Squarespace is one of the most popular website builders in use today. It's been around for a while, and for good reason – it's simple to use, adaptable and can be utilized to create truly stunning websites. From single-page sites to online stores, there is nothing Squarespace can't handle. But is it the best website builder available? Does it produce the best business website?
The answers to these questions are a resounding “maybe.” Queue “waa-waa.” Of course, Squarespace is a great option, but others might be better suited to your specific needs, whether you want your own website for personal use or are looking to create an online store.
You may want a more flexible builder, one that offers more design options, or maybe just one that's a little more affordable than Squarespace. Whatever your reasons for considering Squarespace alternatives, there are plenty of great platforms to choose from.
In this article, we'll take a look at some top Squarespace alternatives available and compare features and pricing. But first, what exactly is Squarespace? And what are its primary features?
WTA Recommends Hostinger Web Builder
Hostinger outperforms many of its competitors when it comes to easy website building.
What is Squarespace?
Squarespace is a website builder that allows users to create professional-grade websites and online stores without coding or design experience. It offers a wide range of templates to choose from and user-friendly tools that make it effortless to customize your website's design.
Beginners tend to find Squarespace easy to use, while more experienced web designers appreciate the platform's range of features. For example, Squarespace plans offer some of the best domain name registration options and eCommerce capabilities for those looking to set up an online store.
You also don't have to supply your own hosting, as Squarespace and all of the best alternatives provide hosting.
Squarespace offers some of the best basic features for web builders, including an intuitive drag-and-drop editor, templates for every website type, and unlimited bandwidth for when your site takes off.
What are its Main Features?
In addition to design and domain name features, Squarespace is also known for many of its built-in integrations. These include:
Beautiful Website Templates and Designs – Squarespace offers a wide range of modern templates to choose from, all of which have been designed by professional web designers. You can customize these templates to create a stunning website.
Web Hosting – Squarespace hosts your website as part of their monthly fees, so you are not paying extra and are getting secure and stable web hosting services for less than many traditional hosting providers charge.
Available Support – The platform offers 24-hour support through its help center and live chat. You can also find a wide range of resources and tutorials to help you along the way. From their help center to their forum and blog, Squarespace is built to help you succeed.
Blog Manager – Squarespace makes it easy to start a blog and includes many features to make your blog stand out. These include customizable designs, social media integration, and the ability to embed multimedia content.
Image Organizer – The built-in page organizer makes managing and showcasing your images straightforward via the drag-and-drop editor. You can add photos from your computer, Instagram, or Facebook and then easily edit them.
Analytics Tracking – Analytic tracking shows you exactly how your website is performing. It includes information on page views, unique visitors, and even conversion rates.
eCommerce Sites – Squarespace offers both basic eCommerce features and more advanced eCommerce features for those ready to scale an online store. These include creating product pages, accepting payments, managing subscriptions, and tracking orders, amongst many others.
Domain Name Registrar – Squarespace is one of the best domain name registrars out there, offering a wide range of top-level domains (TLDs) to choose from. You can also integrate your own custom domain name if you prefer.
SEO Tools – Plug-ins and code modifications are not required with Squarespace, as it is SEO-ready from the get-go. This means that your website will be built to be found by search engines and ranked accordingly.
Third-Party Apps Friendly – Squarespace is known for its third-party integrations. This means that you can easily connect your website with various external services, including social media platforms, email marketing providers, and more.
Ad-Free – Unlike some other website builders, Squarespace doesn't include any ads on your website. This keeps your website looking clean and professional. However, if you'd like to monetize your site, you can choose to showcase ads.
Squarespace Plans
Squarespace offers a range of plans to choose from, all of which offer different levels of features and functionality. The most basic plan, the Personal Plan, starts at $19 per month. If you want to launch an online store, go with the Basic or Advanced Commerce plan, which starts at $65 per month.
