When it comes to DIY website creation, users may currently choose from various platforms. Squarespace and Google Sites are two widespread examples. Despite their shared goal (web development), the systems have notable distinctions in terms of integrated functionality, customizability, pricing policy and other aspects.
Squarespace – is a website builder that allows users to create professional-looking websites without coding expertise. It offers a variety of themes and customization tools along with built-in features such as eCommerce, blogging and efficient SEO optimization. Due to the simple drag-and-drop interface, it is easy to work with the service to set up responsive projects.
Google Sites – is a website builder that is part of Google Workspace. You just need a Google account to get access to the builder. The software is mainly designed for personal projects and collaboration, offering features like shared editing and commenting as well as integration with other Google tools such as Drive and Docs. This is a good option for users who prioritize collaboration and integration with other Google services.
The choice of the most suitable website builder should depend on the type of project you need, your coding proficiency and budget. Each system has a set of limitations and special features that will affect your final decision. Which of them will be best suited for your new website? Which one will come up to your web design needs and expectations? View the comparison below to get started.
General Overview
Squarespace has gained worldwide recognition as a user-friendly DIY website builder that works well for all types of projects and does not require any coding proficiency to work with it. The software offers a wide range of visually appealing templates and customization options, including advanced design features such as custom CSS and JavaScript. The platform’s drag-and-drop interface is intuitive and easy to use, allowing users to create responsive websites that look great on both desktop and mobile devices.
The foundation of the system dates back to 2003. Since that time, it has been used to create over 4,964,079 websites. Let’s face it: the number is quite impressive – just like the software functionality. Squarespace is really worth your attention, if you need a trusted all-in-one system with extensive design capabilities, affordable pricing and exclusive team cooperation solutions.
Google Sites is included in the list of your Google account services. You don’t have to look for the software elsewhere and to spend time integrating it. The website builder stands out from the crowd due to its simplicity and easy customization options. It allows for easy integration with other Google tools like Drive, Calendar, Maps, Docs etc.
According to recent estimates, Google Sites has been used to set up over 1,040,153 websites. This is quite a notable number as well. Additionally, the website builder is free to use for anyone who has a Google account, making it an affordable solution for budget-conscious users or for those who just need a custom website.
Which One Is Easier to Use?
Squarespace cannot be called a simple website builder as it takes effort and time to explore the entire set of features it has in stock. This is one of the major challenges for newbies who have never worked with the system or with any other website builder before. However, an impressive versatility of Squarespace active website examples proves that the system remains one of the most popular contemporary web design solutions.
The software comes with a drag-and-drop interface that is quite intuitive and easy to use yet requires a bit of mastering. Squarespace subscribers have an opportunity to create pages and add content without the need to know how to code here. There is also access to multiple ready-made themes divided into categories, making it easy to pick the design for your project.
Mind, however, that you need to use and arrange content sections to form the layout of your pages. To do this, you can select either a blank template or a pre-designed theme to start working with sections.
Along with text, buttons, images, separators and other simple blocks, the software allows adding more complex elements, such as input forms, tag clouds, These include tag clouds, input and search forms, online maps and other third-party integrations. You will need time and design skills to adjust the parameters for each content block.
Finally, we can’t but mention the Style Editor that distinguished the system from lots of other DIY website builders. The editor allows moving objects and content sections to properly arrange them on selected pages to eventually form the preferred layout. This also requires at least a baseline programming background.
Google Sites also offers drag-and-drop functionality, but the software interface is a bit more complicated than that of Squarespace. The platform is less intuitive, and users may find it more challenging to create and customize pages here.
The editor of the system is quite simple for everyone and you don’t have to know how to code to work with it. To get access to it, you will only require a Google account. If you have one, just select a theme from the suggested collection and start working on its customization.
In the process of template editing, you will be able to adjust the major tools and settings in the one-page interface. To get access to extra features, you need to pay attention to pop-up windows. Select the elements your project needs, but remember that most of the available page content will remain uneditable. This is what makes Google Sites design customization options quite limited.
Design and Flexibility
Squarespace and Google Sites perform the same goal – they are both used for website creation. This doesn’t mean, however, that the systems are similar in terms of design customization and integrated functionality. There are several crucial aspects that are specific to each platform and may affect the user’s choice. Let’s review them below.
eCommerce
Squarespace unveils a broad range of features for web store creation. Due to the powerful built-in eCommerce engine, the website builder is a go-to solution for entrepreneurs willing to set up online stores. You understand that at once, when browsing multiple >Squarespace eCommerce examples available online.
