Webflow vs Squarespace: The Ultimate Comparison for 2025
Originally published December 26, 2024 / updated January 29, 2025
7 MIN READ
Building a website has never been easier, thanks to the many website builders available today. Two of the most popular options are Webflow and Squarespace, both offering powerful features and unique advantages. But which one is right for you? In this article, we will compare Webflow vs Squarespace, examining everything from design flexibility and ease of use to pricing and customer support. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of which platform suits your needs best.
What is Webflow?
Webflow is a web design tool that allows you to design, build, and launch fully responsive websites without needing to write code. Its unique offering is that it combines a visual interface with the power of CSS, HTML, and JavaScript, giving designers complete creative freedom while also providing functionality for developers. Unlike Wix, Webflow gives users full control over their design, with advanced customization options. It's particularly useful for users who want a high level of flexibility and are comfortable working with more complex tools.
For those looking for an easier-to-use option, Squarespace templates provide beautifully designed, ready-made themes that can be easily customized. If you're just getting started, you can take advantage of the free plan offered by Squarespace to build a basic website. However, for e-commerce functionality, you’ll need to consider the ecommerce plan, which comes with additional features for managing online stores, though be aware that Squarespace charges a transaction fee on some plans.
Key Features of Webflow:
Design Flexibility: You have full control over layout, animations, and interactions.
Responsive Design: Automatically adjusts your website’s design to fit any device.
CMS Functionality: Ideal for dynamic websites with blogs or portfolios.
E-commerce: Offers a robust e-commerce platform with customizable designs.
Hosting and SEO: Built-in hosting options and advanced SEO tools.
What is Squarespace?
Squarespace, on the other hand, is a user-friendly website builder aimed at people who want to create beautiful, professional websites without learning to code. It’s often chosen by creatives, small business owners, and anyone who wants an elegant online presence without a lot of technical hassle.
Key Features of Squarespace:
Ease of Use: Drag-and-drop builder that requires no coding skills.
Pre-designed Templates: A wide range of stunning templates, designed for different industries.
E-commerce Tools: Offers robust e-commerce solutions for selling online.
Built-in Analytics: Provides detailed insights into your website's performance.
24/7 Customer Support: Access to round-the-clock support via chat and email.
Webflow vs Squarespace: Design Flexibility
One of the most important factors to consider when comparing Webflow vs Squarespace is design flexibility. How much control will you have over the appearance of your website?
Webflow’s Design Freedom
Webflow shines when it comes to design flexibility. With Webflow, you’re essentially getting the power of a professional design tool like Adobe XD or Figma but integrated directly into your website builder. This means you can control every aspect of your site’s design, from layout and typography to animations and interactions. You have the ability to create truly custom websites that match your exact vision.
Webflow’s CSS Grid and Flexbox features allow for complex layouts that adapt seamlessly to different screen sizes. You can also add custom code and integrate third-party tools for even more control.
Squarespace’s Pre-designed Templates
While Webflow offers unlimited design flexibility, Squarespace takes a different approach by offering a large library of pre-designed templates. These templates are professionally designed and fully responsive, meaning they’ll look great on any device. However, the downside is that you’re limited by the templates' structures. While you can customize elements like colors, fonts, and images, you won’t have the same level of control over the layout as you would with Webflow.
Webflow vs Squarespace: Ease of Use
When it comes to ease of use, both platforms have strengths, but they cater to different types of users.
Webflow’s Learning Curve
Webflow has a steeper learning curve, especially for beginners. While its visual interface makes it accessible to non-coders, it still requires some familiarity with design principles, as well as basic HTML and CSS knowledge, to unlock its full potential. For those who are new to web design or web development, the platform might feel overwhelming at first. However, if you're willing to invest time in learning Webflow, the results can be extraordinary.
Squarespace’s User-Friendly Interface
Squarespace, in contrast, is much easier to use, even for beginners. The drag-and-drop interface allows users to create websites quickly and easily, with little to no technical knowledge required. Squarespace guides you through the process, offering templates that are simple to customize with intuitive tools. It’s perfect for someone who just needs a website up and running without worrying about complex design elements or code.
