SECTION_01 // SQUARESPACE VS PROFESSIONAL WEB DESIGNER
Squarespace vs hiring a professional web designer
Squarespace looks appealing — but is it actually cheaper, better for SEO, and right for your business? Here's the honest comparison most Squarespace marketing doesn't want you to see.
SECTION_02 // SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON
Squarespace vs OWD — feature by feature
| FEATURE | SQUARESPACE | OWD CUSTOM SITE |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Template-based — looks like thousands of other sites | Bespoke — built around your brand, unique to you |
| Monthly cost | £13–£37/month (£156–£444/year, forever) | £90–£350 one-off, then ~£70/year hosting |
| SEO control | Limited — can't control technical SEO, slow JS rendering | Full control — fast HTML, schema markup, crawlable |
| Page speed | Often 50–70 PageSpeed — slow JS bundles hurt rankings | 90+ PageSpeed score — faster load = better Google rank |
| Custom functionality | Limited to Squarespace's plugin ecosystem | Fully custom — anything you need can be built |
| Ownership | You rent it — if you cancel, your site disappears | You own it — the code, the domain, everything |
| Support | Generic chat/email support | Direct UK-based support from your designer |
| Long-term cost (5 years) | £780–£2,220+ | £370–£640 (one-off + hosting) |
SECTION_03 // THE REAL COST
Squarespace costs more over time
Squarespace's monthly subscription seems affordable at first — but it never stops. £13–£37/month means you're paying £156–£444 every year, forever, for a website you don't own and can't move.
Over 5 years that's £780–£2,220 for a templated site that looks like thousands of others and underperforms in Google. OWD builds you a custom website for a one-off price of £90–£350, with hosting around £70/year after year one.
Over the same 5 years you'd pay £370–£630 total with OWD — typically less than 2 years of Squarespace. And you'd have a unique, faster, better-ranking website you actually own.
SQUARESPACE — 1 YEAR
£156–£444
Ongoing, never ends
OWD — 1 YEAR
£90–£350
One-off payment only
SQUARESPACE — 5 YEARS
£780–£2,220
Subscriptions compound
OWD — 5 YEARS
£370–£630
Build + 4 years hosting
SECTION_04 // FAQ
Squarespace vs professional — frequently asked questions
Is Squarespace good for SEO?
Squarespace has improved its SEO tools but still has fundamental limitations: slow JavaScript rendering, limited control over technical SEO elements, inability to implement advanced schema markup, and page speed scores that regularly fall below 70 on mobile. Professional custom sites consistently outperform Squarespace in Google rankings for competitive keywords.
Is Squarespace cheaper than hiring a web designer?
In the short term, yes — but over 2–3 years a professionally built website costs less than Squarespace's ongoing subscription. OWD's websites start from £90 one-off. Factor in Squarespace's monthly fees (£13–£37/month), and a custom site becomes cheaper within 12–18 months while also performing better in search.
Can I move my Squarespace site to a professional site?
Yes. OWD can rebuild your Squarespace site as a custom website, migrating all your content and redirecting all your URLs to preserve your Google rankings. The process typically takes 5–7 days.
Why do professional websites rank better than Squarespace?
Three main reasons: 1) Faster page speed — Google rewards fast sites; custom sites score 90+ vs Squarespace's typical 50–70. 2) Cleaner HTML — custom sites have less bloated code for Google to crawl. 3) Full technical SEO control — schema markup, Core Web Vitals optimisation, and custom meta configurations aren't fully possible on Squarespace.
What if I like the Squarespace editor and want to update my own site?
OWD sites are built on custom code, which means you'd send update requests to OWD rather than editing yourself. Most clients find that the SEO performance gains and cost savings outweigh the convenience of a drag-and-drop editor — especially since most website updates are infrequent and OWD responds quickly to change requests.
Stop renting. Own a better website.
Custom websites from £90 one-off. Faster, better-ranked, and yours to keep.