£17-£25 per month sounds cheap. But over three years, that's £612-£900 - and you still don't own anything. Here's how our packages compare.
3-year cost comparison
| Option | 3-year total | Ownership |
|---|---|---|
| Kickstart | £2,115 | Yes |
| Support Scheme | £773-£1,643 | Yes |
| Straight-up Build | £1,799 | Yes |
| Squarespace | £612-£900 | No |
Straight-up Build includes 6 months free hosting; hosting is optional thereafter. The figure above includes hosting at £10/month for the remaining months for comparison. Kickstart and Support Scheme include hosting during the term - see package details.
Squarespace pricing: Personal £10, Business £17, Commerce from £25/month.
The real minimum
The advertised price is often for a tier you cannot realistically use. Advertised from £10/month, but for a site you can actually run you need at least £17/month.
- Personal (£10): no e-commerce, limited integrations, max 2 contributors.
- Need Business (£17) for code injection, advanced analytics, and a proper business site.
Our packages include design and build from day one. No tier upgrades, no hidden limits. Hosting and domain are separate unless stated in the package.
Best for
Squarespace: Design-focused DIY, quick launch, templates you can customise.
Bespoke: Quality, ownership, accessibility and performance built in, long-term value. Over 3 years the cost is often similar or less.
When Squarespace is not ideal
Ownership, performance, or accessibility. You rent forever.
Common pain points
- No ownership; subscription forever
- Limited control over code and performance
- Template constraints
Year 4 and beyond
With our packages for standard websites and Stripe payment sites, you own the site. Year 4 onwards, ongoing costs are hosting and domain renewal (separate) - typically around £10/month for hosting. (Shopify is different - a hosted service you never own.) With Squarespace, you keep paying the full subscription. Forever.
Already on Squarespace?
Content can be moved. See when to leave your site builder and website rescue for the migration path. When to leave your site builder helps you decide if it's time. Website rescue: when to fix vs rebuild covers the fix vs rebuild decision. Website rescue is for sites that need stabilising or rebuilding.
FAQs
How much does Squarespace cost over 3 years?
Advertised from £10, but Personal has limits. For a business site you need Business (£17) - so £612-£900 over 3 years. You own nothing.
Can I migrate from Squarespace to bespoke?
Yes. Content can be moved. See the migration section on this page.
Related reading
- Custom build vs template: what you really get
- Themes vs bespoke: where accessibility breaks first
- When to leave your site builder
- Website rescue: when to fix vs rebuild
- Budgeting for website projects
Next steps
Try the cost calculator for a quick estimate, or get in touch to discuss packages. See the full website costs comparison for all platforms.