Choosing the wrong website platform can quietly kill your growth before it even gets started.
I’ve seen it happen.
After building 200+ websites — from eCommerce to local services — I’ve watched companies thrive on the right platform and stall for years on the wrong one.
This is the no-BS breakdown of WordPress vs Squarespace so you pick the one that makes (not costs) you the most money.
No hype. No corporate spin. Just results.
If I had no clue about websites and was building one myself, I’d choose Squarespace.
If I wanted something powerful, future-proof, and built for serious growth — I’d go WordPress (and hire an expert).
Squarespace bundles hosting, templates, and support in one place, making it extremely user-friendly and fast to launch.
Still not sure? Use the quick decision flowchart below to see which platform fits you best.
Need help choosing? I’ve helped 200+ businesses make the right call — book a free 15-min strategy call.
WordPress is an open-source CMS with near-unlimited customisation via themes, plugins, and custom code. More flexible, more scalable — and it rewards you for investing in it.
Squarespace is an all-in-one website builder with sleek templates and built-in hosting. It’s fast to launch, easy to use, and low-maintenance — with trade-offs in flexibility.
Bottom line:
WordPress = Unlimited potential and control (with some responsibility)
Squarespace = Quick setup and simplicity (with limits)
If you value speed and simplicity, lean Squarespace. If you value control and growth, lean WordPress.
Mini-Takeaway: WordPress wins on ecosystem and scalability. Squarespace wins on simplicity and speed to publish.
92% of UK & US Business Owners Use WordPress – Survey of 500 business owners, showing WordPress’s dominance for business websites.
If you need features that don’t exist out-of-the-box, WordPress can be made to do it.
If you want to launch this week and avoid maintenance, Squarespace is a joy.
Below are real-life case studies and first-hand experiences with both platforms.
There is no better way to help you make an informed decision based on actual use cases.
Before: Squarespace site looked fine, but was rigid for SEO changes.
After: Migrated to WordPress → traffic doubled; leads up 300%.
Lesson: If SEO is your growth channel, WordPress lets you move faster and push further.
Before: 8 years on Squarespace. Issues with load speed, mobile responsiveness, and SEO. Limited affiliate tools.
After: Migrated to WordPress → faster load times, improved mobile UX, better monetisation.
Lesson: Image-heavy, content-driven sites benefit from WordPress performance and plugin flexibility.
Before: Loyal WordPress user tired of updates and plugin management.
After: Switched to Squarespace → setup is faster, zero plugin headaches, smoother day-to-day.
Lesson: If you hate maintenance and don’t need deep customisation, Squarespace removes friction.
Before: WordPress with designer reliance, plugin updates, occasional downtime.
After: Squarespace → full control, lower downtime, clean portfolio + courses.
Lesson: For portfolio-first businesses with straightforward needs, Squarespace can be a game-changer.
| Capability | WordPress | Squarespace | Winner |
| Custom Design Freedom | ✅ | ❌ | WordPress |
| Drag-and-Drop Builder | ✅ (multiple options) | ✅ | Tie |
| Mobile-Friendly Templates | ✅ | ✅ | Tie |
| Custom Code Access | ✅ | Limited | WordPress |
| Ease for Non-Designers | ❌ | ✅ | Squarespace |
Both platforms offer various design options.
Ultimately, it comes down to the type of website you need.
Before choosing between the two, consider:
Built-In Simplicity: Listings, inventory, taxes, and discounts are straightforward.
Payments: Stripe, PayPal, Apple Pay — all in the dashboard.
Mobile Checkout: Smooth, responsive templates.
Integrated Stack: Email, analytics, customer accounts included.
| SEO Factor | WordPress | Squarespace | Winner |
| URL Structure Control | ✅ | ❌ (some fixed paths) | WordPress |
| SEO Plugins/Tooling | ✅ (Yoast, Rank Math, etc.) | ❌ | WordPress |
| Page Speed Controls | ✅ (hosting/caching/CDN options) | ❌ (heavier JS) | WordPress |
| Structured Data/Schema | ✅ (granular) | Basic only | WordPress |
| Local SEO Features | ✅ | Limited | WordPress |
| Mobile Optimisation | ✅ | ✅ | Tie |
I would be lying if I said, “You cannot do SEO on Squarespace”.
