Orbit vs Squarespace
Squarespace looks good. Until you look closer.
Squarespace has the best design of any DIY builder. But polish isn't the same as performance. Here's the honest breakdown.
TL;DR
Squarespace is great for portfolios, personal brands, and event sites where "looks nice" is most of the requirement. Orbit wins when you need actual custom functionality, better SEO, or a brand that doesn't announce itself as a Squarespace template.
When Squarespace is the right call
Pick Squarespace if:
- Portfolio or personal brand site with standard features
- You want a site that looks polished without hiring a designer
- You're comfortable with Squarespace's specific design vocabulary
- Budget is tight and expectations are modest
When Orbit wins
Pick Orbit if:
- You need real custom design, not a theme variant
- Performance matters for SEO and conversion
- You want to add features Squarespace doesn't ship
- You need an actual CMS with custom content types
- You want to own the code and data
Head to head
The detailed comparison.
| Squarespace | Orbit | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | $0–$400 | $2,500–$15,000 |
| Monthly cost | $16–$65 + apps | $0–$20 hosting✓ |
| Design quality (default) | High (stock themes) | Custom to you |
| Performance | Decent (60–80) | Excellent (90+)✓ |
| SEO control | Limited | Full✓ |
| Custom CMS fields | No | Yes✓ |
| Stripe / custom integrations | Native only | Any API✓ |
| Own your code | No | Yes✓ |
| Migration difficulty | Painful | Trivial (export repo)✓ |
| Brand distinctiveness | Template-flavored | Fully custom✓ |
Our honest take
The verdict.
Squarespace nails visual polish better than any other DIY tool. But if you need performance, real custom features, or a brand that doesn't feel templated — you'll outgrow Squarespace, and migration is painful. Start somewhere you won't need to leave.
Best fit for Orbit
Businesses that need more than a polished template — custom features, better performance, real ownership of the code and data.
Not sure which is right for you?
30-minute discovery call. If Squarespace is honestly the better fit, we'll tell you. We'd rather lose a prospect than sell someone the wrong thing.