Squarespace vs. BigCommerce
Squarespace is an all-in-one website builder known for polished templates and straightforward tools for creating business websites, portfolios, and online stores. BigCommerce focuses on ecommerce, offering tools for managing products, payments, sales channels, and larger online stores.
Users often compare the two when choosing between a design-led platform that’s easy to manage and a commerce-focused platform with more advanced selling features. This comparison looks at their features, pricing, ease of use, customization, and ecommerce capabilities to help you find the right fit.
Squarespace VS BigCommerce: Which tool is the most popular?
| Tool | Reviews | Average rating | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squarespace | 105 | 2.63/5 | Most reviewed, but has the lower average rating and more negative than positive reviews. |
| BigCommerce | 94 | 3.22/5 | Fewer reviews, but the higher average rating and more positive than negative reviews. |
Squarespace is the most reviewed tool, while BigCommerce is the least reviewed. By average user rating, BigCommerce performs better, and Squarespace ranks lower.
Squarespace and BigCommerce: Quick Comparison Overview
| Category | Ahrefs | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| Primary features | SEO research tools for backlink analysis, keyword research, site audits, rank tracking, and content research. | Broader digital-marketing suite covering SEO, competitor research, site audits, rank tracking, content marketing, local SEO, PPC, and social media. |
| Target audience | SEO specialists, content teams, and agencies focused on organic search and link building. | In-house marketing teams, agencies, and businesses managing several digital-marketing channels. |
| Main advantages | Strong backlink and competitor research, with a focused toolkit for finding SEO and content opportunities. | Wider range of marketing tools in one platform, especially useful for combining SEO with paid, local, and social campaigns. |
| Core value proposition | Make organic-search research and link-building workflows more effective. | Manage and measure a broader digital-marketing program from one platform. |
| Ideal use cases | Analyzing competitors’ backlinks, researching keywords and content gaps, auditing a site, and tracking organic rankings. | Coordinating SEO with PPC, local visibility, content, and social efforts; conducting cross-channel competitor research. |
Sources: Ahrefs features · Semrush features
Feature availability varies by plan and may change.
Most liked vs most disliked features of Squarespace and BigCommerce
| Platform | Overall sentiment | Most appreciated | Common concerns |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squarespace | Users value its polished design tools and straightforward site creation, though experiences with customization, support, and account management are mixed. | Intuitive drag-and-drop editing, professional templates, mobile-responsive sites, and useful e-commerce, analytics, and SEO tools. Some users also praise responsive, effective customer support. | Limited template customization, inconsistent access to timely support, domain and email management issues, and an interface some find cumbersome. Users also criticize pricing and the cost of publishing a full site. |
| BigCommerce | Reviews are generally positive about ease of setup, support, and store capabilities, with criticism focused mainly on specific feature gaps and areas needing refinement. | A user-friendly setup, helpful technical support, customization options, API access, and tools for managing B2B or B2C businesses and different product types. Inventory management and mobile e-commerce are also valued. | Configurable products may require custom development; users want stronger geo-targeting and integrations. Checkout improvements, clearer order tracking, and a learning curve for advanced features are also mentioned. |
Key Features of Squarespace vs BigCommerce
Squarespace vs. BigCommerce for website building
The key difference is focus: Squarespace is a design-led builder for a broad range of websites, while BigCommerce is an ecommerce platform whose site-building tools are built around selling online.
