Picture this: You're a local business owner who knows you need a website, but you're drowning in options. Your neighbor swears by Squarespace because of its beautiful templates, while your business coach insists Duda is the way to go for serious local SEO. Sound familiar?
With over 33 million small businesses in the US and 71% of them having a website, choosing the right platform isn't just about looking good online, it's about being found by local customers who are ready to buy. The wrong choice could mean the difference between ranking on page one of Google or getting lost in the digital void.
Today, we're settling this debate once and for all. We'll compare Duda and Squarespace head-to-head across seven critical factors that matter most to local businesses: ease of use, local SEO capabilities, business features, design options, pricing, performance, and support. By the end, you'll know exactly which platform will help your local business thrive online.
Platform Overview: The Contenders
Before we dive into the comparison, let's understand what we're dealing with.
Duda is the website builder built for professionals. Originally designed for agencies and web developers, Duda focuses on creating high-performing websites at scale. It's the platform that prioritizes functionality, speed, and local SEO optimization over flashy design trends. Think of it as the business-focused workhorse that gets results.
Squarespace , on the other hand, has earned its reputation as the "Apple of website builders." Known for stunning templates and an intuitive interface, Squarespace appeals to creatives, small business owners, and anyone who wants a beautiful website without touching a line of code. It's the platform that makes you look good, fast.
Both serve local businesses, but their approaches couldn't be more different. One prioritizes performance and local search visibility; the other emphasizes design and user experience. Let's see which approach wins for local businesses.
Round 1: Ease of Use for Local Business Owners
The Squarespace Advantage
Squarespace truly shines when it comes to user-friendliness. The platform lives up to its "Apple of website builders" reputation with a clean, intuitive interface that feels familiar from the moment you log in. The template selection process is particularly well-designed, you choose from categories like "Local Business," "Professional Services," or "Restaurants," and Squarespace shows you the most relevant options.
The editing experience is where Squarespace really excels. Simply hover over any element and click "Edit Section" to make changes. There's no complex menu navigation or overwhelming options. For a local business owner who just wants to update their hours or add new photos, this simplicity is invaluable.
The Duda Difference
While Duda is more powerful than Squarespace, it manages to remain surprisingly user-friendly. The drag-and-drop editor offers more flexibility without becoming overwhelming. What sets Duda apart is its global design settings. Change your brand colors or fonts once, and they update across your entire site. For local businesses managing multiple locations or frequent updates, this is a huge time-saver.
Duda also includes built-in collaboration tools, perfect for when you need your team to help update the website. Plus, the AI assistant can generate content and optimize your site, reducing the workload for busy business owners.
The Verdict: Squarespace wins for absolute beginners who want the simplest possible experience. Duda wins for business owners who want more control and efficiency without complexity.
Round 2: Local SEO Capabilities (The Game Changer)
This is where the rubber meets the road for local businesses. All the beautiful design in the world won't help if local customers can't find you on Google.
Duda's SEO Powerhouse
Duda was built with SEO as a core feature, not an afterthought. Here's what makes it exceptional for local businesses:
- Automatic Local Business Schema Markup: This is huge. Schema markup helps Google understand your business information, leading to rich snippets in search results. Duda implements this automatically.
- Industry-Leading Performance: Duda consistently ranks #1 in Core Web Vitals scores—Google's key metrics for website performance. Faster sites rank higher, period.
- Built-in SEO Dashboard: The SEO Overview tool identifies missing meta tags, images without alt text, and other optimization opportunities. It's like having an SEO consultant built into your website.
- Technical SEO Excellence: Server-side rendering, automatic sitemaps, IndexNow support for immediate search engine updates, and 99.9% uptime all contribute to better rankings.
- Mobile-First Design: Every Duda site is optimized for mobile from day one, crucial since Google uses mobile-first indexing.
Squarespace's SEO Reality
Squarespace offers solid, basic SEO features but falls short for serious local optimization:
- Basic meta description and title editing
- Clean code structure that search engines can read
- Auto-generated sitemaps and SSL certificates
- Google Search Console integration
However, Squarespace has notable limitations for local businesses:
- Limited local business schema options
- Fixed template structures that can restrict advanced optimization
- Some users report mobile performance issues
- Fewer advanced technical SEO features
The Research Says It All
Independent studies show Duda websites consistently outperform Squarespace in Core Web Vitals—the metrics Google uses to rank sites. For local businesses competing for "near me" searches, this performance difference can mean the difference between page one and page three.
Winner: Duda (It's not even close for local SEO)
Round 3: Local Business Features
Beyond SEO, local businesses need specific tools to serve their communities effectively.
Duda's Local Business Toolkit
Duda offers a comprehensive suite of features designed for location-based businesses:
- Dynamic Pages for Multiple Locations: Create location-specific pages that automatically populate with relevant content
- Advanced Booking and Appointment Systems: Built-in widgets that integrate with popular scheduling tools
- Client Management for Multiple Locations: Perfect for businesses with several storefronts
- Multi-language Support: Essential for diverse local markets
- Personalization Engine: Show different content based on visitor location, time, or device
Squarespace's Local Offerings
Squarespace covers the basics but requires additional tools for advanced functionality:
- Google Business Profile integration
- Basic contact forms and event listings
- Appointment scheduling (through Acuity Scheduling—additional cost)
- Simple location pages (manual setup required)
- Limited multi-location support
Winner: Duda (More comprehensive local business features out of the box)
Round 4: Design & Templates
This is Squarespace's home turf, so let's see if it can defend its reputation.
