How Much Does Squarespace Cost? A Guide for Entrepreneurs (2026)
If you’re researching how much Squarespace costs, I’m guessing you’re weighing your options: DIY it, hire someone, or pray your Canva site can hang on a little longer. No judgment; we’ve all been there.
But I’ve got good news! Squarespace is one of the more predictable platforms when it comes to total cost. Let’s talk about what you can actually plan to invest as a business owner.
Business Owners Love Squarespace
Squarespace has become the small business website equivalent of “set it up once and get back to running your business.” You’re not learning to code, you’re not managing plugins, and you’re not holding your breath every time you hit “publish.” If you can drag, drop, and make decisions, you can get a website online.
It’s also one of the few platforms that doesn’t trap you in the “starter site” phase. You can begin with the basics and then layer in what you need to create a truly strategic website. For service providers especially, the ability to make updates without calling a developer is a huge win.
Types of Squarespace Pricing Plans for 2026
Squarespace offers four main plans: Basic, Core, Plus, and Advanced. The right plan depends less on aesthetics and more on what you need your website to do. Here’s a breakdown:
Basic (Personal) | $16 / mo
Best for simple websites that don’t need advanced marketing or e-commerce tools. Ideal for early-stage service providers, portfolio sites, and businesses that just need a clean, professional presence online.
Core (Business) | $23 / mo
Adds more customization options, marketing tools, and the ability to accept payments or book calls. Good fit for coaches, consultants, creative service providers, and small businesses that need to collect inquiries or transactions without a full storefront.
Plus (Basic Commerce) | $39 / mo
Designed for businesses selling products. Includes product pages, checkout, and inventory tools, and removes Squarespace’s transaction fees. A solid middle ground for smaller online shops that don’t need advanced merchandising yet.
Advanced (Advanced Commerce) | $99 /mo
Built for more serious e-commerce needs. Adds advanced checkout options, abandoned cart recovery, subscriptions, and deeper sales tools. Best for businesses scaling their online store or managing more complex fulfillment.
Additional Squarespace Costs to Budget for in 2026
Squarespace plans cover the platform itself, but most businesses need a few extras to make the website fully functional.
Domains | $20-$70 per year
You can purchase a domain through Squarespace or use one you already own. Pricing is straightforward and billed annually. Having the domain and site in one place keeps things simpler, especially for non-technical business owners.
Email & Google Workspace | $6-$12 per user per month
If you want a branded email address (ex: hello@yourbusiness.com), you’ll need Google Workspace or another email provider. Squarespace integrates directly, so setup is minimal.
Scheduling & Booking | $15-$19 per month
If your business requires appointments, consultations, or classes, you may need to add Squarespace Scheduling. It syncs with calendars and payment processing, which makes it popular for coaches, creatives, and service providers.
Payment Processing Fees | 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
Selling products or digital downloads often requires upgraded plans plus payment processing fees. The upside is that checkout and fulfillment are built in, reducing the need for external plugins.
Email Marketing & Forms | $5-$7 per month
Squarespace offers native email campaigns and subscriber tools. Some businesses choose third-party platforms like Mailchimp or ConvertKit, depending on marketing needs.
Extensions & Third-Party Integrations | $5-$50 per month
Some features, especially niche or industry-specific ones, may require tools like CRM software, analytics, or automation. The good news: Squarespace plays well with many of them.
Squarespace vs. Shopify vs. WordPress
No website platform is perfect for everyone, which is why designers tend to start with a simple question: What do you need your website to do? Squarespace, Shopify, and WordPress all serve different priorities.
Squarespace for Service-Based Businesses
Squarespace shines for service providers, consultants, and creatives who need a professional website that’s easy to maintain. It handles content, scheduling, payments, and portfolio updates without plugins or custom development, which keeps ongoing costs predictable.
Shopify for Product-Based Businesses
Shopify is built for selling physical or digital products at scale. If you need advanced checkout functionality, inventory tools, shipping workflows, or multi-location fulfillment, Shopify will feel more natural. Some businesses start on Squarespace and move to Shopify once product volume increases.
WordPress for Custom Builds
WordPress offers the most flexibility, but it comes with the highest maintenance overhead. It’s a good fit when you need full control or highly custom functionality, but it usually requires ongoing developer support. For small businesses, that maintenance can outweigh the benefit of customization.
DIY vs. Hiring a Professional Squarespace Designer
One of the reasons Squarespace is popular with entrepreneurs is that it gives you a realistic DIY path. If you’re comfortable choosing a template, following tutorials, and assembling content yourself, a DIY build makes sense. The trade-off is time; you’ll spend hours learning the platform, writing copy, organizing your pages, and troubleshooting design issues, but you’ll avoid custom development costs.
Hiring a Squarespace designer becomes valuable when your website needs to do more than sit on the internet. A professional brings structure, brand alignment, user experience, content strategy that speaks to your target audience, and, sometimes, even SEO, which together make a website feel intentional rather than thrown together. Designers also give you your time back so you can run your business instead of being the tech department.
What Determines the Cost of a Squarespace Website Build?
Most Squarespace designers price based on the scope of the build. A few common variables:
Number of Pages: A five-page site (Home, About, Services, Portfolio, Contact) takes far less time to design and wireframe than a 20-page site with subpages and product pages.
Copywriting: Some designers expect you to provide copy. Others offer copywriting as part of the project, which adds time and cost but also leads to a more cohesive brand experience.
Template vs. Custom Layouts: Using a Squarespace template as-is is faster and more affordable. Custom layouts, section design, or interactive elements require more design time.
Functionality: E-commerce, scheduling, memberships, courses, or digital products all affect the scope. Even within Squarespace, those features require mapping user flows and testing.
Brand Assets: If branding already exists, design moves faster. If the designer is also doing your brand identity, that expands the project.
Content Organization: Clients with prepared content pay less than clients who need help making decisions about what goes where (which is normal; most entrepreneurs do).
How Much Does Squarespace Cost: Frequently Asked Questions
Is Squarespace cheaper than Shopify or WordPress?
For service-based businesses, Squarespace is usually more affordable because hosting, templates, and core features are included. Shopify becomes more cost-effective for higher-volume product businesses. WordPress can be inexpensive upfront, but often requires paid themes, plugins, hosting, and developer support long-term.
Can I sell products on Squarespace?
Yes. Product sales require a Plus or Advanced plan. These plans include product pages, checkout, and inventory tools, and they remove Squarespace’s transaction fees.
Do I need to hire a designer for Squarespace?
Not necessarily. Squarespace is designed for DIY users, but designers are helpful when you need brand strategy, custom layouts, or a polished experience that aligns with your business goals.
Does Squarespace offer discounts?
Squarespace regularly offers annual billing discounts and occasional promotional codes. Annual billing is typically the lowest cost for long-term use.
Build a Squarespace Website That’s as Awesome as Your Business
Your website should make it easier for people to work with you, not harder. If you want a Squarespace site that actually does something for your business, I’m your girl. Let’s chat!
