“Can Squarespace Host My Domain?” What You Need to Know
As a visual artist or creative, your website is a crucial component of your online presence. It's essential to have a website that showcases your work and reflects your unique style and personality. Squarespace is a great option for hosting your website and domain, as it offers a range of design and customization options that can help you create a professional-looking website with minimal hassle.
One of the questions I get from clients who have an existing site is “Can Squarespace host my domain? The answer is yes. But, you need to know that you have 2 options. The first option is to transfer your domain to Squarespace when you launch your new site. The second option is to keep your domain with your existing registrar and connect to it from your new site. Let’s review each of these options.
Hosting your domain with Squarespace
The most significant benefit of hosting your domain with Squarespace is the convenience of managing your website and domain in one place. This means you don't have to worry about juggling multiple accounts or remembering different login credentials. Everything is in one place, making it easier to keep track of everything and make updates as needed.
Plus, when you sign up for an annual plan with Squarespace, you can receive a free custom domain for the first year. This can be a great way to get started with your website without having to worry about additional costs. After the first year, you will need to pay the regular annual fee to renew your domain registration. At the time of this writing the cost to renew after one year of service was $20/year.
While Squarespace's domain registration fees may be slightly higher than some other domain registrars, the convenience of hosting your website and domain in one place can be well worth it. Squarespace's user-friendly interface makes it easy to set up and maintain your website, so you can focus on creating and showcasing your work.
Moving your domain to a new host can have some drawbacks, but they are generally outweighed by the benefits of having more control over your domain and website. Here are some potential drawbacks to consider:
Downtime: When you transfer your domain to a new host, there is a risk of downtime while the domain's DNS settings propagate. This can potentially cause your website to be unavailable for a short period, which could impact your visitors' experience.
Technical Knowledge: Transferring a domain to a new host typically requires some technical knowledge, such as changing DNS settings or updating nameservers. If you're not comfortable with these technical aspects, you may need to hire someone to assist you with the transfer.
Domain Lock-in: Some domain registrars may lock your domain for a period after registration or transfer. This can prevent you from transferring your domain to another registrar for a certain period, which can limit your flexibility.
Cost: Depending on the domain registrar and host you choose, there may be additional costs associated with transferring your domain to a new host. For example, some registrars may charge a fee for domain transfer, and some hosts may offer migration services for an additional cost.
Despite these potential drawbacks, transferring your domain to a new host can often be beneficial in the long run, especially if you want more control over your domain and website.
Keeping your domain with a separate domain registrar
There may be some cases where you might want to have your domain and website hosting done by two separate services. For example, if you want more control over your domain's DNS settings or if you plan to switch hosting providers in the future, it may make sense to keep your domain separate from your website hosting.
With a separate domain registrar, you have more flexibility to change hosting providers as needed, and you can have more control over advanced settings such as custom email addresses and subdomain redirects. Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to transfer your domain to a new host depends on your specific needs and goals.
Overall, it's essential to consider your specific needs and goals when deciding whether to host your domain and website with the same provider or separate providers. Squarespace can be an excellent option for visual artists and creatives who want a user-friendly website builder with design and customization options. It’s my platform of choice in my own business; I’ve written a post about why I only build Squarespace sites for my clients that may be helpful if you’re shopping for a website platform. With Squarespace, you can showcase your work in a professional and engaging way, so your website can be a true reflection of your creative vision.
If you have additional questions about Squarespace, feel free to get in touch, and if you’re interested in exploring custom web design services, please check out my signature Squarespace website package.
This post contains an affiliate link so I may receive a small benefit, at no cost to you (thanks for supporting my creative business!
