Squarespace Free Trial: Everything You Need to Know Before Signing Up

Squarespace offers a 14-day free trial that lets you build and test your entire website before paying anything. No credit card required. After the 14 days, you can extend it for another 7 days for free-giving you up to 21 days total to decide if it's right for you.

Here's the full breakdown of what you get, what you can't do, and what happens when the trial ends.

How Long Is the Squarespace Free Trial?

The standard Squarespace free trial is 14 days. When you sign up at squarespace.com, your trial starts immediately after you create an account-no payment info needed.

When your 14 days expire, Squarespace will send you an email with the subject line "Your trial has expired. Need more time?" Click the link in that email, and you'll get a one-time 7-day extension. So technically, you can get 21 days of free access if you use this option.

If you're working with a Squarespace Circle member (web designers who build lots of Squarespace sites), they can give you a trial that lasts 3-6 months. But for regular users signing up directly, expect 14 days with the 7-day extension option.

What You Get During the Free Trial

Unlike some website builders that hobble their free trials, Squarespace is pretty generous. You get access to almost everything:

• Full drag-and-drop website builder - Build complete pages, add content blocks, and customize layouts
• All 100+ templates - Pick any template and switch between them freely during your trial
• Blogging features - Set up blog posts, schedule content, configure comments
• E-commerce setup - Add products, configure your store, test the checkout flow
• SEO tools - Edit meta titles, descriptions, and configure site settings
• Analytics - View basic traffic and performance data
• Custom code - Add CSS and JavaScript if you know how to code
• 24/7 support - Access email and live chat support throughout your trial

You can build your entire website, add all your content, and get everything ready to launch-all without spending a dime.

What You CAN'T Do During the Trial

Here are the actual limitations you'll run into:

• Your site stays private - Trial sites are password-protected. You can share the password with people for feedback, but random visitors can't find it. Search engines won't index it either.
• Can't connect a custom domain - Your site will use a Squarespace subdomain (yoursite.squarespace.com) until you upgrade
• Can't process real payments - You can set up your store and test the flow, but you can't accept actual orders
• Limited contributors - You can add unlimited contributors during the trial, but if you add more than two, you'll need to upgrade to the Core plan or higher (not Basic)
• No Google Search Console verification - You can't verify your site with search engines until you pay

The big one is the privacy limitation. Your trial site exists in a sandbox-great for building and testing, but you can't actually launch until you upgrade.

How to Start a Squarespace Free Trial

Getting started takes about 2 minutes:

1. Go to squarespace.com and click "Get Started"
2. Answer a couple questions about your site goals (or skip this)
3. Browse templates and pick one you like (you can change it later)
4. Create an account with your email and password
5. Start building

That's it. No credit card, no phone verification, no lengthy forms. You'll land in the Squarespace editor immediately and your 14-day clock starts ticking.

How to Extend Your Squarespace Trial (Multiple Methods)

Running out of time? Here are several proven ways to extend your trial beyond the initial 14 days:

Method 1: Use the Expiration Email (Official)

After your trial expires, Squarespace sends an automated email from [email protected]. Open it and click the "Extend your trial by seven days" link. You'll be redirected to a confirmation page, then you can log back into your site with a fresh 7-day extension.

Method 2: The URL Extension Trick

This is a lesser-known method that works even if your trial has already expired. Log into your Squarespace account, navigate to your site, and look at the URL in your browser. Add /config/extendtrial to the end of your built-in Squarespace domain.

For example: yoursite.squarespace.com/config/extendtrial

Hit enter, and you'll see a confirmation that your trial has been extended by 7 days. This trick can be used multiple times if needed, though each extension only adds 7 days.

Method 3: Contact Support Directly

If you have less than two days left in your trial, you can contact Squarespace support via the chat icon on their help pages. Request an extension and provide your site ID. Support can manually extend your trial by 7 days or potentially longer depending on your situation.

Method 4: Work with a Circle Member

Squarespace Circle members can create trial sites that last 3-6 months instead of 14 days. If you know a designer or developer who's a Circle member, they can set up an extended trial and transfer ownership to you. Some designers offer this as a free service to attract potential clients.

What Happens When Your Trial Expires?

When your trial ends, you don't lose everything. Squarespace saves your site content for about four months. You just can't edit it or access the dashboard until you either extend the trial or upgrade to a paid plan.

If you upgrade within that window, your site will be exactly as you left it. If you do nothing for four months, Squarespace may permanently delete your content. So don't let a finished site sit in trial purgatory forever-either launch it or export your content.

During this expired state, your site remains accessible at its Squarespace subdomain, but you'll see a locked editing interface when you log in. All your pages, images, and configurations are preserved-you just need to upgrade or extend to regain editing access.

Squarespace Pricing After the Trial

Once your trial ends, you'll need to pick a paid plan to go live. Here's what you're looking at:

The Core plan at $23/month is the sweet spot for most small businesses. It includes 0% transaction fees on sales, custom code injection, and better analytics. The Basic plan works fine for portfolios and blogs, but it charges a 2% transaction fee if you sell anything and doesn't support custom code.

For more details on what each plan includes, check out our full Squarespace pricing breakdown.

How to Save Money on Squarespace

A few ways to pay less when you upgrade:

• Pay annually - You'll save about 25-30% compared to monthly billing
• Use a promo code - Most affiliate partners (including us) offer 10% off your first year
• Student discount - If you have a .edu email, you can get 50% off your first year
• Free domain - Annual plans include a free custom domain for the first year (normally $12-20/year)

Looking for a discount code? Check out our Squarespace coupon page for current offers.

