Can I Move My Website From Squarespace?

What Can You Export from Squarespace?

Squarespace provides limited export options. Understanding what transfers and what does not helps you plan the migration realistically.

Blog Posts (XML Export)

Go to Settings > Advanced > Import/Export > Export. Squarespace generates an XML file containing your blog posts, including text content, publication dates, categories, tags, and author information. This XML file is compatible with WordPress and many other CMS platforms that accept WordPress-format imports.

Product Data (Limited)

Squarespace allows CSV export of product data from Commerce settings. This includes product names, descriptions, prices, variants, and SKUs. Product images must be downloaded separately.

Media Files

Images and files uploaded to your Squarespace site can be downloaded manually. There is no bulk download feature, you need to save images one by one from your pages or use a website scraping tool to download all media. Save everything before canceling your Squarespace subscription.

What Does NOT Export

Page content (non-blog pages), page layouts and design, Custom CSS, navigation structure, forms and form submissions, member data, scheduling appointments, and site settings. These must all be recreated manually on your new platform.

Why Can't You Just Move the Whole Site?

Squarespace is a closed, proprietary platform. Unlike WordPress (where you own the files and database), Squarespace's templates, layout engine, and server-side code are not accessible to users. The design and functionality are tied to Squarespace's infrastructure. When you leave, you leave the framework behind, you can only take your content.

This is not unique to Squarespace. Wix, Weebly, and most hosted website builders have the same limitation. The trade-off for easy setup is reduced portability.

Step-by-Step: How to Migrate Away from Squarespace

Step 1: Choose Your New Platform

Identify what Squarespace is not providing that you need. Common migration targets: WordPress (maximum flexibility), Shopify (e-commerce focus), Webflow (design control), or a custom-built solution. Each has different import capabilities and learning curves. Note: if you only want to upgrade from Squarespace 7.0 to the newer 7.1 version while staying on Squarespace, that is a separate process, see our guide to switching from 7.0 to 7.1.

Step 2: Export Everything You Can

Export blog posts as XML. Export products as CSV. Download all images and media files. Copy all page text content into documents. Save your Custom CSS. Screenshot your design for reference. Save your sitemap (yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml), you will need the complete URL list for redirects.

Step 3: Build Your New Site

Import blog posts using the XML file (WordPress and many CMS platforms accept this format). Recreate pages manually on your new platform. Rebuild your design using your new platform's tools. Re-upload images and media. Set up e-commerce if applicable. Configure integrations with payment gateways, email marketing tools, and social media platforms.

Step 4: Set Up URL Redirects

This is the most critical step for preserving SEO. Map every old Squarespace URL to its corresponding new URL. Set up 301 redirects on your new platform. Squarespace uses URL formats like /blog/post-slug, if your new platform uses different URL structures, redirects are essential. Missing redirects result in 404 errors, lost backlinks, and ranking drops. For SEO preservation, redirects are non-negotiable.

Step 5: Transfer Your Domain

If your domain is registered with Squarespace, transfer it to your new host or a separate registrar. If your domain is registered elsewhere, update the DNS records to point to your new platform. Keep your Squarespace site active until the new site is fully tested and the domain has propagated.

Step 6: Test and Launch

Verify every page loads correctly. Test all forms, checkout flows, and integrations. Check that redirects work by visiting old URLs. Verify mobile responsiveness. Submit your new sitemap to Google Search Console. Only cancel your Squarespace subscription after confirming everything works. You may want to use developer tools to verify the technical migration.

Before You Leave: Features You Might Be Missing

Before committing to a migration, verify that Squarespace genuinely cannot meet your needs. Many site owners switch platforms only to find the new platform has its own limitations.

Speed concerns? Optimize your images, oversized images are the most common cause of slow Squarespace sites. Tools like RIOT compress images without visible quality loss.

Need better support? Squarespace offers live chat and email support on every plan. No phone support, but response times are typically fast.

Need more features? Check Squarespace's recent updates, features like member areas, scheduling, and the Fluid Engine were added after many sites were originally built. Your plan may include features you have not explored yet. For a full overview of building on the platform, our guide to site creation and branding on Squarespace covers current capabilities.

Common Mistakes When Migrating Away from Squarespace

Canceling Squarespace Before the New Site is Ready

Keep your Squarespace subscription active until your new site is fully launched, redirects are verified, and the domain has propagated. Canceling early means losing access to your content, images, and the ability to reference your existing design. Run both sites in parallel for at least one week after go-live.

Forgetting to Save Your Images

Squarespace stores your images on its own servers. Once you cancel your subscription, you lose access. Download every image from every page before canceling. A fast method: use a browser-based site backup tool to download your entire site including all media. This creates a local copy of every page and image in one step.

Not Setting Up URL Redirects

This is the most common and costly mistake. If any URL changes during the migration and no 301 redirect exists, Google treats the old URL as a 404 error. Backlinks stop passing value. Rankings fall. Create a complete URL map before building your new site, then verify every redirect is working before going live. Test redirects using a tool like Redirect Checker or simply visit each old URL in a browser and confirm it lands on the right new page.

Underestimating the Time Required

Sites typically take 2-3x longer to migrate than owners expect. A 15-page site that looks simple can take a full week once you account for design decisions on the new platform, content reformatting, image re-uploading, redirect setup, and testing. Build a timeline with buffer. Do not schedule the go-live immediately before a high-traffic period like a launch or sale.

Plan the Migration Before You Commit

Moving from Squarespace means rebuilding, not transferring. Export what you can, rebuild what you cannot, and set up 301 redirects for every URL. Keep your Squarespace site active until the new site is fully tested. And before starting, verify that Squarespace genuinely cannot meet your needs, the platform has evolved significantly and may offer features you have not tried yet.