Squarespace is often the first website a coach, therapist or consultant builds, and for good reason: it’s easy to start. The questions come later, when the site starts to look like everyone else’s template, or when you want a page the section system won’t let you build.
I’m a certified Framer Expert, so I’m not neutral. I’ll also tell you clearly when staying on Squarespace makes more sense, because for some businesses it does. This guide explains how I move a site from Squarespace to Framer: the steps, the timing, what moves, what doesn’t, your SEO and your domain.
In short: switching from Squarespace to Framer takes 2 to 3 weeks for a complete website. Pages are rebuilt with more design freedom, blog posts and images move to the Framer CMS, and every old URL gets a 301 redirect. A domain bought through Squarespace can stay there and point to Framer. If you sell courses, products or memberships through Squarespace, staying may be the better choice.
Squarespace vs Framer: the comparison at a glance
| What changes | Before (Squarespace) | After (Framer) |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Templates and sections | Every page custom designed |
| Editing | Section-based editor | Visual editor, on the page itself |
| Blog | Built-in blog | Framer CMS, same posts and images |
| SEO settings | Built in | Built in: titles, descriptions, sitemap; redirects on the Pro plan |
| Booking | Acuity Scheduling, extra | Your booking tool, linked or embedded |
| Courses and members | Digital Content, with fees by plan | An outside tool such as Kajabi |
| Domain | Often bought at Squarespace | Can stay there, DNS pointed to Framer |
| Plan price (as of November 2026) | From $12 a month, billed annually | From $10 a month, billed yearly |
How long does switching from Squarespace to Framer take?
A complete website goes live in 2 to 3 weeks. Your Squarespace site stays online the whole time, and visitors only see the new one on launch day.
- Days 1 to 2, inventory. I list every URL of your Squarespace site with its title and description, and I check in Google Search Console which pages bring visits.
- Week 1, design. I design the main pages and you approve the direction before I build the rest.
- Week 2, build and content. I build the site in Framer, move the blog posts and images into the CMS and rebuild the forms.
- Week 3, redirects and launch. I set a 301 redirect for every old URL, test on phone and desktop, point your domain to Framer and submit the sitemap to Google Search Console.
- After launch. I watch Search Console for 404 errors and fix them as they appear.
A site with a large blog, several languages or tools to connect takes longer, and I say so before we start.
What moves from Squarespace to Framer, and what doesn’t
Your content moves; Squarespace’s built-in business tools don’t. Here’s what comes with you:
- Pages: rebuilt in Framer, with your texts kept or rewritten if you want. The design is no longer limited to stacked sections.
- Blog posts: moved into the Framer CMS with their titles, dates, categories and images. Squarespace can export one blog as a file meant for WordPress; I use it as a source, then check every post.
- Images: downloaded one by one and uploaded to Framer. Squarespace’s export only points to images stored on Squarespace, and those links stop working once the site is canceled.
- Files: PDFs you uploaded to Squarespace, with addresses starting with /s/, get a new home and a redirect.
- Forms: rebuilt with Framer’s native forms. If you’re a therapist, a website form shouldn’t collect health information: I link to the secure intake of your practice management tool (SimplePractice, Jane or similar) instead.
And here’s what stays behind, or needs another tool:
- Store, courses and member areas. Squarespace Commerce and Digital Content don’t move. Products go to Shopify, courses and members to a tool like Kajabi.
- Booking. Your scheduling tool usually stays where it is; I link to its booking page or embed it.
- Squarespace’s newsletter tool and form submissions. Export your contacts and past submissions before you cancel.
- Your template. It isn’t converted. The design is rebuilt, which is usually the point of the move.
How do you keep your SEO when you leave Squarespace?
You keep it by making sure Google finds every old page at a known address, with the same content and the same title.
- Same URLs where possible. Framer lets me set the address of each page and each CMS collection, so /services stays /services and /blog/your-post stays /blog/your-post.
- A 301 redirect for every old URL that changes. Older Squarespace posts sometimes have dates in their addresses; each one points to its new address with a permanent redirect, set in Framer’s site settings (as of November 2026, site redirects are part of the Pro plan, so a migrated site runs on Pro).
- Titles and descriptions carried over. The SEO title and description of each Squarespace page go into Framer’s SEO fields.
