How to migrate from Squarespace to WordPress in 2025

Fed up with Squarespace limitations and thinking about moving to WordPress? You’re not alone. The freedom WordPress offers is unmatched: you can customize absolutely everything, add any functionality you need, and best of all, have 100% ownership of your website. In this guide, I’ll walk you through this transition step by step, showing you how to maintain your rankings, preserve your design, and transfer all your content without headaches.

Why migrate from Squarespace to WordPress?

Before embarking on the migration process, it’s important to understand the benefits WordPress offers compared to Squarespace:

• Total control over your site: WordPress allows you to access the source code and customize absolutely everything.
• Greater flexibility: With more than 59,000 plugins, you can extend your site’s functionality without limits.
• Better cost-benefit ratio: Hosting + WordPress solutions are usually more economical in the long run.
• Complete ownership of your content: You don’t depend on a centralized service for your online presence.
• Scalability: From small blogs to large online stores, WordPress grows with you.
• Advanced SEO: More powerful and customizable tools for ranking.

If these benefits align with your goals, continue reading to discover how to successfully perform the migration.

Preparations before migration

Before starting the migration process, you need to complete these essential preparations:

1. Inventory of your current site

• List all your pages, posts, and content elements
• Identify special elements (forms, galleries, stores)
• Make a list of functionalities you need to maintain
• Document your current integrations (email marketing, analytics, etc.)

2. Setting up new hosting and domain

• Choose a WordPress-optimized hosting provider
• Consider managed services for peace of mind
• Don’t cancel your Squarespace account until the migration is complete

3. Backup all your content

• Export all your content from Squarespace
• Download all your images and media files
• Save a complete backup

4. Preparation for SEO

• Create a redirection map (old URLs → new ones)
• Capture current metrics for later comparison
• Take screenshots of your current design as reference

With these preparations, you’ll be ready to begin the migration process with confidence.

Step-by-step migration guide

Follow these detailed steps to correctly migrate from Squarespace to WordPress:

Step 1: Export your content from Squarespace

1. Log in to your Squarespace control panel
2. Go to “Settings” → “Advanced” → “Import/Export”
3. Select “Export” → “WordPress”
4. Download the generated XML file (contains pages, posts, and metadata)
5. Important note: This file will not include products, image galleries, or custom designs

Step 2: Prepare your new WordPress site

1. Purchase WordPress-compatible hosting
2. Install WordPress (many providers offer 1-click installation)
3. Configure basic settings (time zone, permalink structure, etc.)
4. Install a theme that approximates your Squarespace site’s design
5. Configure essential plugins (more details in the tools section)

Step 3: Import your content to WordPress

1. Access your new WordPress dashboard
2. Go to “Tools” → “Import”
3. Select “WordPress” and install the importer
4. Upload the XML file you exported from Squarespace
5. Assign authors correctly
6. Check the option to import attachments

Step 4: Rebuild non-imported elements

1. Manually recreate your contact forms
2. Set up your online store if you had one in Squarespace
3. Rebuild galleries and special design elements
4. Reimport and organize images that weren’t transferred correctly

Step 5: Configure 301 redirects

1. Create a complete redirection map (old URL → new URL)
2. Install a plugin like “Redirection” to configure 301 redirects
3. Configure each redirection to preserve SEO and avoid broken links
4. Test all redirections to make sure they work correctly

Step 6: Review and polish the design

1. Adjust the appearance to match your Squarespace site
2. Optimize display on mobile devices
3. Make sure all visual elements are aligned
4. Verify functionality in different browsers

Once these steps are completed, you’ll be almost ready to launch your new WordPress site, but there are still some important configurations left.

Recommended tools and plugins

To facilitate your migration and improve your new WordPress site, we recommend these essential tools:

Essential plugins for migration:

• Redirection: To manage 301 redirects and avoid broken links
• All-in-One WP Migration: Facilitates content transfer
• Yoast SEO or Rank Math: To properly configure SEO
• WP Forms or Contact Form 7: To recreate your contact forms
• WooCommerce: If you need e-commerce functionality
• UpdraftPlus: To perform regular backups

WordPress themes similar to Squarespace style:

• Astra: Offers clean and minimalist templates
• Elementor + Hello Theme: For Squarespace-like visual design
• Divi: Powerful visual editor with similar aesthetics
• Kadence: Fast and with modern Squarespace-style designs

Verification tools:

• Screaming Frog: To audit your site before and after
• GTmetrix: To compare performance
• BrokenLinkCheck: To identify broken links post-migration

The right combination of these tools will make your migration much smoother and more successful. Additionally, implementing a proper maintenance system for your WordPress site from the beginning will help you preserve stability and performance in the long term.

