Finding the Perfect Squarespace Plan: Your Ultimate Guide
If you’re planning on building your business website on Squarespace (or are just about read to hit publish!), you’ll have one big decision to make: which plan do you need for your site?
There are many factors to consider when choosing the right Squarespace plan for your website. The first step is to identify your needs and budget, which is exactly what we’ll be going through in this article!
You can also upgrade or downgrade your existing plan, so if you’re curious about any Squarespace features read on.
Squarespace Personal Plan
The Squarespace Personal Plan is a great starting point for individuals looking to create a simple yet professional website. With features like a free custom domain, SSL security, and 24/7 customer support, this plan is perfect for personal blogs or portfolios.
However, if you are considering expanding your website in the future or require advanced features such as e-commerce capabilities, you may want to explore other Squarespace plans available. Stay tuned for more insights on finding the perfect Squarespace plan for your needs!
Monthly pricing: $16 USD /month (x 12 months = $192)
Annual pricing: $14 USD /month (x 12 months = $168)
If you’re just getting started and want a simple, brochure website for your business you’ll probably be able to get away with Squarespace's smallest Personal Plan. You won’t have all of the fancy features Squarespace has to offer at hand, but you can still whip up a lovely site with basic content like text, images, buttons and forms.
Included in the Squarespace Personal Plan:
24/7 Customer Support
Squarespace has one of the best customer support teams I’ve encountered, with round-the-clock chat support as well as email and phone support if needed. There’s also an amazing archive of support articles, tutorials and video walk-throughs to help show you how to do basically anything inside Squarespace.
SSL Security
Ensuring that your website is secure is a must for any business owner! Not only to keep hackers away but to make sure Google sees you as a trusted source with showing to those potential clients & customers you’re after. All Squarespace plans come with the SSL certificate you need to prove your site is safe and trustworthy.
Two contributors
The personal plan allows you to give another person permission to view and edit the back end of your website (without having to share your private login information). This is perfect if you’re looking to hire a web designer, like myself, to work their magic on your website.
Basic site analytics
Keep track of the people coming to your website to see who you’re reaching, which pages they visit and how they found you with Squarespace’s in-built Analytics.
Squarespace Business Plan
The Squarespace Personal Plan is the perfect starting point for your business website. With 24/7 customer support, SSL security, room for two contributors, and basic site analytics, you have all the essentials covered. As your business grows, consider upgrading to the more advanced Squarespace Business Plan for additional features and flexibility in customization.
Monthly pricing: $26 USD /month (x 12 months = $312)
Annual pricing: $18 USD /month (x 12 months = $216)
This is the most common plan for most businesses and opens the door to a lot more of Squarespace's amazing features. . As your business grows, consider upgrading to this plan for added flexibility in customization.
Included in the Squarespace Business Plan:
In addition to what you get in the Squarespace personal plan, here are a few fantastic features you’ll access:
Access to Squarespace Premium Features
Squarespace reserves some premium features that allow you further customization than the basic plan. The full list of premium features is a bit further down this post ;)
Custom email address
Show up as the professional you are with a custom email address plus a free year for G Suite thrown in!
Unlimited contributors
Invite as many people as you need to help you manage your website, and control how much access you want to give for an added layer of reassurance.
Squarespace e-commerce
Set up your shop to sell your services and products online and accept payments directly through your website. Not all e-commerce features are included in the Business Plan but for a basic shop you’ll have more than enough to work with.
Squarespace Basic Commerce Plan
If you want to take advantage of Squarespace's built-in shop feature to sell either physical or digital products, you'll need a commerce plan. The Basic Commerce Plan is a great starting point for most small businesses as it allows you to dip a toe in the e-commerce experience without overinvesting in extra features before your business is ready.
Monthly pricing: $30 USD /month (x 12 months = $360)
Annual pricing: $26 USD /month (x 12 months = $312)
Upgrade to the Squarespace Basic Commerce Plan for 0% transaction fees on all orders (the Business Plan has a 3%. transaction fee on every sale made through your online store).