Squarespace would not have achieved the success it has if that was the case.
Having said that, Squarespace does limit you.
Here are some pros and cons of both platforms without getting too geeky.
Full Control Over URLs – Customize every aspect of your site’s URL structure for better SEO.
Powerful SEO Plugins – Use tools like Yoast and Rank Math to optimize every page.
Better Site Speed Optimization – WordPress helps your site load faster by compressing images. Storing parts of your website for quick access. You can also use tools to speed it up for visitors based on location.
Stronger Blogging & Content SEO – Advanced tools for internal linking, pagination, and content optimization.
Customizable Metadata – Complete control over page titles and descriptions. Control how your website appears on social media.
Advanced Schema & Structured Data – Easily add rich snippets for products, reviews, and FAQs.
Better Local SEO – Optimised for Google My Business and local search rankings.
Requires some technical knowledge – Needs setup and optimization to perform well.
SEO plugins are a must – WordPress alone isn’t optimized. You will need plugins like Rank Math and Yoast SEO.
Site speed depends on hosting – Without proper hosting and caching your site may be slow.
Security needs monitoring – Requires updates and security plugins to prevent attacks.
Frequent maintenance – Regular plugin and theme updates to avoid conflicts.
No built-in SEO features – Everything must be manually configured or done through plugins.
Steeper learning curve – More flexibility means more effort to set up and optimize. You may need help from an SEO consultant.
Easy to use – No coding or plugins needed; SEO settings are built-in.
Simple blogging and content management – Clean editor for quick updates.
Mobile-optimized templates – All themes are responsive out of the box.
Auto-generated XML sitemap – Google can easily crawl your pages.
Built-in SSL and CDN – Secure and fast hosting included at no extra cost.
Automatic image compression – Reduces image sizes for better performance.
No plugin hassle – No need to manage SEO plugins or third-party tools.
Limited URL control – Can’t remove /blog/ or /products/ from URLs.
Less control over metadata – Squarespace sometimes overrides your meta descriptions. But then again, so does Google so take that with a grain of salt.
Basic schema markup only – No easy way to add custom structured data.
No SEO plugins – No tools like Yoast or Rank Math for advanced optimization.
Slower load times – Templates rely heavily on JavaScript, which affects speed.
Limited redirects – No bulk 301 redirect management.
Poor e-commerce SEO – Checkout pages use *.squarespace.com, hurting branding and your SEO.
Squarespace = Renting a beautiful flat
Fixed, predictable cost
No maintenance
Limited renovations
WordPress = Owning the land
You choose the plot (hosting) and blueprint (theme/builder)
More responsibility
Unlimited potential and resale value
Both platforms offer competitive pricing.
The choice you make should not come down to pricing alone.
As you can see, there is not much difference between the two options.
But you will start to incur extra costs when using WordPress compared to Squarespace.
These prices are from WordPress.org.
There are hundreds of WordPress Hosting Providers, so it’s worth shopping around.
Self-hosted WordPress is also an option but this would require some technical expertise.
Note: Domain registration is not always included with hosting plans.
If you want to add advanced features these will come with an extra cost.
Squarespace pricing bundles all these costs in one.
The chances of you needing to dip into your pockets again are very unlikely.
Squarespace: 24/7 support across plans.
WordPress: Customer support depends on your host, theme, plugins, or developer — but you gain choice and redundancy.
DIY beginners value Squarespace support. Teams/agencies often prefer WordPress flexibility.
A website isn’t just “online real estate.” It’s your sales team, your marketing engine, and your brand’s first impression — all rolled into one.
If you want quick, simple, and beautiful → Squarespace.
If you want power, growth, and control → WordPress.
Choose wisely.
The platform you build on today will decide how far you can go tomorrow.
Not sure which is right for your business?
I’ve helped 200+ businesses choose the perfect platform and set them up for long-term success.
Book a free 15-minute strategy call and get a personalised recommendation.
