Best alternative to WordPress 2025 - For Swiss SMEs
Contents
1. an important digital decision for your SME
As a decision-maker in a Swiss small or medium-sized enterprise (SME), you are faced with a crucial decision on your path to digital success: choosing the right platform for your website. It's a decision that goes far beyond mere design and affects the core of your operational efficiency, your cost structure and your future growth opportunities. The market is noisy, opinions are varied and often contradictory. You hear advice from all sides, but at the end of the day, you need a solution that works without breaking your budget or turning into a second full-time job.
The market leader WordPress vs. the SaaS solution Squarespace:
On the one hand, there is WordPress, the undisputed market leader and the proverbial "Swiss army knife" of the internet. Its greatest strength is its almost infinite flexibility. As an open source platform with a huge ecosystem of tens of thousands of plugins and themes, it promises to be able to implement every conceivable function. It is the platform of unlimited possibilities - if you know how to use it and are prepared to pay the price.
The WordPress backend is often overloaded and confusing.
As a popular alternative to WordPress, Squarespace positions itself as the elegant challenger. It is not software to download, but an integrated "all-in-one solution" as a service (SaaS). The focus here is on outstanding design, ease of use and the promise to deliver everything important from a single source: Hosting, security, support and design templates are bundled into one package.
One of the special features of Squarespace is its uniquely simple operation.
This article aims to cut through the noise. As a web agency specializing in Swiss SMEs with over 25 years of experience in dealing with both CMS systems, we will give you an honest, practical comparison that goes beyond superficial feature lists. We shed light on the total cost of ownership - not only in Swiss francs, but also in your most valuable resource: time. We answer the only question that really matters for your company: As a Swiss SME, what do you really get for your investment?
Find the best alternative to WordPress with this free online CMS test for SMEs!
Find out which CMS is best for your needs. Our interactive online test guides you through the key strategic questions. We translate the technical comparison into your business reality to recommend the best CMS alternative for you - whether WordPress or Squarespace.
2 The cost issue: Predictable investment vs. unexpected plug-in bills
The biggest misconception when choosing a web platform is to look at the initial price alone. The real story is told by the running costs - both visible and invisible. This is where the most fundamental difference between Squarespace or WordPress becomes apparent.
What you get with Squarespace: Calculable excellence
The core message of Squarespace is planning security. The platform operates with a transparent subscription model in which a clearly defined price covers all the essential components of a professional website. For you as an SME, this means that your website costs are a fixed, budgetable operating expense, with no nasty surprises at the end of the month.
A typical Squarespace plan for businesses (e.g. the "Business" plan) includes the following:
Fully-managed premium cloud hosting: you never have to worry about choosing, configuring or maintaining a web server. Squarespace guarantees that your website is fast, reliable and always available.
SSL security certificate: Every Squarespace website comes with SSL encryption as standard, which is essential for your customers' trust and Google ranking. There are no additional costs for purchase or renewal.
Award-winning design templates: You have access to a curated selection of professionally designed, mobile-optimized templates that serve as the perfect foundation for your brand.
24/7 customer support: If you have a question, Squarespace support is available around the clock.
Free domain in the first year: If you pay annually, your desired domain (.ch, .com, etc.) is included free of charge for the first 12 months.
All fees are shown transparently, and for Swiss companies, VAT is correctly accounted for by Squarespace and listed on the invoices, which makes your accounting department's work easier.
The WordPress reality: The "free" promise and the hidden costs
WordPress itself is free software. This fact is the platform's biggest marketing argument, but also its biggest misunderstanding. Running a professional, secure and powerful WordPress-based website is anything but free. The costs are hidden in a complex stack of necessary additional services and plugins that you have to purchase, install and maintain separately.
A realistic cost stack for a Swiss SME on WordPress looks like this:
Hosting: You need to choose a hosting provider such as Hostpoint, Cyon or Green.ch. The costs for reliable hosting in Switzerland start at around CHF 15-30 per month after the initial bait-and-switch offers.
Premium theme/page builder: While free themes are available, they often lack the flexibility and professional polish you need. For an appealing design and easy editing, a premium theme or page builder plugin like Elementor Pro (approx. $99/year) is almost essential.
