Picture this: You’re a business owner ready to launch your blog and know it needs to look sharp. But with so many website builders, how do you pick the right one? Enter Webflow and Squarespace, two of the most prominent players in the business blogging game. Picking the right platform can feel like choosing between red or green apples at the store; both are good, but which is best for you? This comparison will help you figure it out.
Feather's notion to blog can further streamline the process, providing a straightforward way to bring your ideas to life while focusing on what truly matters: engaging your audience.
Webflow vs. Squarespace at a Glance
Webflow and Squarespace are no-code website builders but cater to different needs. Webflow offers extensive design freedom, letting you tweak every element’s size and placement. Squarespace, provides a more guided approach, ideal for those who want a beautiful site without fiddling with every detail. Both platforms can create stunning websites, but the journey to get there looks a bit different.
Design Freedom: How Flexible Are They?
Webflow offers almost unparalleled flexibility. You can adjust every site element to your liking, making it perfect for those who want complete control over their design. It can be overwhelming for beginners or those who just want a simple site.
Squarespace, on the other hand, offers a more structured approach. It provides beautiful templates that you can customize to a certain extent. This makes it easier to use, but you’ll have less control over the final look.
Features: What Do You Get With Each Plan?
Webflow offers many features, but you’ll need to pay for them. Its lower-tier plans are limited, so you must upgrade to more advanced features. On the other hand, Squarespace offers a generous set of features even on its basic plan. This makes it a more affordable option, especially for those who don’t need all the bells and whistles.
Ease of Use: Which Is Easier to Get Started With?
Squarespace is generally easier to use. Its templates and drag-and-drop editor make it simple to create a website, even if you’ve never done it before. Webflow, on the other hand, has a steeper learning curve. It offers more design freedom, but you’ll need to learn how to use it effectively. Squarespace is the better choice if you’re looking for a tool you can use immediately.
Webflow is a powerful, all-in-one platform for creating and hosting websites. Think of it as a modern website builder. Setting up a website is fast and straightforward because Webflow includes everything you need. You don’t have to worry about finding a hosting service or adding plugins for:
SEO
Security
eCommerce
How Does Webflow Work?
Webflow is a closed-source system, which means the source code isn’t publicly available. Instead, you get access through a tiered subscription model. Since its launch in 2012, Webflow has gained a reputation for its intuitive interface and design-first approach. This means you can build high-performing websites quickly and without limitations, making it a favorite among:
Designers
Agencies
Enterprises
Can I Blog With Webflow?
Webflow offers a CMS option for blogging and content creation, but it’s not required for basic websites. One of the best things about Webflow is that you can visually design your site without writing any code.
What Are My Options After I Build My Site in Webflow?
Once you’ve built your site with Webflow, you can either export the code and host it elsewhere if it’s a static site or pay Webflow to host it. If you want to use Webflow’s CMS for dynamic content, you’ll need to choose the latter option.
What Is Squarespace?
Squarespace is an online website builder focusing on making the entire design and launch process easy and streamlined. Like Webflow, it lets you ultimately take the reins over building your site, enabling you to maintain it further after the launch.
Squarespace stands out from the pack in the following areas:
It’s straightforward and aimed at users looking to build functional and visually captivating sites with little to no technical knowledge. Compared to other similar builders, there’s much less learning to do in the beginning.
Squarespace is all about templates, and you’ll find some unique and customizable options for your website that can kickstart the site-building journey.
Squarespace is price-worthy, as you’ll get great value for the money you’ll pay if you decide to use this option.
Squarespace is the second most popular builder worldwide and holds the top spot in the United States. A substantial 71.8% of Squarespace’s total revenue comes from the U.S. market.
Globally, Squarespace is used by 3-4% of all websites that utilize a content management system (CMS), making it the fourth most widely used CMS.
Go From Notion to Blog With Feather
Ready to streamline your blog and newsletter? Feather is an SEO-friendly tool that lets you publish blog content and newsletters directly from Notion. With no coding or design skills, you can easily collaborate with your team during publishing.
Feather also offers SEO benefits by allowing you to set up a subfolder blog and manage your CRM and website blog from Notion.
