As a website builder, Squarespace has grown in popularity thanks to an extensive marketing effort. Their finished products are beautiful and the brand as a whole has a history that is trusted. If you’re thinking about using this builder for your next website, then here are some of the essential pros and cons of Squarespace to consider before you get started.

 

One thing you should know:

Squarespace sites require really good photos to be effective. The framework of Squarespace is such that the whole site is built around big, beautiful photos. If you don’t have them and have no way to get them your site is not going to look pretty, nor will it draw in users.

 

What Are the Pros of Squarespace?

1. There are many templates offered that are ready for publication.
Squarespace allows you to upload your own design if you prefer. Their primary appeal, however, lies in the fact that there is a rather large selection of templates available for use that will make your site look professional in no time at all.

2. Most Squarespace templates rely on photography.
This makes it very easy to give your template a customized makeover. Just switch out the stock photographs in the template with your own and you’ll have an impressive site. The coding is such that most templates will keep your colorization, typography, and responsiveness aligned even with the photography switch.

3. The backend design is easy to use.
If you’re familiar with WordPress, Blogger, or a similar platform, then you’re ready to use Squarespace. The admin section is built in such a way where navigation is easy to figure out, even if you’ve never used the builder before. Every builder has a learning curve to it, but just about anyone can figure out Squarespace in just a few minutes.

4. It’s an all-in-one platform.
You don’t have to worry about plugins, widgets, or apps when you use this builder. Everything is built into this builder. Even your website analytics are included with the overall platform. That means there are fewer issues with troubleshooting a site because something added to it has suddenly become incompatible with a recent update.

5. Squarespace is offered in a bundled approach.
When Squarespace is chosen, you’re automatically given backups and redundancy for your site. Hosting is always optimized and you have confidence in the fact that your template and site is compatible. The monthly subscription price includes your site, hosting, security, and redundancies so you don’t have to worry about multiple providers all working harmoniously so your uptime rates stay good.

6. Customer support is always available with Squarespace.
You receive 24/7 support through email tickets and live chat boxes on this platform.

 

What Are the Cons of Squarespace?

1. There is no phone support.
With Squarespace, there really isn’t a way to receive immediate support if there is an issue you need to troubleshoot. The chat mechanism is pretty efficient, but it is not as fast as a conversation can be if there’s a simple question you need to have answered.

2. Pricing is more expensive with Squarespace.
If you want Squarespace to bill you on a month-to-month basis, then it’s $26 per month for your site. Their plans are also limited to a single website and lower-tier plans may even cap the number of pages or products you’re allowed to have. Paying the annual fee upfront drops the cost to $18 per month. Personal sites are as low as $12 per month.

3. There is an overall lack of advanced marketing tools.
People don’t just show up to your website because you’ve published it. They need to know about it. Squarespace gives you all of the basics for marketing, including the all-important share buttons, but the advanced tools are lacking at best. You do have URL redirect options, but SEO is pretty lacking and limited to basic meta structure. There is virtually no A/B testing at all.

4. There is no support for third-party apps, plugins, or extensions.
This makes it difficult for beginners to customize their sites. If you hang out around Squarespace for long enough, you’ll be able to pick out who is using this builder. Any features which do get rolled out for this builder must be rolled out by Squarespace, which means you have less control over your functionality than on other platforms.

5. Editing and adding content can sometimes be difficult.
Putting in your basic content goes pretty quickly on Squarespace. Adding new pages, setting up a new blog, or trying to edit your design templates are a different story. If you want to add or move elements, the process can be time consuming.

The pros and cons of Squarespace show that it is a beneficial all-in-one solution for those who don’t want to mess with multiple providers and costs. If the negatives can be managed successfully, then Squarespace can be a beneficial asset to your personal or business website.

 

CONCLUSION:
Ok for very small businesses who don’t anticipate growth, aren’t selling products and are ok with a very, very basic website.