SmugMug vs Squarespace 2024 : (Compare These Two Now) | Which is Best for Photography Website?

SmugMug vs Squarespace : Strengths & Weaknesses

We have some Strengths of Squarespace

Squarespace Strengths

Outstanding client service:

If you’re having trouble deciding between Squarespace and SmugMug, keep in mind that you can still write an email or use the chat option to ask any query, although the former does not currently provide phone customer care.

Additionally, a garbage library is beneficial for learning the ropes.

Numerous chances for internet selling:

If you need to connect your website to social media or add online payment options, Squarespace ensures that you can effortlessly monetize your site.

Additionally, you may build and manage goods on your backend server. Squarespace does not impose any limitations on the number of goods you may sell.

The ideal website building service:

This platform has a plethora of functions. You may publish material, manipulate text layouts, and work with powerful text editing tools.

If you need to add a comment area, consider utilizing Disqus or Squarespace’s integrated moderation and commenting service.

It enables you to publish websites or add new articles simply by emailing them to your Squarespace email address.

Version for mobile devices:

Because this platform has a mobile version, you can use your tablet or smartphone to create a website, post photographs and videos, update settings, change the design, and resolve any issues with the assistance of Squarespace’s customer service staff.

Google Analytics integration:

If you’ve already signed up for Google Analytics or want to utilize the service to boost your website’s rating, you’ll welcome the fact that it’s compatible with Squarespace.

SSL-certificates gratuits:

In the SmugMug versus Squarespace battle, it’s worth noting that Squarespace provides free Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates for all Squarespace and third-party domains.

SSL technology ensures the security of the connection between your browser and the websites you visit. It is critical for the safeguarding of user data. Additionally, SSL certificates demonstrate that a domain has been validated.

Marketing and marketing of products:

Squarespace has a comprehensive collection of marketing tools that enable you to connect with your audience, navigate social media, and attract new customers.

Squarespace assists millions of websites in achieving top rankings in organic search results. You may enhance traffic to your website by using the Squarespace team’s significant SEO skills.

Excellent pre-built templates:

Before registering with Squarespace and beginning to use the website builder, you will have the option of selecting from one of the available templates. They are divided into several areas, including business, music, and interior design.

A well-planned user interface:

When comparing Affinity Photo to Lightroom, you’ll find that the former has workspaces referred to as personas. Each has a collection of icons that you’ll need to complete a certain assignment.

On the left, similar to Photoshop, is a toolbar. The context menu and top panel are located at the top. Additionally, there are additional panels on the right. The interface may be customized by adding any of the 25 available panels.

Weaknesses of Squarespace

Occasionally, the website may lag:

Squarespace, as several reviews have noted, loads rather slowly. This might be a huge disadvantage if your customers utilize a mobile device and need to add a product to the basket rapidly.

Does not provide a wide variety of payment methods:

Whether you’re a blogger, an online merchant, or an e-commerce website owner, you should utilize Stripe exclusively on Squarespace.

Utilization of third-party applications is restricted:

Squarespace integration with G Suite or Salesforce may be challenging to build. Squarespace seems to avoid integration with third-party services entirely.

We have some Strengths of SmugMug

SmugMug Strengths

Mobile version that is simple to use:

Your website should be completely optimized regardless of whether a user accesses it through an iPhone or a tablet. Due to the automated optimization function included in the SmugMug app, you do not need to develop separate mobile versions of your site.

Convenient SEO tools:

When comparing SmugMug and Squarespace, I discovered that the former’s SEO features are what set it apart.

They’re ideal if you need to alter the URL of your gallery, rename files, adjust the descriptions and keywords, or modify the landing page.

With Google Search Console authentication, you may submit your sitemaps to Google and utilize them as a directory for your website.

Integrated flawlessly with Lightroom:

In comparison to other limitless picture storage services, SmugMug has Lightroom Plugin Integration, which simplifies the process of importing and managing photographs.

The plug-in is synced with the service and preserves the meta-data and structure of the files and folders.

100% selling options:

SmugMug’s selling option puts this service ahead of the competition, including Squarespace. It’s great, which means you can immediately begin selling profitably.

This site offers a plethora of revenue-generating alternatives for your photographs. You may offer gifts and prints without further integration, modify consumer pricing lists, and make money by allowing buyers to download your photographs.

By partnering with this service, you may earn up to 85% profit. This is an excellent method to earn money using your photographic abilities.

Excellent photographic quality:

I’ve always been impressed with the quality of images uploaded on SmugMug. Whether you pick SmugMug Pro or another plan, your photographs will appear fantastic on high-resolution displays.

Perhaps you overlook it, yet this might be the deciding factor in the transaction. I want my images to appear stunning on any platform, and this service accomplishes that goal.