Security plugin: This is not an option, but an absolute necessity. WordPress is the most hacked CMS in the world. A premium security plugin like Wordfence Premium (about $149/year) provides real-time protection that the free version, with its 30-day security update delays, cannot.
Performance plugin: Slow loading times are a conversion killer. To keep up with Squarespace's server-side optimization, you often need a caching plugin like WP Rocket (approx. $59/year).
SEO plugin: The best functions for professional search engine optimization can be found in premium plugins such as Yoast SEO Premium (approx. $99/year).
Multilingualism: To effectively serve the Swiss market with its several national languages, a plugin such as WPML (approx. $99/year) is required.
Maintenance & time: The biggest and most often overlooked cost factor. Every single one of these plugins, the theme and the WordPress core itself require regular updates. Each update carries the risk of compatibility issues that can cripple your site. This maintenance costs either your valuable time or the money of a developer who can quickly charge several hundred francs per hour.
The cost comparison between Wordpress vs Squarespace:
This table makes the abstract "hidden costs" tangible and shows what you really pay for a comparable service. It is the central proof of why Squarespace's all-in-one model is the economically smarter choice for most SMEs. It's not about comparing individual components, but the overall package and the associated planning security.
| Feature | Squarespace "Business" Plan | WordPress (self-hosted) |
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Platform costsThe basic WordPress software is free of charge, the total costs arise from the necessary extensions. |
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Hosting (Switzerland)Premium hosting is included with Squarespace. With WordPress, you have to choose and manage a provider yourself. |
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Domain (.ch)Squarespace gives you the domain for free in the first year if you pay the tariff annually. |
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Design (Theme/Template)Professional templates are part of the Squarespace package. A premium theme is often required for WordPress. |
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FormsA powerful form builder is essential for customer inquiries. |
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Basis e-commerceSale of products with one-off payment. The main difference lies in the fees. |
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Courses & MembershipsSale of online courses or exclusive content for members. |
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SubscriptionsRecurring payments for products or services. |
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Projects & InvoicesImportant tools for service providers for planning and invoicing. |
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MultilingualismProfessional multilingualism requires an extension for both platforms. |
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Page BuilderA visual editor for designing pages without programming knowledge. |
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Security (SSL, firewall)Protecting the website from attacks and ensuring a secure connection. |
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Performance (caching, CDN)Measures for fast loading times, crucial for SEO and user experience. |
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SEO toolsSearch engine optimization tools to be found better online. |
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Maintenance effortThe biggest hidden cost factor: time for updates, backups and troubleshooting. |
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Total costs in the 1st yearComparison of the total costs for a professional website including multilingualism and appointment booking. |
~ CHF 552 to CHF 660 | ~ CH 2'825 |
The figures speak for themselves. The initial "free" route with WordPress quickly turns out to be a complex, unpredictable and ultimately much more expensive endeavor. The monthly price for Squarespace isn't just a fee for a website, it's an investment in peace of mind, predictability and the freedom to focus on what you do best: Running your business.
3. simplicity & time savings: focus on your business, not your IT
For an entrepreneur, time is the scarcest and most valuable resource. The choice of web platform is therefore also a decision about how you use this resource. Do you want to become a part-time IT administrator or focus on your core business?
What you get with Squarespace: Intuitive control and AI-powered efficiency
Squarespace was developed from the ground up with the goal of enabling non-technical users to create and manage professional, aesthetically pleasing websites. The user interface is clean, logical and visually oriented. Instead of navigating a confusing backend menu, you edit your content directly on the page and immediately see how it will look. The modern "Fluid Engine" editor offers pixel-perfect drag-and-drop control, allowing creative freedom without having to write a line of code.
However, the real game changer for SMEs is the deeply integrated artificial intelligence. Squarespace AI is much more than a nice gimmick; it's a powerful efficiency tool. It helps you to generate professional texts for entire page sections, optimize SEO titles and descriptions or write convincing product texts for your online store at the touch of a button. For an SME without its own marketing or copywriting department, this is an invaluable advantage that can save countless hours of work.
