Why Businesses Are Moving From Squarespace to WordPress in 2026
Squarespace is a solid website builder for getting started online. But as your business grows, you will likely hit limitations: restricted customization, fewer plugin options, limited e-commerce flexibility, and less control over your hosting and performance.
WordPress now powers over 43% of all websites on the internet, and for good reason. It gives you complete ownership of your data, thousands of themes and plugins, better SEO tools, and the freedom to host wherever you want.
But here is the thing that stops most business owners from making the switch: the fear of losing search engine rankings, breaking links, or experiencing downtime during the migration.
This guide is specifically designed to help you migrate from Squarespace to WordPress without downtime, without losing your hard-earned SEO rankings, and without any data loss. We will walk through every step in plain language so you can follow along even if you are not a developer.
What You Need Before You Start
Before touching anything on your live Squarespace site, gather these essentials:
- A WordPress-compatible hosting account – Choose a reliable host like Cloudways, SiteGround, or WP Engine. Your new host should support staging environments.
- A domain registrar login – You need access to wherever your domain DNS is managed (this could be Squarespace, Google Domains, Cloudflare, or another provider).
- A full list of your Squarespace URLs – We will use this for redirect mapping later. You can crawl your site with a free tool like Screaming Frog (up to 500 URLs free).
- FTP or file manager access on your new host.
- About 2 to 5 hours of focused time, depending on the size of your site.
Overview: The 8 Steps to Migrate From Squarespace to WordPress Without Downtime
Here is a high-level look at the entire process. We will break down each step in detail below.
- Crawl and document your existing Squarespace site
- Set up WordPress on your new hosting (using a temporary URL or staging environment)
- Export your content from Squarespace
- Import your content into WordPress
- Manually migrate content that Squarespace does not export
- Set up your URL redirect map
- Install essential SEO and performance plugins
- Switch your DNS with zero downtime
Step 1: Crawl and Document Your Existing Squarespace Site
This is the step most guides skip, and it is the reason most migrations result in broken links and ranking drops.
Before you export anything, you need a complete picture of your current site. Here is what to document:
Create a Full URL Inventory
Use Screaming Frog SEO Spider (free for up to 500 pages) or a similar crawler to get every URL on your site. Export this list to a spreadsheet.
For each URL, note:
- The full Squarespace URL path
- The page title and meta description
- Whether it is a page, blog post, product, or other content type
- Any images on the page
Record Your SEO Metadata
For every page and blog post, copy the following into your spreadsheet:
| Squarespace URL | Page Title (SEO) | Meta Description | Target WordPress URL | Content Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| /about | About Our Company | Learn about our mission… | /about | Page |
| /blog/my-first-post | My First Blog Post | A guide to getting started… | /blog/my-first-post | Blog Post |
This spreadsheet becomes your migration map. It is the single most important document in the entire process.
Take Screenshots
Take a screenshot of every important page on your Squarespace site. This gives you a visual reference to compare against your new WordPress site before going live.
Step 2: Set Up WordPress on a Temporary URL or Staging Environment
This is the secret to migrating from Squarespace to WordPress without downtime. You build your entire new WordPress site on a separate URL while your Squarespace site stays live and untouched.
How to Do This
- Sign up for hosting with a provider that offers staging or temporary URLs. Most quality WordPress hosts provide this.
- Install WordPress on a temporary domain or staging subdomain (something like
staging.yourdomain.comor a temporary host URL likeyourdomain.tempurl.host). - Choose and install your WordPress theme. Pick a theme that matches or improves upon your current Squarespace design. Popular choices in 2026 include Kadence, GeneratePress, and Astra.
- Block search engines from indexing the staging site. Go to Settings > Reading in WordPress and check “Discourage search engines from indexing this site.” You will uncheck this later.
Important: Do NOT point your domain to the new host yet. Your Squarespace site should remain live throughout this entire process until the very last step.
Step 3: Export Your Content From Squarespace
Squarespace has a built-in export tool, but it has significant limitations you need to understand.