How to preserve your SEO during migration

Migration can significantly affect your ranking if not handled correctly. Follow these steps to preserve and improve your SEO:

1. URL structure and redirects

• Maintain the same URL structure if possible
• Configure 301 redirects for each URL that changes
• Create an XML sitemap and update it in Google Search Console

2. Metadata and content

• Transfer all titles and meta descriptions
• Maintain the structure of H1, H2, H3 headings, etc.
• Preserve textual content that is already ranking

3. Technical configuration

• Make sure WordPress is configured for indexing
• Verify the loading speed of the new site
• Optimize images to maintain good performance
• Implement SSL (https://) from day one

4. Post-migration monitoring

• Monitor your ranking during the first few weeks
• Quickly fix any detected issues
• Update Google’s index by requesting reindexing

Proper handling of these SEO aspects will minimize any traffic drop during the transition and lay the foundation for better future ranking.

Common problems and how to solve them

During migration, you might encounter these frequent challenges:

Problem: Missing or incorrectly formatted content

Solution: Verify the export file and import again if necessary. For complex elements, consider manual recreation or use specific plugins that can help with importing.

Problem: Images not transferred

Solution: Images often require manual importing. Download all media files from Squarespace and upload them to your WordPress media library.

Problem: Drop in SEO ranking

Solution: Make sure all 301 redirects are correctly configured. Check that metadata has been transferred and request reindexing in Google Search Console.

Problem: Significant design differences

Solution: WordPress works differently than Squarespace. Consider using a visual builder like Elementor, Divi, or Gutenberg to recreate complex designs.

Problem: Lost functionalities

Solution: Identify plugins that replicate Squarespace functionalities. For very specific elements, custom development might be necessary.

Problem: Slow performance after migration

Solution: Optimize your site using cache plugins, image compression, and a good hosting provider.

Post-migration optimization

Once the migration is complete, these optimizations will significantly improve your new WordPress site:

1. Performance and speed

• Implement a cache plugin like WP Rocket or WP Super Cache
• Optimize all images with plugins like ShortPixel
• Configure a CDN to improve global speed
• Minimize and combine CSS and JavaScript files

2. Enhanced security

• Install a security plugin like Wordfence or Sucuri
• Set up regular automatic backups
• Implement two-factor authentication
• Keep all plugins and themes updated

3. Functionality expansion

• Explore plugins that add functionalities you didn’t have in Squarespace
• Implement more advanced analytics tools
• Enhance your forms with additional features
• Consider more powerful email marketing options

4. Maintenance plan

• Establish a regular update schedule
• Program periodic security reviews
• Constantly monitor performance
• Analyze and continuously optimize SEO

These optimizations will ensure that your site not only works correctly after migration but also takes advantage of all the potential WordPress offers.

Hire a professional or do it yourself?

The decision to hire a professional or perform the migration on your own depends on several factors:

Factors to consider:

DIY Migration (Do It Yourself):

• Pros: Lower initial cost, valuable learning, total control of the process
• Cons: Higher risk of errors, time-consuming, steep learning curve
• Recommended for: Small sites, people with some technical experience, limited budget

Professional hiring:

• Pros: Guaranteed results, time savings, perfect SEO migration, hassle-free
• Cons: Higher initial investment
• Recommended for: Important commercial sites, online stores, complex sites, those who value their time

Ideal balance:

Many opt for a hybrid approach: hiring a professional for critical technical parts (such as export/import and redirect configuration) while personally handling content and design adjustments.

Whatever your decision, make sure you have a clear plan and adequate backups before starting.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to migrate from Squarespace to WordPress?
Depending on the complexity of your site, it can take from a few hours to several days. A basic site could be migrated in 1-2 days, while more complex projects with online stores may require a week or more.

Will I lose SEO ranking when migrating?
If the migration is done correctly with all 301 redirects properly implemented, any impact on SEO should be minimal and temporary. It’s normal to see small fluctuations during the first few weeks.

How much does it cost to migrate from Squarespace to WordPress?
The cost varies significantly: the DIY option only requires hosting expenses and possible premium plugins (approximately $100-200), while professional hiring can cost between $500 and $2,000 depending on the project’s complexity.

Can I migrate my online store from Squarespace to WooCommerce?
Yes, but it’s one of the most complex aspects of migration. Products, inventory, and orders generally require manual import or specialized tools. For stores with many products, professional assistance is recommended.

Should I maintain my Squarespace subscription during migration?
Definitely yes. Keep your Squarespace site active until you’ve fully verified that your new WordPress site works correctly. This avoids downtime and allows you to compare both versions.

What hosting is best for WordPress after migrating from Squarespace?
Providers like SiteGround, WP Engine, Kinsta, or Cloudways offer WordPress-optimized hosting with excellent performance. The choice will depend on your budget and specific traffic and resource needs.

Conclusion

Migrating from Squarespace to WordPress requires planning and attention to detail, but the long-term benefits in terms of flexibility, control, and growth potential make the effort worthwhile. By following this step-by-step guide, you’ll be able to make a smooth transition and take advantage of all the benefits WordPress has to offer.

Remember that regular maintenance is essential to ensure your WordPress site continues to function optimally after migration. We recommend reviewing our complete maintenance guide for WordPress sites to establish best practices from the beginning.

Are you considering migrating from Squarespace to WordPress? Do you have any specific questions about the process? Leave us a comment, and we’ll be happy to help you with your transition.