One of the first questions people setting up a new business find themselves asking is how to build a website. This is often followed by a second question: whether to use WordPress or Squarespace.
WordPress and Squarespace are two of the best-known solutions for building websites. Used by millions of users all over the world, they allow businesses to set up attractive sites quickly and cost-effectively. Deciding which platform to use can be a complex task. This article explains when and why each platform might be the more appropriate choice, across three key areas: ambitions for the site, budget, and time available.
What Are Your Ambitions for Your Site
Working out what a website needs to do is a hugely important part of any web project — and it is particularly important when deciding between WordPress and Squarespace. With WordPress, it is possible to build virtually any kind of site. With Squarespace, the options are more limited, for two key reasons:
- WordPress allows users to make use of thousands of themes; Squarespace provides just 60
- There are no plugins — that is, third-party apps — available for Squarespace to extend its functionality; by contrast, there are thousands available for WordPress
There is a developer's version of Squarespace available which allows users to do more with the platform, but it requires good coding and web development skills. With WordPress, although some time will need to be invested in configuring the site, all the tools needed to make something tailored to specific requirements are readily available — including thousands of premium themes, plugins, and e-commerce tools to create a bespoke, functionality-rich website. Although a great deal can be achieved with Squarespace, it is a more restricted platform, particularly for those needing to build a large site or one that is offered in a variety of languages.
Budget Considerations
WordPress, as an open source product, is technically free. However, when the costs of buying a professional template, some premium plugins, an e-commerce solution, and managed WordPress hosting are factored in, the overall costs can end up exceeding those of Squarespace.
Squarespace is an all-in-one solution — users pay a monthly fee and receive a domain, a CMS, hosting, e-commerce capability, and a reasonable level of functionality as part of the package. With WordPress, each element needs to be added separately, and costs can increase significantly when quality components are selected.
Time Available to Build and Maintain the Site
The third area to consider is time. Squarespace is a tool designed for those who want to put a website together quickly without requiring coding skills. With WordPress, there is more of a learning curve involved in getting started, and building or maintaining a site typically requires either technical knowledge or access to a developer.
Beyond the initial build, there is ongoing site maintenance to consider. Squarespace is essentially a set-and-forget solution, with the company taking care of software updates, security, and hosting. WordPress typically requires more active management from its users. A WordPress site that has not been properly maintained in terms of software and plugin updates can become vulnerable to security risks.
Support arrangements also differ. With Squarespace, a support desk is included with the product. With WordPress, support depends on having an arrangement with a developer or agency to provide it — and when things go wrong, users may find themselves relying on community forums or online resources for answers to technical queries.
Which Platform Is Better
For those with significant time and budget available, and ambitious plans for their website, WordPress is likely to be the stronger option — though it is advisable to commission a developer to build and maintain the site rather than attempting to manage it independently.
For those working with limited resources, or with straightforward website requirements, Squarespace will deliver a good-quality website more quickly and with less ongoing management overhead — though expectations around site flexibility and functionality should be set accordingly.
Reasons to Use Squarespace Over WordPress
- Squarespace is easier to set up and use than WordPress
- Many features that require separate sourcing in WordPress are available as standard in Squarespace — including e-commerce, data capture forms, and themes
- Hosting and domain names are included with the Squarespace product; with WordPress, these need to be arranged separately
- With Squarespace, users do not need to concern themselves with the technical aspects of site maintenance; with WordPress, ongoing management is required or the site becomes vulnerable
- Squarespace is responsible for the security of its websites; with WordPress, security depends on how diligently software updates are applied
- 24/7 support is available for Squarespace
Reasons to Use WordPress Over Squarespace
- Any type of site can be built with WordPress; this is not the case with the standard version of Squarespace
- A significantly wider range of themes is available for WordPress than for Squarespace
- WordPress offers a more sophisticated content management system which, unlike Squarespace, facilitates content versioning
- A vast range of plugins — both paid and free — is available to add functionality to a WordPress website; no such plugins are available for Squarespace
- Data capture options are more extensive in WordPress than in Squarespace
- WordPress sites can be optimised for search engines more easily than Squarespace ones
- WordPress gives users more control over their content; with Squarespace, an acceptable use policy applies
- WordPress is a better option than Squarespace for creating multilingual or multisite projects
How Professional Academy Supports Your Journey
Understanding the digital tools and platforms available — including website platforms such as WordPress and Squarespace — is an increasingly important part of modern marketing practice. CIM marketing qualifications from Professional Academy cover digital marketing, content strategy, and the broader skills needed to plan, build, and manage an effective online presence.
Professional Academy supports marketers and aspiring marketers at all levels, with a range of study options designed to fit around a working life. To find out which qualification is the right fit, visit the Qualifications Navigator or book a call with the team.
