Squarespace Alternatives: What They Cost, and Whether You Own the Site

Prices and policies checked on October 24, 2026 from each company's own pages. Links are in Sources.

What are the alternatives to Squarespace?

It depends on the site and on whether you want another subscription. Squarespace Basic is $228 a year in the US on annual billing, portfolio pages do not export, and every alternative means rebuilding at least those pages. For a small portfolio or brochure site, Carrd is the cheap one-page builder, WordPress is the free software, and files you own on free static hosting are what ends the yearly builder bill. Framer Basic, Webflow Basic, and Wix Light cost less than US Squarespace Basic per year, and they still keep most of the site on their platform.

This page is the cost and ownership comparison. The order of operations for leaving is in How to leave Squarespace. What changed in the 2026 price increase is on Squarespace renewal cost. The move itself is at Move a Squarespace site.

What a small site costs

"Small site" here means a portfolio, a photographer's site, or a few business pages. Not a store, a scheduling calendar, a member area, or a large CMS. Domain registration is a separate bill on every row, except where a plan includes the first year.

Yearly totals for Framer and Webflow are 12 times the monthly price those pages show for yearly billing. Squarespace's $228 is the annual total printed in its USD pricing file, which is also 12 times $19. Twelve months at the monthly Basic price of $25 is $300. Wix's $204 is 12 times the $17 a month in Wix's own USD pricing article. Carrd's $19 is the yearly price on its plan page. Wix's plans page says prices and currency vary by location, so the purchase page is the number that matters for Wix. Squarespace's pricing file lists 27 currencies, so a non-US invoice will not match the US row.

Squarespace, if you stay

On Squarespace's pricing.txt, the US Basic row is $25 a month on monthly billing, $19 a month on annual billing, and $228 for the year. The file describes Basic as: "Includes a custom domain (free for one year on annual billing)... Suitable for personal sites, portfolios, and simple business pages."

US Core is $39 a month, or $29 a month on annual billing, $348 for the year. Core sells unlimited products with a 3% transaction fee. US Plus is $588 a year on annual billing, or $65 a month. The same file lists those plans in 27 currencies.

In July 2026, PetaPixel reported annual Basic moving from the equivalent of $16 to $19 a month, a 19 percent increase. Core moved from $23 to $29 a month on an annual basis, 26 percent, which PetaPixel calls an extra $72 a year. Plus moved from $468 to $588 a year on annual billing, $10 more a month, 26 percent. When a renewal uses the new price is on Squarespace renewal cost.

The export is a WordPress file of some of the content, not the site. Squarespace's help center says: "You can export certain content from your Squarespace site into an .xml file. Many features rely on our platform's JavaScript and CSS, so some content doesn't export." The same article says the file is meant to import to WordPress, and: "You can't export content from one Squarespace site and import it into another."

These do not export:

• Other page types, including album pages, cover pages, index pages, info pages, calendar pages, portfolio pages, and store pages
• More than one blog page
• Audio blocks, product blocks, and video blocks
• Drafts, style settings, and custom CSS

Gallery pages do export, including York project pages on version 7.0. For a photographer, that split matters. Squarespace calls Basic suitable for portfolios, and portfolio pages are on the list of page types that do not export. The project pages have to be rebuilt. Steps for the lists you can download are in How to leave Squarespace.

Squarespace's refund page, updated May 21, 2026, gives a full refund for an annual website subscription canceled within 14 days of purchase. There is no refund for an annual plan canceled after 14 days, for a monthly plan, or for a renewal payment. The page says to cancel before the renewal date to avoid being charged. On a Legacy plan, Squarespace's billing article, updated October 6, 2026, says you can't downgrade to a lower tier.

Squarespace fits if you like that editor and you do not need the files. It is a poor fit if the reason you are looking is that you want the site.

Framer

On framer.com/pricing, with yearly billing selected, the free plan is $0 on a Framer domain. Basic is $10 a month, which is $120 for the year. Pro is $30 a month, which is $360 for the year. The page says a complimentary domain is included on yearly billing.

There is no export. Framer's help center says Framer does not offer HTML export for self-hosting. Leaving Framer means rebuilding, the same as leaving Squarespace. A longer price list is on Framer alternatives.

