Framer has been absolutely everywhere lately, making waves in the design world with its sleek interface and cool animated sites. Naturally, we had to see what all the hype was about!

If you already know and love Squarespace, Framer can look pretty tempting. It promises way more creative freedom, more advanced design possibilities, and a more custom feel, all without needing to code. Pretty dreamy, right? But at the same time, Squarespace still holds a very special place in our hearts. It's easy to use, beautifully streamlined, and packed with built-in tools that make it such a solid option for business owners, creatives, and DIY website builders alike.

So… when it comes to Framer vs Squarespace, which one is actually better?

The truth is, they are quite different. While both let you build beautiful websites, they are designed for very different kinds of users. Framer is much more design-forward and open-ended, while Squarespace is more structured, beginner-friendly, and focused on helping you get a polished site up and running without quite so much fuss.

In this post, we’re breaking down the real differences between Framer and Squarespace, from the editing experience and responsive design to blogging, ecommerce, SEO, and built-in business features, so you can figure out which platform makes the most sense for your business, your goals, and your skill level.

Let's dive in!

Framer vs Squarespace: Key Takeaways

If you’re deciding between Framer and Squarespace, the biggest thing to know is that these platforms are built for slightly different people.

Framer is best for designers, creatives, and anyone wanting more freedom to create a really custom website without relying heavily on code. It gives you much more flexibility when it comes to layout, responsiveness, and overall design, but it also comes with a steeper learning curve and fewer built-in business features.

Squarespace, on the other hand, is much more streamlined and beginner-friendly. It is easier to learn, quicker to set up, and comes with a lot more built in right out of the box, including blogging, ecommerce, scheduling, memberships, and other business tools. The trade-off is that it can feel more limiting from a design perspective, especially if you want full creative control.

In general, Framer wins for creative freedom, while Squarespace wins for ease of use and all-in-one business functionality.

At a glance:

Choose Framer if you want a highly custom website, love design, and do not mind a bit more of a learning curve.
Choose Squarespace if you want something polished, strategic, and easier to manage without piecing together extra tools.
Choose Framer if advanced layouts, animations, and responsiveness are high on your priority list.
Choose Squarespace if blogging, ecommerce, and built-in business features matter more to you.

Now, let's get into the specifics!

1. Editing Experience

Editing in Framer

Framer feels much more like a design tool than a traditional website builder. Rather than working within a more fixed structure, you are designing with things like frames, layers, stacks, and breakpoints, which makes the whole experience feel much more visual and freeform. It has a lot more in common with design tools like Figma or Adobe XD than a typical drag-and-drop platform like Squarespace, which means you can move elements around more freely and fine-tune almost everything using built-in settings, without needing code.

That flexibility is a huge part of the appeal. It gives you more room to experiment, create more custom layouts, and really refine how everything looks across different screen sizes. It also feels very fast and fluid to design in, which makes the whole process feel a lot more creative and fun.

That said, Framer is not quite as beginner-friendly as it might first seem. All that extra freedom also means there is more to wrap your head around, especially when it comes to things like spacing, stacks, positioning, and responsive design. If you already have some experience with design tools, that will probably feel pretty natural. But if you are a DIYer or building your first website, it can definitely feel overwhelming at first.

There is also more room for things to go wrong. Because you have so much control, you need to be much more intentional with how everything is set up, especially across different screen sizes. So while Framer opens the door to much more custom design, it also comes with a much steeper learning curve.

Pros:

Gives you much more creative freedom
Makes custom layouts and more design-heavy websites easier to create
Offers more control across desktop, tablet, and mobile
Feels fast, fluid, and fun to design in
Great for designers and more advanced users who want flexibility without relying heavily on code

Cons:

Comes with a steeper learning curve
Can feel more overwhelming for beginners and DIY users
Responsive settings and layout controls can be trickier to master
Has more room for design mistakes if you are not confident with visual design tools

Editing in Squarespace

Squarespace is designed to make the website-building process feel simpler and more manageable. Rather than giving you a fully freeform canvas, it works within sections, blocks, and a more guided grid layout system. It doesn't give you quite as much freedom as Framer but it does make the editing process much more beginner-friendly since blocks will automatically snap to the grid, allowing for more polished, well-aligned layouts, without the need for much design experience. Overall, it's easier to learn, less overwhelming to use, and a much more approachable option for DIYers, small business owners, and beginners with less complicated settings and more intuitive editing.

