How to Migrate from Squarespace to WordPress: Step-by-Step 2026 Guide

You’ve outgrown Squarespace. The templates feel restrictive, plugin options are limited, and the monthly bill keeps climbing. WordPress fixes most of that, but moving between the two platforms isn’t a 1-click job.

This guide walks you through the whole migration. Content, images, domain, permalinks, store, redirects, the lot. I’ll also cover what most tutorials skip: the right plugin to use for moving Squarespace images, how to migrate a Squarespace store to WooCommerce, and the URL redirects you need so your Google rankings survive the move.

Your Squarespace site stays online the entire time. You’re building the new WordPress version in parallel, then flipping the domain over when it’s ready.

Should You Migrate From Squarespace to WordPress?

Quick decision check before you put in 4 hours of work.

WordPress is the better fit if you need:

• Plugins Squarespace doesn’t offer (membership systems, booking tools, advanced SEO, learning management)
• A store with more than 100 products or custom checkout flows
• Lower long-term costs (WordPress hosting starts around $5/month vs. Squarespace’s $23+)
• Full ownership of your site files and database
• Deeper SEO control (custom schema, advanced redirects, granular meta settings)

Stay on Squarespace if:

• Your site has under 20 pages and isn’t growing
• You don’t want to manage hosting, updates, or backups yourself
• You’re happy with Squarespace’s built-in features and don’t miss anything

Still in the WordPress camp? Keep going.

What Transfers And What Doesn’t

Squarespace’s XML export is partial. Here’s exactly what comes across vs. what you’ll rebuild:

Content type	Transfers automatically	Manual rebuild
Blog posts	Yes	No
Standard pages	Yes	No
Text blocks	Yes	No
Image blocks (URLs only)	Yes	Images need a plugin
Gallery pages	Partial (text yes, images no)	Yes
Product pages	No	Yes
Event pages	No	Yes
Album pages	No	Yes
Folders	No	Yes
Audio/video blocks	No	Yes
Form submissions	No	Yes
Custom CSS	No	Yes
Custom code blocks	No	Yes
Members and subscribers	Partial	Partial

Knowing what you’re rebuilding before you start saves headaches later.

What You Need Before You Start

A short checklist:

• A WordPress hosting account
• Your Squarespace admin login
• Access to your domain registrar (Squarespace or wherever you registered the domain)
• A spreadsheet listing every current Squarespace URL on your site
• 2 to 4 hours for a small site, a full day for anything larger

That spreadsheet matters. Paste every URL from your Squarespace site into column A. You’ll fill column B with the new WordPress URLs once they exist. This single sheet is what protects your Google rankings later.

Step 1: Set up WordPress hosting and install WordPress

You need self-hosted WordPress (WordPress.org), not WordPress.com. The .com version has restrictions that defeat the point of leaving Squarespace.

Hosting options worth comparing:

• Rocon: Free migration handled by their team, 24/7 support, managed Kubernetes-based WordPress
• Kinsta: Premium managed hosting, higher price point
• SiteGround: Solid mid-tier with good support
• Hostinger: Cheap entry point, fine for small sites

Sign up, run the host’s 1-click WordPress installer, and you’ve got a blank WordPress site ready in about 10 minutes. Most managed hosts also create a temporary URL (like yoursite.rocon.cloud) so you can build the new site without touching your live domain.

If you’re going with Rocon, their team handles the whole migration for free, so you can stop reading here and let them do it. The rest of this guide is for people doing it themselves.

Step 2: Export your content from Squarespace

Log into Squarespace. Go to Settings > Advanced > Import / Export Content.

Click Export. Choose the WordPress icon.

If your site has more than one blog, Squarespace shows a “Select Primary Blog” popup. Pick the main blog from the dropdown and click Export. (You’ll have to rebuild any additional blogs manually after the migration since Squarespace only exports 1.)

Squarespace takes 30 seconds to a few minutes to prepare the file. When it’s ready, a Download button appears. Click it. You’ll get an .xml file. Save it somewhere you can find it.

Step 3: Import the XML file into WordPress

In your WordPress admin, go to Tools > Import.

Scroll to the WordPress option at the bottom of the list. Click Install Now, then Run Importer.

Upload the XML file from Step 2.

WordPress asks 2 things:

1. Assign content to an existing user, or create a new author
2. Whether to “Download and import file attachments”

Pick a user. Tick the attachments box. Click Submit.

The import takes 1 to 10 minutes depending on how much content you have.

If the import fails or times out: This happens on bigger sites. Uncheck the “Download and import file attachments” box and try again. The import will complete, but you’ll handle images in Step 4 instead. Many users skip the checkbox by default because Auto Upload Images (next step) does a better job anyway.

Step 4: Fix imported images with Auto Upload Images

After the import, you’ll notice something odd. Your images appear in WordPress posts, but they’re still loading from Squarespace’s servers. Some may not appear at all.