Framer Basic costs less per year than US Squarespace Basic. You still pay a builder, and you still do not get the files.

Webflow

On webflow.com/pricing, Basic is the plan "for simple sites that don't need a CMS." It is $15 a month billed yearly, which is $180 for the year, or $25 a month if you pay monthly. Twelve months at $25 is $300. Basic includes a free Starter Workspace. Premium is $25 a month billed yearly, which is $300 for the year. Premium is more than a simple brochure site needs.

Code export is real, and it is not included with a Site plan. Webflow's help center says export of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and assets is on paid Workspace plans, and that Site plans do not include it. CMS content, ecommerce, user accounts, localization, password protection, site search, and form processing are not in the export. After export, Webflow says you do not have to keep a Webflow plan for the files to work on your own server.

Webflow fits if you want another visual builder and you are willing to pay for a Workspace plan to get a zip of the pages. A Squarespace site still has to be rebuilt there. Portfolio pages will not arrive in the export.

Wix

Wix's plans page says: "Prices and currency vary by location. USD prices displayed for reference only. Displayed prices are for yearly subscriptions, paid in full at the time of purchase." The final price is on the purchase page.

Wix's own article, How much is a Wix website?, lists a free plan at $0 on a Wix subdomain, then yearly prices paid in full: Light $17 a month, Core $29, Business $39, Business Elite $159. Light is the plan that adds a custom domain, free for one year. Light for a year is 12 × $17, which is $204. Core for a year is 12 × $29, which is $348. Business for a year is 12 × $39, which is $468. Business Elite for a year is 12 × $159, which is $1,908. More of the Wix bill is on Wix vs self-hosted.

You cannot move the site off Wix. Wix's help center says the site "needs to be hosted and operated on Wix's servers." The pages are not a portable site.

Wix fits if you want that editor and you accept the lock-in. On the USD yearly figures, Light costs less than US Squarespace Basic, and the code stays on Wix.

WordPress, self-hosted

The WordPress software is free. wordpress.org/download offers the download and recommends PHP 8.3 or greater and MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.11 or greater. The license page says the software is released under GPLv2 or later. The download page does not publish one hosting price, so this page does not invent one.

Squarespace's .xml export is meant to import to WordPress. Gallery pages are in that file, including York project pages on version 7.0. Portfolio pages, store pages, a second blog page, style settings, and custom CSS are not. A photographer still rebuilds the project pages. After the import, the files sit on a host you choose. You can edit them, move them, and back them up. You also take on updates, PHP, and the database.

WordPress.com, the hosted service, is a different product with its own plans. This row is self-hosted WordPress.

Carrd

Carrd is the cheap end of the list, and it is built for one-page sites. The homepage says "Simple, free, fully responsive one-page sites."

From Carrd's Pro plans:

• Pro Lite is $9 a year. The page says it is for users who don't use custom domains.
• Pro Standard is $19 a year. It includes up to 10 sites, custom domains, and forms.
• Pro Plus is $30 a year more than Pro Standard. It includes 25 sites and a download of the unminified sources.

Carrd fits a one-page site on your own domain at $19 a year. It does not fit a multi-page portfolio, and you do not get the files unless you pay for Pro Plus.

A static or Next.js site you own

This is the path that ends the builder bill. Next.js is released under the MIT license, which grants use free of charge. Cloudflare Pages says all plans come with unlimited sites, seats, requests, and bandwidth, and that you can start building for free. The limits page says the free plan includes 500 builds per month. For a portfolio or brochure site, hosting is $0 a year. The domain is the remaining bill.

Someone still has to rebuild the pages Squarespace will not export. Portfolio pages are in that group. You can do the rebuild yourself with an AI chatbot, or have it done once. Eject's automated move is a $99 one-time fee for a simple site of about 10 pages. You own the files. After that you edit by asking ChatGPT or any free AI chatbot. The old site stays live until you switch the domain. Stores, bookings, member logins, and a large CMS are out of scope. Custom work has no public price.

Hosting the files on Cloudflare is in Move a Squarespace site to Cloudflare. Run your Squarespace plan in the renewal savings calculator, or start at Move a Squarespace site.

