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Squarespace Domains vs Porkbun: Which Is Better?
A head-to-head comparison using the same scoring methodology applied site-wide.
Porkbun is the better pure registrar on almost every axis a domain owner cares about, renewal cost, DNS depth, privacy, SSL, and email forwarding, while Squarespace Domains wins only on tight integration with a Squarespace website. Keep the domain at Squarespace if the site lives there and simplicity rules; move it to Porkbun if you want registrar substance and lower lifetime cost.
At a glance
The five things buyers actually decide on, each settled by the strongest evidence we hold, and left open where we hold none.
| What matters | Squarespace Domains | Porkbun | Our call |
|---|---|---|---|
| .com renewal, per year | Unverified sample | $11.08 | No call |
| Not enough evidenceWe have not verified Squarespace Domains pricing against its own published page, so we make no cheaper-than claim. Check the renewal price in each cart. | |||
| WHOIS privacy | Free | Free | Level |
| From published documentationBoth include WHOIS privacy at no cost, so this should not decide it. | |||
| Automation | Neither | API + bulk tools | Porkbun |
| From published documentationPorkbun publishes more of the tooling a portfolio owner automates against. | |||
| Support access | Email, Live chat (Squarespace account) | Email, Live chat (business hours) | Porkbun |
| Editorial judgementNeither side's published channels separate them, and we have not published response-time measurements, so this is our judgement. | |||
| Account security | TOTP and SMS | TOTP authenticator app | Porkbun |
| Editorial judgementBoth document the same class of second factor, so separating them further is our judgement rather than a documented difference. | |||
We withhold a verdict on 1 of 5 criteria where the evidence does not support one. Badges say what each verdict rests on: a figure we collected and verified, a fact from the registrar’s own documentation, or our judgement. We hold verified prices for 0 extensions at Squarespace Domains and 278 at Porkbun: how much of each registrar this site can vouch for, not how large its catalogue is. How we decide.
Key differences
- Purpose: Squarespace Domains is a website-builder's domain arm; Porkbun is a domain-first registrar known for low renewals and transparent pricing.
- Extras: Porkbun bundles free WHOIS privacy, SSL, and email forwarding; Squarespace includes privacy but few registrar-side extras and no public API.
- DNS: Porkbun's panel offers ALIAS records and DNSSEC; Squarespace's DNS is intentionally minimal.
- Long-term cost: Porkbun's model is built on consistently low renewals; Squarespace prices for convenience, not for cost leadership.
Winner by category
How to read these scores. The numeric scores on this page are derived from our published methodology weights applied to documented registrar facts. They are not the output of hands-on purchase, transfer and support testing, which we have not yet run. Treat them as a structured summary of the facts, not as a test result. The facts and prices underneath them each carry their own source and date.
Each score carries what it rests on: M measured, D from published documentation, E editorial judgement. An overall score takes the weakest basis among the categories behind it.
| Category | Squarespace Domains | Porkbun | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | 7.5 | 9.5 | Not comparable: editorial judgement against measured |
| Renewals | 7.5 | 9.5 | Not comparable: editorial judgement against measured |
| Pricing transparency | 8.5 | 9.5 | Not comparable: editorial judgement against measured |
| WHOIS privacy | 9.0 | 9.5 | Porkbun |
| DNS | 7.0 | 8.5 | Porkbun |
| Security / 2FA | 8.0 | 8.5 | Porkbun |
| Support | 7.5 | 8.0 | Porkbun |
| Transfer | 8.0 | 9.0 | Porkbun |
| TLD coverage | 7.5 | 8.5 | Not comparable: from published documentation against measured |
| Developer / API | 6.0 | 8.5 | Porkbun |
| Beginner UX | 9.0 | 8.5 | Squarespace Domains |
| Overall | 7.6 | 9.0 | Porkbun |
How they compare on privacy, DNS, support and security
Scores summarise these categories; the paragraphs below compare the underlying facts.
WHOIS privacy
Both include WHOIS privacy at no extra charge, so cost is not the deciding factor here: the wording is.