Run your blog and newsletter with Feather today! Create a new account and send emails from Notion, or go from notion to blog in minutes!
Webflow vs Squarespace: Detailed Feature Comparison
Squarespace is the clear winner when it comes to ease of use. Its drag-and-drop editor is intuitive, and beginners don’t need any web development experience to get started. This platform makes it super easy to build a website with its simple sign-up process and design assistance features like Squarespace Blueprint.
While Webflow also asks detailed questions during sign-up to tailor the experience, its editor requires more effort to unlock its full potential. You’ll need to adjust:
Line spacing
Dimensions
Other factors to customize your layout properly
Webflow is more advanced and a better fit for users who are comfortable with more complexity and customization and are willing to take the time to learn.
How Easy Is It to Get Started?
Both Squarespace and Webflow have streamlined sign-up processes but offer different experiences from there. Squarespace guides you through a quick survey and provides more than 150 templates categorized by industries like:
Portfolio
Fitness
User-Friendly Onboarding With Webflow
Its Blueprint feature even generates a custom template based on your answers to a few design-related questions. Then, you’re off to create with a brief tutorial. Webflow also offers a quick sign-up process and gathers information about your skills and the type of website you want to build. It provides pop-up guides and tutorials to help you navigate its editor.
How Easy Is the Editing Process?
Editing with Webflow will require more effort but gives you more freedom. Its editor is more robust, with design tools and pop-up tutorials to help you. However, Webflow’s editor can feel overwhelming to users unfamiliar with web design. While it’s technically a drag-and-drop editor, it requires precise adjustments to line spacing and dimensions, making it a tool for professionals.
Squarespace’s section-based editor is much easier to manage. Also, while you can’t move elements to precise locations, the grid format keeps everything neat and polished.
How Easy Is It to Set Up a Domain?
Setting up a domain is much simpler with Squarespace. Every plan includes a free custom domain for the first year, managed directly through Squarespace. This seamless integration with Google Domains, which Squarespace recently acquired, means you can manage your domain and website from one place.
With Webflow, you must purchase a domain separately through third-party providers like GoDaddy or Google. Connecting the domain to Webflow requires additional steps and technical setup.
How Do the Platforms Compare in Design and Customization?
Webflow offers unmatched creative freedom, giving you complete control over every design detail. You can adjust everything from color shades to border widths and create custom animations. However, it’s more technical and time-consuming.
Template Comparison
Webflow boasts over 2,000 templates, but only about 50 are free, and you can’t switch templates once you’ve chosen one. Squarespace provides fewer customization options but makes up for it with high-quality, stunning templates ready to go out of the box. Its 160+ free templates are world-class, and you can switch them freely.
How Do the Platforms Compare in Terms of Selling Online?
Squarespace is the smarter choice for most online businesses. It offers e-commerce functionality starting at $23/month. You can sell unlimited products and access features like abandoned cart recovery and social selling.
You get no transaction fees and unlimited staff accounts on the higher-end plan at $49/month. Squarespace is also rolling out exciting ecommerce features like:
Squarespace Payments
Client Invoicing in its future updates
Webflow's Ecommerce Pricing and Features
Webflow’s ecommerce plans start at $29/month, but its features aren’t as robust as Squarespace’s at this price point. The platform allows you to sell up to 500 products with a 2% transaction fee, but customization remains the standout feature. Webflow’s advanced ecommerce plan jumps to $212/month, offering custom shipping rates and no transaction fees, but at a significantly higher cost.
How Does the Help and Support Compare?
Squarespace stands out in the help and support category, offering various support channels like:
Live chat (available Monday through Friday)
24/7 email support
Comprehensive Help Center
Users have easier access to human support compared to some other platforms. Webflow falls slightly behind in this area, with its primary support channel being email, where users can expect a 24-48 hour response time. Nevertheless, it compensates by offering extensive self-service resources through Webflow University, a rich collection of tutorials and guides.
How Do AI Capabilities Compare?
Squarespace has started to incorporate AI with its built-in Squarespace AI tool for generating
website copy. While the results may be functional, they're often bland, making it more suitable for users with low copywriting needs.