As soon as you create an account, the system will offer you to pick one of the eCommerce templates available in its catalog. The designs are all responsive (both free and paid), which means that your web store will display great both on desktop and mobile devices. This is important for eCommerce businesses, as more and more customers are shopping online. By the way, you will also be able to conveniently manage your shop even on the go.
Squarespace offers a seamless payment processing system that makes it easy to accept payments from customers. The platform effectively integrates with a range of payment processors, including Stripe and PayPal as well as supports multiple currencies. Additionally, the website builder offers flexible shipping options (including real-time shipping rates and flat-rate), easy checkout and straightforward tax tools.
The inventory management system makes it possible to easily track inventory levels and receive notifications when products run out of stock. This helps businesses stay on top of their stock levels and keep their goods available for sale.
With Squarespace, web store owners will be able to schedule appointments using online calendars and integrated booking options, collect customer emails, share recent news and events via social channels as well as embed maps to help clients find your store.
Finally, the website builder grants access to the in-depth analytics and reporting tools that allow users to track their web store performance and gain insights into customer behavior. It is possible to track website traffic, sales and customer engagement rates etc. This information can further be used to make data-driven decisions about the eCommerce business in general.
Google Sites won’t let you set up a full-featured online store for the only important reason – absence of the eCommerce platform. The only way to sell something online here is to integrate external extensions, but this obviously requires more time, budget and web design proficiency.
For example, the system lets you integrate some popular eCommerce platforms like WooCommerce or Shopify via an iframe application. Another opportunity is to use Google Sheets and Sheet2Site open-source plugin. To set up a web store in this way, you need to add product info, prices, descriptions and photos to Google Sheets first and then use Sheet2Site to set up a website with an integrated shopping cart, payment/order processing features etc.
Processes described above are not that easy, however. So, using Google Sites for eCommerce website creation is definitely not recommended for non-techies.
Blogging
Squarespace lets you share your story with the target audience. It provides an opportunity to create a professional blog to further customize it to fit your personal or brand needs.
The website builder has a separate category of templates that can be used for blog creation. They fit various niches depending on the blog type you are going to set up. The designs are free and paid and all of them are completely customizable. The quality of templates is what most users note when they come across Squarespace blog samples.
There are also multiple blogging layouts that allow users to showcase their content in different ways. These layouts include a classic blog layout, a grid layout, and a masonry layout.
Along with extensive template choice, Squarespace makes it easy to integrate social media elements into your blog. Users can add social media sharing buttons to their posts, display their social media feeds, and even create social media-specific pages.
It is up to you to manage your blog posts as you wish. If needed, you can schedule publications in advance to be sure they will be published on time, letting you conveniently organize your content. Users can set specific publish dates and times for each post, and even schedule social media posts to promote their blog content.
By the way, if you already run a blog on another platform like WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr or what not, you can switch to Squarespace any time due to the availability of built-in migration tools available in stock.
Google Sites does not have a standard blogging engine. You won’t be able to publish a full-featured blog with the website builder. However, you can run a simple informational project or a news portal here, using the available toolset.
The website builder lets you select a blank template you can further customize from scratch. Adjust your project parameters and then submit the content you would like to present to the target audience.
What’s more, the system may be used to launch internal and intranet websites. This can serve a quality basis for shared team project management.
Third-Party Apps and Special Features
Squarespace grants access to quite an extensive collection of applications for any type of website. Users may choose from popular video management extensions (Squarespace Video Studio App), integrations for specialized projects (wedding, restaurant, cafe, photography websites as well as a tool for meetings scheduling etc.), stats analytic and SEO tools, Logo Maker, Stripe for payments etc. There is also a standalone Unfold app that is used for storytelling purposes in social networks. The extensions may be free and paid and they let users seamlessly connect their websites with other marketing and productivity tools, effectively engage with their audience and streamline their workflow.
As to special features that distinguish Squarespace from its major alternatives, the system comes with the built-in email marketing system. It contributes to convenient and hassle-free website promotion. Thus, you can use a mailout feature, a built-in template builder, subscriber collection and other tools for this purpose.
With Squarespace, it is possible to work on your project in a team. As a website owner, you will be able to provide access rights to specific projects to your team members for shared management and customization. Assigning different roles is possible here as well.
Do you already run a website on WordPress, Shopify, Etsy, Blogger or any other platform? There is no longer the need to set up a new project from scratch as Squarespace makes it possible to easily migrate to its servers from other systems at no cost.
Google Sites seamlessly integrates with any Google app available in your account. These include Gmail, Calendar, Maps, Sheets, YouTube, Docs and more. If you use Google Sites, you can access any of these apps for free. These extensions notably enhance your website performance. You can add maps, videos, documents, charts, diagrams and other elements based on your project specialization.
