Squarespace pricing 2025: plans, deals, and hidden fees
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I’ve spent a lot of time exploring Squarespace, one of my favorite website builders, and while it’s a solid option with great design flexibility and ease of use, the pricing (like for most of the website builders on the market) can get a bit confusing. Whether you’re building a portfolio, online store, or blog, Squarespace offers a lot of powerful tools, but understanding the different plans and costs requires a closer look.
In this article, I’ll break down the pricing, plans, hidden fees, and everything else you need to know to make an informed decision on the best Squarespace plan for you.
Squarespace pricing overview
- Basic plan, annual payment of $16.00/month (renewal: $25/month) – ideal for blogs, portfolios, and very small business websites
- Core plan, annual payment of $23.00/month (renewal: $36/month) – perfect for small businesses that require more features and customization
- Plus, annual payment of $39.00/month (renewal: $40/month) – best for creating mid-level online stores and growing eCommerce needs
- Advanced, annual payment of $99.00/month (renewal: $72/month) – designed for large-scale eCommerce stores with advanced features
The discounted pricing is available when you choose the annual subscription, making it a cost-effective option for long-term use.
Free trial and money-back guarantee
The 14-day risk-free trial applies for annual plans, if you cancel within 14 days, you will get a full refund. After 14 days, no refunds are issued for annual subscriptions, and monthly plans are non-refundable.
What is Squarespace?
Squarespace is a website builder. It's a great choice for individuals and businesses looking for a beautiful, functional website. Its Fluid Engine makes designing responsive sites easy, while features for blogging, eCommerce, and scheduling tools offer versatility. The sleek, modern templates suit photographers, artists, and small businesses seeking a professional look.
Squarespace includes built-in SEO tools to boost rankings on search engines like Google and powerful analytics to track your website growth. It’s beginner-friendly yet offers customization options for advanced users. For more check our in-depth Squarespace review and check out exclusive deals in our Squarespace Black Friday article.
Squarespace builder plans and prices explained
Squarespace has a 14-day free trial for all of its plans and all plan durations. In total, Squarespace has 4 main subscription plans: Basic, Core, Plus, and Advanced, each available for either annual or monthly subscription.
I will discuss each Squarespace plan in detail, and you can click on one of the jump links below to jump directly to the plan you're interested in:
Squarespace Basic plan pricing – best for personal portfolios and blogs.
- Monthly price: $25/month
- Annual price: $16.00/month ($192/year, billed annually)
- Trial: 14-day free trial available
- Money-back guarantee: 14-day money-back guarantee for annual subscriptions
| Benefits | Limitations |
| Access to 230+ professionally designed templates | No eCommerce integration |
| Basic SEO tools included to improve site visibility on search engines | Cannot use premium content blocks like restaurant menus or scheduling |
| Free domain for the first year with annual billing | Cannot accept donations |
Additionally, Squarespace includes integrated tools for social media linking and basic content performance metrics, allowing users to understand audience engagement. Squarespace is designed to grow with your needs, making Basic plan a great starting point for future upgrades.
Squarespace Core plan pricing – best for small businesses
- Monthly price: $36/month (billed monthly)
- Annual price: $23.00/month ($276/year, billed annually)
- Trial: 14-day free trial available
- Money-back guarantee: 14-day money-back guarantee for annual subscriptions
| Benefits | Limitations |
| Zero online store transaction fees | 3% transaction fees for product sales |
| Access to premium integrations and blocks, such as OpenTable and ChowNow | No API integrations for advanced sales functionality |
| Professional email provided through Google Workspace for one year | No advanced merchandising features |
Additionally, the Core plan offers unlimited contributors, making it suitable for collaborative projects. However, users should be aware of additional costs, such as Google Workspace renewal fees starting at $6/month after the complimentary year. For businesses with higher sales volumes, the 3% transaction fee may become significant, making the Commerce plans more cost-effective.
