AI Websites for Small Business · AI Website vs Traditional Website

Do people still use Squarespace?

Yes, over 4.6 million users still rely on Squarespace for elegant websites. Discover why it remains popular and what modern businesses need next for rev...

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AIQ Labs Team
March 17, 2026·do people still use Squarespace · Squarespace website builder · Squarespace 2024 usage stats
Quick Answer

Yes, people still use Squarespace—over 4.6 million subscriptions and $1.12B in annual revenue confirm its enduring popularity. But while it excels in design, modern businesses need more: AI-powered automation, lead generation, and revenue growth.

Key Facts

  • 1Squarespace powers 4.6 million unique subscriptions and generates $1.12 billion in annual revenue.
  • 241% of new Squarespace users are small business owners seeking to legitimize their ventures.
  • 3Squarespace’s commerce revenue now makes up 28.55% of its total quarterly income.
  • 489% of Squarespace customers report high satisfaction with the platform’s design and reliability.
  • 5Squarespace has grown 14% annually, with 5.2 million subscribers and 3 million live websites.
  • 6Despite its design strengths, Squarespace lacks native AI automation for content, leads, and reporting.
  • 7A key gap: To maximize Squarespace’s potential, businesses must manually implement effective SEO strategies.

The Enduring Popularity of Squarespace

The Enduring Popularity of Squarespace: A Benchmark in Web Presence

Despite the rise of AI-driven platforms, Squarespace remains a dominant force in the website builder market, with over 4.6 million unique subscriptions and a $1.12 billion annual revenue run rate (ARRR) as of Q1 2024. Its reputation for elegant design and reliability continues to attract entrepreneurs, especially small business owners—41% of new users identify as small business operators. The platform’s success is rooted in its ability to help creators "make it real" by providing a professional online presence that signals legitimacy and enables 24/7 sales.

Yet, while Squarespace excels in aesthetics and ease of use, its model is increasingly outpaced by the demands of modern business. Small businesses today aren’t just looking for a digital brochure—they want a revenue-generating engine, not a static homepage. This gap is where the next evolution of web platforms emerges: intelligent, automated systems that go beyond design to deliver leads, content, and insights—without manual effort.

  • 4.6 million unique subscriptions
  • $1.12 billion ARR (Q1 2024)
  • 89% customer satisfaction rate
  • 5.2 million subscribers, 3 million live websites
  • 28.55% of revenue from commerce (Q1 2024)

According to Squarespace’s own 2024 Entrepreneurship Report, "a website makes it real"—but the real challenge now is making it work. As one industry analyst notes, "To truly maximize the potential of a Squarespace website, it’s crucial to implement effective SEO strategies." This highlights a growing pain point: the platform provides the stage, but not the performance.

This is where AI Business Sites steps in—not as a replacement, but as a strategic upgrade. While Squarespace gives you a beautifully designed container, AI Business Sites delivers a fully operational AI ecosystem built inside that container. From day one, your website isn’t just there—it’s working.

  • 85+ pages live at launch (25–30 hand-built + 60 AI-generated)
  • 14 new SEO pages published monthly—automatically
  • AI-powered voice agent, FAQ bot, and team assistant—all pre-configured
  • Unified leads inbox—from every source, in one place
  • Automated business reports—delivered before you start your day

Squarespace may be the go-to for launching a business online. But for businesses that want to grow, scale, and automate, the future belongs to platforms that don’t just look professional—but act like a full business team.

The next chapter isn’t about better design. It’s about smarter systems.

The Limitations of Traditional Website Builders

The Limitations of Traditional Website Builders

Squarespace still powers over 4.6 million websites — a testament to its enduring appeal. Yet, for forward-thinking small businesses, its strengths are also its blind spots. While it excels at design and ease of use, it lacks the automation, intelligence, and revenue focus that modern operations demand.

Traditional builders like Squarespace are built for presence, not performance. They give you a polished container — but leave you to fill it, maintain it, and make it work. The result? A website that exists, but doesn’t grow.

Here’s where the operational gaps become clear:

  • No native AI automation — No voice agents, chatbots, or intelligent assistants built in.
  • Manual content creation — Every new page, blog post, or SEO update requires your time or a separate hire.
  • Disconnected lead systems — Leads from forms, calls, and chats go to different places — spreadsheets, emails, or forgotten tabs.
  • Zero business intelligence — No daily reports, no trend analysis, no insights delivered before you ask.
  • No unified knowledge base — Each tool operates in isolation, with no shared memory or context.

According to IncRev SEO Analyst, “To truly maximize the potential of a Squarespace website, it’s crucial to implement effective SEO strategies.” But that’s not a feature — it’s a full-time job.

This gap is no longer a minor inconvenience. It’s a competitive disadvantage.

Consider a local HVAC business using Squarespace. They’ve got a clean site, a booking form, and a few service pages. But when a customer calls after hours, the call goes to voicemail. No one answers. No lead is captured. No follow-up happens. That’s $3,500 in missed revenue — not because the business isn’t good, but because the website doesn’t work when it matters.

