True cost comparison — not just what the pricing page says
Quick Verdict
WordPress saves you 100%
Best for WordPress
Design-forward website builder with beautiful templates. Plans from $16-$49/mo but e-commerce transa
Best for Squarespace
The world's most popular CMS powering 43% of all websites. Free and open-source, but hosting, themes
The world's most popular CMS powering 43% of all websites. Free and open-source,...
Advertised
$0
/month
True Cost
$105
/month (typical)
Hosting Required
WordPress.org is free but requires paid hosting. Shared hosting $5-15/mo, managed WordPress hosting ...
Premium Plugins
Most useful plugins are paid: SEO ($99/yr), security ($99/yr), forms ($49/yr), backups ($24/yr). Ave...
Theme & Maintenance
Premium themes $50-200 one-time. Security updates, compatibility patches, and performance optimizati...
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
Squarespace advertises $16/mo. WordPress advertises $0/mo.
Squarespace has 4 documented hidden fees. WordPress has 3.
Squarespace confidence: 79%. WordPress confidence: 78%.
| Metric | WordPress | Squarespace | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advertised Price | $0/mo | $16/mo | WordPress |
| True Monthly Cost | $105/mo | $133/mo | WordPress |
| Hidden Fee Total | +$105/mo | +$117/mo | WordPress |
| # Hidden Fees | 3 | 4 | WordPress |
| Confidence Score | 78% | 79% | Squarespace |
| Pricing Tiers | 0 | 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.
WordPress advertises $0/mo and Squarespace advertises $16/mo. However, when you include hidden fees, WordPress has 3 documented hidden fees adding +$105/mo, while Squarespace has 4 hidden fees adding +$117/mo. Based on true cost, WordPress is typically 100% cheaper.
WordPress has 3 documented hidden fees: Hosting Required, Premium Plugins, Theme & Maintenance. These add approximately +$105/mo on top of the $0/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 WordPress if: Design-forward website builder with beautiful templates. Plans from $16-$49/mo but e-commerce transa. Choose Squarespace if: The world's most popular CMS powering 43% of all websites. Free and open-source, but hosting, themes. 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. WordPress data has a 78% 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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