5 Best Squarespace Alternatives: Cheaper and More Functional

Let’s begin with arguably the number one alternative to Squarespace, at least as far as website builders go.

1. Wix

Wix is the third-most popular content management tool for building websites, which means the company is doing something right [1].

Here’s what the website builder can provide:

• An all-in-one experience that also includes domain registration. This means you may never need a third-party service and can do everything within the Wix interface.
• Wix’s own page builder – Editor X – is superlative and one of our favorites. We showcase this in our full tutorial on how to use Wix.
• Although you get a full-featured platform with Wix, you may still want to connect third-party services to it. Wix offers arguably the best app extension library among website builders due to its array of app niches and choices.
• There’s plenty of functionality to help build an online store with Wix too. You get options to sell online and in person, over 80 payment gateways, enterprise-grade security, gift cards, and much more.

However, the one chink in Wix’s armor is its reputation for inflexibility in some areas. For instance, you can’t change your site template once you’ve chosen one. Also, there’s no automated or assisted way to move content to another platform. This means, unless you use Wix forever, you’ll have a long-winded process to switch to another Squarespace alternative. This means you have to be sure that Wix is the right platform for you.

💳 Pricing

We cover Wix’s pricing in our dedicated article, but we can sum things up here. There are four tiers that range from $17.00 to $159.00 per month, with a fifth Enterprise tier which requires you to contact them to get a custom quote.

2. WordPress/Bluehost

Of course, this Squarespace alternative would be on the list! However, we’re cheating a little because it’s a two-for-one deal. On its own, Bluehost is a web host, so you’ll need a separate content management system. WordPress is ideal, as it’s open-source and offers near-infinite customization of your website through its diversity and assortment of plugins. Even better, Bluehost builds WordPress into many of its plans to give you the functionality you need with minimal effort.

Here’s what the combination gives you:

• A minimal-click setup for your site. In fact, thanks to the intuitive, clean, and crisp dashboard, using Bluehost on the whole is a breeze.
• Bluehost offers WonderSuite – a WordPress-powered site builder that leverages the benefits of the content management system (CMS). As such, you can use the native Block Editor and all the other features WordPress provides.
• You can harness the free content delivery network (CDN) to make sure your site loads fast, no matter where your traffic comes from.
• Bluehost gives you the functionality you need to set up an online store using WordPress and WooCommerce. You can even add payment gateways such as PayPal, Venmo, and many more.

On the whole, the WordPress and Bluehost tandem will give you the most flexibility and power for whatever site you want to create. While Wix is the direct competitor to Squarespace (as they’re both website builders), WordPress is the undisputed champion of website publishing platforms.

💳 Pricing

Bluehost’s pricing is straightforward, and we think it offers the most value on this list. You have four plans to choose from that range from $1.99 per month to $13.95 per month. The caveat is that these will be introductory prices for the first year only. You can choose to lengthen your contract to lock in those savings for three years, but you will still need to pay the full price eventually. However, even at full price, Bluehost’s offerings are competitive and affordable.

3. Weebly

Ecommerce is big business (literally!), which means a website builder that can provide in this area will be a boon. Weebly is one of the best Squarespace alternatives if you want to sell both online and in person. This is thanks to its parent company, Square. However, this isn’t all Weebly can do. Let’s list what its key offerings are:

• Of course, there’s the ecommerce functionality to mention. You can sell online, but thanks to Square’s hardware, you also get to enjoy point-of-sale (POS) commerce.
• The drag-and-drop builder is a joy to use, with plenty of elements to help you build a store to your vision. There are lots of contextual options for specific elements, too.
• Weebly’s options include essential search engine optimization (SEO) tools and settings to help you capture the most traffic. You also get security features to help protect your site, such as a free SSL certificate to help keep your data encrypted and safe.
• The site builder (and the entire app, in truth) are straightforward to use. Our tutorial on how to use Weebly is perfect reading to find out more about what the platform can do.