Webflow vs Squarespace: Pricing Comparison
Pricing is always a crucial factor when choosing a website builder. Here’s how Webflow vs Squarespace stack up.
Webflow Pricing
Webflow’s pricing is relatively complex, as it offers multiple plans based on whether you’re building a website, a blog, or an online store.
Plan Type
Price (per month)
Features
Basic Plan
$14
Ideal for simple websites with limited functionality
CMS Plan
$23
Includes CMS features for dynamic content
Business Plan
$39
Offers advanced e-commerce features and integrations
Enterprise Plan
Custom
Tailored solutions with high-level custom features
Squarespace Pricing
Squarespace offers a more straightforward pricing structure, with four main plans:
Plan Type
Price (per month)
Features
Personal Plan
$16
Basic features, ideal for personal websites
Business Plan
$23
Includes e-commerce tools and advanced integrations
Basic Commerce Plan
$27
Advanced e-commerce features
Advanced Commerce Plan
$49
Full e-commerce suite with advanced tools
Both platforms offer free trials, allowing users to try before they buy.
Webflow vs Squarespace: SEO Capabilities
When it comes to search engine optimization (SEO), both Webflow and Squarespace offer solid features to help your website rank well in search engines.
Webflow provides advanced SEO tools, including the ability to edit meta tags, create custom URL structures, and integrate Google Analytics for in-depth analysis. Webflow also allows for more granular control over the technical aspects of SEO, which is ideal for those with some technical knowledge.
Squarespace, on the other hand, offers built-in SEO tools, such as automatic image optimization, sitemaps, and customizable meta tags. While it may not provide as much control as Webflow, Squarespace’s SEO tools are sufficient for most users, especially beginners.
Webflow vs Squarespace: Customer Support
Having reliable customer support is crucial for any website builder. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect from each platform:
Webflow offers email support and an extensive library of tutorials, forums, and a community that can help with troubleshooting. There is also an option for premium support, but this comes with higher-tier plans.
Squarespace excels in customer service, offering 24/7 support through live chat and email. The knowledge base is also well-organized, and there are plenty of guides and video tutorials to help you get started.
Final Verdict: Webflow vs Squarespace
So, which platform is better: Webflow vs Squarespace? It ultimately depends on your needs and skill level. If you’re a designer or developer looking for complete creative freedom and control over your website’s design, Webflow is the way to go. On the other hand, if you’re someone who needs a simple, beautifully designed website with minimal effort, Squarespace is a fantastic choice.
Both platforms offer great features, but your decision should depend on the level of customization and technical knowledge you’re comfortable with.
FAQ
Which platform is easier to use, Webflow or Squarespace?
Squarespace is generally considered easier to use for beginners. Its drag-and-drop interface and pre-designed templates make it a great choice for those with little to no technical experience, making it easy to use. Webflow, on the other hand, has a steeper learning curve due to its design flexibility and advanced features, making it more suitable for designers or developers who want complete control over their website's design. If you're new to website building, using Squarespace might be the best option. However, Webflow offers resources like Webflow University to help users get up to speed.
Can I build an online store with Webflow and Squarespace?
Yes, both Webflow and Squarespace offer ecommerce solutions. Squarespace provides an easy-to-use e-commerce platform, making it ideal for small businesses and individuals looking to sell products online. Squarespace and Webflow both allow you to build beautiful online stores. Webflow also offers e-commerce features, but it provides more customization options and is better suited for businesses that need more complex functionality or unique designs, particularly for those familiar with WordPress and advanced web development.
How do Webflow and Squarespace compare in terms of SEO features?
Both platforms offer SEO tools, but Webflow provides more advanced customization options for users with technical knowledge. It allows you to edit meta tags, create custom URL structures, and integrate with Google Analytics. Squarespace, while offering built-in SEO tools like automated image optimization and customizable meta tags, is more beginner-friendly but may not provide the same level of control over SEO elements as Webflow. If you are looking for flexibility and customization, Webflow is a strong option. For users seeking ease of use, Squarespace may be more appealing.