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Squarespace and Bluehost both play a significant role in building and maintaining websites, but the best choice depends on where you are in your website development journey. Maybe you’re just starting and looking for an all-in-one solution that’s simple to set up and requires zero technical expertise. Or perhaps you already have a website, and you’re simply looking for reliable hosting to scale or improve its performance.
Whichever stage you’re at, you’ve come to the right place, as I’ve tested both platforms thoroughly to help you find the best fit. So, here’s the bottom line: Squarespace is the better platform because it lets you easily design, manage, and grow a website from scratch without needing separate hosting.
But if you already have a site – especially a WordPress one – and need powerful, flexible hosting, Bluehost is a strong contender. It’s designed to integrate perfectly with WordPress but can host other types of sites, making it ideal for users who prioritize control and scalability.
In this comparison, I’ll break down who should choose Squarespace and who should opt for Bluehost so that you can make the right decision for your needs. Let’s dive in!
Squarespace stands out with its extensive and highly polished template library. It offers over 180+ templates categorized into 19 groups, making it easy to find something tailored to your business needs.
Squarespace’s templates look pretty good
These templates are known for their aesthetic appeal and sophistication, allowing you to create professional, elegant websites without advanced design skills. Every template is mobile responsive, and you can switch between templates without losing content.
In contrast, Bluehost’s default web builder, WonderSuite, provides just one theme called WonderTheme. Alternatively, you can decide to use a different web builder like Elementor to design your site and get access to a broader library of around 300 templates.
WonderSuite includes just one theme called WonderTheme
In terms of design quality, Squarespace leads the pack. Its templates are more cohesive, visually unique, and well-optimized for users who want to build eye-catching websites.
Elementor’s templates, while numerous, can sometimes feel repetitive and lack the same level of polish. That said, Bluehost’s integration with WordPress means you can access additional templates from marketplaces like ThemeForest, giving you more options if needed.
Customization is another area where these platforms differ. Squarespace offers a good balance between design flexibility and ease of use. You can add content blocks like galleries, forms, or social feeds and customize the layout within the confines of a grid system. While this structure may limit creative freedom, it simplifies the design process for users without technical expertise.
Bluehost’s WonderTheme leverages WonderBlocks, a block-based editor that lets you easily modify static patterns based on your onboarding inputs via the WonderStart tool. However, if you’re after more detailed customization, Elementor offers significantly more creative control, from drag-and-drop elements to adjusting CSS.
Bluehost’s Website Builder Is Minimalistic At Best
Squarespace’s drag-and-drop editor makes it easy for beginners to design websites with minimal technical skills. It’s an all-in-one platform with built-in blogging tools, extensive e-commerce functionalities, and straightforward integration with Facebook and Instagram. With customizable templates and easy access to SEO and analytics tools, Squarespace makes website creation simple and accessible without needing extra plugins.
Squarespace lets you sell on Facebook and Instagram
Bluehost uses its WonderBlocks tool, a block-based editor that is simpler but less customizable than Squarespace’s drag-and-drop approach. If you want more flexibility, Bluehost integrates with Elementor, a popular drag-and-drop page builder for WordPress.
While Bluehost lacks native blogging tools, its seamless integration with WordPress offers one of the best environments for blogging. WordPress allows you to create more complex content, supported by thousands of plugins extending functionality beyond Squarespace’s default capabilities. These include custom post types, complex blog categorization, membership-based content, and more.
Regarding e-commerce, Squarespace lets you sell products and services on multiple channels, manage inventory, and process payments all within the platform. Its templates are also optimized for online stores, making launching and managing an e-commerce site easy. Bluehost, on the other hand, lacks e-commerce tools. So, again, you’ll need to install WordPress plugins like WooCommerce for this, which can add complexity and cost.
Overall, Squarespace comes out ahead due to its beginner-friendly drag-and-drop editor, built-in tools, and seamless setup process. Bluehost, while also user-friendly, requires more plugins and setup to reach the same level of functionality, especially for e-commerce and blogging.
It’s Hard To Beat Bluehost’s Add-Ons + WordPress’s Plugins
In addition to add-ons for security, marketing, and more, Bluehost users can access the extensive WordPress plugin ecosystem, which includes thousands of free and premium plugins. These plugins cover nearly every conceivable functionality, from SEO optimization and social media integration to e-commerce tools like WooCommerce.
Bluehost gives you access to third-party plugins
That said, access to these plugins typically requires higher-tier hosting plans, and they are primarily beneficial if you’re building a WordPress site. If you’re using another CMS like Joomla, this vast plugin selection may not be available or compatible, leaving you with Bluehost’s third-party add-ons.
On the other hand, Squarespace offers a curated set of extensions through its Extensions Panel, which can be integrated into any plan you choose. While its selection is much smaller compared to WordPress’s ecosystem, the extensions are well-designed to cater to needs like email marketing, accounting, and shipping. Most Squarespace extensions are paid but come with free tiers, offering flexibility for businesses at different stages.
