And so it continues, the ongoing debate of which website platform is best for your creative business website.
As you may know, I don’t believe there is a right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing between these two platforms, but rather that different types of businesses can benefit from different features, making it important to shed light on some of the factors that help me decide between one or the other.
As a Showit and Squarespace web designer, I have some experience when it comes to choosing between these two platforms, so I’m happy to share a little insight on some of the reasons why I would choose one over the other. I previously wrote a blog post about the Five Reasons to Pick Showit over Squarespace, so it’s only fair to flip it for today’s post.
In this post I’ll share five reasons why you might want to choose Squarespace over Showit for your website platform.
All in one platform
I learned web design on Squarespace, and it is the platform that I know like the back of my hand. I got so used to the all in one features that I honestly took it for granted.
When I first started designing on Showit, I was surprised to find you needed a plugin or third party integration for almost everything.
Do you want to display your Instagram in your footer? Well, that’s a third party.
Do you want to insert a button that someone can click? You have to build a box, insert text, then link it all.
Do you want to sell stuff? That’s another third party integration.
Squarespace on the other hand comes ready with practically everything you need. Sure, I have some third party integrations on my site (like Flodesk*), but these are technically not necessary. If you’re looking for a website that’s easy to design, with all the things you need right there in the platform, Squarespace is definitely the choice for you!
E-commerce
I’ve mentioned before that it is definitely possible to set up e-commerce on both Squarespace and Showit. The problem arises when you have a large variety of products to keep track of.
Remember what I said about third party integrations with Showit? Yep, you guessed it! E-commerce is also an integration you would need to add, typically using Shopify Lite. Not only does this add on to the things you need to keep track of as a business owner, but it can also be limiting if you have a lot of products in your shop.
I actually came across this great post from Ivy and Linen Design Co where she talks about why she switched her website from Showit after just a couple of months, just because of the ecommerce part!
Squarespace on the other hand is great for e-commerce. You can sell both digital and physical products, and there are several pricing tiers depending on your needs! I’m personally on the business plan with Squarespace, and I have no trouble setting up a small shop and managing products on my site!
Cost
Let’s be honest, we’re all trying to keep costs down – right?
Squarespace has Showit beat by a long shot when it comes to the pricing. There’s not even any argument about that. Sure, the pricing tiers might look similar at first, but then you realize you need to pay additional prices to get specific upgrades or things included, and you’re way over the $18/month you pay for the Squarespace business plan with an annual subscription.
In comparison, the basic Showit plan with a blog is $24/month with an annual subscription. Sure, if you want to cut out one coffee a month(ish) to cover the difference, go for it! But I personally enjoy my Pumpkin Spice Lattes a little too much to make that sacrifice right now (oh, and some of the other reasons have compelled me to stay as well ;)).
Automatically responsive design
While Showit allows you to create your mobile design side by side with your desktop design, Squarespace is automatically responsive. This means you don’t have to worry about designing your mobile site, as this will automatically be done for you!
Sure, the Showit flexibility of designing your own mobile version can be great, but if you’re not all that tech savvy, or maybe new when it comes to web design, this Squarespace feature is absolutely amazing.
There are adjustments that you can make so that this works better for your site, but overall, all you have to worry about is designing the desktop version of your website and double check the mobile to make sure everything looks a-ok!
Ease of use
While Showit is not necessarily difficult to use, Squarespace is just a lot easier. The grid structure and design blocks make for an incredibly easy interface to use, which is perfect for both DIY websites and upkeep of professionally designed websites.
The amount of tutorials available on more advanced Squarespace features or hacks are also great, so you can be sure your website will look just the way you want it.
If you’re looking for a simple to use, all-in-one website builder that has e-commerce capabilities, Squarespace is definitely the choice for you.
In this post, I shared some
of the top reasons why you should choose Squarespace over Showit for your website builder.
Looking to have your website designed by a professional? You’re in luck, friend! I’m a Squarespace and Showit web designer, and I can’t wait to hear more about your website dreams and how we can make those come to life.
Learn more about my web design process below, and let’s get to building the website of your dreams!
you may also like
*this is an affiliate link, which means I may get some benefit at no extra cost to you!
