Squarespace → Framer
Squarespace gives you one WordPress XML file, and it is a partial copy. Framer's Squarespace Import plugin loads the blog from that file. Pages, the shop, and the design are a rebuild, with redirects on the Framer domain.
Should you make this move?
Both platforms have a case. Compare what you gain with what you give up before scheduling the cutover.
Squarespace
- Beautiful templates and integrated hosting let small teams publish without technical operations
- Editors get a purpose-built publishing workflow instead of raw files
- Structured content, code control, and complex integrations are restricted
- Themes, extensions, and content models add maintenance and portability constraints
Framer
- A Figma-like canvas, components, and effects let small teams publish marketing sites quickly
- Editors get a purpose-built publishing workflow instead of raw files
- CMS exports go through plugins, and the published site is not a portable Designer or WordPress project
- Themes, extensions, and content models add maintenance and portability constraints
Framer: A Figma-like canvas, components, and effects let small teams publish marketing sites quickly. This removes a major source-side concern: Structured content, code control, and complex integrations are restricted.
What you lose: Beautiful templates and integrated hosting let small teams publish without technical operations. What you inherit: CMS exports go through plugins, and the published site is not a portable Designer or WordPress project.
Jump to a section
Know the shape of the move.
This timeline assumes
- This is a marketing site and one blog. A store belongs with Squarespace → Shopify. A design-tool move is also covered by Squarespace → Webflow, Framer → Webflow, and Framer → WordPress.
- The Squarespace site is published, and site availability is Public. Squarespace says a trial cannot export.
- You keep Squarespace online until Framer has the posts, the rebuilt pages, and the redirects you still need.
- The WordPress XML file is the handoff. Squarespace says you click the WordPress icon even when the destination is not WordPress.
- Redirects in Framer cover paths on the domain you connect there. The old host still owns a redirect of the whole domain.
What survives the move.
“Partial” and “manual” are not footnotes. They are work that must be scheduled and verified.
| Item | Outcome | Impact | What happens | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The export file | partial | critical | Squarespace's help, updated 9 October 2026, exports one XML file in WordPress format. It is not a full site backup, and Squarespace says you cannot use it to import into another Squarespace site. | Download the XML and a products CSV and a contacts CSV before you cancel. Open the XML and see which pages are actually in it. |
| Layout pages | manual | critical | Layout pages are in the export list. The Squarespace Import plugin describes a blog import: posts, authors, tags, and categories. It does not say layout pages become Framer pages. | Rebuild each public layout page in Framer. Use the XML as a text source, not as a page importer. |
| One blog | partial | critical | Squarespace exports one blog page, its posts, and up to 1,000 comments per post. If you have more than one blog, you pick a primary blog. The plugin lists title, date, body, excerpt, and a cover image. | Count posts on the primary blog. Import that file. Export again only after you decide what to do with the other blogs. |
| Extra blogs | manual | high | A second blog page does not export in the same file. Squarespace's list says more than one blog page stays behind. | Move posts onto the primary blog before export, or run a second export and a second plugin import after the first one is checked. |
| Design and CSS | lost | critical | Style settings and custom CSS do not export. Squarespace says many features depend on its JavaScript and CSS, so the file cannot carry the rendered site. | Treat Framer as a new design. Copy any custom CSS you still want into a note before the Squarespace site goes away. |
| Page types that stay behind | lost | high | Album, cover, index, info, calendar, portfolio, and store pages do not export. Page-specific headers, footers, and sidebars do not export. Gallery pages do export, including York project pages on version 7.0. | List every page that is not a layout page or the chosen blog. Rebuild the ones that still have traffic. |
| Blocks | partial | high | Text blocks and image blocks export. Text from embed and Instagram blocks exports with minimum structure. Audio blocks, product blocks, video blocks, and dropdowns do not. The plugin says YouTube and Vimeo come across, and GitHub gists become links. | Open one post with a video and one with an embed. Replace anything that arrived as plain text. |
| Drafts | lost | medium | Squarespace does not export drafts. The plugin says drafts stay drafts, which only helps if a draft is already in the XML. With Squarespace's export, it is not. | Publish or copy any draft you still need before you export. |
| Comments | partial | medium | Up to 1,000 comments per post are in Squarespace's export. The plugin's 'what comes over' list does not mention comments. | If comments matter, save them from Squarespace before you cancel. Do not assume the CMS import kept them. |
| Images | partial | critical | Squarespace warns that a WordPress importer can keep image links that die when you cancel Squarespace. The plugin listing says it copies post images into Framer, including captions and lazy-loaded images turned into rich text. That copy step is the plugin author's claim. | After import, open images from Framer's asset library. Cancel Squarespace only after those files no longer point at Squarespace. |
| Products and contacts | manual | high | Squarespace's overview says products and contacts export as CSV files, separate from the XML. Store pages are on the XML exclusion list. | Download both CSVs if you still need them. This playbook does not move a store. |
| Old post URLs | manual | critical | Squarespace post URLs include the date, such as /blog/2024/3/9/my-post. The plugin can add a redirect per post when the Framer plan includes redirects. Framer's help, updated 15 September 2026, says rules live in Site Settings, under Hosting, then Redirects. You publish to apply them. A CMS path change does not update an old rule. Wildcards use *. Capture groups use :1. A dated path can use :slug. Framer only redirects sub-paths on the current domain. | Add the post redirects, publish, and request three old URLs. Point the domain with a redirect at the old host. |
Where each thing goes.