The reason: WordPress imports the XML text content, but Squarespace image URLs still point to Squarespace’s CDN. If you ever shut down your Squarespace account, every image breaks.

The fix is the Auto Upload Images plugin. This is the standard solution every top tutorial recommends.

Here’s how it works:

1. In WordPress, go to Plugins > Add New
2. Search for “Auto Upload Images” (by Ali Irani)
3. Install and activate it
4. Go to Posts > All Posts
5. Click Screen Options at the top right, change “Number of items per page” to a high number (500+), then click Apply
6. Tick the checkbox in the top left to select all posts
7. From the Bulk Actions dropdown, choose Edit
8. Click Apply
9. A bulk edit panel appears. Don’t change anything. Click Update

The plugin scans every post, finds Squarespace-hosted images, downloads them to your WordPress media library, and rewrites the image URLs to point locally. Bigger sites may need to do this in batches of 50 to 100 posts to avoid timeouts.

Repeat the same process for pages (under Pages > All Pages).

Alternative for stubborn cases: Some Squarespace exports use data-src instead of src in image tags (this happens when lazy loading was enabled). If Auto Upload Images misses these, install Better Search Replace, search for data-src, replace with src, and run it on the wp_posts table.

Step 5: Set up WordPress permalinks

This step matters more than people realize. The default WordPress URL format looks like yoursite.com/?p=123, which is bad for SEO and ugly for users.

Change it before anyone visits your new site.

Go to Settings > Permalinks. Pick Post name from the list. Your URLs will look like yoursite.com/your-post-title/. Click Save.

If you change permalinks after launch, every link to your site breaks unless you’ve set up redirects. Lock this in now.

A quick note on URL mapping: Squarespace blog URLs look like /blog/2024/3/15/your-post-title. WordPress with “Post name” gives you /your-post-title/. You’ll set up redirects for this in Step 8.

Step 6: Rebuild what Squarespace didn’t export

Open that list of missing content types from the “What transfers” table earlier. Handle each one:

Products: Install WooCommerce (free plugin). For under 30 products, manually recreate each. For more, see the WooCommerce migration section below.

Custom CSS: Find your Squarespace custom CSS (Design > Custom CSS in Squarespace). Copy it. In WordPress, paste into Appearance > Customize > Additional CSS. Some selectors won’t carry over since the underlying HTML structure is different. Expect to tweak.

Gallery pages: Install Envira Gallery, NextGen Gallery, or use the native WordPress block editor’s gallery block. Re-upload images and rebuild each gallery.

Event pages: The Events Calendar (free version) covers most use cases. Recreate each event.

Forms: WPForms or Fluent Forms. Rebuild forms with the same fields as your Squarespace ones.

Audio/video blocks: Re-embed using WordPress’s native embed feature. Paste the YouTube, Vimeo, or SoundCloud URL on its own line, and WordPress auto-embeds.

Members/subscribers: Squarespace doesn’t export member areas or paid subscriber lists. If you ran a members-only section, you’ll need to migrate the user list manually using a CSV export from Squarespace (if your plan allows) and a user import plugin like Import Users from CSV on the WordPress side. Email everyone to set new passwords after the move.

Step 7: Pick a WordPress theme

Squarespace sites have a polished look that doesn’t carry over with the XML import. You’ll pick a WordPress theme to give your content a home.

3 routes to consider:

1. Free theme from the WordPress repository. Go to Appearance > Themes > Add New. Astra, Kadence, GeneratePress, and Neve are all free, fast, and flexible. Good starting points.
2. Premium theme. Themes from StudioPress, Elegant Themes (Divi), or ThemeForest range from $40 to $100 typically. Worth it if you want a specific design out of the box.
3. Page builder. Elementor (free version available), Beaver Builder, or Bricks let you design pages visually. Useful if you liked Squarespace’s drag-and-drop feel.

Match the theme to your old Squarespace design or use the move as an excuse to refresh. Most themes preview live in the dashboard before you activate, so try 3 or 4 before settling.

Step 8: Set up 301 Redirects from old Squarespace URLs

Skip this step and your search traffic tanks within a month. Google sees the old URLs returning 404s and drops your rankings.

Open the spreadsheet from the prep step. For every old Squarespace URL, map it to its new WordPress URL.

• Squarespace URLs typically look like: /blog/2024/3/15/your-post-title
• WordPress with “Post name” permalinks looks like: /your-post-title/

Install the Redirection plugin (free). Go to Tools > Redirection > Add new. Paste the old URL in “Source URL,” the new one in “Target URL.” Save. The plugin handles the 301 status code automatically.

For sites with 50+ URLs to redirect, use Redirection’s CSV import. Format your spreadsheet with 2 columns (source, target), save as CSV, upload through the plugin’s import tool.

