Here’s the Truth (From a Web Designer Who’s Built a Lot of Them)

If you’re a small business owner debating whether Squarespace is really the right move for your website… welcome. You’re not alone.

I get this question all. the. time.

From brand-new entrepreneurs bootstrapping their first launch to seasoned business owners looking to ditch the duct-taped DIY site they threw together two years ago — so many people are staring at Squarespace wondering:

“Is it good enough?”

“Is it too basic?”

“Can it grow with my business?”

“Is it worth hiring a designer if I use Squarespace?”

Spoiler: the answer isn’t a simple yes or no. Because it depends on your goals, your vibe, and what you need your site to actually do.

So let’s unpack this — in plain English — with real insight from someone who designs strategic Squarespace websites for small businesses like yours every damn day.

🧰 First Things First: What Is Squarespace?

Think of Squarespace as the all-in-one platform for building a beautiful, functional website — without needing a developer or a WordPress degree.

Everything is bundled together:

• Hosting
• Design templates
• Built-in eCommerce
• Blogging tools
• SEO basics
• A (very pretty) drag-and-drop interface

It’s the “plug-and-play” option of the website world. Like the Nespresso of platforms — minimal mess, sleek results, easy to use, and gets the job done. Perfect for small business owners who don’t have time to wrestle with plugins or custom code.

Who it’s designed for:

• Creatives, coaches, and service providers who want a clean online presence
• Small product-based businesses with a modest shop
• Entrepreneurs who want to get online quickly without tech overwhelm

And yes — you can absolutely build a strong, professional, high-converting site on Squarespace. But the magic isn’t in the platform — it’s in how you use it. More on that in a bit.

✅ What Squarespace Gets Right for Small Business Owners

Alright, let’s talk strengths. Squarespace does a lot of things really well, especially if you’re a solo founder, creative, or service-based business.

1. Templates That Aren’t Hideous (Shocking, I Know)

Squarespace is known for its beautiful, modern templates — and that’s not hype. They’re clean, mobile-friendly, and designed with actual design principles in mind.

Unlike some other drag-and-drop platforms (cough Wix), your Squarespace site isn’t going to look like a garage sale the moment you hit publish.

These templates give you a solid foundation — especially if you’re DIYing and don’t want to start from a blank white screen.

💡 Pro tip: The templates look nice out of the box, but they’re even better when customized by a designer who knows how to work the platform in strategic ways (hi, that’s me).

2. It’s Super Beginner-Friendly

The Squarespace editor is intuitive. You won’t need to watch 47 YouTube tutorials just to move a headline or change your background photo. You can drag and drop, change fonts, rearrange layouts, and publish pages without ever touching code.

It’s made for real business owners — not tech people — and honestly? That’s a huge win when your to-do list is already overflowing.

3. It Comes With the Essentials Built In

This is where Squarespace really flexes. You don’t have to piece together a bunch of plugins like you do with WordPress. Out of the box, you get:

• Blog functionality
• Basic SEO tools
• A secure SSL certificate
• Analytics
• eCommerce tools
• Newsletter signups
• Scheduling integrations (like Acuity)
• Mobile Optimization

It’s all in one place, and it all just… works. No Frankenstein site builds. No plugin updates. Just a streamlined experience.

4. You Can Sell Stuff (Without Setting Up Shopify)

Squarespace supports physical and digital products, service bookings, memberships, and even subscriptions (on certain plans).

You can create product listings, accept payments, manage inventory, and send order confirmations — all from your dashboard.

Now, let’s be clear: if you’re running a large online store or need complex shipping zones, you’ll eventually outgrow it.

But for selling a few items or digital offers (think: templates, merch, or client resources)? Squarespace is more than capable.

5. It’s Cost-Effective (Especially When You’re Just Starting Out)

Let’s talk money. Squarespace starts at $27/month for their “Business” plan, which gives you everything you need to run a small site with basic eComm features. Their Commerce plans (for more selling features) are still under $40/month.

When you compare that to the piecemeal cost of WordPress (hosting + theme + plugins + developer help), it’s a damn good deal.

⚠️ Where Squarespace Falls Short (Yep, It Has Limits)

I love Squarespace, but it’s not perfect — and if you’re making decisions based on your long-term goals, you need to know where it doesn’t shine.

1. Customization Has a Ceiling

If you want to break out of the box completely — animations, interactions, advanced filtering, or layered layouts — you’ll hit a wall unless you know CSS or JavaScript (or hire someone who does).

For most service-based businesses, it’s totally fine. But if you’re dreaming of an ultra-unique, interactive site? It might feel a little… square.

2. You Can Outgrow It as You Scale

If you’re planning to scale your business into a multi-product, multi-location, team-managed ecosystem — with detailed email funnels, affiliate tracking, wholesale logins, and 12+ landing pages — Squarespace might not keep up.

That’s where platforms like Shopify (for eComm) or WordPress (for total control) are better long-term.

3. It’s Easy to Build Pretty, But Not Always Strategic

This one’s important: just because you can build a nice-looking site on Squarespace doesn’t mean it’s going to perform.

The #1 issue I see with DIY Squarespace websites?

They look fine — but they don’t actually connect, convert, or guide users through a buyer journey.

Your website shouldn’t just be “a place to exist.” It should be doing the heavy lifting: telling your story, showing your value, building trust, and booking clients while you sleep.

That’s the part where strategy, storytelling, and smart design come in. (Which is exactly what I bring to the table.)

So… Is Squarespace Good for Your Business?

✅ YES, if:

• You’re a service-based business (coach, consultant, photographer, designer, etc.)
• You sell a small number of physical or digital products
• You want a clean, modern site that’s easy to manage
• You’re not techy and don’t want to become techy
• You want to launch quickly without sacrificing quality
• You’re ready to DIY or you’re working with a designer who specializes in Squarespace

❌ Maybe not, if:

• You need full backend flexibility or custom integrations
• You’re building a complex or high-volume eCommerce shop
• You want to manage tons of products, shipping variations, or advanced automations
• You need deeply personalized client logins, learning portals, or affiliate systems
• You want a site that looks totally unique and interactive from page one

💬 My Honest Take as a Squarespace Designer

Squarespace is one of my favorite platforms for small businesses — not because it’s trendy, but because it actually works for most of my clients.

It’s intuitive. It’s clean. It respects your time and energy.

But like anything, it needs to be used well.

A lot of people assume that “simple” equals “basic.” Nope. I’ve built Squarespace sites that are sleek, strategic, scroll-stopping, and backed by serious business goals.

When you blend branding, storytelling, design, and a strong user journey? That’s where the magic happens.

If you’re ready to launch — and want a website that reflects your energy and books your dream clients? Let’s make it happen.

🚀 Want a Squarespace Site That’s More Than Just Pretty?

At The Clubhouse Creative, I design Squarespace websites that aren’t just scroll-worthy — they’re built to convert. Whether you’re launching your first offer, refreshing your brand, or finally upgrading from that DIY template you kinda hate… I’ve got you.

✨ Website in a Day

✨ Full custom Squarespace design

✨ Strategy, SEO basics, and founder-forward messaging baked in

👉 Click here to inquire about your project.

Let’s build a site that makes your business look as legit as it actually is.

❓Frequently Asked Questions