5 Powerful Alternatives To Squarespace
By Sam Nguyen
Ditch the ordinary and amplify your web presence! In a quest for excellence beyond Squarespace, we present five dynamic alternatives that empower you to craft stunning websites that truly stand out.
Key Takeaways
- Shopify: Ideal for robust e-commerce solutions, offering a comprehensive platform for online stores.
- Wix: Versatile with creative flexibility, suitable for various website types, including portfolios and blogs.
- Hostinger: Budget-friendly option with easy customization, catering to personal blogs and small businesses.
- GoDaddy: Offers a range of website solutions adaptable for personal, business, and online store websites.
- WordPress: Highly customizable and adaptable, suitable for blogs, portfolios, and even large corporate sites.
Top 5 Squarespace Alternatives You Should Try
Shopify
Shopify, renowned for its exceptional ecommerce capabilities, offers a comprehensive and customizable solution for crafting stunning websites, establishing a formidable online presence, and scaling your business.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| User-friendly interface Great built-in features (omnichannel, inventory management, POS systems, etc.) Multiple customization options with a wide range of template options Extensive app ecosystem Dedicated customer support | Add-on costs Effort to drive traffics |
Pricing
Shopify offers 5 main pricing plans, 4 of which provide the tools to create a fully functional website. Prices range from $39 to $2000+ per month. An annual billing cycle is available with a 25% discount on subscription fees.
Those new to the platform can enjoy a risk-free 3-day trial, while certain plans also include a special promotion, allowing the first 3 months of service for just $1.
Web design
Shopify’s standout feature resides in its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, designed to be accessible even to e-commerce beginners lacking technical expertise. With a vast array of customization options, Shopify puts creative control at your fingertips, making it a breeze to create a truly personalized online shopping experience for your customers.
With an extensive selection of over 150 fully responsive themes, Shopify provides an array of professionally crafted, pre-built options for creating stunning online storefronts. Simply explore the theme library and choose the one that aligns with your business and brand aesthetics.
Shopify simplifies management through its unified dashboard, allowing users to effortlessly oversee all aspects of their online store from a centralized location. This convenience extends to mobile devices through the Shopify App.
Shopify is dedicated to providing fully responsive websites, ensuring your online store automatically adapts its layout and content for an optimal browsing experience across devices. Visitors on smartphones, tablets, or desktops all benefit from seamless interaction.
Features
- Domain management: Shopify streamlines domain registration and connection, providing tools for SSL certificates, subdomains, email forwarding, and redirects to bolster your store’s security and online presence.
- Flexible payments: Shopify offers a dual payment approach. Use their secure payment system without transaction fees or select from 100+ external gateways to accommodate varied payment preferences.
- Abandoned cart recovery: Recover potential sales with automated email reminders for abandoned carts, ensuring customers return to complete their purchases.
- SEO Focus: Shopify prioritizes SEO to boost online store visibility, improving search engine rankings.
- Email marketing: Drive customer engagement with robust email marketing, sending over 10,000 monthly emails to promote products and nurture relationships.
- Seamless integration: Its vast ecosystem comprises over 8,000 app integrations, empowering businesses to amplify and enrich their online presence effortlessly.
- Shipping solutions: Manage shipping efficiently with tools for discounted rates and direct label printing from the dashboard.
Customer support
The Shopify Help Center holds valuable information, while direct contact with Shopify is available for more specific inquiries. For your convenience, Shopify offers a variety of support channels tailored to your preferences:
- 24/7 phone assistance
- Support through social media platforms
- 24/7 access to live chat help
- An engaged community forum
- Prompt email support
- An extensive Help Center
- Informative video tutorials
- Specialized advanced support
Best for who
Shopify is an ideal platform for a wide spectrum of users. It’s especially well-suited for entrepreneurs and businesses aiming to establish or expand their online presence through e-commerce.
Whether you’re a newcomer seeking simplicity or an established brand requiring advanced features, Shopify caters to various needs. It’s particularly beneficial for those who prioritize easy customization, robust online store management, and access to various integrations and tools.
