Squarespace vs WordPress.com in 2026: which website builder should you pick?

WordPress.com is better if you want a free plan or access to over 60,000 plugins starting at $2.75 per month billed every 3 years ($4 per month billed annually). Squarespace is better for an all-in-one builder without separate plugins, starting at $19 per month after a 14-day trial. Below we compare both alongside Heya (starts at $0, with Pro Lite at $3 a month).

See the comparison Try Heya free

Heya is ours, so read its row with that in mind. Every other number comes from each company's own pages, checked on October 28, 2026.

The short answer

Best all-in-one suite Squarespace puts hosting, SSL, SEO, analytics, ecommerce, email marketing, and custom domains into one system without separate plugins, starting at $19 per month.
Best for plugins and blogs WordPress.com gives you a free plan with unlimited pages and posts, or paid plans from $2.75 per month (billed every 3 years) with over 60,000 plugins.
Best for simple small sites Heya builds one-page and small sites up to 5 pages for $0 (or 20 pages for $3 a month on Pro Lite), and works fully on a phone or computer.

Squarespace vs WordPress.com vs Heya at a glance

Here is how Squarespace, WordPress.com, and Heya compare across pricing, domains, selling, and site limits.

Compared	Squarespace	WordPress.com	Heya
Free plan or trial	14-day free trial, no credit card	Free plan with no expiration date	Free plan ($0), no time limit
Cheapest paid plan	Basic at $19 per month	$2.75/mo (billed every 3 yrs) or $4/mo (billed annually)	Pro Lite at $3/mo
Custom domain	Free custom domain on Basic ($19/mo)	Included for first year on annual/multi-year paid plans	1 custom domain per account on Pro Standard ($6/mo), up to 10 on Pro Plus ($15/mo)
Ads or badge on free tier	No free plan (14-day trial only)	Visitor ads on free; ad-free on paid plans	Made with Heya badge on Free; removed on Pro Lite
Pages per site	Not stated	Unlimited pages on all plans	Up to 5 on Free; up to 20 on Pro Lite
Plugins and extensions	Built-in tools without separate plugins	Over 60,000 plugins on paid plans	10 block types plus video, audio, map, and booking embeds
Online store and payments	Included on all plans (2% fee on Basic, 0% on Core)	WooCommerce on Business and Commerce (0% fee)	Link a button to your checkout or store page
Blogging	Built-in CMS and blogs with paywalls	Unlimited posts, built-in newsletter and RSS	Link to your blog from a links block
HTML export or migration	Not stated	Built-in import tool from Squarespace, Wix, and others	Download site as HTML ZIP on Pro Plus ($15/mo)

Swipe the table sideways to see every column.

"Not stated" means the provided product facts do not specify this detail.

How each platform works

Squarespace

14-day trial; paid from $19/month

Squarespace has a 14-day free trial with no credit card needed. Paid plans cost $19 per month (Basic), $29 per month (Core), $49 per month (Plus), and $99 per month (Advanced), with up to 36% off annually. All plans include the Fluid Engine editor, Blueprint AI, hosting, and selling tools.

Better at: All-in-one stores and booking sites that want built-in tools without managing separate plugins.
Watch out: No permanent free plan, and the Basic plan charges a 2% online store transaction fee.

WordPress.com

Free; paid from $2.75/month (billed every 3 years)

WordPress.com has a free plan that never expires, giving you 1 GB of storage and unlimited pages on a yoursite.wordpress.com subdomain. Paid plans start at $2.75 per month billed every 3 years or $4 per month billed annually, removing visitor ads and adding over 60,000 plugins.

Better at: Blogs, content-heavy sites, and businesses that want plugin flexibility or developer tools like SFTP/SSH and Git.
Watch out: The free plan shows ads to visitors and does not allow custom domains or plugins.

Heya

Free; Pro Lite $3/mo; Pro Standard $6/mo

Heya is our no-code builder for one-page and small sites. You can start in your browser without an account and sign in with Google to publish. Heya Free is $0 for up to 3 sites, Pro Lite is $3 a month, and Pro Standard is $6 a month with up to 5 sites, up to 20 pages per site, no badge, and 1 custom domain per account. Every plan includes 68 templates, and Pro Plus ($15 a month) adds HTML ZIP downloads.

Better at: Quick one-page or small sites built on a computer or phone, with 68 templates on every plan.
Watch out: Free sites show a small Made with Heya badge and allow up to 5 pages per site; a custom domain needs Pro Standard ($6/mo).

Who should pick Squarespace vs WordPress.com

Go with Squarespace if you want one system where hosting, SSL security, SEO tools, analytics, ecommerce, email marketing, and custom domains all work without separate plugins. It also handles blogs with paywalls, portfolios, memberships, Acuity Scheduling for appointments, and Invoicing for proposals and contracts.

Pick WordPress.com if you want a free plan with unlimited pages and posts, or paid plans with over 60,000 plugins. It's also a fit for technical teams on the Business and Commerce plans, which come with SFTP/SSH, WP-CLI, Git commands, and GitHub Deployments. And if you're already on Squarespace, Wix, GoDaddy, Medium, Blogger, or self-hosted WordPress.org, WordPress.com has a built-in import tool to migrate your site.

