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Payload CMS VS SquareSpace

Compare Payload CMS VS SquareSpace and see what are their differences

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Payload CMS logo Payload CMS

Headless CMS and Application Framework built with Node.js, React and MongoDB

SquareSpace logo SquareSpace

Squarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. Pages, galleries, blogs, e-commerce, domains, hosting, analytics, 24/7 support - all included.
  • Payload CMS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-10

Built with React + TypeScript, Payload is a free and open-source Headless CMS. Finally, a CMS that works the way you do. No black magic, all TypeScript, and fully open-source.

  • SquareSpace Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-09

Payload CMS features and specs

  • Headless CMS
    Payload CMS is a headless content management system, allowing for flexibility in how content is delivered and displayed across different platforms.
  • Customizability
    It is highly customizable, enabling developers to tailor the backend and content management experience to specific project requirements.
  • Developer-friendly
    Built with modern technologies such as Node.js and React, Payload CMS is designed to be intuitive and efficient for developers.
  • Open-source
    Payload CMS is open-source, providing transparency and the ability to contribute to its development or modify it according to your needs.
  • Rich Media Support
    It supports a wide range of media types, making it easy to manage and deliver rich content.
  • Advanced Access Control
    Payload CMS includes advanced access control features, allowing for fine-grained permissions and security settings.
  • Extensible API
    The CMS provides a powerful and extensible API, facilitating seamless integration with other services and applications.

Possible disadvantages of Payload CMS

  • Learning Curve
    As a powerful and highly customizable CMS, it may have a steeper learning curve for developers unfamiliar with its ecosystem.
  • Initial Setup Complexity
    Setting up Payload CMS initially can be more complex compared to some other CMS solutions that offer more out-of-the-box simplicity.
  • Smaller Community
    As a relatively newer and niche CMS, Payload CMS has a smaller community compared to more established CMS platforms, potentially limiting available resources and third-party plugins.
  • Hosting Requirements
    Being a Node.js application, it may require specific hosting environments that can support Node.js, which might not be as widespread as hosting for PHP-based systems.
  • Performance Overhead
    Complex customizations and integrations can introduce performance overhead, requiring additional optimization and scaling efforts.
  • Documentation
    Depending on the level of functionality required, the available documentation might not cover all edge cases or complex scenarios, leading to potential challenges during development.

SquareSpace features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    SquareSpace offers a user-friendly interface with drag-and-drop functionalities, making it accessible for users without technical skills.
  • Design Quality
    SquareSpace provides high-quality, professionally designed templates that are both visually appealing and functional.
  • All-in-One Platform
    SquareSpace includes hosting, design customization, and a variety of built-in features like e-commerce and blogging without the need for third-party plugins.
  • Mobile Optimization
    All SquareSpace templates are mobile-responsive, ensuring a seamless experience across different devices.
  • 24/7 Customer Support
    SquareSpace offers 24/7 customer support through live chat and email, providing timely assistance when needed.

Possible disadvantages of SquareSpace

  • Pricing
    SquareSpace plans are relatively expensive compared to some other website builders, which may be a barrier for small businesses or individuals on a tight budget.
  • Limited Customization
    While SquareSpace offers design flexibility, it can be limiting for advanced users who want extensive customization options.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    Although basic usage is simple, mastering some of the more advanced features and functionalities can require a learning curve.
  • E-commerce Limitations
    SquareSpace's e-commerce features are solid but may lack some of the advanced capabilities found in specialized platforms like Shopify.
  • Page Speed
    Some users have reported slower page load times compared to other website builders, which can impact user experience and SEO.

Payload CMS videos

+ Add

Payload CMS

More videos:

  • Review - Building a Professionally Designed Website with NextJS, TypeScript, and Payload CMS - Episode 1
  • Review - Building a Professionally Designed Website with NextJS, TypeScript, and Payload CMS - Episode 2

SquareSpace videos

+ Add

Is Squarespace Worth It? | An UNBIASED Squarespace Review

More videos:

  • Review - Squarespace Review: The Best Website Builder [2020]
  • Review - Squarespace Review: The #1 Website Builder!

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Payload CMS and SquareSpace)

Payload CMS

SquareSpace

CMS
13 13%
CMS
87% 87
Blogging
19 19%
Blogging
81% 81
Website Builder
0 0%
Website Builder
100% 100
JavaScript
100 100%
JavaScript
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Payload CMS and SquareSpace. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Payload CMS and SquareSpace

Payload CMS Reviews

  1. Alessio Gravili
    · Founder at Bonfire Leads e.K. ·
    Best Headless CMS

    Payload CMS is the most customizable & flexible CMS which exists

    🏁 Competitors: Strapi, Directus, Sanity.io, Prismic
    👍 Pros:    Everything can be customized|Swap out any admin components|Ability to create your own fields|Automatic graphql & rest api|Define collections & fields in code|Serverless support
    👎 Cons:    Does not support all databases yet
Best Node.js CMS platforms for 2022
Payload comes with built-in email functionality. We can use this to handle password reset, order confirmation, and other use cases. Payload uses Nodemailer to process emails.
Source: blog.logrocket.com

SquareSpace Reviews

  1. Team Wisdom
    · Small business Owner at SmokeHub ·
    Offers step-by-step video training to build website

    It has a sleek interface that makes it a simple platform to use.

