WordPress vs Squarespace – Which Platform Works Best to Build Website?
How can you choose the best platform to build your website?
By knowing it in-depth!!
With so many website builders out there; Squarespace and WordPress are the best ones. Undeniably, On the one hand, WordPress is empowering 47% of the CMS based websites online whereas, on the other hand, Squarespace has 39% of all websites. It is quite tough to choose the one from these for your website development.
Before choosing the one, you need to think about some of the important questions.
- Find out the aim behind the website creation?
- Is this a simple web presence, such as an online portfolio or complicated web application, such as a media portal with several articles?
- If you are creating an eCommerce website then do you want to sell the services online or is it an online store with 10.000+ products?
- Are you asking for the professional developers to build the website or are you building it on your own?
- If in any case, you choose the DIY process then are you technically proficient?
- Are you an expert in PHP, CSS, HTML, and JavaScript?
- Are you aware of the search engine optimization significance?
WordPress Vs Squarespace – Pick the fittest Website Platform
| WordPress | Squarespace |
|---|---|
| WordPress is open-source free software that allows you to build an elegant website, app, or blog. | Squarespace is an online tool for building a functionally-oriented website. |
| You have to get a WordPress hosting and install the software on the server to execute. | It is a kind of subscription-oriented service where you spend a monthly fee for managing it. |
| You perceive a domain name free with different hosting plans, however, they do not offer you a requirement to purchase a domain name from third party domain companies. | You have a free Squarespace subdomain, such as ABC.squarespace.com. If you require a custom domain, then, you can purchase it from Squarespace or accept the one you already hold. |
| SSL certificate is involved in the hosting plan sometimes contrarily; you must accept one from third-party certificate providers. | SSL certificate is involved in every Squarespace plan. |
| WooCommerce offers the eCommerce ability to WordPress that has several free plugins. Moreover, you can perceive hundreds of free premium WooCommerce themes. | It possesses in-built eCommerce functionalities so that you can build feature-oriented online stores. However, you must take eCommerce specified plans. |
| WordPress Design has thousands of premium and free themes. | Squarespace Design has approximately 60 beautiful templates. |
| WordPress ought an SEO-friendly interface, posts, and pages. Additionally, there are various SEO plugins such as Yoast SEO. | Properly search engine optimized platform. |
| You are accountable for defending WordPress security. Every part of the security also relies on the WordPress hosting you are leveraging. | Squarespace has in-built security features with each Squarespace website. |
| Several resources, videos, documentation, tutorials, are accessible. The support can be taken via emails, forums, and chat. | Dedicated support and valuable knowledge base by community forum, email, and chat. |
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Get Started with the Basics
What is Squarespace?
It is the Software as a Service (SaaS)website builder that demands the users to pay fees on a monthly basis to access it. However, everything you require to create and maintain the website is administered as part of that, with:- Content Management System (CMS)
- e-commerce features
- a domain name (if needed)
- templates
- hosting
- support
What is WordPress?