Price and online store fees compared

WordPress.com has a permanent free plan with 1 GB of storage on a yoursite.wordpress.com subdomain. Paid plans start at $2.75 per month billed every 3 years or $4 per month billed annually, and annual and multi-year plans include a free custom domain for the first year (monthly plans do not). Squarespace only gives you a 14-day free trial before you have to pay to go live, with up to 36% savings when paying annually.

For stores, Squarespace Basic ($19 per month) charges a 2% online store transaction fee plus 2.9% + $0.30 card rates. Core ($29 per month) drops the 2% fee, while Plus ($49 per month) and Advanced ($99 per month) lower card rates to 2.7% + $0.30 and 2.5% + $0.30. On WordPress.com, the Business and Commerce plans have 0% transaction fees for WooCommerce payments.

Ease of use, design, and maintenance

With Squarespace, you use the Fluid Engine drag-and-drop editor without touching HTML, CSS, or JavaScript. You can start from a designer template or build a site with Blueprint AI, then manage your pages, blog posts, products, and images in the built-in CMS and Asset Library. Squarespace gives you 24/7 support through its Help Center and free online webinars.

WordPress.com uses custom-made patterns and themes with drag-and-drop layouts, and gives you all premium themes on Business and Commerce plans. Every plan, including the free one, covers hosting with a global CDN, SSL, DDoS and brute-force protection, and managed WordPress updates. Personal and Premium plans run automated daily backups, while Business, Commerce, and Enterprise add real-time backups with one-click restores and priority 24/7 support.

When you do not need either platform

If you don't need an online store, a blog, or over 60,000 plugins, both platforms can be more than you need. We built Heya for one-page and small sites, and you can build on a phone or in your browser without an account. Heya Free is $0 for up to 3 sites with up to 5 pages per site, Pro Lite is $3 a month for up to 20 pages per site and no Made with Heya badge, and Pro Standard is $6 a month for up to 5 sites, up to 20 pages per site, no badge, and 1 custom domain per account. You get 68 templates, 10 block types, and free hosting on yourname.heya.bio.

Just know what Heya leaves out. For stores, blogs, or inquiry forms, you link a button or links block to the checkout, blog, or Google Form you already use.

How we checked

We compared Squarespace, WordPress.com, and Heya using each platform's published plan features, pricing tiers, billing terms, and built-in tools. Where a platform excels or lacks a feature, we state that plainly. The facts come from squarespace.com/pricing, squarespace.com/websites, wordpress.com/pricing, heya.page/pricing, heya.page/docs.

Plans change often. If a number here is out of date, email hello@heya.page and we'll fix it.

FAQ

Is Squarespace or WordPress.com cheaper?

WordPress.com is cheaper to start. It has a free plan that doesn't expire, and paid plans start at $2.75 per month billed every 3 years or $4 per month billed annually, while Squarespace only has a 14-day free trial before starting at $19 per month on Basic (with up to 36% savings when paying annually).

Does WordPress.com allow plugins on all plans?

No, you can't install plugins on the WordPress.com free plan. You get access to over 60,000 plugins on every paid WordPress.com plan, starting with the Personal plan at $2.75 per month billed every 3 years or $4 per month billed annually. Squarespace doesn't use separate plugins and builds its tools right in instead.

Which is better for an online store: Squarespace or WordPress.com?

Both handle full online stores, so it comes down to whether you want built-in tools or WooCommerce. Squarespace includes selling on all plans, charging a 2% transaction fee on Basic ($19 per month) and no online store transaction fees on Core ($29 per month), Plus ($49 per month), and Advanced ($99 per month). WordPress.com charges 0% transaction fees for WooCommerce payments on its Business and Commerce plans.

Do Squarespace and WordPress.com include a free custom domain?

Yes, both include a free custom domain on paid plans, with conditions. Squarespace is an ICANN accredited registrar and includes a free custom domain on its Basic plan ($19 per month). WordPress.com includes a free custom domain for the first year on annual and multi-year paid plans starting at $2.75 per month when billed every 3 years, though not on monthly plans.

Can I move my site from Squarespace to WordPress.com?

Yes, WordPress.com has a built-in import tool that moves your site over from Squarespace. You can also use that same import tool to migrate a site from Wix, GoDaddy, Medium, Blogger, or self-hosted WordPress.org.

When should I use Heya instead of Squarespace or WordPress.com?

Use Heya when you want a one-page or small site (up to 5 pages for $0, 20 pages for $3 a month on Pro Lite, or 1 custom domain for $6 a month on Pro Standard) that you can start without an account and edit on a phone. You can also embed Calendly or link buttons to your existing forms, blog, or store.

Try Heya free

If you only need a one-page or small site up to 5 pages, try building on Heya for $0 in your browser with no credit card required and no account needed until you publish.

Make a free site See pricing