RapidWeaver Elements vs Squarespace
A Squarespace alternative for Mac that builds on your computer and publishes wherever you like.
RapidWeaver Elements is a website builder for Mac: you design on your Mac, even offline, and publish clean HTML and CSS to any web host. Squarespace is a website builder you use in a browser, with hosting, templates and an online store included in a monthly or yearly plan.
Which is best for you?
Choose RapidWeaver Elements if…
- You want to build on your Mac, including when you’re offline.
- You want to choose your own hosting, or already pay for it.
- You want clean HTML and CSS you can take anywhere.
- You’d rather buy the app once than pay for a monthly plan.
Choose Squarespace if…
- You want hosting, the builder and support from one company.
- You need to edit from any computer through a browser.
- Selling online is the main job of your site.
- You’re happy for your site to stay on Squarespace.
RapidWeaver vs Squarespace, side by side
How the Mac app and the hosted builder compare on hosting, code, price and leaving.
| Feature | RapidWeaver Elements | Squarespace |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A Mac app you install | A website builder in your web browser |
| Where you build | On your Mac, online or offline | Online, in a browser |
| Hosting | Any host you choose, over FTP, SFTP, FTPS or Amazon S3, or Realmac Hosting | Included, and sites run on Squarespace only |
| Taking your site elsewhere | Export the whole site as HTML and CSS to a folder | XML export of pages, one blog, and text and image blocks. No design, custom CSS or store pages |
| Custom code | Your own HTML, CSS and JavaScript, code pages and custom components | CSS and code blocks on every plan. Code injection and JavaScript need Core or higher |
| Code it writes | Clean HTML with Tailwind CSS and Alpine.js | Runs on Squarespace’s platform |
| Blog and CMS | Built-in CMS that stores posts as Markdown files | Built-in blog |
| Price | Base $99, Plus $149 or Pro $249, bought once with a year of updates. Renewing for more updates is optional. Hosting is extra | Basic $19, Core $29, Plus $49 or Advanced $99 a month, billed annually. Hosting included |
| Free trial | Free download, up to three pages per project. Publishing unlocks when you buy | 14 days |
| What you need | A Mac with macOS 13.7.8 Ventura or later. One licence works on three Macs | A web browser |
Prices in US dollars, checked 6 November 2026. Squarespace prices are per month when billed annually; see RapidWeaver Elements pricing for every plan.
What each costs in the first year
Squarespace includes hosting. RapidWeaver Elements leaves the choice of host to you.
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RapidWeaver Elements Base
$99 + your hosting
Bought once, for up to three Macs, with a year of updates included. After that, renewing for more updates is optional: if you don’t, you keep the version you have. Build as many sites as you like and host each one wherever suits it.
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Squarespace Basic
$228 a year for one site
$19 a month billed annually, or $25 month to month, with hosting included. Core, which adds code injection and drops the store transaction fee, is $348 a year. Each site needs its own plan.
Publish to your own hosting
A Squarespace site lives on Squarespace. RapidWeaver Elements publishes to any web host over FTP, SFTP or FTPS, or to Amazon S3, and Smart Publishing uploads only the files that changed. You can move host whenever you like, or export the site to a folder on your Mac and take it with you. If you’d rather not choose, Realmac Hosting is one option, from the team behind RapidWeaver.
Build websites offline on your Mac
Squarespace is edited in a browser, so you need a connection to work on your site. RapidWeaver Elements is a Mac app and saves projects on your Mac, so you can design and edit anywhere. You only need to be online to publish, back up to Elements Cloud or use online AI tools.
Clean code you can take anywhere
RapidWeaver Elements writes semantic HTML styled with Tailwind CSS, with Alpine.js for interactive parts, and there’s nothing proprietary to run on your server. Add your own HTML, CSS and JavaScript with code injection, code pages and custom components. On Squarespace, every plan has a CSS editor and code blocks, but code injection and JavaScript need the Core plan or higher.
Praised by the Mac press
Reviews, ratings and awards for RapidWeaver Elements.
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“Capable and versatile visual website editor that creates pro quality websites without writing code.”
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“If you’re looking for a full suite of visual development tools, Elements should really be at the top of your list.”
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“Elements is a perfect example that there’s life beyond WordPress, letting you build modern websites on Mac, even without writing code.”
- 4.4 Based on over 30 reviews on G2
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Global 100 Winner
Best Computer Software Business of the Year 2026
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App of the Month
MacFormat Magazine
Moving from Squarespace to RapidWeaver Elements
Squarespace can export your layout pages and one blog, with their text and images, as a WordPress-format XML file. It doesn’t export your design, custom CSS, store pages or audio and video blocks, and images may need downloading one at a time. Plan to rebuild the design in RapidWeaver Elements, often starting from a template, then bring your copy and images across.
- 1Export your content from Squarespace, and save your images and files.
- 2Download RapidWeaver Elements and start from a template or a blank project.
- 3Rebuild your pages with components, and add your blog posts to the CMS.
- 4Publish to your new host, then point your domain at it.
RapidWeaver Elements vs Squarespace questions
Choosing
Yes, if you’d rather build on your Mac and own your files. RapidWeaver Elements is a Mac app that publishes clean HTML and CSS to any host you choose, so your site isn’t tied to one platform. Squarespace is the easier pick if you want hosting, a store and support from one company, and don’t mind building in a browser.
Often. RapidWeaver Elements Base is $99, bought once with a year of updates, and renewing for more updates is optional. You add your own hosting. Squarespace Basic is $19 a month billed annually, which is $228 a year with hosting included. What you pay for hosting decides the difference, so compare both totals for your own site.
You can build and preview a whole site in RapidWeaver Elements without hosting, and export it to a folder on your Mac. To put it online you need a web host. Any host that offers FTP, SFTP, FTPS or Amazon S3 works, including Realmac Hosting.
Switching
Partly. Squarespace exports layout pages, one blog and their text and images as a WordPress-format XML file, but not your design, custom CSS or store pages. In RapidWeaver Elements you rebuild the design with components, often from a template, then bring your copy and images across.
Yes. A domain you own can point at any host. If Squarespace registered it, you can transfer it to another registrar, or keep it there and point it at your new host.
More comparisons
See how RapidWeaver Elements compares with other website builders.
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RapidWeaver Elements vs Classic
Built-in components, a CMS and Tailwind CSS, or the original app with themes, plugins and stacks.
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RapidWeaver Elements vs Squarespace
Build on your Mac and publish to any host, or build in a browser on Squarespace’s own hosting.
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RapidWeaver Elements vs Webflow
Build on your Mac and publish to any host, or design in a browser on Webflow’s hosting, with a plan for each site.
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RapidWeaver Elements vs Blocs
Two Mac apps that publish to your own host: a built-in CMS and Tailwind CSS, or Bootstrap with an iPad app.
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RapidWeaver Elements vs Stacks
Design right on the page, with everything built in, or arrange stacks inside RapidWeaver Classic.
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RapidWeaver Elements vs WordPress
Design visually on your Mac with no database, or run PHP, themes and plugins on a WordPress host.
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RapidWeaver Elements vs EverWeb
Two desktop builders that publish to any host: Tailwind CSS and a Markdown CMS, or Mac and Windows with hosting add-ons.
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RapidWeaver Elements vs Sitely
Responsive components and Tailwind CSS, or freeform layouts for each device on Mac and iPad.
Read the comparison →
Try RapidWeaver Elements on your own site.
Download it free, build your first pages and see how it compares for yourself.