Is Framer Or Squarespace Better? Framer Vs. Squarespace Comparison

You finally settled on Framer to design your new website. But as you dig into Framer design, discover it’s a more complex platform than anticipated. It’s okay to feel a little overwhelmed initially, after all, there’s a lot to learn! That’s when you stumble upon the Framer vs. Squarespace comparison. This article will help you understand the differences between the two platforms so you can decide how to build your website.

NUMI's Framer web design solution will help you build your website faster and with fewer headaches. Our templates are customizable, so you can get the look you want without starting from scratch. Our designs have built-in functionality to help you create a professional website that meets your goals.

Framer Vs. Squarespace At A Glance

Squarespace is one of the tops when it comes to ecommerce. It offers:

• A user-friendly interface
• Secure payment options
• Built-in marketing tools
• SEO features

With around 50 customizable ecommerce templates and flexible payment gateways, it’s an excellent option for businesses wanting a professional online store. When comparing Squarespace and Framer, Squarespace stands out for its seamless, all-in-one solution and simplicity. Framer excels in design and customization, but it lacks built-in ecommerce features.

Ecommerce Limitations

It relies on integrations with platforms like Ecwid to handle online sales. Framer’s strength is in its design flexibility and AI-driven tools, but it’s not the best fit for those focused on creating an ecommerce website.

Squarespace is the better choice if you’re looking for a powerful, all-in-one ecommerce platform. It comes with a complete set of built-in features, while Framer depends on third-party integrations and doesn’t offer native ecommerce support.

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What Is Framer?

Framer is a design and site-building platform that aims to bridge the gap between designers and developers. It lets designers create top-tier websites without any coding chops. Designers no longer rely on developers to turn their visions into reality. If you’ve been a designer for a while, you might remember it being called Framer X. 

Framer originally started as a prototyping tool but has now transformed into a comprehensive solution for:

• Designing
• Building
• Publishing websites

User-Friendly Interface

Because of its familiar interface and easy-to-use features, Framer is quickly gaining traction as a go-to tool for creatives who want to build websites without even thinking about code. 

The tool garners positive framer reviews for its design systems that facilitate web development, and its framer sites ensure that stakeholders maintain a consistent brand presence across all:

• Social media
• Search engine platforms

Competitive Pricing

Users appreciate the custom domain support and the streamlined mini-editor for quick edits, tackling common pain points such as the need for an all-in-one solution and stakeholder collaboration. 

The competitive pricing plans are noteworthy, with a pro plan catering to those who demand the most from their website-building experience.

Benefits of Framer

• Collaborative Capabilities: Framer excels in facilitating collaboration among design teams. With features like easy sharing, multi-player editing, and inline commenting, teams can work together seamlessly, streamlining the design process. 
• Reusable Components: Framer allows you to create and save reusable components, saving time and effort when building prototypes. 
• Advanced Animation Capabilities: Framer provides powerful animation tools, enabling you to create intricate design prototypes easily. The drag-and-drop magic motion module allows for the creation of immersive animation prototypes. 
• Integration with UI Designing Tools: Framer offers the option to import existing UI designing tools, allowing you to leverage your preferred tools while benefiting from Framer's advanced features. 
• Real-time Customization: Framer enables real-time customization of elements on the canvas, allowing you to adjust size, position, and other attributes as needed.

Limitations of Framer

While Framer offers many advantages for design teams, it's important to consider its limitations as well: 

• Learning Curve: Framer may have a steeper learning curve compared to other website builders, particularly for those new to prototyping and design tools. 
• Limited CMS Functionality: Framer's CMS functionality is limited compared to platforms like WordPress. While it supports adding dynamic content to portfolios, it may not offer the same flexibility as dedicated CMS platforms. 
• Target Audience: Framer primarily caters to individual designers and design teams, making it less commonly used by large organizations.

What Is Squarespace?

Squarespace is a popular website builder that aims to simplify the design and launch process for users of all skill levels. Like Webflow, it lets you take control of the design of your website so you can maintain it after launch. Squarespace stands out from the pack in the following areas:

• It’s extremely simple to use and aimed at users with little to no technical knowledge who want to build functional and visually captivating sites. Compared to other similar builders, there’s much less learning to do in the beginning. 
• Squarespace is all about templates, and you’ll find some unique and customizable options for your website that can kickstart the site-building journey. 
• Squarespace is price-worthy, as you’ll get great value for the money you’ll pay if you decide to use this option.  
  

Squarespace is the second most popular builder worldwide and holds the top spot in the United States. A substantial 71.8% of Squarespace’s total revenue comes from the U.S. market. Globally, Squarespace is used by 3-4% of all websites that utilize a content management system (CMS), making it the fourth most widely used CMS.