Wix
Wix emerges as a powerhouse for Squarespace’s alternative. With its user-friendly interface and versatile design tools, Wix empowers users with unparalleled creative freedom.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Affordable price plans No transaction fees User-friendly interface Abundant template choices Comprehensive website-building tools Large app marketplace | Limited loading speed Limited customization options Lacks of advanced tools |
Pricing
Wix’s pricing encompasses four plans, spanning from $16 to $159 monthly. The cheapest plan provides basic tools for you to build a website and has restrictions on selling products.
While a free trial isn’t available, Wix offers a risk-free 14-day money-back guarantee, providing a hassle-free refund to unsatisfied customers.
Web design
Wix’s drag-and-drop interface simplifies website customization, allowing effortless page creation without coding skills. This intuitive approach caters especially to newcomers, as elements can be easily moved and positioned to perfection.
For users who prefer an automated approach, Wix ADI asks a series of questions about the desired website and then automatically creates a unique site based on those answers.
With a diverse library of over 900 website templates, Wix streamlines the creation of polished and contemporary e-commerce stores. These templates contribute significantly to a modern and refined design aesthetic.
Wix’s expansive design options make branding customization seamless. Users can harmonize colors, fonts, logos, and other elements with their business’s identity, ensuring a unified and consistent visual representation.
With its integrated membership feature, Wix empowers creators to establish exclusive site sections. This feature enables premium content, subscription services, or special access to loyal customers.
Features
- Payment integration: Wix seamlessly integrates with over 70 renowned payment providers, including Wix Payments, PayPal, Stripe, and Square, ensuring smooth transactions and catering to a broader customer base.
- Diverse app ecosystem: With access to around 200 apps in the Wix app market, users can craft a fully tailored and dynamic e-commerce store, leveraging an extensive selection of tools.
- Advanced SEO features: Wix empowers users with essential SEO tools, spanning meta tags, personalized URLs, alt text for images, and more, to enhance search engine visibility and online presence.
- Language support: Wix supports over 180 languages across the world. This feature allows businesses to target local markets or expand globally.
- Blogging: Its drag-and-drop editor facilitates text, image, and post creation. Boost your blog’s reach and management via integrated social media, email marketing, and SEO tools.
Customer support
A handy question mark icon leads you to their extensive Help Center. If that doesn’t solve your query, Wix offers several free support options:
- Submit a ticket and engage with a support agent.
- 24/7 phone service.
Moreover, Wix has an educational section filled with courses with certificates, video tutorials, and webinars, ensuring users have all they need to create great websites. Also, every page features a chat icon, linking users to WixBot, their AI assistant. This bot answers basic questions and can connect users to a Wix expert for deeper issues.
Best for who
Wix is ideal for beginners looking for user-friendly website-building tools, small businesses aiming to establish an online presence, and creative individuals seeking customizable design options. Its versatility and intuitive features make it a great choice for those who want to create a professional website without extensive technical knowledge.
Hostinger
Hostinger shines as a dynamic option. Beyond just website building, Hostinger offers powerful web hosting solutions that provide the foundation for exceptional online experiences.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Website builders are available for all plans High user ratings Fantastically affordable Fast loading time Multilingual customer support | Restriction on functions No phone support |
Pricing
Hostinger offers four distinct web-building plans, with subscription durations spanning 1 month, 12 months, 24 months, and 48 months. Prices start at $2.99/month, though renewal rates are set at $6.99/month, with web hosting bundled in. Additionally, they provide a 30-day money-back guarantee for peace of mind.
Web design
Hostinger boasts an elegant, user-friendly interface tailored for newcomers. In contrast to the conventional cPanel offered by most hosting providers, Hostinger distinguishes itself with its unique hPanel, providing everything you need to get your site up and running quickly.
hPanel showcases a modern design with easily accessible functions, encompassing vital features such as domains, email accounts, file managers, backups, website migrations, and the WordPress dashboard. The inclusion of a convenient search bar allows effortless access to desired features.
With 100+ templates and intuitive drag-and-drop features, designing your website to your preferences is both straightforward and enjoyable.
Features
- Complimentary Domain: Obtain hosting and a domain from the same provider without additional domain costs for a year for its new hosting users.
- Embedded AI Tools: Hostinger’s AI tools empower users to efficiently create, customize, and optimize their websites, encompassing features like logos, copywriting, and customer engagement.