AI Integration in Webflow: Current Limitation
The AI feature adds convenience, though it’s not a replacement for professional content creation. Currently, Webflow has not integrated AI features directly into its platform. Users can rely on third-party tools like Jasper for tasks such as generating website copy, but Webflow has yet to introduce native AI functionalities.
How Do the Platforms Compare in Terms of Community and Learning Materials?
Webflow boasts a highly active community made up of:
Designers
Developers
Business owners
Community and Education Resources in Webflow and Squarespace
There are dedicated forums, Webflow-sponsored events, and global meetups, all of which foster a collaborative environment. Webflow University offers extensive free educational content for beginners and advanced levels. Squarespace also has a solid community, albeit with a slightly different focus.
Squarespace’s community is more tailored to entrepreneurs, artists, and small business owners, with fewer technical forums than Webflow's. One standout feature is Squarespace Circle, a community offering exclusive content and extended trials for creative professionals.
How Do the Platforms Compare in Terms of User Reviews?
Users of Webflow often highlight its design capabilities, flexibility, and ease of creating unique websites without needing to code. It excels in integrating third-party widgets and offers a robust CMS feature.
User Feedback: Strengths and Weaknesses of Both Platforms
Some users find the pricing structure complex and feel Webflow's eCommerce functionalities must catch up to specialized platforms. Squarespace users appreciate the platform's in-house capabilities, particularly for content management and monetization. Users often need more flexibility in design elements and a buggy interface when adjusting margins or rearranging objects.
Webflow vs Squarespace: Pricing Comparison
Webflow breaks down its pricing into:
Site
Workspace
E-commerce plans
Cost Considerations for Webflow and Squarespace
Each one serves a distinct purpose. Site plans start at $12 monthly for a custom domain, and you’ll need at least $16 monthly for CMS features. These plans suit individuals or freelancers working on single-site projects.
On the other hand, Workspace plans start at $0, but you’ll want to upgrade if you need features like:
Custom code
Site permissions
Team collaboration
Paid Workspace plans begin at $19 per month, offering more control but adding to your expenses.
Webflow's Separate E-Commerce Options
Webflow’s e-commerce plans are standalone and don’t come free. The base plan is $29 per month with a 2% transaction fee, while the most expensive plan runs $212 per month with a limit of 3,000 items. This separation of features may lead to higher overall costs.
Squarespace's Straightforward Plan Options
Squarespace offers a more straightforward structure with four plans, starting with a two-week free trial. After the trial, you must choose one of the plans. The Business plan is the most popular, at $33 per month. It offers more features but charges a 3% transaction fee for e-commerce. There’s no item limit, which can benefit larger stores.
E-Commerce Considerations for Squarespace Users
While the Business plan charges a 3% transaction fee, the Commerce plans do not. This might make Commerce plans an attractive option for stores processing many transactions.
Is Webflow Better Than Squarespace?
When you think of Webflow, picture a playground for designers and developers. It offers a design interface that’s all about control and flexibility. Webflow is your go-to if your business has a team that thrives on creating unique, custom sites. It’s not just about looks, either. Webflow’s tools are made for those who understand design or coding, making it perfect for scaling or crafting intricate sites.
Squarespace: The Simple Starter
If simplicity is your game, Squarespace is the way to go. It’s user-friendly and great for businesses just kicking off or those who want to get online quickly. Its pre-designed templates make it easy for anyone to set up a site without needing a tech background. Squarespace’s simplicity is its strength, offering an intuitive platform that solves immediate needs without deep customization.
Which One Fits Your Business Needs?
So, what does your business need? If you’re looking for advanced, custom designs,
Webflow is probably the better choice for you. But if you need something easy and fast, Squarespace can work just as well.
What's Better Than Webflow & Squarespace? 6 Best Alternatives
1. Feather: Take Your Blog from Notion to the Web Effortlessly
Feather is a seamless way to manage your blog and email newsletter together. Write on Notion, and with no extra coding or design skills; your content goes live on an SEO-friendly blog. You can even send newsletters to your subscribers directly from Notion. Feather makes it easy to collaborate with your team during the publishing process. Want a touch of customization? Use custom CSS to tweak your design or gather email subscribers.
