Squarespace vs. GoDaddy: Differences, pros and cons in 2024

Squarespace and GoDaddy are two popular website builders that offer a variety of tools and customization options for creating a strong online presence. However, each platform provides different user experiences and has features better suited to certain audiences. For example, whereas Squarespace allows for a good amount of creative flexibility, GoDaddy supports a more simple and straightforward interface.

Here, we compared Squarespace and GoDaddy to see how they stack up against each other. We thoroughly examined some of the most important factors business owners must consider when choosing where to develop their website, including pricing, usability and services, so you can determine which is best for you.

Squarespace vs. GoDaddy: Quick overview

Neither Squarespace nor GoDaddy require users to have any coding experience to build functional and appealing websites. As such, both are relatively easy to set up. Where Squarespace stands out is in the wide range of built-in features it offers, which provide more opportunities for customization. 

On the other hand, GoDaddy makes it possible for businesses to get online quickly at an affordable price.

Pricing and value

Verdict: Squarespace

Squarespace pricing and value

Though it costs more than GoDaddy, the Squarespace platform has additional features that provide good value for the price. Squarespace offers customers four website builder plans, with all but the base tier, including e-commerce capabilities. 

The Personal package is intended for sites that aren’t being created to generate revenue. It comes with a variety of template options, mobile optimization and a custom domain if paying annually.

The rest of the company’s plans have e-commerce functionality, allowing businesses to sell an unlimited number of products and utilize a branded domain checkout. The Commerce Basic plan provides extra tools, such as:

• Point-of-sale.
• Product reviews.
• Product waitlists.
• Low stock alerts.

With the Commerce Advanced plan, users can also sell subscriptions, offer free shipping and issue discounts. There is a 0% transaction fee for physical products and services on the two higher-tier plans. 

GoDaddy pricing and value

GoDaddy’s Basic plan lets users start a new website design for just $16.99 per month, which includes a custom domain, customized chat preferences and an all-in-one metrics dashboard. The Premium plan comes with additional features for managing online appointments, boosting social media posts and setting up social media ads. 

The Commerce plan gives businesses several e-commerce functionalities, such as:

• The ability to list an unlimited number of products online.
• Gift card sales.
• Automated sales tax calculation.
• Auto-filled tax forms.
• Shoppable social media posts.

Transaction fees are 2.3% plus $0.30 for online purchases, 2.3% plus $0.00 for in-person sales and 3.3% plus $0.00 for purchases completed with a virtual terminal.

Web editor

Verdict: Squarespace

Both platforms are accessible to users of all design experience levels, even those who are brand new to website building. However, Squarespace’s web editor offers a wider range of features to experiment with, which can take more time to learn and explore, while GoDaddy’s editor sticks to the basics. 

Squarespace web editor

Squarespace focuses on providing sleek, contemporary and stylish website designs. The platform has 165 prebuilt templates to pick from, which are grouped into various categories that cover a broad range of professional industries. There’s also an option for users to build their own template. 

Every site is organized into pages, page sections and blocks. Each of these areas can be fully customized by utilizing a drag-and-drop tool to add, move or delete different aspects of the layout. 

In version 7.1 of Squarespace, users may take advantage of Fluid Engine. This is a more intuitive editing tool that offers greater flexibility with block placements and duplication. This makes it simple to test out various designs and structures within a layout. The drawback with 7.1 sites is that they don’t come with the ability to easily switch templates as in version 7.0.

GoDaddy web editor

GoDaddy offers more than 200 pre-built templates spanning over a dozen categories but lacks the same professional-looking designs that users get with Squarespace. It also doesn’t have as many options when it comes to site customization or e-commerce. 

Despite this, GoDaddy’s web editor provides one of the easiest site-building processes available. For those having trouble getting started, the company has integrated ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence) tools, making it possible to develop a website in minutes once a few questions have been answered. 

This can help with theme selections, basic text and other design aspects. There are a number of new sections that may be added as well, depending on the user’s needs.

E-commerce functionality

Verdict: Tie

Squarespace and GoDaddy offer similar e-commerce features to help businesses enhance their selling efforts. For example, both platforms provide online stores with essential e-commerce tools, various payment processing options and SSL security, along with many other functionalities.

Squarespace e-commerce functionality

E-commerce capabilities are available in three of Squarespace’s website-building packages. With each of these plans, users can sell as many products as they like, customers may create accounts to encourage repeat business and purchases are checked out on the same domain.

The Squarespace platform can be utilized to sell products, services, subscriptions, digital content and digital gift cards. Other features include:

• Merchandising.
• Inventory and order management.
• Social media selling.
• Point of sale.
• Shipping labels.
• Mobile-optimized checkout.

GoDaddy e-commerce functionality

GoDaddy only has e-commerce features available in its highest-tier plan. This allows users to list unlimited products and take 50 orders a month through different marketplace or social selling sites. It also provides:

• Automated inventory across all channels.
• Discounted shipping.
• Automated sales tax calculator.
• Sales tracking.
• Abandoned cart recovery.

GoDaddy provides the flexibility to sell products, services, digital content and gift cards as well.

Blogging

Verdict: Squarespace

Squarespace and GoDaddy both have dedicated blogging templates and features, but the GoDaddy platform is more limited in its offerings. This may work for users who are just looking to add a basic blog to their website, but if additional functions are needed, Squarespace tends to be the better option.

