Squarespace or WordPress, that is the question? There is so much information out there about which platform is better and why. As someone who’s used both, I can honestly say that I love the both of them! However, choosing one over the other really comes down to what is going to work best for you and your business, they both have pros and cons.
Squarespace or WordPress?
It’s really important to research online and read through all the offerings of both Squarespace and WordPress in order to make an informed choice. Also, keep in mind that it is still possible to swap down the line.
Here is a quick overview of both platforms to help you decide which may work better for you:
WordPress
Setup
WordPress is a free platform to use but you will need to purchase your own hosting. There are so many great and affordable hosting plans out there. I currently use Bluehost but Siteground is another great option click on the links for a special discount.
Design
Using WordPress is a little of a learning curve but once you get the basics its easy to navigate and the best part is there are hundreds of themes and designs that you can choose from to create your perfect site, many of them being free! Although there are lots of free versions, I would recommend purchasing a premium version such as one of the Bluchic themes as it comes with great documentation and support. There is so much flexibility with WordPress and there are hundreds of plugins, widgets and tools available that you can use. The possibilities are endless.
Maintenance
You will need to manage your own website maintenance (unless you hire someone to help) which means ensuring to apply updates regularly on your site.
Cost
WordPress is free to use although you will need to pay for your hosting which starts at around $4.95 per month – again remember to read the fine print as with many plans, you may need to pay annually up front for a discounted rate. If you choose to use a premium theme you also need to take this cost into consideration.
Squarespace
Setup
Squarespace is an all in one platform. You can sign up and Squarespace manages all the hosting and domain registration (if you don’t have one) and easy instructions to redirect your domain if you already have one! You can do a 14-day free trial to check it out.
Design
Squarespace has made it really easy to build a website quickly. Templates are already pre-designed and ready to go. Its basically a drag and drop build. There are also lots of features already available that you can integrate into your site such as social media sharing, acuity scheduling, mail chimp and many more. However, this means you are limited to the templates and functionality that are available unless you know CCS or hire someone to do it for you.
Maintenance
As it is an all in one platform, all the maintenance is taken care for you. Updates are automatically done for you in the backend.
Cost
Remember to read the fine print too as many of the cheapest plans are based on being charged annually.
Personal Plan (great for a blog)
$16 – $22 a month
Business Plan (if you are looking for a little more customisation)
$25 – $35 a month
Commerce (selling items online – also an advanced seller option available)
$31 – $61 a month
As you can see, there are many pros and cons to using either platform and it really does come down to personal preference. After carefully looking at both I ultimately decided to switch from Squarespace to WordPress as this is what works best for me and my business.
If it all seems too overwhelming why not contact me? Let me do all the hard work for you, I can set it all up and have it ready for you to take over.