The most popular plan is the Business plan, which is $33 per month. Paying annually saves you anywhere from 25%-30% off the monthly prices depending on the selected plan.
A 14-day free trial is available for all Squarespace plans, so you can test out the platform before committing to a subscription. Squarespace doesn't offer a free plan.
Why Might Someone Want to Use a Squarespace Alternative?
With all of its nifty features, it's clear that Squarespace is an excellent platform for most looking to build their own website. So, why might someone want to use Squarespace alternatives? We've listed some of the main reasons below:
Cost – Squarespace is not the cheapest website builder around. While it offers a range of affordable plans, some of its competitors offer similar features or more advanced features for a lower price.
Flexibility – Squarespace is relatively rigid in terms of what you can and cannot do with your website. If you want to make any significant changes, you'll need to hire a developer, which can be costly. They do have a drag-and-drop editor but alternatives to Squarespace offer more flexibility regarding what you can change and how much control you have over your website's design and functionality.
Limited Design Options – Squarespace's design options are not as diverse as some of its competitors. If you're looking to create a stunning website with a specific look and feel, you might need to explore other builders.
No Mobile App – While the platform is responsive, it does not have its own mobile app. This can be a downside if you're looking to manage your website on the go.
As with any platform in our tech-driven world, there are always alternatives. So, if the cons of Squarespace let you down, don't worry – there are plenty of other great builders to choose from. In the next section, we'll take a look at some of the best alternatives available today.
Best Squarespace Alternatives Available Today
What does it take to be considered among the best website builders? We've broken down the top 5 best alternatives to Squarespace. These tools are more Squarespace equivalents or even better when you compare all the features and benefits.
Whether you want a free website builder for a basic site or robust capabilities for more complex sites, we've got you covered.
Hostinger Web Builder
Hostinger website builder is a great option for those who are looking for Squarespace alternatives and to build a website without any prior experience or knowledge. The platform is extremely user-friendly and offers a wide range of templates and designs to choose from.
Hostinger also offers a number of features that set it apart from other website builder tools, including the ability to add video backgrounds, social media integration, and eCommerce functionality for selling online.
Overall, Hostinger web builder is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to create a professional website without investing much time or money.
Hostinger Primary Features
Fully Customizable Website Templates – Hostinger offers templates for every type of use case, and all of them are fully customizable to ensure your website looks exactly how you intended.
AI Tools – Hostinger offers AI tools to provide you insights into how your website is performing, what parts are working, and where you might need to make changes to improve the user experience.
Website Importer – Hostinger has a website import tool that allows you to import your existing website into the builder. You can make any changes you want and be up and running quickly.
Content Generator – Hostinger uses a content generator to help you produce SEO-friendly content with an AI writer. No more writer's block and high-quality content on your website that converts.
Image Enhancement Tools – With Hostinger, you can produce pixel-perfect images, upscale and upgrade low-resolution photos, resize images for every requirement and remove image backgrounds.
Hostinger Pros
- Easy customization options
- Excellent AI tools
- Unlimited bandwidth and unlimited storage
- Free domain for the first year with any plan
- Free email for the first three months
Hostinger Cons
- The AI tools might take some time to learn
- Advanced e-commerce features are only available with one plan
Hostinger Pricing
Hostinger is price competitive with any of the other builder options outlined here. The Website plan is $8.99 per month and scales to the business plan for $11.49 per month. There are two options for businesses with storefronts or who want to sell online. They are running huge discounts for the month of April.
Hostinger offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for all plans, so you can try everything out and receive a full refund if you're not satisfied.
Weebly
Weebly may seem like a simple platform at first glance, but it offers a surprising amount of features and functionality for its price. It's simple to use, provides a good range of elements, and has many design templates to choose from.
It's simple enough to create a basic site but powerful enough to create online stores. All in all, we see it as a great alternative for those looking for an affordable website builder, but let's allow the features to speak for themselves.