How to Export
- Log into your Squarespace account.
- Go to Settings > Advanced > Import/Export.
- Click Export and select WordPress as the format.
- If you have multiple blogs, select your primary blog when prompted.
- Download the generated XML file and save it somewhere safe.
What Squarespace Exports (and What It Does Not)
| Exported Successfully | NOT Exported (Manual Migration Needed) |
|---|---|
| Blog posts (one blog only) | Product pages and e-commerce data |
| Basic pages | Image galleries and custom layouts |
| Text content and basic formatting | Audio and video blocks |
| Some embedded images (linked, not uploaded) | Custom CSS and design settings |
| Blog post categories | Forms, pop-ups, and third-party integrations |
| Multiple blogs (only one is exported) | |
| Navigation menus and site structure |
As you can see, the built-in export is limited. Plan to spend a good portion of your migration time on the manual steps in Step 5.
Step 4: Import Your Content Into WordPress
Now take that XML file and bring it into your new WordPress installation.
- In your WordPress dashboard, go to Tools > Import.
- Find WordPress in the list and click Install Now, then Run Importer.
- Upload the XML file you exported from Squarespace.
- When prompted, assign imported posts to an existing WordPress user (typically your admin account).
- Check the box that says “Download and import file attachments” to pull in images.
- Click Submit and wait for the import to complete.
After the Import: What to Check
- Blog posts: Open several posts and verify that the text, formatting, and images came through correctly.
- Pages: Check that your static pages were imported. Many will need layout adjustments.
- Images: Some images may still be hotlinked to Squarespace servers. You will want to download them to your WordPress media library. The free plugin Auto Upload Images can help with this, or you can use Better Search Replace to find and update image URLs.
- Categories and tags: Verify these transferred correctly under Posts > Categories and Posts > Tags.
Step 5: Manually Migrate Content That Squarespace Did Not Export
This is where the real work happens. Go through your URL inventory spreadsheet from Step 1 and check off every page that was successfully imported. For everything else, you will need to recreate it manually in WordPress.
Pages With Custom Layouts
Squarespace uses its own layout engine, and none of that structure transfers. You have two options:
- Use the WordPress Block Editor (Gutenberg) to rebuild pages using blocks like columns, images, buttons, and more.
- Use a page builder plugin like Elementor, Beaver Builder, or Bricks for more complex layouts.
E-Commerce and Product Data
If you run an online store on Squarespace, you will need to:
- Export your product data from Squarespace as a CSV file (go to Commerce > Products and export).
- Install WooCommerce on your WordPress site.
- Go to WooCommerce > Products and use the Import button to upload your CSV.
- Map the CSV columns to WooCommerce product fields.
- Review each product to ensure images, descriptions, pricing, and variants are correct.
Forms
Squarespace forms do not export. Recreate them using a plugin like WPForms, Gravity Forms, or Fluent Forms.
Navigation Menus
Rebuild your menus in WordPress under Appearance > Menus (or in the Full Site Editor if your theme supports it). Match the structure of your original Squarespace navigation as closely as possible.
Step 6: Set Up Your URL Redirect Map (Critical for SEO)
This is the most important step for preserving your search engine rankings. If someone (or Google) visits an old Squarespace URL and gets a 404 error, you lose that ranking and that visitor.
Understanding Squarespace vs. WordPress URL Structures
Squarespace and WordPress handle URLs differently by default:
| Content Type | Squarespace URL Example | WordPress Default URL |
|---|---|---|
| Blog Post | /blog/how-to-do-something | /how-to-do-something (or /2026/04/how-to-do-something) |
| Page | /about | /about |
| Product | /shop/product-name | /product/product-name |
Option A: Match URLs Exactly (Best Approach)
The cleanest solution is to configure WordPress so your new URLs match your old Squarespace URLs exactly.
- Go to Settings > Permalinks in WordPress.
- If your Squarespace blog posts lived under
/blog/post-name, set a custom structure like/blog/%postname%/. - For pages, manually set each page slug to match the original Squarespace URL.
