Introduction
Did you know there are millions of freelancers worldwide who specialize in WordPress development? And I’m one of them—because there are unlimited advantages to using it. If you use Squarespace, you’re probably wondering, “Should I switch from Squarespace to WordPress?”
By analyzing both CMSs, we’ll figure out which one is perfect for your needs.
Initially, I also used Squarespace but later moved to WordPress because of more opportunities. And I think it’s the most crucial move of my entire life.
So in this article, I’ll explain how I moved from Squarespace to WordPress, what my journey was like, and whether you should make the switch or not. And honestly, whether you should switch depends on your needs.
Overview: Squarespace vs. WordPress
Squarespace:
Unlike WordPress, which throws everything at you at once, Squarespace takes you step-by-step—like setting up the homepage, picking designs, etc. It’s a hosted, drag-and-drop website builder.
You don’t need to pay while building your site. But when you want to publish it, that’s when they charge you—and I think the pricing is very overrated.
This is why I find Squarespace beginner-friendly and user-friendly.
It comes with hundreds of templates, which are modern and not bad overall.
But when it comes to scalability, Squarespace might be a problem. It doesn’t have thousands of gateways like WordPress.
WordPress:
WordPress is an open-source CMS, and it’s honestly the most popular CMS ever. You just need a domain and hosting to use WordPress, but there are also tricks to use WordPress without domain and hosting. (Here’s an article for that.)
There are many benefits to using WordPress—it’s highly flexible, ideal for growth, and great for scalability.
WordPress is perfect for businesses that want a long-term solution.
In-depth Comparison
1. Ease of Use
Squarespace is ideal for beginners because of how easy it is to use. When I first looked at it, it was very simple and minimalist, which is great for those who don’t have much technical expertise.
WordPress is kind of the opposite, but when you have the right guide, it becomes easy—like choosing a template, the right theme, plugins, etc.
2. Customization and Flexibility
Customization in Squarespace is very simple and beginner-friendly. You don’t need much experience like you do with WordPress. But it has limited customization options.
WordPress, on the other hand, offers thousands of templates, while Squarespace has only hundreds—but those are more than enough for most businesses.
WordPress plugins also come with various templates. There are thousands—the one I use is Templately. One problem, though, is WordPress doesn’t come with a good built-in page builder. It has one, but it’s not great. I use Elementor, which is a high-quality page builder plugin for WordPress.
3. SEO and Marketing
Squarespace has a basic built-in SEO tool, which is ideal if you’re not that technical.
WordPress, on the other hand, has everything you need for SEO—like Yoast SEO and Rank Math SEO, which are very advanced. Yes, for extra functionality, you might need to get the pro version of these plugins.
4. Performance and Speed
Hosting providers like Hostinger are very efficient, and their AI website builders are highly optimized. Websites built with them can load in just one second, while Squarespace sites often take 4 to 5 seconds to load.
I’ve tested various Squarespace websites using Google PageSpeed Insights, and the scores were very low—they usually load in 4 to 5 seconds.
WordPress websites also have the same issue if you don’t optimize them, but they can load fast enough with the right plugins. I’ve tested a lot of WordPress websites, and they usually load in 3 to 4 seconds, which is actually pretty good according to Google.
6. E-commerce Capability
In my opinion, Squarespace is good for medium-sized businesses, not for highly scalable ones, because it can’t handle complex features or heavy traffic like WordPress can.
WordPress itself doesn’t have any eCommerce feature, but WooCommerce, which is a plugin, can enable eCommerce. It’s a robust and scalable eCommerce solution that supports thousands of payment gateways, and there are thousands of extra plugins made specifically for WooCommerce.
6. Pricing
When you build your website, it doesn’t cost anything. But when you want to publish it after 14 days, they charge money. Their subscription costs between $24 and $72 per month, which includes a domain.
WordPress is better in terms of pricing. It’s open-source, so it doesn’t cost anything except for domain and hosting. That typically costs around $30 annually. And like I mentioned earlier, you can even use WordPress without any domain or hosting.
7. Support and Community
Squarespace: They have dedicated support, which means you can reach out to their team directly if there’s an issue. But when it comes to community help or resources, it’s limited. You won’t find many people talking about Squarespace in forums or groups.