The WordPress reality: learning curve, update marathons and plugin jungle
WordPress undeniably has a steeper learning curve. You first need to understand the basic concept of dashboards, themes, plugins, widgets and the difference between the backend and the frontend. What you see in the editor is often not what you end up with on your website, which can be frustrating, especially for beginners.
Everyday life with WordPress: Nerdy plugin pop-ups and constant plugin updates, where you can never be sure whether everything will still work properly afterwards.
However, the biggest time trap during operation is maintenance. The ecosystem consisting of WordPress core, a third-party theme and dozens of plugins from various developers must be constantly updated. Every single update is a potential risk. Will plugin A still work with plugin B after the update? Is the theme compatible with the new WordPress version? These questions lead to a recurring, time-consuming cycle of backups, updates and subsequent testing. Time that you can't invest in acquiring new customers or developing your products.
Practical example of success: Finca Las Mariposas vacation apartments in Tenerife
A perfect example of the value of simplicity and focused elegance is the website fincamariposas.com. The owner of this beautiful vacation resort in Tenerife is an entrepreneur, not a web developer. Her aim is to bring the unique experience of her finca to life online and generate bookings.
Created in one week. Very easy to use.
Squarespace allows her to do just that. She can fully focus on uploading stunning images of her apartments and writing engaging, emotional copy. Thanks to the seamless integration of a multilingual solution (the Weglot extension), she can reach an international audience in German and other languages with minimal effort. She doesn't have to worry about server updates, security patches or plugin conflicts. The platform takes all the technical complexity off her hands, so she can focus 100% of her time and energy on her product and her guests. This simplicity is not a lack of performance, but a direct business advantage.
4. security at the core: the "all-round carefree package" for your SME
In a digitalized world, the security of your website is non-negotiable. A security incident can not only lead to financial losses, but can also irretrievably destroy the trust your customers have built up over the years. This is where Squarespace and WordPress have fundamentally different philosophies.
What you get with Squarespace: Security as a service, not as an add-on
Squarespace is a closed, centrally managed system - often referred to as a "walled garden". What sounds like a limitation to some is actually your biggest security advantage. It means that a team of security experts at Squarespace is responsible around the clock for monitoring the entire platform, proactively looking for vulnerabilities, patching security holes and stopping attacks before they can even reach your site.
Centralized management: There are no third-party plugins that can introduce vulnerabilities into your system. Every function and every extension is checked and managed by Squarespace.
Automatic updates: Security-relevant updates are installed centrally and automatically in the background without you having to do anything.
Included SSL encryption: Every connection to your website is secured by SSL as standard and free of charge. You never have to worry about buying, installing or renewing certificates on time.
For you as an SME, this means ultimate peace of mind. With Squarespace, security is not a task you have to do, but a service you receive.
With Noevu: Additional protection and performance thanks to Cloudflare
As experienced Swiss Squarespace professionals, we even go one step further - we protect all Squarespace websites that we develop with Cloudflare free of charge - and thus also increase performance!
The WordPress reality: Security is your responsibility
Squarespace security is your personal SME nightmare - or expensive agency service.
With WordPress, the responsibility for security lies 100% with you, the website operator. As by far the most widely used content management system in the world, WordPress is a constant and primary target for hacker attacks. Without proactive and continuous measures, a WordPress website is an open barn door.
Securing your WordPress site is an ongoing process that requires technical knowledge and discipline:
Secure hosting: Choosing a high-quality hoster with good security measures is the first step.
Security plugins: The installation and correct configuration of a robust security plugin such as Wordfence or Sucuri is essential.
Regular updates: You must always keep the WordPress core, your theme and all installed plugins up to date. Every outdated element is a potential security vulnerability.
Strong passwords & user management: Basic security hygiene is in your hands.
Regular backups: In the event that something does happen, up-to-date backups are your only life insurance.
From our own experience, we can say that a single omission in this chain can have catastrophic consequences: a hacked site, data theft from customers, reputational damage and high costs for having the site cleaned up by an expert. Particularly critical: free security plugins such as the basic version of Wordfence often only offer delayed protection. In the free versions, new threats are only included in the detection rules with a 30-day delay - a dangerous time window during which your site is unprotected.
