Outgrown Squarespace and its monthly fees?
A subscription every month, templates everyone else is using, and a site you can never really move off their platform. I'll give you an honest view on whether moving to your own site is worth it. Senior developer, Hull and Yorkshire.
Trusted by Local Businesses
Adam reached out to me with some really thoughtful suggestions on how to improve my existing website, and I’m so glad he did. He quickly put together a mockup that made it easy to visualise the changes, and he clearly identified the exact areas that needed attention. One of the biggest improvements was the booking system, something I was actively wanting to improve and Adam completely transformed it into something much more streamlined and user-friendly. Throughout the whole process he was friendly, collaborative, and incredibly helpful. He always made time for me, answered any questions quickly, and was great to bounce ideas off. I’m super happy with the final result, especially the new booking system. Highly recommend Adam if you’re looking to upgrade your website!
Danielle Lowery
23 March 2026
Moved across my website to Adam @ headless and was a seamless move, Adam took care of everything and made it as easy as possible to work with. Really happy with my new website 5*
Amy Tadman
14 March 2026
Couldn’t have created our new business without Adam, his skills and knowledge of websites and ecommerce have been priceless. Thank you Adam
3 Ninjas Pizza
14 March 2026
The Problem with Squarespace
Squarespace is a tidy way to get a site up quickly, but you're renting it. The subscription runs every month whether your business is busy or not, and on the lower commerce plans Squarespace takes a cut of every sale on top. The templates look clean, but they also look like thousands of other Squarespace sites, and the moment you want something the template can't do, you hit a wall.
The bigger issue is ownership. Your site lives inside Squarespace's system. You can't lift it out cleanly, you're limited to what their editor allows, and your SEO and speed are only as good as their platform lets them be. Most small businesses don't need to be locked into that. They need a fast, bespoke site they actually own.
What You're Actually Paying Squarespace For
What the monthly subscription really buys you
Monthly Subscription
£16 to £40+ a month, forever. Stop paying and the site goes down. You're renting, never owning.
Commerce Fees
On lower commerce plans Squarespace takes a cut of every sale, on top of the card processing fee.
Template Lock-In
Clean templates, but ones thousands of others use. Step outside what the template allows and you're stuck.
You Can't Take It With You
Your content lives in their system. There's no clean way to export a working site and move it elsewhere.
Limited Control
SEO settings, page speed and structure are only as good as Squarespace lets them be. You can't get under the bonnet.
No Direct Developer
When you need something custom or something breaks, there's no one who knows your site. Just a help centre.
What you'd have instead
A bespoke site built around your brand, that you own outright, with the features you actually need built in rather than rented back to you every month.
What a move could give you
A site you own
Built for you and handed over as yours. No monthly ransom to keep it online, no platform holding the keys.
A design that's yours
Designed around your brand, not a Squarespace template everyone recognises. Bespoke as standard.
Genuinely fast
Built to load in under a second, which Squarespace's shared platform struggles to match. Google notices.
Full SEO control
Titles, structure, redirects and speed all in your hands, so the rankings you've earned move with you and grow.
Features built in
Blog, forms, booking, a shop if you need one: included and yours, not bolted on through monthly add-ons.
Direct support
When something needs doing, you talk to the person who built it. Not a help centre, not a queue. Me.
Your own site vs Squarespace
| Your own site | Squarespace | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | A site you own | £16 to £40+ every month |
| Commerce fees | None beyond card processing | A cut per sale on lower plans |
| Design | Bespoke, built for your brand | Templates you share with everyone |
| Ownership | Yours, move it anywhere | Locked inside Squarespace |
| Page speed | Loads in under a second | Limited by their shared platform |
| SEO control | Full, in your hands | Only what the platform allows |
| Support | Direct, talk to me | Help centre and email |
You end up with a site you own and can move anywhere, not one rented from a platform that keeps the keys.
How the Migration Works
From Squarespace to your own bespoke site, typically 2 to 4 weeks
Audit Your Squarespace Site
We go through your pages, content, images and any shop, and work out exactly what needs to come across.
Design Your New Site
A bespoke design built around your brand, not one of the templates everyone else on Squarespace is using.
Build & Migrate
Your content, images and structure are rebuilt into a site you own. Your new site is built alongside the live one.
Test & Launch
Redirects mapped so your rankings move with you, thorough testing across devices, then a switchover with no downtime.
Audit Your Squarespace Site
We go through your pages, content, images and any shop, and work out exactly what needs to come across.
Design Your New Site
A bespoke design built around your brand, not one of the templates everyone else on Squarespace is using.
Build & Migrate
Your content, images and structure are rebuilt into a site you own. Your new site is built alongside the live one.
Test & Launch
Redirects mapped so your rankings move with you, thorough testing across devices, then a switchover with no downtime.
Not ready to move everything at once?
If Squarespace is handling something specific you'd rather not touch yet, you don't have to move all of it on day one. I can rebuild the parts that matter most first, the pages that bring you enquiries, and move the rest in a planned way. For most small businesses though, moving across fully is cheaper to run and gives you far more control. I'll tell you honestly which makes sense for you.
Wondering if it's worth leaving Squarespace?
Book a free Squarespace surgery and we'll go through what you're paying now and whether moving is actually worth it for you. An honest view, no sales pitch. Or send a message if you'd rather.