Two of the most popular platforms for building a website are Squarespace and WordPress. Which one of these platforms is best for you? Each platform has its pros and cons. Use the information below to help you pick the one that will best suit your needs.
Note: WordPress offers two different platforms. The first, WordPress.com, is a hosted service. It is simpler to use and set up than WordPress.org, but it has limited functionality. When this article uses the term “WordPress,” WordPress.org is implied.
Setup
For ease of setup, Squarespace is the winner. Squarespace is a hosted platform, meaning that you do not need to go to another hosting service to set up your website. All of it is done directly with Squarespace. For more information on how a Squarespace website is set up, look into this guide by FieldPulse.
WordPress is a self-hosted platform. You have to find another hosting service (WordPress recommends several here) and then download WordPress before you can begin working on your website. This guide by WPBeginner will teach you how to install and begin using your WordPress site.
SEO
In an article on TheSemPost, Brian Hughes discusses the differences between the SEO strategies of Squarespace and WordPress. The SEO features of Squarespace are managed for you and are built into their templates. If you are not well versed in managing SEO, Squarespace will bring your website up to speed with search engines.
WordPress, on the other hand, has a number of great plugins that give you powerful SEO tools. The SEO features on this platform can be more effective than the ones on Squarespace if you have a good SEO strategy, but it will take more work and more knowledge of SEO to customize them.
Versatility
Unlike Squarespace, WordPress is an open source platform. Developers and programmers can create their own tools to share with or sell to other WordPress users. Building your website with WordPress means that you have access to nearly 50,000 plugins to modify your site and make it your own. Squarespace does not have plugins and is not an open source program, making its functionality limited compared to WordPress.
Support
The versatility of WordPress is outstanding, but the downside of using plugins is the lack of support. Because there are so many plugins and other tools, they are not strictly monitored by WordPress. Wordpress support can only be found through the community forums, not the organization itself. Squarespace has community support as well, but also boasts a 24/7 email service and live chat. The lack of open source content on Squarespace may decrease its flexibility, but it also makes problems with Squarespace easier to fix.
The Verdict
Which platform should you use to build your website? The answer depends on your needs, your time and your ability.
Squarespace has beautiful themes that lend themselves well to visual websites. Photographers, artists, and others who are looking for a photo-rich website will benefit from Squarespace. It is also simpler to use and setup. If you are not tech-savvy, do not have the time to learn WordPress, or do not have the money to hire someone to work on your website for you, then Squarespace is the way to go.
If you are looking for a more versatile platform with more powerful tools, consider building your website with WordPress. This is especially true if your website will consist of a lot of text, such as a blog or news source. It will take you more time and effort to set up and maintain, but the customization options will help your website continue to grow and expand.
Consider your needs and choose the platform that will benefit you the most.
