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Showit vs Squarespace comparison showing custom Showit website design for interior designer on tablet and mobile devices with portfolio galleries and responsive layout

Showit vs. Squarespace: Which is Better for Creative Businesses?

August 17, 2025

You’ve spent hours scrolling through Pinterest, bookmarking website inspiration, and dreaming about that perfect online home for your creative business. But then reality hits: Which platform should you actually choose? If you’re torn between Showit and Squarespace (and maybe feeling a little overwhelmed by all the conflicting advice online), you’re in the right place.

The Creative’s Platform Dilemma

As a creative entrepreneur, your website isn’t just a digital business card—it’s your portfolio, your sales team, and often your biggest marketing tool all rolled into one. The platform you choose can either elevate your brand or hold it back, which is why this decision feels so crucial.

Both Showit and Squarespace are popular choices among creative professionals, but they serve different needs and work styles. Let’s break down what really matters for your creative business.

1. Design Flexibility: Where Your Creative Vision Comes to Life

Showit’s Approach: Think of Showit as the Photoshop of website builders. It offers complete design freedom with drag-and-drop functionality that lets you place elements exactly where you want them. You can create custom layouts, overlap images and text, and build truly unique designs that reflect your artistic vision. The best part? Once your website is built by a professional, you’ll be able to make simple updates yourself—like swapping out photos, updating text, or adding new portfolio pieces.

Best for: Photographers, designers, and artists who want their website to be as unique as their work and love having control over future updates.

Squarespace’s Approach: Squarespace provides beautiful, professionally designed templates that you can customize within certain parameters. While less flexible than Showit, the templates are sophisticated and mobile-responsive right out of the box.

Best for: Creative professionals who want a polished, professional look without spending weeks on design details.

2. User-Friendliness: How Much Tech Stress Can You Handle?

Learning Curve Reality Check: Here’s what most people don’t tell you about Showit—yes, it has a learning curve if you’re building from scratch, but when you work with an experienced designer, you get the best of both worlds. You’ll have a professionally designed, completely custom website, plus the ability to make simple updates yourself once it’s complete.

The beauty is that you don’t have to master the entire platform. Your designer handles the complex setup and custom design work, then teaches you the basics for ongoing maintenance. Most clients find they can confidently update their portfolio, swap out photos, or edit text after just one training session.

Squarespace is more intuitive for complete DIY beginners, but you’ll be limited by template constraints and may need to hire help for customizations anyway.

The Bottom Line: Working with a professional designer eliminates most of the tech stress. You get a custom website built by someone who knows the platform inside and out, plus the confidence to make updates yourself moving forward.

3. Mobile Optimization: Because Half Your Clients Browse on Their Phones

Showit’s Mobile Strategy: Here’s where it gets interesting—Showit lets you design separate mobile and desktop versions of your site. This means ultimate control, but it also means double the design work.

Squarespace’s Mobile Magic: Templates automatically adapt to mobile devices, which saves time but gives you less control over the mobile experience.

Pro tip: Regardless of platform, always check how your site looks on your phone before going live. Your mobile experience can make or break a potential client’s first impression.

4. SEO and Blogging: Getting Found by Your Dream Clients

For Content Creators: If blogging is a big part of your marketing strategy, Squarespace has a more robust built-in blogging system with better SEO tools. Showit partners with WordPress for blogging, which is powerful but requires managing two separate systems.

The SEO Truth: Both platforms can rank well in search engines, but success depends more on your content strategy than your platform choice. Focus on creating valuable content for your ideal clients rather than obsessing over technical SEO details.

5. Budget Considerations: The Real Investment

Pricing Reality: While Showit starts around $19/month and Squarespace begins at $18/month, the real value comes from what you get long-term. With Showit, you can invest in professional design once and maintain it yourself afterward. Many of our clients love this approach because they’re not dependent on a designer for every small update, but they also don’t have to compromise on having a truly custom design.

The Investment Advantage: When you work with a designer on Showit, you’re not just paying for the website—you’re investing in:

  • A completely custom design that stands out from template-based sites
  • Training on how to update your site yourself (we provide step-by-step videos)
  • Long-term independence for content updates
  • Professional setup that you couldn’t achieve on your own

Hidden Costs to Consider:

  • Professional photos (essential for both platforms)
  • Premium fonts or design elements
  • Potential designer help if you get stuck
  • Apps and integrations as your business grows

Making Your Decision: Questions to Ask Yourself

Before choosing, honestly assess:

  • Do you want a website that looks like everyone else’s, or something completely unique?
  • Would you prefer to learn a platform from scratch, or have an expert build it professionally and teach you the basics?
  • How important is it that you can make your own updates without calling a designer?
  • Are you looking for the cheapest option, or the best long-term investment?

The Verdict for Creative Businesses

For creative entrepreneurs who want to stand out online, Showit offers unmatched design flexibility and long-term value. While Squarespace can get you online quickly, you’ll likely outgrow its limitations as your business evolves. Showit grows with you, especially when you start with professional design and learn to manage updates yourself.

The sweet spot? Working with a designer who specializes in Showit, gets your vision built professionally, then empowers you with the knowledge to keep it fresh. You get the best of both worlds—stunning custom design and ongoing independence.

Your Website Should Work for You, Not Against You

The most successful creative websites aren’t just beautiful—they’re built strategically and maintained easily. That’s why we specialize in Showit at Maison du Pixel. We handle the complex design and setup, then provide you with step-by-step video tutorials so you can confidently update your content, swap portfolio images, and keep your site fresh without needing a designer for every little change.

This approach gives our clients the confidence of having a professionally designed website with the independence of managing their own content. It’s the perfect balance for busy creatives who want to focus on their craft, not wrestle with website technology.

Ready to Stop Second-Guessing Your Website Platform?

If you’re still feeling overwhelmed by the options (or you’ve chosen a platform but need help bringing your vision to life), let’s chat. We’d love to help you create a website that feels authentically you and works as hard as you do for your business.

Book a free consultation call to discuss your website goals and get personalized platform recommendations based on your specific needs and business vision.

Still have questions about Showit vs. Squarespace? Drop them in the comments below—we love helping fellow creatives navigate the digital world.

Welcome to Maison du Pixel! I'm Karen, founder and lead designer, I translate your unique vision into digital luxury. Drawing from my expertise in design, photography, and real estate, I create websites that are sophisticated yet engaging, beautiful yet strategic – just like your brand.

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Branding + websites that mean business