Squarespace vs Payload
Squarespace is a closed-source site builder that runs on the vendor's cloud. Payload is an open-source headless CMS that you can host yourself or run on the vendor's cloud. The table below sets them side by side on 28 features. They get a different status on 20.
- Squarespace Site builder · Closed source · 9 of 28 built in
- Payload Headless · Open source · 13 of 28 built in
Sources checked: Squarespace on 29 Sept 2026, Payload on 29 Sept 2026. Plans and releases can change after those dates.
WAYF is an official Payload partner and top contributor. Every platform in the table is classified by the same published definitions, and each answer lists the vendor page it came from.
Feature comparison
Built inPaid tierPlugin or add-onLimitedNot available
| Platform |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| What it is | Hosted website builder with templates, a visual editor, blogging and commerce. Squarespace runs the hosting. | Open-source TypeScript headless CMS and app framework that installs into a Next.js app and stores content in your own database. |
| Edition compared The product and release each column describes. | Squarespace website plans on version 7.1 SaaS, continuously updated | Payload 3, MIT-licensed open-source core Version 3.90.2, released 23 Sept 2026 |
| Vendor | Squarespace, Inc. squarespace.com | Figma (acquired Payload in June 2025) payloadcms.com |
| Licence | Closed source Proprietary | Open source MIT |
| Hosting | No self-hosting Vendor cloud | Self-hosting Vendor cloud Payload Cloud is paused for new projects. Payload offers hosting to enterprise customers. |
| Built with | Hosted SaaS, custom CSS and JavaScript on Core and higher plans | TypeScript, Node.js, Next.js, React |
| Database | Managed by Squarespace | PostgreSQL, MongoDB, SQLite |
| Pricing Public list prices only. Hosting and implementation are extra everywhere. | No free option Basic $19, Core $29, Plus $49, Advanced $99 per month billed annually in the US. 14-day free trial. | Free to start Free to self-host. Enterprise licence, support and hosting on request. |
| Content modelling | ||
| Content model in code You define content types in files in your repository, review them like any other code and apply them from there. Imperative migration scripts alone count as limited. | Limited Custom post types in template.conf, only with Developer Mode on version 7.0. 23 | Built in Collections, globals and fields are TypeScript config. 2 |
| Content model in the UI Admins can create and change content types and fields in the admin interface without writing code. | Not available Fixed page and collection types. No custom fields in the editor. 2 | Not available No schema builder in the admin. |
| Reusable blocks Editors compose pages from reusable, typed components or blocks, and can reorder them. | Built in Editors add and reorder sections and blocks. | Built in Blocks field. |
| Localization Editors translate content per locale inside the CMS, by field or by entry, without a separate site for each language. | Plugin or add-on Weglot extension. Without it, editors duplicate pages per language. 45 | Built in Field-level localization. |
| Image transformations The CMS resizes, crops or converts images on request, through URL parameters or generated sizes, with no external service. | Built in Squarespace serves uploaded images in generated sizes. | Built in Generates configured image sizes on upload, with crop and focal point. 11 |
| APIs and delivery | ||
| REST API A documented REST or JSON HTTP API returns content. | Limited Commerce APIs for products, orders and inventory on Core and up. No API for pages. 16 | Built in |
| GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. | Not available | Built in |
| Webhooks The CMS can call an external URL when content is created, changed or published. | Limited Commerce events only, through the Webhook Subscriptions API. 7 | Not available No webhook settings. Call URLs from afterChange hooks in code. 17 |
| Renders the website The CMS itself renders and serves the public pages through themes or templates. Headless-only products answer no. | Built in | Not available Runs inside your Next.js app. You build the pages. |
| Editorial workflow | ||
| Drafts Editors save changes as a draft and publish them later. The live version stays untouched until then. | Paid tier Page drafts need a Premium or Enterprise plan. Blog posts can be drafts on any plan. 8 | Built in 10 |
| Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. | Limited Blog posts only. 9 | Built in Scheduled publish and unpublish run through the jobs queue. 10 |
| Version history The CMS keeps earlier versions of an entry, and editors can compare or restore them. | Not available Undo and redo within an editing session only. 10 | Built in Opt-in per collection or global. 10 |
| Preview Editors can see unpublished content rendered as it will appear on the site before publishing. | Built in Editing happens on the rendered page. | Built in |
| Visual editing Editors can click on the rendered page and edit content in place or in a side panel next to it. | Built in | Not available Payload lists the Enterprise Visual Editor as coming soon. 37 |
| Approval workflows Content moves through review stages you configure, such as draft, review and approved, with permissions per stage. | Limited Enterprise Draft editor role drafts pages for an admin to publish. No custom stages. 811 | Paid tier Enterprise publishing workflows. 39 |
| Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. | Not available | Not available |
| Real-time co-editing Two or more editors can work on the same entry at once and see each other's changes live. | Not available | Not available Document locking only. Payload lists enterprise multi-player editing as coming soon. 12320 |
| Access and governance | ||
| Custom roles Admins define their own roles with granular permissions instead of picking from a fixed set. | Not available Fixed contributor permission types. 11 | Limited Roles are access-control functions written in code. No role editor in the admin. 18 |