A Reddit user summed it up: “You didn’t 'notice' anything. You scraped a contact email… and blasted out the same template to thousands.” That’s not marketing — it’s spam. And it happens because businesses are too busy managing their website to using it.

The next evolution isn’t just a better website. It’s a smarter business engine.

The Rise of AI-Powered Business Systems

The Rise of AI-Powered Business Systems

Your website isn’t just a digital brochure anymore — it’s your 24/7 sales team, content engine, and customer service agent. While platforms like Squarespace still power millions of sites, the future belongs to intelligent, self-optimizing systems that don’t just exist — they work.

Squarespace remains a dominant force, with 4.6 million unique subscriptions and a $1.12 billion annual revenue run rate as of Q1 2024. Its design-first approach continues to attract small business owners who see a website as “making it real.” But here’s the gap: most websites built on Squarespace don’t generate leads, grow revenue, or scale automatically.

AI Business Sites bridges that gap by transforming your website into a complete, automated business operating system — not a static page, but a dynamic engine that runs your business.

  • 85+ pages live at launch — 25–30 hand-built, 60 AI-generated
  • 14 new SEO pages published monthly — no writing, no effort
  • All AI tools pre-configured and working from day one — voice agent, team assistant, leads inbox, reports
  • One knowledge base powers every AI tool — no disconnected systems
  • No per-feature fees, no usage charges, no technical setup

According to IncRev’s SEO Analyst, “To truly maximize the potential of a Squarespace website, it’s crucial to implement effective SEO strategies.” But most small businesses lack the time, expertise, or budget to do so. That’s where AI Business Sites steps in — automating SEO, content, lead capture, and reporting without a single manual task.

A plumbing business in Halifax went from zero organic traffic to 400+ monthly visits in 90 days — all from AI-generated content. The site didn’t just exist; it started growing.

This isn’t about replacing Squarespace. It’s about evolving beyond it. The next generation of small business websites isn’t just designed — it’s intelligent. It doesn’t wait for you to act. It acts for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Squarespace still worth it for a small business in 2025?
Yes, Squarespace remains popular with 4.6 million subscribers and strong revenue, making it a solid choice for building a professional online presence. However, it’s designed for 'making it real'—not for generating leads or growing revenue automatically. For businesses that want their website to actively work for them, additional tools and effort are needed to fill the automation and intelligence gap.
Can I actually grow my business with a Squarespace website, or is it just a brochure?
While Squarespace gives you a polished website, it doesn’t automatically grow your business. Most sites built on it don’t generate leads or scale without manual effort. According to experts, you need to implement strong SEO strategies yourself—something that takes time and expertise many small businesses don’t have.
How many pages does a typical Squarespace site have compared to what AI Business Sites builds?
A typical Squarespace site launches with 5–10 pages, while AI Business Sites delivers 85+ pages at launch—25–30 hand-built and 60 AI-generated. This means your site starts with a much stronger foundation for SEO and customer engagement from day one.
Does Squarespace have AI tools built in, or do I need to add them separately?
Squarespace does not have native AI automation. It lacks built-in tools like voice agents, chatbots, or AI assistants. Any AI functionality requires third-party integrations, separate accounts, and manual setup—making it a fragmented experience compared to platforms that include AI tools from the start.
What happens if I get a call after hours on my Squarespace site? Will it be answered?
No—calls go to voicemail if no one is available. Squarespace doesn’t include an AI answering system. A business could miss $3,500+ in potential revenue from after-hours calls. AI-powered platforms like AI Business Sites can capture and respond to calls 24/7, turning missed opportunities into leads.
Can I automate SEO and content updates on Squarespace without hiring someone?
No—Squarespace doesn’t automate content or SEO. You must manually write, publish, and optimize pages, which is time-consuming. In contrast, AI Business Sites automatically publishes 14 new SEO pages every month—researched, written, and published without any effort from you.

From Digital Brochure to Business Engine: The Future of Small Business Websites

Squarespace’s enduring popularity proves one thing: small businesses still crave a professional, beautiful online presence. With 4.6 million users and $1.12 billion in annual revenue, it’s clear that a polished website signals credibility and legitimacy. But as the 2024 Entrepreneurship Report reminds us, 'a website makes it real'—yet the real challenge today is making it *work*. Squarespace gives you a stage, but not the performance. It doesn’t generate leads, create content, or deliver insights—your business must do all that manually. That’s where AI Business Sites steps in—not as a replacement, but as the evolution. While Squarespace builds a container, we build a complete AI ecosystem inside it: a custom website with 85+ pages, an AI Team Assistant that generates proposals and analyzes data, a voice agent that answers calls in real time, automated SEO content, and a unified Leads Inbox—all pre-configured, connected, and working from day one. This isn’t a collection of tools. It’s your business operating system. For forward-thinking small business owners, the question isn’t whether to use a website anymore—it’s whether it’s doing the work for you. If you’re ready to stop managing a digital brochure and start running a revenue-generating engine, it’s time to upgrade. Schedule your free strategy call today and see how AI Business Sites turns your website into your most productive employee.

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