Squarespace Plus plan pricing – best for mid-sized eCommerce businesses
- Monthly price: $40/month (when billed monthly)
- Annual price: $39.00/month ($336/year, billed annually)
- Trial: 14-day risk-free trial available
- Money-back guarantee: 14-day money-back guarantee for annual subscriptions
| Benefits | Limitations |
| Zero online store transaction fees | Unavailability of subscription-based sales |
| Access to advanced e-commerce tools like low-stock alerts | Lack of advanced shipping options, such as real-time carrier rates |
| Low tax for selling digital content and memberships | Limited integration with advanced third-party services |
The Plus plan does not include Squarespace transaction fees. So, the 3% fee that applies to the Core plan does not apply to the Commerce plans. It’s designed for mid-level eCommerce businesses that have outgrown the Core plan but do not yet require the full suite of advanced tools offered in the Advanced plan.
Squarespace Advanced plan pricing – best for a fully-fledged out web store with the most eCommerce features
- Monthly price: $72/month (when billed monthly)
- Annual price: $99.00/month ($624/year, billed annually)
- Trial: 14-day free trial available
- Money-back guarantee: 14-day money-back guarantee for annual subscriptions
| Benefits | Limitations |
| No transaction fees for online stores | Application of credit card processing fees (2.5% + 30¢) |
| Advanced shipping options, including real-time carrier rates | ACH payment processing fee capped at $10 but still present |
| Support for subscriptions and recurring billing for products or services | High starting price reducing accessibility for smaller businesses |
The Advanced plan is ideal for large-scale eCommerce operations needing sophisticated features like real-time shipping, subscription services, and detailed analytics. However, the steep price makes it a better fit for businesses with significant revenue.
Squarespace deals
Each Squarespace plan comes with special discounts that allow you to save money on purchases. Those discounts do not apply to returning customers, so the price will be higher upon subscription renewal. You can find out more about Squarespace offers and claim discounts on our Squarespace coupons page, but here’s a brief summary of plan deals:
| Subscription duration | Basic | Core | Plus | Advanced |
| Annual | 36% | 36% | 30% | 27% |
| Monthly | 36% | 36% | 30% | 27% |
Compare Squarespace plans
Choosing the right plan depends entirely on your expectations and needs. What kind of features are essential for your website? Do you plan an expansive eCommerce site or just a small page to showcase your projects? What is your budget? If you know the answers to these questions, here’s the summary of all four plans to help you pick the right one for you:
| Basic | Core | Plus | Advanced | |
| Pricing | From $16.00/month | From $23.00/month | From $39.00/month | From $99.00/month |
| Discount | 36% | 36% | 30% | 27% |
| Additional fees | $20-$70 domain renewal after the first year | $20-$70 domain renewal after the first year, 3% fee on transactions and sales, credit card processing fees, Google Workspace plan renewal ($6+) | $20-$70 domain renewal after the first year, credit card processing fees, Google Workspace plan renewal ($6+) | $20-$70 domain renewal after the first year, credit card processing fees, Google Workspace plan renewal ($6+) |
| Available site contributors | 2 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Includes eCommerce | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| SEO and AI | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Email hosting | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Commerce APIs | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
Keeping this information in mind, you can select the plan that best reflects your needs and website expectations.
Does Squarespace have any hidden fees?
Squarespace does have some additional fees that you should be aware of. While you get a free custom domain for the first year on annual plans, it will auto-renew at a standard rate of $20–$70 per year. Additionally, if you want to add more Gmail accounts or use email marketing, you may need to pay for third-party services like MailChimp.
For online stores, the Core plan carries a 3% transaction fee, which is removed on the Commerce plans. However, payment processing fees through services like Stripe or Square still apply, depending on the payment processor used.
Other Squarespace services and their pricing
Squarespace offers several additional services to cover for you. Of course, these services are not free, as they often involve third-party service providers, such as apps. Essentially, these services can be grouped into three distinct categories.
Domain registration and renewal
You cannot have a website without a domain. While all annual subscriptions offer a free domain for a year, renewing it costs money. If you don’t renew your subscription (and domain), you will have 15 days while your website will remain active. Afterward, your website will be archived and no longer accessible. This service costs an extra of $20-70 depending on the plan. You can read more about it in the Squarespace domain renewal guide.
