If you have a product to sell and you are exploring online selling and branding options, chances are that you have come across Etsy as well as Squarespace as viable options. Both Squarespace and Etsy are popular platforms but cater to different aspects of online business and e-commerce. Whether you’re a seasoned seller or just starting your online journey, understanding the strengths and limitations of each platform will help you make an informed decision. This comparison explores their features, pricing and user experience to help you decide which platform suits your needs best today.
Etsy vs. Squarespace: At a Glance
Etsy and Squarespace serve distinct purposes in the e-commerce world, catering to different types of users with unique needs. Etsy, a dedicated marketplace for handmade, vintage and craft items, is perfect for artisans and crafters looking to showcase their creations to a large, existing customer base.
Featured Partners
1
Wix
$17 per month
Yes
Yes
2
Squarespace
$16 per month (annually)
Yes
Yes
3
Shopify
$29 per month
3 days free + First Month for $1
Drag & drop editor, AI Tools, Customize with 8k+ apps, Sell everywhere
4
Web.com
$2.75 per month
Yes
Customiz-able templates, easy drag-and-drop technology, SSL certificate
With a simple setup process focused on quickly listing products, Etsy provides an accessible platform for sellers to reach buyers searching for unique and one-of-a-kind items. The ease of use and built-in audience make Etsy an attractive option for individual creators and small businesses, who may not have the necessary resources for generating their own traffic to begin with.
On the other hand, Squarespace is a comprehensive website builder that offers robust e-commerce capabilities for a wide range of businesses. With its drag-and-drop builder and extensive customization options, Squarespace allows you to create visually stunning websites tailored to your specific needs.
Unlike Etsy, Squarespace provides full control over website design, including custom domains and advanced design tools, making it ideal for those seeking a fully customizable online presence. While driving traffic requires more effort through marketing and SEO, Squarespace’s subscription-based pricing and comprehensive support options make it a powerful choice for businesses and individuals aiming to blend e-commerce with other online functionalities, such as blogging and portfolio showcasing.
In a nutshell, Etsy should be the go-to platform for creators wanting to sell unique items without the need for building a standalone e-commerce website, while Squarespace is best suited for those who desire complete control over their online presence and are willing to invest in driving their own traffic.
Etsy
Pricing from
20 cents per item listing fee plus 6.5% transaction fee
Free trial
No
Standout features
No additional monthly fees, secure transactions, automatic deposits, seller protection
20 cents per item listing fee plus 6.5% transaction fee
No
No additional monthly fees, secure transactions, automatic deposits, seller protection
Etsy holds a unique position as a marketplace dedicated to handmade, vintage and craft items. Etsy’s platform is specifically designed to support individual creators and small businesses, providing them with a vibrant community and a ready-made audience eager to discover unique and personalized products. It is an accessible option for sellers who may not have extensive technical skills or the resources to build and maintain a standalone website.
Etsy’s USP lies in its simple selling process and ready-made audience. The platform offers powerful tools for listing products, managing inventory and processing payments, all within a user-friendly interface. Sellers benefit from Etsy’s robust search capabilities and promotional tools, which help their products reach a broader audience. Etsy’s active seller community fosters a sense of connection and support, enabling them to share advice and experiences.
This combination of ease of use, readily available target audience and supportive community makes Etsy an excellent choice for artisans and small business owners looking to thrive in the online marketplace.
- Low initial investment
- Built-in target audience
- Active and supportive seller community
- SEO optimization and marketing tools available
- Charges listing fees, transaction fees and payment processing fees for each item, which can add up quickly
- Crowded marketplace
- Limited branding and shopfront customizations
Squarespace
Pricing from
$16 per month (annually)
Free trial
14 days
Standout features
Product management, inventory tracking, secure payment processing, built-in SEO
$16 per month (annually)
14 days
Product management, inventory tracking, secure payment processing, built-in SEO
Squarespace stands out as a versatile website builder that provides users with an all-in-one platform to create beautiful, professional websites that integrate seamlessly with robust e-commerce functionalities. It includes advanced design tools, integrated blogging capabilities and powerful e-commerce solutions.
Its intuitive drag-and-drop interface and extensive customization options empower users to design their online presence as per their vision, without requiring advanced technical skills. Users can easily manage products, inventory and orders while benefiting from built-in SEO tools and marketing integrations to drive traffic to their site. This makes Squarespace an ideal choice for entrepreneurs, small businesses and creatives who seek full control over their site’s aesthetics and functionality.
