Table of Contents
Quick answer: If you want full creative control and a website that actually looks like you, go with Showit. If you want something fast, simple, and self-contained, Squarespace will get you there. Both can rank on Google. Both look professional. The real question is what matters more to you: flexibility or simplicity?
Every few months, someone slides into my inbox with the same question: “Krista, should I use Showit or Squarespace?” And honestly, my answer is always the same. It depends on what kind of website experience you actually want to build.
Both are no-code platforms that take the development work off your plate. Both handle hosting and the technical stuff. But the squarespace vs showit conversation gets interesting once you realize these two platforms are built on very different philosophies. Once you understand that, the decision gets a lot clearer.
We’ve spent over 15 years designing brands and websites for creative businesses. We’ve built on Showit, and we’ve watched clients migrate to and from Squarespace. Here’s everything you need to know, without the fluff.
What Is Squarespace?
Squarespace is a template-based, all-in-one website builder designed with small business owners in mind. You pick a template, customize within its structure, and everything lives under one roof: hosting, domain, blogging, e-commerce, email marketing. It’s the definition of streamlined.
The upside? It’s genuinely hard to design an ugly Squarespace site. The built-in constraints keep things cohesive. The downside? Those same constraints mean your site can end up looking a lot like everyone else’s.
What Is Showit?
Showit is a drag-and-drop website builder that was originally built for photographers, and that heritage really shows. Every element on the canvas can be moved, resized, layered, and customized with total freedom. You’re not working inside a grid or template structure. You’re designing pixel by pixel, which means your site can look exactly the way you envision it.
Showit is a standalone platform, but it integrates with WordPress for blogging, which is one of its biggest SEO advantages. And if you want e-commerce, you can connect it with Shopify or WooCommerce.
(We use Showit for our own site, and we sell Showit website templates designed for photographers, creatives, and entrepreneurs who want a site that actually looks custom. You can try Showit free for 30 days here, no credit card required.)
Squarespace vs Showit: A Side-by-Side Look
| Feature | Showit | Squarespace |
| Design Flexibility | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pixel-perfect freedom | ⭐⭐⭐ Structured blocks |
| Ease of Use | Medium (learning curve) | Very easy out of the box |
| Mobile Customization | Full control per device | Auto-adapts only |
| Blogging | WordPress-powered (advanced) | Built-in (simpler) |
| SEO | Strong via WordPress plugins | Good, simpler setup |
| E-commerce | Via Shopify/WooCommerce | Built-in |
| Pricing (monthly) | $24–$39/mo + WordPress | $23–$65/mo all-in |
| Best For | Designers, photographers, creatives | Beginners, all-in-one users |
Design Flexibility
This is where the squarespace vs showit debate gets really clear. Squarespace gives you polished, cohesive templates and keeps you inside them. You can swap fonts, colors, and layouts within the template’s structure, but you’re always working within guardrails.
Showit removes those guardrails entirely. You can place any element anywhere on the page, layer images over text, create full-bleed sections, customize your mobile layout independently, and design something that looks completely original. For visual creatives, especially photographers, this level of freedom is hard to beat.
Who has the edge? Showit. If your business is built on aesthetics, Showit gives you the creative freedom to actually show that.
Ease of Use
Here’s the honest truth: Squarespace is easier to start on. The template system keeps things from going sideways, and you can have something that looks great in an afternoon.
Showit has a learning curve. Because you have so much control, there are more decisions to make. But once you get the hang of it, most people find it genuinely intuitive. And when you start from one of our templates, a lot of that learning curve disappears because the structure is already built for you. You’re customizing, not starting from scratch.
We created a Website in a Weekend course specifically for this, so you can get your Showit site launched fast without the overwhelm.
Who has the edge? Tie for experienced users. Squarespace for total beginners.
Mobile Customization
This matters more than most people realize. On Squarespace, your mobile site is automatically generated from your desktop layout. It adapts, but you don’t get to control how.
On Showit, you design your mobile site separately. Yes, it takes more time. But when more than half your traffic is coming from a phone, being able to control exactly how your site looks and flows on mobile is absolutely worth the extra effort.
Who has the edge? Showit.
Squarespace vs Showit: Which Platform Ranks Better?
Both platforms can rank well on Google. Both let you set page titles, meta descriptions, and alt tags. But there are some meaningful differences worth knowing.
Because Showit integrates with WordPress, you get access to the full suite of WordPress SEO plugins like RankMath and Yoast. These give you granular control over how your pages are indexed, structured, and optimized. You can also build a robust blog with category architecture, internal linking, and schema markup.
Squarespace has solid built-in SEO settings and a clean blogging platform, but fewer customization options. Simpler to set up, but harder to go deep.