After setup, test 5 to 10 redirects manually. Paste the old Squarespace URL into a browser and confirm it lands on the right new page.

Step 9: Point your domain to WordPress

You’ve got 2 options based on where your domain is registered.

Option A: Squarespace registered your domain for you

Your domain lives inside Squarespace. You can either transfer it out (full move) or just update DNS (faster, lighter).

To transfer the domain itself:

1. In Squarespace, go to Settings > Domains. Click your domain.
2. Click Advanced Settings > Transfer. Toggle the lock off.
3. Click Get authorization code (sometimes called EPP code). Squarespace emails it to you.
4. In your WordPress host’s panel, find “Transfer domain in.” Enter your domain and paste the auth code.
5. The transfer takes 5 to 7 days. Squarespace emails to confirm. Confirm or the transfer fails.

To keep the domain at Squarespace but point it to WordPress:

1. In Squarespace, go to Settings > Domains > [your domain] > Use a domain I own elsewhere (or DNS settings)
2. Update the A record to point to your WordPress host’s IP address
3. Update the CNAME for www to your host’s domain
4. DNS propagation takes 1 to 48 hours

Option B: Your domain is at GoDaddy, Google Domains, or another registrar

Easiest path. You don’t transfer the domain at all, just point its DNS.

1. Log into your registrar
2. Find DNS settings (sometimes labeled Nameservers or DNS Management)
3. Either update the nameservers to your WordPress host’s nameservers, or update the A record + CNAME directly
4. Wait 1 to 48 hours

Your WordPress host’s documentation will give you the exact values to use.

Important timing: Don’t point the domain over until Steps 1 through 8 are fully tested. Visitors should never see the half-built version of your new site.

How to Migrate a Squarespace Store to WooCommerce

Squarespace’s XML doesn’t include products. You have 3 paths:

Option 1: Manual rebuild

Best for stores with under 30 products. Install WooCommerce (free). Go to Products > Add New. Recreate each product one by one. Slow but reliable.

Option 2: CSV import

Works for larger stores up to a few hundred products.

1. In Squarespace, go to Commerce > Inventory. Click Export to download a CSV.
2. In WooCommerce, go to Products > Import.
3. Upload the CSV. WooCommerce shows a column-mapping screen. Match Squarespace’s fields (Title → Name, Description → Description, Price → Regular Price, etc).
4. Click Run the importer.

Product images won’t import automatically through this method. You’ll need to upload them separately and attach to products, or use a plugin like WP All Import for a more complete CSV-based migration.

Option 3: Paid migration service

For stores with 100+ products, custom variants, or complex categories.

• Cart2Cart: Around $80 to $300 depending on store size
• LitExtension: Similar pricing, hands-off service

These services handle products, categories, customers, orders, and reviews. Worth it if you have a large catalog or limited time.

After any WooCommerce migration, check:

• Product images uploaded correctly
• Categories and tags transferred
• Pricing and tax settings match
• Inventory counts are accurate
• Shipping zones are configured fresh (these never transfer)
• Payment gateways are set up (Stripe, PayPal, etc, require fresh API keys)

Customer accounts, order history, and saved payment methods don’t transfer. Your customers will need to create new accounts on WordPress.

After-Migration Checklist

Before pointing your domain at WordPress, run through this list:

• Click every navigation menu link
• Open 3 blog posts and 3 pages, check formatting
• Test contact forms by sending yourself a test message
• Check images load on mobile and desktop
• Test the search function
• Confirm SSL certificate is active (padlock in browser)
• Run Google PageSpeed Insights on the homepage and 1 inner page
• Test 5 to 10 of your 301 redirects
• Resubmit your sitemap to Google Search Console once the new site is live
• Update your Google Business Profile URL if you have one
• Check Settings > Reading > Search engine visibility is UNTICKED (this is the #1 reason migrated sites disappear from Google)

If anything looks off, fix it before pointing DNS. Visitors should never see the broken intermediate version.

Common Squarespace to WordPress Migration Problems

• Images don’t load after import: Use Auto Upload Images plugin (Step 4). If that fails, install Better Search Replace and run data-src → src on wp_posts.
• Import times out: Uncheck “Download and import file attachments” in the WordPress importer. Handle images separately with Auto Upload Images.
• Blog post formatting looks weird: Squarespace uses non-standard block markup. Open each post, switch to the Code Editor view, manually clean up the HTML. Or use Gutenberg’s “Convert to blocks” option to rebuild as proper blocks.
• Internal links still point to Squarespace: Run Better Search Replace. Search for your Squarespace URL (yoursite.squarespace.com or your live domain), replace with your new WordPress URL.
• Categories imported as tags: They do this by default. Install Categories to Tags Converter and run it in reverse.
• Site disappears from Google after launch: Check Settings > Reading > Search engine visibility. Untick “Discourage search engines from indexing this site.”
• 404 errors on old blog URLs: You skipped Step 8. Set up redirects with the Redirection plugin.
• Memberships and paid subscribers gone: Squarespace doesn’t export these. You’ll rebuild on the WordPress side using a plugin like MemberPress, then email members to re-subscribe.

