What is Squarespace?
A plain-English explanation of what Squarespace is, who it's for, and how it works as an all-in-one website platform.
Squarespace is an all-in-one website platform. You pay a monthly or annual subscription and get a website, hosting, a domain name option, and editing tools all in the same place. You don't need to install anything or manage separate services.
Quick summary
Squarespace is a subscription-based website builder. Your site lives on Squarespace's servers. You log in to a browser-based editor to make changes. No coding or separate hosting account is needed.
What does "all-in-one" mean?
With some website setups, you have three or four separate accounts: one for hosting, one for your domain name, one for your website software, and maybe one for your email. If something breaks, you have to figure out which company to call.
Squarespace puts most of that under one roof:
- Website builder — a drag-and-drop visual editor for designing and editing pages
- Hosting — your site files live on Squarespace's servers (you don't pay a separate hosting company)
- Domain names — you can register a new domain through Squarespace, or connect one you own elsewhere
- SSL certificate — the padlock in your browser's address bar is included automatically
Email is still separate. Squarespace doesn't run your business email inbox, though it does offer an Email Campaigns feature for sending marketing newsletters.
How does editing work?
You log in at account.squarespace.com with your email and password. From there, you reach the Home Menu (sometimes called the dashboard). Click on your website, then choose the editing option to open the Pages editor or the Design tools.
Squarespace uses a system of sections and blocks. A section is a row across the page. Inside each section, you add blocks — text blocks, image blocks, button blocks, and more. You click on any element to edit it, and changes are saved as you go.
Who is Squarespace for?
Squarespace suits:
- Small businesses that want a clean, design-forward website without hiring a developer for every update
- Service businesses (coaches, photographers, consultants) who want a professional presence with a portfolio or booking feature
- E-commerce sellers who want to sell products directly from their site
- Bloggers and content creators who want a built-in blog tool
It works best when your site has a relatively fixed structure and you mainly need to update content rather than build custom features.
What Squarespace is not
Squarespace is a closed, managed platform. That means:
- You cannot install third-party plugins the way you can on WordPress.
- Customization has limits. You can do a great deal with the built-in design tools, but deeply custom layouts or complex web applications may require a different platform.
- Your site data lives with Squarespace. If you cancel your plan, you lose access to the live site (though you can export some content).
Platform dependency
Because Squarespace is a closed platform, moving your site to a different provider later involves rebuilding it. Talk to your Chykalophia project lead before choosing a platform if you're unsure.
Squarespace vs other platforms
| Squarespace | WordPress | Webflow | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting included | Yes | No (separate) | Yes |
| Plugins / extensions | Limited | Thousands | Limited |
| Coding required | No | Sometimes | No |
| Design flexibility | Moderate | High | Very high |
| Monthly cost | Subscription only | Hosting + plugins | Subscription only |
For a deeper look, see Squarespace vs WordPress.
Common questions
Related guides
- Squarespace vs WordPress
- How to log in to Squarespace
- A tour of the Squarespace dashboard
- Squarespace plans & billing explained
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