Squarespace vs Medium (2024 Comparison)
Squarespace offers a comprehensive platform for building professional websites with stunning templates and robust e-commerce features. Its 24/7 customer support ensures you have help whenever you need it.
- Beautifully designed templates
- Comprehensive e-commerce features
- 24/7 customer support
- Limited customization options
- Higher learning curve
Free plan?
YesStarting price
$16 per month
Medium provides a minimalist platform for writers to share their stories and engage with a global audience. Its strong community features and free access make it an attractive choice for content creators.
- Minimalist design
- Strong community engagement
- Free to use
- Limited e-commerce capabilities
- Basic analytics
Free plan?
NoStarting price
$5 per monthWhat is Squarespace?
Squarespace is a comprehensive website building and hosting platform that empowers users to create stunning websites with ease. It offers a wide range of customizable templates, intuitive drag-and-drop tools, and integrated e-commerce features. Whether you're a small business owner, artist, or blogger, Squarespace provides the tools you need to establish a professional online presence. Its seamless integration with third-party services and robust analytics make it a popular choice for those looking to manage their online content efficiently.
What is Medium?
Medium is a popular online publishing platform that allows writers, bloggers, and thought leaders to share their stories and ideas with a global audience. It offers a clean and minimalist interface, making it easy for users to focus on writing and reading. Medium's algorithm-driven content discovery helps readers find articles that match their interests, while writers can reach a wider audience through the platform's built-in social features. It's an ideal platform for those who want to engage with a community of like-minded individuals and share their insights on various topics.
Pros and Cons of Squarespace vs Medium
Pros & Cons of Squarespace
- Squarespace offers a wide range of stunning templates that are fully customizable, allowing users to create a unique and professional-looking website. Its design flexibility is a major advantage for those who want to stand out.
- Squarespace provides a complete e-commerce solution, with features like product management, inventory tracking, and payment processing. It's ideal for businesses looking to sell products online and manage their store efficiently.
- Squarespace offers round-the-clock customer support through live chat and email, ensuring that users can get help whenever they need it. Its extensive knowledge base and community forums also provide valuable resources.
- While Squarespace offers beautiful templates, the customization options can be limited compared to other platforms. Users may find it challenging to achieve highly specific design requirements without advanced coding skills.
- Squarespace's comprehensive features can result in a steeper learning curve for beginners. Users may need to invest time in learning how to navigate the platform and make the most of its capabilities.
Pros & Cons of Medium
- Medium's clean and minimalist design allows writers to focus on their content without distractions. Its simple interface is perfect for those who prioritize writing and reading experiences over design.
- Medium's platform encourages community engagement, allowing writers to connect with readers and other writers. Its social features help users build a following and reach a wider audience.
- Medium is free to use for both readers and writers, making it an accessible platform for those who want to share their stories and ideas without any financial commitment.
- Medium is not designed for e-commerce and lacks features like product management and payment processing. It's not suitable for businesses looking to sell products online.
- Medium offers basic analytics for writers, showing views, reads, and engagement metrics. However, it lacks the detailed analytics tools that other platforms provide, which can be a drawback for those who need in-depth insights.
Squarespace vs Medium: At A Glance
Value to Price
Squarespace offers a robust set of features for its price, making it a great value for those looking to build a professional website. Its all-in-one platform includes hosting, templates, and e-commerce capabilities, which can save users money compared to purchasing these services separately. Medium, on the other hand, is free to use for readers and writers, but its premium membership offers additional features like offline reading and ad-free experience. If you're looking for a cost-effective way to publish content, Medium might be the better choice.
Ease of Use
Squarespace is known for its user-friendly interface, which allows users to create and manage websites without needing technical skills. Its drag-and-drop editor and pre-designed templates make it easy for beginners to get started. Medium also offers a simple and intuitive interface, focusing on writing and reading without distractions. Its minimalist design ensures that users can easily navigate the platform. If you prioritize ease of use, both platforms are excellent choices, but Medium's simplicity might appeal more to writers.
Functionality
Squarespace provides a wide range of functionalities, including e-commerce, blogging, and portfolio management, making it suitable for various types of websites. Its integration with third-party services and built-in SEO tools enhance its capabilities. Medium, while primarily a publishing platform, offers features like content discovery and social sharing, which can help writers reach a broader audience. If you need a platform with diverse functionalities, Squarespace is the better option.
Scalability
Squarespace is designed to grow with your business, offering scalable solutions for websites of all sizes. Its e-commerce features and marketing tools can support businesses as they expand. Medium, while not a traditional business platform, allows writers to build a following and monetize their content through its Partner Program. If you're looking for a platform that can scale with your business, Squarespace is the more suitable choice.
Integrations
Squarespace offers a wide range of integrations with popular third-party services, including social media, email marketing, and analytics tools. This makes it easy for users to connect their website with other platforms they use. Medium, while not as integration-focused, allows users to share their content across social media and connect with other writers. If integrations are a priority for you, Squarespace is the better option.
Customer Support
Squarespace provides 24/7 customer support through live chat and email, ensuring that users can get help whenever they need it. Its extensive knowledge base and community forums also offer valuable resources. Medium, while offering support through its help center, does not provide the same level of customer service as Squarespace. If customer support is important to you, Squarespace is the better choice.
Security
Squarespace takes security seriously, offering SSL certificates, DDoS protection, and regular updates to keep websites secure. Its built-in security features provide peace of mind for users. Medium also prioritizes security, with measures in place to protect user data and content. However, Squarespace's comprehensive security features make it the better option for those concerned about website security.