Included in the Squarespace Basic Commerce Plan:
You’ll get everything in both the Personal & Business Plans plus:
Custom checkout hosted on your own domain
The Business Plan checkout redirects to a generic-looking Squarespace checkout page. With the Basic Commerce Plan, your checkout seamlessly continues the of website for a much more on-brand experience.
Individual customer accounts
Let your customers set up their own login details at checkout for much easier customer service (and return purchases!)
Point of sale
You can collect payment in person with a point-of-sale port and processor.
Advanced E-commerce analytics
A more in-depth, detailed look at your sales metrics to help you optimize your online store.
Related product suggestions
Show your customers related products and hopefully sell more!
Squarespace Advanced Commerce Plan
For the more advanced or complex e-commerce shop, you'll definitely want to consider the Advanced Commerce Plan where you'll get full access to Squarespace's shop features.
Monthly pricing: $46 USD / month (x 12 months =$552)
Annual pricing: $40 USD / month (x 12 months =$480)
If you have a small business you likely don’t need to upgrade to Squarespace's Advanced Commerce Plan, but there are a few interesting features you might find worth the upgrade.
Included in the Squarespace Advanced Commerce Plan:
You’ll get everything in the Personal, Business & Basic Commerce Plans plus:
Abandoned cart recovery
With the two previous plans, if a potential customer adds something to their cart but leaves your site before paying, they’ll have to start from scratch the next time they land on your site.
With the advance commerce plan, any items they’ve added to their cart will be happily waiting for them when they return.
Shipping and fulfillment automation
On the advanced commerce plan, shipping fees can be calculated based on where the customer is located. You can also set up your site to work with third parties to automate order fulfillment, shipping, and inventory checks.
Limited stock or availability warnings
Create a sense of genuine urgency to buy your products with warnings about limited inventory that help nudge casual browsers into actual buyers
Subscriptions
If you want to bill customers on a recurring subscription basis, this is the only plan that allows for weekly or monthly subscriptions.
Custom discounts and promotions
With other Squarespace plans that offer e-commerce, it’s possible discount a single product. However, if you want to host site-wide sales the Advanced Commerce Plan lets you set that up in one go.
What are Squarespace Premium Features?
You may notice that some features inside Squarespace are marked as “Premium Features”. You’ll have access to all of these features during your free trail, but to continue to enjoy these extra goodies you’ll need to upgrade to the Business Plan or higher.
Here’s a list of some of the best features you get when you upgrade to a plan with premium features:
Announcement bars
Announcement bars are a fantastic way to draw attention to any special offers or lead magnets
Promotional Pop-ups
Make sure your best offers don’t go unseen with a promotional pop-up!
Learn how to set up your promotional pop-up inside Squarespace right here
Custom Coding & CSS
Add your Facebook Pizel or Pinterest Tag with the code injection feature.
Or add in a widget, third-party software or custom design plugin with a code block.
You can also whip up your own custom design with CSS, which streatch the design capabilities of Squarespace’s built-in blocks.
Gift Cards
Sell, deliver and redeem gift cards for your shop
Donation block
If you’re looking to raise funds or get support for your cause, you’ll need to upgrade to a premium plan to add a donation button
Third-party blocks + integrations
Squarespace has partnered with several different software to allow you to directly add them to your site, such as:
Amazon
OpenTable
Zapier
Mailchimp
Amazon
OpenTable
Zapier
Mailchimp
Which Squarespace plan do I have?
Not sure which plan you have Simply go to Settings > Billing & Account and then Billing.
You’ll look under Subscriptions and then Website to see what plan you’re on, if you’re paying monthly or annually and when your plan will be billed next.
How to upgrade your Squarespace plan
If you’ve decided to upgrade your Squarespace plan, you won’t have to start from scratch! You can simply upgrade or downgrade directly inside the Squarespace dashboard.
Go to Settings > Billing & Account > Billing
Then select your website from the Subscriptions section and scroll down to Change Plan
Frequently Asked Questions
How to choose the right Squarespace plan based on my needs?
To select the most suitable Squarespace plan, consider factors like your website goals, budget, and required features, including SEO and social media integration.
