Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between Squarespace and Wordpress / Wix / Weebly / Jimdo? Which one should I choose?

Squarespace is a hosted content management system. That means you do not need to have separate hosting for your website: everything is all done through one single account/login. Wix, Weebly, Jimdo and other 'website builder' services work the same way. However, Wordpress comes in two different 'flavours':

  • Wordpress.com - hosted version, but with limited template/customisation options
  • Wordpress.org - installed version, with lots more template/customisation.

A few years ago, I wrote a blog post comparing Wordpress vs Squarespace, so have a look if you are trying to decide between those two. I also recently wrote a post that compares WordPress and Squarespace from a design perspective, so have a look at that post, too.

As for Wix/Weebly/Jimdo vs Squarespace, the differences are a bit more subtle, but they mainly boil down to flexibility and different approaches to user interface / usability. Jeremy & Connie at Website Builder Expert have some great comparisons and reviews of these, so I recommend you use their site if you are trying to decide between Squarespace and other website builders (by the way, I'm not affiliated with them in any way - I just think they do a great job!).

My own personal opinion is that Squarespace is not the easiest, but it is the most flexible and powerful, and I think the templates are some of the best/most professional looking straight out of the box. However, only you can decide which tool is the best one for your own specific needs and situation. Remember, all tools have their own quirks and different ways of doing things.

Common questions about Squarespace galleries

What is the difference between a Gallery Block and a Gallery Page?

A Gallery Page is meant to be a standalone photo/video gallery, with little or no other content on the page. It is designed to keep the focus on the gallery items and remove distractions. A Gallery Block can go on any page, and is a great way to showcase images in context with other content.

How can I change the way my Gallery displays?

If your template allows it, you might be able to switch between slideshow and grid views in the Style Editor. However, some templates are restrictive and you can only have one or the other (and not choose between them). Of course, you can always work around this by using a Gallery Block. You can choose any of 4 different displays on a Gallery Block - here's a page showing the different views.

Can I have a slideshow on one Gallery and a grid on another Gallery?

Technically, no... but actually, yes. What I mean is: You can only set your template to have either grid OR slideshow, and that setting will apply to all Gallery Pages on your site. However, you could just do the workaround mentioned in the previous question: use a Gallery Block to display however you want it. Just insert a Gallery Block into a plain vanilla page and choose your preferred display.

I recommend you create a Gallery Page to store your images, even if you don't ever show this page to the public. Keep it in your Not Linked section, and add your photos to that page, but use a Gallery Block to pull the photos from there and display them on another page. Why not just upload the images to the Gallery Block instead? Well, they're a lot easier to manage when in a Gallery Page, and it also means you can display some or all of the images on other pages (or blog posts) if you want to.

Common questions about Squarespace blogs

Where is my blog archive page?

Squarespace doesn't come with a blog archive page per se, but you can easily create an archive by adding an Archive Block to a standard page (or any page). There's an example on the right of this text block.

My template doesn't use thumbnail images. Is there any way I can show an image along with an excerpt for my blog homepage?

YES! You can use a Summary Block to do this. I have done exactly that on two of my clients' websites: Dana Wood and Amanda Dudman. The page may look like a normal blog index, but it's actually just a plain vanilla page with a Summary Block inserted. The Summary Block is displaying as a List, and pulling blog posts from a separate page that is tucked away out of the navigation, in the Not Linked section. Pretty neat, huh?

Archive Block:

Common questions about Squarespace templates

See the Templates page for FAQs about templates.