5. examples of success from practice:
Secure website for NZZ Connect cyberseminar
As a Swiss Squarespace expert, we were able to develop the website for NZZ Connect, one of the leading organizers of business events, for their renowned cybersecurity seminar realized. The main challenge was to replace an aging and high-maintenance WordPress system with a modern, flexible and, above all, highly secure platform - under considerable time pressure.
Why does NZZ Connect rely on Squarespace for its Cyberseminar.ch?
How do you create a secure website for a top-class cybersecurity seminar in record time? We'll show you.
Similarly , a professional security service provider such as Unitas Services, which provides physical security for large events, cannot compromise on its own digital presence. The choice of Squarespace is a conscious strategic decision for such companies. They outsource the complex issue of cyber security to a specialized partner so that they can focus on their own core competencies. This shows that Squarespace is the robust and trustworthy choice for companies where security is paramount.
Growth without compromise: A platform that scales with you
There is a widespread myth that Squarespace is only suitable for small, simple websites and quickly reaches its limits as requirements grow. The reality is different. Sustainable growth is not based on uncontrolled complexity, but on a stable, scalable basis.
What you get with Squarespace: A scalable foundation for your growth
Squarespace is much more than just a construction kit for digital business cards. The platform is a powerful ecosystem for companies that grows with your business. Functions that often require several plugins from different providers with WordPress are either natively integrated with Squarespace or available as seamlessly integrated add-ons:
E-commerce: From simple product sales to subscriptions and digital goods, Squarespace Commerce offers a robust, integrated solution.
Appointment booking: With Acuity Scheduling, one of the leading booking platforms belonging to Squarespace, you can manage and sell services and appointments directly from your website.
Member areas: You can create exclusive content and monetize access via paid memberships.
Email marketing: With Squarespace Email Campaigns you can send professional newsletters and maintain your customer relationships, all from a single source.
This integrated approach means that your website can grow with your business - from the first information page to a fully-fledged online business model, without you having to switch platforms or build a fragile structure of dozens of plugins.
The power of expert customization: How we break the "box"
This is where we come in as your partner. The biggest misconception about Squarespace is that you are limited to the existing templates and functions. The opposite is true. Squarespace's solid and secure foundation is the perfect canvas for targeted, professional customizations that make your website unique.
As Swiss Squarespace experts, we use the full power of the platform to create solutions that go far beyond the standard:
Custom code (CSS & JavaScript): We can adapt the design to your corporate design down to the smallest detail, add interactive elements and implement special functionalities that are not included in any template.
Squarespace Extensions: We integrate carefully vetted third-party extensions to connect your website with specialized tools, be it for logistics, marketing automation or advanced analytics.
This approach offers you the best of both worlds: the unwavering stability, security and simplicity of an all-in-one platform, combined with the flexibility and uniqueness of a customized solution.
Our successful Squarespace web properties for Swiss SMEs as proof:
Our portfolio of successful Squarespace website projects for leading Swiss SMEs shows what is possible with this philosophy:
mobileo.ch - Switzerland-wide tourism platform for Segway tours
This website is living proof that Squarespace can also map highly complex business models. With a range of over 60 tours at over 21 locations, different prices, seasonalities and booking options, a sophisticated information architecture was realized here on the stable basis of Squarespace.Wetli Winery - Swiss quality winemaker from Zurich
A traditional winery from Männedorf in Zurich that combines tradition and modernity. A simple product list is not enough for their online store. With expert customization, we can implement sophisticated filtering by grape variety, award or availability. This creates a shopping experience that is in no way inferior to that of a specialized wine store and helps customers to find exactly the right wine from the wide range on offer.Residential perspective - Social enterprise for assisted living in Biel
This company from the Biel region offers assisted living and thus addresses a demanding target group that also includes public authorities and social institutions. The website impressively demonstrates how Squarespace's strength in clear, professional design can be used to communicate complex services and care models in a trustworthy and understandable way. The structured presentation demonstrates the depth of content that is possible on the platform and creates trust among a critical target group.Rrevival - Interim management and management consultancy
Our project for this innovative coaching and management consultancy company is a good example of how we, as a Swiss SME agency, go beyond the supposed limits of Squarespace. We used the platform as a secure and stable foundation. Building on this, we created a completely individual digital brand world: with a unique, AI-generated visual language, customized JavaScript for interactive elements and a design that was rethought from the ground up. This is proof that with the right expertise, an out-of-the-box solution can be turned into a distinctive, customized corporate website.
