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Squarespace vs Weebly: Which Website Builder Is Best in 2026?

After 200+ hours of testing and analysing the latest features from both platforms, I can confidently say Squarespace is the better choice if you care about design, long-term features, and business scalability. Weebly is still fine for launching a basic site quickly, but it’s clearly in maintenance mode as Square shifts focus to other tools.

Quick Verdict

Best for Design and Business Tools Best for Simplicity and Low Budget
Squarespace Weebly

Updated: December 21, 2025 – This guide reflects Squarespace’s 60+ new features and Weebly’s app discontinuation.

Comparing Squarespace vs Weebly

If you’re looking for a clear, side-by-side comparison, here’s how these builders stack up in the real world:

Feature Squarespace Weebly
Starting Price $16/month (no free plan) $10/month (free plan available)
Ecommerce Capabilities Advanced tools (Pay Links, service selling) Basic Square integration, small store support
Templates & Design Modern, polished, flexible Simple, limited customisation
App Support Minimal (most features are built-in) Low, fewer updates
Mobile App Available Discontinued (Dec 15, 2025)
AI Features Blueprint AI, Beacon AI None
Platform Updates 60+ features in last 2 months No major updates in over a year

Squarespace is focused on evolving its platform for modern users. This means offering tools that not only make websites look good, but also help them function better — especially for business owners and creators.

Weebly’s strength lies in its simplicity. But that simplicity comes at the cost of features, flexibility, and future-proofing. It still works well for basic needs, but doesn’t scale well as your site or business grows.

Key Takeaways

  • Squarespace is investing heavily in features for creators and business owners — including AI tools, design updates, and powerful selling options.

  • Weebly is no longer a focus for Square, and the mobile app has already been discontinued.

  • If you’re building a serious website, Squarespace is the safer long-term option.

  • If you need something basic and free, Weebly still works — but don’t expect any new features.

Squarespace has also made strides in simplifying the experience without stripping away power. The new Blueprint AI tool helps users set up custom layouts based on their industry and content goals, saving hours of design work.

Weebly hasn’t completely stopped working, and if your needs are small — like a personal blog or basic site — it still does the job. But it feels like it’s frozen in time, and that’s risky if you want to invest in a site you’ll use for years.

Which Platform Offers Better Value for Money?

Both Squarespace and Weebly are affordable, but they serve different types of users. Weebly starts cheaper and even has a free plan. Squarespace, meanwhile, charges more — but includes far more professional tools out of the box.

Squarespace Pricing

Plan Name Monthly Price (USD, billed annually) Includes
Basic $16 Great for personal sites and portfolios
Core $23 Selling tools, branding controls
Plus $27 Ideal for growing businesses
Advanced $49 Includes advanced analytics, commerce

Weebly Pricing

Plan Name Monthly Price (USD, billed annually) Includes
Free $0 Weebly branding, limited features
Personal $10 Connect your domain
Professional $12 More templates, HD video, site search
Performance $26 Ecommerce analytics, shipping & inventory

Tip: Squarespace doesn’t offer a free plan, but every paid plan comes with a 14-day free trial.

Squarespace’s pricing is higher, but you get more control and better design options without needing extra apps or tools. This helps reduce the number of third-party costs you’d otherwise need to pay for.

Weebly is priced lower, but most of its value comes from the free and entry-level plans. You’ll likely outgrow it quickly, which means you may need to migrate to another platform if your business scales.

How Easy Are They to Use?

Both platforms are designed to be beginner-friendly, but the approach is different.

Weebly: Built for Speed

Weebly wins for users who want to go live in under an hour. The setup is minimal, the builder is drag-and-drop, and there are fewer options to manage.

Pros

  • Extremely easy to use

  • Perfect for non-tech users

  • Setup takes less than an hour

Cons

  • Limited design freedom

  • Editor feels outdated

  • Few updates or new tools

There’s very little learning curve with Weebly. You choose a theme, drop in some text and images, and publish. It’s especially great for side projects, hobby sites, or quick landing pages.

However, ease comes with limitations. Once you need more layout control, modern visuals, or interactive elements, you’ll quickly feel boxed in.

Squarespace: More Control, Slightly Steeper Learning Curve

Squarespace offers guided setup (via Blueprint AI), beautiful templates, and a block-based editor. It takes more time to learn — but the end result looks far more professional.

