Top 10 Cons & Disadvantages of Squarespace

by Peter Kanai · March 8, 2025

For those seeking a visually stunning and remarkably simple way to build a website, Squarespace has emerged as a frontrunner, empowering individuals and businesses to establish a compelling online presence. Renowned for its sleek templates, user-friendly interface, and all-in-one platform, Squarespace simplifies website creation for users of all technical skill levels. From entrepreneurs launching online stores to creatives showcasing portfolios, Squarespace offers a streamlined path to building visually appealing and functional websites. Its core purpose is to provide an accessible and elegant platform for anyone to create and manage a website without needing to code. People choose Squarespace for its ease of use, beautiful designs, and integrated features like e-commerce and marketing tools.

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Despite its widespread use and intuitive design, Squarespace has some limitations. While it provides a robust platform for website creation, several disadvantages and drawbacks can hinder users seeking advanced customization or specific functionalities. Understanding these potential pitfalls is crucial for anyone considering Squarespace as their primary website platform. This article explores the top 10 cons and disadvantages of using Squarespace, helping you determine if it’s the right choice for your needs.

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10 Disadvantages & Drawbacks of Using Squarespace

When choosing any website building platform, it’s essential to understand its potential downsides. While Squarespace offers numerous advantages, its drawbacks can impact website flexibility, cost, and long-term scalability. Let’s explore the cons of Squarespace that every website owner should consider.

Disadvantage #1: Limited Customization Flexibility

Squarespace, while offering beautiful templates, has limitations in design customization compared to platforms like WordPress. Users may find themselves restricted by the pre-designed structures and have less freedom to implement highly unique or complex designs. This lack of extensive customization can be a constraint for users with very specific design visions.

Template-Driven Design: Squarespace relies heavily on templates, which can limit design originality.
Code Editing Restrictions: Direct code editing (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) is limited, restricting advanced modifications.
Less Design Freedom: Users have less granular control over design elements compared to open-source platforms.

Real-Life Example: A design agency accustomed to creating highly bespoke websites for clients finds Squarespace’s template structure too restrictive for achieving unique layouts and interactive elements, limiting their creative freedom.

Solution: Choose a Squarespace template that closely aligns with your desired design to minimize the need for extensive customization. Utilize Squarespace’s built-in styling options and explore available third-party plugins or CSS customizations within platform limitations.

Disadvantage #2: Higher Pricing Compared to Competitors

Squarespace plans, while offering premium features, can be more expensive than comparable plans from other website builders or hosting providers. For budget-conscious users or those just starting out, the monthly or annual subscription costs can be a significant factor. This higher pricing can be a barrier for individuals and small businesses with limited budgets.

Premium Pricing Model: Squarespace positions itself as a premium service, which is reflected in its pricing structure.
Less Affordable Entry-Level Plans: Basic plans may offer fewer features compared to similarly priced plans on other platforms.
Costly for Multiple Sites: Managing multiple Squarespace sites can become expensive due to per-site subscription fees.

Real-Life Example: A startup launching its first online store finds Squarespace’s e-commerce plan significantly pricier than Shopify’s basic plan, impacting its initial budget allocation for marketing and inventory.

Solution: Carefully compare Squarespace’s pricing tiers and features with competitors like Wix, WordPress.com, or Weebly. Assess your budget and feature requirements to determine if Squarespace’s pricing aligns with your financial constraints and website needs.

Disadvantage #3: Less App and Plugin Ecosystem

Compared to WordPress, Squarespace’s app and plugin ecosystem is significantly smaller. Users have fewer options for extending website functionality through third-party integrations. This limited ecosystem can restrict advanced features or integrations that are readily available on more open platforms. Functionality expansion through apps is less extensive on Squarespace.

Smaller Marketplace: Squarespace’s extension marketplace is not as vast or diverse as WordPress’s plugin repository.
Fewer Niche Integrations: Finding specialized plugins for very specific needs may be challenging.
Reliance on Built-in Features: Users are more reliant on Squarespace’s native features, which may not cover all requirements.