Squarespace vs Framer

US Squarespace Basic is $228 a year. Framer Basic is $120. Framer Pro is $360, which is more than Squarespace Basic. Framer's free plan is $0 on a Framer domain, and a complimentary domain is included on yearly billing.

Neither one hands you the Squarespace design as HTML. Framer has no HTML export. Squarespace's export is a WordPress file of some of the content, and portfolio pages are not in it. Switching is a rebuild either way.

Stay on Squarespace if you edit there and you do not want the files. Move toward Framer only if you want that editor. If the goal is to stop paying a builder, neither subscription does that.

Squarespace vs Webflow

For a simple site on yearly billing, Squarespace Basic is $228 a year and Webflow Basic is $180. Webflow Basic on monthly billing is $25 a month, which is $300 for the year. Webflow Premium is $25 a month billed yearly, also $300 for the year.

The ownership difference is the export. Squarespace gives you a WordPress file of some content, without portfolio pages or the design. Webflow will give you HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and assets, only on a paid Workspace plan, and without CMS content. A Squarespace project still has to be rebuilt in Webflow.

Stay on Squarespace if you want that editor. Move toward Webflow only if you want a code zip and you will pay for a Workspace plan. If the goal is to stop paying a builder, neither subscription does that.

Squarespace vs Wix

On Wix's USD yearly figures, Light is $204 a year, against $228 for US Squarespace Basic. Your Wix price can differ: the plans page says prices and currency vary by location. Wix Core at $29 a month is $348 for the year, the same yearly total as Squarespace Core.

Wix requires its own servers. Squarespace does not export portfolio pages, and it does not export the design. Switching from one to the other is a rebuild either way. It is worth it if you prefer Wix's editor. On the USD yearly figures, Light costs less than Squarespace Basic, and the code stays on Wix.

Squarespace vs Carrd

Carrd Pro Standard is $19 a year for a one-page site on your domain. Squarespace Basic is $228 a year and is built for multi-page sites, including portfolios. Carrd's homepage describes simple, free, fully responsive one-page sites. The files come only on Pro Plus, which is $30 a year more than Pro Standard.

Carrd is the cheaper builder when the site is one page. It is the wrong tool for a photographer's multi-page portfolio.

Squarespace vs WordPress

WordPress software is $0 under GPLv2 or later. Hosting is whatever you choose, and this page does not invent a host price. Squarespace Basic is $228 a year in the US, and the design stays on Squarespace.

The Squarespace .xml file is meant to import to WordPress. Gallery pages can come across. Portfolio pages, store pages, a second blog page, style settings, and custom CSS do not. You own the WordPress files on your host. You also run the server.

When you should stay on Squarespace

• You sell products. Store pages do not export, and Core is the plan that sells unlimited products, with a 3% transaction fee.
• Customers book on Squarespace, or members log in. A file host does not replace scheduling or member areas.
• You edit in Squarespace most weeks. The editor is what you are paying for.
• The site is a large CMS, or more than one blog. Only some of that content exports.

Squarespace is good at those jobs. This comparison is for a portfolio, a photographer's site, or a brochure that has not changed in months and is still renewing.

If Squarespace feels too expensive

Price the plan you actually have. US Basic at $228 a year is more than Framer Basic, Webflow Basic, and Wix Light on the figures above. The 2026 increase is the move from $16 to $19 a month on annual Basic, which is $228 for the year, and from $23 to $29 on annual Core. Monthly Basic for 12 months is $300. The detail, including Plus, is on Squarespace renewal cost.

Carrd at $19 a year is the cheaper builder if the site is one page. A static host at $0, after a one-time rebuild, is the cheaper option if the site is a few pages and you want the files. A Legacy plan cannot be downgraded to a lower tier, so dropping a Squarespace plan is not always available.

Have the new site live before the renewal, then cancel. An annual website subscription can be refunded in full only within 14 days of purchase. A renewal payment is not refunded. The sequence is in How to leave Squarespace.