Option B: Use 301 Redirects (When URLs Must Change)
If you cannot match URLs exactly (for example, WooCommerce uses /product/ as a base by default), set up 301 redirects from every old URL to its new equivalent.
You can do this with:
- Rank Math SEO or Yoast SEO Premium (both have built-in redirect managers)
- The free Redirection plugin
- Your server’s
.htaccessfile (for Apache) or Nginx config
Go through your spreadsheet from Step 1. For every URL where the old path differs from the new path, create a 301 redirect.
Do not skip this step. This is the single biggest factor in preserving your SEO rankings during a migration.
Step 7: Install Essential SEO and Performance Plugins
Before going live, set up the WordPress plugins that will maintain (and eventually improve) your SEO performance.
Must-Have Plugins for Migration
- Rank Math SEO or Yoast SEO – For meta titles, descriptions, XML sitemaps, and redirect management. Use your spreadsheet from Step 1 to manually enter the meta title and description for every page and post.
- Redirection (if not using Rank Math/Yoast Premium for redirects) – For managing 301 redirects.
- WP Rocket or LiteSpeed Cache – For page caching and performance optimization.
- ShortPixel or Imagify – For image compression. Your re-uploaded images may not be as optimized as they were on Squarespace.
- Broken Link Checker (temporarily) – Run this after migration to find any internal links that point to old URLs or missing pages.
Re-enter Your SEO Metadata
This is tedious but essential. Open your spreadsheet and for every page and post on your new WordPress site:
- Set the SEO title to match (or improve upon) the original.
- Set the meta description to match (or improve upon) the original.
- Set the canonical URL if needed.
Submit Your New Sitemap
Once your SEO plugin generates an XML sitemap (usually at /sitemap_index.xml), you will submit this to Google Search Console after DNS switchover.
Step 8: Switch Your DNS With Zero Downtime
This is the moment of truth. Your Squarespace site is still live, and your fully built WordPress site is sitting on a staging or temporary URL. Now you connect them.
The Zero-Downtime DNS Switchover Process
- Lower your DNS TTL (Time to Live). At least 24 to 48 hours before the switch, log into your DNS provider and lower the TTL for your A record and CNAME records to 300 seconds (5 minutes). This ensures the switchover propagates quickly.
- Do one final check of your WordPress site. Go through every page, test every form, click every link. Compare against your Squarespace screenshots from Step 1.
- Update your WordPress site URL. In Settings > General, change the WordPress Address and Site Address from your temporary URL to your real domain name.
- Update your DNS records. Point your domain’s A record (and/or CNAME) to your new WordPress hosting server’s IP address. Your hosting provider will give you these details.
- Wait for DNS propagation. With a low TTL, this typically takes 5 to 30 minutes. You can check propagation status at whatsmydns.net.
- Install your SSL certificate. Most hosts offer free Let’s Encrypt SSL. Make sure HTTPS is working before you announce the switch.
- Uncheck “Discourage search engines from indexing this site” in Settings > Reading.
- Test everything again on the live domain.
Because your Squarespace site was serving visitors right up until DNS propagation completed, and your WordPress site was already fully built and ready, there is effectively zero downtime for your visitors.
Post-Migration Checklist: The First 48 Hours
After going live, do not relax just yet. The first 48 hours are critical.
- Submit your new XML sitemap to Google Search Console.
- Request indexing for your most important pages in Google Search Console.
- Monitor Google Search Console for crawl errors, 404s, and indexing issues over the next two weeks.
- Check your 301 redirects by manually testing at least 20 to 30 old URLs in your browser.
- Monitor your search rankings using a tool like Rank Math, Ahrefs, or SEMrush. Expect minor fluctuations for a few days. This is normal.
- Update external links where possible. If you have links from social media profiles, Google Business Profile, directories, or partner websites, update them to point to the correct new URLs.
- Set up Google Analytics and any other tracking on your new WordPress site if you have not already.
