Squarespace vs WordPress: Which Is Best For NYC Small Businesses?

New York City is one of the most demanding environments for small businesses. Competition is intense, attention spans are short, and customers make decisions quickly. Whether you operate a restaurant in Brooklyn, a professional service firm in Manhattan, or a retail brand in Queens, your website is often the first impression someone has of your business. Before they call, visit, or book, they search. Your website either builds confidence or quietly sends them elsewhere.

“Even if someone refers you, they still check your website—and if it doesn’t line up with how good you actually are, you’re leaving money on the table.” — Conrad Strabone, Managing Partner & President | e9digital

For many NYC small business owners, the website platform decision comes down to two: Squarespace vs WordPress. Both platforms are popular, widely trusted, and capable of producing professional results. So, how do you choose the right one?

As website design experts at e9digital, we wrote this guide to break down the practical differences between Squarespace and WordPress through the lens of real business needs. The goal is not to push a one-size-fits-all answer, but to help you choose a platform that supports how your business actually plans to grow.

What Is Squarespace?

Squarespace is an all-in-one website platform delivered as a subscription service. Founded in 2003, it’s gone from a blog hosting service started in a dorm room to a hosted SaaS website builder that’s generated over ~$1.0B in revenue. 

With Squarespace, hosting, templates, security, updates, and support are bundled into a single monthly plan that is fully managed by Squarespace. From a business perspective, this means fewer technical decisions and moving parts to manage internally.

Just like people who sew often use a pattern to make an article of clothing, Squarespace can work as a pattern for less-experienced website designers. The platform is built around pre-designed templates and a visual editor. Users select a template, customize content within that structure, and publish. 

Most technical considerations, such as server management, software updates, and baseline security, are handled behind the scenes. This design philosophy prioritizes consistency and ease of use over flexibility.

Squarespace is best suited for businesses that fit cleanly into its intended use case:

• Solopreneurs or small teams without technical support
• Portfolio sites, brochure-style websites, or simple service businesses
• Owners who value simplicity, predictability, and speed to launch
• Businesses that prefer fixed monthly costs and minimal maintenance

Squarespace: Pros & Cons

One of Squarespace’s core strengths is ease of use, with a relatively low learning curve. This reduces the risk of configuration errors. Users flock to Squarespace for:

• An intuitive drag-and-drop editor that requires no coding experience.
• Professionally-designed, mobile-responsive templates that speed up the launch process.
• Hosting, security, and updates included in one package.
• A robust help center for people looking to DIY their website.

Squarespace helps businesses get online quickly without making design decisions from scratch. For many owners, especially early-stage businesses, that simplicity is appealing.

At the same time, Squarespace’s strengths are also its constraints. Customization is tightly tied to their 185 templates, which limits structural changes and advanced functionality. 

The third-party integration ecosystem is curated rather than open, which can restrict options for businesses with specialized needs. Control over technical SEO (search engine optimization), backend performance, and site architecture is limited compared to open platforms. Squarespace has a relatively small share of the CMS market at only 3.2% (compared to WordPress’s 60.2%). 

The Bottom Line

• Who Squarespace is for: A business that views its website as a static or lightly managed presence.
• How it works best: As a straightforward site with clear boundaries. 
• Who should avoid it: Businesses that expect their website to evolve alongside marketing efforts, content strategy, or operational complexity.

What Is WordPress?

WordPress is an open-source Content Management System that gives businesses full control over how their website is built, managed, and expanded. Interestingly, WordPress was founded the same year as Squarespace (in 2003), but now, approximately 43% of all websites globally run on WordPress. Unlike hosted platforms, WordPress is not a bundled service. The software itself is free, and businesses choose their hosting, themes, plugins, and maintenance approach based on their needs.

At a practical level, WordPress acts as a flexible foundation. Businesses can start with a simple website and add functionality over time using themes, plugins, or custom development. The platform does not limit how a site can evolve. Instead, it supports gradual growth, whether that means adding content, improving SEO, integrating third-party tools, or refining the user experience.

WordPress is best suited for:

• Businesses planning long-term growth
• Companies that rely on SEO, content, or digital marketing
• Organizations with internal or external technical support
• Teams that need flexibility across design and functionality

WordPress: Pros & Cons

One of WordPress’s defining strengths is ownership. Businesses fully own their website files, content, and data. This includes the ability to:

• Change hosting providers and work with different developers
• Extensively customize your site to reflect your unique branding 
• Redesign the site without being constrained by a platform’s rules
• Use a large library of plugins and themes to streamline design, SEO, contact forms, and more.