Weebly Primary Features
Mobile-friendly and Responsive – Weebly provides a mobile-friendly, responsive website builder, so you can easily create a website that looks great on any device.
eCommerce Functionality – The built-in eCommerce store functionality allows you to start selling products and services online quickly.
Plenty of Templates – With over 50+ templates to choose from, you're sure to find one that suits your needs.
Easy Editing – What beginner doesn't love the good old drag and drop? Weebly offers a drag-and-drop builder, making it easy to create a website without any coding required.
Video Galore – Weebly allows you to embed videos from YouTube, Vimeo, and other video hosting platforms. This is great for adding extra multimedia content to your website.
Weebly Pros
- The user interface is easy to use
- Appealing responsive themes
- Site search functionality
- Statistics for the site
- Downloadable site code as a standard HTML/CSS iPad site-editing app
Weebly Cons
- It lacks any sort of photo storage that may be reused
- There is no global undo function
- Mobile websites are not as customizable as regular websites
Weebly Pricing
Weebly offers a free plan and paid plans that start at $9 per month for the Personal plan. Professional plans start at $16 billed monthly, and the Performance plan is billed at $29 per month. There is a $3 savings per month if you opt-in for the annual billing.
Weebly offers a free version for those who want to play with the tool or create a personalized site for testing with a Weebly sub-domain name. They also include a 30-day money-back guarantee on all their plans.
Wix
Wix is one of the most highly-rated Squarespace alternatives on the market today. It offers a world of extra features at the user's fingertips, all while being incredibly easy to use. There's a reason it's one of the most popular web builder tools available today, and it's not because you get more bang for your buck.
Wix Primary Features
Responsive Designs – All Wix websites are automatically responsive, meaning they will look great on any device. No need to worry about creating a separate version of your website for mobile devices.
Over 500 Beautiful Templates to Choose From – With so many beautifully designed templates to choose from, you're sure to find one that suits your needs.
Drag and Drop Builder – The drag and drop functionality makes it easy to create a website without any coding required.
The Wix Application Market – The Wix application market offers a wide range of third-party apps and add-ons that can be used to enhance your website. You can install anything with just one click.
Robust Security – A free SSL certificate is provided for all Wix websites, ensuring that your website is safe and secure. Wix also has an auto-save function and keeps a copy of your website on its servers for you.
Best Domain Registrar – Wix also boasts one of the best domain name registrars, meaning you can buy and manage your domain name all in one place. In addition, all of their premium plans paid annually will provide you with a free domain name for your first year on the platform.
Link Social Accounts – With Wix, it's straightforward to link your social media accounts, add buttons, and start sharing your content with the world.
The SEO Action Plan – Wix also offers an SEO action plan and SEO tools that will help you optimize your website for Google search.
Wix Pros
- The drag-and-drop feature makes it a fantastic choice for beginners
- Simple user interface
- Amazing designs
- Awesome eCommerce tools
- A long list of unique features
- Provides creative freedom to the user
Wix Cons
- Onboarding can be overwhelming with the hundreds of tools available
- Unable to switch templates once you start building your site
- You may have to pay extra for third-party applications
Wix Pricing
Wix has a lot of different plans built for different needs and use cases. Wix pricing starts at $16/month for what is referred to as the Combo plan (for personal use) and scales to the VIP plan at $45/month. They tout their Pro plan as being the best value at $27/month. These are within the Website Plans tab on the pricing page.
They also have Business, eCommerce, and Enterprise Plans. As mentioned, all of their plans offer a free SSL certificate, and the first year of domain registration is free for all annual premium plans.
Wix is more expensive than other builders and doesn't seem to offer an annual discount like the others. If they do, they're not very public about it.
Wix offers a 14-day money-back guarantee for all plans, so you can try everything out and receive a full refund if you're not satisfied. Wix also has a get started free version where you just create an account and start building.