Pro tip
You don’t have to register your domain through Squarespace. If you're looking for cheaper options, you can register your domain with other providers like Namecheap, and then easily connect it to your Squarespace website. This can save you money on renewal fees while keeping your website running smoothly.
Expert assistance
Squarespace offers the services of its own SEO expert to help make your website profitable and noticeable on Google. The price of this service depends on a lot of factors, from duration to the extent of help. For example, a brief consultation for a small website would be on the lower end of the range, while extensive assistance for a complex eCommerce website would cost significantly more. Overall, the price range of this service is between $175 and $800. You can learn more about it on the Squarespace website.
Third-party extensions
Squarespace offers a large number of extensions that offer various services. Those range from social media collaborations to apps such as MailChimp and LiveChat. The pricing depends on numerous factors, but extensions set pricing individually. It does not depend on Squarespace. If you choose to download any of these apps, you should expect to pay from free to $179 and more, depending on the extension. Though, there are a lot of free or free-trial options. You can also find the full list of Squarespace extensions in their official website.
Squarespace refund policy
You can cancel your Squarespace subscription at any point, however, to receive a refund you will need to cancel within 14 days of purchase. Additionally, your paid domain will remain active even if you cancel the subscription, as it’s technically a separate service. Monthly subscriptions are not refunded at all.
Extensions and third-party services also have to be refunded separately. Those include Google Workspace, Getty Images, and Acuity, among others. If you’ve carefully reviewed Squarespace's guidelines and determined that you’re eligible for a refund, you’ll need to complete the refund request form. It may take up to 10 business days to process and receive your refund.
Squarespace payment methods
Squarespace accepts multiple different payment methods. Those are:
- American Express
- Diners Club
- Discover (US currency only)
- Japan Credit Bureau
- MasterCard
- Visa
- PayPal
- SEPA direct debit (Euros only)
Squarespace does not accept payment with cryptocurrencies, checks, or direct deposits.
Final thoughts
While Squarespace does not offer as many subscription plans as some other web builders, those that it does offer are different enough for anyone’s needs. I would also argue that it’s one of the more affordable web builders in the market. However, difficulties with claiming refunds are definitely a downside.
Overall, I’d say if you decided to get Squarespace, there are no reasons not to, at least from the pricing perspective. There shouldn’t be a significant renewal price difference (you can easily calculate the estimate by adding up the equivalent of discount) and even domain renewal is not that pricey. All additional costs are clearly stated, so you can budget your expenses in advance.
FAQ
How much does a Squarespace website cost?
Squarespace web builder plans range from $16.00/month to $99.00/month, though the cost may be higher for an on-demand Enterprise plan. To find out how much your individual website would cost, you should evaluate your needs and select the subscription plan that would suit them best.
Is the Squarespace Core plan worth it?
Yes, if you’re just starting out with your eCommerce business. The Business plan has all the necessary features for a simple online store without the increased costs of more complex eCommerce websites. However, it also comes with a few additional expenses, like the Squarespace transaction fee, so if you intend to sell a lot, it might be worth subscribing to Commerce plans instead.
Is there a free Squarespace plan?
No, but all Squarespace plans are available for a 14-day free trial. Luckily, you do not need to enter your payment details to try out Squarespace for free. However, keep in mind that the trial will have limited features and options, and you will need to sign up. Also, if you want to continue using Squarespace, you can upgrade to a paid version and keep using your site.
How much is a domain after 1 year on Squarespace?
Your very first domain with all annual plans is free, but after the first year, you will have to pay a renewal fee of $20-70, depending on the plan that you had. Failing to pay the renewal fee can lead to your whole website being suspended, so it’s best to do it within 15 days after your year’s subscription ends.
Does Squarespace own my content?
No, you own everything on your website. However, Squarespace owns the domain for which you will have to pay renewal fees, and any third-party extensions would also need to be paid for to be valid. So, for example, if you don't pay for your Google Workspace account after the first year, you will lose both the account and the professional email attached to it.
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