Paid Vs Free Squarespace Templates - What's The Difference?
Recently, paid Squarespace website templates are gaining popularity. Is this a trend you should hop on? Is it a better choice than the free ones anyone can use? If you're wondering about these questions, along with all the details about what they are and why people are spending money on them, then keep reading to learn more about why paid templates have become a go-to choice for small business owners!
Let's dive into the difference between the two, how a paid template even works, and what is the best choice for you. If you want to learn more about whether fully custom design, DIYing, or a template is the best option, then check out my blog post by clicking here.
What is a Free Squarespace Template?
To put it simply, a free template is provided by Squarespace and is prebuilt into the platform. The template design is fairly simple, but a great option for new business owners who have a basic plan of how they want their site to look. If you don't need anything special or fully custom, then a free template may be the way to go!
Squarespace has a gallery of templates that you can look through to select the one that fits your needs best. They have templates targeted for those interested in blogging, shopping, or whose user experience is a top priority. They also make it easy to get started, all you have to do is visit the Squarespace website, click on Templates, then choose a few filters, and they'll choose templates that fit your needs the best and have all the features you'll use.
When choosing a template, think about what version of the platform you will be using. Right now, all new Squarespace users will start on Squarespace 7.1, but there's a secret way to start your new site with the direct link to the 7.0 templates, which you can check out here. Remember that when choosing a template, you can customise it to fit all your own needs, so it's important to focus on functionality rather than what it looks like, the bottom line is to go with your gut, because you can change almost everything later on! With Squarespace 7.1 website templates, every template can do the exact same things! They're all just designed differently to make it easier for you.
What does this mean? If you have the time to explore Squarespace and play around with the back end of things, you can switch from one design to another with the simple click of a few buttons. You have total control over what your site looks like since you can add blank sections, premade blocks, and custom code snippets to customise your entire site. If you're up for the challenge, you can even start with a blank slate!
One downside to a free Squarespace template is that they all look fairly generic, and your site may look like another Squarespace user. With that said, let's dive into the details of a paid template and if it's the right choice for you.
What is a Paid Squarespace Template?
A paid Squarespace template gives you more creative freedom without the headache of figuring out all the backend things. Instead of the cookie-cutter feeling of using the same template as every other business out there, you can have a premium site without having to create all the content and plan out every little detail of your website. They are more unique designs that you may not be able to achieve with no previous knowledge of Squarespace. Think of it like this, you get a unique site designed by a professional without having the expense of hiring a designer to create a completely custom site.
If you want to look like the professional business owner I know you are, a template won't break the bank but it will do the trick! A lot of these templates are designed by small business owners who are looking to help specific niche businesses, so it will be fully functional and not require a bunch of edits to fit your needs. From bloggers and photographers to virtual assistants and copywriters, there are templates out there that are made just for you! Even if you own a small physical or online store, there's a template out there to fit your unique business!
With these paid templates, chances are that you'll get even more than just the website layout. Many come in a course format with video tutorials teaching you how to edit and maintain your site to mimic the look of the template while making it your own. The design is intentional and strategic, sometimes even with images provided for you to customise! There are also usually many more pages than the typical few a free template comes with. For example, some businesses like to link pages for social media, portfolio pages, and pricing guides; all these options can be included in certain templates if you buy one specific to your niche.
Paid Squarespace templates usually include more guidance around how to use and edit your template so that you don't push your website to the back burner (again, am I right?) and can instead launch and share it with the world even faster than DIYing your website or using a free template that requires more customisation.
How do Paid Squarespace Templates Work?
There are different processes out there, and it can depend on who you're purchasing a template from, but chances are that your DIY website kit is just that - a kit that includes so much more than just the template! You will most likely also get access to a course or series of videos that teach you how to customise and edit the template to suit your own branding and personality.
Hint - look around for a template that fits your personality first! This can mean looking into different template creators and their various template options.
Some paid Squarespace templates come with step-by-step instructions how to build and replicate the look of the template you purchased yourself from the ground up, whilst other templates are installed for you and transferred over to you, so all you have to do is add in your own content to really make it your own. The transfer and install versions make the process super easy for you, you could have a beautiful new website ready to access on your Squarespace account with the click of a button! Once it’s installed, all you'll need to do is replace and customise these things:
Images
Colours
Fonts
Copy
And guess what?! Your template may even come with plug-and-play copy prompts and customisable images!
When you purchase a Standout Squarespace template for creative female entrepreneurs from me (Now live! Hop on over to Creative Market to check them out here), you'll get both of these features! The template will be installed for you, but you'll also get a series of training videos showing you exactly how Squarespace works, how to edit your template, and how to perform maintenance on your site. You'll learn how to update graphics and what to do to launch your site!
Is a Paid Template For Me?
If you're a business owner looking for a unique and custom website but don't have the experience to do it yourself or the budget to hire someone to create a completely custom website, then a Squarespace paid template is the best option to meet in the middle of your dilemma! As a Squarespace designer, I know how important a website is, but I want to make the process easy and affordable for you because a completely custom design option isn't for everyone. Want more info? Hop on over to Creative Market to learn more and check them out here!
psst…did you know i’m working on a new + improved collection of squarespace templates?
These templates are built using the new drag and drop Squarespace editor - Fluid Engine and have all the latest and greatest Squarespace features, plus some additional pages and loads of extra goodies! Sign up to the waitlist so you can be the first to hear when they launch plus get access to exclusive waitlist discounts and bonuses! 👇
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