| Brand | Key feature | How it benefits users | What’s distinctive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squarespace | Templates and visual editing | Gives users a polished starting point and lets them customize page layouts, images, text, and other content without building a site from scratch. | Its emphasis is on cohesive, professionally designed sites for businesses, portfolios, blogs, and other uses—not just online stores. |
| Squarespace | Fluid Engine editor | Lets users arrange and style page content visually, helping them tailor layouts to their brand without needing to code. | Offers granular visual control within Squarespace’s integrated editor. |
| Squarespace | AI-assisted site creation | Can help users get a site started by generating a tailored design and content direction, reducing the work involved in setting up a first draft. | Combines AI-assisted setup with Squarespace’s design templates and editing tools. |
| Squarespace | Built-in ecommerce | Supports selling products and services through a website, with tools for product pages, orders, and checkout. | Ecommerce sits alongside the platform’s content, portfolio, and service-business features. |
| Squarespace | Content and audience tools | Blogging, portfolio, membership, and marketing features help users publish content and build an audience from the same platform. | Users can combine editorial and business content with a branded website rather than relying only on a storefront. |
| Squarespace | SEO, analytics, and integrations | Helps users improve discoverability, understand site performance, and connect the site with other services. | Many core website and business tools are available within one platform. |
| BigCommerce | Page Builder and storefront themes | Lets merchants make visual changes to storefront pages and start from a theme, reducing the need for custom development. | Its site-building tools are designed specifically for ecommerce storefronts. |
| BigCommerce | Commerce-focused catalog and checkout tools | Helps businesses manage products and their online sales flow, including product options and checkout. | The storefront builder is part of a broader ecommerce platform rather than a general-purpose site builder. |
| BigCommerce | Multichannel selling | Helps merchants sell and manage products across online channels such as marketplaces and social platforms, depending on integrations and setup. | Built around connecting a central ecommerce operation to multiple sales channels. |
| BigCommerce | B2B and multi-storefront capabilities | Supports businesses with more complex selling needs, such as serving different customer groups or running multiple storefronts. | Particularly relevant for brands managing several audiences, brands, or storefronts from one commerce operation. |
| BigCommerce | APIs, integrations, and headless options | Gives businesses more flexibility to connect other systems or use a custom front end while relying on BigCommerce for commerce functionality. | Offers a more extensible approach for teams with developers or specialized technical requirements. |
| BigCommerce | Ecommerce operations and growth tools | Helps merchants handle the practical demands of running an online store, such as managing products, orders, and sales performance. | Its product is oriented toward scaling and managing commerce, rather than providing an all-purpose website toolkit. |
In short
- Choose Squarespace if you want an approachable, design-focused way to build a business website, portfolio, blog, or modest online store.
- Choose BigCommerce if your website’s main purpose is selling online and you need ecommerce features, multiple sales channels, or room for a more complex storefront setup.
Feature availability can vary by plan, integrations, and configuration. See Squarespace’s features and BigCommerce’s product overview for current details.
Squarespace vs BigCommerce Pricing Comparison
| Brand and tier | Monthly billing | Annual billing (monthly equivalent) | Main offerings and differences |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squarespace Basic | $25/month | $16/month ($192 billed annually) | Core website and portfolio tools, basic selling features, and up to two contributors. Includes a 2% Squarespace commerce transaction fee on website sales. |
| Squarespace Core | $36/month | $23/month ($276 billed annually) | Adds unlimited contributors, custom code and integrations, more advanced site tools, and removes Squarespace’s commerce transaction fee. |
| Squarespace Plus | $56/month | $39/month ($468 billed annually) | Adds stronger selling features, including abandoned-cart recovery and subscription products, plus lower payment-processing rates than the lower tiers. |
| Squarespace Advanced | $139/month | $99/month ($1,188 billed annually) | Includes the most advanced commerce tools, such as advanced shipping and discount features, commerce APIs, and the lowest payment-processing rates among Squarespace’s plans. |
| BigCommerce Standard | $39/month | $29/month ($348 billed annually) | Entry-level ecommerce plan, with a sales threshold of up to $50,000 in online sales per year. Includes core storefront and selling tools, multichannel sales features, and no BigCommerce transaction fee. |
| BigCommerce Plus | $105/month | $79/month ($948 billed annually) | Raises the annual online-sales threshold to $180,000 and adds features such as abandoned-cart recovery, customer groups, and stored credit cards. |
| BigCommerce Pro | $399/month | $299/month ($3,588 billed annually) | Raises the annual online-sales threshold to $400,000 and adds product filtering and other advanced merchandising features. Additional charges may apply as sales exceed the plan threshold. |