- Robust Management Features: These include the capacity to sell up to 500 products, over 20 payment options, automated order management, inventory control, consultations, and more.
- Free Email: Generate up to 100 email addresses with 1 GB of mailbox storage at no additional expense.
- Integrated Marketing: Integrate insights from Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Facebook Pixel, and visitor marketing to enhance your website’s growth.
Customer support
Hostinger boasts a 24/7 support team ready to assist with any questions or challenges you encounter on your website. To get answers, you can utilize:
- Live chat: Instantly available and typically responds within minutes. The agents are adept at quickly identifying problems and providing relevant solutions.
- A comprehensive knowledge base: This is filled with guides, tutorials, and video demonstrations covering topics from setting up and installing sites to site migration, maintenance, and performance tips for beginners.
However, one notable omission is telephone support, which Hostinger currently does not offer despite its status as a leading hosting provider.
Best for who
Hostinger is an excellent choice for a diverse range of users. It’s well-suited for individuals and businesses seeking cost-effective hosting solutions without compromising features and performance.
It’s particularly advantageous for beginners and small to medium-sized websites, bloggers, and e-commerce ventures looking for dependable hosting, robust customer support, and user-friendly tools.
GoDaddy
GoDaddy, a potent alternative to Squarespace, is a versatile platform beyond domains and hosting to offer a comprehensive website-building experience.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Available free plan with 99.99% uptime guarantee User-friendly site builder tool Generous server resources Microsoft app integration Good support | Fewer default emails High renewal rates Less security on the cheapest plan |
Pricing
GoDaddy offers four primary pricing plans. If billed annually, the prices range from $9.99 to $29.99 per month. However, on a monthly billing cycle, the costs are between $11.99 and $44.99. By opting for the annual billing, you can enjoy savings of up to 33%.
Additionally, every plan comes with a 30-day free trial.
Web design
GoDaddy prides itself on being user-friendly, and the ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence) editor is a key factor in its ease of use. With the ADI editor, creating a website becomes a simple process. The platform automatically designs a site tailored to your needs by answering a few questions.
GoDaddy’s technology eliminates the need for coding skills or technical expertise, making it ideal for beginners. The ADI editor streamlines the website creation process, allowing you to focus on content rather than intricate design elements.
Customizing your site beyond what the ADI already does for you is as simple as adding elements and adjusting fonts.
The availability of over 100 templates enhances GoDaddy’s ease of use. These templates cover a range of industries and styles, giving you a starting point for your website’s design. The Theme Customizer feature lets you preview your website in various styles without losing content, making choosing the most suitable template easier.
Features
- Web analytics: The analytics dashboard delivers a swift snapshot of crucial engagement metrics, encompassing page views and social media connections.
- Professional email: Utilize a business or website-tailored email address for a year through the Microsoft 365 email service.
- Payment links: Dispatch customized invoicing links for customers to conveniently pay via your site.
- Virtual payment terminal: Securely accept payments through GoDaddy by manually entering customer payment details on your phone or computer.
- Appointment booking: Let customers schedule appointments directly on your site, updating your calendar seamlessly.
- GoDaddy Studio: Employ GoDaddy’s social media tools to effortlessly craft branded images or videos for your social platforms.
- Social marketing toolbox: Leverage third-party databases like Yelp and Google Business Profile, SEO optimization tools, and social media posting.
- Email campaigns: Embed email sign-up on your site and send up to 100 emails monthly for marketing purposes
Customer support
GoDaddy provides multiple channels for support and assistance:
- 24/7 live chat and phone support.
- SMS support.
- A comprehensive online help center.
- A ticketing system.
They prioritize customer service with a 24/7 phone line, which is often toll-free within the respective country, though international charges may apply. To speak with an agent, users need to submit a secure form, providing a designated PIN and customer number, as waiting times on the phone or chat can be long.
Best for who
GoDaddy is particularly well-suited for individuals, businesses, and entrepreneurs seeking an accessible and comprehensive web hosting solution. It’s a solid choice for beginners, small to medium-sized websites, and e-commerce ventures looking for user-friendly features, reliable customer support, and a range of services, including website building, domain registration, and more.