For more on Weebly, you’ll want to check out our full review of the platform. We also compare Weebly and WordPress in a few different areas elsewhere on the blog.

💳 Pricing

Weebly offers one free plan and three paid ones. The free and Personal plan suffer from a lack of features, especially when you compare it to the top two tiers. For the premium plans, you’ll pay within a range of $10–26 per month, which is a fantastic value.

4. Hostinger Website Builder

Number four on our list of the best Squarespace alternatives is a product formerly known as Zyro – Hostinger Website Builder. The platform allows you to easily build e-commerce websites and web pages with its user-friendly interface and drag-and-drop functionality. Here’s more of what you get once you sign up:

• Multiple AI tools that can help you build your brand and website. One of the standout tools is the AI website builder. All you need to do is describe your website and it will generate the page structure, layout, choose relevant website pictures, and more, in less than a minute. 
• Another AI tool worth mentioning is the logo generator. You just need to answer a few questions about your brand and the tool will create a logo in just a few seconds, which you can take as is or further customize.
• Hostinger Website Builder comes with SEO-friendly tools that you can use to find target keywords, generate meta titles, meta descriptions, and more. This can be perfect if you’re just getting started with SEO and need some guidance. 
• Hostinger plans also come with great e-commerce capabilities. For example, you can set up and sell up to 500 products, the platform won’t charge any transaction fees (so, your store’s profits will 100% be yours), and there are also multiple marketing integrations available to help you communicate and connect with your market.

On the whole, Hostinger Website Builder is a great solution for anyone looking for an easy-to-use platform with great functionality and features.

💳 Pricing

In terms of pricing, Hostinger offers a competitive plan that makes it an appealing option for budget-conscious users. The plan starts at $2.99 per month and also includes a free domain, SSL certificate, and unlimited bandwidth. After the promotional period, the price goes up to $7.99 per month. Hostinger also has hosting-only plans that are priced separately and come in multiple options. These start at $3.75 per month.

5. Shopify

Last but not least, Shopify is not only one of the best Squarespace alternatives; it’s staking a claim to be the number one ecommerce platform, too. We compare Shopify and Squarespace head-to-head elsewhere, but for now, let’s round up what the platforms offer:

• While there is no drag-and-drop page builder with Shopify, you have some of the most flexible and customizable content available. If you work with a developer, Shopify will arguably be at the top of your list of preferred ecommerce platforms.
• The back-end layout is easy to navigate, and you should find everything you need within a few clicks. Our dedicated tutorial on how to use Shopify takes a deep dive into the inner workings of the platform.
• We love the Shopify App Store, and it has plenty of ways to introduce third-party tools and services to your site. We cover some of the best of these in a dedicated roundup.

💳 Pricing

Shopify provides three plans. For most users, the Basic plan will provide the most cost-effective solution at $29 per month (if paying annually). The other two plans range from $79 to $299 per month (also based on annual pricing). However, you can get the first three months for only one dollar, which is an amazing way to take Shopify for a spin.

These 5 best Squarespace alternatives are all tremendous 😻

The great thing about these five best Squarespace alternatives is how they each fit into a different niche or need. However, they can also float into each other’s territories.

• Wix and Hostinger are arguably the closest alternatives to Squarespace, but Wix’s app library is superior in our opinion due to its wealth of choice. It’s the closest in quality and depth to WordPress’ extendibility options.
• For ecommerce Weebly and Shopify will tempt you, although they aren’t the only options on this list that let you set up a store.
• WordPress (using a host such as Bluehost) is going to be a worthier solution if you value flexibility and choice. It lets you decide how your site looks with thousands of swappable themes and near-complete customization options. What’s more, it lets you add practically any functionality you desire for free using WordPress plugins.

When it comes to the best Squarespace alternatives, we like WordPress the most. While it has a slightly higher learning curve than the rest, you can’t beat its pricing, performance, and all-around feature set.

Which of these best Squarespace alternatives do you think will help you succeed? Let us know in the comments section below!