Squarespace is great for getting started, but sooner or later most serious site owners switch to WordPress for more control, lower costs, and a larger plugin ecosystem. The migration is not complicated but it does have several steps that need to happen in the right order. This guide walks through the full process, from exporting your Squarespace content to getting your SEO redirects in place, so you do not lose a single page, image, or search ranking.
Estimated time for a typical site: 2 to 4 hours. For a large site with an e-commerce catalog: 4 to 8 hours. You do not need coding knowledge, but you will need access to both your Squarespace account and your new WordPress hosting.
Before You Start: What Transfers and What Does Not
Squarespace’s export tool covers the basics. Here is what migrates cleanly and what needs manual work:
| Content type | Transfers via XML? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Blog posts | Yes | Content, dates, tags transfer. Images need re-upload (see Step 3). |
| Regular pages | Partially | Text content transfers. Layout blocks do not. |
| Gallery images | No | Must be downloaded and re-uploaded manually. |
| Products (e-commerce) | No | Must be re-entered or imported via CSV into WooCommerce. |
| Forms | No | Must be rebuilt using a WordPress form plugin. |
| Member areas | No | Requires a WordPress membership plugin. |
| Custom code blocks | Partially | Code usually transfers but may need cleanup. |
Step 1: Choose WordPress Hosting
Before exporting anything, set up your WordPress hosting. You need a place to put your new site before you can migrate content to it.
For most Squarespace migrators, these hosts offer a good balance of price and performance:
- SiteGround – includes a free migration plugin and solid performance. Good for beginners.
- Cloudways – faster than shared hosting, more control. Good for intermediate users.
- Kinsta or WP Engine – managed WordPress hosting. Premium price, best performance. Good for business sites.
Install WordPress on your new host before proceeding. Most hosts offer one-click WordPress installation via cPanel or their own dashboard.
Step 2: Export Your Content from Squarespace
Squarespace exports content as a WordPress-compatible XML file. This file includes blog posts, pages, and some media references.
- Log in to your Squarespace account
- Go to Settings > Advanced > Import / Export Content
- Click Export
- Select WordPress as the export format
- Click Export and save the .xml file to your computer
The exported XML file does not contain your actual image files. It contains references (URLs) to your images hosted on Squarespace’s CDN. WordPress will try to import these images during the next step, but some may need to be re-uploaded manually.
Step 3: Import Content into WordPress
Now import your Squarespace XML file into WordPress.
- Log in to your WordPress admin (wp-admin)
- Go to Tools > Import
- Click WordPress (install the WordPress Importer plugin if prompted)
- Upload your .xml file
- Choose whether to assign imported posts to an existing author or create a new one
- Check the box Download and import file attachments – this tells WordPress to fetch images from the Squarespace CDN
- Click Submit
The importer will run and report which posts and pages were imported. Check your WordPress admin afterward – go to Posts, Pages, and Media to verify everything arrived.
If images did not import automatically, use the plugin Regenerate Thumbnails or download images directly from Squarespace (Settings > Advanced > Import / Export Content > Export Images) and re-upload them to WordPress Media Library.
Step 4: Rebuild Your Pages
Squarespace pages are built on drag-and-drop layout blocks that do not translate to WordPress directly. The XML export usually brings the text content of pages, but the layout is lost. You need to rebuild your important pages in WordPress.
Options for rebuilding pages:
- Gutenberg block editor – WordPress’s built-in editor. Good for simpler pages. Add columns, images, buttons, and groups using blocks.
- Elementor – drag-and-drop page builder. Closest to the Squarespace experience. Free version handles most needs.
- Kadence Blocks – powerful free block plugin that adds advanced layout options to Gutenberg without the overhead of a full page builder.
Prioritize your most important pages first: homepage, about page, services/products page, contact page. These are the pages most likely to have complex layouts that need rebuilding.
Step 5: Choose and Set Up Your WordPress Theme
Pick a WordPress theme that matches your current site’s visual style. You do not need to match it exactly, but a theme that fits your niche will reduce the amount of customization needed.
Recommended themes for Squarespace migrators:
- Astra – fast, lightweight, works with most page builders. Free version is good, Pro adds more flexibility.
- Kadence – excellent free theme with good design defaults out of the box.
- GeneratePress – very fast, minimal. Good for content-heavy sites.
- Blocksy – modern, FSE-ready, lots of customization without plugins.
Install your chosen theme from Appearance > Themes > Add New. Configure the header, footer, colors, and fonts to match your brand before launching.
Step 6: Set Up SEO Redirects
This is the most critical step for preserving your search rankings. If your WordPress URLs are different from your Squarespace URLs (which they almost certainly are), you need 301 redirects so Google knows where your content moved.
How Squarespace and WordPress URL structures differ
Squarespace uses URLs like:
- Blog posts:
/blog/post-title - Pages:
/about - Products:
/shop/product-name
WordPress defaults may differ based on your permalink settings. Set your WordPress permalinks to match Squarespace as closely as possible: go to Settings > Permalinks and choose Post name structure. This gives you /post-title for posts.
For any URLs that cannot match (e.g., Squarespace blog posts at /blog/post-title vs WordPress at /post-title), create 301 redirects using the Redirection plugin:
- Install and activate the Redirection plugin
- Go to Tools > Redirection
- Add each old Squarespace URL as the source and the new WordPress URL as the target
- Set the redirect type to 301 (Permanent)
Before setting up redirects, export a list of all your Squarespace page URLs. You can get this from Google Search Console (if your Squarespace site was verified there) or by manually listing your pages.
Step 7: Migrate SEO Settings and Meta Data
Squarespace stores SEO titles and meta descriptions per page. These do not transfer in the XML export. You need to re-enter them in WordPress using an SEO plugin.
