Framer vs Squarespace, from a designer’s point of view

How many sites

Framer charges per site. One portfolio on Basic is $10 a month billed yearly, which undercuts Squarespace comfortably. Three client sites is three subscriptions — $30 a month — and at that point you are past Squarespace’s entry plan for each of them individually rather than in total. If you keep several small sites alive, price the real number rather than the first one.

How many people

Framer bills editors on top of the site: $20 a month for an editor and $10 for a content-only one, beyond the workspace owner. Those halved in June 2026, so this is cheaper than the advice you will find in older comparisons, but it is still a per-head line. Squarespace gives two contributors on Basic and unlimited from Core up. A designer working alone will not notice; a studio with a project manager and a copywriter will notice immediately.

The thing neither price tells you

Framer lists 1,000 pages on its free plan and 30 on Basic, with extra pages sold in blocks of 100 above Pro’s 150. That is the one line on Framer’s pricing page most likely to surprise you after you have built something, because the allowance goes down when you start paying. Squarespace lists up to 1,000 pages on Basic. For a portfolio neither limit matters; for a site with a page per project, check it before you commit.

Which is better, Framer or Squarespace?

Neither, and the question usually resolves on one detail: is there a shop or a blog you will actually publish to? If yes, Squarespace, and the design compromises are the price of a working business platform. If no, Framer, because everything Squarespace charges you for is machinery you will never switch on.

When should I use Framer instead of Squarespace?

When the design already exists and you care that it survives. Framer takes a Figma file one way and gives you breakpoint control; Squarespace has no Figma import and gives you two layouts. If you have an approved design in a file, that difference is the whole decision and price barely enters it.

Is Framer cheaper than Squarespace?

For one site, yes — $10 a month billed yearly against $19. For three sites, no, because Framer charges per site and you are paying $30. Add a second editor and Framer gains another $20 a month while Squarespace stays flat. The crossover comes earlier than most people expect.

Why do designers switch from Squarespace to Framer?

Almost always the same two reasons. The template stopped being help and started being a constraint, usually on a layout that needed a tablet breakpoint Squarespace does not offer. Or they started designing in Figma and got tired of rebuilding the approved file by hand in an editor that cannot import it.

Can I move my domain from Squarespace to Framer?

Yes, but check who holds the registration first. Squarespace gives a custom domain free for the first year on annual billing, which means the name may be registered with them rather than with a registrar you control. That changes who you ask to repoint it. Build and publish the new site before you touch DNS, and cancel only once it has moved.

What does Squarespace cost, and is there a free plan?

There is no free plan — every site starts on a 14-day trial, no card required — and Basic is $19 a month billed annually. The tiers above it are served by region and we will not quote a dollar figure we cannot confirm. We go through it properly on Squarespace alternatives.

Both products above are bigger than most portfolios need. Framer sells you a CMS and AI credits; Squarespace sells you a store and a blog. If what you have is a designed set of pages with nothing to manage, Siter.io imports the Figma frame and publishes it from $7/mo billed yearly, priced per plan rather than per site: Plus at $12 a month publishes 3 sites, with 4 editors already in it.

The gaps are larger on this page than on most, because both products above have things we do not. No CMS or blog. No e-commerce — listed as upcoming, with no date. Three fixed breakpoints. The free plan builds and previews privately; publishing needs a paid plan. And there is no answer here to Framer’s animation depth. If any of those is the reason the site exists, pick one of the two above — our Framer comparison sets out where each trade falls.