Squarespace Review

Rates and Fees
85/100
Truth in Advertising
100/100
Consumer Reviews
85/100
Customer Support
80/100
4.3

Best for

Merchants who are looking for a complete eCommerce store solution with predictable per-transaction pricing

Specializes in

Website design, eCommerce payment processing, eCommerce analytics, eCommerce reporting, management tools, web hosting, SEO tools

Pricing Summary

Setup Fee: $0

Monthly Fee: $16 to $46

Swipe Rate: 2.9% + $0.30

Keyed-in Rate: 2.9% + $0.30

Early Termination Fee : $0

Contract Terms:

Month-to-month 1 Year
Visit Squarespace

Squarespace is an automated website design platform with integrated eCommerce tools. The company offers predictable per-transaction pricing and powerful store management tools. However, Squarespace doesn’t provide merchants with as many eCommerce features as some of its competitors.

Squarespace Overview

 

Anthony Casalena founded Squarespace in 2004, and the company is based out of New York, New York. The company’s main service is helping merchants create powerful websites and eCommerce stores with prebuilt templates.

However, Squarespace also operates as a payment processor through partnerships with Stripe and PayPal. These services provide merchants who use Squarespace with predictable per-transaction prices but lack many of the features that other merchant account providers offer.

Squarespace is best for merchants operating in the following sectors:


  • Art

  • Online stores

  • Restaurants

  • Music

  • Weddings

  • Bloggers

  • And other small businesses


Squarespace has received a moderate number of negative reviews online. Merchants who use Squarespace sometimes complain about poor customer service, customization limitations, and limited eCommerce tools.

Quick Facts

Head Quarters

New York City, New York

Year Founded

2003

CEO

Anthony Casalena

Employees

1143

Merchant Provider Risk Tolerance

What We Like

What We Don't Like

Industries Served

  • Clothing & Apparel
  • Convenience Store
  • Electronics
  • Gas Station
  • Hosting
  • Marketing Agency
  • Personal Service
  • Restaurant / Bar
  • SAAS
  • SEO & SEM Services
  • Thrift Store
  • Web Design Services

Business Types Served

  • B2B
  • Ecommerce
  • Mobile
  • Mom & Pop
  • Online
  • Retail / Card Present
  • Small Business

Squarespace Products & Services

 

Website Design Templates, Hosting, and Management Tools


First and foremost, Squarespace is a platform that helps individuals and companies create engaging websites. The company provides merchants with 124 unique design templates to choose from. At least one of these will be a good fit for pretty much anyone’s company.

All of Squarespace’s website creation plans include hosting for free. They also come with some very useful content management tools. For example, merchants who use Square space to manage their websites will get SEO tools, an integrated commenting system, and a content delivery network (CD) that’s optimized for speed.

eCommerce Payment Processing


Merchants can also use Squarespace to process the payments they receive through online sales. The company partners with Stripe and PayPal for this service. These companies each charge a flat rate of 2.9% per transaction + $0.30. Since these rates always remain the same, merchants who use Squarespace for payment processing will always know exactly what their fees will be.

That being said, merchants who use Squarespace’s Business plan have to pay a 3% per transaction fee on top of what Stripe and Paypal charge. Other plans, such as the company’s Basic Commerce plan, eliminate this fee.

eCommerce Analytics, Reporting, and Management Tools


Many of Squarespace’s monthly plans include helpful tools and reporting features that can help merchants manage their eCommerce activities. For example, the company offers inventory management tools and reporting dashboards that track the website’s overall performance and identify sticking points for visitors.

Squarespace Payment Processing

  • Contactless NFC
  • Credit Card Processing
  • Debit Card Processing
  • Gift & Loyalty Program
  • Mobile Card Reader
  • Mobile Commerce
  • Mobile Payments App
  • Online Payments
  • Payment Gateway
  • POS Equipment
  • Recurring Billing
  • Virtual Terminal

Squarespace Billing & Invoicing

  • Customizable Invoices
  • Mobile Payments
  • Online Invoicing
  • Online Payments
  • Payment Processing
  • Recurring/Subscription Billing

Squarespace Advertising & Sales

 
Squarespace is one of the best in the industry when it comes to advertising and sales transparency. The company doesn’t advertise any deceptive rates. Rather, it prominently displays accurate pricing and contractual information, which is quite rare for companies in the payment processing industry.

Squarespace doesn’t hire independent sales agents either. The company has received very few complaints that reference anything like deceptive sales tactics or inaccurate quotes. This is a good sign for merchants who are interested in doing business with Squarespace.

Truth in Marketing

Discloses All Important Terms

Yes

Public Pricing Available

Yes

Squarespace Pricing, Rates & Fees

 

Squarespace offers monthly plans for its website creation, hosting, and management services. These range from as low as $16 per month to as high as $46 per month. Merchants can pay an even lower monthly fee for these plans if they choose to pay annually instead of on a month-to-month basis.

The company’s eCommerce payment processing fees are also very straightforward. Every transaction will cost the merchant 2.9% + $0.30. That’s the rate regardless of which payment type is used and where in the world it’s coming from.

Pricing at a Glance

Pricing Model

Flat Rate

Swiped Rate

2.9% + $0.30

Keyed-in Rate

2.9% + $0.30

Mobile Payment Rate

Virtual Terminal Rate

2.9% + $0.30

Monthly Fee

$16 to $46

Payment Gateway Fee

Batch Fee

Early Termination Fee

$0

PCI Compliance Fee

$0

Equipment Lease Terms

None

Address Verification Service (AVS)

Application Fee

Account Setup Fee

$0

Gateway Setup Fee

None

Annual Fee

Monthly Minimum

$0

Statement Fee

Squarespace Contract & Terms

Squarespace offers month-to-month pricing plans for both its web design and payment processing services. There are multiple plans to choose from, which gives merchants the flexibility to pay for only the services that they care about.

Merchants are free to pay for Squarespace on an annual basis. However, the company doesn’t currently offer any multi-year agreements. This makes Squarespace a flexible provider of eCommerce payment processing solutions.

Contract Length

Month-to-month1 Year

Early Termination Fee

$0

Squarespace Setup & Support

 

Setup Highlights

  • Documentation / Knowledge Base
  • Live Online (1-on-1)
  • Recorded Video Training

Support Highlights

  • Domestic Phone Support (Business Hours)
  • Offshore Tech Support (After Hours)

Squarespace Complaints, Ratings & Reviews

Squarespace currently has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. The company has received many reviews online, given its prominence in the payment processing industry.

Many of these reviews are positive. They describe a service that is easy to use, affordable, and with strong customer support options. Negative reviews tend to focus on poor customer support, limited eCommerce tools, and expensive plans.

Ratings

BBB

A+ but is not BBB Accredited. (9 Reviews; 94 Complaints)

Google

3.6 Stars / 158 Reviews

Facebook

No Reviews

Yelp

1.5 Star / 39 Reviews

Reviews

Total Online Reviews

300+

Total Online Complaints

15+

Lawsuits

None

Squarespace Alternatives

NEED A MERCHANT ACCOUNT PROVIDER?

If you're in the market for a merchant account provider, be sure to check out our user reviews, our merchant accounts guide and our top popular merchant provider picks

cogthumbs-up