast or Rank Math, but those tools guide you, they do not replace good content and technical hygiene. Neither platform guarantees rankings on its own.
Can I switch from Squarespace to WordPress later?
Yes, though it is a migration project, not a one-click swap. Content, products and design need rebuilding or importing, and URLs should be redirected to protect SEO. Plan the move before you depend heavily on Squarespace-only features like built-in scheduling or commerce workflows.
How much does it cost to hire someone to build my site?
Squarespace customisation from a designer often runs from around £2,000 depending on scope. Professional WordPress builds vary widely. Berlew WordPress sites start from £750 for a considered custom build, with larger or more complex projects quoted individually. DIY on either platform is cheaper upfront but costs time, and rework is common if the first version does not scale.
Which platform does Berlew recommend?
Honestly, we build most client sites on WordPress because it fits the bespoke, growth-minded projects we take on. That does not make WordPress right for everyone. If Squarespace matches your goals and budget better, we would rather say so upfront than sell you the wrong platform.
Need help with your website?
Choosing a platform is only the first step. If you want to talk through your business goals, budget and timeline, we are happy to help, honestly. We are a creative design agency based in Nottingham with 10+ years building websites, mostly on WordPress, and we will tell you if Squarespace is the better fit.
Explore our website design services or start a project when you are ready to talk.