Squarespace Free Trial vs. Competitors

How does Squarespace's trial compare to other website builders?

Wix offers a permanent free plan, but it shows Wix ads on your site and uses a Wix subdomain. Squarespace doesn't have a forever-free option, but the trial gives you full access without branding or ads.

WordPress.com also has a free tier with similar limitations to Wix-ads and a subdomain. WordPress.org (self-hosted) has no trial at all since you need to pay for hosting separately.

Shopify offers a 3-day free trial followed by a $1 per month offer for the first three months, which is longer but requires payment information upfront. Squarespace's approach is cleaner-no credit card needed to start.

For a deeper comparison, see our Squarespace vs. Wix breakdown or Squarespace vs. WordPress comparison.

Is 14 Days Enough Time?

For most people, yes-especially with the 7-day extension option.

If you have your content ready (images, text, logo), you can build a basic 5-10 page website in a weekend. The template-based system means you're not designing from scratch. You're filling in blanks and rearranging blocks.

Where people run into trouble:

• Content isn't ready - If you're still writing copy or taking photos, 14 days flies by
• Too many stakeholders - Getting sign-off from partners or clients eats time
• Perfectionism - Endlessly tweaking fonts and colors instead of launching
• Learning curve - First-time website builders may need extra time to familiarize themselves with the platform

My advice: Don't start your trial until you have most of your content ready to upload. Use the trial for building and configuration, not content creation. Prepare your text, images, logo, and color scheme before you click that "Get Started" button.

What Features Can You Test During the Trial?

The trial gives you unrestricted access to test nearly every Squarespace feature before committing. Here's what you can fully explore:

Design and Customization

Test all templates, customize fonts and colors, add custom CSS, and preview how your site looks on mobile devices. You can switch between templates during the trial to compare different layouts, though keep in mind that switching templates may require some content reorganization.

E-commerce Functionality

Add products, set up product variants (like sizes or colors), configure shipping rates, test the checkout process, and experiment with discount codes. You can't process real transactions, but you can see exactly how customers will experience your store.

Marketing Tools

Create announcement bars, set up email campaign templates, configure pop-ups for email collection, and test social media integrations. These tools help you understand how Squarespace can support your marketing efforts post-launch.

Content Management

Build blog posts, create galleries, embed videos, set up password-protected pages, and organize your site structure with folders and navigation menus. This gives you a complete picture of how easy it is to manage your site long-term.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a credit card to start the trial?

No. You can sign up with just an email address and password. No payment info required.

Will I be charged automatically when the trial ends?

No. Since you never enter payment information, there's nothing to charge. You have to manually upgrade to a paid plan.

Can I try multiple templates during the trial?

Yes. You can switch templates freely during your trial at no extra cost. In Squarespace 7.1, switching templates is a bit more involved (it's technically rebuilding your site), but you can start multiple trials with different templates to compare.

Can I download my site if I don't want to pay?

Squarespace lets you export your blog posts and some content as XML, but you can't download a fully working copy of your site to use elsewhere. The visual design and layout are tied to Squarespace's platform.

Does Squarespace have a free plan?

No. Unlike Wix or Weebly, Squarespace doesn't offer a permanent free tier. The 14-day trial is your only free option. After that, plans start at $16/month.

Can I extend my trial more than once?

Officially, Squarespace offers a one-time 7-day extension via the expiration email. However, the URL trick (/config/extendtrial) can potentially be used multiple times, giving you additional 7-day windows. Alternatively, contacting support or working with a Circle member can provide longer extensions.

What happens to my domain if I don't upgrade?

Your trial site uses a free Squarespace subdomain (yoursite.squarespace.com), which isn't affected if you don't upgrade. If you purchased a custom domain separately during your trial, that domain registration follows its own billing cycle and renewal terms.

Tips for Maximizing Your Trial Period

To get the most value from your 14-day trial, follow these strategies:

Prepare content beforehand: Write your website copy, gather high-quality images, and create your logo before starting the trial. This lets you focus on building rather than content creation.

Set specific goals: Know what you want to accomplish. Are you testing templates? Building a complete site? Learning e-commerce features? Clear goals help you use your time efficiently.

Schedule dedicated time: Block out several hours to work on your site without interruptions. Website building requires focus, and fragmented sessions can waste your limited trial days.

Use support resources: Take advantage of Squarespace's 24/7 support, video tutorials, and webinars. These resources can help you overcome obstacles quickly instead of spending days figuring things out alone.

Get feedback early: Share your password-protected trial site with friends, colleagues, or potential customers. Early feedback helps you make improvements before you launch publicly.

Bottom Line

Squarespace's 14-day free trial is legitimately useful. You get full access to the platform, no credit card required, and enough time to build a complete website. The 7-day extension gives you a buffer if you need it.

The main limitation is that your site stays private until you pay-but that's actually helpful if you're not ready to launch yet. Build everything behind the password wall, then flip the switch when you're ready.

If you're weighing Squarespace against alternatives, start the free trial and spend a few hours actually using it. The drag-and-drop editor either clicks with you or it doesn't, and the only way to know is to try it.

Start Your Free Squarespace Trial →

Not sure Squarespace is right for you? Compare it against other options in our best website builders for small business guide, or check out Squarespace alternatives if you're on the fence.