- Run a broken link check across your entire site.
- Increase your DNS TTL back to normal (usually 3600 or 86400 seconds) after 48 hours of stable operation.
- Cancel your Squarespace subscription only after you have confirmed everything is working perfectly for at least one to two weeks. Keep it active as a reference and fallback.
Common Mistakes That Cause SEO Drops After Migration
We have helped many clients at PlutonWP migrate from Squarespace to WordPress. Here are the most common mistakes we see:
- Not setting up 301 redirects. This is the number one cause of ranking loss. Every old URL must either match exactly or redirect to its new equivalent.
- Forgetting to re-enter meta titles and descriptions. If your SEO metadata does not transfer, Google may re-evaluate how it ranks your pages.
- Leaving “noindex” on after launch. If you forget to uncheck that “Discourage search engines” setting, Google will stop indexing your site.
- Changing content during migration. Migrate first, then improve. Changing page content, titles, and structure at the same time as the URL migration makes it impossible to diagnose ranking changes.
- Not downloading images from Squarespace. If your images are still hotlinked to Squarespace servers and you cancel your account, all your images will break.
- Ignoring internal links. Your blog posts likely link to other pages using Squarespace URLs. After migration, these internal links need to point to the correct WordPress URLs.
How Long Does a Squarespace to WordPress Migration Take?
The timeline depends on the size and complexity of your site:
| Site Size | Estimated Timeline |
|---|---|
| Small site (under 20 pages, no e-commerce) | 1 to 3 days |
| Medium site (20 to 100 pages, some custom layouts) | 3 to 7 days |
| Large site (100+ pages, e-commerce, multiple blogs) | 1 to 3 weeks |
If you are a business owner managing this yourself, plan for the higher end of these estimates. If you work with a professional WordPress agency, the process is usually faster and more thorough.
Should You Hire a Professional for the Migration?
If your website is a core part of your business and you rely on organic search traffic for leads and revenue, it is worth considering professional help. A single missed redirect or a botched DNS switch can cost you weeks of lost traffic.
At PlutonWP, we specialize in WordPress migrations. We handle the full process: content migration, URL redirect mapping, SEO preservation, theme setup, performance optimization, and the zero-downtime DNS switchover. If you would like help with your Squarespace to WordPress migration, get in touch with our team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I lose my Google rankings if I move from Squarespace to WordPress?
Not if you do it correctly. The key is setting up proper 301 redirects for every URL, preserving your meta titles and descriptions, and ensuring your content stays the same. Minor ranking fluctuations for a few days after the switch are normal, but your rankings should stabilize or improve within one to two weeks.
Can I migrate from Squarespace to WordPress without any downtime?
Yes. By building your WordPress site on a staging or temporary URL first and only switching DNS when everything is ready, your visitors experience zero downtime. Your Squarespace site stays live until the DNS change propagates, which typically takes minutes.
Does Squarespace export all my content to WordPress?
No. Squarespace’s export tool only handles basic pages, one blog, and some text content. Product pages, galleries, forms, custom layouts, audio, video, and additional blogs must be migrated manually.
What happens to my images after I cancel Squarespace?
If your images are still hosted on Squarespace servers (hotlinked), they will break once your Squarespace account is canceled. Make sure every image is downloaded and uploaded to your WordPress media library before canceling.
Do I need to keep my Squarespace account active after migrating?
Keep it active for at least one to two weeks after going live on WordPress. This gives you a fallback and a reference. Once you have confirmed everything is working perfectly, you can cancel it.
Can I keep the same domain name when moving to WordPress?
Absolutely. You keep the exact same domain. You simply update your DNS records to point to your new WordPress hosting provider instead of Squarespace.
What is the best WordPress hosting for a site migrated from Squarespace?
For most business websites, managed WordPress hosting providers like Cloudways, SiteGround, or WP Engine offer excellent performance, support, and staging environments that make migration easier. Choose a host that offers free SSL, automatic backups, and good server response times.