Squarespace for Agencies: Is It Worth Building Your Practice On?

If you're running a web design agency and considering Squarespace as your go-to platform, you need to understand how the Squarespace Circle program works. It's free to join, offers legitimate benefits, and can actually turn into a revenue stream—but there are catches.

This guide breaks down everything agencies need to know: the tier system, the discounts, the referral commissions, and the honest downsides you won't find in Squarespace's marketing materials.

What Is Squarespace Circle?

Squarespace Circle is the partner program designed specifically for freelancers and agencies who build websites for clients. It's free to join and open to any Squarespace customer—you no longer need three active sites to qualify (that was the old requirement).

The program gives you access to extended trial periods, discounts on subscriptions, priority support, and referral commissions. The catch? The best benefits are now locked behind a tiered system based on how many sites you launch each year.

The Three Circle Tiers: Silver, Gold, and Platinum

In early 2025, Squarespace overhauled Circle from a single-tier program into a three-tier system. Your tier is determined by a points system based on your activity—primarily how many client sites you launch.

Circle Silver (0-999 Points)

This is where everyone starts. Silver gives you:

Silver is fine for agencies just getting started with Squarespace, but you're missing out on the best perks.

Circle Gold (1,000+ Points)

This is the sweet spot for most active agencies:

Gold is where Circle starts paying for itself. The 20% discount alone can save clients significant money, and referral payments add a revenue stream.

Circle Platinum (5,000+ Points)

Reserved for high-volume agencies:

Platinum is designed for agencies building lots of sites annually. The 12-month trial is genuinely useful—clients get a full year to build and test before paying.

How the Points System Works

Points are earned primarily by launching new Squarespace subscriptions for clients. Here's the breakdown:

Important: Points reset to zero every January 1st. Your status is maintained for the year you earned it plus the following year, but you need to keep earning points to maintain your tier long-term. This "use it or lose it" system rewards volume, which is great for busy agencies but frustrating for boutique shops that do fewer, higher-value projects.

Squarespace Pricing for Agency Clients

Before we dive deeper into Circle benefits, here's what you're actually working with. Squarespace recently rolled out new pricing tiers (Basic, Core, Plus, Advanced) that are replacing the old Personal, Business, Commerce Basic, and Commerce Advanced plans in some markets.

Current pricing (billed annually):

For most client projects, the Core plan at $23/month hits the sweet spot. It removes Squarespace transaction fees and includes enough commerce features for small to mid-sized stores.

For detailed pricing breakdowns, check out our Squarespace pricing guide and Squarespace cost analysis.

Circle Referral Commissions: The Numbers

Once you hit Gold status and unlock referral payments (after your 5th qualifying subscription), here's what you can earn per client subscription:

Platinum partners start earning from their first qualifying subscription with no unlock threshold.

This is a lump-sum payment model—you get paid once per subscription, not as ongoing revenue share. Payments are processed through Impact and typically arrive about 40 days after the end of the month when the subscription was purchased.

For agencies building 10+ sites per year on Commerce plans, this can add up to $2,000-3,000+ in referral income. Not life-changing, but it's essentially free money for work you're already doing.

Squarespace Marketplace: Getting Client Leads

Squarespace Marketplace connects people who need website help with Circle members. It's powered by 99designs by Vista, and Circle partners who qualify are listed as "Squarespace Experts."

To become eligible, you must create at least eight Squarespace websites in a one-year period. Squarespace periodically invites eligible Circle members to participate based on client demand.

Honest take: Don't count on Marketplace as a primary lead source. The volume of leads is inconsistent, and you're competing with other designers. It's a nice bonus, but build your own client acquisition strategy.

The Good: Why Agencies Like Squarespace

Client Handoff Is Actually Easy

Squarespace's editor is intuitive enough that most clients can manage their own sites after launch. The interface is clean, the learning curve is reasonable, and Squarespace's support documentation is solid. This means fewer "how do I change this text?" support requests clogging your inbox.

