Are you struggling to decide between Bluehost and Squarespace for your website needs? These two platforms are both highly rated for their user-friendly tools and features, but each has its own strengths. Squarespace is a website builder that can guide you through the entire process of setting up and running your site, while Bluehost excels in hosting your website with its affordable plans and easy-to-use interface.
In this post, we’ll take a closer look at Bluehost vs Squarespace, comparing their features, pricing, and more. Whether you’re a seasoned web developer or just starting, read on to find out which platform can help you bring your vision to life.
Before we start, it’s important for you to understand their key difference:
- Bluehost is a web hosting provider, meaning that it focuses on providing users with a reliable and secure platform to host their websites. Usually, most people host their WordPress site with Bluehost, which offers more scalability.
- Squarespace is an all-in-one website builder, meaning that it guides users through the entire process of setting up and running a site, from design to hosting to marketing. It’s more beginner-friendly, and faster to set up a website.
Bluehost vs Squarespace: What are their differences?
| Feature | Bluehost | Squarespace |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | Bluehost offers a one-click WordPress installation process, making it easy for users to set up and manage their websites. | Squarespace has a drag-and-drop interface that allows users to easily add and edit content. However, it may take some time to get used to the platform’s interface. |
| Design Options | While Bluehost offers a more limited selection of design options, users can still create a professional-looking website using its tools. | Squarespace is known for its high-quality design options, with a variety of templates and designs to choose from. Users can create unique and visually appealing websites with ease. |
| Pricing | Bluehost offers a variety of hosting plans, with prices ranging from $2.95 per month to $13.95 per month. | Squarespace offers pricing plans ranging from $12 per month to $40 per month. While Bluehost’s prices are generally more affordable, Squarespace offers more features and design options, providing users with more value for their money. |
| E-Commerce Functionality | While Bluehost doesn’t offer built-in e-commerce functionality, users can still set up an online store using third-party plugins or integrations. | Squarespace offers built-in e-commerce functionality, allowing users to easily set up an online store and manage their inventory. |
| Customer Support | Both Bluehost and Squarespace offer customer support via phone, email, and live chat. | Squarespace is known for its excellent customer support, with a team of experts available to help users with any issues or questions they may have. While Bluehost’s customer support is also reliable, some users have reported longer wait times for support. |
| Integrations and Add-Ons | Bluehost offers a variety of integrations and add-ons, including WordPress plugins, email marketing tools, and social media integrations. | Squarespace also offers a variety of integrations and add-ons, including built-in email marketing tools and integrations with popular social media platforms. However, some users have reported that Squarespace’s integrations can be a bit limited compared to other website builders. |
| Domain Name Registration | Bluehost offers free domain registration for the first year. | Squarespace offers domain registration for an additional fee. |
| Site Security | Bluehost offers a free SSL certificate, providing users with enhanced site security. | Squarespace includes an SSL certificate in all plans, ensuring that users’ sites are secure and protected. |
In summary, Bluehost may be better for affordability and user-friendliness, while Squarespace may be better for design options and built-in marketing tools.
Now, let’s compare them in more details.
Pricing
Pricing is always an important factor to consider when choosing a website builder. Bluehost offers a variety of hosting plans, with prices ranging from $2.95 per month to $13.95 per month. Squarespace, on the other hand, offers pricing plans ranging from $12 per month to $40 per month.
| Platform | Lowest Monthly Plan | Highest Monthly Plan | Free Trial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluehost | $2.95 | $139.99 | No |
| Squarespace | $23 | $65 | Yes (14 days) |
It’s worth noting that while Bluehost’s prices are generally more affordable, Squarespace offers more features and design options, providing users with more value for their money.
Additionally, Squarespace offers a free trial period of 14 days, which can be helpful for those who want to try out the platform before committing to a paid plan.
Ease of Use
When it comes to website builders, ease-of-use is a crucial factor to keep in mind. Nobody wants to waste countless hours trying to learn complicated coding languages when they could be focusing on creating and managing their website.
Fortunately, both Bluehost and Squarespace offer user-friendly interfaces that make the website building process much simpler.
Bluehost is a web hosting company that simplifies website building. One of the ways they do this is by offering a one-click installation of WordPress, which is a widely used website builder platform that allows you to create websites with ease.
With WordPress, you can customize your website easily and add a variety of features, such as blogs, online stores, and more. Additionally, Bluehost provides reliable hosting services that ensure your website is always up and running smoothly, with little to no downtime.
👉 Learn more about WordPress with our Beginners’ Guide here.
Meanwhile, Squarespace takes a different approach from its competitors. Its drag-and-drop interface allows you to easily add and modify content.
You can also customize your website by choosing from a wide range of templates and designs. Squarespace also provides a variety of tools to help you optimize your website for search engines, including built-in SEO features and analytics.
With Squarespace, you can rest assured that your website will not only look great, but also be fully functional and optimized for maximum visibility and performance.