| Source | Destination | Method | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Layout page | Framer page | manual | In the XML. Rebuild it. The blog plugin does not claim these pages. |
| Blog post | CMS item | automatic | Title, date, body, excerpt, and cover, per the plugin listing. |
| Author, tag, category | Linked CMS collections | automatic | The plugin creates those collections. |
| Cover and inline image | Framer asset | transform | The plugin says it copies files in. Check them. |
| YouTube or Vimeo | Video in the post | automatic | Plugin listing. Gists become links. |
| Embed or Instagram text | Rich text with little structure | manual | Squarespace's phrase is minimum structure. |
| Comment | No destination | unsupported | In the XML up to 1,000 per post. Not in the plugin's import list. |
| Draft | No destination | unsupported | Squarespace omits drafts. |
| Custom CSS and styles | No destination | unsupported | Rebuild the look in Framer. |
| Dated post URL | Framer redirect | transform | Plugin button if the plan includes redirects, or a manual rule. |
| Product or contact | CSV you keep | manual | Separate Squarespace exports. Not this blog import. |
Make the move recoverable.
Create the source-of-truth backup
Keep the XML, the CSVs, and Squarespace online until Framer serves the pages.
- Confirm the site is published and Public.
- Export the WordPress XML from the Import and export content panel.
- Export products and contacts as CSV if you still need them.
- Save a list of public URLs, especially dated blog URLs.
- Leave the Squarespace subscription on.
Proof to capture: The XML file, the CSVs, and a URL list you can request after DNS moves.
Blog import
Load the one exported blog into Framer CMS.
- Export one blog as WordPress XML. Squarespace says to click the WordPress icon even if you are not going to WordPress.
- Drop the file into the plugin and check the fields. Nothing is written until you press Import.
- The free tier covers the first 25 posts. On 1 November 2026 the listing priced a one-project license at $49 and an unlimited license at $99. The unlimited key also works in the author's Webflow Import.
- Run the plugin again later only to update the same collections. Confirm it did not duplicate them.
Proof to capture: Save the input, output, command or tool settings, warnings, and final item counts.
Redirects
Keep dated Squarespace post URLs working on the Framer domain.
- Add one redirect per old post, or use a wildcard if the new paths share a pattern.
- Publish the Framer site. Rules do not apply before that.
- If you later rename a CMS path, edit the old rule. Framer does not update it for you.
- At the old DNS host, redirect the domain itself. Framer does not do that hop.
Proof to capture: Save the input, output, command or tool settings, warnings, and final item counts.
The things most likely to hurt.
These are operating limits. Treat every “Stop if” condition as a blocked migration, not a suggestion.
The XML is treated as the whole site
Store, portfolio, calendar, or a second blog is still public, and nobody rebuilt it.
- Consequence
- Those URLs 404 after DNS moves, and the content is only on Squarespace.
- Mitigation
- Walk the Squarespace page list against the XML before you import.
Stop if: A page with traffic is not in the file and has no Framer replacement.
Images still point at Squarespace
A post looks fine while Squarespace is online, and the image URL is still on their host.
- Consequence
- The post breaks when you cancel.
- Mitigation
- Open the asset in Framer and confirm the file lives there.
Stop if: A sample image request still goes to Squarespace.
Redirects never get published
The plugin added rules, and the site was not published, or the plan does not include redirects.
- Consequence
- Old /blog/year/month/day/slug links miss the new posts.
- Mitigation
- Request three old URLs after publish. Check the plan before you rely on the plugin button.
Stop if: An old post URL returns anything other than the new post.
Do the work in this order.
- Days 1 to 3 · inventory
Page list
4 to 8 hours active2 to 3 days elapsedSomeone who knows which pages still matter waiting- List pages, blogs, and the shop.
- Mark what Squarespace will not put in the XML.
Depends on: Squarespace admin
Stop / go checkpointExport?
Go when: Every public page is either in the export plan or assigned to a rebuild.
Stop when: A store or a second blog has traffic and no owner.
- Days 3 to 5 · backup
Export
2 to 4 hours active1 to 2 days elapsedSquarespace processing the file waiting- Confirm the site is Public.
- Download the XML and any CSVs.
- Save the URL list.
Depends on: Published site
Stop / go checkpointImport the blog?
Go when: The XML opens and the primary blog's posts are in it.
Stop when: The export is from a trial or the wrong blog.
- Days 5 to 15 · pilot
Import and rebuild
16 to 40 hours active5 to 12 days elapsedDesign review waiting- Import posts with the plugin.