WordPress: WordPress has a huge community. If you ever get stuck, there are thousands of tutorials, forums, videos, and blog posts. Plus, you’ll find developers everywhere ready to help—you can even hire us. Basically, you’ll never feel alone with WordPress.
My Personal Transition Journey
1. Starting with Squarespace
At first, I saw people creating websites using Squarespace, so without thinking much, I went with it too. It seemed simple and easy, which was perfect for getting started.
2. Problems and Discovery
After about a month of paid use, I started running into a lot of problems. Things felt limited, and I couldn’t customize my site the way I wanted. So, I googled some issues, and that’s when I came across WordPress.
3. The Switch
I started looking into it, and honestly, I was shocked—WordPress isn’t just a CMS; it’s on a different level. It offers way more flexibility and control, and I knew I needed that. So, without any doubt, I quickly switched from Squarespace to WordPress.
4. No Looking Back
Since switching, I’ve had no regrets. WordPress gave me the freedom to build what I really wanted. And I think it’s the best decision of my life.
Should You Switch from Squarespace to WordPress?
It depends on your needs.
Stay with Squarespace if:
- You want a minimalist website and admin panel.
- You don’t plan to scale your business.
Switch to WordPress if:
- You want to be a freelancer.
- You need deep customization.
- You aim for higher scalability and growth.
- Advanced SEO and e-commerce features are important for you.
Comparison Table
| Feature | Squarespace | WordPress | My Opinion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | Very beginner-friendly, drag-and-drop builder | Needs some learning, flexible with guides | Squarespace is easy at first but becomes limiting; WordPress feels harder but is worth it. |
| Customization | Limited customization, fixed templates | Highly customizable, thousands of themes/plugins | Squarespace templates are enough for basic use, but WordPress gives full freedom to create anything. |
| SEO Capability | Basic built-in SEO tools | Advanced SEO plugins like Yoast, Rank Math | Squarespace SEO is okay for beginners, but WordPress SEO tools are far better for growth. |
| Performance & Speed | Slower (4-5s load time), low Google PageSpeed scores | Optimized sites load in 3-4s with proper setup | Squarespace sites I tested were slow; WordPress can be faster if optimized right. |
| E-commerce Support | Good for small to medium businesses | WooCommerce offers robust, scalable e-commerce | Squarespace is fine for medium business, but WordPress with WooCommerce is better for scaling. |
| Pricing | $24–$72/month (includes domain) | Free CMS, ~$30/year for domain & hosting | WordPress is way cheaper in the long run; Squarespace feels overpriced for what it offers. |
| Support & Community | Dedicated support, limited community resources | Massive community support, tons of resources | I like having a community; WordPress feels alive, Squarespace feels alone. |
| Scalability | Not ideal for high traffic or complex features | Highly scalable for any type of website | If you want to grow big, WordPress is the way. Squarespace can’t handle high traffic well. |
FAQs
Not really. It takes some time and steps, like moving content and setting up hosting, but with a good guide, it’s totally doable—even for beginners.
Yes, but not in a bad way if you do it right. Make sure to redirect your URLs properly and set up SEO plugins on WordPress. I actually saw an improvement in SEO after switching.
Yes, 100%. You don’t need coding if you use the right tools and page builders like Elementor. Coding is optional, not required.
No. WordPress is way cheaper. It’s free, and you just pay for domain and hosting, which can be as low as $30/year. Squarespace charges $24 to $72/month.
WordPress was made for blogging. It has better tools, more customization, and stronger SEO. If you’re serious about blogging, WordPress gives you more power.
Conclusion – Should You Switch from Squarespace to WordPress?
From my experience, starting with Squarespace felt like the right move—it was simple, easy, and looked good. But once I needed more, like better customization and SEO, I realized Squarespace just couldn’t keep up.
Switching to WordPress was honestly the best decision I’ve made for my website. Yes, it took a bit of learning, but the freedom and control WordPress gives is on a whole different level.
Here’s What I Recommend:
Stay with Squarespace if:
You just want a simple, minimalist website, and you’re not planning to scale or add advanced features.
Switch to WordPress if:
You want to be a freelancer, need deep customization, or plan to grow your site over time. If SEO and e-commerce matter, WordPress is 100% the better choice.
In short, if you’re serious about your website and want long-term flexibility, then yes—you should switch to WordPress.