Overall Rating
Squarespace scores higher overall due to its comprehensive features, ease of use, and excellent customer support. It's a versatile platform suitable for various types of websites. Medium, while a great platform for writers, lacks some of the functionalities and support that Squarespace offers. If you're looking for a well-rounded website builder, Squarespace is the better choice.
Squarespace vs Medium: A Detailed Breakdown of Key Features
Template Design
Squarespace offers a wide range of beautifully designed templates that are fully customizable, allowing you to create a unique and professional-looking website. Its drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to adjust layouts and add content. Medium, on the other hand, focuses on simplicity with its clean and minimalist design, which is perfect for writers who want to focus on content rather than design. If you value design flexibility and customization, Squarespace is the better choice.
SEO Tools
Squarespace provides built-in SEO tools that help improve your website's visibility on search engines. Its features include customizable meta tags, automatic sitemaps, and clean URLs. Medium, while not as SEO-focused, benefits from its high domain authority, which can help articles rank well in search results. If SEO is a priority for you, Squarespace offers more comprehensive tools to optimize your website.
Content Management
Squarespace's content management system is robust, allowing users to easily organize and manage their website's content. Its blogging features are particularly strong, with options for scheduling posts and managing comments. Medium excels in content management for writers, offering a platform that prioritizes writing and reading experiences. If you're looking for a platform to manage a variety of content types, Squarespace is the better option.
E-commerce
Squarespace offers a comprehensive e-commerce solution, with features like product management, inventory tracking, and payment processing. It's ideal for businesses looking to sell products online. Medium, however, is not designed for e-commerce and lacks these features. If you're planning to run an online store, Squarespace is the clear choice.
Analytics
Squarespace provides built-in analytics tools that offer insights into website traffic, visitor behavior, and sales performance. These tools help users make data-driven decisions to improve their website. Medium offers basic analytics for writers, showing views, reads, and engagement metrics. If you need detailed analytics to track your website's performance, Squarespace is the better option.
Social Sharing
Squarespace allows users to easily share their content across various social media platforms, helping to increase visibility and engagement. Medium also excels in social sharing, with built-in features that allow readers to share articles and follow writers. If social sharing is important to you, both platforms offer strong capabilities, but Medium's focus on community engagement might be more appealing to writers.
Pricing Comparison of Squarespace and Medium
We’ve compiled the pricing tables and highlighted the key features of both Squarespace and Medium to aid in your decision-making process. Let’s explore what each platform has to offer.
Squarespace Pricing Plans
- Access to beautiful templates and powerful tools for any website.
- Free custom domain for the first year with annual purchase.
- Accept payments with credit card rates starting at 2.9% + 30¢.
- Sell products and services with a 2% transaction fee.
- Unlimited contributors for collaborative website management.
- Advanced website analytics to track performance.
- Complete customization with CSS and Javascript.
- Professional email from Google Workspace.
- API integrations for advanced sales functionality.
- Professional shipping and tax services.
- Sales funnel analytics to optimize conversions.
- Digital Content and Memberships transaction fee of 1%.
- Most advanced commerce tools for online sales.
- API integrations for advanced sales functionality.
- Digital Content and Memberships transaction fee of 0%.
- Advanced website analytics and sales funnel analytics.
Medium Pricing Plans
- Support writers you read most by allocating a portion of your membership.
- Earn money for your writing through the platform.
- Listen to audio narrations of stories for a better experience.
- Read offline with the Medium app for convenience.
- Share member-only stories with anyone to drive more earnings for writers.
- Customize app icon for a personalized experience.
- Unlock a world of wisdom with enhanced access.
Our Rating Methodology
We thoroughly evaluate each website builder, focusing on key aspects like ease of use, functionality, and scalability. By analyzing user reviews and expert insights, we ensure our recommendations align with your needs. Each factor is weighted to provide a reliable final rating, helping you make informed decisions.
Squarespace or Medium: Which One Matches Your Business Needs?
Choose Squarespace If You Need ...
- Easy-to-use website builder
If you are a beginner or small business owner looking for an easy-to-use website builder, Squarespace is the ideal choice. Its intuitive interface and customizable templates make it simple to create a professional website without technical skills.
- Advanced e-commerce features
If you need advanced e-commerce features to manage your online store, Squarespace is the better option. Its comprehensive tools for product management, inventory tracking, and payment processing make it a powerful platform for businesses.
Choose Medium If You Need ...
- Minimalist writing platform
If you are a writer or blogger looking for a minimalist platform to share your stories, Medium is the perfect choice. Its clean design and strong community engagement make it easy to focus on writing and connect with readers.
- Free content sharing
If you want a free platform to share your content with a global audience, Medium is the ideal option. Its free access and social features allow you to reach a wider audience without any financial commitment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which platform is better for e-commerce, Squarespace or Medium?
Is Medium suitable for building a professional website?
Can I use Squarespace for blogging?
Does Medium offer SEO tools?
Which platform is more user-friendly, Squarespace or Medium?
Can I monetize my content on Medium?
Martin Lunendonk
Martin Lunendonk is a senior tech writer specializing in website builders, web hosting, and ecommerce platforms. With a background in finance, accounting, and philosophy, he has founded multiple tech startups and worked in medium to large tech companies and investment banking, bringing deep expertise and reliable insights to his software reviews.