Benefits of Squarespace

Squarespace is a powerful platform for building a beautiful website. Some of its most significant benefits include: 

• User-friendly Interface: Squarespace boasts a sleek interface that simplifies the website creation, making it accessible even for non-programmers. 
• Customizable Templates: Squarespace offers a wide selection of customizable templates, allowing you to tailor your website's design to reflect your unique style and brand identity. 
• E-commerce Tools: Squarespace offers powerful e-commerce tools, making it ideal for photographers and designers looking to showcase and sell their work online. 
• SEO Optimization: Squarespace prioritizes search engine optimization, which helps your website rank higher in search engine results pages and increases its online visibility.

Limitations of Squarespace

While Squarespace offers numerous benefits, it's wise to consider its limitations. Some of the drawbacks that users have mentioned include: 

• Limited Design Flexibility: While Squarespace provides a range of templates, customization options may be limited compared to other platforms. 
• Pricing: Squarespace plans can be more expensive compared to other website builders. However, the additional features and support justify the cost for those seeking advanced functionality and professional support. 
• Learning Curve: While Squarespace is designed to be user-friendly, there may still be a learning curve for those new to website design and development.

Your Designer

NUMI is a framer web design agency that world-class framer developers and product designers power. Backed by Y Combinator, NUMI handles all of your startup's sourcing/vetting/hiring needs for design. Our fabuolous design team ensures all your design work is done well.

NUMI helps with:

• Product design
• Web design
• Framer development
• Webflow development
• Mobile design
• Prototyping
• UX design
• All of your startup's design needs
  

Subscribe to a guild of world-class designers ready to embed on your team today.

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Framer Vs Squarespace: Detailed Features & Capabilities Comparison

Ease of Use: Learning Curves and Interfaces

Framer's learning curve is steeper than most website builders due to its advanced design and prototyping features. It is geared more toward professional designers and developers who are familiar with:

• Design principles 
• Prototyping tools

The interface is packed with features for creating complex interactions and animations, which can be daunting for beginners but empowering for experienced users.

Intuitive vs. Advanced

Framer’s prototyping capabilities allow for a high degree of customization and flexibility, but they require a deeper understanding of design and user experience to maximize their potential.

Squarespace, by contrast, is designed to be intuitive and accessible to users of all skill levels. Its drag-and-drop interface makes it easy for beginners to create and manage websites. 

Simple & Supported

Squarespace offers a straightforward content management system (CMS) and various pre-designed templates that allow users to start quickly without building from scratch.

It also provides in-editor support, tooltips, and comprehensive documentation, making it a much more user-friendly platform for those new to website creation.

Website Design: Freedom vs Templates

Framer provides unparalleled design freedom, making it an excellent choice for designers who want to create highly interactive, visually rich websites. It allows users to build custom components and prototypes that mimic real user interactions. It is a powerful tool for those who prioritize user experience and want to test and validate their designs before launching.

Collaborative & Customizable

Collaboration tools also make Framer appealing to design teams who need to work together on complex projects.

Squarespace is known for its wide selection of professionally designed templates. These templates are tailored for various industries, making finding a suitable starting point for any project easy.

Template & Limited

While Squarespace allows customization within the confines of its templates, it is more limited in design flexibility than Framer. 

The built-in Style Editor enables users to tweak fonts, colors, and layouts, but the platform is best suited for those who prioritize ease of use over full creative control.

Prototyping and Interactivity: Testing vs Building

Framer excels in prototyping and interactivity. Its advanced prototyping tools let designers create interactive elements that closely mimic real-world user interactions. 

This is ideal for testing complex user flows and design concepts. Framer allows for custom animations, micro-interactions, and transitions that can make websites feel dynamic and engaging.

Basic & Functional

Squarespace, on the other hand, is not focused on advanced interactivity or prototyping. It is designed for users who need a functional website rather than a detailed prototype. 

While its templates offer some level of interactivity through basic animations and mobile responsiveness, it need more depth of customization and interaction design found in Framer.

Speed and Performance: Hosting, Optimizations, and Updates

Framer doesn't directly handle website hosting or performance optimization. The speed and performance of a Framer-designed site depend on the hosting solution and how the website is developed and optimized. 

Framer focuses on creating interactive and visually engaging prototypes, but these designs must be translated into code and hosted on a separate platform, which introduces additional complexity.

Fast & Optimized

Squarespace offers built-in hosting with a content delivery network (CDN) for optimized speed and performance. It optimizes images and other assets to ensure that websites load quickly and efficiently, regardless of a visitor’s location. 

