What is the Disadvantage of Squarespace?

Let me start by saying that I love Squarespace — and I’ve been designing on it for years. It’s sleek, intuitive, and a game-changer for creatives, coaches, and service providers who want a stunning online presence without needing to touch a line of code. But even though I sell Squarespace templates myself (and I still recommend it for many clients!), I get this question a lot: “What’s the catch?”
So today, I want to break down the real disadvantage of Squarespace, the limitations to keep in mind, and when you might want to consider another website platform entirely.

Why Not Use Squarespace?

Here’s the thing: Squarespace isn’t perfect. It’s incredibly beginner-friendly and stylish, but that ease of use sometimes comes at the cost of flexibility and customization.

One of the biggest reasons someone might choose not to use Squarespace is control. If you’re the kind of person who wants to tweak every single pixel, build dynamic features, or integrate complex systems — Squarespace will frustrate you pretty quickly.

Another reason is pricing vs. value. While it’s not outrageously expensive, you might end up paying for features you don’t use, or worse — find that features you do need require an upgrade or workaround.

Here are a few real-life scenarios I’ve run into:

• A photographer needed a client portal → not possible without workarounds.
• An online course creator wanted better checkout options → Stripe only, and limited upselling.
• A shop owner wanted advanced filtering or variant logic → not doable without third-party hacks.

So, why not use Squarespace? If your project is super custom, highly interactive, or very e-commerce heavy, Squarespace may not be the right fit.

Does Squarespace Have Limitations?

Yes — and if you’ve ever tried to push the boundaries of what Squarespace “should” do, you’ll notice them fast.

1. Limited Advanced Customization

Squarespace isn’t WordPress. You can’t install just any plugin or build out unlimited features. Yes, you can use custom code (and I do in all my templates), but even that has limitations. For example:

• No full PHP access
• No control over database structure
• No dynamic content filtering (unless you use hacks or third-party tools)

2. Lack of App Marketplace

Unlike Shopify or Wix, Squarespace doesn’t have a massive app store. You’re mostly limited to built-in features or integrating third-party platforms through code or Zapier. If you’re trying to build a custom CRM or advanced membership area, it gets tricky fast.

3. E-Commerce Shortcomings

If you’re building a full-blown online store, Squarespace is a bit… basic. Some things that might frustrate you:

• You can’t offer multiple currencies without third-party tools.
• Product filtering and sorting are minimal.
• Upselling, cross-selling, and subscription tools are very limited.
• Limited payment gateway options (basically Stripe and PayPal, depending on location)

4. Limited SEO Control

Squarespace has improved a lot in the SEO department, but if you’re super SEO-savvy, you’ll feel restricted:

• You can’t edit your robots.txt or fully customize schema markup.
• No deep access to server-level redirects.
• Site speed and code cleanliness are out of your hands (unless you’re on Squarespace 7.1 and keep it lean).

5. Blogging Platform Isn’t Ideal

This one always surprises people! Squarespace is okay for blogging, but if content is your main business strategy (like, you blog daily or run a content-heavy site), the blogging features are a bit clunky:

• No featured image auto-thumbnailing
• No built-in category archives
• Limited RSS customization
• No true content scheduling (like social content tied to blog posts)

Is There a Better Alternative to Squarespace?

I always tell clients this: “Better” depends on your goals.
But yes, there are alternatives that might suit certain needs better than Squarespace.

Here are a few options I’d suggest depending on your project:

1. WordPress (Self-hosted)

Best for: Advanced bloggers, developers, and content-heavy websites.

• Highly customizable
• Tons of plugins and integrations
• Great SEO tools
• BUT: steep learning curve, requires maintenance

2. Showit (with WordPress)

Best for: Photographers and creative businesses who want beautiful blog integration.

• Visual drag-and-drop like Squarespace
• Blog powered by WordPress
• Great for highly visual brands
• BUT: Pricing is higher, blogging can be confusing to manage

3. Shopify

Best for: Serious e-commerce businesses.

• Advanced e-commerce tools
• Multiple payment gateways
• Huge app store
• BUT: Not great for service-based sites or bloggers

4. Webflow

Best for: Designers and tech-savvy users.

• Unmatched design freedom
• Built-in CMS and animations
• Full control over layout and structure
• BUT: Definitely a learning curve, not beginner-friendly

So… is there a better alternative?
Maybe — if you need very specific features. But if you want something clean, modern, and low-maintenance? Squarespace still wins in my book.

What Are the Cons of Squarespace?

Let me give you a quick summary of the biggest cons of Squarespace, especially if you’re weighing your options right now:

• ✖️ Limited design flexibility beyond templates (unless you know custom CSS/JS)
• ✖️ Not great for large or complex online stores
• ✖️ No plugin ecosystem or app store
• ✖️ SEO tools are basic and semi-locked
• ✖️ Blogging tools are behind competitors
• ✖️ Can’t easily scale into complex web apps or dynamic websites
• ✖️ More expensive than you might expect when adding features

What is the Best Website Builder?

Here’s my honest answer: There’s no one-size-fits-all “best” website builder.
It truly depends on you — your goals, skills, industry, and future plans.

Let me break it down quickly:

Personally, I stick with Squarespace because:

• I love how fast it is to launch and update.
• It looks polished right out of the box.
• Most of my clients don’t want to mess with code, servers, or updates.

But I’m always honest: if your project needs more power or freedom, I’ll recommend something else.

Final Thoughts: Disadvantage of Squarespace

Squarespace is a solid choice for many — especially if you’re a coach, creative, virtual assistant, or small business owner who wants a site that’s easy to manage and looks amazing. But it’s not perfect. And if you’re starting a high-traffic blog, a multi-product online store, or a feature-heavy membership site — you will hit roadblocks.

If you’re just getting started and want something polished, check out my Squarespace website templates — they’re modern, easy to use, and designed with conversion in mind.

Need something more custom? I also offer done-for-you web design services if you’re looking for a site tailored to your unique vision.

Still have questions about the Disadvantage of Squarespace?

Let’s chat — I’m here to help.

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