The 10 best Squarespace templates for small business owners
Overview
Table of Contents
All small business owners know how important it is to get your name out there so potential clients know about your products or services. Having a website is one of the best ways to do that, but how do you get your name out there?
That's where using a website builder like Squarespace, with plans that start at $14 per month, helps significantly. If you're self-employed, you're likely short on time, so it's reassuring to know that setting up a Squarespace website doesn't take more time than needed. The tricky bit is knowing which template to choose, as there are so many options out there when it comes to the best Squarespace templates for small business owners.
That's where we're here to help. Whether you're looking to highlight your work portfolio, advertise your services, or even sell products online, there's a Squarespace template for you. With that in mind, we've picked out different website templates for various purposes. Each will hopefully prove attractive to your customers, whether you're promoting your visual artist work or blogging to promote your way of thinking.
If you're still not entirely sold on needing a Squarespace account or an online portfolio, we've also helped explain some of the groundwork below. Read on while we take you through it all.
What is a Squarespace template?
A Squarespace template or theme is a pre-designed and ready-to-use demo website that you can apply to your own Squarespace website. Rather than needing to create a web design from scratch, small business owners can customize an existing design to get things just how they need them to look. This can include different colors, pages, fonts, and drag-and-drop elements like images, galleries, buttons, or forms.
There are dozens of different website templates out there, with each template built exclusively for Squarespace. Whether you're looking for one of the best Squarespace templates for any purpose, or you're specifically looking for the best Squarespace templates for blogs, there are plenty of options.
Is Squarespace the best website builder for small business owners?
Squarespace isn't the only website builder around. It's worth reading up on the differences between Wix and Squarespace, for instance, as both offer similar website builder services.
For the most part, though, we appreciate how easy and fast Squarespace is to use. It has an all-in-one approach. That means it can provide you with extensive web design options, website metrics, SEO features, SSL security, and unlimited bandwidth. It's an excellent one-stop shop for self-employed folk looking for a convenient solution, especially if you're not tech-savvy.
How does Squarespace compare with WordPress?
Squarespace and WordPress have a role for anyone looking for a high-quality website builder. WordPress is generally best for two very different purposes. If you solely need an incredibly basic blog, it's excellent and easy to set up. It's also ideal if you want to get deep into the web design aspect of things and make a unique site to promote your portfolio or online store.
However, it requires a lot more effort by small business owners, as you'll need to manage your own hosting and security and remember to update regularly. You may need to hire a developer to get things done too.
Alternatively, Squarespace templates are less flexible but have some great built-in features that allow you to figure things out more quickly. Squarespace also has valuable integrations for business owners like PayPal (to accept payments) and OpenTable (so potential clients can make reservations).
What kind of website should a small business owner have?
Much of this depends on your plan. Do you want a website template that works as a placeholder for your business, or are you looking to sell items via an online store? Other small business owners may need a place for a portfolio or a blog. Check out the templates tab on Squarespace's website to see what's out there.
There's no harm in experimenting with a few different styles before launching your site. A portfolio may require a template that offers a large image. At the same time, creative entrepreneurs may want to focus on some of the best Squarespace templates for writers. instead, as well as imagery. Even if you're a videographer, there are plenty of Squarespace templates for videos too. It's all about finding the perfect template for you, which is as individual as your business plan.
Are Squarespace templates free?
Yes! While you'll need to sign up for a (paid) Squarespace account and subscribe to the website builder, all its templates are entirely free. There's no such thing as a premium Squarespace template or free Squarespace templates, as they're all made available to everyone starting at $14 per month.
That means small business owners have plenty of room to find the perfect Squarespace template for their needs.
The only thing to look out for is there are two different versions of Squarespace with 7.0 and 7.1. 7.1 is the newer version tied into the July 2022 rollout of Fluid Engine, Squarespace's next-gen content editor for 7.1 sites. If you're new to Squarespace, you'll automatically have this, but older users will need to rebuild their site to upgrade. Squarespace versions 7.0 and 7.1 treat templates differently. (For example, 7.0 categorizes them into families, but 7.1 doesn't so it's easier to swap templates.)
Are Squarespace templates mobile-friendly?
Yes, Squarespace templates are very mobile-friendly. That's only improved recently with Fluid Engine and 7.1 adding improved layout flexibility for mobile use. Besides ensuring your customers get a good experience when looking at your website on their smartphone, the templates are also optimized for SEO purposes, so you can enjoy a superior search engine rating than if you did it manually.
Squarespace templates can also be edited or updated via your smartphone, which can be particularly useful if you want to add content while on the road.
However you plan on setting up your Squarespace website, it's pretty much impossible to make an ugly one. If you need inspiration, however, read on and check out our look at the best Squarespace templates for small business owners.
Note: Most of our recommendations are from Squarespace version 7.1, but we've sprinkled in a few options from version 7.0 that continue to stand out. Templates have been labeled accordingly.
Maca
Best For Online Stores
The Good & The Bad
- Clear navigation bar with extensive options
- Can set up featured collections and arrange them just how you want
- Beautiful modern style
- Too modern for some small businesses
Why We Like It
If you aim to attract some online sales, then Maca is a great template to use. All Squarespace templates support ecommerce, but Maca does it in a far better style. It's easy to set up pages explaining your shipping policy, answer any questions, and include terms of use. There's also room for social media links, plus customers can easily browse for whatever they want via some clearly defined images and descriptions. It's a visually exciting theme, too, looking good without taking the focus away from your products. You can easily arrange things, so you have a featured collection, being particularly useful during certain holiday events.