| BigCommerce Enterprise | Custom pricing | Custom pricing | Tailored for larger businesses; pricing and features are negotiated. Typically includes enterprise-level support and advanced customization options. |
| Pricing detail | Squarespace | BigCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Annual-billing savings | Annual billing lowers the monthly equivalent by roughly 29–36%, depending on the tier. | Annual billing lowers the monthly equivalent by about 25% on Standard, Plus, and Pro. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial. | 15-day free trial. |
| Other discounts | Annual website plans may include a free custom domain for the first year. Promotional discounts, such as an offer for a first subscription, may be available at checkout. | Annual prices are discounted compared with paying month to month. |
| Transaction and payment fees | Basic charges a 2% Squarespace commerce transaction fee; Core and higher remove that fee. Payment-processing fees may still apply. | BigCommerce does not charge its own transaction fee on the listed plans; payment-provider processing fees still apply. |
Prices are in USD and shown as monthly rates; annual-billing prices are generally paid upfront for the year. BigCommerce sales limits and Squarespace feature availability can depend on plan terms and account details.
Sources: Squarespace pricing · BigCommerce pricing
Support Options Comparison: Squarespace vs BigCommerce
| Support option | Squarespace | BigCommerce |
|---|---|---|
| Live chat | Available for support, but not around the clock; chat hours are limited to weekdays. | Offers 24/7 live chat support. |
| Phone support | Does not offer phone support. | Offers 24/7 phone support. |
| Documentation | The Help Center includes setup instructions, troubleshooting articles, and guides for using Squarespace features. | The Support Center provides help articles, product documentation, and troubleshooting guidance. |
| Additional resources | Offers video tutorials, webinars, and a community forum for learning and peer advice. | Provides tutorials, webinars, a community forum, and BigCommerce learning resources. |
| Overall | Strong self-service resources, with support mainly through email and limited-hours live chat. | Offers more direct contact options, including round-the-clock chat and phone support, alongside extensive learning resources. |
Support hours and access may vary by issue or account. Sources: Squarespace Support and BigCommerce Support.
Unique Features of Squarespace Vs BigCommerce
| Platform | Uncommon features compared with a standard website builder | Added value and why they may decide the choice |
|---|---|---|
| Squarespace | Integrated appointment scheduling: Squarespace Scheduling (Acuity) lets customers book and pay for appointments, with tools for calendars, availability and reminders. | Suits service businesses that want booking connected to their website rather than relying on a separate scheduling service. It can be a deciding factor for consultants, salons and instructors. |
| Squarespace | Memberships and online courses: The platform supports paid member content and course-style offerings alongside a business website. | Makes it possible to sell access to content or expertise without assembling a separate course platform and website. Useful for creators, educators and subscription businesses. |
| Squarespace | A tightly integrated set of creative-business tools: Website design, portfolio presentation, commerce and marketing tools are offered within one platform. | Reduces the effort of piecing together a site and several services. This is especially valuable for creative businesses that prioritize presentation and want core business functions in one place. |
| BigCommerce | B2B commerce capabilities: BigCommerce offers features for business buyers, such as company accounts and tools for managing business purchasing. | Supports wholesale and mixed B2B/B2C operations that need more than a standard consumer checkout. It may be decisive for businesses selling to organizations or managing negotiated purchasing. |
| BigCommerce | Multi-storefront management: Businesses can run multiple storefronts—such as separate brands, regions or customer segments—from one commerce platform. | Centralizes administration while allowing different storefront experiences. This matters when a business is expanding across brands or markets and wants to avoid managing entirely separate stores. |
| BigCommerce | Headless and API-led commerce: Its APIs and headless options let businesses connect the commerce engine to custom front ends and other systems. | Gives development teams more control over the customer experience and integrations. It is a stronger fit when a business has complex technical requirements or expects to customize beyond a conventional site editor. |
| BigCommerce | Commerce built for broader channel and catalog needs: The platform emphasizes selling across channels and managing more complex product operations than a basic website builder typically offers. | Helps merchants coordinate online selling as their catalog and sales channels grow. It may be decisive for businesses where ecommerce operations—not just the storefront—are central to the business. |
“Uncommon” here means less typical of a general-purpose website builder; availability can depend on plan and configuration. Sources: Squarespace Features · BigCommerce Product
Most frequently asked questions about Squarespace vs BigCommerce
Which is easier to use: BigCommerce or Squarespace?