Pros

  • Professional-grade design tools

  • More customisation options

  • Helps you scale as your site grows

Cons

  • Slight learning curve for new users

  • Requires more time up front

The editor allows more fine-tuning than Weebly, especially for things like margins, grids, and animations. The initial setup might feel overwhelming, but Squarespace walks you through it well.

Selling Products, Services, or Content?

This is where the gap between the two really shows.

Squarespace: Modern Selling Without a Full Store

In December 2025, Squarespace launched Pay Links, allowing users to sell services, sessions, or products via links, QR codes, or embeds. It’s perfect for creators, coaches, or anyone who sells one-off items.

It also supports:

  • Physical and digital products

  • Subscription billing

  • Inventory and tax automation

  • Custom storefront layouts

  • AI-generated product descriptions

You don’t need a full ecommerce store to start accepting payments. This is ideal for consultants, photographers, and other service-based businesses.

Combined with features like appointment scheduling, email marketing, and member areas, Squarespace works as a full client portal — not just a basic shop.

Weebly: Square Integration for Basic Ecommerce

Weebly supports basic stores, especially if you already use Square POS. But its ecommerce feature set hasn’t evolved much in years.

  • Good for small inventories

  • Easy to connect with Square Payments

  • Best for existing Square users, not new stores

You can still manage inventory, track orders, and take payments. But there’s very little support for digital goods, selling services, or subscriptions.

There’s no AI to help with setup or product content, and store designs feel very limited compared to Squarespace.

Which Has Better Design Templates?

Squarespace: Clean, Modern, Mobile-Optimised

Squarespace is known for design. Every template looks like a high-end designer created it, and it’s easy to switch styles without starting over.

  • 100+ templates

  • Modern fonts, animations, galleries

  • Mobile-first design editing

Even if you don’t know CSS or HTML, the design tools are intuitive and flexible. Fonts, spacing, and color themes are handled smartly so the whole site feels cohesive.

These templates are perfect for people who want to impress clients, attract customers, or grow a visual brand without hiring a designer.

Weebly: Dated and Limited

Weebly has a handful of themes, but most are outdated. It gets the job done — but doesn’t impress.

  • ~40 templates

  • Little flexibility beyond colour and font

  • No recent template updates

For basic informational sites, Weebly is fine. But if you’re creating a brand or want your site to feel modern in 2025, it’s going to fall short.

It’s also missing design updates like animations, modern typography, or even responsive layouts that are standard on Squarespace.

Platform Stability and Product Updates

Squarespace: Active Development

Squarespace has added over 60 features in the last 2 months. That includes:

  • New animation tools

  • Font customisation

  • Mobile layout updates

  • AI design assistants

These updates signal strong commitment to improving the platform and keeping up with user demands. AI is now baked into the workflow, making it easier to design, write, and publish pages.

You also get the confidence of knowing your site won’t fall behind as design and performance standards evolve.

Weebly: Maintenance Mode

The mobile app is now officially discontinued, and Square has told new users to build on Square Online, not Weebly.

That doesn’t mean it’s shutting down — but it’s clear where Square is investing time.

Weebly still works and may continue to be supported for legacy users, but it’s not a growth platform anymore. If you’re starting fresh, it’s hard to recommend as a future-proof option.

Which One Should You Choose?

Situation Best Builder
Portfolio or creative website Squarespace
Quick, free personal website Weebly
Online store for products or services Squarespace
Selling locally with Square already Weebly
Long-term brand or business growth Squarespace
Absolute beginner needing fast setup Weebly

If you already use Square, sticking with Weebly might make sense short-term. But if you’re building a serious project, there’s no contest — Squarespace offers more control, more tools, and a better future.

You’ll also get more support for SEO, branding, integrations, and client engagement tools — all without needing third-party plugins.

Final Verdict

Squarespace is the better choice for 2025 if you’re looking to build a serious website that can grow with you. The platform is actively improving, packed with modern features, and ideal for anyone who wants their website to look and feel professional from day one.

Weebly is still usable, and for someone who wants the lowest cost option with minimal setup, it does the job. But between discontinued apps, a shrinking feature set, and no major updates, it’s clearly winding down.

Try Squarespace if you:

  • Want professional design and branding

  • Sell digital products or services

  • Care about long-term support

Stick with Weebly if you:

  • Want a simple, low-cost site

  • Already use Square tools

  • Are fine with basic functionality

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Catalin is a blogger and a big fan of ecommerce. He also loves mindfulness and matcha tea!

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