Real-Life Example: A business requiring advanced CRM integration for its Squarespace website finds limited plugin options compared to WordPress, forcing it to compromise on its desired level of system integration.

Solution: Thoroughly research Squarespace’s built-in features and available integrations before committing to the platform. If specific third-party tools or functionalities are crucial, verify their compatibility or explore alternative solutions within Squarespace’s ecosystem.

Disadvantage #4: Migration Complexity

Migrating a website away from Squarespace can be more complex compared to exporting from open-source platforms like WordPress. Squarespace is a closed platform, and exporting content and data may not be as straightforward or comprehensive. Switching platforms later can be a more involved process. Platform migration is not as seamless as with open-source alternatives.

Closed Platform Nature: Squarespace’s proprietary system can make data export less flexible.
Limited Export Options: Exporting all content types and website structures may not be fully supported.
Potential Data Loss: Some data or design elements may not transfer perfectly during migration.

Real-Life Example: A blogger decides to move their Squarespace blog to a self-hosted WordPress site for greater control but encounters difficulties exporting all their content and maintaining the original formatting, leading to extra time and effort in the migration process.

Solution: Before building extensively on Squarespace, consider your long-term website needs and potential platform changes. If migration flexibility is a priority, explore platforms with more open export options or plan for potential manual content migration in the future.

Disadvantage #5: Limited SEO Customization

While Squarespace offers solid built-in SEO features, advanced SEO customization is less flexible compared to WordPress with SEO plugins. Users have less granular control over certain SEO elements, potentially hindering highly optimized search engine performance. Advanced SEO control is not as extensive as on some other platforms.

Basic SEO Tools Adequate: Squarespace provides essential SEO features like meta descriptions and image alt text.
Less Control Over Technical SEO: Customizing elements like URL structures or schema markup can be limited.
Plugin Dependency on WordPress: WordPress’s SEO plugins offer more advanced and fine-grained control.

Real-Life Example: An SEO specialist aiming for highly competitive search rankings finds Squarespace’s SEO settings less flexible than WordPress with Yoast SEO, limiting their ability to implement advanced technical SEO strategies.

Solution: Leverage Squarespace’s built-in SEO tools effectively and optimize content thoroughly. If advanced SEO is a critical priority, consider WordPress or explore third-party SEO tools that can integrate with Squarespace to enhance optimization efforts within platform constraints.

Disadvantage #6: E-commerce Limitations in Basic Plans

Squarespace’s basic plans have limitations in e-commerce functionality compared to dedicated e-commerce platforms or higher-tier Squarespace plans. Transaction fees and restricted features in lower-priced plans can be drawbacks for businesses focused on online sales. Full e-commerce capabilities are not available in entry-level plans.

Transaction Fees on Business Plan: Squarespace charges a 3% transaction fee on sales made through the Business plan.
Limited Features in Lower Tiers: Advanced e-commerce features are typically reserved for Commerce plans.
Basic E-commerce Functionality: Entry-level plans offer essential but not extensive online store capabilities.

Real-Life Example: A small business using Squarespace’s Business plan for their online store is surprised by the 3% transaction fees on each sale, impacting their profit margins, and realizes they need to upgrade to a pricier Commerce plan to eliminate these fees.

Solution: Carefully review Squarespace’s e-commerce plan features and transaction fees. If e-commerce is central to your website, consider upgrading to a Commerce plan to avoid transaction fees and access advanced sales tools, or compare with dedicated e-commerce platforms like Shopify.

Disadvantage #7: Customer Support Limitations

While Squarespace offers customer support, some users report limitations in phone support availability and response times for complex issues. Support is primarily through email and chat, which may not be ideal for urgent or intricate problems requiring direct, immediate assistance. Phone support is not readily available for all users.

No Phone Support on All Plans: Phone support may be limited or unavailable on lower-tier plans.
Email and Chat Focus: Primary support channels are email and chat-based.
Response Time Variability: Response times for complex inquiries can vary, potentially causing delays.

Real-Life Example: A user encounters a critical issue with their live Squarespace store during a peak sales period and needs immediate help, but finds the lack of direct phone support and email response delays frustrating and potentially costly to their business.