Unlimited picture storage and password-protected galleries:

Photographers place a premium on security and storage. These professionals are concerned with the capacity to organize and save photographs and the ease with which they can upload and sort them.

Numerous SmugMug reviews indicate that this platform has an outstanding search engine and folders, as well as enough storage space for your photos.

Excellent customizability:

I like SmugMug because it gives me many options for customizing my photographic portfolio.

When comparing Squarespace with SmugMug in this regard, I see that the first platform relies heavily on pre-built designs with limited customization options.

While SmugMug also employs templates, you may modify and personalize them to the point that they no longer resemble the original. 

SmugMug Weaknesses

Exorbitant service fees:

If you compare this service to free picture sharing services, you may reconsider utilizing it since each transaction will include a 15% service fee.

It includes the expense of payment card processing, customer care support, and development. However, this charge may seem reasonable if you sell many photographs.

Customized URLs:

When creating a gallery or personal portfolio, you do not want to include the name of another firm in the URL. On the other hand, SmugMug’s name gets added to the URL of your platform.

This might prove to be a serious disadvantage for professional photographers.

SmugMug vs Squarespace : Comparison Chart

1. Features:

Although Squarespace provides more functionality, SmugMug’s image management and selling capabilities are superior.

Squarespace touts itself as an all-in-one solution and hence lacks the specific capabilities offered by SmugMug.

However, its plans provide a standard set of capabilities, such as unlimited bandwidth and storage, SEO tools, and access to third-party extensions.

Additionally, blogging on Squarespace is more manageable than using SmugMug’s clunky text boxes.

Users may sell items and services on Squarespace, including digital images and prints. However, the associated features are the same across all online businesses.

Squarespace, for example, does not offer mass product uploads. This is especially handy for photography websites that need many files to be submitted.

Additionally, you will lose the ability to choose print sizes, critical for photographers.

Both functions are present on SmugMug, as anticipated. The platform includes bulk picture management and file organizing features.

The site builder provides bespoke pricing, numerous currencies, and multiple branding options when it comes to selling. Additionally, users benefit from relationships with chosen print labs that provide the highest quality printing of their works.

2. Customization:

Customizing a template in Squarespace is simpler and more fulfilling than in SmugMug.

Despite its demanding design, SmugMug allows you to do a great deal. The platform enables you to customize your page in a variety of ways.

You may always customize a template to fit your design preferences, from headers and footers to page texture and colours.

Of course, normal capabilities like resizing content blocks, changing font styles, and updating your favicon are all accessible.

On the other hand, the themes are relatively simple, with the majority of options including a grid pattern. This is to be expected of a forum dedicated to showcasing images.

However, one gets the impression that SmugMug might have been more inventive with its templates.

The only themes that stand out are Deco, Duke, and Sierra. However, if you have the necessary technical knowledge, you may do more in-depth changes using CSS and HTML.

Squarespace’s templates are perhaps more well-designed. They’re also divided by category, with four dedicated to photography websites.

While it may not seem like much, Squarespace notes that you may customize other layouts to meet your specific requirements. To do this, the platform provides extensive customization options for various aspects and page layouts.

As with SmugMug, Squarespace customers may customize the colour theme of any design. Additionally, font styles, section width, and page alignments are all changeable, providing many design and layout possibilities.

Additionally, users will discover a wide list of parts they may create, with each feature being fully customizable. It’s not as “free” to experiment as Wix or even HostGator.

However, it provides far more creative control than SmugMug.

UI/UX:

Squarespace’s UI is more user-friendly than SmugMug’s.

It’s simple to get started with Squarespace or SmugMug. Both systems include assisting users as they begin the website-building process.

In comparison to Squarespace, SmugMug asks fewer questions. However, the latter effectively uses the data you offer, instantly converting it to relevant suggestions.

After you’ve completed all of the questions, Squarespace provides you with a selection of recommended themes based on your product, service, and objectives.

Squarespace also offers a significant interface advantage over SmugMug. While both systems support drag-and-drop, Squarespace’s workplace seems more advanced.

It’s quite simple to navigate between the options on the left-side panel and the main editing board. It’s not as simple as Wix, for example.

However, once you get the hang of it, Squarespace’s UI makes sense regarding what the platform can do. It’s natural, energetic, and uncomplicated.

On the other hand, SmugMug’s website editor seems rather straightforward. Yes, customizing tools are readily available. Additionally, switching between features is rather simple.

However, adding material, modifying a website, and resizing content blocks may be challenging. For example, by clicking a page element, a pop-up menu of modification choices is automatically shown.

While accessibility is desirable, dragging a content block seems more natural when employing point and click operations.