Squarespace
Template-led, editorially distinct.
Squarespace for brands that live or die on how they look. One template framework becomes four radically different brands with the right colour, type, and imagery decisions. Watch —
Kestrel Café
WorkAboutShop
Slow coffee. Patient baking.
Fresh from Ranelagh, every morning.
Café
Lineform Studio
WorkAboutShop
Considered form. Quiet detail.
Residential and hospitality practice, Dublin.
Architect
Fernwood Atelier
WorkAboutShop
Winter drop, dropping now.
Small-batch, Irish-made outerwear.
Fashion brand
Ailbhe O'Connor
WorkAboutShop
Paintings, prints, small works.
Studio in the Liberties, currently taking commissions.
Artist
Same Squarespace template. Four brand systems. Typography + palette + imagery = identity.
Where Squarespace excels
Visual-first, editorial brands win here.
Portfolio sites
Photographers, illustrators, writers, architects. The gallery layouts, lightbox behaviour, and typography are built for work-as-the-hero.
Small boutique shops
Product pages that feel considered — lookbook-style imagery, story-driven category pages, understated checkout. 20–200 SKUs is the sweet spot.
Restaurants & hospitality
Menu boards, reservations via OpenTable/Resy integrations, location and hours. Visual food photography shines in their templates.
Wedding & event sites
Single-event sites with RSVP, schedule, accommodation info. Squarespace nails the one-off elegance these need.
Editorial blogs
Writers, critics, journalists wanting proper typography and clean reading experience. Sits alongside Substack nicely.
Solo service businesses
Therapists, coaches, consultants with a design sensibility. Booking via Acuity/Calendly integrates seamlessly.
Version 7.1 / Fluid Engine
Fluid Engine explained — the editor that finally makes Squarespace flexible.
The old Squarespace criticism was "you can't customise anything meaningfully". Fluid Engine (shipped 2022, default since 2024) changed that. Grid-based layouts, per-breakpoint edits, real flexibility.
Grid-based layouts per section
Each section has its own editable grid. Drag blocks to position precisely, not just stack vertically.
Independent mobile editing
Desktop and mobile layouts decoupled. Rearrange blocks for mobile without breaking desktop. Long-awaited fix.
Overlapping and free positioning
Images can overlap text, text over photo, card layouts that actually look designed. No more boring stacked columns.
Section-level background controls
Per-section background images, colours, overlays, video backgrounds. Previously required custom CSS.
Fluid typography
Headings scale with viewport width rather than just two breakpoints. Editorial type that holds up across screens.
Custom CSS still available
For anything Fluid Engine can't do, custom CSS is supported. Not locked out of the edge cases.
Important: this applies to Squarespace 7.1 sites only. Older 7.0 sites need to be rebuilt to benefit — we include that in migration projects.
Squarespace Commerce
Squarespace Commerce vs Shopify vs WooCommerce.
Squarespace Commerce is genuinely good for design-led small stores. It's not a Shopify replacement at scale. Here's the honest comparison.
Squarespace
Shopify
WooCommerce
Design flexibility (out of box)
★★★★★
★★★
★★★
Ecommerce feature depth
★★★
★★★★★
★★★★
App ecosystem
★★
★★★★★
★★★★
SKU capacity comfortable
200
∞
∞
Monthly cost (basic)
€31
€32
€0 + hosting
Multi-currency/language
Limited
Native
Plugins
Dropshipping support
Limited
Full
Plugins
Blog + content pages
★★★★
★★
★★★★★
Squarespace wins when design matters more than ecommerce depth. Under 200 SKUs, premium product, editorial feel — this is the pick.
What it can't do
Squarespace's limits.
Complex forms + conditional logic
The built-in form builder is basic. For multi-step forms, conditional fields, payment calculation, you'll need Typeform/Tally embedded — works but isn't native.
Members-only / gated content at depth
Member Areas exist but are limited. Anything beyond "logged-in users see these pages" wants a different platform (Memberful, Kajabi, custom).
Deep SEO customisation
Titles, meta, schema, basic URL control — all fine. Complex redirect logic, granular robots rules, log file analysis are harder than WordPress/custom.
Heavy multi-language work
Third-party Weglot integration works; native multi-language support is weak. Not where Squarespace competes.
Team editing with roles
Contributor, Administrator, Billing — three roles. No granular per-page permissions. Content approval workflows aren't there.
Frequently asked
Squarespace questions.
Squarespace Business plan is €23/mo, Commerce is €31+/mo. Our typical build costs €4,500–€9,500 depending on scope, number of templates customised, and whether we're migrating content from an existing site.
Related
Related platforms
Does your brand deserve a Squarespace?
Send us a mood board, logo, or existing site and we'll return a 10-minute video showing a rough Squarespace direction for your brand — colour, type, layout tone. Free, no obligation.