Squarespace’s templates are mobile-responsive, and the platform regularly updates to ensure optimal performance, making it a strong choice for those who want a fast, all-in-one website solution.

SEO: Optimizing for Google and Beyond

Framer does not offer native SEO tools, as it is primarily a design tool. However, designers using Framer can consider SEO principles when creating their prototypes by ensuring good content structure and a user-friendly experience. 

SEO implementation must be handled during the development phase when the website is built on another platform.

Robust SEO Features

Squarespace is known for its robust SEO features, which are integrated into the platform. Users can easily manage meta tags, SEO-friendly URLs, and header tags to optimize their site for search engines. 

The platform automatically generates sitemaps, optimizes fast-loading images, and includes SSL certificates to ensure website security. Mobile responsiveness and regular software updates further enhance Squarespace’s SEO performance.

E-commerce: Online Store Functionality

Squarespace is well known for its robust and intuitive e-commerce platform. It provides a wide range of features made specifically for online retailers:

Product Management

Squarespace's user-friendly product management system allows users to easily add, update, and categorize products. Details like product descriptions, pictures, prices, and variants (such as size or color) are all acceptable.

Templates

Each professionally designed e-commerce template available on Squarespace has been enhanced for both usability and aesthetics. These templates guarantee that your online business appears professional and runs efficiently.

Payment Processing

Squarespace supports Stripe, PayPal, Apple Pay, and other payment processors. This versatility allows you to serve a wider range of clients and speed up the checkout procedure.

Inventory Management

The platform provides strong inventory management capabilities, allowing you to monitor stock levels, set low-stock alerts, and automatically hide out-of-stock products.

Secure Checkout

Since it takes security seriously, Squarespace offers SSL encryption to protect client data during transactions. This fosters confidence and trust in your clients.

Tax and Shipping Options

Squarespace offers customization choices to match your unique demands, making handling taxes and shipping expenses easier.

Abandoned Cart Recovery

When customers leave their shopping carts empty, you can use automated email reminders to recover lost purchases potentially.

E-commerce Analytics

Analytical insights into sales, consumer behavior, and product performance are provided through detailed data. The performance improved with the use of this information.

Framer

As a design and prototyping tool, Framer is deficient in native e-commerce features. Its main objective is to build compelling and interactive online prototypes. As a result, users who wanted to use Framer to create an online store would have to adopt a different strategy.

Third-Party Integration

Users must incorporate outside e-commerce solutions into websites created with Framer to add e-commerce capabilities. Popular choices include Shopify, WooCommerce (for WordPress), and custom programs created with:

• HTML
• CSS
• JavaScript

Complexity

Creating an online store using Framer is challenging, especially for non-programmers. Before integrating the functionality of the selected e-commerce platform, you would need to design and prototype the user interface, which could involve a significant amount of coding and development work.

Design Flexibility

The integration of e-commerce functionality may line differently from the design, thus leading to a less consistent user experience, even if Framer offers unmatched design flexibility and the capacity to develop aesthetically attractive interfaces.

 Security: Protecting Your Website

As a design tool, Framer does not handle security directly. Security measures depend on the hosting platform used to launch the Framer-designed website. Users must ensure the hosting provider includes SSL certificates and other security protocols to protect user data and secure transactions.

Secure & Protected

Squarespace ensures security by offering built-in SSL encryption, secure hosting, and PCI-compliant payment processing for e-commerce sites. It also provides regular software updates to ensure the platform remains safe and protected from potential threats. 

Automatic backups and real-time security monitoring add a layer of protection, making Squarespace a more secure option for non-technical users.

Third-Party Integrations: Customizing Your Website

Framer allows for integration with other platforms, but implementing third-party tools such as analytics or e-commerce solutions requires a high level of technical expertise. While Framer is highly customizable, integrating additional functionality involves manual coding and setup.

Squarespace supports a wide variety of third-party integrations out of the box, including:

• Marketing
• Analytics
• Social media tools

These integrations are easy to implement without needing technical skills, making it simple for users to enhance their website’s functionality.

Customer Support: Getting Help When You Need It

Squarespace is renowned for its attentive and thorough customer care, providing a variety of tools to help users:

24/7 Email Support

Users can contact Squarespace for support by email anytime because it offers round-the-clock email support. This responsive support approach is beneficial for pressing concerns or inquiries requiring thorough justifications.

Live Chat Support

The availability of live chat assistance from Squarespace may change depending on your location and subscription plan, even though it is available during defined hours. Users can have live chat sessions with customer service representatives to solve issues quickly.

