SmugMug vs Squarespace (2026): which should you pick?

Pick SmugMug if

• Fits if you are a photographer who wants storage, a site and print sales in one place
• Works for people who edit in Lightroom

Look elsewhere if

• Pricey if you sell prints: that needs Portfolio at $23.50 a month
• Watch out: RAW storage is $10 a month up to 1 TB, then $6 for each extra TB
• Tight if you want coupons, packages or several pricelists, which need Pro at $37 a month
• Skip it if you want a free plan, as there is none
• Watch out: the monthly-billing price loads separately and was not readable

Pick Squarespace if

• Fits if you want a site from a template and don't want to arrange layouts yourself
• Works for creatives and small businesses that invoice clients and sell a few things from the same site

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want a free plan, as there's only a 14-day trial
• Pricey if you sell a lot on Basic, since 2% of every store sale and 7% of paid memberships go to Squarespace
• Tight if more than 2 people edit the site, because Basic allows only 2 contributors
• Watch out: custom JavaScript, code injection, pop-ups and shipping labels all need Core at $29 or higher
• Watch out: the free domain covers the first year of an annual plan, then renews at Squarespace's standard rate

SmugMug

• RAW file storage is an add-on: $10 a month for up to 1 TB, then $6 a month for each extra TB.
• Selling prints and downloads, and website templates, need the Portfolio plan or higher.
• Multiple pricelists, coupons and packages need the Pro plan at $37 a month.
• The page shows yearly prices only; the monthly-billing price loads separately and was not readable.

Squarespace

• There is no free plan; after the 14-day trial every site needs a paid plan.
• Basic takes a 2% fee on online store sales and allows only 2 contributors; Core removes both limits.
• Custom JavaScript, code injection, pop-ups and shipping labels all need Core or higher.
• The free domain covers the first year of an annual plan only and then renews at Squarespace's standard rate.

SmugMug

Unlimited JPEG storage

Every plan stores full-resolution JPEG photos with no compression and no storage cap. RAW file storage is a paid add-on.

Client galleries and delivery

Private, password-protected galleries let clients pick favorites, and photos can be delivered as digital downloads or by QR code.

Print and download sales

Portfolio and Pro plans sell prints and downloads with automatic tax collection and full-service print lab fulfillment.

Portfolio website templates

Drag-and-drop website templates build a portfolio or storefront, and a custom domain can be used.

Upload and sync tools

Plugins for Adobe Lightroom and Luminar, automatic uploading on macOS and Windows, and imports from Flickr and Dropbox.

Squarespace

Templates and drag-and-drop editing

Sites start from a designer template and are laid out in the Fluid Engine drag-and-drop editor. Every site is adjusted for phones automatically.

AI site builder and AI credits

Blueprint builds a starting site from a few answers, and built-in AI writes content. Credits run from 10 one-time on Basic to 120 a month on Advanced.

Online store on every plan

Sell unlimited physical products, services, digital goods, gift cards and subscriptions, with abandoned-cart emails on all plans. Basic adds a 2% fee on store sales.

Invoicing, memberships and paid content

Branded invoices and pay links are free on every plan. Courses, memberships and paywalled content carry a fee of 7% on Basic, falling to 0% on Advanced.

Hosting, SSL and unlimited bandwidth

Managed hosting, free SSL certificates and uncapped bandwidth and storage come with every plan. Video hosting runs from 30 minutes on Basic to unlimited on Advanced.

Forms, newsletters and SEO tools

Form and newsletter blocks feed a contacts panel, and SEO guidance and keyword reports come built in. Pop-ups and the announcement bar need Core or higher.

SmugMug

• Direct$20

  per month, billed annually

  Unlimited photo storage, privacy controls, digital delivery, Lightroom integration and 24/7 live support.

• Portfolio$23.50

  per month, billed annually

  Adds print and digital download sales, website templates, watermarks and theft protection, and full-service order fulfillment.

• Pro$37

  per month, billed annually

  Adds multiple custom pricelists, marketing coupons and packages, client favoriting and download limits.

• EnterpriseCustom

  Tailor-made plan for studios, teams and institutions with serious volume. Arranged through sales.

Squarespace

• Basic$19

  per site / month, billed annually ($25 billed monthly)

  A full website and store with up to 2 contributors, 30 minutes of video, a 2% fee on online sales and 7% on paid memberships.

• Core$29

  per site / month, billed annually ($39 billed monthly)

  Unlimited contributors, no fee on store sales, custom CSS and JavaScript, shipping labels, commerce APIs and 20 AI credits a month.

• Plus$49

  per site / month, billed annually ($65 billed monthly)

  Lower card rates (2.7% + $0.30), a 1% fee on paid memberships, 50 hours of video and 40 AI credits a month.

• Advanced$99

  per site / month, billed annually ($139 billed monthly)

  The lowest card rates (2.5% + $0.30), no fee on memberships, unlimited video and 120 AI credits a month.

SmugMug

No public discounts listed.

Squarespace

• Annual discount

  Pay yearly to save about 24% to 29%

  Basic costs $19 a month billed yearly against $25 billed monthly, and Advanced $99 against $139. Squarespace's page advertises savings of up to 36%.

• Other savings

  Free domain for a year with an annual plan

  Annual website plans include one year of free registration for one domain on Squarespace's cheapest pricing tier; it then renews at the standard rate.

• Education

  Students get 50% off the first year

  Students who verify their status through Student Beans get 50% off their first full year on a new annual website plan.