Generally, there are two versions of WordPress, as defined below:- Hosted WordPress
- Self-hosted WordPress
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WordPress Vs Squarespace: Features Comparison
There is no doubt that WordPress and Squarespace are one of the fully-featured platforms. It allows the users to build an outstanding website with one platform, even though some points are there where one is more influential than the other. To know it in-depth, let's check out below which one is most powerful.1. The Learning Curve and Ease of use
The beginner-level users and business owners are not acquainted with CSS, HTML, and several code-oriented things. The desire is to choose the platform that assists them to make the website without the need of any developer. Let's find out below how Squarespace and WordPress are justifying this category.WordPress
When it is about creating a DIY website, starting a small business or blog, WordPress is the first and foremost choice. It is estimated that more than 35.2% of websites are powered with WordPress. As WordPress is easy to use and intuitive, then, of course, there is a slight learning curve. The newbies have to get themselves familiarized with WordPress and the basic concepts, like, the difference between the categories vs tags, posts vs pages, and yes, knowing the plugins and themes. It has the default WordPress content editor that could be used easily. This editor has the custom blocks to include the content elements to the pages so that you can make the beautiful layouts with media-oriented content.Squarespace
Contrasted to WordPress, Squarespace does not accumulate several choices. With this scarcity, it has become easy to use and a simple platform. The beginners can use it to write and publish the content in a seamless manner. Similar to WordPress, Squarespace uses the block editor. The images, audio, and video files can be added easily. Several layout control and content block choices are there in the block editor. This platform allows you the customization of the pages and templates with the help of a visual editor. But, there are some options that are restricted in the customizer. We can call Squarespace as the controlled environment where many of the options are limited.2. Templates and Themes
One of the important things while designing the website is the design and the templates. The design you choose must define the aim of your brand. We cannot be lenient while preferring the one as the themes and the templates hold the capacity to engage a large number of users. Let's find out below whether WordPress or Squarespace is appropriate as per this aspect.WordPress
WordPress is dependent on the customizable themes and it uses the plugin architecture. It incorporates several WP themes, whether paid or free. WordPress has almost 55000 plugins for every type of modification and extra functionality. When you are an expert in PHP, JS, HTML, and CSS then, you can leverage the WordPress theme as the design of the website and customize everything that you require. In the themes, there are several templates, all with the template hierarchy.Squarespace
As similar to WordPress, Squarespace relies more on customizable templates. Overall, there are 100 templates; and all these are classified in the template families for sharing the similar features and functionalities. While setting up the profile in Squarespace, you need to get the template to initiate. According to the website purpose, the recommended templates can be selected that list down your choice and allow you to start easily. Here, you need to know that the templates cannot be combined. What you can do is to choose one template and then, move to another in some time. Besides, the process of transition could be a tough task, as per the differences in the dedicated features and the templates. However, these templates can be compared. Each template can be accessible with the subscription plan and each of them has a responsive design.3. Integrations and Extensions
Every website builder has an in-built features collection. With the growth of the website, you can include more features and link the website to the third-party services and tools. To know how these platforms are working in this regard, you need to check below:WordPress
Though, there are many things that make WordPress the priority. The plugins have a different and huge ecosystem. The plugins perform as the apps for the WordPress website that could be installed to include the new features or modify the default website behavior. Currently, there are 55000+ free WordPress plugins in the WordPress.org plugin directory alone. Also, WordPress has thousands of premium WordPress plugins accessible from third party websites. The WordPress plugins are so powerful that most of them are fully-functional with the add-on plugins and the outstanding community developed within. As WordPress is the leading website builder, several third-party tools and services include their own WordPress plugins that have their services to the WordPress website.Squarespace
Squarespace has made it easy to include the third part customizations and integrations. Though, as compared to WordPress, it does not encompass the robust API that the developers can build on. They also offer few official third-party integrations, however, that are restricted, and not every high-end service is supported. In the case of eCommerce, their built-in platform can be used, though, it cannot be stretched in some way. The Squarespace does not have the functionality that enables the custom websites that might be required in the online business concept.4. Blogging Preferences
Including blogs on the website is of utmost importance. The visitors like to read about what you are including in the website. Prefer to write blogs that are according to recent activities and that can appeal to the audience.WordPress