Reviewers generally describe Squarespace as easier to learn, especially for people building a first website. Its visual editor and ready-made layouts make it straightforward to get a polished site online. BigCommerce is also manageable for basic store setup, but reviewers more often mention a steeper learning curve because its commerce settings and features are more extensive.
Which platform is better for ecommerce?
BigCommerce is usually the stronger choice for businesses focused on online selling. Reviewers value its deeper catalog, inventory, and selling-channel tools, which can support more complex stores. Squarespace is often praised for making it easy to add a shop to a well-designed website, but reviewers tend to see it as a better fit for simpler ecommerce needs.
Which one makes it easier to create a beautiful website?
Squarespace is frequently praised in reviews for its polished templates and design-focused editing experience. It can help non-designers create a cohesive-looking site without much setup. BigCommerce offers customizable storefront themes too, but reviewers more often emphasize store functionality than effortless visual design.
Which platform is better for a growing or large online store?
Review feedback generally favors BigCommerce when a store needs more advanced ecommerce capabilities or expects to expand its product range and sales channels. Its larger feature set can also mean more setup and administration. Squarespace can work well for a smaller or less complex shop, but reviewers may find its commerce tools limiting as requirements grow.
Which is better for beginners and small businesses?
For a beginner who wants a simple, attractive website with a modest shop, reviewers often favor Squarespace for its approachable editor and all-in-one feel. BigCommerce may be a better starting point if selling is the business’s main purpose and advanced store tools matter from the outset, even if it takes longer to learn.
How do BigCommerce and Squarespace compare on pricing and value?
Reviewers tend to judge value by how much of each platform’s feature set a business will actually use. Squarespace can feel like good value for a combined website-and-store package, while BigCommerce may offer stronger value to merchants who need its broader ecommerce toolkit. Compare current plan limits, payment-processing costs, and any transaction fees before choosing, since plan terms can change.
Which platform offers better design flexibility and customization?
Squarespace is commonly praised for consistent, attractive templates and easy visual changes. Reviewers who want highly specialized storefront behavior or more commerce-focused configuration may prefer BigCommerce, although its larger set of controls can feel less simple. The better fit depends on whether visual editing or store-specific customization is the priority.
Which platform is better for SEO?
Both platforms provide tools for routine SEO tasks, such as editing page titles and descriptions. Reviewers often find Squarespace’s SEO controls accessible for a standard business site, while BigCommerce appeals to merchants looking for ecommerce-oriented controls as their catalog grows. Neither platform guarantees rankings; site content, technical setup, and competition matter too.
Which is better for integrations and selling across multiple channels?
BigCommerce is generally the more commerce-oriented option for merchants connecting a store with sales channels and business tools. Reviewers value the breadth of ecommerce integrations, while noting that setup can require extra effort. Squarespace supports useful integrations for many small businesses, but reviewers may find fewer options for complex, multi-channel operations.
How do customer reviews compare on support and reliability?
Feedback on support and reliability varies by reviewer and the issue involved, so neither platform is a clear universal winner. BigCommerce reviewers often discuss help with store-specific questions, while Squarespace reviewers commonly value having website and commerce tools in one service. Before deciding, check recent reviews for the support channels, response times, and reliability concerns most relevant to your needs.
