True cost comparison — not just what the pricing page says
Quick Verdict
Framer saves you 6%
Best for Framer
Modern website builder with AI features. Sleek and fast, but CMS limits and custom domain pricing cr
Best for Squarespace
Design-forward website builder with beautiful templates. Plans from $16-$49/mo but e-commerce transa
Modern website builder with AI features. Sleek and fast, but CMS limits and cust...
Advertised
$15
/month
True Cost
$345
/month (typical)
Per-Editor Surcharges
Each plan includes 1 editor. Additional editors cost $20/mo (Basic) or $40/mo (Pro/Scale). 3-person ...
1 CMS Collection on Basic
Basic plan ($10/mo annual) allows only 1 CMS collection. Any site needing blog + team + testimonials...
Convert Add-on for Forms
Form submissions and analytics tracked via Convert add-on at $50 per 500,000 events. Separate from b...
Localization Costs
Each additional language/locale costs $20/month. A 5-language site adds $80/mo on top of base plan....
Advanced Hosting Add-on
URL rewrites and advanced hosting features require $200 add-on. Not included in any standard plan....
$10/mo annual
$30/mo annual
$100/mo annual
Design-forward website builder with beautiful templates. Plans from $16-$49/mo b...
Advertised
$16
/month
True Cost
$133
/month (typical)
E-Commerce Transaction Fee
Business plan charges 3% transaction fee on all sales on top of payment processor fees. Only Commerc...
Scheduling Add-On (Acuity)
Squarespace Scheduling (Acuity) is a separate product: Emerging free (limited), Growing $16/mo, Powe...
Email Campaigns Add-On
Squarespace Email Campaigns is a separate product starting at $7/mo (500 subscribers) up to $48/mo (...
Contributor Limits
Personal plan allows only 2 contributors. Business allows unlimited contributors but costs $23/mo. T...
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission
Framer advertises $15/mo. Squarespace advertises $16/mo.
Framer has 5 documented hidden fees. Squarespace has 4.
Framer confidence: 72%. Squarespace confidence: 79%.
| Metric | Framer | Squarespace | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advertised Price | $15/mo | $16/mo | Framer |
| True Monthly Cost | $345/mo | $133/mo | Squarespace |
| Hidden Fee Total | +$330/mo | +$117/mo | Squarespace |
| # Hidden Fees | 5 | 4 | Squarespace |
| Confidence Score | 72% | 79% | Squarespace |
| Pricing Tiers | 4 | 4 | — |
| Affiliate Program | None | $100-$200 per referral (varies by plan) | — |
Try the tool that fits your needs. Both offer free trials or free tiers.
Framer advertises $15/mo and Squarespace advertises $16/mo. However, when you include hidden fees, Framer has 5 documented hidden fees adding +$330/mo, while Squarespace has 4 hidden fees adding +$117/mo. Based on true cost, Framer is typically 6% cheaper.
Framer has 5 documented hidden fees: Per-Editor Surcharges, 1 CMS Collection on Basic, Convert Add-on for Forms, Localization Costs, Advanced Hosting Add-on. These add approximately +$330/mo on top of the $15/mo advertised price.
Squarespace has 4 documented hidden fees: E-Commerce Transaction Fee, Scheduling Add-On (Acuity), Email Campaigns Add-On, Contributor Limits. These add approximately +$117/mo on top of the $16/mo advertised price.
Choose Framer if: Modern website builder with AI features. Sleek and fast, but CMS limits and custom domain pricing cr. Choose Squarespace if: Design-forward website builder with beautiful templates. Plans from $16-$49/mo but e-commerce transa. The right choice depends on your team size, usage volume, and which features you need most.
This comparison is based on manual research of official pricing pages, terms of service, and user reports. Framer data has a 72% confidence score and Squarespace has 79%. Prices were last verified in April 2026. For the most accurate estimate, enter your specific usage in our calculator.
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