Scalability in WordPress often means adding more and more plugins, which increases the complexity, cost and fragility of the system. Scalability with Squarespace means supplementing the solid core platform with targeted, professional and tested extensions. This is a much more sustainable, stable and ultimately more successful growth model for your SME.
Frequently asked questions about the best CMS for Swiss SMEs 2025:
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The question is not which is better, but which suits you better. WordPress is like a huge toolbox: extremely powerful, but you have to select and maintain each tool yourself and take responsibility for the entire system. Squarespace is more like a state-of-the-art, perfectly equipped professional tool: everything is integrated, secure and just works.
Our test will help you find out whether you are more of a "toolbox manager" or a "professional user". For most Swiss SMEs that want to focus on their core business, the integrated approach of Squarespace is often the strategically wiser choice today.
But see for yourself and take the interactive online CMS test.
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We often hear this question. WordPress is one of the Internet's oldest and still very powerful. However, its core architecture dates back to a time when the web functioned differently in technical terms. The high maintenance costs and dependence on countless plugins are a burden for many companies today.
Modern platforms like Squarespace are designed from the ground up as an integrated WordPress alternative. Instead of managing software, you can focus on your content and marketing. For us, this is the definition of a modern solution.
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The biggest disadvantages of WordPress are not the functions, but the hidden "operating costs" in the form of time and risk:
Permanent maintenance effort: You (or your agency) have to constantly update WordPress itself, the theme and all plugins. Every click can potentially lead to problems.
Security risk: Every additional plugin is a potential security vulnerability. WordPress sites are the world's most popular target for hackers.
Hidden costs: The software is free, but a professional website requires premium plugins for security, performance, forms, SEO, etc. These quickly add up. These quickly add up.
Performance problems: A slow site due to too many or poorly programmed plugins is a common problem that actively worsens your Google ranking.
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Yes, absolutely. The myth that Squarespace is not good for SEO is outdated. Today, the opposite is often true: the technical basis for Squarespace SEO is excellent because the platform covers key ranking factors out of the box:
Technical SEO: Loading times, security (SSL), mobile-friendliness and clean code structure are managed centrally by Squarespace. These are points that often cause problems with WordPress.
On-page SEO: All important tools (title tags, meta descriptions, alt texts, clean URLs, etc.) are directly and easily integrated into the system.
As Squarespace experts in Switzerland, our task is to build a custom-fit SEO strategy for your content and keywords on this strong technical foundation. The Wohnperspektive site, for example, was quickly ranked at the top of Google for relevant search terms in the region.
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Squarespace is an ideal solution for most Swiss SMEs. It is a perfect WordPress alternative for companies and self-employed people who value professionalism, efficiency and security. It is particularly suitable for:
Service providers, consultants & agencies: who need a high-quality, convincing online presence but don't have time for technical maintenance.
SMEs & local businesses: who want to present their products and services professionally and be found online.
Creatives & start-ups: who want to go online quickly with a first-class design and build their brand.
Online stores: with a focus on brand and product experience, looking for an integrated and reliable e-commerce solution.
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The costs of having a website created are divided into two areas:
One-off project costs: This is the investment in us as your strategic partner. We develop the strategy, the design, the structure and create the content for the launch.
Ongoing operating costs: This is where Squarespace shines. You have a fixed, predictable annual fee that includes almost everything (hosting, security, support, CDN). With WordPress, these costs are variable and often higher, as you pay separately for premium plugins, hosting and usually an expensive maintenance contract.
A professional website is an investment. We make sure that it pays off for you and that the running costs remain transparent and fair.