Design Quality Out of the Box

Squarespace templates look professional without heavy customization. For agencies that need to move fast, this matters. You can build a polished site in a day and feel comfortable handing it off.

All-in-One Platform

Email campaigns, scheduling (Acuity), ecommerce, memberships, courses—it's all native to Squarespace. Fewer third-party tools means fewer integration headaches and simpler client billing.

Circle Discounts Help Close Deals

Offering clients 20-25% off their first year is a legitimate selling point. It reduces friction when you're competing with DIY options or agencies using cheaper platforms.

The Bad: Limitations Agencies Need to Know

The Points System Punishes Boutique Agencies

If you only build 3-5 high-value sites per year, you'll likely stay at Silver forever. The old Circle program gave everyone the same benefits. Now, volume is king. Agencies doing fewer, more expensive projects get worse benefits than high-volume shops churning out basic sites.

Customization Ceiling

Squarespace is less flexible than WordPress or Webflow for complex custom work. Yes, you can inject custom code (on Core plan and above), but there's a limit to how far you can push it. If clients need highly custom functionality, Squarespace might not be the right fit.

Ecommerce Isn't Shopify

Squarespace commerce is fine for small shops, but it lacks the app ecosystem and advanced features of Shopify. For clients who will scale to thousands of SKUs or need complex inventory management, you'll hit walls.

No White-Label Option

You can't remove Squarespace branding or resell the platform under your own brand. Clients will always know they're on Squarespace. This matters for some agencies positioning as full-service providers.

Squarespace vs. Alternatives for Agencies

How does Squarespace stack up against other platforms agencies commonly use?

vs. Wix: Wix's partner program generates more inbound leads and has a more aggressive agency support model. But Squarespace templates generally look better out of the box. See our Squarespace vs. Wix comparison.

vs. Webflow: Webflow offers more design flexibility and better developer tools, but has a steeper learning curve for clients. Squarespace is easier to hand off. Check out our Squarespace vs. Webflow breakdown.

vs. WordPress: WordPress is infinitely more flexible but requires more maintenance and has a steeper learning curve. Squarespace is the "just works" option. See Squarespace vs. WordPress.

vs. Shopify: For serious ecommerce, Shopify wins. For a business that needs a website with some store functionality, Squarespace often makes more sense. Compare them in our Squarespace vs. Shopify guide.

How to Join Squarespace Circle

Joining is straightforward:

  1. Go to squarespace.com/circle
  2. Sign in with your Squarespace account credentials
  3. Complete your profile with details about your business and services
  4. Accept the Circle Terms

You'll be assigned Silver status by default unless your existing Squarespace activity qualifies you for Gold or Platinum. Your benefits activate immediately, and you can start launching client sites with extended trials right away.

Tips for Maximizing Circle Benefits

Always start trials from your Circle account. Extended trials only apply when you initiate the site. If a client starts their own trial and adds you later, you don't get the extended period.

Stack subscriptions strategically. If you're close to a tier upgrade or referral unlock, consider timing client launches to hit the threshold.

Register for referral payments early. Even if you're Silver, register with Impact so you're ready when you hit Gold.

Use the Circle Forum. It's genuinely useful for troubleshooting obscure issues and staying updated on platform changes.

Bottom Line: Is Squarespace Right for Your Agency?

Squarespace makes sense for agencies that:

It's probably not the best fit if:

For the right agency, Squarespace Circle is a solid deal—free to join, legitimate discounts, and referral income that adds up. Just go in with realistic expectations about what the platform can and can't do.

Ready to try Squarespace?
Start your free trial here and explore whether it fits your agency's workflow. The 14-day trial (or extended trial through Circle) gives you enough time to build a test site and see how the editor feels.

Looking for a discount? Check out our Squarespace coupon page for current offers, or read real Squarespace reviews to see what other users think.