Bluehost has a clear advantage in terms of app variety, primarily due to its integration with WordPress. However, Squarespace’s more straightforward approach may make more sense if you prefer fewer but highly compatible options without upgrading to costlier plans.
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Security and Performance
Bluehost Provides Advanced Security and Impressive Performance
Squarespace provides essential security features such as SSL certificates on all plans and has a strong reputation for keeping sites safe.
On the other hand, Bluehost’s extensive range of security features is pretty impressive. It includes a free SSL certificate, daily backups, malware scanning, and protection against DDoS attacks.
Advanced users can also take advantage of features like SSH access and automated updates to WordPress and PHP, which provide a more secure and flexible environment for businesses with growing security needs.
Bluehost advertises a slightly higher uptime of 99.98% than Squarespace’s 99.9%. This may not seem like much, but some Squarespace users have complained about occasional slow loading times and performance issues under heavy traffic.
For most users, Squarespace’s near-perfect performance will do just fine. However, Bluehost is more consistent, especially with its managed hosting options, offering faster load times through NVMe storage and content caching. Moreover, it integrates Cloudflare’s CDN with Argo Routing for enhanced speed and security, which is particularly helpful if your site gets high traffic.
Bluehost Is Cheaper, but You Might Spend More in the Long Run
Squarespace’s plans are generally more expensive because they include website-building tools and hosting in one platform. Bluehost, on the other hand, is primarily a web hosting service that allows you to build websites using platforms like WordPress, so you’ll pay separately for some features that Squarespace includes upfront.
While Squarespace’s plans start at $16.00/month, the Business plan at $99.00/month is the most popular for its balance of features. These include online selling capabilities, unlimited bandwidth and hosting storage, advanced website analytics, and a free domain for the first year.
Bluehost, by contrast, offers a basic WordPress Hosting plan at an entry price of $2.95/month, which provides hosting for 10 websites, free SSL, domain privacy, access to WordPress plugins, and a free professional Google email for 3 months. However, it renews at a significantly higher rate.
Overall, Squarespace offers more value if you’re looking for an all-inclusive, user-friendly website builder. Bluehost is better for those seeking greater control and more affordable initial hosting plans. However, Bluehost’s steep renewal prices and lack of built-in website creation tools mean you may end up paying more in the long run to match Squarespace’s comprehensive offering.
Squarespace offers 24/7 support via email and X (formerly Twitter), as well as live chat support Monday to Friday, from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time. It also provides a robust community forum and a vast knowledge base if you prefer self-service.
On the other hand, Bluehost provides live chat and phone support 24/7, ensuring you have round-the-clock availability for immediate assistance. There’s also an extensive knowledge base filled with guides and tutorials to help you resolve common issues independently.
In my tests, both Squarespace and Bluehost responded quickly through live chat, typically within minutes.
Bluehost’s live chat support is super fast
The agents on both platforms were professional and provided clear, helpful solutions to my queries, ensuring I received timely and competent support.
I got a very detailed and helpful response from Squarespace’s agent
Bluehost has a slight edge in terms of availability, thanks to its 24/7 live chat and phone support. However, Squarespace excels in providing additional resources like a community forum and support via X.
Squarespace Provides Everything Under One Roof
Squarespace is the superior option for most users, particularly if you’re seeking an all-in-one solution for designing, hosting, and managing your websites. Its extensive range of stunning templates, built-in tools for blogging and e-commerce, and user-friendly drag-and-drop editor make it ideal for beginners or those who want to create a professional, visually appealing site without needing technical expertise.
While Bluehost offers powerful hosting capabilities, particularly for WordPress users, it requires additional setup and plugins to match Squarespace’s functionality. Bluehost may be a better fit if you already have a WordPress site or prioritize advanced hosting control, flexibility, and scalability. However, for most users, Squarespace’s ease of use, integrated tools, and superior design quality make it the better choice overall.
Yes, you can use a Bluehost domain on your Squarespace site. This involves updating the DNS settings in your Bluehost account to point the domain to Squarespace’s servers. This process typically takes a few steps and up to 48 hours for the changes to take effect.
What is better than Bluehost?
I recommend Squarespace over Bluehost for most users. Squarespace is an all-in-one platform that makes designing, hosting, and managing your site from one place easier. Bluehost caters mainly to your hosting needs, requiring more setup and plugins to match Squarespace’s built-in features.
What is the difference between Bluehost and Squarespace?
Bluehost is primarily a web hosting provider that integrates well with WordPress. Squarespace, on the other hand, is a website builder that includes everything you need in one package, such as templates, hosting, and tools for blogging and e-commerce.
Why should I not use Bluehost?
You might avoid Bluehost if you want a more straightforward, all-inclusive solution for building and managing your website. Bluehost requires additional setup and plugins, especially for e-commerce and design, which may increase costs and complexity compared to all-in-one website builders.
Kamso specializes in writing about credit card processing and fintech. He has been writing for over three years and has worked on several comparisons, product reviews, and news stories. He has a degree in mechanical engineering and has a strong fondness for anything tech-related.
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