- Sitemap submitted on launch day. Framer generates it automatically, and I submit it to Google Search Console.
Squarespace and Framer can both rank. What makes the difference on Google is fast pages, a clear structure, good titles and content that answers your clients’ questions. The move shouldn’t cost you what you’ve built, and complete redirects are how it doesn’t.
How to connect a Squarespace domain to Framer
A domain bought through Squarespace can stay there and point to Framer. You don’t have to transfer it. I add your domain to the Framer project, Framer shows the DNS records to set, and those records are changed in your Squarespace domain settings.
- Keep your email records as they are. If your email (Google Workspace, for example) runs on that domain, only the records for the website change.
- Transfer later if you want. To manage everything away from Squarespace, you can transfer the domain to another registrar once the new site is live. It stays yours either way.
- Check the domain before you cancel. Before ending your Squarespace website plan, make sure the domain renewal stays active in your Squarespace billing, so the domain doesn’t lapse with the site.
How much does it cost to move from Squarespace to Framer?
A complete website starts at $1,500 USD, and a redesign costs the same. Rebuilding the pages, moving the posts and images and setting a 301 redirect for every old URL is part of the project. Payment goes through Contra, with 30% upfront. See my pricing page for what’s included, and this article on website costs for context.
The monthly cost barely changes. As of November 2026, Squarespace starts at $12 a month billed annually, and Framer’s pricing starts with Basic at $10 a month (30 pages, 1,000 CMS items) or Pro at $30 a month (150 pages, 2,500 CMS items), billed yearly. Because site redirects are part of the Pro plan, a site that already has Google rankings moves to Pro. Hosting, SSL and updates are included. Localization is a paid add-on at $20 per locale.
When staying on Squarespace makes sense
Stay on Squarespace if the tools inside it are doing real work for your business:
- You sell online courses or run a member area through Digital Content, and it works for you.
- You sell products with Squarespace Commerce and don’t want to move them to Shopify.
- You edit the site yourself every week, you like the section editor, and its design limits don’t bother you.
- Your site already brings in clients, and you’re not unhappy with how it looks.
- You’re just starting out and a DIY template is all the budget allows right now.
In those cases, improving your copy and your pages on Squarespace will do more than changing platforms. I compare both tools in detail in Framer vs Squarespace.
When moving to Framer is worth it
Moving is worth it when the website itself is what holds you back: you want a design that doesn’t look like a template, pages that load fast with smooth animations, and a visual editor you can still use yourself. It also makes sense when your courses or products already live in another tool, so Squarespace is only hosting pages.
I don’t have a Squarespace case study to show you yet. The method is the same one I use for WordPress sites, described in my WordPress to Framer guide: inventory, rebuild, content, redirects, launch.
My advice, in one sentence
If your Squarespace site is mainly pages and a blog and you’ve outgrown its templates, move it to Framer with a 301 redirect for every old URL and keep your domain where it is; if Squarespace runs your courses, products or memberships, stay and improve what you have. If you’re a therapist, see what a therapist’s website needs to do.
FAQ
How long does it take to switch from Squarespace to Framer?
A complete website goes live in 2 to 3 weeks: inventory, design, build, moving the blog and images, redirects and launch. Your Squarespace site stays online until launch day, so visitors never land on a half-finished website.
Can I connect my Squarespace domain to Framer?
Yes. A domain bought through Squarespace can stay there: you change its DNS records in Squarespace to point to Framer, and leave your email records as they are. Before canceling the website plan, check that the domain renewal stays active.
Do I need to transfer my domain from Squarespace to Framer?
No. Pointing the DNS is enough, and the domain stays yours. You can transfer it to another registrar later if you prefer to manage everything outside Squarespace, but it isn’t required to launch on Framer.
Will my SEO survive the move from Squarespace to Framer?
Yes, if the move is done carefully. Every old URL gets a 301 redirect, titles and descriptions are carried over, and the sitemap is submitted to Google Search Console at launch. Then I watch Search Console for errors during the first weeks.
Should I stay on Squarespace instead?
Stay if Squarespace runs your courses, member area or store and it works, or if you edit the site yourself and like its editor. Move when you want a custom design, faster pages and more freedom than its sections allow.