FAQ

What are cheaper alternatives to Squarespace? For a small site on yearly billing, Carrd Pro Standard is $19 a year and Framer Basic is $120 a year. Webflow Basic is $180 a year. Wix Light is $204 a year on Wix's USD article. Squarespace Basic is $228 a year in the US, or $300 if you pay monthly for 12 months. A static site on Cloudflare Pages is $0 a year for hosting. Eject moves a simple Squarespace site into files you own for $99 once.

Is there a free alternative to Squarespace? The USD rows in Squarespace's pricing file start at Basic, which is $228 a year. Carrd's homepage describes simple, free, fully responsive one-page sites, and a custom domain is on Pro Standard at $19 a year. WordPress software is free under GPLv2 or later. Cloudflare Pages says you can start building for free, with unlimited sites, seats, requests, and bandwidth. Framer's free plan is $0 on a Framer domain. Wix's free plan is $0 on a Wix subdomain. You still pay for your own domain.

What Squarespace alternative works for a portfolio or a photographer? It depends on the pages. Squarespace says portfolio pages do not export. Gallery pages do export, including York project pages on version 7.0. A photographer who wants those project pages on another host has to rebuild them. Carrd fits a one-page site. A multi-page portfolio fits self-hosted WordPress, or files you own on Cloudflare Pages. Eject's automated move is $99 once for a simple site of about 10 pages.

Can I export my Squarespace site? Part of it. Squarespace says you can export certain content into an .xml file, and that many features do not export because they rely on Squarespace's JavaScript and CSS. Portfolio pages, store pages, album pages, cover pages, index pages, info pages, and calendar pages do not export. More than one blog page, audio blocks, product blocks, video blocks, drafts, style settings, and custom CSS do not export. The file is meant to import to WordPress. You cannot export one Squarespace site into another.

Is Squarespace too expensive in 2026? US annual Basic is $19 a month, $228 for the year. PetaPixel reported that as a move from the equivalent of $16 a month, a 19 percent increase. Monthly Basic for 12 months is $300. Core is $348 a year, which PetaPixel calls an extra $72 a year versus the old annual price. If the site is a simple portfolio or brochure, and you do not need a store, scheduling, or member logins, files you own on free static hosting end the yearly builder bill. Domain renewal is still a separate bill.

The leave steps are in How to leave Squarespace. The move is at Move a Squarespace site.

Sources (checked October 24, 2026)

• Squarespace pricing data (USD rows): https://www.squarespace.com/assets/pricing.txt
• PetaPixel, July 17, 2026: https://petapixel.com/2026/07/17/squarespace-is-increasing-prices-by-up-to-26/
• Squarespace, export your site content (help page updated October 9, 2026): https://support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/206566687-Export-your-site-content
• Squarespace, website refunds (help page updated May 21, 2026): https://support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/46051001586701
• Squarespace, change your site's billing plan and cycle (help page updated October 6, 2026): https://support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/205826008-Change-your-site-s-billing-plan-and-cycle
• Framer pricing: https://www.framer.com/pricing
• Framer, HTML export: https://www.framer.com/help/articles/can-i-export-my-website-to-html-and-self-host-it/
• Webflow pricing: https://webflow.com/pricing
• Webflow, code export: https://help.webflow.com/hc/en-us/articles/33961386739347-Code-export
• Wix plans (location and currency notice): https://www.wix.com/plans
• Wix, How much is a Wix website?: https://www.wix.com/blog/how-much-is-a-wix-website
• Wix, exporting or embedding your site elsewhere: https://support.wix.com/en/article/exporting-or-embedding-your-wix-site-elsewhere
• Carrd: https://carrd.co
• Carrd Pro plans: https://carrd.co/docs/pro/plans
• WordPress download: https://wordpress.org/download/
• WordPress license: https://wordpress.org/about/license/
• Cloudflare Pages: https://pages.cloudflare.com/
• Cloudflare Pages limits: https://developers.cloudflare.com/pages/platform/limits/
• Next.js license: https://github.com/vercel/next.js/blob/canary/license.md

Squarespace, Framer, Webflow, Wix, Carrd, WordPress, Next.js, and Cloudflare are trademarks of their owners. Eject is not affiliated with them.

Where to go next

The automated move is a $99 one-time fee for a simple site of about 10 pages. Custom work has no public price. See renewal watch or contact us.