Extensive Knowledge Base

Squarespace has a substantial knowledge base and contains tutorials, articles, and step-by-step instructions. Users can look for frequent queries and discover comprehensive instructions for various tasks, from creating a website to modifying templates.

Community Forums

Users can discuss their experiences, ask for advice from other users, and swap tips and techniques in Squarespace's community boards. These forums are frequently great tools for solving problems.

Webinars and Workshops

Periodically, Squarespace offers webinars and workshops that provide in-depth instruction on various website design and development topics. Users wishing to improve their skills will find these resources helpful.

Framer

Since Framer is primarily a design and prototype tool, it takes a distinct tack when providing client support:

Support Focused on Design and Prototyping

Framer's main goal in customer service is to help users with questions about design, interactive prototyping, and using the Framer tool. However, compared to a website builder like Squarespace, it might not provide the same range of support.

Email Support

Users can email Framer for assistance with questions about design and prototypes. However, compared to a platform like Squarespace, the availability and responsiveness might be different.

Community and Documentation

Framer has a thriving community and provides documentation and tutorials to assist users in mastering the program. These materials will help users develop their design and interactive prototyping skills.

Focused Expertise

Framer's support staff and tools are designed for designers and developers who want to build interactive, aesthetically pleasing online prototypes. However, the assistance could be more specific to address design problems.

AI Features: What Can These Tools Do for You?

With the advent of AI, both tools have adapted and integrated this powerful tool within their 

arsenal, though in slightly different ways. Squarespace 7.1 introduced an AI-powered text editor that allows you to generate content for your page or rewrite existing content to change tone or length. 

This generative AI feature is quite cool. It also integrates with Squarespace's email marketing suite, so you can use it to help you write emails to send to your subscribers.

On the other hand, Framer has leveraged AI more than Squarespace, integrating it into three different workflows:

Website Creation

Framer was one of the first website builders to allow you to generate a complete page with a simple code prompt. While not perfect, it can give a good start to your project and show what AI can do in the future.

Content Creation

Like Squarespace, Framer allows you to harness the power of generative AI to write content for your page or help you edit the one already there.

Translation

Using the localization feature, you can use Framer’s AI to help you generate translations of your website’s content. 

Framer vs Squarespace User Reviews: What People Think 

When assessing the two solutions, reviewers on platforms like G2 and Capterra found Squarespace easier to use. Framer is easier to set up and administer. Reviewers also preferred doing business with Framer overall. Reviewers felt that Squarespace meets the needs of their business better than Framer. 

When comparing ongoing product support quality, reviewers felt Squarespace is the preferred option. For feature updates and roadmaps, reviewers preferred the direction of Framer over Squarespace.

Framer Vs Squarespace: Pricing Comparison

Pricing Overview: Framer Vs Squarespace

Squarespace and Framer provide flexible pricing options to meet various needs and budgets. Squarespace tends to have a slightly higher price but offers discounts of 25% to 30%, depending on the plan you choose. 

Framer, by comparison, offers larger discounts of 30% to 50% when billed annually, also based on the plan. Both platforms have enterprise-level plans with Squarespace pricing tailored to specific requirements, and Framer offers customizable options for large-scale websites.

Framer Pricing Breakdown

Here’s the pricing detail for Framer’s web design platform:

• Free: $0
• Mini: $5 per month 
• Basic: $15 per month
• Pro: $30 per month
• Business: $950 per month

Squarespace Pricing Breakdown

Here’s the pricing detail for Squarespace platform: 

• Personal: $12 per month / $144 per year
• Business: $18 per month / $216 per year
• Basic Commerce: $26 per month / $312 per year
• Advance Commerce: $40 per month / $480 per year

Is Framer Or Squarespace Better? Choosing Between Framer Vs Squarespace

If you're considering building your website with Framer or Squarespace, it's important to understand how the two platforms differ to make the right choice for your unique needs.

Ease of Use

Framer is like having a blank canvas with every possible brush you could dream of. This is perfect for designers who want total freedom to create dynamic, interactive, and custom user experiences. 

It’s powerful for prototyping and building intricate animations or interactions, but it also comes with a steeper learning curve.

Advanced & Complex

If you're a designer, UX/UI specialist, or someone who loves tinkering with design, Framer lets you push boundaries and create unique, high-end websites. But it’s not the most straightforward option if you’re just starting or need something quick and simple. You must also bring your development and hosting into the mix once you’re done with your design. 

Squarespace is the go-to for people who want a more guided, intuitive website-building experience without knowing much about design or coding.