For NYC businesses investing in digital marketing or long-term visibility, this level of control reduces risk and increases flexibility.

However, flexibility comes with responsibility. WordPress requires decisions around hosting, security, updates, and performance. The learning curve can be steeper for non-technical users, and the quality of a WordPress site depends heavily on how it is set up and maintained. When implemented properly, WordPress can be both stable and user-friendly. When implemented poorly, it can create unnecessary complexity.

The Bottom Line

• Who WordPress is for: Best for businesses that view their website as an evolving asset rather than a fixed project. 
• How it works best: It is a platform built to adapt as strategies change, marketing efforts expand, and competition increases. 
• Who should use it: Small businesses that plan to grow, that adaptability is often the deciding factor.

“Some businesses see their website as something you finish. The businesses that win treat it as something that evolves.” — Conrad Strabone, Managing Partner & President | e9digital

What Are the Main Differences Between Squarespace and WordPress?

At a high level, the difference between Squarespace and WordPress is not about which platform is “better.” It is about how much control a business needs and how much flexibility it is willing to manage. 

Squarespace functions as a closed ecosystem. 

Squarespace is designed to reduce decisions and standardize outcomes. 

The platform controls hosting, templates, updates, and much of the technical foundation. This creates consistency and simplicity, but it also creates boundaries. Businesses operate within those boundaries for the lifetime of the site, which limits how much it can scale.

WordPress functions as an open system. 

WordPress is designed to allow decisions and support a wide range of outcomes.

Businesses own the site, choose the infrastructure, and decide how the platform evolves over time. This introduces more responsibility, but it also removes artificial ceilings on growth, customization, and integration. At e9digital, we recommend WordPress as it allows you to mold your website to work for your business (not the other way around).

These philosophical differences show up clearly in day-to-day use, long-term costs, SEO capabilities, and scalability. For NYC small businesses, where competition is dense and digital strategies often evolve quickly, these distinctions can have real operational and financial impact.

Core Differences: Squarespace vs. WordPress

Understanding these differences helps frame the more detailed comparisons that follow.

Squarespace vs. WordPress: 5 Factors to Consider

While we’ve looked at an overview of the differences, our website designers consider the five factors below to be the most important when choosing WordPress vs. Squarespace.

1. Ease of Use and Ongoing Website Management

Ease of use is often the primary reason small businesses choose Squarespace. The platform is designed for users who want to avoid technical decisions. Hosting, updates, security, and infrastructure are handled automatically, which reduces the amount of ongoing oversight required.

This simplicity is closely tied to reliance on out-of-the-box templates. Squarespace works best when businesses stay within the intended structure of those templates. Making content changes, updating images, or adding basic pages is straightforward, but flexibility decreases as requirements become more specific.

Difference Between WordPress and Squarespace

The risk you run with an out-of-the-box template is that someone else can use the same format. Your team may lack an original design that sets you apart from competitors in your area—critical for small businesses based in NYC. 

WordPress offers more control, but it requires more decisions around hosting, updates, and plugins. Modern WordPress editors and page builders have improved usability significantly, especially when a site is set up with the end user in mind. Day-to-day management can be efficient, but the platform expects a more hands-on approach.

Key Considerations for Ease of Use 

• How much technical involvement the business wants day to day
• Whether content updates will be frequent or occasional
• The availability of internal or external support
• Comfort with managing plugins and updates

e9digital recommends: WordPress

For NYC businesses, time is often limited. Some owners value Squarespace’s simplicity, while others accept WordPress’s learning curve to gain long-term flexibility. If you’re considering any growth over time, WordPress is the clear winner.

“Ease of use is great—until it becomes the thing that limits how far your business can grow.” — Conrad Strabone, Managing Partner & President | e9digital

2. Design Control and Brand Consistency

Design is more than aesthetics in a competitive market like New York City. Users form an opinion about a website in 0.05 seconds, so every design decision must count.

Squarespace provides professionally designed templates with strong visual consistency. These templates are mobile responsive and visually polished, which helps businesses launch quickly without investing in custom design work. Structural changes, however, are limited by the template system.

