The items to add up
- The plan you actually need (selling, bookings and some features are often limited to higher tiers).
- Billing period: annual billing is often cheaper per month than monthly billing.
- Introductory offers: check the renewal price, not just the first-year price.
- Domain: a free first year may renew at the standard rate.
- Payment transaction fees if you take payments.
- Email on your domain is often a separate subscription.
- Apps, plugins, premium templates and stock images.
- VAT: check whether prices are shown with or without VAT.
- Your time, including learning the tool and keeping content current.
A dated example
To show why the details matter, here is what Squarespace’s pricing page displayed when we checked it on 20 October 2026. Our server was shown prices in US dollars; UK visitors see prices in pounds, which may differ. Use this only as an illustration of the structure, and check the live page.
| Plan (as listed) | Paid annually (per month) | Paid monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $19 | $25 |
| Core | $29 | $39 |
| Plus | $49 | $65 |
| Advanced | $99 | $139 |
The same page said that website plans bought on an annual term include one year of free domain registration on eligible domains, which then renews at the standard rate, and it listed card transaction rates that vary by plan. That illustrates three of the cost items above in one place.
How to compare fairly
- Pick the plan that includes the features you need, not the cheapest one.
- Price it at the billing period you’ll actually use, at the renewal rate.
- Add domain renewal, email and any apps, for three years.
- If you sell online, estimate transaction fees on your expected sales.
- Compare that total, plus your time, with written quotes from designers for the same brief.
Questions people ask
Why don’t you list prices for every website builder?
Prices change often, depend on billing period and location, and some pages show different prices to different visitors. Rather than publish figures that go stale, we show the items to add up and one dated, sourced example.
Is the free domain really free?
On the Squarespace terms we checked, the free domain was for the first year with an annual plan, then renewed at the standard rate. Other builders’ terms differ, so check before you buy.
Do I pay VAT on website builder subscriptions?
Check the checkout page: some providers show prices without VAT and add it at checkout.