Webflow vs Squarespace (what’s the story of these rivals?)

Squarespace vs Webflow: Quick Comparison

Webflow is a low-code website builder that lets users design a website with total control.

As a hand-coder, I like how tidy Webflow's code output is - it's not perfect, but it's pretty damn tidy. That's rare outside of hand-coding!
‍Reddit Community Contributor

With fast Webflow speed and clean code, visitors are less inclined to exit a site after viewing a web page.

Squarespace walks a similar road by allowing users to create a website with drag-and-drop functionality. However, its design customization capabilities are more limited.

Still, this website builder has a handful of e-commerce plans.

Moreover, Squarespace provides free templates, while Webflow's templates often require purchase.

If you have some HTML & CSS knowledge, go for Webflow. It's more flexible than Squarespace, which relies on templates. Though Webflow might be harder to learn for beginners, the websites you can create are truly one-of-a-kind.

For customization features, Webflow is hard to beat. The bottom line is that Webflow is great if you want total control over editing. From a simple landing page to a more complex website, you can do it all in Webflow.

And Squarespace is a better option if you want to use its drag-and-drop capabilities, especially if you have an e-commerce store. Its intuitive interface shortens the learning curve, while drag-and-drop functionality speeds up the design and editing process.

Webflow vs Squarespace Reddit Highlights:

• I believe that Squarespace would cater to more people who have no clue how to code.
• Webflow doesn’t restrict you nearly as much as Squarespace, which is very template-based.
• Webflow has a steeper learning curve if you’re not as familiar with web design, but the websites it can deliver are a lot more unique and bespoke.
• The latest version of Squarespace is pretty solid, and you can add custom features if you know a little HTML and CSS or a higher level of development to build certain things.
• If the client has a bit more budget, I recommend Webflow because you can control every pixel and make your design much more precise.

We couldn’t agree more.

10 Specs That Make Webflow vs Squarespace Different

These specifications will help you understand the differences between these website builders.

Dive in.

1. The amount of products you can sell

The primary downside of Webflow is its lack of limitations on the number of products available for sale within its e-commerce plans. You can sell up to 500 products on a Standard plan, 5,000 on Plus, and a limit of 15,000 on Advanced Webflow plans.

On the other hand, all Squarespace plans come with unlimited product listings. That being said, Squarespace does have better e-commerce features than Webflow.

2. The number of templates

The main difference is that all of Squarespace's templates are free, whereas most of Webflow's templates require a purchase.

On the flip side, you will have significantly more opportunities to customize Webflow's templates than you will with Squarespace. Both cover a broad range of industries types.

3. The bandwidth usage

Squarespace gives every single plan unlimited bandwidth, even if you're on its lowest tier. So, in terms of an unlimited monthly data transfers and storage with all plans, Squarespace wins the battle.

Webflow, on the other hand, only gives 50 GB on its lowest-paid site plan and 400 GB on its most expensive site plan.

Webflow limits how many items you can store in its CMS. You can't store any items on its $12 per month Site plan (billed yearly), but you can store up to 10,000 items on its $36 per month Site plan (billed yearly).

4. The number of apps and integrations

A wide range of Squarespace's integrations are available, covering blocks, blogging, commerce, connected social accounts, design, domains and email, forms, images, marketing, multilingual support, online ordering, and videos.

Webflow offers 240+ integrations to enhance the functionality of your Webflow site. From analytics and targeting tools, assets, calendars and scheduling, to email marketing, event management, forms & surveys, etc., these integrations let you track analytics, create online forms, animate SVG icons, manage blogs and more.

5. Easy of use

Webflow is a bit harder to learn than Squarespace. It's better suited for people who already know about web design or development. For beginners, it might be less intuitive because it requires some knowledge of web design, CSS, and HTML.

Those without a a web design background can quickly learn Webflow by following lessons at Webflow University. However, mastering Webflow takes time and much more effort.

Squarespace also allows you to simply move elements around, but it also gives you an option to personalize your website’s copy using its AI tool, which is a nice touch. You can test this feature on a free plan too.

6. Customer support

Webflow's email support is only available Monday through Friday, while Squarespace provides 24/7 support via email, social media, or live chat (without phone support).

Users don't like waiting hours for help from Webflow's customer support, but this is usually a frequent situation.

And contacting Squarespace's customer support team by phone is not an option.

7. Performance and customization

The best thing about Webflow is that it alows for live collaboration between designers, developers and content editors. And the fact that you can use custom code allows for endless customization.

Squarespace also lets you use custom code in a simple way.

There is also Code Injection feature that lets you:

• Add code to the 'head' tag on every page.
• Add code to the footer on every page.
• Insert custom code above the password field on your lock screen. Consider using the Lock Screen panel for easier customization.
• Insert code into the footer of the order confirmation page post-checkout.
• Inject code into the footer of the order status page post-checkout and subsequent page views.