However, it’s worth noting that Squarespace’s interface can be a bit more complex than Bluehost’s. Though, once you get the hang of it, you’ll find that it’s a powerful tool for creating stunning websites.
Design Options
Another important factor to consider when choosing a website builder is design options. You want to choose a platform that allows you to create a website that looks professional and visually appealing.
Squarespace has long been renowned for its exceptional design capabilities, which include a vast selection of templates and designs that allow for a high degree of customization. In addition, Squarespace’s platform offers a variety of tools and resources to help users create stunning websites with ease.
For instance, users can easily add custom fonts, integrate social media, and optimize their sites for search engines. Squarespace also provides a range of analytics and reporting tools to help users track their website’s performance and make informed decisions about how to improve it.
Overall, Squarespace’s comprehensive suite of design and website-building tools makes it an ideal choice for anyone looking to create a beautiful and functional website.
In contrast to other web hosting providers, Bluehost offers a more modest selection of design options but makes up for it by providing a wide range of features and tools that are accessible even to website creators with little experience.
For instance, Bluehost provides a user-friendly interface that allows for easy navigation and customization of website templates. Furthermore, Bluehost boasts a 24/7 customer support system, ensuring that you receive prompt assistance whenever you need it. Overall, Bluehost is a reliable and user-friendly web hosting option that provides ample features and tools to help novice website creators produce a professional-looking website.
E-Commerce Functionality
If you’re planning on selling products or services on your website, you’ll want to choose a platform that offers e-commerce functionality. This is because e-commerce functionality allows you to set up an online store and manage your inventory with ease.
Squarespace offers built-in e-commerce functionality, which means that you don’t need to worry about finding and installing third-party plugins or integrations. Instead, you can focus on setting up your online store and customizing it to your liking.
On the other hand, Bluehost doesn’t offer built-in e-commerce functionality. This means that you’ll need to find and install third-party plugins or integrations if you want to set up an online store. While this may seem like a hassle, it also gives you the flexibility to choose the e-commerce tools that work best for you.
For example, you might choose to use a plugin like WooCommerce that offers more advanced features than Squarespace’s built-in functionality. Alternatively, you might choose to integrate with a specific payment gateway or shipping provider. The choice is yours, and Bluehost’s lack of built-in e-commerce functionality gives you the freedom to make it.
👉 Want to start an online store? See the best online store builders here.
Customer Support
When building a website, it’s important to have access to reliable customer support in case you run into any issues. Both Bluehost and Squarespace understand this and offer customer support via phone, email, and live chat.
Squarespace is known for its excellent customer support, with a team of experts available to help you with any issues or questions you may have. They also have a comprehensive knowledge base and community forum where you can find answers to common questions and connect with other Squarespace users.
On the other hand, while Bluehost’s customer support is also reliable, some users have reported longer wait times for support. However, Bluehost’s support team is knowledgeable and experienced, and they also offer resources like tutorials and a knowledge base to help you troubleshoot issues on your own.
Overall, both Bluehost and Squarespace provide helpful customer support to their users, but Squarespace stands out for its exceptional service and extensive resources.
Integrations and Add-Ons
When it comes to choosing a website builder, there are many factors to consider. One such factor is the availability of integrations and add-ons. These additional features can help enhance the functionality of your website and provide a better user experience for your visitors.
Bluehost offers a wide variety of integrations and add-ons. One of the most notable integrations that Bluehost offers is with WordPress, which is a popular content management system used by many website owners. Bluehost also provides email marketing tools and social media integrations that can help you grow your online presence.
Squarespace also offers a variety of integrations and add-ons. Squarespace has built-in email marketing tools that can help you connect with your audience and grow your email list. Additionally, Squarespace offers integrations with popular social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram. However, some users have reported that Squarespace’s integrations can be limited compared to other website builders.
Bluehost vs Squarespace: Summary
Both Bluehost and Squarespace offer a variety of features and benefits, making them popular choices for website builders. However, the best choice for you will depend on your specific needs and preferences.
If you’re looking for an affordable hosting solution with a user-friendly interface, Bluehost may be the better option. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a website builder with a variety of design options and built-in marketing tools, Squarespace may be the way to go.
Ultimately, the choice between Bluehost and Squarespace will depend on your individual needs and preferences.
Who should use Bluehost?
Bluehost is a good option for those who want affordable hosting with a user-friendly interface. It’s also a great choice for those who want to host their WordPress site with scalability. Additionally, Bluehost offers a wide variety of integrations and add-ons, including email marketing tools and social media integrations, that can help you grow your online presence. Overall, it’s a better choice for those who seek more scalability of their website.
👉 Want to learn more about Bluehost? Read our Bluehost review here.
Who should use Squarespace?
Squarespace is a great option for those who want a website builder with a variety of design options and built-in marketing tools. It’s also a good choice for those who want to set up an online store, as Squarespace offers built-in e-commerce functionality. Additionally, Squarespace has excellent customer support and a comprehensive knowledge base to help you troubleshoot any issues you may encounter while building your website. Overall, it’s a better choice for beginners.
