Can you use Squarespace without paying? Understanding Squarespace Trials and their Limitations.
As a Squarespace designer, one common question I get from folks new to the platform is around cost. Along with understanding which hosting plan to choose (I almost always recommend starting with the Business Plan unless you are selling lots of products), many people wonder if they can use Squarespace without paying.
The short answer? Kind of, briefly, and with limitations. In this post, I’ll share the differences between Squarespace trial websites and paid Squarespace websites. From understanding trial periods and limitations to exploring the benefits and drawbacks of trial sites, I’ll cover what you need to know about using Squarespace for free. If you’d rather watch and listen, scroll to the bottom to see the YouTube video.
👉 Be sure to grab a copy of my free Squarespace Prelaunch Checklist.
Squarespace Trial Websites and Features
Ready to build your website? If you are new to Squarespace, you'll likely want to test the platform before committing to a paid plan. Fortunately, Squarespace offers a free trial period to give you a chance to try things out before you hand over your credit card information. This trial typically lasts for two weeks. However, if you work with a Squarespace Circle member or purchase a template from them, you may be eligible for an extended trial period, in some cases for up to six months. During this trial period, you can explore the platform's features and functionalities to see if Squarespace is the right fit for your website needs.
Limitations of Trial Websites on Squarespace
While the Squarespace trial period provides a perfect opportunity to familiarize yourself with the platform, it does come with certain limitations:
One restriction is the ability to add only one additional contributor to the trial website. This limitation likely won’t pose a significant issue during the website building phase, but it's important to keep in mind for collaborative projects.
Additionally, trial websites cannot be accessed by the public without a site-wide password. This security measure ensures that trial websites remain private and accessible only to designated individuals.
Because the website is behind a password, it can’t be crawled by search engines. This means that Google (and other search engines) won’t be able to access, crawl, index, or list your website in search results.
Site Availability
During a Squarespace trial period, you can set a site-wide password for your website. This allows you to share your trial site with others by providing the password-protected URL (more details in How to share a Squarespace website before it goes live).
Extending the Trial Period
If you need a little extra time to decide if Squarespace is right for you, there's an option to extend the trial period beyond the initial two weeks. When your trial is ending, you’ll receive an email from Squarespace allowing you to extend your trial with one click. For those on the two-week trial timeline, this will provide an extra week to to continue exploring Squarespace before you pay for hosting. If that’s still not enough time, you can reach out to Squarespace Customer Support directly and request an additional extension - I’ve found them to be generous with offering additional trial time.
Transitioning to Paid Hosting
When the trial period ends and you are ready to make their Squarespace website live, you can subscribe to a paid plan. Once the hosting plan is chosen, remember to toggle your site's availability to "public," removing the site-wide password and making the website accessible to everyone (and Google too!). This marks the transition from a trial website to a live, fully functional Squarespace site.
Squarespace offers a robust trial period that allows you to thoroughly test the platform before making a financial commitment (or even sharing your credit card). The trial websites' limitations (restrictions on the number of contributors, providing only password-protected access, and making the site invisible to search engines) provide a controlled environment for you to build and test your website. Whether you are an individual DIYer or a template designer, understanding the capabilities and restrictions of trial websites is important for making informed decisions about using Squarespace. By taking advantage of the trial period, you can see if Squarespace is the right platform to bring your website vision to life.