- Rebuild layout pages.
- Check images, video, and one old URL on a preview.
Depends on: XML file
Stop / go checkpointConnect the domain?
Go when: Posts and the pages you kept are on Framer, and sample images are local.
Stop when: A template still loads Squarespace assets.
- Days 15 to 18 · cutover
Domain and redirects
3 to 8 hours active1 to 3 days elapsedDNS waiting- Publish redirects.
- Point the domain.
- Request old and new URLs.
Depends on: Signed preview
Stop / go checkpointLeave Squarespace as a fallback?
Go when: The homepage and three old posts resolve on Framer.
Stop when: A redirect loop or a missing page shows up.
- Days 18 to 28 · observe
Watch the old URLs
3 to 6 hours active5 to 10 days elapsedSearch and shared links waiting- Check a week of 404s.
- Add rules for paths you missed.
- Keep Squarespace until that list is quiet.
Depends on: Domain on Framer
Stop / go checkpointCancel Squarespace?
Go when: Images and the URL sample no longer need Squarespace.
Stop when: A live page still depends on it.
Cut over with a way back.
Cutover
Serve the site from Framer while Squarespace can still be turned back on.
- Publish the Framer site with redirects in place.
- Request three dated post URLs and the homepage on a preview.
- Point DNS at Framer.
- Request the same URLs on the public domain.
- Leave the Squarespace site published.
Proof to capture: The public homepage and three old posts load from Framer, and Squarespace is still available.
Rollback
Point the domain back at Squarespace before you cancel it.
- Restore the previous DNS records.
- Confirm the Squarespace site still answers.
- Leave the Framer project and the XML in place.
- Write down which URLs failed.
- Fix those pages before the next attempt.
Proof to capture: The public site is Squarespace again, and Framer is not receiving the domain.
- An old post URL 404s
- An image still loads from Squarespace
- A second blog or the shop was forgotten
- Redirects did not apply after publish
- The homepage is the wrong design
Prove the migration worked.
Every blocking check must pass. Capture the evidence before cleanup begins.
| Pass | ID | Check | Method | Expected result | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
V-01Blocking | Right blog | Open the XML and compare post titles with the primary blog. | The posts you meant to move are in the file. | XML sample. | |
V-02Blocking | Post count | Compare Squarespace's post count with the Framer collection. | Counts match, or the gap is the free 25-post cap you have not licensed past. | Count sheet. | |
V-03Blocking | Layout pages | Walk the public page list. Mark each one rebuilt or dropped. | No public page is only in Squarespace. | Page list. | |
V-04Blocking | Local files | Open three posts and load an inline image with Squarespace blocked in the browser. | The image still loads. | Asset check. | |
V-05 | Embeds | Open a post that had YouTube or Vimeo, and one that had a gist. | Video plays. The gist is a link, if that is what you accepted. | Post notes. | |
V-06Blocking | Dated URLs | Request three old /blog/year/month/day/slug URLs after publish. | Each one lands on the new post. | Redirect log. | |
V-07Blocking | Apex and www | Request both hostnames. | The old host redirects the domain, and Framer serves the paths. | DNS notes. | |
V-08Blocking | Squarespace still up | Open the Squarespace admin and the public site on its Squarespace domain. | You can still point DNS back. | Admin screenshot. |
Remove the scaffolding safely.
Safe after: A week of quiet 404s, with images loading from Framer and Squarespace still billed until you cancel it on purpose.
- Archive the XML, the CSVs, and the URL list.
- Remove unused Framer CMS fields from the import.
- Update redirects if you renamed any CMS paths.
- Cancel Squarespace only after the image check.
- Keep the plugin license note with the project.
When the plan met reality.
First-hand accounts are preferred. Vendor case studies are labeled, and every note below is an editorial paraphrase—follow the link for the full context.
On 2 August 2024, cosmefae posted in r/framer that a portfolio was leaving Squarespace for Framer after years on Squarespace. The prices in the post are Squarespace Business at about $20 a month, about $248 a year, and Framer Basic at about $9 a month, about $114 a year. Those are the poster's 2024 figures, not a current price list. The other reason is design control, including CSS and JavaScript limits on Squarespace. The next day, frenchhie wrote that the same reasons prompted a switch in June, and that they were not going back. The thread does not describe an export file, images, or redirects.
- Check today's Squarespace and Framer prices yourself. This thread is one portfolio's 2024 comparison.
- Use the post for why a designer leaves, and use Squarespace's export help for what the XML actually contains.
- The move described is a portfolio site, with a public URL, not a shop or a second blog.
- frenchhie's reply is another first-person switch, still without a content checklist.
Verify against the primary material.
Platform behavior changes. Check these sources and the review dates above before executing a production migration.
- Squarespace: export your site contentAccessed 2026-11-01
- Squarespace: import and export overviewAccessed 2026-11-01
- Framer marketplace: Squarespace ImportAccessed 2026-11-01
- Framer: redirectsAccessed 2026-11-01