Trustd and Squarespace are both tools for selling online. The difference is what each one is built around.
Squarespace is a website builder. The store is one part of a broader platform built to create a full, beautifully designed web presence: portfolio pages, blog, contact forms, and templates that make the whole site look considered. For design-conscious sellers, photographers, jewellers, ceramicists, and fashion brands where the visual experience of the site does real selling work, Squarespace is well-suited.
Trustd is a storefront. It covers a product page, a checkout, a WhatsApp ordering button, and verified reviews, without the website infrastructure that Squarespace carries. For a boutique seller whose business runs on Instagram and WhatsApp and who needs a proper checkout link rather than a full website, the two platforms serve different needs.
Squarespace at a glance
Squarespace launched in 2003 and is used by millions of websites globally. Its templates are widely regarded as among the most polished of any website builder at this price point, and the platform has built a loyal following among creative businesses: photographers, designers, jewellers, lifestyle brands where aesthetic presentation is central to the brand.
What Squarespace does well:
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Templates considered the most visually refined of any website builder in the market
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All-in-one platform covering website, blog, portfolio, online store, email campaigns, and scheduling
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0% transaction fees on Core plan and above
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Built-in email marketing tools, basic analytics, and SEO features
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Supports physical products, digital products, services, and memberships
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14-day free trial before any payment required
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24/7 customer support via live chat and email Where Squarespace falls short:
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No free plan. After the 14-day trial, the Basic plan starts at $16/month but has limited ecommerce features and charges transaction fees on sales. The Core plan at $23/month ($276/year) is the practical minimum for a functional online store with 0% transaction fees
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Not available in India for native payments. Squarespace Payments does not support India. Indian sellers use Stripe or PayPal, which means standard third-party processing fees without the lower rates Squarespace Payments provides in supported markets
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No WhatsApp ordering. Squarespace has no feature for connecting your storefront to WhatsApp or generating pre-filled cart messages for customers
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No verified review system. Squarespace has basic product ratings but no email-verified review system with a public trust score
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Website-first architecture means you pay for infrastructure a pure storefront does not need. Blog tools, portfolio pages, scheduling systems, and email campaign tools are included in the plan cost whether you use them or not
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Limited app ecosystem compared to Shopify. Sellers who need specific integrations may find the options more restricted
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Design flexibility requires time. The same quality that makes Squarespace beautiful also makes setup slower for sellers who want to launch quickly rather than build a complete web presence
Trustd at a glance
Trustd is built for boutique owners and social sellers, people selling through Instagram and WhatsApp who need a proper storefront that connects to both channels.
What Trustd offers:
- Free plan with unlimited products, a premium shop page, WhatsApp ordering, and review management. No transaction fee. No time limit.
- Pro plan at $25/year internationally (roughly $2/month) or ₹999/year in India. Includes online payments via Razorpay, Stripe, or Direct UPI, order management dashboard, categories and collections, coupons, analytics, and a Trustd Verified badge.
- WhatsApp ordering. Customers tap a button on your storefront and a pre-filled WhatsApp message with their cart opens automatically. Available on the free plan.
- Verified reviews. Customers confirm their review via email, earning a Verified badge. Your Trust Score combines rating, verification rate, recommendation rate, and review volume, and displays publicly on your store.
- Instagram and WhatsApp compatibility. Your Trustd store link (trustd.shop/yourname) works as your Instagram bio link and as the external link in your WhatsApp Business catalog.
- Razorpay integration. Indian sellers connect their own Razorpay account to accept cards, UPI, netbanking, and wallets.
- Focused setup. No blog tools, no portfolio pages, no scheduling systems. Onboarding covers products, payment, and shipping. The store is live in minutes.
What each platform costs per year
| Trustd Pro | Squarespace Core | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cost | $25/year | $276/year ($23/month) |
| Transaction fee | None | None |
| Free plan | Yes — unlimited products | No (14-day trial only) |
| India payments | Razorpay, UPI native | Stripe/PayPal only |
Squarespace Core costs more than 11 times Trustd Pro per year. For a boutique seller who primarily needs a product page and a checkout rather than a full website, that difference is significant.
Side-by-side comparison
| Trustd | Squarespace | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes — unlimited products | No (14-day trial) |
| Paid plan price | $25/year (~$2/month) | $23/month Core ($276/year) |
| Platform transaction fee | None | None (Core and above) |
| WhatsApp ordering | Yes — free plan | No |
| Verified customer reviews | Yes — with Trust Score | Basic ratings only |
| Instagram/Facebook selling | Yes | Yes (Core+) |
| Razorpay / UPI payments | Yes (Pro) | No native support |
| Squarespace Payments (India) | N/A | Not available |
| Beautiful design templates | No | Yes |
| Full website (blog, portfolio, forms) | No | Yes |
| Email marketing built in | No | Yes |
| Digital products | No | Yes |
| 24/7 customer support | No | Yes |
| App integrations | No | Limited ecosystem |
| Setup time to launch | Minutes | Hours to days |
Squarespace is the better fit if…
You need a full website alongside your store: a portfolio, a blog, a booking system, a contact page, and the visual quality of the site is central to how customers perceive your brand. Squarespace’s templates work particularly well for creative businesses where aesthetic presentation does real selling work. It is also the better choice if you sell digital products or memberships alongside physical goods, or if you need built-in email campaigns without a separate tool.
Trustd is the better fit if…
You sell through Instagram and WhatsApp and need a proper storefront connected to those channels, not a full website built around them. Trustd’s free plan gives you unlimited products, WhatsApp ordering, and verified reviews before spending a rupee or a dollar. The Pro plan costs $25 for the entire year. One month of Squarespace Core costs more than that. For an Indian boutique seller specifically, Trustd’s Razorpay and UPI integration works natively where Squarespace does not.
Start your free Trustd store — unlimited products, WhatsApp ordering, and verified reviews from day one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Squarespace have a free plan?
Squarespace does not have a free plan. It offers a 14-day free trial, after which you need a paid plan to publish your site. The Basic plan starts at $16/month (billed annually) but has limited ecommerce features and charges transaction fees on sales. The Core plan at $23/month is the minimum for a fully functional online store with 0% transaction fees. Trustd has a permanent free plan with unlimited products, WhatsApp ordering, and review management.
Does Squarespace charge transaction fees?
Yes, on the Basic plan. Squarespace charges transaction fees on the Basic plan. The Core plan and above have 0% transaction fees on physical product sales. If you use a third-party processor like Stripe instead of Squarespace Payments, standard processing fees apply regardless of plan. Squarespace Payments is not available in India. Trustd charges no platform transaction fees on any plan.
Is Squarespace available in India?
Squarespace is available globally, but Squarespace Payments is not available in India. Indian sellers on Squarespace use Stripe or PayPal, which means standard processing fees apply without the lower rates Squarespace Payments offers in supported markets. Trustd's Razorpay integration supports cards, UPI, netbanking, and wallets natively for Indian sellers.
Does Squarespace support WhatsApp ordering?
Squarespace does not have a built-in WhatsApp ordering feature. Trustd's WhatsApp ordering button generates a pre-filled cart message for customers automatically and is available on the free plan.
Which is cheaper — Trustd or Squarespace?
Trustd Pro costs $25/year internationally or ₹999/year in India. Squarespace's Core plan, which is the minimum for a fully functional store with 0% transaction fees, costs $23/month ($276/year). Over a year, Squarespace Core costs more than 11 times Trustd Pro.