That said, Squarespace definitely has its limitations. Because you are working within a more structured system, it can feel more restrictive when you want to create something highly custom or push the design a bit further. Moving things around is not nearly as fluid, and getting layouts exactly how you want them can sometimes feel a little clunky by comparison.

Pros:

Much easier to learn and use
More beginner-friendly and less overwhelming
Helps you create a polished site without much experience
Great for DIYers, small business owners, and first-time website builders
Comes with more built-in tools and functionality

Cons:

Less creative freedom
Can feel more restrictive for custom designs
Layout adjustments are not as fluid

👉 How to edit in Squarespace 7.1 with Fluid Engine - Best practices & tips

So, Does Framer or Squarespace Have a Better Editing Experience?

Framer gives you more freedom to design exactly what you want, while Squarespace makes the whole process feel simpler and more manageable.

So if we are purely comparing the editing experience, Framer takes the win here. It offers way more flexibility and feels much more open-ended creatively, but is also a bit more complicated.

Squarespace wins if you want a site that's overall easier to use and design for a DIYer.

2. Responsive Design

Responsive Design in Framer

Responsive design is one of the areas where Framer really stands out. It gives you much more control over how your site looks across desktop, tablet, and mobile, which is a huge plus if you care about getting every detail just right.

One of the biggest advantages is that Framer gives you a separate tablet view to work with, not just desktop and mobile. That means you can make more intentional adjustments for each screen size, rather than hoping everything will just adapt nicely in between. If you are creating a more custom or design-heavy site, that extra control can make a really big difference.

Of course, that freedom also means there is a bit more to manage. You have more settings, more breakpoints, and more decisions to make, so it can take longer to get everything feeling polished. But if flexibility is high on your priority list, Framer is incredibly impressive here.

Pros:

Much more control across desktop, tablet, and mobile
Separate tablet view for more detailed editing
Easier to fine-tune each layout for different screen sizes
Great for more custom, design-led websites

Cons:

More to learn and manage
Takes more time to refine
Can feel more complex for beginners

Responsive Design in Squarespace

Squarespace takes a much simpler approach to responsive design. It does a lot of the adapting for you, which is honestly a big part of why so many people find it easier to use.

Its mobile editor is actually pretty flexible and almost entirely independent from the desktop view, meaning that you can rearrange blocks freely to create a mobile-optimized version of your site. But unlike Framer, Squarespace does not give you a separate tablet view to design for. So while your site will still adapt between desktop and mobile, you have less control over exactly how that in-between size looks. For many DIYers and small business owners, that will be more than enough. But if you want more control, it can definitely feel a little limiting with less control over how your site looks at every point.

Pros:

Simpler and easier to manage
Less overwhelming for beginners
Mobile editor gives you some helpful flexibility
Faster to set up overall

Cons:

No separate tablet editing view
Less control over in-between screen sizes
Can feel more limiting for custom layouts

👉 Mobile Optimization: Creating Responsive Squarespace Sites
👉 Hacks to Make Mobile Editing in Squarespace Fluid Engine Faster

So, Which one is Better for Responsive Design?

If responsive design is a big priority for you, Framer is the stronger option. It gives you much more control and makes it easier to create a more tailored experience across different screen sizes.

That said, Squarespace is still much easier to manage, and for a lot of users, that simplicity will actually be the bigger win.

3. Blogging

Blogging in Framer

Framer does have blogging capabilities, which is great to see, especially since some more design-led platforms treat blogging as a bit of an afterthought.

That said, blogging in Framer feels a little more custom and a little less plug-and-play. Rather than having one simple built-in blog setup ready to go, it works through the CMS, which gives you a lot more flexibility in how your content is designed and displayed. That opens the door to much more custom blog layouts and a more unique overall look, which is a big plus if design is a top priority.

But it also means there is a bit more setup involved. If you want something quick, simple, and easy to manage, Framer may feel a little less intuitive here. It is better suited to people who do not mind spending a bit more time creating a custom content experience.

Pros:

More flexibility in how blog content is designed
Great for more custom, editorial-style layouts
Strong option if visual design is a big priority

Cons:

More manual to set up
Less intuitive for beginners
Not quite as quick or straightforward out of the box

Blogging in Squarespace

Squarespace is definitely the easier option when it comes to blogging. It has a built-in blogging system that is simple, streamlined, and ready to use right away, which is a huge plus if blogging is a big part of your content strategy.