WordPress
WordPress emerged as the cornerstone of a website builder and content management system. With its open-source flexibility and vast plugin ecosystem, WordPress empowers users to create everything from blogs to complex websites.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Open-source content management system Multiple blogging options Huge of stunning themes compatibility with almost all third-party plugin features Highly customization | Additional costs Potential plugin conflicts Time is required to adapt Lack personalized support |
Pricing
WordPress lies in its cost-free nature. However, users often invest in expenses like domain names, web hosting, enhanced themes, and premium plugins. These additional elements can range from $3 to over $200 per month.
Web design
Unlike modern web-based site builders like Wix, it lacks a WYSIWYG interface. Although drag-and-drop functionality has been introduced, it heavily relies on blocks for content organization. These blocks cover text, contact forms, images, and other key site elements, with arrows or drag-and-drop options to adjust their position.
While the platform offers thousands of stunning themes, including premium ones, even the free ones can rival Squarespace’s stylish designs. Theme previews show how they appear on tablets, phones, and desktops. Activating a theme leads to customization options, where widgets for payment, multimedia, and more help shape your desired site.
Features
- Customizability: With its vast library of themes and plugins, WordPress offers unparalleled flexibility, enabling you to create a tailored website that meets your unique needs.
- Open-source platform: WordPress’s open-source nature fosters continuous innovation and community-driven development, ensuring a dynamic and evolving platform.
- Content management: Its intuitive interface simplifies content creation and management, making it a preferred choice for bloggers, content creators, and businesses.
- Plugin ecosystem: The extensive range of plugins empowers you to add various functionalities to your site, from SEO optimization to e-commerce capabilities.
- SEO-friendly: WordPress’s built-in SEO features and compatibility with popular SEO plugins enhance your site’s discoverability and search engine ranking.
- E-commerce integration: With plugins like WooCommerce, WordPress can transform into a powerful e-commerce platform, enabling you to set up online stores easily.
Customer support
WordPress offers a decentralized support structure due to its open-source nature. While it doesn’t provide direct customer support in the traditional sense, it offers various avenues for assistance:
- Community forums
- Documentation
When users require assistance beyond the available free online resources, they can upgrade to a paid account to get 24/7 support or hosting providers like Bluehost also provide 24/7 WordPress-specific customer support within their WordPress plans
Best for who
WordPress is suitable for a wide range of users. It’s particularly ideal for bloggers, content creators, businesses, and individuals looking for a flexible and customizable platform to build and manage their websites. Its extensive theme and plugin options accommodate experienced developers with the technical knowledge required, offering a powerful solution for personal websites, blogs, e-commerce stores, portfolios, and more.
Final Thoughts
These five alternatives to Squarespace present a compelling array of options tailored to various aspirations in the dynamic landscape of website creation.
Among the contenders, Shopify stands out as an exceptional choice. Its seamless blend of e-commerce functionality, customizable designs, and user-friendly tools makes it an outstanding alternative to Squarespace.
FAQs
- Specific features: Alternatives offer unique features that might align better with a user’s specific needs. For example, if someone requires advanced e-commerce capabilities, Shopify could be a better fit.
- Cost: Some alternatives offer more budget-friendly options, especially for those just starting. Hostinger, for instance, provides cost-effective hosting solutions.
- Customization: Different platforms provide varying levels of customization. WordPress, for example, allows for extensive customization through themes and plugins.
- Industry Focus: Certain alternatives cater to specific industries. Wix, known for its creative flexibility, might attract artists and designers, while GoDaddy’s range can accommodate different business niches.
- Scaling up: As businesses grow, they might require more advanced features or e-commerce capabilities that an alternative can better provide.
However, it’s important to note that the level of reliability can vary based on factors like the hosting plan you choose, the platform’s infrastructure, and your specific website requirements.
- Identify the key features and functionalities you require, whether it’s e-commerce capabilities, design flexibility, ease of use, or specific integrations.
- Assess your budget for hosting, domain registration, and potential additional expenses.
- Conduct thorough research into each alternative’s features, templates, and customization options, and read user reviews to gain insights from those with similar goals.
- Take advantage of free trials, demos, or basic plans to explore the platforms firsthand.
- Consider factors like scalability, customer support quality, ease of use, and compatibility with your required integrations.
