If you’re looking for the best ecommerce platform to host your company’s online store, you’re definitely not alone. Choosing the right platform is no small decision, nor is it easy. There’s a lot of things to consider, from layout to price. Squarespace and WordPress are both powerhouses in the age of digital marketing, both making the top five list (CMS) as of 2022, with WordPress coming in at first place.
Distribution for websites using CMS technologies. Data source.
The Brief History of WordPress
- WordPress market share: 45%
- Websites in the world: 30.5+ mln
If you’re anything like us, you remember when WordPress started back in 2003. Back then, they were marketed as a blog website. If you remember that, you’re a dinosaur like us. However, it is no longer strictly a blog website! It is now a
WordPress Yearly Market Share
The Brief History of Squarespace
Websites in the world: 2.9+ mln
Squarespace launched back in 2004, one year after the birth of WordPress. Created in the dorms of the University of Maryland, Squarespace started as a sort of “do it yourself” drag and drop website. It saw major growth after its initial launch, even being able to secure Super Bowl advertising spots from 2014 to 2018. Fun fact, Squarespace’s 2017 commercial won an Emmy for Outstanding Commercial.
Squarespace Yearly Market Share
There ya have it, a brief history of Squarespace you can drop at your next dinner party!
WordPress vs. Squarespace Round One: Cost
Let’s break down the major pros and cons of each of these platforms. First, money. Cost is a major factor when considering which ecommerce platform is the best fit for your website.
Squarespace is a paid service; but, to their benefit, their pricing is extremely straightforward and easy to understand. They do not offer a free plan. However, they do offer a free
WordPress, on the other hand, is free. However, you will likely still run into costs associated with running an ecommerce website. It’s important to consider the pricing of things such as hosting, choosing a web domain, themes, plugins, and development. However, because WordPress is so heavily reliant on
Who do you think the winner is? To us, it all depends on how you play your cards. Regardless, we think the winner is WordPress due to their plugin
Squarespace vs. WordPress Round Two: Search Engine Optimization
Search engine optimization (SEO) is an important way to get your business out in the
Both Squarespace and WordPress come with
After going
Squarespace vs. WordPress Round Three: Mobile Experience
Around a decade ago, the norm was to have a cell phone for texting and calling, and having some way to access the Internet at your house, whether it was through a laptop or a desktop. Nowadays, most of us use our phones for everything from calling our best friends to browsing for groceries. Because of this cultural shift, it’s become almost a necessity that ecommerce sites provide us with smooth mobile experiences.
Thankfully, both SquareSpace and WordPress offer mobile apps for store owners! However, their capabilities vary greatly. SquareSpace’s mobile app offers a vast array of capabilities. Their app allows you to edit your brand’s website on the go, add new images, and even write and edit blog posts! Their app also allows you to view your website’s analytics. WordPress’ mobile app is sufficient; however, when compared to SquareSpace, it doesn’t really hold up. WordPress offers blog writing and editing, lists new products, processes orders, and watches your
After finishing the third round, we have to say that Squarespace takes the battle. Their store maintenance capabilities are better for the ecommerce action, in our humble opinion.
Squarespace vs. WordPress Final Round: Overall Ecommerce Experience
For our fourth and final round, our heavyweight champions will be going head to head for the title of Ecwid’s Pick for Best Ecommerce Site. Who will win? The anticipation must be killing you, so we’ll get right to the point.
Reflect on the packages we discussed earlier for Squarespace. From the business plan and onward, you will have access to amazing sales tools. You are able to choose from a number of excellently designed store templates. Other amenities include a
Squarespace also allows for a range of monetization options. WordPress, on the other hand, has no
Our winner for the final round is WordPress. WordPress does not put a limit on ways to pay, whereas users of Squarespace are limited to Stripe, PayPal, and Square. So, while it may be ok for a small store, it doesn’t allow for growth the way WordPress (with Ecwid) does.
Pros of Squarespace
Squarespace comes with many distinct advantages. Their editor is easy to use, and they offer a plethora of
Pros of WordPress
WordPress offers very flexible CMS for any size website and store. Their basic framework is free to download and run, and you have complete control over what you spend your money on. They have a massive support network; you can switch themes whenever you want; and, when you use plugins such as Ecwid, you have access to powerful ecommerce websites.
FAQs
Is Squarespace free?
No, Squarespace is not free. However, they do offer a
Is WordPress safe?
Yes, WordPress is safe. They have good security practices and measures.
Overall
Overall, we consider WordPress to be the better fit for those who want maximum customization for their websites.
With their expansive amount of plugins, they simply offer more than Squarespace can. If you feel confident with your abilities to design and customize without a lot of experience, WordPress is the best way to go. However, if you are looking for ease of use without having to worry about much, you may want to go with Squarespace.