Webflow
Webflow is best suited for designers and developers, those with coding knowledge, although it's not impossible for beginners to use. It delivers a wide range of features and tools, giving users a high level of creative control over their websites.
With its broad scope of features, the ability to create custom code, and robust security components, it's no wonder Webflow is up there as one of the most popular Squarespace alternatives on the market.
Webflow Primary Features
Design and Develop in the Same Place – With Webflow, you can design and develop your website in the same place, at the same time, without ever having to leave the platform. This makes it an excellent choice for designers and developers.
Custom Code – If you know how to code, Webflow gives you the ability to create custom CSS and JavaScript for your website. This is a terrific choice for designers and developers who want more control over their website's design and functionality.
Webflow CMS – For those less experienced, the built-in CMS makes it easy to manage your website's content without having to learn any coding.
Robust Security – Webflow offers a wide range of security features, including an auto-save function, SSL encryption, and malware protection.
Complete Creative Freedom – With Webflow, you have complete creative freedom over your website's design and functionality. You're not limited to templates or predefined designs, giving you the ability to create a website that is truly unique.
Webflow Pros
- No theme restrictions
- No additional plugins required
- Real-time visual builder
- Powerful design tools
- Solid customer support
Webflow Cons
- Various options on plans may be confusing
- Long learning curve
- Some plans have limitations on traffic
Webflow Pricing
You can start designing and learning the basics of Webflow for free. This offers a great way to try out the platform before committing to a paid plan. Once you get the hang of it, the Basic plan starts at $15/month, and the Business plan starts at $45/month.
There is also a CMS plan for $20/month. You can save 20% if you choose annual billing. Enterprise pricing is also an option; you need to contact them to get more information.
Webflow offers the product for free, so they do not have a free trial or money-back guarantee. The free option is limited and not good for a business website.
Read our post on Webflow as a WordPress alternative to learn more about how Webflow can help your site.
Duda
Duda is known for speed, security, and enhanced design capabilities, which help businesses to drive more conversions from their website. Over 20,000 firms and agencies trust Duda to design and host their website.
Duda offers multiple plans suitable for SaaS, agencies, enterprises, and other businesses that come with valuable add-ons and custom-made features, making it very easy to run the business.
Duda Primary Features
Simple editor – Duda offers a straightforward and intuitive drag-and-drop editor that designers can use to customize every website element. Designers get a wide range of font styles, backgrounds, favicons, color overlays, and free images.
Multiple widgets to choose from – Widgets like online scheduling, click-to-call, click-to-email, custom contact form, and many others make it possible to convert visitors into potential clients.
Easy billing solution – Duda makes payment collection from your clients free of hassle. You can choose to offer them both recurring or one-time payment options. Payments are collected easily on your Stripe account.
Collaboration – It is effortless to create, manage, and organize a project with Duda. You can add your team members to help with the project, and the collaboration tools Duda offers make the experience seamless.
Marketing Toolkit – Duda has features that make blog management, SEO optimization, member site creation, and product management a walk in the park.
Duda Pros
- Offers a 14-day free trial
- It has multiple widgets to choose from
- Intuitive editor to create stunning designs
- Premade templates and easy payment solution
- Provides both speed and security
Duda Cons
- Some users may find the editor difficult to use
- The pricing plans are on the higher end
- No free plan is available
- Templates are structured, which restricts design freedom
Duda Pricing
Duda offers 4 pricing plans; the lowest plan costs $14/mo, while the most expensive one costs $74/mo. The other 2 plans are for teams and agencies, costing $22/mo and $44/mo.
You also get a 14-day free trial to test the website builder before investing in it. Duda offers discounts on special occasions and for promotional purposes.
Jimdo
Jimdo is a website-building tool perfectly geared toward small businesses. It offers simplicity and the ability to build your website without touching a line of code. There are robust features like video, galleries, and more, all connected by modern design.