The selected elements are added as blocks, where you can customize their dimensions and parameters with regard to your website layout and design. If needed, content formatting tools can also be used to enhance your website presentation.
Template Editing
Squarespace boasts an extensive gallery of professionally-designed templates that belong to various categories and cover a variety of industries, making it easy for users to find a template that suits their needs.
You can find dozens of quality Squarespace portfolio examples as well as blogs, business websites and personal projects that use versatile templates as a basis. All themes are free and paid, which also affects users’ choice and depends on the project budget. They come with AMP support and are completely customizable, letting you personalize project design without any coding skills.
The drag-and-drop editor of the system makes it simple to add and remove content, change colors, fonts, layouts, and even create custom pages. Users can upload their own images and videos to make their websites one-of-a-kind. Along with visual design customization options, Squarespace allows users to add functionality to their websites through various integrations, making it a multifaceted platform for creatives and businesses alike.
Google Sites cannot offer such a versatile choice of templates as Squarespace or other website builders. Currently, users may choose from 8 custom themes that belong to 3 major categories only. These are Work, Personal and Education. Whether you look for Google Sites portfolio examples, landing page samples or business projects, you will hardly find too many of them out there.
The selection of design customization tools is limited as well. You won’t find many elements and features to customize the selected theme, although it is possible to create a new project from scratch here.
All themes look similar – just like the ready-made projects. Have a look at active Google Sites website examples to make sure yourself. The only thing that differs them from each other is element combination/positioning. Formatting and content may vary as well.
To get access to design editing tools, reach the right sidebar of the control panel. You will find three sections there – Insert, Pages and Themes. Pick and modify the elements (Text Box, Drive Sections, Images, add-ons) with regard to your website layout and structure. Google Sites also lets you work with custom HTML codes, but you should expect deep flexibility from the system. Prior to going live with the project, preview the result and make edits, if required.
General Pricing Comparison
Squarespace offers a reasonable pricing policy that absolutely complies with the rate of services provided. If you are not sure about the plan you would like to upgrade to, the system lets you test its features on a free trial that extends for 14 days. To register an account, you will have to provide the credit card data upon the end of the trial. Squarespace premium accounts include:
- Personal ($16/mo billed annually) – 2 contributors, free custom domain, integrated website metrics, unlimited bandwidth and storage, SSL Security, 24/7 customer support, SEO features etc.;
- Business ($23/mo billed annually) – unlimited contributors, 3% transaction fees, CSS/JavaScript design customization, fully-integrated eCommerce, advanced website analytics, professional email from Google, premium blocks and integrations etc.;
- Commerce Basic ($27/mo billed annually) – customer accounts, powerful eCommerce analytics, domain checkout feature, Instagram synchronization etc.;
- Commerce Advanced ($49/mo billed annually) – abandoned cart recovery, advanced shipping and discounts, gift cards, APIs for order and inventory, limited availability labels etc.
As you see, the pricing is more than affordable here and everyone can find the solution that works best for his/her project. If you need more detailed info, however, go ahead to read the exhaustive Squarespace review.
Google Sites is available at no cost. So, if you are interested in how to create a website for free on Google, this may be the answer to your question. You just need a Google account to get started. That’s it.
However, you may have the desire to pay for extra integrations the software lets you connect to the website. What’s more, you may decide either to get the domain from Google or to connect any other selected domain from the third-party host. This may require extra budget investment.
Which One Is the Best for SEO?
Squarespace is a SEO-friendly website builder, which means that websites powered by the system generally hold high positions in the search engine results. The website builder offers various SEO features to help improve the search engine visibility of your project.
The software allows customizing the page titles and descriptions for each web page, which can help improve your website’s click-through rate (CTR) in search engine results pages. It also automatically generates clean and SEO-friendly URLs for your site pages and products. It is impossible to do that manually.
Image SEO settings can be adjusted here as well. Squarespace makes it possible to add alt text to your photos, which also contributes to better online accessibility of your website.
A nice SEO-related feature is that the system allows hiding website pages or the entire project from indexing, while it is still under construction. You can adjust this parameter in the corresponding section of the SEO settings page.
The system also has much to offer in terms of website analysis. Due to the availability of built-in analytic tools, there is the opportunity to track your project traffic and search engine rankings. As a result, this lets you make data-driven decisions to enhance your project SEO.
If this is the first time you work with the system and are not sure about the process of SEO optimization, Squarespace will provide you with a list of instructions. It will help you find out more about the steps to complete on each stage of the website publication.
Having set up the required SEO parameters, take your time to connect the website to Google Analytics, enable AMP mode and verify the project with Google Search Console, when required. This will let you track website performance and major stats data after its publication.