Initially, WordPress was built as the blogging platform. Later, because of the extendable features, it has become the website builder platform as well. This Content management system can be used easily and does not demand any expertise in the technical skills to write and publish the blogs, maintaining the image library, uploading the images and videos, communicating with the visitors via comment, structure the URLs and sharing the blog posts on social media, etc. You can choose among the textual and visual mode for editing the post, you can schedule them for later, keep them as drafts, etc. Additionally, WordPress mobile apps have ma Is it easy to write, edit, and publish posts on the go?Squarespace
Squarespace has proved itself as the quality blogging platform. It allows you to import the existing WordPress blog to Squarespace if you wish to migrate the platform. There was an option, termed as "Post by email" that you can send the blog post with email, and, then, Squarespace post it for you. But, it is not there to access. However, there are common features, like, geolocation tags, track tags, track tags, reblogging, and many more. Though, do not forget that there is no optimizing single blog page title and pages. The meta descriptions cannot be adjusted for the specific posts that do not give justice to the SEO efforts. Hene, if you are serious about blog posts for search engines, then Squarespace is not an appropriate option for you.5. Data Portability
Everyone needs to follow the safety clauses while signing the business agreement. That implies if someone is not liking the idea then they can drop it at that time only. This strategy is also applicable to online businesses even, hence, it is known as data portability. Let's find out how Squarespace and WordPress act in data portability.WordPress
WordPress has several built-in tools to export the data easily. Not, only the images and content get exported, the plugins, themes, and even the overall database can be backed-up as well. This content can then be moved to some other CMS. In addition, the content can be stored somewhere else and the web hosts can be changed at any time you want.Squarespace
Similar to other features, the Squarespace export feature also has many restrictions. Some parts of the content in the XML file can be exported. It includes the galleries, pages, and the blog page with every post. The album pages, product pages, video, audio, and text cannot be exported.Facing any ecommerce store optimization issue Discuss with our experts developers
6. E-commerce
If you are creating an online store, then, you must be wondering to choose the best platform. As here, we are contrasting Squarespace and WordPress, then your job of securing the best one can be solved.WordPress
WordPress enables you to include and leverage the payment platform or process you require. Several WordPress plugins are there that enables you to seamlessly accept the online payments using the Google Checkout, PayPal, Skrill, Payoneer, 2Checkout, and Stripe, etc. WordPress holds many eCommerce plugins that change the website in the online store in some minutes only. Here, the best eCommerce platform is WooCommerce which is the WordPress Plugin. WooCommerce has its own ecosystem with the WooCommerce add-ons and hundreds of WooCommerce ready themes. There is no restriction on how many products you can include to the website, how you are displaying, and selling them. You can execute every affiliate program and leverage every trick to boost the sales without some limitations.Squarespace
In addition to all other functionalities, the sphere of Squarespace is also limited here. PayPal and Stripe could be used for payment processing that is also only accessible in some countries only. It does not incorporate any other payment system that restricts the capacity to accept the payments from global visitors or customers. When it is about growing business, starting with such restrictions is the best idea. Despite this, you can also sell the products in Commerce or business plans. Consider, if you like to sell the products, you have to pay for the business plan and the yearly cost of hosting the website in just one product to sell is more than the shared hosting plan or VPS for WordPress. For the third-party services, there are some external services that can be integrated with the Squarespace website.7. Pricing
What is the cost of building the website with WordPress and Squarespace? Yes, it is the general question that those asking who are planning to create the website. Check out the below table to know the cost of these platforms:| WordPress | Squarespace |
|---|---|
| WordPress Software: FREE | Does not require any software installation |
| SSL Certificate via Let’s Encrypt: FREE WordPress hosting (Siteground’s GoGeek Plan): $11.95/month | SSL Certificate: FREE Personal plan: $12/month billed annually |
| Domain name (.com domain from GoDaddy): $11.99/ year | Domain via Squarespace Store: $20-$70/ year |
| Theme (Flash theme by ThemeGrill): FREE | Squarespace Template: FREE |
| Total: $23.94 cost for the first month ($11.95*12 + $11.99= Per year cost) | Total: $32 cost for the first month ($12*12 + $20= Per year cost) |
8. Customer Support
We cannot neglect the customer support as it is also in the list of those factors that decide which platform to choose. The beginners look for customer support as an essential factor as they might need support in setting up, customization and designing, etc.WordPress
As it is known that WordPress is open-source software that has the worldwide community. Hence, you can have many WordPress documentation, tutorials, and resources online. Additionally, many WordPress experts are active in the WordPress community forum that solves the issues and provides WordPress support. Then, you can have support from the WordPress product-oriented experts. If there are some theme-related issues, then, you should ask the theme and plugin company for a plugin related program. There are product-oriented community forums that are available and on top of which, several WordPress companies offer expert customer support.Squarespace
Squarespace is primarily the paid service that makes the customer service more reliable. This platform offers service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week expert support to the customers via community forums and live chat email.Let's talk your Project requirements Today