GoDaddy vs. Squarespace: The True Daddy of DIY Websites?
First off, please excuse the innuendo. But hey, it got your attention, didn’t it? What I’m really talking about here is DIY website builders. Think of it like the dad who shows up with his toolbox—a jack-of-all-trades, ready to help you tackle any project. Reliable? Check. Practical? Definitely. Professional contractor? No. But he always gets the job done.
Recently, I lost a pitch for a client looking to refresh their brand and website. They’re a small team with a modest operating budget—exactly the kind of organization I thought would thrive with a streamlined, cost-effective solution. For the web portion, I pitched GoDaddy: affordable to build, cost-effective to maintain and easy to manage in-house with minimal training.
My understanding of the project? Their website’s primary purpose is to function as a professional repository for stakeholders—a clean, central hub where updates and resources can be easily accessed, complete with a paywall for member-only content. Its secondary role is as a public-facing site for those interested in learning more about the organization, though the potential audience is relatively small given their niche focus. They didn’t need a big, flashy, expensive site to act as a marketing tool, and to me, GoDaddy seemed like the perfect fit.
I also pitched GoDaddy because I know the platform inside and out. I could build the site for them at a low cost and train their team to manage it themselves—no “web guy” required—freeing up future operating costs for other priorities. But, alas, I didn’t win the pitch. While I still stand by the recommendation, the loss had me feeling all kinds of feels and asking myself a flurry of questions. Was GoDaddy too no-frills for them? Were they hoping for something flashier? How would I redo the pitch if I could turn back time? And most importantly, what could I learn to improve future web-focused proposals?
I admit, I was bummed. It was a client I’d worked with previously, genuinely enjoyed collaborating with, and who came to me through a referral that had already led to a great first project. While I’ve spent years working with agencies and understand the ebb and flow of the new business game—you win some, you lose some—working solo means you’re just a little more invested.
But hey, I’m never one to waste a learning opportunity. So, I set out to expand my skill set and enhance my offering. Enter Squarespace. I’d dabbled with it before—mostly tweaking existing sites—but I’d never truly explored what it takes to design and maintain one from scratch. So, I rolled up my sleeves, dove into the platform, gave myself a crash course and—bonus!—used the process as an excuse to give my own website a glow-up.
How do the two compare? Here’s what I discovered:
GoDaddy: No-Frills Simplicity
GoDaddy is all about getting you online quickly and painlessly. It’s perfect for small businesses, solopreneurs and organizations that need a functional website without the fuss. Even larger organizations can find value here—think campaign sites or microsites for temporary needs. No need to throw wads of cash at your digital agency for short-term assets anymore.
Why It’s a Win:
Drag-and-Drop Simplicity: Updating your hours, adding a product, or swapping out photos is so easy you’ll feel like a tech pro (even if your “tech skills” end at rebooting the Wi-Fi router).
Easy Maintenance: With a little training, anyone can take over updates. Say goodbye to overpaying your “web guy” for every tweak.
Budget-Friendly: Affordable plans that stretch every dollar. And cheaper to build when hiring an external consultant. Think sparkling water budget, not champagne—but hey, sparkling water still gets the job done.
Quick and Effective: Need a site up yesterday? GoDaddy’s the way to go. (no pun intended!)
The Drawbacks:
Plain Jane Templates: Functional, sure. Sexy? Not so much.
Limited Customization: Great for the basics but don’t expect it to wow anyone with complex designs or flashy features.
If you need a website that’s simple, reliable and low-maintenance, GoDaddy delivers in spades.
Squarespace: Sleek and Stylish
Squarespace is the fancy cousin of website builders—polished, sophisticated and undeniably good-looking. With stunning templates and advanced features, it offers more style and functionality than GoDaddy, but the trade-off? A steeper learning curve and a heftier price tag.
Why It’s a Win:
Gorgeous Templates: Squarespace templates are modern, minimalist and straight-up beautiful. Whether you’re building a portfolio, an e-commerce site or a blog, your website will look high-end without breaking the bank.
Advanced Features: Need robust e-commerce tools, integrated scheduling or a blog that doesn’t feel like an afterthought? Squarespace has all the extras for businesses that want more than just a digital calling card.
Polished Presentation: Everything about Squarespace screams “pro.” Even if you built it yourself at 2 a.m., it’ll look like a designer spent hours (and a small fortune) on it.
The Drawbacks:
Not for the Faint of Heart: Unlike GoDaddy, Squarespace takes time to learn—and even more time to master. Maintenance is absolutely doable, but if you’re like me, you’ll forget how to do things and find yourself googling tutorials every few months if you’re not using it regularly.
Higher Costs: You get what you pay for, and Squarespace is no exception. The platform itself is marginally pricier, and because it takes longer to build a site, hiring someone to do it for you costs more too. Not to mention, training your team to maintain it afterward will take longer and cost more than with GoDaddy, or you may choose to have someone maintain it for you which, of course, comes with an added cost.
Squarespace is ideal for anyone willing to invest a bit more time, effort and money for a sleeker, more modern website. It’s the perfect choice for businesses or individuals looking to elevate their online presence—just be prepared for the learning curve that comes with the glow-up if you want to take the maintenance in-house.
Verdict: A Parallel Landing (New to the blog? My tomatometer is explained here.)
Both platforms touch down smoothly, like planes landing side by side on SFO’s parallel runways—a thrill for any aviation geek when it’s timed just right and you feel like you’re racing the jet next door.
GoDaddy is your Ultra Low-Cost Carrier. It’s no-frills but dependable, with a surprisingly smooth flight and great service. Sure, the boarding process might feel a bit chaotic, there’s no legroom or meal service and you’ll probably disembark at the farthest gate. But it’s practical, reliable and delivers incredible value. If you need a website that’s quick to build, easy to manage and won’t break the bank, GoDaddy is a solid choice.
Squarespace is premium economy on your favourite mainline carrier—sleek, polished and loaded with extras. It’s for those times when you want to splurge for added comfort without going overboard. Perfect for anyone looking for a modern, beautiful website and willing to invest a little more effort (or money) to get it.
But here’s the thing: both platforms get you to your destination on time, safely and at a fraction of the cost of flying upfront. Let’s be real—not every organization needs the expense or hassle of hiring and retaining a first-class web developer. In fact, most don’t. GoDaddy and Squarespace can both get you where you need to go—it all comes down to your priorities.
My Experiment: A Glow-Up for My Own Website
As I set out to learn the ins and outs of a new platform and put Squarespace to the test, I decided to give my own site a refresh. It was a humbling (and, let’s be honest, occasionally infuriating) exercise in self-learning, but the results? Totally worth it. Check it out here and let me know if it passes the vibe check.
To answer my earlier questions—how would I redo the pitch? How will I improve the next one? Now I know both GoDaddy and Squarespace inside and out, along with the value proposition each offers. Moving forward, I’ll outline the pros and cons for both platforms in my pitches, giving clients options tailored to their needs and priorities.
Need a Website? Not Sure Which Platform is Right for You?
Whether you’re team GoDaddy, team Squarespace, or still undecided, I can help. I (now!) know both platforms inside and out and can create a polished, professional site tailored to your needs and budget.
Need content? Design? Training for maintenance? No problem—I’ll make sure you’re set up for success, whether you’re going it alone or relying on me for ongoing support.
Let’s chat about how to make your website work for you without blowing the budget.
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