What’s the Best Website Platform for Nonprofits? WordPress vs. Squarespace
If you’re managing a nonprofit organization, you already know how crucial your website is in amplifying your mission, sharing your story, and reaching your audience. But when it comes to choosing the right platform for your nonprofit website, the decision can be overwhelming. With so many options available—WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, Weebly—how do you know which one is the best fit for your nonprofit?
As someone who has worked with nonprofits for years, helping them build nonprofit web pages that engage, inform, and convert, I want to walk you through the two most popular platforms: WordPress and Squarespace. I’ll break down their pros and cons, discuss the ease of use, costs, and security considerations, and share why I firmly believe Squarespace is the best option for most nonprofits.
Why Website Design for Nonprofits is Different
Nonprofits face a unique challenge when it comes to their websites. Unlike for-profit businesses that may have large marketing teams or budgets, nonprofits often have limited resources for web design and maintenance. As a nonprofit marketing professional, your primary goal is to amplify your mission and message without being bogged down by complicated website issues.
The good news is that you don’t need a huge marketing or tech team to create and manage a great nonprofit website. Whether you’re building your nonprofit web pages from scratch or updating an existing site, the platform you choose can make all the difference in how easily you can manage and update your content.
Let’s dive into why Squarespace for nonprofits is often the better choice for your organization.
Ease of Use: Squarespace vs. WordPress
One of the most important factors when choosing a platform for your nonprofit website is ease of use. As a nonprofit marketing professional, you likely don’t have the luxury of an in-house website designer. Often, the responsibility of updating the nonprofit website falls to you—meaning you need a platform that’s easy to navigate, flexible, and quick to update.
Why Squarespace is the Better Choice for Nonprofits
If ease of use is your priority, I highly recommend Squarespace for nonprofits. Squarespace is known for its user-friendly, drag-and-drop design interface. The platform allows you to create a beautiful nonprofit website without needing to learn any complicated coding. With Squarespace, you simply select a template, customize it to fit your branding, and start adding your content.
Drag-and-Drop Simplicity: Edit your pages by simply clicking and typing. Want to change text? Click the section and type. Want to add an image? Drag it to the page. It's that simple.
Ready-to-Use Templates: Squarespace provides a variety of beautifully designed templates tailored for nonprofit organizations. You don’t need to design your site from scratch—just update it with your organization’s content and branding.
No Coding Required: Unlike other platforms like WordPress, which often require coding knowledge to make simple changes, Squarespace allows you to customize your site using its intuitive platform. If you need to make a change, it’s easy and doesn’t require backend development.
This ease of use makes Squarespace for nonprofits a clear winner, especially for organizations that need to be self-sufficient in website management.
Why WordPress Can Be Complicated
On the other hand, WordPress is notorious for its complexity. It may offer more customization options, but those come with a steep learning curve. Getting into the backend of a WordPress site can feel like trying to assemble Ikea furniture without instructions—there are widgets, plugins, and thousands of settings that are overwhelming for someone without web design experience.
If you want to make updates to your nonprofit website, WordPress will require more time, effort, and likely a dedicated web designer or developer. If your nonprofit doesn’t have an in-house web team, you may find yourself constantly outsourcing updates and paying a significant amount for even the simplest changes.
In my experience, nonprofits often end up stuck in long-term contracts with WordPress developers, paying them hourly to make basic updates. For example, one nonprofit I worked with had a WordPress site that was beautiful on the front end but required them to pay their developer $125 per hour just to change a date or update a staff member’s name.
With Squarespace, that kind of simple update could be done in minutes by anyone on your team without relying on a developer.
Reducing Your Dependence on Web Developers
If there’s one thing I’ve learned through my years working with nonprofit organizations, it’s this: the more you can do on your own, the better. Nonprofits have limited marketing and tech resources, so it’s important to choose a platform that doesn’t leave you dependent on outside web developers for every little change.
With Squarespace, you don’t have to worry about being locked into long-term, expensive contracts with developers. You can update your content as needed, change out photos, add blog posts, and update information without waiting for a developer to become available.
The ability to manage your website independently is one of the biggest advantages of using Squarespace. Many nonprofits waste money paying a developer to make simple updates that could easily be handled internally. By using Squarespace’s easy-to-use platform, you’ll empower your team to take control of your nonprofit’s web design and content updates.
Cost: WordPress vs. Squarespace
Cost is always a significant factor for nonprofits, especially when you’re working within a tight budget. Let’s break down the financial side of these two platforms:
WordPress: While WordPress itself is free to use, there are hidden costs. You’ll need to pay for hosting, a domain name, plugins, and potentially a web developer if you don’t have the skills to manage it yourself. In the long run, WordPress can be quite expensive, especially when you factor in the ongoing maintenance and updates required.
Squarespace: Squarespace offers a simple, all-in-one solution that includes hosting, templates, and ongoing support. The cost is predictable and generally lower than what you’d spend on a WordPress site, especially when you factor in the time and money saved by not needing a dedicated developer.
For most nonprofits, Squarespace offers a more affordable and streamlined option. You don’t need to worry about additional costs for hosting, updates, or security, as these are all included in your monthly fee.
Website Maintenance: WordPress vs. Squarespace
When choosing a platform for your nonprofit website, it’s important to consider long-term maintenance. A website isn’t a “set it and forget it” project—it needs regular updates, especially when it comes to content, security, and plugins.
The WordPress Maintenance Burden
One of the biggest downsides of WordPress is the constant need for updates. WordPress sites require regular plugin updates, theme updates, and security patches. If you don’t have someone dedicated to managing this, it can quickly become a full-time job. These updates can cause issues if not handled properly, which means your website might experience downtime or even break entirely.
Squarespace: Low Maintenance, High Efficiency
In contrast, Squarespace requires minimal maintenance. Once your site is up and running, you don’t have to worry about constantly updating plugins or themes. Squarespace automatically takes care of updates behind the scenes, so your site stays secure without any extra effort from you.
Security: Is WordPress or Squarespace Safer?
When it comes to website security, both WordPress and Squarespace offer solid protection. However, WordPress websites are more prone to security breaches because they often rely on third-party plugins, which can create vulnerabilities.
Squarespace offers built-in security features that are regularly updated, meaning you don’t have to worry about keeping up with patches or dealing with potential security risks. For nonprofits that don’t have an in-house IT team, this built-in security is a major plus.
When Might WordPress Be the Right Choice?
While I recommend Squarespace for most nonprofits, there are some cases where WordPress might be a better fit:
Large Membership Sites: If your nonprofit has a large membership base with complex membership areas or requires multiple portals for different cohorts, WordPress might be the better choice. WordPress offers greater customization for these types of complex websites.
Advanced Customization Needs: If you need highly specialized functionality or features, WordPress may offer more flexibility in terms of plugins and custom development.
However, for most nonprofits, Squarespace provides a simpler, more cost-effective solution that can easily scale with your organization’s needs.
Choosing the right platform for your nonprofit website is one of the most important decisions you can make. A good nonprofit website will help you engage your audience, spread your message, and raise vital funds. But it needs to be easy to maintain and cost-effective, which is why I believe Squarespace for nonprofits is often the best solution.
If you’re ready to take your nonprofit web design to the next level, consider switching to Squarespace. You’ll save time, money, and effort while ensuring that your nonprofit’s website reflects your mission and engages your audience effectively.
If you’d like help setting up your nonprofit website, we also offer website "21 days to a New Website" services for organizations with a $2 million operating budget or less. Contact us today to learn more!