Easy & Accessible

It comes with beautiful pre-designed templates that you can easily tweak to match your brand, and the platform handles everything from hosting to security. 

Squarespace excels in making website building accessible. Whether you’re a small business owner, an artist, or someone starting an online store, you can quickly set up your site.

E-commerce & SEO

It has built-in e-commerce features solid SEO tools, and everything is optimized for mobile immediately. You’re a bit more limited in terms of customization compared to Framer.

Customization and Design Features

Framer and Squarespace have design features that let you customize your site’s appearance. The difference is your level of control and creative freedom with each platform. Framer is an advanced web design tool that allows you to start from scratch. 

Custom & Unrestricted

You can create fully custom websites that match your vision exactly, no limitations or constraints. With Framer, you can build unique user experiences and interactive prototypes, and there are no boundaries to your creativity. In contrast, Squarespace gives you access to a library of templates to kickstart your website design. 

While these templates are fully customizable, they all have predefined layouts that can restrict your creativity. You can adjust the design to match your style, but if you want to create a truly one-of-a-kind website, Squarespace might not cut it.

Who Should Use Each Platform?

Now that you know how Framer and Squarespace compare in terms of ease of use and customization, let’s look at the type of users each platform best suits. Go with Framer if you’re a designer or developer who wants maximum creative freedom, custom interactions, and prototyping power. 

Choose Squarespace if you want an all-in-one solution that’s easy to use, looks professional, and doesn’t require technical know-how. It’s a choice between how much control and customization you want versus ease of use and convenience.

FAQs On Framer Vs Squarespace

Is Anything Better Than Squarespace?

Squarespace offers incredible ease of use, allowing users to generate a beautiful, functional website without technical know-how. Some platforms offer more flexibility for users who need more control over customization or scalability. 

Some tools cater more to developers or designers who want to push the limits of what’s possible on a website. But if ease of use, built-in tools, and beautiful templates are your priorities, Squarespace remains hard to beat.

Is Framer or Wix Better?

Framer and Wix cater to different audiences. With advanced animations and interactive design features, Framer gives designers more creative freedom. It’s great if you want to push your website's visual and interactive boundaries. 

Wix, on the other hand, is more beginner-friendly and offers a simpler, drag-and-drop experience. So, if you need creative flexibility, Framer may be the better choice, while Wix might be ideal for users looking for a more straightforward setup.

Is Framer Better Than Webflow? 

This depends on your design needs. Framer and Webflow allow for highly customizable websites, but Webflow gives you more control over coding and backend features.

Creative & Granular

Framer is fantastic for visual designers who want to create rich, interactive experiences without delving too deeply into code. At the same time, Webflow is often preferred by developers and designers who want more granular control over the entire site-building process. 

Framer is better for creative front-end design, whereas Webflow offers a broader range of customization and functionality.

How Does Framer Compare to Squarespace and WordPress?

A common comparison is Framer vs. Squarespace vs. WordPress. Framer stands out with its prototyping insert menu, real-time canvas editing, and dynamic content capabilities.

Squarespace offers customizable templates and a variety of pricing plans. WordPress is another popular choice with a robust CMS functionality.

Can I Create a Blog on Both Framer and Squarespace?

Yes, you can create a blog on both Framer and Squarespace. Framer focuses more on design and prototyping, while Squarespace specializes in website building, including blogging features.

Are Step-By-Step Video Training and User Reviews Available for Framer and Squarespace?

Yes, both platforms offer step-by-step video training to make it easy for novice users. You can also find user reviews on platforms like saasworthy.com to help you make an informed decision.

Which One Is Better for Individual Designers and Design Teams? 

The choice between Framer and Squarespace depends on your specific needs. Framer is ideal for design-focused individuals and teams, while Squarespace is better for those who want a professional website builder with customizable templates. 

Can I Create a Website With Both Framer and Squarespace Without Coding Skills? 

Absolutely! Framer and Squarespace are designed to enable anyone to create an exceptional website without coding skills. They offer a range of features and templates to facilitate this.

Subscribe To A Guild of World Class Framer Developers with Our Framer Web Design Agency Today

NUMI is a framer web design agency that world-class framer developers and product designers power. Backed by Y Combinator, NUMI handles all of your startup's sourcing/vetting/hiring needs for design. Our fabuolous design team ensures all your design work is done well.

NUMI helps with:

• Product design
• Web design
• Framer development
• Webflow development
• Mobile design
• Prototyping
• UX design
• All of your startup's design needs
  

Subscribe to a guild of world-class designers ready to embed on your team today. Schedule a call with us today to learn more!

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