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How to Move from Squarespace to Self-Hosted Hosting: A Complete Guide
If you have been building your website on Squarespace, you may have reached a point where the platform’s limitations are holding you back. Whether it is the rising subscription costs, restricted customisation options, or the desire for greater control over your website’s performance and data, many website owners are choosing to move Squarespace to hosting that is entirely self-managed. This guide will walk you through every step of the migration process so you can make the transition as smoothly as possible.
Why Move from Squarespace to Self-Hosted Hosting?
Squarespace is an excellent platform for beginners and those who need a quick, visually appealing website without much technical knowledge. However, as your business grows, you may find that the platform begins to feel restrictive. Here are some of the most common reasons people decide to move Squarespace to hosting on their own server:
Cost Savings Over Time
Squarespace charges a monthly or annual subscription fee that can become quite expensive, especially when you factor in additional features and e-commerce functionality. With self-hosted hosting, you pay for your domain and a hosting plan separately, which can work out significantly cheaper in the long run. Many reliable hosting providers offer plans for just a few pounds per month.
Greater Customisation and Flexibility
Self-hosted platforms, particularly WordPress, give you access to thousands of themes and plugins that allow you to build virtually any type of website. Squarespace, whilst visually polished, limits what you can do with your site’s code and functionality. Moving to self-hosted hosting opens up a world of possibilities.
Full Ownership of Your Data
When you use Squarespace, your content lives on their servers. If the company were to shut down or change its terms of service, your website could be at risk. With self-hosted hosting, you have complete ownership and control over your data, backups, and files.
Better SEO Control
Self-hosted platforms give you far more granular control over your SEO settings. From editing your .htaccess file to installing advanced SEO plugins, the tools available on self-hosted hosting are far superior for those serious about ranking in search engines.
What You Will Need Before You Begin
Before you start the migration process, it is important to gather a few things together to ensure everything goes smoothly when you move Squarespace to hosting:
- A new hosting provider account (such as SiteGround, Kinsta, or Bluehost)
- A domain name (you can transfer your existing one or purchase a new one)
- A platform to migrate to, such as WordPress
- Access to your Squarespace account for exporting content
- An FTP client such as FileZilla, if needed
Step-by-Step Guide to Moving from Squarespace to Self-Hosted Hosting
Step 1: Choose Your New Hosting Provider
The first step is to select a reliable hosting provider. Look for one that offers strong uptime guarantees, good customer support, and scalable plans. Managed WordPress hosting is a popular choice for those migrating from Squarespace, as it simplifies a lot of the technical aspects of running a self-hosted website. Compare pricing, storage, bandwidth, and support options before making your decision.
Step 2: Export Your Content from Squarespace
Squarespace allows you to export your content, though it is worth noting that the export functionality is somewhat limited. Here is how to do it:
- Log in to your Squarespace account and navigate to Settings.
- Click on Advanced, then select Import / Export.
- Click Export and choose the WordPress XML option.
- Download the exported file to your computer.
Bear in mind that Squarespace’s export tool will not transfer everything. Gallery pages, product pages (beyond basic details), audio blocks, and certain other elements may not export cleanly. You may need to manually recreate some content on your new platform.
Step 3: Set Up WordPress on Your New Hosting Account
Most hosting providers offer a one-click WordPress installation through their control panel. Once you have signed up for your hosting plan, look for the WordPress installer in your cPanel or hosting dashboard and follow the prompts. Within minutes, you should have a fresh WordPress installation ready to go.
Step 4: Import Your Squarespace Content into WordPress
Once WordPress is installed, you can import the XML file you exported from Squarespace:
- In your WordPress dashboard, go to Tools and then Import.
- Select the WordPress option and install the importer if prompted.
- Upload the XML file you downloaded from Squarespace.
- Assign the imported content to an existing user or create a new one.
- Click Submit and wait for the import to complete.
Step 5: Recreate Your Website Design
Because Squarespace uses its own proprietary design system, your visual layout will not transfer over. You will need to choose a WordPress theme and rebuild your pages. There are thousands of free and premium themes available, and page builders like Elementor or Beaver Builder make it easy to create professional-looking layouts without needing to write code.
For more expert guidance on managing your website and digital assets effectively, visit the DA Manager Blog, where you will find a wealth of resources to help you grow your online presence.
Step 6: Transfer Your Domain Name
If your domain is registered through Squarespace, you will need to either transfer it to your new hosting provider or a third-party domain registrar. To do this:
- Unlock your domain in Squarespace under Settings > Domains.
- Request an authorisation (EPP) code from Squarespace.
- Initiate the transfer at your new registrar using the authorisation code.
- Update your DNS settings to point to your new hosting server once the transfer is complete.
Keep in mind that domain transfers can take between 5 and 7 days to complete, so plan accordingly.
Step 7: Set Up Redirects and Check Your SEO
Once your new website is live, it is essential to set up 301 redirects from your old Squarespace URLs to the corresponding pages on your new site. This ensures that any existing backlinks and search engine rankings are preserved as much as possible. Use a plugin like Redirection for WordPress to manage this efficiently.
Also take the time to submit your new sitemap to Google Search Console and carry out a thorough SEO audit to make sure all your meta titles, descriptions, and heading structures are properly configured.
Common Challenges When You Move Squarespace to Hosting
Missing Images and Media
Images may not always transfer correctly during the export process. You may need to manually download your images from Squarespace and re-upload them to your WordPress media library. This can be time-consuming, but it is a necessary step to ensure your new site looks its best.
E-Commerce Migration
If you run an online shop on Squarespace, migrating your products, customer data, and order history requires additional steps. You will likely need to use a dedicated migration plugin or manually export and re-enter your product data into WooCommerce or another e-commerce solution.
Final Thoughts
Choosing to move Squarespace to hosting that you fully control is a significant but rewarding decision. Whilst the migration process requires careful planning and a bit of technical effort, the long-term benefits in terms of cost, flexibility, and control are well worth it. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can make the transition with confidence and set your website up for long-term success.
Take your time with each stage of the migration, test your new site thoroughly before going live, and do not hesitate to seek professional help if you encounter any complex issues along the way. Your self-hosted website will give you the freedom to grow without boundaries.
