Compare writefreely and Squarespace on pricing, features, platforms, and ratings — open-source vs subscription pricing to decide which fits your team.
At a Glance
writefreely
Squarespace
Primary category
Content Marketing
Website Builders
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
open-source
subscription
Starting price
Free to self-host; the hosted Write.as service built on WriteFreely starts at about 6 US dollars per month
$16/month (billed annually)
Free plan
Not documented
Not documented
Free trial
Not documented
Not documented
Platforms
Not documented
Not documented
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Not documented
Not documented
Public API
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Pricing Compared
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
writefreely
Self-Hosted — Free N/A (open-source software)
Write.as Hosted — From about $6 per month Monthly or annual
Write.as Pro — Custom (higher tier) Monthly or annual
Squarespace
Basic — $16/month annual
Core — $23/month annual
Plus — $39/month annual
Advanced — $99/month annual
Pros & Cons
writefreely
Pros
Completely free and open-source, with no licensing cost to self-host
Genuine ActivityPub federation connects blogs to the wider Fediverse and Mastodon audience
Extremely lightweight and minimalist, runs even on a Raspberry Pi
Strong privacy stance with no tracking, ads, or engagement-bait features
Multi-user support makes it suitable for community and organizational blogs, not just individuals
Cons
Self-hosting requires server administration knowledge and ongoing maintenance
Minimalist feature set lacks the themes, plugins, and monetization tools of platforms like WordPress
Smaller community and ecosystem than mainstream blogging platforms means fewer themes and integrations
Federated audience reach depends on the broader Fediverse, which is smaller than centralized social platforms
Squarespace
Pros
Polished, designer-quality templates out of the box
All-in-one pricing includes hosting, SSL, and support with no add-on hosting fees
Built-in email marketing and e-commerce reduce the need for separate tools
Transaction fees decrease or disappear on higher-tier plans
14-day free trial to test the editor before committing
Cons
A paid plan is required to publish a site; the free trial cannot go live
Less design and code flexibility than developer-first builders like Webflow
E-commerce transaction fees still apply on the entry-level Basic plan
Advanced e-commerce and developer features require the priciest Advanced plan
Switching templates after launch can require substantial rebuilding
Use Cases
writefreely
Personal Fediverse Blogging — Individuals self-host a distraction-free blog that Mastodon users can follow directly through ActivityPub.
Community and Organizational Publishing — Communities run a shared, multi-author WriteFreely instance for members to publish under one platform.
Privacy-Focused Publishing — Writers who want to avoid tracking, ads, and algorithmic feeds use WriteFreely for ad-free, distraction-free publishing.
Squarespace
Portfolio and personal brand websites — Creators, photographers, and freelancers use designer templates to build a polished personal site without hiring a developer.
Small business online stores — Small retailers use built-in e-commerce, inventory, and payment tools to sell products directly from their website.
Membership and digital content sites — Coaches and educators use member areas and digital product sales to distribute paid courses and gated content.