Squarespace blogging

Squarespace has 50 customizable template options specifically designed for blogging. All of these provide layouts, color palettes, stock images and fonts that can be tailored to fit the user’s preferences. Photo editing is also available, as is the ability to:

• Sell content.
• Schedule posts.
• Set permissions.
• Categorize posts.
• Track analytics.
• Launch email campaigns to increase traffic.

GoDaddy blogging

GoDaddy has 20 blog templates to choose from, which can also be edited for a more customized layout. Content can be organized into different categories, and users receive access to simple image editing tools. Additionally, the platform allows existing blogs to be linked, and email updates may be sent to readers.

Marketing and SEO

Verdict: Tie

When it comes to marketing and SEO features, Squarespace and GoDaddy are pretty evenly matched. Both platforms offer fairly basic capabilities in these areas.

Squarespace marketing and SEO

Squarespace provides editing tools and specially designed templates to create innovative email campaigns that are consistent with the brand’s image. It also allows for the integration of promotional or announcement banners, social media advertising and monitoring analytics. 

Squarespace websites have SEO functionalities built in. These include meta titles and descriptions, site maps, clean URL slugs, mobile responsiveness and Google Search Console to identify relevant keywords. The platform has a handy SEO checklist to reference as well.

GoDaddy marketing and SEO

Each GoDaddy plan comes with multiple features to help users with their marketing efforts, such as business listing creation and management, social media posts, segmented customer email lists and review widgets. Email marketing campaigns are also available, allowing users to send 100 to 100,000 emails a month, depending on the plan. 

GoDaddy’s websites are made with a built-in search engine optimizer, although the company’s site doesn’t offer details on what this includes. GoDaddy has the option to sign up for expert SEO services as well, which means a professional will handle keyword research, make optimization recommendations and work on link building.

Performance and security

Verdict: Tie

Squarespace and GoDaddy provide various tools and resources to ensure websites are performing at a high level. They also take different measures to keep data secure. 

Squarespace performance and security

Squarespace websites are built to accommodate heavy traffic. However, in the event a site starts to slow down, the company offers helpful tips and guides to troubleshoot the issue. 

To protect sensitive user information against potential breaches, the company runs security scans regularly to check for site vulnerabilities, maintains PCI DSS compliance for credit card transactions, uses firewalls and employs encrypted connections. Every domain on the Squarespace platform also comes with a free SSL certificate.

GoDaddy performance and security

GoDaddy makes it easy for users to check their website’s performance right from the dashboard. If necessary, it will also provide suggestions for improving site speed. Users may schedule automatic performance checks to run periodically as well.

SSL security is also included with all GoDaddy websites to reduce the risk of getting hacked. In addition, the platform has a selection of security plans available for an extra monthly fee. These have features such as malware scans, firewalls and backup recovery.

Mobile app

Verdict: Tie

Squarespace and GoDaddy both have apps available for iOS and Android mobile devices. These have many of the same functions for allowing users to manage their website while on the go.

Squarespace mobile app

The Squarespace app makes it possible to edit, adjust and update a website from anywhere without having to be near a computer. Users may add new images, create blog posts, review inventory and orders and track site analytics. 

While a number of tasks can be accomplished through the app, not all features are supported. The biggest restriction is not being able to add or edit blocks. 

GoDaddy mobile app

GoDaddy’s mobile app also provides the ability to make changes to a website and monitor site metrics regardless of location. The app can send notifications of a sale or appointment booking as well as accept payments on a smartphone through GoDaddy Payments. 

Final verdict

Winner: Squarespace

Overall, Squarespace stands out for its robust collection of template designs, web editing features and e-commerce accessibility. While some of the tools on this platform may require a small learning curve, the company offers one of the easiest options for building an attractive and functional website. 

However, even though Squarespace was found to have a slight advantage in some areas, GoDaddy still offers a good option for creating websites quickly and affordably. 

Who is Squarespace best for?

Squarespace is the better choice for those who want access to quality templates and a great deal of creative control. This is especially useful when designing projects that require a higher degree of professionalism. Users who have more time to spend exploring the wide assortment of editing tools can benefit from this platform as well.

Who is GoDaddy best for?

GoDaddy may work great for someone who only needs a personal or blogging website without any of the extra frills. Small business owners looking for a straightforward layout and less expensive way to secure their online presence might also find it to be a viable option, especially with a variety of marketing features to take advantage of.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Is GoDaddy or Squarespace better?

Although Squarespace delivers a more well-rounded user experience than GoDaddy, which platform is better for you will depend on your specific needs and how much time you’re willing to put into building a website. Essentially, Squarespace provides more value for the money, but GoDaddy offers simplicity, which is good for beginners.

Is Squarespace cheaper than GoDaddy?

Ranging from $16.99 to $34.99 per month, GoDaddy has cheaper plans than Squarespace, which has a starting price of $25.00 per month and goes up to $72.00 per month. Despite paying more, Squarespace users tend to get more for their money with a large selection of eye-catching templates and more advanced web editing features.

Can I transfer my GoDaddy domain to Squarespace?

You can transfer an existing GoDaddy domain to Squarespace by following a few specific steps. These include: 

• Choose the domain you wish to transfer to your GoDaddy account. 
• Make sure the domain contact details are correct. 
• Request to unlock the domain. 
• Obtain an authorization code from GoDaddy. 
• Enter the authorization code in Squarespace and start the transfer process. 
• Verify the registration information.
• Double-check payment information and review the order.
• Check the transfer status and await its completion.