Squarespace gives you a 14-day free website trial and you don't need a credit card to start it. If you need more time, you can request a one-time 7-day extension, which takes the total to 21 days. Your trial site stays private and can't take payments until you upgrade to a paid plan.
Squarespace doesn't have a free plan, so the trial is the only way to try it without paying. The good news is that it's a generous one: you can build the whole site and see exactly how it looks. The catch is that a few business features stay switched off until you pay, and you need to know which before you plan a launch date.
Squarespace trial facts
| Question | What Squarespace says |
|---|---|
| Length | 14 days |
| Card needed? | No |
| Extension | One-time, 7 more days |
| How many trial sites? | As many as you want; you pay for each site separately when you upgrade |
| Who can see it? | Nobody, unless you add a site-wide password |
| Contributors | Up to 5 on a trial site |
| Search engines | Trial sites aren't indexed |
What you can't do on a trial site
Squarespace says you get nearly all features during the trial, but its help centre lists these exceptions:
- You can't accept payments, connect a PayPal business account or create subscription products.
- You won't receive form submission emails. Squarespace suggests connecting a storage option like Google Drive or Mailchimp to catch them.
- You can't send customer email notifications or abandoned checkout emails.
- Image and file URLs only open for people logged in or with the site password.
- You can't submit a podcast to Apple Podcasts or license Getty images.
- Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools can't verify the site until you upgrade.
That last one is the detail I'd flag for any business owner. If you want your new site found quickly, upgrade before launch day so you can verify it and submit your sitemap straight away.
Small limits that surprise people
- Audio blocks only play when you view the site on its built-in Squarespace domain during the trial.
- You can't add code injection to the lock screen until you upgrade.
- If your trial site has more than one contributor, you can't upgrade it to the older Basic or Personal legacy plans.
- Each trial site is billed separately when you upgrade, so a test site and a real site are two subscriptions.
None of these stop you building and judging the site, which is what the trial is for. They just mean the day you upgrade should be a planned step, not something you do in a hurry the night before launch.
Testing more than one design
Because Squarespace lets you create as many trial sites as you like, you can try two different templates side by side with the same content and show both to a colleague or client. Delete the one you don't choose so it never gets upgraded by mistake.
How to start the trial
- Go to squarespace.com and select Get started.
- Choose a template to start from.
- Enter your name, email address and a password.
- You're logged into your new trial site. The 14 days start now.
How to extend your Squarespace trial
Squarespace says that after your trial expires, you'll get an email with the subject "Your trial has expired. Need more time?" To extend it:
- Open that email from Squarespace customer care.
- Click Extend your trial by seven days.
- You'll see a page that says your trial has been extended.
- Click Back to your website and carry on where you left off.
You can only do this once. To check how long you've got left, open the Billing panel, then Trial Subscriptions, then Website, where it shows the days left in your trial.
What happens when the trial ends
If you don't upgrade, you lose access to the site until you do. Squarespace says an expired trial site won't be made public and all its content is marked for permanent deletion, although depending on how much time has passed you may still be able to upgrade and pick up where you left off. Don't count on that window lasting.
Pick a plan that covers what you built
Squarespace warns that if you upgrade to a plan that doesn't include the features you set up during the trial, those features won't work after you upgrade. Compare plans before you pay, especially if you've built a shop, member area or bookings. My guide to what Squarespace gives you for free goes into the plan differences.
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A quick word on timing. If your trial runs out while you're still writing, don't panic and pay for a plan you haven't compared. Use the one-time extension first, finish the site, and then choose the plan with the features you built.
Two extras that come with annual plans
- Annual website plans include one year of free domain registration on eligible domains. The domain then renews at the standard rate.
- On select plans, if you register or connect a domain, you get one professional Gmail and Google Workspace account free for the first year.
Squarespace's pricing page says you can save by paying annually, so if you're sure after the trial, annual is the cheaper route.
My advice
Don't start your trial until your words and photos are ready. Fourteen days goes quickly when you're writing copy from scratch. Build the site, share it with two or three people using a site password, then upgrade a few days before you want to go live so you can verify it with Google and test a real payment. And if you're still deciding, compare it against other website builders while the clock is running, not after.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Squarespace free trial?
14 days, and Squarespace says you don't need to give credit card information to start it.
Can I extend my Squarespace trial?
Yes, once. Squarespace lets you request a one-time, seven-day extension from the trial expired email.
Can I take payments on a Squarespace trial?
No. Squarespace says trial sites can't accept payments, connect PayPal or create subscription products.
Can people see my Squarespace trial site?
Not unless you give them access. Trial sites are private, but you can add a site-wide password for visitors.
Does Squarespace have a free plan?
No. Squarespace doesn't offer a free plan, but every site starts with a free trial.