From Jimdo: “Developed with small businesses and the self-employed in mind, we have all the features you need to take your business online. No coding, no complicated tools. And we'll be with you every step of the way.”
Jimdo Primary Features
Design w/o Code – No need to understand or even access code with the Jimdo no code builder tools. Get a great website with an easy-to-use toolset.
Google Tools – Get found using Jimdo's Google integrations and tools to help guide your business to greater online visibility.
Edit Your Design Anytime – Customize your website's look and feel and adjust anything on the fly. The built-in design features make it easy to make changes to your schedule.
Mobile Perfection – The website designs and templates are all built to be responsive right out of the box, so no customizations are needed to make your website look great on all devices.
Copyright Free Photos – With Jimdo, you can select images from their photo library that meet your site's needs; at no charge, quick, easy, and convenient.
Jimdo Pros
- Free logo creator tools are available
- Free website plan for those who don't need a custom domain
- A domain name is free for the first contract term
- HTTPS security
- Solid customer support
Jimdo Cons
- Limited features compared to other options
- Limitations if you like to get your hands dirty with code
- Limited marketing tools and integrations
Jimdo Pricing
You can start designing and using Jimdo's features with their Play plan for free. The limitation is you do not get to use a custom domain name, and they place ads on the site.
Once you upgrade, plans start at $9 per month and scale up to $15 per month for their Grow business plan and $39 per month for their Unlimited plan.
Jimdo offers a 14-day money-back guarantee for all plans, so you can try everything out and receive a full refund if you're not satisfied. And their free plan lets you use their base features free for life.
Deciding Which Website Builder is Right for You
One important factor to consider is the type of website you want to build. If you're just looking to create a single-page website or one with a few pages and no fancy bells and whistles, then you can probably get away with using a free or low-cost website builder.
However, if you're looking to create a more complex website with e-commerce functionality, payment features, or other advanced features, or you are looking for a true alternative to Squarespace, you'll need to use a more robust platform.
Ease of use: The platform should be easy to use, even if you don't have experience with website building. Look for a platform with a drag-and-drop interface, templates, and tutorials.
Features and functionality: Make sure the platform offers the features and functionality that you need. For example, if you want to sell products on your website, look for a website builder with eCommerce features.
Pricing: Website builders offer lots of different pricing options and features. Review the pricing against the features carefully to ensure you're not paying for something you're not likely to use.
Is There a Perfect Website Builder?
Finding a website builder with everything you need can be difficult. It often depends on what you hope to achieve with your site and how much time you're willing to invest.
You might want to consider using a website builder if you need a website quickly and don't have the time or budget to hire a web developer.
Website builders can be a good option if you're not interested in learning how to code or don't have the time. However, website builders may not be the best option if you're looking for a highly custom website or if you need complex features that website builders typically don't offer.
In those cases, it's usually best to hire a web developer. Ultimately, finding the perfect website builder comes down to costs + features + time to build + complexity.
How Much Does It Cost to Build a Website with an Alternative to Squarespace?
If you're looking to build a website on a budget, you might consider Squarespace alternatives. All website builders are similar in price, depending on the features you are looking for.
There are a number of website builders out there that offer similar features to Squarespace but at a lower cost. Don't overpay for features you don't need.
If you're building a website yourself, factor in what you would pay yourself hourly and how many hours you would spend building. If you're paying a developer to build your site, find out their hourly rate and hire someone who knows the platform well to save time and money.
Squarespace Alternatives Wrap-up
Squarespace is a great tool to build one-page sites for eCommerce stores. When it comes to hosted website builder tools, Squarespace is a solid option, but Squarespace alternatives might be better based on your requirements.
During your evaluation of Squarespace alternatives, you'll want to consider options that can closely mimic a complete content management system like what you'd have with a WordPress site.
From guaranteeing strong website performance to offering search engine optimization tools, Squarespace alternatives will get it done. Whether you are looking for a free alternative or more features, website building has never been easier.
