Squarespace has long been a favorite for creatives, entrepreneurs, and small businesses looking for beautifully designed websites with minimal effort. Known for its elegant templates and all-in-one platform, it offers everything from hosting and domains to eCommerce and marketing tools. But as user needs grow more diverse and customization demands increase, many are looking for Squarespace alternatives that offer more flexibility, scalability, or affordability.
According to BuiltWith, as of 2025, Squarespace powers over 3.7 million websites globally, but platforms like WordPress, Wix, and Shopify dominate in terms of sheer numbers and feature variety. Some users find Squarespace’s closed ecosystem limiting—especially developers and business owners who want more control over SEO, design code, or third-party integrations.
Whether you’re launching an online store, portfolio, blog, or membership site, there are excellent tools available that suit your unique needs and budget. Below, we explore the 10 best alternatives to Squarespace—each explained in-depth to help you make an informed decision.
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1. WordPress.org – The Most Flexible and Scalable Option
WordPress.org is the world’s most popular content management system (CMS), powering over 43% of all websites. Unlike Squarespace, which is a closed platform, WordPress.org is open-source—meaning you can fully customize your site with thousands of themes and plugins.
It’s perfect for users who want total control. Whether you’re building a blog, an online store with WooCommerce, or a membership site, WordPress allows deep customization with access to the code. You’ll need to handle your own hosting (using providers like Bluehost or SiteGround), but this also means better performance tuning and scalability.
Best for: Bloggers, developers, agencies, and advanced users wanting control and customization.
Compared to Squarespace: More freedom and flexibility, but with a steeper learning curve.
2. Wix – Easy Drag-and-Drop Builder with More Creative Control
Wix is often considered a direct competitor to Squarespace, offering a user-friendly drag-and-drop editor with hundreds of beautiful templates. It powers over 8 million websites and includes features like SEO tools, an app marketplace, eCommerce support, and blogging tools.
One of Wix’s biggest strengths over Squarespace is its design flexibility. You can drag, resize, and reposition elements anywhere on a page. It also offers more control over animations, scroll effects, and custom behaviors.
Best for: Creatives, solopreneurs, and small business owners who want flexibility without coding.
Compared to Squarespace: Similar ease of use, with greater design freedom and a larger template selection.
3. Webflow – Designer-Focused Platform for Custom UX
Webflow combines the ease of a visual builder with the power of custom HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It’s the platform of choice for designers who want pixel-perfect control without relying on developers.
You can build advanced animations, custom layouts, and dynamic content without writing code, yet export or integrate it when needed. Webflow also offers a built-in CMS, eCommerce capabilities, and excellent performance.
Best for: Designers, UX/UI experts, and digital agencies wanting creative and code-level control.
Compared to Squarespace: Much more powerful for visual and interaction design; steeper learning curve.
4. Shopify – The King of eCommerce
If you’re focused on selling products, Shopify is a better fit than Squarespace. With over 4.6 million live stores, it’s built from the ground up for eCommerce. You get a complete toolkit—inventory management, shipping integrations, POS systems, abandoned cart recovery, and global payment options.
Shopify’s App Store adds even more functionality, and its themes are mobile-optimized and conversion-focused. It’s easy to use, fast, and highly reliable for scaling online businesses.
Best for: Entrepreneurs and businesses focused on eCommerce growth.
Compared to Squarespace: Far more advanced eCommerce tools but less suited for content-rich or design-heavy sites.
5. Weebly – Simple and Budget-Friendly
Weebly, now owned by Square, is a straightforward website builder with drag-and-drop features, eCommerce support, and blogging tools. It’s especially good for beginners or businesses that want to sell a few items and manage it easily.
It doesn’t offer the design finesse or modern aesthetics of Squarespace or Wix, but it makes up for it with simplicity and affordability.
Best for: Beginners, local businesses, or small stores with limited budgets.
Compared to Squarespace: More affordable and easier, but less elegant and flexible in design.
6. Zyro – AI-Driven and Super Fast Setup
Zyro by Hostinger is a rising star in the website builder space. It emphasizes speed and simplicity, boasting AI-powered tools for content generation, image optimization, and logo design. You can launch a sleek website in under an hour.
Its templates are minimal and performance-oriented, and it supports blogging and eCommerce. The platform also includes heatmaps and analytics—features not standard in most builders.
Best for: Startups and freelancers who want to launch quickly with minimal effort.
Compared to Squarespace: Faster setup and better AI features; lacks Squarespace’s design polish.
7. Carrd – One-Page Simplicity for Portfolios and Link Hubs
Carrd is the go-to platform for one-page websites. Whether it’s a personal portfolio, a link-in-bio page for Instagram, or a landing page, Carrd lets you build it in minutes with clean designs and no coding.
It’s incredibly lightweight, responsive, and affordable (starting at $19/year for Pro features).
Best for: Creatives, freelancers, or anyone needing a sleek one-page site.
Compared to Squarespace: Simpler and cheaper; not suitable for multi-page or complex sites.
8. Ghost – A Minimal Blogging and Publishing Platform
Ghost is an open-source platform designed specifically for publishing. If your focus is on writing, newsletters, or running a paid membership blog, Ghost excels with its clean UI and fast performance. It supports Markdown editing, paid subscriptions, SEO, and email newsletters—all from one dashboard.
Ghost offers both a hosted solution and a self-hosted version for developers.
Best for: Bloggers, writers, journalists, and publishers.
Compared to Squarespace: More powerful for content and monetization; fewer design and layout tools.
9. Duda – Agency-Friendly Website Builder
Duda is a lesser-known but powerful builder tailored for agencies and web professionals. It allows for rapid site creation, white-labeling, client management, and team collaboration. It includes robust design tools, responsive controls, and SEO settings.
The platform shines when managing multiple sites with efficiency.
Best for: Agencies and freelancers building client websites at scale.
Compared to Squarespace: Better for collaboration and bulk website creation; less elegant for solo users.
10. Strikingly – Fastest Setup for One-Page Sites and Simple Stores
Strikingly emphasizes simplicity and speed. It’s ideal for creating one-page websites that look professional with minimal setup. It also includes a simple store and blogging features.
You can build a site in minutes and use the mobile editor to adjust layouts directly from your phone.
Best for: Side hustlers, portfolio creators, and event landing pages.
Compared to Squarespace: More agile but lacks depth in features and design.
Find the Right Fit: Don’t Settle for Less Than What You Need
Squarespace may offer a beautiful and all-in-one experience, but it’s far from the only option in today’s diverse website builder market. Whether you’re a creative professional looking for pixel-perfect design (Webflow), a blogger in need of powerful publishing tools (Ghost), or a small business aiming for eCommerce growth (Shopify)—there’s a perfect match waiting.
As the digital space grows in complexity and specialization, your website builder should align with your long-term goals—not just look good. Choose flexibility, choose control, or choose simplicity—just don’t settle.
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