How to Buy a Domain on Squarespace
To buy a domain on Squarespace, click Domains in the top left of your dashboard, then Get a Domain on the right. Search for the name you want, pick from the available options, and check out. You can also buy one from inside a site under Settings, then Domains.
Buy a domain on Squarespace from your dashboard
From the main Squarespace dashboard, click Domains in the top left. You'll see every domain already connected to your sites.
Click Get a Domain on the right side of the page. That takes you to the domain search.
Type the name you want. Squarespace shows what's available along with prices, which vary a lot by extension: a .com costs more than most alternatives, and some specialist extensions cost considerably more again.
Click the one you want, then check out. It's connected to your account straight away.
Buying from inside a site
If you're already working on a site, you don't need to go back to the dashboard.
Click Settings in the bottom left, then Domains, which is the second option. From there you can search for and buy a domain, and it connects to that site automatically.
This is the smoother route when you're building, because it skips the separate connection step.
What the free first year actually covers
Annual Squarespace plans include a free domain for the first year, which is a genuine saving but worth understanding.
It covers one domain, usually limited to common extensions, and only on annual billing rather than monthly. After year one it renews at the standard rate, typically around twenty to twenty-five dollars depending on the extension.
The free year applies from when you claim it, not from when you started the plan, so claim it once you've settled on a name rather than grabbing something you'll regret.
My clients also get 25% off their first year of Squarespace through my Circle Platinum status, which stacks with the included domain. More on the wider costs in what a Squarespace website costs.
When to register somewhere else instead
Buying through Squarespace is convenient, and convenience is most of its value. Everything sits in one account, DNS is configured automatically, and there's nothing to connect.
Registering with a dedicated registrar is worth it in two cases. If you run several domains across different platforms, managing them in one specialist account is easier than spreading them around. And if you think you might move off Squarespace one day, having the domain held separately makes that cleaner, since you just repoint it rather than transferring it out.
Either way, you own the domain. Squarespace doesn't hold it hostage, and you can transfer it out after the standard 60-day lock that applies to any new registration anywhere.
Choosing a name worth keeping
You'll live with this for years, so a few minutes of thought pays off.
Short and sayable beats descriptive and long. If you can't tell someone your domain over the phone without spelling it, it's too complicated.
Avoid hyphens and numbers, which get lost every time someone says the name out loud.
Take the .com if it's available and affordable. Alternative extensions work fine, but people default to typing .com regardless of what's on your business card.
And don't overthink keywords in the domain. Exact-match domains stopped being a meaningful ranking factor a long time ago, and a brandable name serves you better as the business grows.
Frequently asked questions
Is a domain free with Squarespace?
One domain is included free for the first year on annual plans, limited to common extensions. It renews at the normal rate afterward, usually around twenty to twenty-five dollars a year.
Can I use a domain I already own with Squarespace?
Yes. You can connect it while leaving it registered where it is, or transfer it in. Connecting is simpler and costs nothing.
Can I transfer a Squarespace domain away later?
Yes, after the standard 60-day lock that applies to any newly registered domain anywhere. You own it, it isn't locked to the platform.
Should I buy my domain through Squarespace or a registrar?
Through Squarespace if you want everything in one place and one site. Through a registrar if you manage several domains or want flexibility to move platforms later.
Starting a site from scratch and want the domain, build and launch handled together? Book a free call.
I'm Dylan, the designer behind Highr Labs and a Squarespace Circle Platinum Partner. I build custom Squarespace sites for businesses in Utah and across the US. More about me, or book a free call if you want to talk through a project.
