Squarespace has a good name for design. Its templates look tidy, and many small businesses are happy on it. We build websites for a living, so we are not neutral. We have tried to make this a fair comparison anyway, including the parts where Squarespace is the better pick.
The short version
Squarespace is a tool you subscribe to and use yourself. We are a service. You pay $500 + GST once, and we build the site for you. The choice usually comes down to whether you would rather spend your time or your money.
What does Squarespace cost an Australian business?
At the time of writing (October 2026), the Squarespace pricing page lists three main plans, Basic, Core and Advanced, each cheaper when you pay annually than when you pay monthly. The version of the page we could load showed prices in another country’s currency, so we could not confirm the Australian dollar amounts or whether GST is added on top. Check the figure in AUD, and check whether it includes GST, before you buy.
The same page says annual plans include a free domain for the first year, which then renews at the standard rate. It also lists transaction fees for online stores. On the cheapest plan the page shows a 2% fee on store sales, while higher plans show none. Extras such as email campaigns or scheduling add to the bill.
Cost over one year and three years
Squarespace shows its prices in your local currency, so check the Squarespace pricing page from Australia for the exact figure. There are three plans, Basic, Core and Advanced, and paying annually saves up to 36% on the monthly rate (October 2026). Our numbers come straight from our pricing, in Australian dollars, excluding GST.
| Item | Squarespace | Straight Up Web |
|---|---|---|
| Build | Free, you build it | $500 |
| Monthly cost | Basic, Core or Advanced plan, cheapest paid a year upfront | $49 Care, first 3 months included |
| Year 1 total | 12 months of your plan | $941 |
| Three year total | 36 months of your plan, plus domain renewals | $2,117 |
| Your time | Many hours | A short form and one round of changes |
On the numbers alone, Squarespace costs less. What you pay us for is the build, the upkeep and the edits. Care covers hosting, SSL, security and backups, plus 30 minutes of small edits each month. Domain renewals are separate, so check the details when you get started.
How much time will it take?
Squarespace is tidy, but it is not a shortcut. You still pick a template, write the copy, source and size photos, and set up forms and pages. Squarespace’s templates are more rigid than some builders, which helps keep things looking good and can frustrate you if you want something unusual.
With us, you fill in a short form and send a few photos. The site is built in 7 days, with one round of changes before launch.
Who does the work?
On Squarespace, you do, unless you pay a designer on top of the subscription. With us, we do. That includes the pages, a contact form that goes to your inbox, Google Business Profile and Search Console set up, and the on-page SEO basics. The full list is on the websites page.
What about SEO?
Squarespace has the basic SEO controls: page titles, descriptions, a sitemap and clean mobile layouts. Plenty of Squarespace sites rank well. The tool is rarely the problem. The work is writing content that matches what your customers search for, and keeping at it.
We set up the basics at launch. If you want ongoing help, our Grow plan at $250 a month adds local SEO, two posts a month and free Google Ads management up to $1,500 a month in ad spend. See the SEO page and whether you need SEO or Google Ads.
Who owns the site, and can you leave?
Your Squarespace site lives on Squarespace. You can export some content, but you cannot take the whole design and run it elsewhere, so a move usually means a rebuild. You can keep a domain you own. If you buy your domain through the builder, check how to transfer it out first.
With us, you own the site and the domain. Our plans are month to month, with 30 days’ notice and no lock-in contract. Whoever you choose, ask about domain ownership and lock-in before paying.
When is Squarespace the better choice?
- You care a lot about how it looks and like the idea of choosing and tweaking a design yourself.
- You are a photographer, artist, designer or maker with a visual portfolio to show off.
- You want to run a larger store, sell digital products or run memberships.
- You enjoy editing your own content and want to change things daily.
- You would rather spend time than money this quarter.
Our scope is limited. We build up to 5 pages for $500, with no add-ons. We do not build shops with a checkout. If you need a store, a big catalogue or a members area, Squarespace, Shopify or Square Online are good options. For a custom build, we refer you to our sister studio ClickTheory.
When is Straight Up Web the better choice?
- You are busy and want the site done without learning a tool.
- You want a fixed price and a date, 7 days.
- You want to own the site and domain.
- You want a person to ask when something is not working.
How to decide
Be honest about your time. A site you start and never finish costs more than one you pay for. If you want to build it, try Squarespace’s free trial and see how it feels. If you would rather hand it over, our fixed prices are on the page. For the bigger picture, read builder vs freelancer vs agency or the FAQ.