You can easily create posts, organize categories and tags, manage SEO settings, schedule content, and keep everything nicely integrated within the rest of your website. It is not the most customizable blog setup in the world, but it is very user-friendly and does exactly what most business owners and creators need it to do.

That ease is a big part of why Squarespace is such a solid choice for bloggers, service providers, and business owners who want to publish content regularly without making things more complicated than they need to be.

Pros:

Easy to set up and use
Built-in blog functionality
Great for categories, tags, scheduling, and SEO basics
Nicely integrated with the rest of your site

Cons:

Less design flexibility
More limited if you want a highly custom blog layout
Feels a bit more structured overall

👉 How to Start a Blog with Squarespace

So, Which one is Better for Blogging?

If you want a blog that is easy to manage and ready to go, Squarespace is the clear winner here.

If you want a blog that feels more custom and design-led, Framer has a lot of potential, but it will likely take a bit more setup to get there.

For most users, especially DIYers and small business owners, Squarespace is the more approachable option for blogging.

4. Ecommerce

Ecommerce in Framer

Ecommerce is one of the areas where Framer starts to feel a bit less all-in-one. While you can absolutely create a beautiful shopfront in Framer, it does not have the same kind of built-in ecommerce system that Squarespace does.

That means if you want to sell products, you will usually need to connect Framer to another platform or tool to handle things like checkout, payments, and store management. For some businesses, that might be totally fine. But if you are hoping for a simple, built-in setup, it can start to feel a little more pieced together.

That said, if design is your top priority and you are only selling a small number of products, Framer could still work really well. It just is not the most seamless option if ecommerce is a big part of your business.

Pros:

Lets you create a very custom-looking shop
Great if design is your top priority
Can work well for simpler ecommerce setups

Cons:

No built-in ecommerce system
Requires outside tools or integrations to be linked to the site
Less seamless to manage
Not ideal if selling online is a major focus

Ecommerce in Squarespace

Squarespace is definitely the stronger option here. It has a complete, built-in ecommerce system that make it so much easier to sell physical products, digital products, services, courses, memberships, and more without needing to patch together extra platforms.

You can manage products, checkout, payments, inventory, shipping, and taxes all within the same system, which makes the whole experience feel much more streamlined. That is a big reason why Squarespace works so well for small businesses that want a website and online store all in one place.

It may not be quite as customizable as Framer from a design perspective, but for most business owners, the convenience and simplicity will be a much bigger win.

Pros:

Built-in ecommerce tools
Easier to set up and manage
Better for selling products, services, and digital offers
Much more all-in-one

Cons:

Less design freedom than Framer
May feel more limited if you want a very custom store design

👉 How to add a Shop to Squarespace - Step by Step Walkthrough

So, Which one is Better for Ecommerce?

If ecommerce is a big part of your business, Squarespace is the much stronger choice. It is easier, more seamless, and gives you the built-in tools you actually need to run an online store.

Framer can still work if you want something really design-led and do not mind using extra tools, but for most people, Squarespace wins this one pretty comfortably.

5. SEO

SEO is one of those things that might not sound very exciting, but it really matters! There is not much point in having a beautiful website if nobody can actually find it.

SEO in Framer

Framer was actually a pleasant surprise here. For such a design-led platform, its SEO tools seem much stronger than you might expect. There is clearly a real focus on things like site speed, image optimization, and being able to check how your site is performing from an SEO point of view. It feels a bit more advanced overall, which is great if you want more insight and control.

That said, it still feels a little more manual. The tools are there, but it is not quite as guided or beginner-friendly as Squarespace. So if you are newer to SEO, there may be a bit more of a learning curve.

Pros:

Strong built-in SEO tools
Good focus on speed and image optimization
Feels more advanced and design-conscious
Gives you the key backend SEO settings you need

Cons:

Less guided for beginners
Feels a bit more manual
May be less approachable if SEO is new to you

SEO in Squarespace

Squarespace has always been a solid option for SEO, especially for beginners and small business owners. It does a really good job of walking you through the basics and making SEO feel much more approachable.

You can edit things like meta titles and descriptions, image alt text, and page URLs, and Squarespace also handles things like automatic sitemaps for you. It may not feel quite as advanced, but it covers the essentials really well and makes the whole process feel a lot less intimidating.

