Squarespace pricing has been in the news this summer, and not for flattering reasons. Renewal increases have landed for many site owners, and the reaction has been loud enough that TechRadar covered the backlash, an article I was asked to weigh in on. So this is a good moment for a clear, current breakdown: what every plan actually costs, what changed, and which tier genuinely fits which kind of site.
On where this guide comes from: I run a UK agency as a Squarespace Platinum Partner, and we build and maintain client sites across every one of these tiers, so the recommendations below are based on which plans real businesses end up needing, not on feature lists.
Squarespace plans and prices in 2026
Squarespace runs four plans: Basic, Core, Plus and Advanced. The old Personal, Business and Commerce names are gone, so if you are comparing against an older article, the tiers no longer match. There is no free plan; you get a 14-day free trial (no card required), then it is pay to publish. Prices below are the monthly equivalent on annual billing, which is meaningfully cheaper than paying month to month:
| Plan | US (annual billing) | UK (annual billing) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $19/month | £12/month | Portfolios, blogs, simple brochure sites |
| Core | $29/month | £17/month | Most business websites and small stores |
| Plus | $49/month | £29/month | Growing stores that want lower fees and customer accounts |
| Advanced | $99/month | £79/month | High-volume commerce, subscriptions, advanced shipping |
Two caveats worth stating plainly. Prices were correct when this was written, and with increases still rolling through renewals your own renewal figure may differ from the headline rate, so always confirm on Squarespace's own pricing page before committing. And every plan pays card processing fees on sales regardless of tier; separately, the Basic plan adds a Squarespace transaction fee on sales that disappears from Core upward, which on its own justifies Core for anyone selling anything.
What changed, and why people are annoyed
The frustration TechRadar reported is real and worth understanding. Squarespace has been folding more features into the platform (AI tools among them) and pricing has moved up alongside, including at renewal for existing customers. If you signed up years ago on a legacy plan, your renewal email may have been an unpleasant surprise, and "I am paying for things I did not ask for" is a fair summary of how some long-term users feel about bundled features they do not use.
My own take, which is the one I gave TechRadar: "Clients would rather pay more for something that keeps getting better than pay less for something standing still." Squarespace's product genuinely has improved (the design tools, commerce features and the new SEO and AI capabilities are far ahead of where the platform was three years ago), and against comparable managed platforms it remains competitively priced. But that is an argument for the pricing being justified, not for the communication around it being good, and if the increases push you to re-examine alternatives, that is a rational response. Our Squarespace vs WordPress comparison covers the honest trade-offs, including total cost of ownership, where Squarespace often comes out better than the sticker prices suggest once hosting, plugins and maintenance are counted.
Which plan you actually need
After hundreds of client builds, the pattern is consistent. Basic is right for portfolios, personal sites and simple brochure sites that will never sell anything; it is the plan we use least, because most businesses outgrow it at the first invoice or product. Core is the default, and it is the plan the majority of our client builds ship on: full code and CSS access (which most plugins and customisations require), the marketing features, proper analytics, and selling without the platform transaction fee. If in doubt, choose Core.
Plus earns its cost only when a store is trading seriously: customer accounts, abandoned checkout recovery and lower costs per sale matter once orders are regular rather than occasional. Advanced is for high-volume commerce with real shipping complexity or subscription selling, and almost nobody should start there; upgrade into it when the features have a job to do.
How to pay less for Squarespace
Annual billing is the obvious one: Squarespace currently advertises savings of up to 36% against monthly billing on the same plan, and annual plans include a free custom domain for the first year. Working with a Squarespace Circle member is the less known one: Circle partners (our agency included) can extend the free trial to six months and pass on a discount on the first year of a new plan, which meaningfully softens the entry cost of a professional build. And if you are buying a premium template anyway, some come bundled with platform discounts; several SquareKicker templates, for example, include 10% off a Squarespace plan alongside the design.
Beyond that, the honest advice is to buy the right tier rather than a cheaper wrong one. The cost of a plan that blocks the feature your business needs (usually code access or fee-free selling) is always higher than the difference in subscription price. And whichever tier you land on, our guide to the best free Squarespace plugins covers how to extend the platform without adding to the monthly bill. The same thinking applies to search: the built-in SEO settings are identical on every plan, so before paying for anything extra, read my comparison of the best Squarespace SEO plugins and tools, and my SEOSpace review if you are weighing up that one in particular.
One more cost that gets overlooked: the plan is only part of what a good site costs, and the template you start from decides how much design time you spend on top of it. If you are setting up a new site, our Squarespace templates hub gathers 600+ designs from independent designers, and the templates for small businesses collection is the right starting point for most Core-plan sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Squarespace cost in 2026?
On annual billing, plans run from $19 to $99 per month in the US and £12 to £79 per month in the UK, across four tiers: Basic, Core, Plus and Advanced. Monthly billing costs more, and renewal prices for long-standing customers can differ from headline rates.
Is there a free Squarespace plan?
No. Squarespace offers a 14-day free trial with no card required, and Circle partner agencies can extend that trial to six months, but publishing a site requires a paid plan.
Which Squarespace plan should I choose?
Core suits most businesses: it adds full code and CSS access, marketing tools, proper analytics and selling without the platform transaction fee. Basic fits portfolios and simple sites, while Plus and Advanced are for stores whose order volume justifies the extra commerce features.
Did Squarespace prices go up in 2026?
Yes, increases have been rolling through, including at renewal for existing customers, which prompted the user backlash TechRadar reported in July 2026. Squarespace's position is that the platform has gained substantial features; whether that trade feels fair depends on how many of them you use.
Does Squarespace charge transaction fees?
Payment processing fees apply on every plan, as with any platform. Squarespace's own additional transaction fee on sales applies on the Basic plan and disappears from Core upward, which is one of the main reasons selling businesses should start at Core.
How can I get a discount on Squarespace?
Choose annual billing (Squarespace currently advertises up to 36% off compared with monthly billing, with a free domain for the first year), work with a Squarespace Circle partner who can pass on a first-year discount and extended trial, or buy a premium template that bundles a platform discount.