A few Showit SEO tips most people miss:
- Connect your blog to WordPress and use RankMath for full SEO control
- Set up custom URL structures for your blog posts
- Use image alt tags religiously, especially important for photographers
- Build topic clusters: write one strong comparison post and link to supporting posts on related keywords
Who has the edge? Showit, especially for content-heavy sites and photographers who want to rank for long-tail keywords.
Blogging
Squarespace’s blog is genuinely lovely and simple to use. You can choose your layout, customize the design, and manage everything in one place. For most small business owners, it’s more than enough.
Showit blogs are powered by WordPress, which is simultaneously its greatest strength and its biggest barrier. WordPress is the most powerful blogging and content platform in the world, but it does mean you’re managing two interfaces. Once you get used to the workflow (design in Showit, publish in WordPress), it becomes second nature. And you unlock things like advanced categories, WooCommerce, and thousands of plugins that Squarespace simply can’t match.
Who has the edge? Showit, for advanced bloggers and anyone building SEO-driven content.
E-commerce
If selling products online is your primary goal, Squarespace is the more straightforward choice. Its built-in shop is well-designed, accepts major payment processors, and integrates cleanly with the rest of your site.
Showit doesn’t have native e-commerce. You’ll need a third-party integration, either Shopify (which we use and love for our template shop) or WooCommerce through WordPress. It’s a bit more setup, but it also means you can use a dedicated e-commerce platform instead of a generalist solution.
For a primarily e-commerce business, Shopify or WordPress/WooCommerce might actually be the better foundation. But if you want a stunning visual site that also sells? Showit + Shopify is a strong combo.
Who has the edge? Squarespace for simplicity. Showit for flexibility if you’re combining a portfolio with a shop.
Pricing
Squarespace plans start at $23/month (billed annually) and go up to $65/month. The Business plan carries a 3% transaction fee; the Commerce plans don’t.
Showit’s plans range from $24–$39/month (billed annually) and are generally slightly less expensive than comparable Squarespace plans. Keep in mind that with Showit, you may pay separately for WordPress hosting depending on your plan, plus any additional plugins or tools.
Both platforms are upfront about their pricing. Neither is dramatically more expensive than the other at comparable levels.
Who has the edge? Showit, slightly, especially when you factor in what you’re getting for the price.
Which Platform Is Right for You?
When it comes to squarespace vs showit, here’s the simple version:
- Choose Showit if you’re a photographer, designer, or visual creative who wants a website that looks genuinely custom, has strong SEO potential, and reflects the full depth of your brand. Especially if you’re going to blog seriously.
- Choose Squarespace if you want to launch quickly, keep everything in one place, and don’t need pixel-level design control. It’s a solid, reliable platform that gets the job done.
We moved our own site to Showit years ago and haven’t looked back. The creative control, the WordPress-powered blog, and the mobile customization are worth the small learning curve, especially when you start from a solid template.
Start With a Template, Not a Blank Canvas
One of the biggest mistakes people make when starting on Showit is staring at a blank canvas. It doesn’t have to work that way. Our Showit website templates come with the structure, strategy, and design already built. You’re just making it yours. Each template includes writing prompts, a launch checklist, and guidance to help you go from purchase to published without the overwhelm.
And if you want to learn the platform inside and out, our Website in a Weekend course walks you through launching your Showit site step by step, even if you’ve never touched it before. Find it with our other courses here.
Ready to try Showit? Get a free 30-day trial here, no credit card required. It’s the best way to see if it’s the right fit before you commit.
FAQs: Squarespace vs Showit
Is Showit better than Squarespace for photographers?
For most photographers, yes. Showit was built with photographers in mind, and the design freedom it offers is unmatched for showcasing visual work. Add in the WordPress blogging integration, and it becomes a powerful platform for both portfolio and SEO.
Can Showit rank on Google?
Absolutely, and often better than Squarespace for competitive keywords. Because Showit connects to WordPress, you have access to advanced SEO plugins and a robust blogging system that gives you more ranking leverage.
Is Squarespace easier to use than Showit?
For absolute beginners, yes. Squarespace’s template structure prevents major design mistakes and gets you live faster. Showit has a slightly steeper learning curve, but starting from a professionally designed template closes that gap significantly.
Do I need WordPress if I use Showit?
Only if you want a blog. Showit works as a standalone platform for your main website. You only need WordPress if you want blogging functionality. And once you’re set up, the workflow is more intuitive than it sounds.
Krista is the co-founder of Davey & Krista, a creative studio known for high-converting Showit website templates crafted for photographers, creatives, and entrepreneurs. With over 15 years of branding and marketing experience, she helps business owners launch stunning websites without the tech overwhelm. Krista also teaches designers how to turn their creative skills into a thriving business—through templates, courses, and behind-the-scenes strategy. When she’s not designing, you’ll find her chasing sunshine, color palettes, and gluten-free pizza.
Explore website templates and free resources at daveyandkrista.com.
VIEW THE COMMENTS
Add A Comment