Google Sites doesn’t pay much attention to SEO. It only allows filling out web page URLs and titles. But that’s all you can do here. The system automatically generates SEO-friendly URLs for your website pages and you cannot do that manually.
If needed, it is possible to connect Google Analytics to your project to track its positions and statistics in general. The software allows using a custom domain for your website, which can help improve its search engine rankings as Google considers the domain age and authority a crucial ranking factor.
With Google Sites, you can verify your website with Google Search Console. This is needed to monitor your website indexation, search engine visibility and other related factors. More detailed info on the SEO capabilities of the website builder is available in the informative Google Sites review.
When you decide to compare Squarespace and Google Sites from the point of view of SEO optimization parameters, the results will be quite obvious. Squarespace overcomes its competitor, offering sufficient tools and features for high positions of websites in the search engines. Google Sites, on the contrary, offer baseline SEO settings only.
Key Differences Between Squarespace and Google Sites
| Squarespace | Google Sites | |
| Ease of Use: | Squarespace is a popular DIY drag-and-drop website builder. It is generally chosen to set up and customize personal and business projects. No coding skills are required to work with the software. | Google Sites is a simple website builder included into a standard Google Workspace package. The software works well for setting up intranet projects, but it can also be used to run simple business websites, portfolios, event and educational projects etc. |
| Functionality: | The system comes with an intuitive WYSIWYG editor, blogging and eCommerce engines, Acuity Scheduling platform, social integrations, Logo Maker etc. When starting a project with it, you can get access to advanced features like Style Editor, Cover Page Builder, Google Maps, Unfold App, stats tracking tools etc. | The website builder makes it possible to run simple websites for personal use, integrate unique logos and widgets available in the Google Workspace subscription (YouTube, Google Maps, slides, docs, contact and online forms, charts, calendar etc.). |
| Design: | Squarespace template gallery is rich and versatile. The themes are free and paid and they are also responsive and customizable. Powerful customization tools, Logo Maker, Image and Style Editors help set up one-of-a-kind project design. | Google Sites does not offer multiple templates. The range of design customization tools and settings is limited as well.As a result, all projects launched with the software look similar. |
| eCommerce: | The website builder includes a full-featured built-in eCommerce platform. It allows running small/medium online stores to offer physical/digital services/goods for sale. | The system doesn’t have an integrated eCommerce engine and, thus, it does not let you set up a web store. You only can integrate third-party eCommerce tools and plugins to start selling only, but this requires coding proficiency. |
| Blogging: | Squarespace has a blogging platform, which makes it possible to set up and manage a quality personal/business blog. The system allows adding and editing new posts, setting up the parameters of scheduled publications, adjusting blog design and its features. | Google Sites doesn’t have a blogging platform, which makes blog creation impossible. |
| Small Business: | The software is a smart choice for small business owners. Availability of widgets, media files, advanced integrations, Unfold App, analytics tracking tools etc. makes the system a worthy pick for any commercial project. | With Google Sites, you can develop a simple business website. The website builder has several niche templates to choose from and it also lets you connect widgets to boost website performance. |
| Pricing: | The platform has a free 14-day trial and 4 premium subscriptions. Their cost starts at $16/mo. | Google Sites is an absolutely free system, which lets you connect a domain at no cost. Paid external integrations and opportunity to select another domain/host are available here as well. |
| SEO: | Squarespace is a SEO-friendly website builder, which lets you set up baseline parameters. The software also has a checklist to control the task completion. There is a nice opportunity to hide your website from indexing by the search engines until it is completely ready for publication. | The platform has limited SEO functionality. It lets you fill out website titles and URLs only. |
| Customer Support: | 24/7 Live Chat, FAQ section, Email Support, Community Forum. | Built-in Help Section with a detailed website editing guide, feedback forms with automated screenshot inclusion, informative Help Center. |
Comparison Conclusion: Which One Is Better?
When you face the need to choose from two website builders – Squarespace and Google Sites, the decision will be obvious. Both systems were created for website development and both of them offer versatile tools, features and settings to get started with a personal or business project.
Squarespace is a more advanced website builder that offers versatile design customization options, eCommerce/blogging features, integrations with third-party tools. It also delivers more robust SEO features and analytics, thus being a better choice for businesses that require professional web presentation.
Google Sites, on the other hand, is a simpler website builder that works best for custom websites and projects. This is a good pick for students and owners of small businesses who are just getting started online. A free web design option like Google Sites may work for them in this case.
To sum it up, Google Sites is too simple for a quality, feature-laden project. Squarespace obviously has much more to offer to all user categories, being applicable for any type of project.