Squarespace's editing capabilities can be helpful for beginners. But it does strict you in terms of customization.

The usual practice is to click on a specific element (e.g. text) and you’ll get more options.

Like this:

In terms of Squarespace's customization capabilities, using reusable components across all website forms would be great.

Here is a heading example:

For instance, while the header and footer were reusable, the contact form had to be manually edited on each page to ensure consistency. Using Webflow, on the other hand, you can use classes to save styling information and apply it to multiple elements throughout your site.

8. SEO capabilities

Webflow's fast page loading boosts SEO by increasing conversions—like making purchases or signing up for newsletters.

In terms of on-page SEO, Webflow shines because it lets you add custom schema markup with ease. Also, it lets you auto-generate a sitemap.

Learn how to auto-generate a sitemap here.

Page titles and meta descriptions, appearing below a site's URL in search results, greatly affect better SEO rankings.

And Webflow lets you easily customize those elements.

Just like Webflow, Squarespace allows you to personalize the meta tags for every page on your site.

Here are SEO settings in Squarespace:

And adding alt text to your images is also easy.

9. Animations

With Webflow, you can make animations without coding and even create complex ones. Although its animation library is great for simple tasks, some triggers might be missing.

Web developers can use advanced animation libraries like GSAP for intricate animations without requiring JavaScript skills.

With Squarespace, you can add animations and image effects to specific elements. This enhances the visual appeal of your website.

Site-wide animations are accessible in version 7.1, while in version 7.0, their availability varies depending on your template. Squarespace

You can choose from different animation styles.

10. Pricing structure

Both Squarespace and Webflow provide a free plan, but with differences: Squarespace offers a two-week trial, while Webflow provides a lifetime free option.

Paid Webflow features include expanded traffic, guaranteed SLA, code export, full CMS access, advanced roles and permissions, site password protection, unlimited paid hosted sites, and more.

On the other hand, paid Squarespace features include mobile-optimized websites, customizable templates, and advanced website analytics—a feature which is, according to customer reviews—detailed and easy to understand.

Then there is also zero transaction fee for physical and digital products, as well as powerful merchandising feature that helps you increase sales.

Webflow also collects zero transaction fees if you use the Advanced or Plus plan, which is a nice touch.

Webflow has two main tiers on its Site plans for a business purpose: CMS ($23 per year), Business ($39 per year). On its Workspace plans it also features two main plans, including Core ($19) and Growth ($49) per month if billed yearly.

For comparison's sake, Squarespace’s plans feature Business ($23), Commerce Basic ($28) and Commerce Advanced ($52). Squarespace outperforms in terms of unlimited contributors on all plans except the Personal one.

To learn more about Webflow pricing, read our comprehensive overview.

3 Specs That Make Webflow vs Squarespace Similar

In comparing Webflow and Squarespace, it's interesting to note their similarities. Despite their differences, they share certain features that cater to website creators.

Read on.

1. Hosting included

With both website builders, you get everything you need right out of the box, including hosting service.

2. Strype and Paypal allowed

Both leverage Stripe and PayPal to receive payments when it comes to e-commerce plans.

3. Easy setup

Squarespace setup:

Setting up Squarespace is simple.

It takes note of what your site is about.

Or, what are your top goals?

Then, it asks you how you would like to get started.

Next, it lets you insert your website name or update it later.

Once you start building a website, Squarspace will propose some sections based on your site goals.

Like this:

For example, choose the Intro section, and here's what you'll get:

Want Services section?

Or digital products section? Simply select and you’ll see what you get.

The next step is to add pages to your Squarespace site.

Then, choose your color palette.

The last step is to select your font.

When you click on Finish, Squarespace will start gathering your pages and recommend to write with its AI tool.

If you click on Continue, you agree to personalize your website with AI service.

Simple as that.

Webflow setup:

When using Webflow for the first time, you have the option to sign up with your work email or streamline the process by using your Google account.

We use Webflow in our agency's operations. So, we started using Webflow’s agency plan, not the free one. And the process was straightforward.

The Winner?

Choosing between Webflow vs Squarespace boils down to what you value most.

But as a Webflow agency, we proclaim Webflow as a winner.

Webflow offers extensive customization for those with coding skills. And Squarespace is more beginner-friendly with its drag-and-drop interface. If you prioritize creative control, Webflow might be your pick.

But if simplicity is key, Squarespace could be the better fit. While its design customization may be more limited compared to Webflow, Squarespace excels in e-commerce capabilities and offers free templates, simplifying the initial setup process.

Consider your needs and skill level to make the right choice.

Feel free to reach out if you require Webflow development services.