How Long Does It Take to Migrate From Squarespace to WordPress?

Realistic timelines by site size:

• Portfolio under 20 pages, no store: 2 to 4 hours
• Blog with 20 to 100 posts: 1 full day
• Business site with custom design and forms: 2 to 5 days
• Squarespace store with 50+ products: 1 to 2 weeks (WooCommerce setup takes most of the time)

Add 5 to 7 days for domain transfer if you’re moving the domain itself (not just pointing DNS).

If you use a free migration service from a managed host like Rocon, the entire move usually happens in 1 to 3 business days.

Cost Comparison: Squarespace vs WordPress

Cost	Squarespace Business	WordPress (self-hosted)
Platform/hosting	$23/month	$5 to $30/month
Domain	Included	$10 to $15/year
SSL certificate	Included	Free (Let’s Encrypt)
Email marketing	$7+ add-on	Free plugin or $15 third-party
Premium plugins	N/A	$0 to $200/year typical
Transaction fees on store	0 to 3%	0% (just payment processor fees)
Total monthly estimate	~$30	$10 to $50

WordPress is cheaper at the low end, similar at the mid range. The bigger long-term saving is the absence of platform transaction fees on store sales (Squarespace’s lower plans charge 3%, WooCommerce charges 0%).

Squarespace to WordPress Migration FAQs

Can you transfer a Squarespace website to WordPress?

Yes, but not in 1 click. You export an XML file from Squarespace, import it into WordPress, use the Auto Upload Images plugin to bring images over, then manually rebuild the parts the XML doesn’t include (products, custom CSS, galleries, events, forms). Most small sites take 2 to 4 hours. Bigger sites with stores take days.

How do I transfer my domain from Squarespace to WordPress?

If Squarespace registered the domain for you: go to Settings > Domains, unlock the domain, get the EPP authorization code, and initiate a transfer at your new WordPress host. Takes 5 to 7 days.

If you bought your domain elsewhere (GoDaddy, Google Domains): just update the DNS records or nameservers to point to your WordPress host. Faster, no transfer needed, propagates in 1 to 48 hours.

Can I migrate my Squarespace store to WooCommerce?

Yes. Three ways: manually rebuild products (under 30 items), export products as CSV from Squarespace and import to WooCommerce (up to a few hundred), or pay a service like Cart2Cart or LitExtension to handle it ($80 to $300). Customer accounts and order history don’t transfer between platforms.

Will I lose my Google rankings when I switch to WordPress?

Only if you skip URL redirects. Map every old Squarespace URL to its new WordPress equivalent using the Redirection plugin (301 redirects). Done right, you keep most of your rankings. Done wrong (or skipped), expect a 30 to 60% traffic drop that takes months to recover.

Do I need coding skills to migrate from Squarespace to WordPress?

No, but it helps. The basic export-and-import flow is point-and-click. Plugins like Auto Upload Images, Redirection, and Better Search Replace handle most technical fixes. Coding only helps with custom CSS tweaks and weird formatting in imported posts. If you’d rather skip the technical work, hire a migration service or use a host like Rocon that does it free.

What gets exported from Squarespace to WordPress?

Blog posts, standard text pages, gallery page text, and image URLs (which you fix with Auto Upload Images). What doesn’t export: products, audio/video blocks, custom CSS, events, album pages, folders, forms, and member areas. You rebuild those in WordPress.

Can you use WordPress on Squarespace?

No. They’re separate platforms. Squarespace doesn’t let you install WordPress on their hosting, and you can’t run Squarespace’s templates inside WordPress. You pick one or the other.

How much does it cost to switch from Squarespace to WordPress?

If you do it yourself: $5 to $30/month for hosting, plus $10 to $15/year for a domain. That’s it. If you hire a developer, expect $300 to $2,000 depending on site complexity. Some hosts (including Rocon) handle migrations free as part of their hosting plan.

Should I switch from Squarespace to WordPress?

Switch if you need more plugins, want lower long-term costs, run a growing store, or want full control of your site files. Stay on Squarespace if you have a small portfolio, don’t want to deal with hosting or updates, and don’t need features Squarespace doesn’t offer.

How long does it take to migrate from Squarespace to WordPress?

For a small portfolio site without a store, 2 to 4 hours of focused work. Medium blogs with 20 to 100 posts take a full day. Stores take 1 to 2 weeks because rebuilding products in WooCommerce is the slowest part. Free migration services from managed hosts usually wrap up in 1 to 3 business days.