Solution: Familiarize yourself with Squarespace’s extensive help documentation and video tutorials for self-service support. For urgent issues, utilize the chat support for quicker responses, or consider upgrading to a plan tier that offers more comprehensive support options if critical assistance is a priority.

Disadvantage #8: Learning Curve for Advanced Features

While Squarespace is user-friendly for basic website creation, mastering advanced features and customizations can involve a steeper learning curve. Utilizing custom code, advanced SEO settings, or complex e-commerce configurations may require more technical knowledge and time investment. Advanced Squarespace mastery requires dedicated learning and effort.

Simple Interface for Basics: Drag-and-drop editor is intuitive for basic tasks.
Advanced Feature Complexity: Deeper customization and features require more technical understanding.
Time Investment for Mastery: Fully leveraging Squarespace’s potential requires time and effort to learn advanced functionalities.

Real-Life Example: A user comfortable with basic Squarespace editing wants to implement advanced SEO techniques or create highly customized store features but finds the learning curve for these advanced functionalities steeper than initially anticipated, requiring additional time for training and implementation.

Solution: Utilize Squarespace’s learning resources, including help guides and video tutorials, to progressively learn advanced features. Consider exploring Squarespace Circle forums for community support or hiring a Squarespace expert for complex customizations to expedite the learning process.

Disadvantage #9: Limited Third-Party Integrations

Squarespace’s selection of direct third-party integrations is not as extensive as some other platforms, especially compared to WordPress’s vast plugin library. While it integrates with essential services, users seeking niche or highly specialized integrations may find fewer options. Integration choices are more limited than on more open platforms.

Curated Integration List: Squarespace offers a selected set of integrations with popular services.
Fewer Specialized Options: Niche or less common integrations may not be directly supported.
Workarounds May Be Needed: Integrating with unsupported services may require workarounds or custom code.

Real-Life Example: A marketing team wants to integrate a very specific, less common marketing automation tool with their Squarespace site but discovers that a direct integration isn’t available, requiring them to explore less seamless workarounds or consider alternative tools.

Solution: Review Squarespace’s list of supported integrations to ensure key services you rely on are compatible. For unsupported integrations, explore options like Zapier or custom code solutions to bridge the gap, or consider if alternative platforms with broader integration ecosystems better suit your needs.

Disadvantage #10: Template Lock-in

Switching Squarespace templates, while possible, can be more disruptive than on some platforms. Changing templates can require significant redesign and content adjustments, as templates have different structures and features. Template changes are not always seamless and can require rework. Changing templates can be time-consuming and complex.

Template Structure Differences: Templates vary significantly in layout and functionality.
Content Reorganization: Switching templates often necessitates reorganizing content to fit the new design.
Redesign Effort: Template changes can involve substantial redesign work to maintain visual consistency.

Real-Life Example: A user decides to refresh their Squarespace website’s look by switching templates but realizes that their existing content doesn’t fit the new template’s structure well, requiring them to spend considerable time redesigning pages and restructuring content.

Solution: Choose your initial Squarespace template carefully, considering long-term design direction and scalability. Utilize Squarespace’s style editor to customize your chosen template extensively before considering a template switch. If a template change is necessary, plan for potential content restructuring and redesign efforts.

How Could These Disadvantages Be Overcome Globally?

Overcoming Squarespace’s disadvantages requires a multi-faceted approach involving platform development, community engagement, and user education. While some limitations stem from Squarespace’s curated and closed ecosystem, many drawbacks can be mitigated to enhance user experience and platform versatility. Addressing these issues would solidify Squarespace’s position as a top-tier website builder. Collective efforts from Squarespace and its user base are essential for progress. Here are some global strategies to address these disadvantages:

Expand Customization Options: Squarespace could broaden design customization flexibility within templates and enhance code editing capabilities, empowering users with greater creative control without compromising ease of use.
Competitive and Tiered Pricing: Squarespace could introduce more competitively priced entry-level plans and offer more granular plan tiers, catering to diverse user needs and budgets and making the platform more accessible to a wider range of users.
Grow App and Plugin Ecosystem: Squarespace could actively encourage and support third-party developers to expand its app and plugin marketplace, filling functionality gaps and offering users more integration choices.
Simplify Migration Processes: Squarespace could streamline website migration processes, offering more comprehensive export tools and guides to facilitate easier transitions for users moving away from the platform when needed.
Enhance Customer Support Accessibility: Squarespace could expand customer support channels, including phone support options across more plans and ensuring faster response times, particularly for critical issues, improving user confidence and support experience.