DNS tools
Neither runs an anycast platform. Both are conventional managed DNS, which is fine for a typical site, and either domain can be pointed at a dedicated DNS provider later without moving the registration. Porkbun's recorded DNS summary names DNSSEC support and Squarespace Domains's does not. Read that as an absence of evidence rather than evidence of absence: verify with Squarespace Domains before relying on signed zones. Porkbun supports ALIAS records, which point a bare apex domain at a hostname: the practical fix when a host hands you a CNAME target instead of an IP address. Porkbun publishes an API, so records and renewals can be scripted; Squarespace Domains does not, which makes every DNS change a manual job in the panel.
Support
Squarespace Domains offers live chat, email or tickets. Porkbun offers business-hours live chat, email or tickets, self-serve documentation. What we record here is which channels exist and when they are staffed, not guaranteed response times, which vary by queue and by day.
Security and 2FA
Neither supports hardware security keys, so an authenticator app is the strongest second factor either offers. It beats SMS comfortably and is still phishable: a fake login page can relay the code the moment you type it. Squarespace Domains also accepts SMS, the weakest of these factors: a SIM swap moves it to someone else's phone. Treat it as a last-resort fallback, not the default.
.com pricing comparison
| Registrar | First-year | Renewal | 10-year cost | WHOIS privacy | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squarespace Domains | $11.00 (sample price, not yet verified) | $20.00 (sample price, not yet verified) | $191.00 (sample price, not yet verified) | Free | 2026-05-12 |
| Porkbun | $11.08 (verified price) | $11.08 (verified price) | $110.80 (verified price) | Free | 2026-09-28 |
Squarespace Domains's row is sample data pending verification (last touched 2026-05-12), so we do not rank the two prices against each other. How we verify prices.
Pricing across popular TLDs
| TLD | Squarespace Domains first-yr | Squarespace Domains renewal | Porkbun first-yr | Porkbun renewal | Cheaper renewal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .com | $11.00 | $20.00 | $11.08 | $11.08 | Porkbun |
| .net | $15.00 | $20.00 | $12.52 | $12.52 | Porkbun |
| .org | $15.00 | $20.00 | $7.98 | $11.84 | Porkbun |
| .io | $55.00 | $55.00 | $28.12 | $51.80 | Porkbun |
| .ai | $90.00 | $90.00 | $82.70 | $82.70 | Porkbun |
| .co | $30.00 | $30.00 | $15.76 | $31.20 | Squarespace Domains |
Renewals are the dominant long-term cost. Use the cost calculator for multi-year totals.
- Clean, modern interface
- Tight integration with Squarespace websites
- Free WHOIS privacy
- No public API
- Limited advanced DNS controls
- Among the lowest renewal prices for .com, .net, .io, .dev
- Free WHOIS privacy and SSL on many domains
- Transparent pricing with no hidden fees
- Support limited to business hours for chat
- Smaller brand recognition than legacy registrars
Which should you choose?
Choose Squarespace Domains if your website runs on Squarespace and you want domain and site in one account.
Choose Porkbun if you want low verified renewals, free privacy/SSL/email forwarding, and real DNS controls.
Squarespace→Porkbun: disable Domain Lock, request the auth code (emailed by Squarespace, usually within 24 hours), and start the transfer at Porkbun. A Squarespace site works fine with the domain held at Porkbun, point DNS back at Squarespace after the move and the site never goes down.
Final recommendation
Porkbun is the better default: it leads on overall score and is our recommended pick for users who want cheap renewals and free whois privacy.
Squarespace Domains is the better choice if squarespace site owners is your top priority, or if you specifically need simple buyers.
Either way, avoid Porkbun if you need enterprise account management, and avoid Squarespace Domains if you need power dns users.
FAQ
Which is cheaper for .com renewals, Squarespace Domains or Porkbun?
Which has better DNS, Squarespace Domains or Porkbun?
Is WHOIS privacy free at both Squarespace Domains and Porkbun?
What should I know about transferring a domain between Squarespace Domains and Porkbun?
Sources
- /methodology/, scoring methodology
- /registrars/squarespace-domains/, Squarespace Domains review
- /registrars/porkbun/, Porkbun review