Squarespace is the friend with great taste and strict rules.
Everything looks good. Fonts behave. Photos sit nicely. And then one day you try to put a button right there, and the whole page politely says no.
If you're googling alternatives, it's usually one of these:
- "I can't put things where I want." You move blocks on a grid, inside sections. Freedom has edges.
- "It looks like a Squarespace site." Beautiful, yes. Recognisable, also yes.
- "The phone version does its own thing." It mostly follows your desktop layout, with limited control.
- "The fees add up." On the Basic plan, Squarespace takes a 2% fee on shop sales (per its European pricing page, 29 Oct 2026).
Here's where people go next.
1. Showit: for full design freedom
The closest thing to "Squarespace, but let me put it anywhere". Drag freely, overlap things, design the phone version separately. Blog on WordPress.
Better than Squarespace at: freedom and editorial looks. Not as good at: time. You build it piece by piece. For: creatives who love to design.
Full comparison: Showit vs Squarespace.
2. Wix: for more tools
More apps, more features, more freedom on the page than Squarespace.
Better than Squarespace at: business tools and apps for everything. Not as good at: calm. Lots of menus. And once a Wix site is live, you can't switch its template. For: people who need many features in one place.
3. Framer: for designers
If Squarespace feels like a nice apartment, Framer is an empty loft. Gorgeous motion, total control, AI that can start a page from a prompt.
Better than Squarespace at: modern, animated, custom design. Not as good at: ease, if you're not a designer. For: designers and design-led startups.
4. WordPress: for ownership
Open-source, endless themes and plugins, and you can take your site anywhere.
Better than Squarespace at: blogging power and freedom to leave. Not as good at: looking after itself. Updates and plugins need someone's attention. For: big blogs and people who want to own every piece.
5. Big Cat: for a site that looks like you, without the grid fight
Ours, so judge it harder.
Big Cat is the authentic AI website builder. Squarespace starts from its template. Big Cat starts from a design you love: any website, a screenshot, your Pinterest board. It keeps the “feeling” (proportions, type, space, mood), never the words, photos or logo, and builds your site in minutes, with your words.
Better than Squarespace at:
- Not looking like a template. Your starting point is your own taste.
- Changing things your way. Ask the cat ("make the title bigger", "put my photo on the left") by voice or text, or move things yourself.
- The words. A brand strategist inside writes your copy in the tone you choose, plus the legal pages.
- Privacy. Your words never go to an AI without your OK. No cookie tracking on your site. EU servers.
Not as good at (honest):
- Shops. If you sell lots of products, Squarespace's commerce is stronger today.
- Size. One site, up to 10 pages, on the first plan.
Price: €12 a month, or €60 every 6 months (€10 a month). 7-day free trial, no card. Your own domain.
Try it: paste a site you love →
Quick pick
| If you want… | Choose |
|---|---|
| Freedom to place anything | Showit |
| More tools and apps | Wix |
| Designer-level motion | Framer |
| Full ownership and big blogging | WordPress |
| A site that looks like you, from a design you love | Big Cat |
Keep reading
- Showit alternatives in 2026, with the phone version done
- The best AI website builders in 2026, ranked
- The best website builders in 2026, with prices for one site
- Why I never chose Squarespace
- Showit vs Squarespace: the honest comparison
Questions people ask
What is better than Squarespace?
For design freedom, Showit. For more features, Wix. For designers, Framer. For ownership, WordPress. For a site that looks like you without building it by hand, Big Cat.
Why is Squarespace so limiting?
It's built on a grid inside sections, so the layout stays tidy on every screen. That's what makes it hard to break, and what makes it hard to make truly yours.
Is Showit better than Squarespace?
For design freedom and blogging, yes. For ease and selling, Squarespace wins.
Can I move my Squarespace site somewhere else?
You can export some content (mainly blog posts and pages) and transfer your domain. The design doesn't come with you, so plan to rebuild it. A good moment to make it look like who you are now.