Framer vs Squarespace
Framer and Squarespace are two of the website builders tools people compare most — but they're built for different users. Framer has a free plan (paid from $10 USD/mo (free plan)) and is best for designers building fast, animation-rich marketing and portfolio sites, while Squarespace starts at $16 USD/mo (no free plan) and suits creatives and small businesses wanting beautiful design out of the box.
The main trade-offs: Framer covers more of the features we track (10 of 10 vs 9), Framer is cheaper to start. Weighing it all up, Framer is the better fit for most people — with Squarespace pulling ahead for creatives and small businesses wanting beautiful design out of the box.
Framer
★★★★★★★★★★4.5140+ reviews · G2Design and ship beautiful, animated websites straight from a Figma-like canvas.
USD/mo (free plan)
Squarespace
★★★★★★★★★★4.41,125+ reviews · G2Polished, designer-quality templates that make building a professional site effortless.
USD/mo (no free plan)
For most people, Framer is the better choice — but Squarespace wins for specific needs.
Key differences
- Framer is cheaper to start ($10 USD/mo (free plan) vs $16 USD/mo (no free plan)).
- Framer is notably stronger on value for money (8.0 vs 7.5).
- Framer covers more of the tracked features (10 vs 9).
Full comparison
The winning option in each row is highlighted in green.
| Criteria | Framer | Squarespace |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | ★★★★★★★★★★4.5 | ★★★★★★★★★★4.4 |
| Starting price | $10 USD/mo (free plan) | $16 USD/mo (no free plan) |
| Free trial | Free plan | Free trial |
| Integrations | Figma import, analytics, native CMS, embeds | Squarespace Extensions, Google, Meta, Stripe, Acuity |
| Affiliate commission | No public affiliate program | $100–$200/sale |
| Best for | Designers building fast, animation-rich marketing and portfolio sites | Creatives and small businesses wanting beautiful design out of the box |
| Ease of use | 8.0 | 8.0 |
| Value for money | 8.0 | 7.5 |
| Features | 8.5 | 8.0 |
| Support | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| Drag-and-drop editor | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Templates | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Custom code | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| CMS / blog | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| E-commerce | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| SEO tools | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Custom domain | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Hosting included | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Free plan | ✓ Yes | — No |
| AI site builder | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Pricing plans
The main paid tiers for each tool (billed annually where applicable).
Framer
✅ Verified from the vendor's pricing page · checked June 2026. View official pricing →
Squarespace
Pricing as reported · checked June 2026. View official pricing →
Pros & cons
Framer
- Intuitive Figma-style canvas with smooth animations
- Fast global hosting and quick publishing
- Strong AI tools like Wireframer
- E-commerce and CMS less robust than rivals
- Less suited to large, complex sites
Squarespace
- Best-in-class designer templates
- Clean, cohesive all-in-one editor
- Strong built-in blogging and commerce tools
- No free plan, only a 14-day trial
- Less design flexibility than code-first builders
Which one should you pick?
Choose Framer if…
Best for designers building fast, animation-rich marketing and portfolio sites. Framer offers the fastest path from design to live site with stunning animations, though its CMS and e-commerce remain lighter than Webflow's.
Choose Squarespace if…
Best for creatives and small businesses wanting beautiful design out of the box. Squarespace delivers the most polished templates and a smooth editor, but it has no free plan and offers less granular design control than Webflow.
Frequently asked questions
Is Framer or Squarespace better?
Overall we lean toward Framer for most users, but Squarespace is the better fit for creatives and small businesses wanting beautiful design out of the box.
Which is cheaper, Framer or Squarespace?
Framer is cheaper to start at $10 USD/mo (free plan), compared with $16 USD/mo (no free plan) for Squarespace.
Which is easier to use for beginners?
Framer scores higher on ease of use (8.0/10), making it the friendlier choice if you're just getting started.
Can I try Framer and Squarespace before paying?
Framer: Free plan. Squarespace: Free trial. We recommend trialling your top pick before committing.
Does Framer or Squarespace have a free plan?
Framer has a free plan, making it the lower-risk way to start. The other relies on a time-limited free trial rather than a permanent free tier.
Which is better value for money, Framer or Squarespace?
Framer scores higher on value in our review (8.0/10) — it gives you more for what you pay. Weigh that against the features you'll actually use.
Is Framer free to use?
Yes, Framer has a free plan with a framer.website subdomain; a paid plan starting at $10/mo (annual) is needed for a custom domain.
Does Squarespace have a free plan?
No. Squarespace offers a 14-day free trial, with paid plans starting at $16/mo billed annually.
The bottom line
For most people weighing up Framer vs Squarespace, Framer is the stronger all-round pick — best for designers building fast, animation-rich marketing and portfolio sites, and backed by a 4.5/5 rating. Go with Squarespace instead for creatives and small businesses wanting beautiful design out of the box. Best of all you can start free with Framer and see if it fits before paying a cent.