WordPress vs Squarespace: Which Should You Use

When building a website, one of the first decisions you’ll face is choosing the right platform. WordPress and Squarespace are two of the most popular options, each offering unique strengths and limitations. The choice between them often depends on your goals, budget, and technical confidence. Understanding how these platforms differ can help you make the right decision for your business, whether you’re launching an ecommerce store, a portfolio, or a service-based website.

Overview of WordPress

WordPress is an open-source content management system (CMS) that powers more than 40% of all websites globally. It offers exceptional flexibility, allowing users to customise every aspect of their site with themes, plugins, and code. WordPress can be used for almost any type of website—from blogs and business sites to large ecommerce platforms.

The platform itself is free, but you’ll need to pay for hosting, a domain name, and any premium plugins or themes you choose to use. The trade-off is total control over your site’s design, functionality, and optimisation.

WordPress is ideal for users who want maximum customisation, advanced SEO control, and scalability. However, it can require more technical knowledge and ongoing maintenance compared to an all-in-one platform like Squarespace.

Overview of Squarespace

Squarespace is a fully hosted website builder known for its elegant design templates and user-friendly interface. It’s an all-in-one platform that handles hosting, security, and software updates automatically, making it a great choice for individuals or businesses that want to create a professional-looking website quickly.

Squarespace includes built-in tools for blogging, ecommerce, and SEO, as well as integrations for marketing and analytics. Its drag-and-drop editor allows users to design pages easily without any coding skills.

However, while Squarespace is convenient and visually appealing, it offers less flexibility than WordPress. Custom functionality can be limited, and users are restricted to the tools and design structures Squarespace provides.

Ease of Use

If simplicity is your top priority, Squarespace is the clear winner. Its intuitive interface makes it easy for beginners to build and manage a website without needing technical knowledge. You can choose a template, customise it with text and images, and publish your site in just a few hours.

WordPress, by comparison, has a steeper learning curve. Setting up a WordPress site involves choosing a hosting provider, installing the CMS, and configuring themes and plugins. While modern hosting providers have simplified this process, ongoing management—such as updates and backups—still requires more involvement.

However, once you understand how WordPress works, its flexibility and control far outweigh the initial learning curve, particularly for growing businesses.

Design and Customisation

Squarespace is known for its sleek, modern templates that look great on any device. These designs are polished and easy to adapt with simple editing tools. However, design customisation is limited compared to WordPress. You can tweak layouts, colours, and fonts, but you can’t easily change core template structures or add advanced features beyond Squarespace’s built-in tools.

WordPress offers unlimited design freedom. With thousands of themes and plugins available, you can create virtually any layout or feature you need. You can also use page builders like Elementor or Divi for drag-and-drop editing, similar to Squarespace, but with much greater flexibility.

For creative professionals or brands wanting a highly unique design, WordPress provides more room for customisation. Squarespace is best suited for those who prefer pre-designed templates that look good with minimal effort.

SEO Capabilities

SEO is one of the biggest factors to consider when choosing a platform. Both WordPress and Squarespace have SEO tools, but WordPress is generally more powerful for long-term optimisation.

WordPress allows complete control over meta titles, descriptions, schema, image alt text, and URL structure. With plugins such as Yoast SEO or Rank Math, you can manage advanced features like XML sitemaps, redirects, and on-page optimisation in detail.

Squarespace includes built-in SEO settings and automatically generates mobile-friendly pages, but it offers less flexibility for advanced optimisation. For smaller sites or portfolios, Squarespace’s SEO tools are sufficient, but businesses competing in highly competitive markets often benefit from WordPress’s deeper control.

Ecommerce and Marketing

Both WordPress and Squarespace offer ecommerce functionality, but the setup and scalability differ.

Squarespace includes ecommerce features in its higher-tier plans, making it easy to sell products, manage inventory, and accept payments without installing extra software. It’s perfect for small businesses or artists who want a simple online store.

WordPress, through the WooCommerce plugin, provides a much more advanced ecommerce system. WooCommerce supports everything from physical goods to digital downloads and subscription services. It also integrates with a wide range of payment gateways and marketing tools.

If you plan to run a large or complex ecommerce operation, WordPress offers more customisation and scalability. Squarespace works best for smaller stores that value convenience and visual presentation.

Cost Comparison

Squarespace operates on a subscription model with plans ranging from around £12 to £35 per month, which includes hosting, security, and templates. This makes costs predictable and easy to manage.

WordPress itself is free, but costs depend on your choices. Hosting typically ranges from £5 to £30 per month, and premium themes or plugins can add extra costs. While WordPress can be cheaper overall, it may require more setup and ongoing maintenance time.

For users who prefer simplicity and fixed pricing, Squarespace is more straightforward. For those who want flexibility and scalability, WordPress offers better long-term value.

Maintenance and Security

Squarespace handles all maintenance and security automatically. You never have to worry about software updates, backups, or server performance. This makes it ideal for users who prefer a hands-off approach.

WordPress requires more attention. You’ll need to update plugins and themes regularly, manage backups, and secure your site against potential vulnerabilities. However, managed WordPress hosting providers now handle many of these tasks automatically, reducing the workload significantly.

If you value control and don’t mind occasional maintenance, WordPress is a reliable choice. If you prefer simplicity and peace of mind, Squarespace is easier to manage.

Which Platform Is Right for You

• Choose Squarespace if you want a simple, elegant, all-in-one website builder that requires minimal maintenance and looks professional out of the box.

• Choose WordPress if you need a fully customisable, scalable platform with advanced SEO, ecommerce, and content capabilities.

Your decision ultimately depends on your goals. If you’re launching a small portfolio or creative site, Squarespace offers convenience and design ease. For growing businesses that want complete control over performance, SEO, and functionality, WordPress remains the more powerful option.

Final Thoughts

Both WordPress and Squarespace can help you build a professional website, but they cater to different needs. Squarespace prioritises simplicity and design, while WordPress focuses on flexibility and scalability.

If you want quick setup and minimal management, Squarespace is ideal. If you’re aiming for long-term growth, advanced SEO, and full control, WordPress gives you the tools to create a truly powerful online presence. Choosing the right platform from the start will set the foundation for your business’s online success.