Difference Between WordPress and Squarespace

WordPress allows significantly more control over design and layout. Businesses can use existing themes, customize them extensively, or build fully custom designs. This flexibility supports stronger brand alignment and more intentional user experience design.

Key Considerations for Design Control and Brand Consistency

• How important brand differentiation is in their market
• Whether custom layouts or user flows are required
• The role of design in conversion and engagement
• How likely the brand is to evolve over time

e9digital recommends: WordPress

In dense NYC markets, standing out visually can matter as much as speed to launch. The right platform depends on how central branding is to the overall strategy. If you want a bespoke brand, then WordPress is what we recommend.

3. Platform Features, Plugins, and Integrations

Functionality is where the difference between Squarespace and WordPress becomes more pronounced.

Squarespace offers a curated extension marketplace designed to cover common business needs such as forms, scheduling, and basic ecommerce. These tools are easy to enable and maintain, but options are limited compared to open platforms.

Difference Between WordPress and Squarespace

WordPress has an extensive plugin ecosystem that supports a wide range of features, from advanced ecommerce to industry-specific tools. When off-the-shelf plugins are not sufficient, custom development can extend functionality further.

Key Considerations for Features, Plugins, and Integrations

• Whether the business relies on industry-specific tools
• The need for integrations with third-party platforms
• Plans to add new functionality over time
• Tolerance for managing plugins and updates

e9digital recommends: WordPress

For NYC businesses with specialized workflows or growth plans, we recommend WordPress, due to their broader ecosystem that often provides more room to adapt.

4. SEO Capabilities and Local Search Performance

SEO (search engine optimization) plays a critical role for NYC small businesses, where local search competition is intense across nearly every industry.

Squarespace includes built-in SEO fundamentals such as clean code, automated sitemaps, and mobile responsiveness. These features support basic optimization but offer limited control over advanced technical SEO elements.

Difference Between WordPress and Squarespace

WordPress supports technical SEO strategies through plugins and configuration options. Businesses can manage site structure, metadata, schema markup, internal linking, and performance optimization in far greater detail, provided the site is set up correctly.

Key Considerations for SEO Capabilities and Local Search Performance

• How competitive the local search landscape is
• Dependence on organic traffic for lead generation
• Need for advanced technical SEO customization
• Willingness to invest in ongoing optimization

e9digital recommends: WordPress

For businesses heavily reliant on local search visibility, we recommend WordPress because it often provides more strategic flexibility.

5. Cost Structure and Long-Term Website Investment

Cost is often evaluated differently depending on how a business views its website.

Squarespace uses a fixed monthly pricing model that includes hosting and support. This makes budgeting predictable, especially for smaller businesses that want to minimize surprises. Costs increase as features are added, but pricing remains straightforward.

Difference Between WordPress and Squarespace

WordPress operates on a variable cost model. While the software itself is free, hosting, plugins, and development costs depend on the site’s complexity and goals. This can require higher upfront investment, but it allows spending to scale intentionally over time.

Key Considerations for Cost Structure and Long-Term Website Investment

• Preference for fixed versus flexible pricing
• Long-term growth expectations
• Role of the website in revenue generation
• Willingness to invest in performance and optimization

e9digital recommends: WordPress

For many NYC businesses, Squarespace feels simpler early on. However, we recommend WordPress as it offers greater return on investment as the site becomes a more critical business asset.

“When you own your website, you reduce risk. You’re not boxed into someone else’s rules when your strategy changes.” — Conrad Strabone, Managing Partner & President | e9digital

Squarespace vs WordPress: Which Platform Is Right for Your Business?

Squarespace may be the right choice if you:

• Want a fast, low-maintenance launch
• Have minimal technical resources
• Need a clean, professional presence without complexity
• Do not anticipate significant functional growth

WordPress may be the better fit if you:

• Plan to scale content, SEO, or functionality
• Need ownership and long-term flexibility
• Work with a developer or digital partner
• Want more control over branding and user experience

There is no universal best platform. The right choice depends on your business goals, timeline, and available resources.

Make a Stress-Free Choice With Help From e9digital

Not sure which platform aligns with your business goals? The right choice depends on how you plan to grow, not just how quickly you want to launch. With over 18 years of experience as a WordPress agency and a 99% client retention rate, our expert team can effectively execute your website design and launch.

Talk with the team at e9digital through our contact form to evaluate your needs and choose a platform that supports your business today and tomorrow.

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