Top 5 Squarespace Website Design Agencies

While numerous web design agencies offer general website creation services, some agencies specialize in the Squarespace platform and excel at crafting exceptional websites within this ecosystem. These agencies possess in-depth knowledge of Squarespace’s design capabilities, template customization, and unique features, enabling businesses to achieve visually stunning and high-performing Squarespace sites. Collaborating with a specialized Squarespace design agency can significantly enhance your website’s aesthetic appeal and user experience. Here are five top website design agencies proficient in Squarespace:

Pocketknife: Pocketknife is an expert Squarespace design and development agency with over 10 years of experience. They focus on creating visually appealing, user-friendly, and SEO-friendly Squarespace websites, offering personalized attention and support.
Blu Mint: Blu Mint specializes in Squarespace website design, creating stunning and professional websites that are easy for clients to manage themselves. Their services include creative consultancy, SEO optimization, and Squarespace training.
SPARK6 Inc: SPARK6 Inc is a versatile web design and development company recognized for expertise in Squarespace Custom Website Development, Mobile-Friendly Design, and UX Design. Clients praise their responsiveness and project management.
IT-Geeks: IT-Geeks is a web design and development company specializing in responsive Squarespace web design, UI/UX design, and custom website development. As a Shopify Plus Partner, they are praised for their project management and exceptional value.
The Square Agency: The Square Agency focuses oncustom Squarespace website design and development, creating visually stunning and functional Squarespace sites optimized for business growth. They also offer Squarespace support and e-commerce solutions.

What is Squarespace?

Squarespace is a leading all-in-one website building and hosting platform, launched in 2004. It empowers individuals and businesses to create and manage websites, online stores, blogs, and portfolios using a drag-and-drop interface and professionally designed templates. Squarespace simplifies the technical aspects of website creation, handling hosting, security, and updates, allowing users to focus on content and design. For writers and readers, Squarespace provides a platform to create and consume content in a visually appealing and user-friendly environment. It operates on a subscription-based model, offering various plans for different needs. Users access Squarespace through web browsers to build and manage their sites.

All-in-One Platform: Combines website building, hosting, domain registration, and marketing tools in one service.
Drag-and-Drop Interface: This offers an intuitive visual editor for easy website creation and content management.
Professionally Designed Templates: Provides a wide array of modern and customizable website templates.
E-commerce Features: Enables users to build and manage online stores with product listings, payments, and order management.
Integrated Marketing Tools: Includes built-in SEO tools, email marketing features, and social media integrations.

Real-Life Example: A photographer uses Squarespace to create a visually stunning portfolio website to showcase their work, attract clients, and sell prints online, leveraging Squarespace’s templates and e-commerce features. In 2025, Squarespace powers millions of websites globally, catering to diverse users from bloggers to large businesses.

Videos About Squarespace

Video tutorials are invaluable resources for learning how to use Squarespace effectively and mastering its features. Visual guides can walk users through various aspects of website building, from initial setup to advanced customization techniques. Here are some recommended video resources for learning about Squarespace:

Conclusion

Squarespace stands out as a user-friendly and visually impressive website builder, particularly appealing to those seeking ease of use and elegant design. Its template-driven approach and all-in-one features simplify website creation and management. However, it’s crucial to acknowledge its disadvantages, including limited customization, higher pricing, and a less extensive app ecosystem. Before choosing Squarespace, carefully weigh these cons against the pros, considering your specific website goals, technical skills, and budget. A balanced evaluation will help you determine if Squarespace’s strengths outweigh its limitations for your unique online presence needs.