Learn more: Read our Squarespace review.
- Wide range of beautifully designed templates and customization options
- Comprehensive solution with integrated blogging, e-commerce and marketing tools
- Intuitive drag-and-drop editor
- Robust e-commerce features
- Detailed analytics for performance tracking and optimization
- Subscription plans can get expensive for starters
- Limited third-party integrations
- Learning curve for advanced customization
How Etsy and Squarespace Stack Up
| Etsy | Squarespace | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Purpose | Marketplace for handmade/vintage items | Website builder with e-commerce capabilities |
| Ease of Use | Simple setup, beginner-friendly | User-friendly drag-and-drop editor |
| Design Customization | Limited customization within marketplace | Extensive customization and design flexibility |
| Audience | Built-in customer base | Requires user-driven traffic through SEO/marketing |
| E-Commerce Tools | Basic e-commerce tools | Advanced e-commerce features |
| Fees and Pricing | Listing, transaction and processing fees | Subscription-based pricing |
| Support | Community forums, email, chat support | Live chat, email support, comprehensive knowledge base |
| Learn More | - | |
| Read Reviews | - | Read Squarespace review |
Primary Purpose
Etsy is primarily a marketplace for handmade, vintage and craft items. It is designed to connect creators with buyers looking for unique, one-of-a-kind products. It offers a built-in audience and simple setup for sellers. On the other hand, Squarespace is a versatile website builder with robust e-commerce capabilities. Squarespace enables users to create fully customized websites. It’s ideal for businesses seeking comprehensive control over their online presence, including design, content and e-commerce integration.
Ease of Use
Both Etsy and Squarespace are highly user-friendly with a straightforward setup process, especially for beginner users. On Etsy, sellers can quickly list products and manage their shop without technical expertise. Squarespace features an intuitive drag-and-drop editor, allowing users to build and customize websites with ease. However, in Squarespace, some advanced features require a slight learning curve.
Design Customizations
Etsy offers limited design customization within its marketplace framework, which is sufficient for sellers to personalize their shopfront to some extent but has constraints on overall layout and branding. Squarespace provides extensive design customization options, including a wide range of templates and a drag-and-drop editor. You can fully tailor your website’s appearance, ensuring a unique and professional look that aligns with your brand identity.
Audience
Etsy offers access to a large, built-in audience specifically looking for handmade, vintage and unique items. If that’s your target audience, you can reach potential buyers without extensive marketing efforts. Squarespace requires you to drive your own traffic through SEO, marketing and social media. To its credit, if you use these tools correctly, you can attract a broader, self-targeted audience based on your unique online presence and marketing strategies.
E-Commerce Tools
Etsy provides basic e-commerce tools, including product listings, inventory management and secure payment processing. It’s designed for ease of use, making it simple for sellers to manage their online shops. Squarespace offers advanced e-commerce tools such as integrated shopping carts, customizable product pages, inventory management, discount codes and various payment options. It supports more complex e-commerce needs, suitable for businesses looking for a comprehensive online sales solution.
Cost of Etsy vs. Squarespace
Etsy and Squarespace have completely different pricing models, so it’s up to you to decide which software is more cost-effective for you. Here is a rundown of their pricing.
Etsy Pricing
Etsy charges a 20-cent listing fee per item, a 6.5% transaction fee on the sale price (including shipping) and a 3% plus 25-cent payment processing fee. While the initial setup costs are low (around$15), these fees can add up, impacting profit margins, especially for high-volume sellers. Also, each variation of an item is charged as a separate listing.
You can also buy off-site ads that Etsy runs on your behalf on external sites. You pay only in case of a purchase.
Squarespace Pricing
Squarespace operates on a subscription-based pricing model with plans ranging from $16 to $99 per month, paid annually, depending on features and e-commerce capabilities. If you choose to pay monthly, the pricing can increase by 25% to 30% depending on the plan.
There are no per-transaction fees, making it potentially more cost-effective for businesses with significant sales volumes.