- Install RankMath or Yoast SEO
- For each post and page, go to the SEO settings panel in the editor
- Enter the same SEO title, meta description, and focus keyword that you had in Squarespace
- If you had Open Graph images set, re-upload those in the OG image field
Check your Squarespace SEO settings before you cancel your account. Go to Pages > [page name] > SEO tab to see the title and description you had for each page. Screenshot or copy them before migrating.
Step 8: Replace Your Forms
Squarespace forms do not export. You need to rebuild them in WordPress using a form plugin. For most sites, WPForms Lite (free) or Contact Form 7 (free) handles basic contact forms. For more advanced forms (multi-step, conditional logic, payments), consider Gravity Forms or WPForms Pro.
- Install your chosen form plugin
- Recreate each form you had in Squarespace
- Replace the form on the corresponding WordPress page
- Test that form submissions arrive in your email and any connected CRM
Step 9: Migrate Your Domain
Once your WordPress site is ready and tested, point your domain from Squarespace to your WordPress host.
Option A: Update your nameservers
If Squarespace manages your domain, transfer the domain registration to your WordPress host or a domain registrar (Namecheap, Google Domains). Then update the nameservers to point to your WordPress host.
Option B: Update DNS records
If you want to keep the domain registration at Squarespace Domains, update the A record to point to your WordPress hosting IP address. Your hosting provider’s dashboard will show you the IP to use.
DNS changes take between 15 minutes and 48 hours to propagate. During this window, some visitors will see the old Squarespace site and others will see the new WordPress site. Keep both sites running during propagation.
Step 10: Install an SSL Certificate and Verify Everything
Squarespace includes SSL automatically. On WordPress, you need to set it up. Most hosts provide free SSL via Let’s Encrypt. Enable it in your host’s dashboard (usually under Security or SSL). Then in WordPress, go to Settings > General and ensure both URLs use https://. Install the Really Simple SSL plugin to handle the redirect from http to https automatically across your entire site.
After your domain points to WordPress, run through this verification checklist:
- Visit every page you had on Squarespace and confirm it loads on WordPress
- Test all forms – submit a test entry and confirm receipt
- Check all redirect rules using a redirect checker tool (wheregoes.com is free)
- Submit your new sitemap to Google Search Console
- Verify Google Analytics is tracking (or install it fresh using the Site Kit plugin)
- Test your site on mobile
Migrating an E-Commerce Store from Squarespace to WooCommerce
If your Squarespace site includes a store, the migration requires extra steps. WooCommerce is the WordPress e-commerce plugin and can replace Squarespace Commerce fully, but products do not export via XML.
- Install WooCommerce on your WordPress site
- In Squarespace, go to Commerce > Inventory and export your products as a CSV file
- In WooCommerce, go to WooCommerce > Products > Import and upload the CSV
- Map Squarespace CSV columns to WooCommerce fields during the import wizard
- Re-upload product images manually (product images are not in the CSV)
- Set up your payment gateway (Stripe, PayPal) in WooCommerce > Settings > Payments
- Configure shipping zones to match what you had in Squarespace
Test the full checkout flow after setup: add a product to cart, go through checkout, and confirm the order appears in WooCommerce > Orders.
After Migration: Essential WordPress Plugins to Install
Squarespace handles many things automatically that WordPress leaves to plugins. Install these after your migration:
- UpdraftPlus – automated backups to Google Drive or Dropbox
- RankMath or Yoast SEO – SEO management
- Redirection – manage 301 redirects
- Really Simple SSL – enforce HTTPS
- Wordfence – security and malware scanning
- WP Super Cache or LiteSpeed Cache – page caching for performance
For more on WordPress site performance, see the guide to speeding up WordPress without a developer. Once your site is stable, also read the common WordPress errors guide so you know how to handle issues if they come up after the migration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I lose my Google rankings when I move from Squarespace to WordPress?
Not if you set up proper 301 redirects. Google follows 301 redirects and transfers the ranking value from old URLs to new ones. You may see a slight traffic dip for a few weeks while Google re-crawls your site, but your rankings should recover fully within 4 to 8 weeks if the redirects are in place.
Can I use the same domain name on WordPress?
Yes. You point your existing domain to your new WordPress hosting by updating your DNS records or transferring your domain registration. If your domain is registered with Squarespace, you can transfer it to Namecheap, Google Domains, or your new WordPress host.
How long should I keep Squarespace running after switching to WordPress?
Keep your Squarespace account active for at least 30 days after the migration. During this period, use it as a reference for any content or settings you may have missed. Once you confirm that all content is on WordPress, all redirects work, and search traffic has returned to normal, you can safely cancel Squarespace.
Does WordPress cost more than Squarespace?
WordPress core is free. You pay for hosting ($3 to $30 per month depending on the provider), a domain name ($12 to $15 per year), and any premium plugins or themes you choose. For most small to medium sites, WordPress hosting costs the same as or less than a Squarespace Personal or Business plan, with significantly more flexibility.
Your Migration Checklist
- Set up WordPress hosting and install WordPress
- Export Squarespace XML file
- Import XML into WordPress, including images
- Rebuild page layouts in WordPress
- Choose and configure a WordPress theme
- Set up 301 redirects for all changed URLs
- Re-enter SEO titles and meta descriptions
- Rebuild contact forms
- Point domain to WordPress hosting
- Enable SSL
- Submit sitemap to Google Search Console
- Test all pages, forms, and redirects
- Install essential plugins (backup, SEO, security, cache)
- Monitor Google Search Console for crawl errors for 30 days
Follow the checklist in order and the migration goes smoothly. The most common mistakes are skipping the redirect step and not checking that images imported correctly. Both take less than an hour to do right, and they protect your traffic and content for years.
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Last modified: April 24, 2026