The Personal Plan is ideal for basic websites, while the Business Plan offers advanced features like email campaigns, SEO analytics, and social media integrations to maximize your reach.
Basic Commerce suits smaller businesses with no transaction fees, and the Advanced Commerce Plan is for expanding businesses needing extensive ecommerce functionality. Evaluate your needs carefully to find the plan that aligns best with your goals and budget, whether it's for a personal website, business website, or blog.
If you are using a premium Squarespace template, make sure to check the listing to see if you'll need a specific plan to make use of all the features of the template you've purchased.
Is there a free Squarespace plan?
No, Squarespace does not offer a free plan.
However, they do provide a 14-day free trial period for you to explore and try out their platform before committing to a paid plan. During the trial period, you can test out Squarespace's features and design tools to see if it meets your website building needs. Plus, you can start the trial without needing to input your credit card information. After the trial period ends, you will need to select and purchase a paid plan, such as the Mobile Start plan, which can be easily done through the Squarespace app, to continue using Squarespace for your website.
Do you have to pay for each website on Squarespace?
Yes, each website on Squarespace requires its own subscription plan. Squarespace offers different pricing plans based on the features and functionality you need for your website. Each plan allows you to create and maintain one website, with the option to upgrade or downgrade your plan as needed.
Can you compare Squarespace pricing to competitors?
Squarespace offers a range of pricing plans, each tailored to different user needs. When compared to competitors like Wix or Shopify, Squarespace stands out for its user-friendly interface and sleek templates. While pricing may vary, Squarespace's plans often include essential features like unlimited bandwidth and a free domain for the first year.
Additionally, Squarespace's ecommerce functionality competes well with other platforms, making it a great choice for businesses looking to establish a strong online presence. When considering Squarespace pricing in comparison to its competitors, it's clear that investing in a Squarespace plan is the right choice for those looking for a top-rated website builder for small businesses and ecommerce.
What additional costs are associated with Squarespace plans?
When considering Squarespace plans, it's crucial to be aware of potential additional costs. These can include transaction fees for online store sales, premium features beyond the plan’s basic offerings, expenses related to email marketing or Google Workspace integration, and the cost of a professional email from Google, featuring your site’s custom domain name rather than @gmail.com.
It’s advisable to factor in these extra charges when selecting the most suitable plan for your needs to ensure transparency in your budgeting processes. Understanding and planning for these supplementary costs will help you make informed decisions and avoid unexpected financial surprises.
What is the average cost of a Squarespace website?
The average cost of a Squarespace website can vary depending on the specific needs and requirements of the website. Squarespace offers different pricing plans starting from around $12 per month for a basic website, up to $40+ per month for more advanced features and e-commerce capabilities. In addition to the monthly subscription cost, there may be additional expenses for custom domain registration, premium templates, third-party plugins, and other add-ons, which can add up to a significant amount.
However, if you don't mind the hassle of moving to a different host, you may be able to find a cheaper solution by choosing a custom host like InMotion or BlueHost. It's best to explore the different pricing options on the Squarespace website to determine the total cost based on your individual needs and budget, including the option for annual billing which can save you money in the long run.
Additionally, the Personal Plan, which is Squarespace's cheapest pricing plan, costs $16 per month with annual billing, but jumps to $23 per month with monthly billing.
Squarespace Pricing Plans Explained with Notable Features and Limitations
Squarespace offers a range of pricing plans to cater to different needs. The Personal Plan is ideal for starters, while the Business Plan suits growing ventures. Basic Commerce and Advanced Commerce Plans target e-commerce businesses, with the latter offering access to sell digital products for a 9% transaction fee.
Alternatively, you can choose a Digital Products add-on package to lower or eliminate these fees. Each plan has its unique features like free custom domain, unlimited bandwidth, and email marketing tools. However, transaction fees apply to commerce plans, impacting costs.
Plus, your customers will be able to leave product reviews, making it easier for potential customers to make informed decisions about your digital products. Understanding these distinctions, including the use of third-party payment gateways like Stripe, is crucial in selecting the right Squarespace plan tier tailored to your requirements.