Customer Reviews and Reputation
Etsy, while popular among artisans for its focus on handmade and vintage items, has mixed reviews with a Trustpilot rating of 1.5 out of 5 from over 14,000 reviews, highlighting concerns about fees and customer service. Squarespace, known for its sleek design templates and ease of use, enjoys high ratings on G2 and Capterra, though it has a lower Trustpilot score, often citing customer support issues. Overall, Squarespace is praised for its design and functionality, while Etsy is valued for its niche marketplace.
| Etsy | Squarespace | |
|---|---|---|
| G2 | No reviews | 4.4 out of 5 (1,060-plus reviews)
|
| Trustpilot | 1.5 out of 5 (14,440-plus reviews)
| 1.3 out of 5 (988 reviews)
|
| Capterra | No reviews | 4.6 out of 5 (2,970-plus reviews)
|
Top Etsy and Squarespace Alternatives
Although both Etsy and Squarespace are excellent for shops or e-commerce websites, there are a few alternatives you must explore before finalizing the app that fits best to your business needs. Here is a tabular head-to-head comparison to get you started.
Shopify was declared the best e-commerce platform for AI functionality in our article on best e-commerce platforms in 2024. In the same article, BigCommerce was considered the best platform for boosting sales, Weebly for its site builder tools, Wix for best drag-and-drop editor and WooCommerce was adjudged the best free WordPress plugin.
| Forbes Advisor Rating | Ease of Use | SEO Capabilities | Starting Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify |  | Moderate
User-friendly interface with a bit of learning curve
| Excellent
Built-in SEO features and apps
| $29 per month, billed annually
|
| BigCommerce | | Moderate
More complex setup but robust features
| Excellent
Powerful SEO tools
| $29 per month, billed annually
|
| Wix
|  | High
Intuitive drag-and-drop builder
| Good
Built-in SEO tools and guidelines
| $17 per month
|
| Weebly | | High
Great for beginners
| Good
Basic SEO features
| Free; $10 per month, billed annually
|
| WooCommerce
|  | Moderate
Requires WordPress knowledge and plugin management
| Excellent
Extensive SEO capabilities through WordPress plugins
| Free
Hosting, domain name and plugins cost extra
|
Bottom Line
Both Etsy and Squarespace are powerful platforms tailored to different types of online businesses. Etsy shines as a dedicated marketplace for handmade, vintage and craft items, providing sellers with immediate access to a large, engaged audience. Squarespace, on the other hand, excels as a versatile website builder, offering extensive customization and robust e-commerce tools ideal for those seeking full control over their online presence.
Etsy is best for:
- Artisans, crafters and vintage sellers looking for a ready-made audience
- Individuals who prefer a simple setup and low initial costs
- Sellers focusing on unique, one-of-a-kind products
Squarespace is best for:
- Businesses and individuals seeking a fully customizable website with advanced design options
- Entrepreneurs who want to integrate e-commerce functionalities with their online presence
- Users who value a professional-looking site with comprehensive control over branding and layout
Featured Partners
1
Wix
$17 per month
Yes
Yes
2
Squarespace
$16 per month (annually)
Yes
Yes
3
Shopify
$29 per month
3 days free + First Month for $1
Drag & drop editor, AI Tools, Customize with 8k+ apps, Sell everywhere
4
Web.com
$2.75 per month
Yes
Customiz-able templates, easy drag-and-drop technology, SSL certificate
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the difference between Etsy and Squarespace?
Etsy is a dedicated online marketplace for handmade, vintage and craft items, providing sellers with immediate access to a large, built-in audience looking for unique products. Squarespace, on the other hand, is a versatile website builder that offers extensive customization options and robust e-commerce tools, allowing users to create fully personalized websites. While Etsy is ideal for artisans and crafters seeking an easy-to-use platform with low initial costs, Squarespace is best for those needing full control over their online presence and branding.
Is it better to sell on Etsy or have a website?
It really depends on your needs and goals. Selling on Etsy is ideal for artisans and crafters looking for an easy setup and access to a large, built-in audience. Having a website, such as one on Squarespace, offers more control over branding and customization, making it better for high-growth-oriented businesses wanting a unique online presence and the ability to integrate content and commerce seamlessly.
Is it worth it to sell on Squarespace?
Yes, selling on Squarespace is worth it for businesses that need a fully customizable website with advanced design and e-commerce features. It’s ideal for those who want to create a professional, branded online presence and are willing to invest in driving their own traffic through marketing and SEO.
