Showit vs. Squarespace: Which is the Best Website Platform for You?

If you have ever had to switch website platforms before, you know what a pain in the ass it is. If you have never done that before, just take my word for it that it’s a pain in the ass. So to prevent you from having to switch platforms later because you chose the wrong one, we are going to look at the difference between Showit vs. Squarespace today. In this blog post, you will learn how each website platform stacks up in a variety of categories. I also share which website platform I recommend, and by the end of the article, you will have a better idea of which one is the right for you.

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Design Flexibility: Winner is Showit

You won’t find this disputed anywhere on the internet, because Showit wins at design and customization, HANDS DOWN. Showit gives you complete design flexibility with its pixel-perfect, drag-and-drop editor. You can literally move any design element on your website, wherever you want, without code, and you aren’t confined to rigid sections. Showit also allows you to easily upload custom fonts (or utilize free Google font options) and you can pair any font together.

You can start from scratch to build your own website (I chose this option later in my blogging business, when I was ready to showcase my design talent), or select from unlimited website template options to completely customize yourself (I would recommend this option if you are starting out or don’t have time to design from scratch. There are some BEAUTIFUL Showit templates out there and they are available at all price points). Neither the built-from-scratch or the template option is structured in a way that limits you from doing exactly what you want.

I found the options to customize design on Squarespace to be rather disgusting, compared to Showit. Squarespace severely limits customization with predesigned layouts that you can choose from and that’s the end of the story. The only way to customize your Squarespace is with CSS code, which I have dabbled in, but in no way know enough to actually make the complete layout look worth a damn. Squarespace also limits your options for color palettes, fonts and font pairing and even what pages you can include in your website. This just doesn’t work for me in any aspect.

You may think you don’t want that many design options in the beginning. When I started, I wanted limited design options because I didn’t know what I was doing, design-wise or website-wise. I just wanted to be able to create a blogging website on my own and not pay someone hundreds of dollars to do it for me. However, as I learned more about best practices for website layouts and design, I realized that the limited options I was offered was really cramping my style. And so I switched website platforms (note above: pain in the ass).

Blogging: Winner is Showit

So let me explain my reasoning here. Squarespace offers blogging inside the website platform, without having to integrate third-party tools to do so. Convenient? Sure. I’ll give them that. However, Showit offers blogging through WordPress, which is not something you have to pay for separately. The WordPress platform is open-source and free, and the only thing you need to pay for is hosting (which is covered by Showit), and a domain (which you’re going to have to purchase either way for Showit or Squarespace).

Using WordPress with Showit was actually a selling point for me because WordPress is simply the best content management system (CMS) out there. 43.5% of all websites worldwide use WordPress to power their website, so I’m not alone in thinking this (Hotsinger, 2026). WordPress offers extensive customization through plugins (there are free and premium options plugins available), it’s SEO-friendly, and it’s easy to use with an intuitive dashboard. Most importantly, you have full ownership and control of everything, like your website’s data and files with WordPress. That holds alot of weight with me, because I appreciate the freedom this ownership and control gives me.

SEO : It’s a TIE between Showit vs. Squarespace

This is a loaded question because SEO has more to do with it than just the website platform. It also has to do with site speed, content quality, keyword research, internal linking and user experience-none of which is specific to either website platform. You need to optimize all of these for both Showit and Squarespace.

Both platforms are good for SEO and pretty equal as far as quality and ease of use, but Squarespace makes it slightly easier to implement. Both website platforms have a place for you to manually edit your title tags, meta description, alt text, and all those on-page SEO facets. However, with Showit, you need a third-party plugin to optimize the BLOG portion of your website. This doesn’t have to cost money. It can be an easy-to-use, free plugin like RankMath, which is what I use.

However, since the blog is included in Squarespace, the SEO optimization is included in that website platform too. That doesn’t mean SEO is harder on Showit. RankMath is really easy and helpful to use, but it’s an added layer to consider.