That is really where Squarespace shines here. It makes SEO feel more accessible. So if you want something that helps guide you through the basics without overcomplicating things, Squarespace does a great job.

Pros:

Beginner-friendly and approachable SEO setup
Easy to edit key basics like meta titles, descriptions, and alt text

Cons:

Can feel a little more basic if you want deeper control

So, Which one is Better for SEO?

This one is actually a lot closer than you might think.

If you want SEO to feel simple and approachable, Squarespace is a great choice. If you want something that feels a bit more advanced and performance-focused, Framer is really impressive.

So while Squarespace may still be the easier option for beginners, Framer offers a pretty good option here.

6. Built-In Business Features

Business Features in Framer

Framer is clearly strongest on the design side. It gives you so much freedom visually, but when it comes to built-in business tools, it is a bit lighter.

You can absolutely connect Framer to other platforms and build a really beautiful, functional website, but it is not as all-in-one as Squarespace. Things like ecommerce and email marketing are not built in the same way, so you may end up relying on extra tools and integrations to get everything working the way you want, which often means more subscriptions and more places to manage things.

That is not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you already have favourite tools you love using. But if you are hoping for one platform that does a bit of everything under one roof, Framer may feel a little less convenient.

Pros:

Great if design is your main focus
Works well with outside tools and integrations
Good option if you do not need loads of built-in features

Cons:

Fewer built-in business tools
Less of an all-in-one platform
May require more outside tools to fill the gaps

Business Features in Squarespace

Squarespace is definitely the stronger option when it comes to built-in business features. This is one of the biggest reasons so many small business owners and creators love it.

Beyond website design, Squarespace also offers built-in tools for things like blogging, ecommerce, scheduling, courses, memberships, donations, invoicing, and email marketing. That makes it feel much more like an all-in-one platform, which can save a lot of time and make everything feel much simpler to manage.

You may not get quite as much design freedom, but you do get a lot more functionality built in from the start, and for many businesses, that is a huge win.

Pros:

Much more all-in-one
Great built-in tools for business owners and creators
Easier to manage everything in one place
Better fit for service providers, shops, and content-driven businesses

Cons:

Some features cost extra
Not every built-in tool is the most advanced option out there
Less flexibility than using a stack of specialised tools

So, Which one is Better for Business Features?

If built-in business tools matter to you, Squarespace wins this one pretty easily.

Framer is amazing for design freedom, but Squarespace is much better if you want a platform that can support more of your business without needing lots of extra tools.

7. Who Should Use Framer vs Squarespace?

At this point, the biggest takeaway is that Framer and Squarespace are both great platforms, but they are great for different reasons.

Framer is Best for...

Framer is a great fit for designers, creatives, and anyone who wants a much more custom website without needing to rely heavily on code. If your dream site is something really unique, design-led, and a little less constrained by templates, Framer is probably going to feel very exciting.

It is especially well suited to people who already have some experience with design tools or who do not mind spending a bit more time learning a more advanced platform. If creative freedom, responsive control, and a more open-ended editing experience are high on your priority list, Framer makes a lot of sense.

Framer is a good fit if:

You want more creative freedom
You love design and want more control over layouts
You want a more custom-looking site
You are comfortable with a bit more of a learning curve
Design is a bigger priority than built-in business tools

Squarespace is Best for...

Squarespace is a great fit for DIYers, small business owners, and anyone who wants a website that feels polished and strategic without being overly complicated. It is much easier to learn, much simpler to manage, and comes with far more built-in features, which makes it a really strong all-rounder.

If you want to get a beautiful site live without overthinking every little detail, Squarespace is usually the more approachable option. It is especially great for people who want blogging, ecommerce, and other business tools already built in, rather than piecing everything together themselves.

Squarespace is a good fit if:

You want something easier to learn
You are building your first website
You want a more all-in-one platform
Built-in tools like blogging and ecommerce matter to you
You would rather keep things simple and streamlined

So, Which one Should you Choose?

If you care most about design freedom, Framer is probably the better fit.

If you care most about ease of use, built-in features, and getting your site up and running with less fuss, Squarespace is probably the better choice.

And if Squarespace feels like the right fit for you, our Big Cat Creative website templates are a lovely place to start. They are designed to help you launch a beautiful, strategic site faster, without sacrificing that polished, custom feel.

Squarespace Template Gallery