    Squarespace enables non-programmers to create user-friendly websites. To assist novice users, the site offers step-by-step video training, which is amazing...

    🏁 Competitors: QPe
WordPress vs. Proprietary Site Builders: What to Know Before Starting a Website Development Project
Squarespace: Squarespace lacks a formal backup and restore system. While you can export certain data (e.g., blog content) in XML format, there’s no full-site backup option. Restoration is limited and often requires direct support intervention, making business continuity less autonomous and more dependent on Squarespace’s policies.
Source: blog.radwebhosting.com
Comparing 9 WordPress alternatives & competitors in 2024
Squarespace is a hosted website builder that’s well-suited for small businesses and service providers who want a simple site. You can use built-in analytics tools that surface crucial insights about traffic and trends without the need for complicated plugins.
Source: webflow.com
19 Best WordPress Alternatives in 2025
WordPress is still one of the best platforms for building content-heavy websites. However, for simpler sites, portfolios, or e-commerce, platforms like Pixpa, Squarespace, or Wix might be better choices due to their ease of use, built-in features, and lower maintenance needs.
Source: www.pixpa.com
The 17 Best Wix Alternatives (2024) Who Else Can You Build Your Website With?
Why choose Squarespace Over Wix? If you want to build a website that focuses on blogging, Squarespace is fantastic. Also better for small ecommerce projects, thanks to their $0 transaction fees.
Source: www.tooltester.com
Top 10 Web Content Management Systems
In 2024, Squarespace continues to stand out as a leading CMS. It offers sophistication and simplicity both at the same time. That’s why Squarespace suits a wide range of users, from small business owners to individual content creators. With its user-friendly interface and an impressive array of customizable templates, Squarespace makes it effortless to create a...
Source: cloudzy.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Payload CMS should be more popular than SquareSpace. It has been mentiond 91 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Payload CMS mentions (91)

  • I Found Perfect CMS after Years of Trial and Error
    Payload, a CMS powered by Next.js, or Sveltia CMS, a Decap CMS alternative using Svelte, are examples of CMS that I recommend to avoid until they become framework agnostic. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • [Video] Payload CMS Custom Array Field Component
    Learn how to implement a custom tagging system in Payload CMS using the array field and a custom React component! This video walks you through building a dynamic tag input where users can add, remove, and manage tags directly within the Payload admin panel. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Firebase and Payload CMS: Early Look at a Client-Side Auth Strategy
    This post details a proof-of-concept integration of Firebase Authentication with Payload CMS, focusing on the client-side implementation using Next.js. The goal is to allow users to authenticate via Firebase's various sign-in methods and then use the resulting Firebase ID token to securely access data and functionality within a Payload CMS instance. This is a work in progress, and I welcome feedback and... - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • I Built a Fast Image Compressor with Next.js and Payload
    Check out https://swissknife.cc/! I made a super fast image compressor that can handle up to 40 images at once, though it can do far more if needed. I'm currently limiting it to 40 images to explore the limits. It supports JPEG and PNG formats, making it perfect for social media and web use. Built entirely with Next.js and Payload (a headless CMS https://payloadcms.com/). This is just one of many tools we'll be... - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • [Video] 🚀 Real-Time Updates in Payload CMS with Web Sockets!
    One of the most critical features for enterprise solutions is real-time data updates—whether for dashboards, notifications, or live collaboration. While Payload CMS doesn’t natively support WebSockets (yet), I put together a solution to enable real-time updates today! - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
View more

SquareSpace mentions (36)

  • Best website builder?
    I highly recommend Squarespace, DM me if you want me to share some of my client's finished websites. Also, I am happy to answer any of your questions for free. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Squarespace is Hijacking my links
    I recently moved my website to squarespace and have added several text boxes with links to other pages on the site. However after clicking save and then testing the links, they always resolve back to squarespace.com. Upon reviewing the links they have been converted back to squarespace. Any advice? Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Blogging help: How to start from a scratch?
    Or, you can try something like squarespace.com as well. Source: about 2 years ago
  • SNI Dynamic Certificate
    I'm pulling my hair out here. Websites like wix.com, squarespace.com ...etc; can generate websites on the fly and still use SSL on every one of the millions of custom domains. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Horse pics: now with anatomical cutaway!
    Are you selling this on your squarespace.com account? Source: about 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Payload CMS and SquareSpace, you can also consider the following products

Webflow - Build dynamic, responsive websites in your browser. Launch with a click. Or export your squeaky-clean code to host wherever you'd like. Discover the professional website builder made for designers.

WiX - Create a free website with Wix.com. Customize with Wix' website builder, no coding skills needed. Choose a design, begin customizing and be online today

WordPress - WordPress is web software you can use to create a beautiful website or blog. We like to say that WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time.

Strapi - Manage any content. Anywhere. The leading open-source headless CMS. 100% JavaScript / TypeScript and fully customizable.

Pixelesq - Empower your team with Pixelesq's end-to-end website management solution. From startups to enterprises, accelerate your digital growth.

WordPress.com - Create a free website or build a blog with ease on WordPress.com. Dozens of free, customizable, mobile-ready designs and themes. Free hosting and support.

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