Details
Quincy
Best for Event Photographers
The Good & The Bad
- Classy design
- Extensive but user-friendly contact form
- Great way to show off large images
- Only useful for photographers
Why We Like It
Ideally suited for the avid events photographer, Quincy makes a great impression with its portfolio template. It's not possible to buy via the template, but it's excellent for highlighting a large image on the landing page. That way, you can instantly show just what you're capable of. A ready-made form makes contact with potential clients a breeze, right down to already asking about dates and what services are required. An About page and social media links consistently ensure the personal touch necessary for something like wedding or event photography.
Details
Flatiron
Best For Artists
The Good & The Bad
- Images attractively arranged in a grid layout
- Store page option but not essential
- Can add captions and descriptions to imagery
- 7.0 template
- Little dated
Why We Like It
If you're a visual artist who wants an online portfolio to showcase your wares, Flatiron does so while still allowing you to sell prints. It's sure to stand out amongst other artist websites thanks to its grid-style homepage that gives potential clients a quick overview before allowing them to learn more. It's optional if you want to sell prints directly or opt to use this as an online portfolio instead. There aren't social media buttons but purely as a portfolio; this is an excellent template option. It's an old hand in the Squarespace template world, but Flatiron continues to be a hit.
Details
Growwell
Best For Course Creators
The Good & The Bad
- Pre-enabled with Squarespace's premium Members Area feature
- Straightforward interface with plenty of room for images and text
- Dedicated press section for drumming up more attention
- Only useful for course creators
- Standard demo looks a bit unoriginal
Why We Like It
If your online coaching or teaching business has grown since the COVID-19 pandemic, Growwell is the perfect Squarespace template for your needs. Pre-created with Squarespace's premium Member Areas feature, it's ideal for course creators. You can create gated content for virtual classes, workshops, menu plans, or newsletters. It's up to you if you want to set up a membership fee or simply have a free membership plan. Either way, the template makes everything super convenient for you and your potential clients. You can even add a press section to help garner more interest from the media.
Details
Colima
Best For Making Appointments
The Good & The Bad
- Squarespace's premium Scheduling feature is pre-enabled
- Plenty of pages to tell customers all about your business philosophy
- Classy looking design
- Readability can be an issue depending on the images you choose
Why We Like It
One of the best Squarespace templates for small business owners that need to schedule appointments, Colima is a good choice if you need to translate an online search to an in-person meeting. It comes pre-enabled with Squarespace's premium Scheduling feature so it's simple for potential clients to book appointments and for you to manage them. It's easy to see availability and for customers to pay online, with the back-end similarly easy for you to automate via the Squarespace dashboard. It also looks attractive with the template adding a touch of class to your business. You can even add a blog to keep your customers updated on developments.
Details
Atlantic
Best For Restaurants
The Good & The Bad
- Perfect template for making reservations
- Rotating image gallery
- Looks great on mobile
- Only any good for restaurants
Why We Like It
A restaurant website needs two things - a straightforward menu and a way to reserve a table via OpenTable. Atlantic makes those two aims its focus with pre-formatted sections for two different menus as well as a reservations page with an OpenTable block. It even incorporates a Yelp icon in the social media selection too. The landing page also includes everything you need to know, such as location, opening hours, and a history of the restaurant. With a rotating image gallery ideally suited for showing off your delicious food, more restaurants could do with offering this clear template.
Details
Clarkson
Best For Non-Profits
The Good & The Bad
- Pre-built donate and take part prompts
- Looks great on mobile
- Neat fade-in effects
- Little basic looking
Why We Like It
Not all businesses are profit-seeking, with Clarkson designed for non-profits. It has pre-built donate and volunteer prompts that can be tweaked to convey your message. It's a little minimalist and basic at times, but it's effortless to read on mobile or figure out at a glance. If you're short on time and want a template option that gets your important message out there, you can build on Clarkson by adding social media buttons where it counts. Being able to add large images makes it a more visual experience than a conventional blog too.
Details
Fillmore
Best For Business Bloggers
The Good & The Bad
- Ideal for a more personal touch
- Neat fade-in effect
- Conveys a sense of knowledge
- Little cramped on mobile
Why We Like It
If you're selling your services or talent, a blog-style Squarespace template such as Fillmore is a good option. It's effectively a digital scrapbook giving you space to add tons of photos and text. A gallery rounds everything up nicely, or you can enjoy a standard page with a list block to turn into a guide of sorts. If you're selling your knowledge of something or simply making sure your business looks like an expert in your field, this is a more personal way rather than appearing as if you're pushing a product all the time.
Details
Suhama
Best For Freelance Writers
The Good & The Bad
- One-page design
- No filler content
- Easy to scroll through
- No image block options
Why We Like It
Writers of all types need to be able to promote their work and send potential clients to their portfolio at the touch of a button. Suhama is a one-page portfolio template that offers room for a professional statement, bio, and links to your best writing samples. Social media links can also be included, so getting in touch with you is easy. It lacks images by default; although you can add them to highlight your text-based work, Suhama is super simple to get set up.
Details
Paloma
Best For Musicians
The Good & The Bad
- Ideal for audio-based business owners
- Stylish looking
- Only any good for audio format
- It can get a bit tricky to set up
Why We Like It
If you're a self-employed musician or podcast content creator, Squarespace templates may feel like they focus too much on visual elements. That changes with Paloma, which is attractive but offers a built-in player on the landing page and the ability to add podcasts. It requires a bit more site-building expertise than others, so it is only really suitable for audiophiles. Still, it's attractive while making it easy for you to take potential clients to your songs or episodes. A blog page also means you can write your thoughts down.
Details
Topics Squarespace
Georgia Dodd is a Shopping Fellow.
