Squarespace vs GoDaddy: Which is the better website builder?

Feature-packed website builders for those with diverse needs

· TechRadar

News By Pawan SinghContributions from Owain Williams published 7 October 2024

(Image credit: Future)

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Squarespace website builder review

Squarespace is a top website builder known for its elegant designs and robust features. With over 100 premium, mobile-optimized templates, it’s a favorite for creatives and businesses seeking visually stunning, professional websites.

For

  • Built-in email marketing
  • Essential e-commerce features with most plans
  • Lots of lovely, mobile-responsive templates
  • Free trial with no credit card info required
  • Helpful link in bio tool
  • Free SSL certificate
  • Helpful 24/7 customer support and well-supplied knowledgebase
  • A solid set of features

Against

  • Can't switch templates without starting from scratch
  • No telephone support
  • Low level of customization

GoDaddy website builder review

GoDaddy Website Builder is a popular choice for beginners, offering a user-friendly interface and quick setup. With customizable templates and integrated marketing tools, it’s designed to help small businesses and entrepreneurs create functional websites with ease.

For

  • 30-day free trial
  • 24/7 phone and live chat support
  • AI-powered tools for website optimization
  • Easy-to-use editor
  • Solid range of simple customizations
  • Over 100 good-looking templates to choose from
  • Marketing and SEO tools included

Against

  • AI-generated sites lack creativity and individual touch
  • Limited level of customization
  • Ecommerce with top-tier plan only
  • No app marketplace for additional integrations

Creating a website is easier and more affordable than ever before. From no-code website builders to finding cheap domains and hosting plans, it seems like you can do it all for a couple of bucks. But, among countless brands, two stand out. Both Squarespace and GoDaddy are well known as two of the best website builders on the market, but with many similar tools and features, it is no surprise potential customers often get confused about which one is best for them.

Squarespace primarily offers a drag-and-drop website builder, dynamic website templates, and even multiple products targetting specific businesses such as dedicated templates for sellers, Bio Sites, creator tools for freelancers/ influencers, and SEO tools for digital marketers.

GoDaddy's primary business is the sale of domains, and not very long ago, it started providing additional services like website building, logo making, and more. But this isn’t to say that GoDaddy isn’t a strong competitor in the website building space. In fact, in a short time, it has become one of the key players with powerful tools that are comparable to the likes of Squarespace.

In this guide, we take a look at the most important areas of website building and offer a comparison between what is offered by the two players. The goal isn’t to give a generic answer to ‘which is the best website builder’, but instead provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision on which platform best suits your unique needs and goals.

Squarespace vs GoDaddy: Pricing

(Image credit: Squarespace)

Squarespace pricing is straightforward, starting with the Personal plan. For $16/month (billed annually) you get features like a custom domain, SSL security, unlimited bandwidth, and Squarespace AI.

If you need more, the Business plan for $23/month adds advanced website analytics, free invoices, promotional pop-ups, banners, and a nominal 3% transaction fee on sales. For ecommerce, the Basic Commerce plan at $27/month includes customer accounts, product waitlists, and low stock alerts and the Advanced Commerce plan adds advanced shipping, discounts, and abandoned cart recovery for $52/month.

You can also save on your Squarespace subscription by signing up for an annual plan over monthly billing and using one of the best Squarespace promo codes at checkout.

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