Squarespace Domain Renewal Cost: How Much & How Often

How Much Does Squarespace Domain Renewal Cost?

Squarespace domain renewal pricing varies by TLD (top-level domain). Here are the typical renewal rates:

.com: ~$20/year
.org: ~$25/year
.net: ~$20/year
.co: ~$35/year
.io: ~$50/year
.design, .studio: ~$40-60/year
Specialty TLDs: Up to $70/year

These prices are for renewal only. If you received a free domain with your annual website plan, the free period covers the first year. After that, you pay the standard renewal rate annually. Check the current pricing on Squarespace's domain renewals page for the most up-to-date rates, as prices can adjust periodically.

What Is Included with Every Domain Renewal?

Free WHOIS privacy. Your personal information stays hidden from public WHOIS lookups at no extra cost. Other registrars like GoDaddy charge $10-15/year for this service.

Free SSL certificate. HTTPS stays active on your site as long as your domain is connected. No separate SSL purchase needed.

DNS management. Full control over DNS records, A records, CNAME, MX, and TXT records, all included with your domain at no additional cost.

Auto-renewal option. Set your domain to renew automatically so you never accidentally lose it.

How to Renew Your Squarespace Domain

Automatic Renewal (Recommended)

Go to Settings, select Domains, then click your domain. Enable Auto-Renew in the renewal settings. Your domain renews automatically using your payment method on file. Squarespace sends reminder emails before the renewal date. This is the safest option, as there is no risk of forgetting and losing your domain.

Manual Renewal

If auto-renewal is disabled, Squarespace sends reminders starting 60 days before expiration. Log in to Settings, select Domains, click your domain, then select Renew. Complete payment and your domain extends for another year from its current expiration date.

What Happens If You Forget to Renew?

Grace period. After your domain expires, Squarespace provides a grace period (typically 30-40 days) during which you can still renew at the standard rate. Your website may go offline during this period.

Redemption period. After the grace period, the domain enters a redemption phase. Renewal during this period may incur an additional fee. Not all TLDs offer a redemption period.

Domain release. After redemption expires, your domain is released back to the public pool and anyone can register it. Once released, you have no guarantee of getting it back. This is why auto-renewal is critical.

Is Squarespace Domain Renewal Competitive?

Here is how Squarespace's .com renewal compares to major registrars:

Squarespace: ~$20/year (WHOIS privacy included free)
Namecheap: ~$13-15/year (WHOIS privacy ~$3/year extra)
GoDaddy: ~$20-22/year (WHOIS privacy ~$10-15/year extra)
Cloudflare: ~$10-11/year (at-cost pricing, WHOIS privacy free)
Bluehost: ~$18-20/year (WHOIS privacy ~$12/year extra)

Squarespace's renewal pricing is mid-range. When you factor in the included WHOIS privacy (worth $10-15 at other registrars), the effective cost is competitive. The convenience of managing your domain and website in one dashboard adds value if you are already on Squarespace. For a full cost breakdown, see our Squarespace plans and pricing guide.

Should You Keep Your Domain at Squarespace?

Keep It at Squarespace When

You value the convenience of managing domain and website in one place. You want WHOIS privacy included at no extra cost. You prefer automatic DNS configuration with no manual setup. You are already paying for a Squarespace website plan.

Transfer to Another Registrar When

You want the lowest possible renewal rate (Cloudflare offers at-cost pricing). You are leaving Squarespace for another website platform. You need advanced DNS features not available in Squarespace's DNS panel. You manage domains across multiple platforms and want a centralized registrar.

Domain Cost vs Website Plan Cost

Your domain renewal is separate from your website subscription. Total annual cost example:

Personal plan + .com domain: $192/year (plan) + $20 (domain) = $212/year total
Business plan + .com domain: $276/year + $20 = $296/year total

The domain cost is a small fraction of your total Squarespace expense. The first year is free on annual plans, so you only start paying for the domain in year two. For creating a professional portfolio or business site, the domain renewal is a minimal ongoing cost.

Budget for Your Domain Renewal

Squarespace domain renewal is a predictable annual cost: $20/year for .com domains, up to $70 for specialty TLDs. Enable auto-renewal to prevent accidental expiration. The included WHOIS privacy and SSL make Squarespace's pricing competitive with other registrars. Factor the domain renewal into your total annual Squarespace budget alongside your website plan.