| Field-level permissions Admins can restrict access to single fields, on top of content types and entries. | Not available | Built in Field-level access functions. 18 |
| Single sign-on Editors can sign in through SAML or OpenID Connect against a company identity provider. | Paid tier Premium and Enterprise plans. OpenID Connect through Entra ID, SAML through Google. 1718 | Paid tier Enterprise licence, SAML and OAuth 2.0. 35 |
| Audit log The CMS logs who changed what and when across the whole installation, and admins can review the log. | Not available | Paid tier Enterprise audit logs. 6 |
| Platform and extensibility | ||
| Multiple sites One installation or account can manage several separate websites or brands with shared users. | Limited Each site needs its own plan. Enterprise teams manage several sites from one account. 11 | Plugin or add-on Official multi-tenant plugin. 15 |
| Extensible admin UI Developers can add their own components, views or fields to the editing interface. | Not available | Built in Custom React components, views and fields. |
| Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. | Built in Squarespace Extensions, a directory of third-party tools. 12 | Limited Docs list official plugins. Community plugin directories are third-party. 13 |
| Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. | Built in Form blocks store submissions. 13 | Plugin or add-on Official Form Builder plugin. 16 |
| Site member accounts The platform handles sign-up and login for public site users or members, separate from editors. | Built in Customer accounts on all plans. Member sites for gated content. 114 | Built in Any auth-enabled collection can hold site users. |
| AI writing assistant A first-party AI feature in the editing interface generates, rewrites or translates content. | Built in Squarespace AI writer. Monthly AI credits vary by plan. 115 | Paid tier Enterprise AI writing assistant. Payload lists AI translation and image generation as coming soon. 8 |
| Official MCP server The vendor publishes a Model Context Protocol server so AI agents can read or write content. | Not available The official MCP server covers domain search only. It can't reach site content. 16 | Plugin or add-on Official open-source MCP plugin. 14 |
Squarespace sources
Checked 29 Sept 2026. Squarespace website plans on version 7.1.
- Squarespace pricing
- Squarespace Developer Platform: Custom Post Types
- Squarespace Developer Platform FAQ
- Manually creating a multilingual site
- Creating a multilingual site with Weglot
- Squarespace Commerce APIs overview
- Squarespace webhooks overview
- Drafting pages (Premium and Enterprise)
- Scheduling blog posts
- Using undo and redo in Squarespace
- Contributor roles and permissions
- Squarespace Extensions
- Form blocks
- Member Sites
- Using Squarespace AI
- Overview of the Squarespace MCP server
- Logging in with single sign-on through Microsoft Entra ID (Premium & Enterprise)
- Logging in with single sign-on through Google (Premium & Enterprise)
Payload sources
Checked 29 Sept 2026. Payload 3, MIT-licensed open-source core.
- payload on the npm registry
- Get started with Payload
- Payload for Enterprise
- Payload Cloud update: Payload has joined Figma
- Payload enterprise SSO
- Payload enterprise audit logs
- Payload Visual Editor
- Payload enterprise AI
- Payload publishing workflows
- Payload docs: Drafts
- Payload docs: Uploads
- Payload docs: Document locking
- Payload docs: Plugins
- Payload docs: MCP plugin
- Payload docs: Multi-tenant plugin
- Payload docs: Form Builder plugin
- GitHub discussion: Webhooks?
- Payload docs: Access control
- Figma blog: Welcoming Payload to the Figma team
- Payload multi-player editing
Considering more platforms? Compare Squarespace and Payload with the rest of your shortlist in the CMS comparison tool.
Where they differ
Squarespace and Payload get a different status on 20 of the 28 features and the same status on 8. Squarespace has 9 built in on its baseline edition, Payload has 13. Two matching statuses can still name different paid tiers or limits, so read the notes in the table before treating a row as equal.
- Licence
- Squarespace is closed source (Proprietary). Payload is open source (MIT).
- Self-hosting
- Squarespace cannot be self-hosted. Payload can be self-hosted.
- Free option
- Squarespace has no free option. Payload has a free option.
Built in on Squarespace, a different answer on Payload 5
- Renders the website Squarespace: Built in. Payload: Not available.
- Visual editing Squarespace: Built in. Payload: Not available.
- Plugin marketplace Squarespace: Built in. Payload: Limited.
- Form builder Squarespace: Built in. Payload: Plugin or add-on.
- AI writing assistant Squarespace: Built in. Payload: Paid tier.
Built in on Payload, a different answer on Squarespace 9
- Content model in code Squarespace: Limited. Payload: Built in.
- Localization Squarespace: Plugin or add-on. Payload: Built in.
- REST API Squarespace: Limited. Payload: Built in.
- GraphQL API Squarespace: Not available. Payload: Built in.
- Drafts Squarespace: Paid tier. Payload: Built in.
- Scheduled publishing Squarespace: Limited. Payload: Built in.
- Version history Squarespace: Not available. Payload: Built in.
- Field-level permissions Squarespace: Not available. Payload: Built in.
- Extensible admin UI Squarespace: Not available. Payload: Built in.
Built in on neither, with different answers 6
- Webhooks Squarespace: Limited. Payload: Not available.
- Approval workflows Squarespace: Limited. Payload: Paid tier.
- Custom roles Squarespace: Not available. Payload: Limited.
- Audit log Squarespace: Not available. Payload: Paid tier.
- Multiple sites Squarespace: Limited. Payload: Plugin or add-on.
- Official MCP server Squarespace: Not available. Payload: Plugin or add-on.
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