Run your blog and newsletter with Feather today! Create a new account and send emails from Notion, or go from notion to blog in minutes!
2. Shopify: E-commerce Excellence for Online Sellers
Shopify is your go-to platform if selling products online is your top priority. It offers robust tools for:
Shopify is a reliable choice for businesses on the rise with its excellent e-commerce features such as:
Secure payment options
Scalability
However, the monthly fees can add up, especially with additional apps, and their flexibility is limited for non-e-commerce sites.
3. WordPress: Flexible and Customizable for the Tech-Savvy
WordPress powers many of the web due to its high flexibility and customization options. Pair it with a hosting provider, and you will get a user-friendly tool that even beginners will appreciate. WordPress is a solid choice with an extensive library of plugins and strong SEO capabilities. But it requires more technical knowledge than drag-and-drop builders, and you’re responsible for maintenance and updates.
4. Hostinger Website Builder: Affordable and Easy for Small Businesses
Hostinger offers a budget-friendly website builder that’s simple and perfect for small businesses or personal websites. The pricing is affordable, the interface is easy to navigate, and the template selection is decent. However, it lacks advanced features compared to competitors and offers fewer integrations.
5. GoDaddy Website Builder: User-Friendly and Quick for Beginners
GoDaddy is known for domain registration and hosting but provides a straightforward website builder. It’s ideal for beginners and integrates smoothly with other GoDaddy services. You’ll find it easy to set up and great for small businesses, but it offers limited customization options and fewer templates than other builders.
6. Webnode: Simple and Multilingual for International Users
Webnode may be less well-known but it provides a straightforward interface for quickly creating websites. It’s perfect for multilingual websites, making it a solid choice for international users. While it’s easy to use and great for simple sites, it lacks features for advanced users and offers fewer templates.
Is Webflow Still Relevant?
Yes, Webflow is still highly relevant. As the demand for visually impressive, responsive websites grows, Webflow has carved out a niche by offering a platform that blends design freedom with powerful development tools without requiring users to write code.
Ability to design websites without relying on templates
Webflow's constant updates, community events, and growing adoption by professional designers and agencies ensure its relevance in modern web development.
Webflow is a top choice for professionals. Why? It offers powerful design tools that quickly help web designers and digital agencies build custom sites. Professionals can create smooth websites without coding. This is a game-changer for big projects. Plus, Webflow lets users handle content with its CMS. This feature is perfect for content-heavy sites. The ability to export clean code also makes it a favorite for those who want to keep things tidy.
Agencies and Freelancers Swear By It
Many digital agencies and freelance designers use Webflow as their go-to tool. They can deliver high-quality websites to clients without a hitch. The platform’s flexibility and efficiency are unmatched. The growing community of professionals using Webflow only adds to its appeal. They share the following:
Tips
Tricks
Webflow vs Squarespace: Not Even a Contest
When comparing Webflow to Squarespace, there’s a clear winner. Webflow is more versatile and powerful. It’s like comparing a sports car to a bicycle. While Squarespace is great for simple websites, Webflow can handle more complex projects. Professionals need the best tools, and Webflow delivers. You can customize every detail and create something unique. It’s no wonder so many pros choose it.
Go From Notion to Blog With Ease Today With Feather
Feather offers an easy way to publish blog content and send newsletters using Notion—no coding required. It’s perfect for companies that want an SEO-friendly blog without the hassle of technical setup. With Feather, you can write in Notion and automatically push content to your blog, all while collaborating seamlessly with your team.
Subfolder blogs on Feather help boost your SEO, providing a more organic connection between your site and blog content. Plus, you can customize your design all from within Notion with:
CSS
Email collection
CRM management
Streamline Workflow with Notion and Feather
Feather makes it simple to integrate your blog and CRM management with Notion. This allows you to manage your entire content process in one place without switching between different tools. Feather makes it easy to set up and send newsletters directly from Notion, so you can keep your subscribers updated without leaving your workspace.
With Feather, you can get the HubSpot experience with Notion, streamlining your workflow and allowing you to focus on what matters most: creating great content.