The Verdict: Showit may be the better fit for people serious about blogging and content marketing. Squarespace may be enough for simpler business sites that are not heavily blog-driven.

Ease of Use: Winner is Squarespace

Let me be clear, Showit is not hard to use. It was specifically created so people without expertise in web design or CSS code can create a beautiful website on their own. It’s drag-and-drop editor allows you to see the layout of your website in real time, as you design it, just like your audience will see it. So listen to me when I tell you Showit is easy for even beginners to use.

But more creative control comes with more decisions you have to make. I prefer to have those options so I am not limited, and I believe learning new things is actually a good thing. But if you’re not for it, Squarespace may be the better option for you.

I chose Squarespace as the winner for this category because everything you need is in one place, on one platform. There is fewer software and systems for you to learn. The limited option choices, limit the amount of decisions you have to make, making it easier to set up. If you are just wanting to get a website up and don’t care about customizing it , Squarespace may be the better option for you.

Now listen here, “easy to use” and “easy to customize” are two different things! So the final verdict is, Squarespace is easier to start. Showit is easier to make it unique once you understand it.

Ecommerce: Winner is Squarespace

Showit is more design-first than ecommerce-first. You can still have an online store with Showit, but you will need a free plugin like Woocommerce, or a third-party tool like Thrivecart to do it. So it may be better for businesses that are more about lead generation than running a huge online store. But like I said, you can still have ecommerce, so this wasn’t a huge drawback for me.

Squarespace has built-in ecommerce features like product merchandising, payments, shipping tools, and inventory management. If you want shops, products, memberships, appointments, and service sales to be native to the platform and not need extra software, Squarespace is your man (or woman).

Now if your site’s main job is showcasing your brand (like my website is an example of my work, like a portfolio), and generating leads, Showit is more for you.

Pricing: Winner is Squarespace, with a Caveat

So there are a few things you need to consider when factoring in the cost of Showit, like monthly Showit platform cost, template cost, design investment (if applicable) and blog setup needs. Because if you don’t need a blog, or need to use plugins for advanced functionality, Showit offers a base plan for only $22/month. If you need a blog and are okay with Showit’s preinstalled, limited plugins, they have a starter blog plan for $27/month. The mac daddy plan that Showit offers is $39/month, and gives you complete blogging capabilities and complete functionality with plugins. Ya’ll already know I’m going to say I use this advanced plan because I DON’T LIKE LIMITATIONS.

Showit templates vary in price from free to >$1K, depending on what you want and need. My Showit templates cost $300-$400, but you can easily get a coupon code for 40% by entering your email address below. I’ll send you the coupon code straight to your inbox and there is no catch. I just appreciate you making it this far in my blog post to find this hidden nugget, so happy template shopping!

Squarespace has 4 pricing options depending on your needs, anywhere from $16/month to $99/month. The Core, Plus and Advanced plan all include a professional email address with Google Workspace, which I think is pretty cool. The Caveat: unless you are paying for the $99/month plan, Squarespace takes a percentage of every sale you make. Gross. The Core Plan is only $23/month and most likely enough functionality for your needs, but like I said, Squarespace takes out 5% of every sale you make with that plan.

I’d like to keep my profits, thanks. So technically, Squarespace wins this fight, but it is definitely not my preference. If you want complete control and ownership over the revenue you make, Showit is the one you want.

Oh! The most important part: Squarespace gives you a free trial of 14 days to try out the platform without paying for it. Showit gives you a 30-day free trial when you use this link to signup.

Showit vs. Squarespace

The Final Decision: Showit vs. Squarespace

Well, I guess it really depends on what you want and need out of your website, but for me, I would choose Showit Every. Single. Time.

Who should choose Showit? Designers or people that care about design, creative businesses, service providers, bloggers and anyone who wants their site to feel less cookie-cutter and less like what everyone else has. Who should choose Squarespace? Beginners that want ultra simplicity, people who want one platform for their website, blog and shop, and people who value convenience over deep customization.