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Squarespace Domains vs Spaceship: Which Is Better?
A head-to-head comparison using the same scoring methodology applied site-wide.
Spaceship is the better standalone registrar — cheaper renewals, better DNS, and automation Squarespace does not offer. Squarespace Domains makes sense for one specific reason, and it is a good one: if the website is built on Squarespace, keeping the domain in the same account removes a moving part from the setup entirely. Outside that case there is little Squarespace does that Spaceship does not do better.
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 | Spaceship | Our call |
|---|---|---|---|
| .com renewal, per year | Unverified sample | $10.18 all-in | 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 | Spaceship |
| From published documentationSpaceship publishes more of the tooling a portfolio owner automates against. | |||
| Support access | Email, Live chat (Squarespace account) | Live chat, Email | Spaceship |
| 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 | Level |
| 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 19 at Spaceship — how much of each registrar this site can vouch for, not how large its catalogue is. How we decide.
Key differences
- Both score 9.0 on beginner UX — this is a comparison between two registrars that are genuinely pleasant to use, which makes the other differences decisive rather than cosmetic.
- Automation: Spaceship publishes an API and bulk tools (8.0 on developer tools); Squarespace Domains publishes neither (6.0).
- DNS: Spaceship scores 8.0 with a modern panel; Squarespace scores 7.0 on DNS it keeps deliberately basic, and names power DNS users as a group it is not for.
- Renewals: Spaceship scores 8.5 against Squarespace's 7.5.
Winner by category
| Category | Squarespace Domains | Spaceship | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | 7.5 | 8.5 | Spaceship |
| Renewals | 7.5 | 8.5 | Spaceship |
| Pricing transparency | 8.5 | 8.5 | Tie |
| WHOIS privacy | 9.0 | 9.0 | Tie |
| DNS | 7.0 | 8.0 | Spaceship |
| Security / 2FA | 8.0 | 8.0 | Tie |
| Support | 7.5 | 8.0 | Spaceship |
| Transfer | 8.0 | 8.0 | Tie |
| TLD coverage | 7.5 | 8.0 | Spaceship |
| Developer / API | 6.0 | 8.0 | Spaceship |
| Beginner UX | 9.0 | 9.0 | Tie |
| Overall | 7.6 | 8.4 | Spaceship |
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. Neither summary names DNSSEC support; confirm with both if you need signed zones. Spaceship 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. Spaceship offers 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 | 3-year cost | WHOIS privacy | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squarespace Domains | $11.00 (sample price, not yet verified) | $20.00 (sample price, not yet verified) | $51.00 (sample price, not yet verified) | Free | 2026-05-12 |
| Spaceship | $8.88 +$0.20 (verified price) | $9.98 +$0.20 (verified price) | $29.44 (verified price) | Free | 2026-08-19 |
+$0.20 marks the mandatory ICANN fee where a registrar itemises it separately instead of including it in the headline price. Prices are shown exactly as each registrar publishes them, and every ranking on this site compares the all-in total, so no registrar gains a position by splitting its price up.
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 | Spaceship first-yr | Spaceship renewal | Cheaper renewal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .com | $11.00 | $20.00 | $8.88 +$0.20 | $9.98 +$0.20 | Spaceship |
| .net | $15.00 | $20.00 | $11.20 +$0.20 | $11.20 +$0.20 | Spaceship |
| .org | $15.00 | $20.00 | $6.65 +$0.20 | $11.39 +$0.20 | Spaceship |
| .io | $55.00 | $55.00 | $31.98 | $51.75 | Spaceship |
| .ai | $90.00 | $90.00 | $79.98 | $79.98 | Spaceship |
| .co | $30.00 | $30.00 | $4.98 | $31.05 | 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
- Modern, clean account UI
- Competitive renewal pricing across many TLDs
- Backed by the same group as Namecheap
- Newer brand — fewer independent long-term reviews
- Some advanced enterprise features still missing
Which should you choose?
Choose Squarespace Domains if your site is on Squarespace and you want domain and site managed in one place with no DNS work at all.
Choose Spaceship if you want lower renewals, a fuller DNS panel, and an API — and you are comfortable pointing DNS at whatever host you use.
Both include WHOIS privacy free. Moving away from Squarespace, check what the domain currently points at before you move it: a Squarespace site connected through its own domain settings needs DNS records recreated at the new registrar, and the outage window is however long that takes. Neither registrar offers bulk tools on the Squarespace side, so multiple domains move one at a time in that direction.
Final recommendation
Spaceship is the better default — it leads on overall score and is our recommended pick for users who want modern ux and competitive renewals.
Squarespace Domains is the better choice if squarespace site owners is your top priority, or if you specifically need simple buyers.
Either way, avoid Spaceship if you need legacy enterprise workflows, and avoid Squarespace Domains if you need power dns users.
FAQ
Which is cheaper for .com renewals, Squarespace Domains or Spaceship?+
Which has better DNS, Squarespace Domains or Spaceship?+
Is WHOIS privacy free at both Squarespace Domains and Spaceship?+
What should I know about transferring a domain between Squarespace Domains and Spaceship?+
Sources
- /methodology/ — scoring methodology
- /registrars/squarespace-domains/ — Squarespace Domains review
- /registrars/spaceship/ — Spaceship review