Squarespace vs Weebly: Which Website Builder Should You Actually Use?

Let's cut to the chase: Squarespace and Weebly are both solid website builders, but they're targeting different users and budgets. Squarespace is the premium option with gorgeous templates and more features. Weebly is the budget pick with a free plan and surprisingly decent ecommerce tools.

Here's the uncomfortable truth about Weebly: Since Square acquired it in 2018, development has essentially stalled. Square has been pushing users toward Square Online instead, and Weebly hasn't released meaningful new features in years. Meanwhile, Squarespace keeps rolling out updates, AI tools, and improved functionality.

That said, Weebly still works. And for someone on a tight budget who just needs a basic website, it might be exactly what you need. Let's break down the specifics.

Quick Verdict: Squarespace vs Weebly

Choose Squarespace if:

Choose Weebly if:

Pricing Comparison: The Real Numbers

Here's where Weebly has a clear advantage for budget-conscious users.

Weebly Pricing

Squarespace Pricing

Squarespace recently rolled out new pricing plans (Basic, Core, Plus, Advanced) that are replacing the old Personal, Business, and Commerce tiers:

The price gap is significant. Weebly's most expensive plan ($26/month) is cheaper than Squarespace's starting price ($16/month) when you compare annual rates. And Weebly has a legitimately free option.

For a deeper dive into Squarespace's pricing structure, check out our Squarespace pricing breakdown and see how to save with a Squarespace coupon.

Templates and Design: Not Even Close

This is where Squarespace dominates. Squarespace offers over 180 free templates, all of them professionally designed, modern, and mobile-responsive. They're genuinely beautiful - the kind of designs that make people assume you hired a professional.

Weebly has around 40-70 templates depending on how you count. They're... fine. Functional. Simple. But they look dated compared to Squarespace, and they haven't been updated in years. Customization options are more limited too.

With Squarespace, you get:

With Weebly, you're more locked into your template's structure. The drag-and-drop editor is simpler and more beginner-friendly, but that simplicity comes at the cost of creative freedom. Many Weebly sites end up looking similar because there's only so much you can customize.

If design matters to your brand, Squarespace is the clear winner. If you just need something functional and don't care much about aesthetics, Weebly will get the job done.

Curious how Squarespace stacks up against other design-focused builders? See our Squarespace vs Wix comparison or Squarespace vs Webflow for more options.

Ease of Use: Weebly Wins (Barely)

Weebly is arguably the easiest website builder on the market. Its editor is extremely intuitive - you can drag elements around, edit text inline, and publish a basic site in under an hour with zero technical knowledge.

Squarespace isn't hard to use, but it has a slightly steeper learning curve. The Fluid Engine takes some getting used to, and there are more options to figure out. Most people can build a solid Squarespace site in an afternoon, but it's not quite as "pick up and go" as Weebly.

That said, Squarespace offers much better learning resources - video tutorials, webinars, a comprehensive help center, and an active community. Weebly's support is more basic.

For a step-by-step walkthrough, check out our Squarespace tutorial.

Ecommerce Features: It Depends What You Need

Here's something surprising: Weebly lets you sell unlimited products on their free plan. That's rare. You won't find many website builders that let you run a store for $0/month.

Weebly's ecommerce includes:

The catch? Features like abandoned cart recovery, PayPal support, and shipping labels are only available on the Performance plan ($26/month). And since Square acquired Weebly, they've been pushing users toward Square Online for serious ecommerce, which creates a confusing experience.

Squarespace's ecommerce is more robust overall:

Transaction fees matter here too. Squarespace's Basic plan charges 2% on store sales. Move to Core ($23/month) and that drops to 0% for physical products. Weebly doesn't charge transaction fees beyond standard payment processing.

For casual sellers or testing a product idea, Weebly's free plan is hard to beat. For a serious online store with growth potential, Squarespace is the better long-term choice.

If ecommerce is your primary focus, you might also want to compare Squarespace vs Shopify - Shopify is purpose-built for online stores.

SEO and Marketing Tools

Both platforms cover the SEO basics:

Squarespace goes further with an actual SEO checklist, better blogging tools, and the ability to customize URLs more easily. The blogging platform supports categories, tags, and RSS feeds - features that matter for content marketing.

Weebly's blogging is more basic. Notably, you can't add proper heading tags (H2, H3) to blog content easily, which is bad for SEO.

For email marketing, both platforms have solutions. Squarespace offers Email Campaigns starting at $7/month. Weebly has Promote, their email tool, which starts around $10/month. Neither is as powerful as dedicated email marketing platforms, but they work for basic newsletters.

If email marketing is important to your business, check out our guide to email marketing for small business or explore dedicated tools like AWeber.

Apps and Integrations

Weebly actually wins here. The Weebly App Center has over 350 apps covering forms, galleries, scheduling, marketing tools, and more. Many are free or low-cost.

Squarespace's Extensions marketplace is much smaller - around 30-40 third-party integrations, mostly focused on ecommerce and marketing. Squarespace makes up for this somewhat by building more features directly into the platform, but if you need specific functionality, Weebly offers more plug-and-play options.

That said, Squarespace does integrate with key services like Zapier (on Core plan and above), which opens up thousands of automation possibilities.

The Big Problem With Weebly

Here's what you need to understand: Weebly is essentially in maintenance mode. Since Square bought it, they've focused development resources on Square Online instead. Weebly hasn't had meaningful new features in years.

This creates several issues:

Squarespace, meanwhile, is actively developing new features like AI text generation, Blueprint for custom templates, and expanded ecommerce tools. If you're building something for the long term, that matters.

Who Should Use Squarespace?

Squarespace is the right choice for:

The extra cost is worth it if your website represents your business. First impressions matter, and Squarespace sites look professional.

Try Squarespace Free for 14 Days →

Not ready to commit? You can test everything with a Squarespace free trial before paying.

Who Should Use Weebly?

Weebly makes sense for:

Just go in with realistic expectations. Weebly will get you a functional website, but it won't impress anyone with its design or features.

What About Other Options?

If neither Squarespace nor Weebly feels right, consider:

For a broader overview, our guide to website builders for small business covers more options.

Bottom Line

If you can afford $16-23/month and want a website you'll be proud of, go with Squarespace. The design quality, ongoing development, and feature depth justify the price.

If you're broke, just starting out, or only need something basic, Weebly's free plan is genuinely useful. Just understand you're using a platform that's no longer being actively developed.

For most business use cases, Squarespace is the better investment. Your website is often the first thing potential customers see - it's worth spending a bit more to make a good impression.

Start Building With Squarespace →