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Webflow vs Squarespace
Squarespace gives you a polished site from a template, with selling, scheduling and email built in. Webflow gives you a custom site and a structured CMS that a team can grow. This page helps a software or AI company choose.
The short answer
Choose Webflow if you need a custom marketing site with structured content that will grow with the company. Choose Squarespace if you want a good-looking site from a template, with a store, appointment booking or member areas included, and little custom work. We build in Webflow. We don’t build on Squarespace.
At a glance
Editing
A visual builder based on HTML and CSS concepts. Editors get a limited role for text, images and CMS items.
Fluid Engine, a drag-and-drop editor on top of a template.
CMS
Collections you define, with reference fields and plan limits. Premium includes 40 collections and 20,000 items.
Built-in content types, such as blogs, products, events and portfolios.
Design control
High and precise. Every style maps to CSS, with interactions for motion.
Template-led, with custom CSS for finer changes.
Hosting
Hosted by Webflow. Some paid Workspace plans can export static code.
Hosted by Squarespace.
Integrations
App marketplace, CMS API, custom code, ecommerce and a localization add-on.
Built-in commerce, Acuity Scheduling, email campaigns and member areas, plus APIs for some integrations.
Learning curve
Steeper. Easier for people who know CSS.
Short. Made for owners building their own site.
Typical fit
Content-led B2B marketing sites and teams with a Webflow developer.
Creatives, service businesses and small stores.
How to decide
What content you publish
Choose Webflow if
You publish more than a blog, such as case studies, integrations, use cases or a resource library, each with its own template and linked to the others.
Choose Squarespace if
A blog, a portfolio and a few static pages cover it.
How custom the design needs to be
Choose Webflow if
The design should be built exactly as drawn, with precise control over layout and motion.
Choose Squarespace if
A strong template already matches the look you want.
Who builds and runs it
Choose Webflow if
A designer, developer or studio builds it and your team edits content afterward.
Choose Squarespace if
You want to set it up and run it yourself.
Which tools you want built in
Choose Webflow if
Your CRM, scheduling and product tools live elsewhere and the site connects to them.
Choose Squarespace if
You want selling, booking and email campaigns on the same platform as the site.
How portable you want it to be
Choose Webflow if
You want your content to stay portable. CMS collections export as CSV, and static code can be exported on some paid Workspace plans.
Choose Squarespace if
You expect to stay. Its export covers some content, such as one blog and basic pages. Store pages, portfolio pages and custom CSS stay behind.
What it costs
Webflow
Webflow charges a Site plan for each site and a Workspace plan for the people who build it. The Basic site plan has no CMS, so a CMS site needs a higher plan.
Squarespace
Squarespace charges a monthly plan per site, with commerce built into the plans and some features, such as scheduling and email campaigns, sold as separate subscriptions.
The build usually costs more than either plan. A custom Webflow build costs more to make than a Squarespace template, and it gives you a site and CMS that can grow with the company. Weigh the build against how long you expect the site to serve you.
How we help
We design in Figma and build in Webflow and Framer. If Squarespace is the right tool for you, we’ll say so.
For software and AI companies, we design and build Webflow sites with a CMS the team can manage after launch. Our Webflow work includes Arteway, where we designed the brand and built the website for an online art school taught from working artists’ studios.
If you’ve outgrown a Squarespace site, we can rebuild it in Webflow or Framer and redirect your old URLs. See Squarespace to Webflow and Squarespace to Framer.
Questions
Daniel G. Bright
Founder, BrightStudios
Still have a question?
Book a call with me to talk through your project and agree the next step.
Keep exploring
Squarespace to Framer
For companies that need page types and design control beyond a template.
Squarespace to Webflow
For content-led sites that have outgrown their template.
Webflow vs WordPress
A visual builder with a hosted CMS, or a plugin ecosystem and full control of the server.
Webflow vs Wix
A content-led site that grows with the company, or a quick setup you run yourself.
Webflow vs Shopify
A content-led site with a small store, or a commerce platform.
Webflow vs HubSpot
Precise design and a structured CMS, or pages and CRM in one system.
Talk it through
Tell us what the site needs to do and who will run it. We’ll recommend one platform and explain why.