In this article you will find a detailed comparison of the costs of WordPress and Squarespace. -
Drupal
Drupal is an open source content management system (CMS) that serves as the engine behind websites for global government agencies, media companies and educational institutions. It impresses with its flexibility, high scalability and extensive customization options. Thanks to an active community and a large number of modules, Drupal is particularly suitable for complex, demanding web projects.Adobe Commerce (Magento)
Adobe Commerce, formerly Magento, is a powerful e-commerce platform that is ideal for online stores of any size. With comprehensive functions for product management, payment processing and marketing, it enables a professional, scalable store system solution.Joomla
Joomla is another open source CMS that is characterized by a user-friendly user interface and versatile expansion options. It is well suited for company websites, community portals and more complex websites.PrestaShop
PrestaShop is an open source platform specifically focused on e-commerce. It offers easy setup and many extensions, is ideal for online sales and supports numerous payment and shipping options.Webflow
Webflow combines web design and CMS in a platform that is primarily aimed at designers and agencies. With a visual editing interface, it enables the creation of modern, responsive websites without in-depth programming knowledge.Wix
Wix is a user-friendly website builder with an integrated CMS that is particularly suitable for small businesses and start-ups. It offers many design templates and a simple drag-and-drop interface.Weebly
Like Wix, Weebly is an intuitive website builder with CMS functions. Weebly is particularly suitable for beginners as it provides simple tools for quickly creating websites and stores.For your website, we choose the CMS that best suits your requirements - be it maximum flexibility, ease of use or special functions for your business success.
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Automattic generates revenue through the sale of WordPress-related services such as hosting, backup and other services. For this reason, we won't go into too much detail. In short, Automattic generates revenue with WordPress.com mainly through the sale of advertising space on the free websites.
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WordPress powers 43.6% of all websites on the internet, including those without a content management system (CMS) or with a custom-programmed CMS. In other words, over a third of all websites run on WordPress! If we restrict our analysis to websites with a known CMS, WordPress' market share even rises to 62.1%.
How does it compare to other well-known content management systems? Here is an overview:
From 2023 to 2024:Shopify's market share rose from 5.7% to 6.6%.
Wix's market share rose from 3.6% to 4.6%.
Squarespace's market share rose from 3.0% to 3.2%
Joomla's market share fell from 2.7% to 2.3%.
Drupal's market share fell from 1.8% to 1.3%.
Although hosted website builders like Squarespace and Wix are getting a lot of attention, the numbers clearly show that WordPress isn't going to be knocked off its throne anytime soon. WordPress also has a dominant position over Joomla, another popular self-hosted CMS, and Shopify, a widely used hosted e-commerce platform.
Conclusion for Swiss SMEs: The advantages of Squarespace together with a professional agency outweigh the disadvantages
The choice between WordPress or Squarespace is not a purely technical one, but a deeply strategic business decision. After examining the decisive aspects for a Swiss SME, a clear picture emerges.
If you are looking for a platform that offers you financial predictability, maximum time savings, built-in security and a stable foundation for future growth, then Squarespace is the superior choice.
The comparison can be reduced to a simple formula:
WordPress offers you a "free" software package, but you are buying full responsibility for hosting, design, countless plugins, security and maintenance. The total cost of ownership is unpredictable and often many times higher than expected. You become a system integrator.
Squarespace offers you an all-in-one solution at a fixed, calculable price. You not only buy a website, but also freedom from technical complexity. You can concentrate on your core business.
However, the most intelligent, efficient and future-proof solution for the vast majority of Swiss SMEs is not the platform alone. It is the strategic partnership of the robust all-in-one Squarespace platform and an experienced Swiss Squarespace experts like us. We understand the nuances of the local market and know how to bring Squarespace's powerful foundation to full fruition through targeted customizations and extensions - be it a complex product filter for a winemaker like Weinbau Wetli, a multilingual booking platform for Finca Mariposas or a fully customized brand world for a specialist like Unitas Services.
Not quite convinced yet?
Or ready to go!
Still not completely convinced? We understand that. The myth of the "unlimited possibilities" of WordPress is persistent. Perhaps you're wondering whether such an elegant platform is really up to your specific requirements.
In a non-binding discussion, we will show you in concrete terms how we create solutions for demanding SMEs that go far beyond the standard.
