As a business owner, you probably know that choosing the right platform for your website is critical. That means the dilemma between WordPress vs. Squarespace is pretty important! In this article, I’ll review the two platforms and help you decide which is the best fit for your equine business. You’ll learn about customization options, how easy they are to use, site ownership, and different capabilities.
An Overview of the Two Platforms
WordPress vs. Squarespace has been a constant battle for as long as the two options have been around. WordPress is a do-it-yourself platform that started as a blogging tool and has since turned into a full-blown website builder. It is loved by developers and power users for its flexibility and endless customization options.
In the other corner, you have Squarespace – a platform that takes the guesswork out of web design and offers a streamlined user experience. Squarespace is popular with small business owners and bloggers who want a hassle-free website creation process.
Both platforms offer templates or themes to choose from, making it easy to build a website in a short period of time.
What is the Real Difference Between WordPress and Squarespace?
There are many real differences between WordPress vs. Squarespace, but they probably aren’t what you would think. In my experience, most equine business owners consider Squarespace to be superior because they believe it to be more user-friendly, functional, cost-effective, and aesthetically pleasing. I’m about to blow your mind by telling you that none of these points are true.
Interface Usability
Building out a new Squarespace website is pretty simple – I will absolutely give them that. WordPress requires more steps and the addition of plugins in order to create the user-friendly interface that you’ll find on Squarespace. The good news? This can be done with just 10-15 minutes and a super easy to follow Youtube tutorial.
Website Functionality
One of the biggest differences between WordPress and Squarespace comes in the form of website functionality. Although Squarespace is marketed as an easy all-in-one platform, WordPress is actually superior. Your website on WordPress can become just about anything you imagine thanks to the huge library of free and paid plugins.
If you want to make changes to the functionality of your Squarespace site, you’ll be forced to pay an upgrade fee. Want to add a site extension? That will cost you as well. Not to mention the fact that the available add-ons are extremely limiting. With a WordPress website, your imagination can literally run wild. If you can dream it for your website, you can make it happen on WordPress.
Website Ownership
WordPress is an open-source platform, which means that anyone can download the software for free and use it however they like. Squarespace, on the other hand, is a closed platform that doesn’t allow users to modify the code. When you purchase a Squarespace hosting plan, you’re locked in with them. You won’t be able to move your website to another hosting platform if you’re unhappy with service, speed, or pricing. Once you sign up for that account, you’re stuck on Squarespace.
When you build a WordPress website, you have the freedom to choose any hosting provider you wish. You can also easily download an exact copy of your website to store on your local computer in case of emergencies. The content on your WordPress website will belong 100% to you.
If you want to make changes to the functionality of your Squarespace site, you’ll be forced to pay an upgrade fee. Want to add a site extension? That will cost you as well. Not to mention the fact that the available add-ons are extremely limiting. With a WordPress website, your imagination can literally run wild. If you can dream it for your website, you can make it happen on WordPress.
Pricing for WordPress vs. Squarespace
WordPress is by far more affordable than Squarespace, with hosting plan options from sites like Namecheap coming in at around $6 per month. The lowest plan available on Squarespace is $12 – and that may not be enough to get you all of the features your equine business needs. Extra features or add on’s will cost you with Squarespace, many of which aren’t worth the additional fee (especially when you can switch to WordPress for less).
When you build a WordPress website, you have the freedom to choose any hosting provider you wish. You can also easily download an exact copy of your website to store on your local computer in case of emergencies. The content on your WordPress website will belong 100% to you.
If you want to make changes to the functionality of your Squarespace site, you’ll be forced to pay an upgrade fee. Want to add a site extension? That will cost you as well. Not to mention the fact that the available add-ons are extremely limiting. With a WordPress website, your imagination can literally run wild. If you can dream it for your website, you can make it happen on WordPress.
Design Capabilities
The reason that many equine business owners choose Squarespace is because they believe that it’s the only way they can create a beautiful website that is easy for them to use and maintain. In my experience, the website builder on Squarespace is actually much more limiting than what you can find on WordPress. In order to get a truly customized look, you need to be well versed in CSS (the coding language used to style websites). And if you don’t have CSS knowledge, you’ll be forced to choose from one of the templates available that may not give you the look you’re wanting to achieve.
On its own, I will admit that WordPress is a more advanced platform that can require coding knowledge. However, by the simple addition of a free plugin called Elementor, your design can be created with an easy to use drag-and-drop builder. In my opinion, Elementor provides so much more flexibility than the native Squarespace builder.
When you build a WordPress website, you have the freedom to choose any hosting provider you wish. You can also easily download an exact copy of your website to store on your local computer in case of emergencies. The content on your WordPress website will belong 100% to you.
If you want to make changes to the functionality of your Squarespace site, you’ll be forced to pay an upgrade fee. Want to add a site extension? That will cost you as well. Not to mention the fact that the available add-ons are extremely limiting. With a WordPress website, your imagination can literally run wild. If you can dream it for your website, you can make it happen on WordPress.
What is the Real Difference Between WordPress and Squarespace?
I won’t lie to you and say that WordPress isn’t typically the option that I choose for my clients – because it is. When I work with equine business owners, I always set them up with a custom WordPress website design built using the Elementor page builder plugin. As a designer, it’s my job to make sure that I provide a solution that can grow as my client’s business does. However, this doesn’t mean that I recommend WordPress to anyone looking to build a new site.
You Should Use Squarespace If:
- You don’t want to spend a few extra minutes setting up a site – you just want a quick and dirty solution
- You have some knowledge of CSS and can implement it to make your site stand out
- You don’t care if your website uses a premade template
- You don’t plan on growing your website to include more functionality in the future (like online scheduling, client dashboard area, community discussion area, etc.)
- You don’t mind spending more for the features that Squarespace provides
You Should Use WordPress If:
- You don’t mind spending a little extra time setting up a website platform
- You want access to unlimited design options and a large network of designers/developers
- You have big dreams for your website and the way it can help your business grow
- You want to own all of your content and be able to choose where it is hosted
- You’re a fan of saving some extra cash to put in other places within your equine business
Choosing a website platform for your equine business is an important decision. In most cases, WordPress is a better solution than Squarespace because of its functionality, usability, design capabilities, and cost-effectiveness. If you want to learn more about a WordPress website, contact us today.