Squarespace's Design Mastery
Squarespace has built its brand on beautiful design, and it shows:
- 60+ Professionally Designed Templates: Each one is a work of art, with careful attention to typography, spacing, and visual hierarchy
- Industry-Specific Categories: Templates tailored for restaurants, retail, professional services, and more
- Minimalist Aesthetic: Clean, modern designs that never look dated
- Integrated Logo Maker: Create a professional logo without hiring a designer
Duda's Functional Beauty
Duda offers 100+ templates that prioritize functionality alongside aesthetics:
- Business-Focused Designs: Templates built for conversion and lead generation, not just visual appeal
- Complete Customization Freedom: Unlike Squarespace's fixed structures, Duda allows extensive modification
- Responsive Design Control: Fine-tune how your site looks on desktop, tablet, and mobile independently
- Reusable Elements: Create custom sections and widgets that can be used across multiple pages
The Trade-off
Squarespace templates are undeniably beautiful and perfect for creative businesses that need to showcase visual work. Duda templates are more "business-focused"—they may not win design awards, but they're built to generate leads and convert visitors into customers.
Winner: Depends on Your Priority
- Squarespace for design-focused businesses (photographers, artists, boutiques)
- Duda for functionality-focused local businesses (contractors, lawyers, restaurants)
Round 5: Pricing & Value for Local Businesses
Let's talk money—because every local business needs to watch their bottom line.
Squarespace Pricing (2025)
- Basic: $16/month (annual) or $25/month (monthly)
- Core: $23/month (annual) or $36/month (monthly)
- Plus: $39/month (annual) or $52/month (monthly)
- Advanced: $99/month (annual) or $139/month (monthly)
All plans include a free domain for the first year and a 14-day free trial. Ecommerce is included in all plans, though transaction fees apply on lower tiers.
Duda Pricing (2025)
- Basic: $19/month (1 website, limited features)
- Team: $29/month (multiple collaborators)
- Agency: $52/month (advanced features, white-label options)
- White Label: $149/month (full agency capabilities)
Duda offers a 25% discount for annual billing and a 14-day free trial. Ecommerce requires an additional $8-49/month depending on your needs.
Value Analysis
At first glance, Squarespace appears cheaper. But here's what you get for Duda's higher price:
- Superior SEO tools that can drive more organic traffic
- Better performance metrics that improve search rankings
- Advanced local business features
- White-label options if you work with an agency
- More comprehensive support for business growth
For local businesses, the question isn't which is cheaper—it's which provides better ROI. If Duda's SEO advantages help you rank higher and attract more customers, the extra cost pays for itself quickly.
Winner: Squarespace (for pure affordability) vs Duda (for value and ROI)
Round 6: Performance & Speed
In the age of Google Core Web Vitals, website speed isn't just nice to have—it's a ranking factor.
Duda's Performance Leadership
Duda has built its reputation on speed and performance:
- #1 in Core Web Vitals: Consistently outperforms all major competitors in Google's speed metrics
- AWS Hosting: Enterprise-grade hosting infrastructure with global CDN
- Automatic Optimization: Images are compressed, code is minified, and lazy loading is enabled by default
- Server-Side Rendering: Ensures search engines can crawl and index your content efficiently
Squarespace's Performance
Squarespace offers decent performance but doesn't match Duda's optimization:
- Built-in speed optimization features
- Clean, efficient code
- Mobile-responsive design
- Some users report mobile performance issues
The Performance Impact
For local businesses, website speed directly impacts:
- Search engine rankings (faster sites rank higher)
- User experience (slow sites lose customers)
- Conversion rates (every second of delay reduces conversions)
Winner: Duda (Superior performance metrics that impact both SEO and user experience)
Round 7: Customer Support & Resources
When you need help, you want it fast and effective.
Duda Support
- Email, chat, and phone support (varies by plan)
- Extensive knowledge base and tutorials
- White-label support for agency partners
- Dedicated account managers for higher-tier plans
- Active user community
Squarespace Support
- 24/7 customer support across all plans
- Comprehensive help center with guides and videos
- Community forums and user groups
- Regular webinars and training sessions
- No phone support on basic plans
Both platforms offer solid support, with Squarespace providing more accessible help for beginners and Duda offering more specialized support for advanced users.
Winner: Tie (Different strengths for different user types)
The Real-World Scenarios: Which Platform Fits Your Business?
Choose Squarespace If:
- You're a creative professional (photographer, artist, designer) who needs a stunning portfolio
- You prioritize ease of use over advanced functionality
- You're building your first website and want the simplest possible experience
- Your local SEO needs are basic
- Budget is your primary concern
- You prefer beautiful design over optimization features
Choose Duda If:
- You're serious about local SEO and want to outrank competitors
- You run multiple business locations or plan to expand
- You work with a web designer or agency
- Website performance and speed are priorities
- You need advanced local business features
- You want the best possible chance of being found by local customers
- You're focused on lead generation and conversions
The Verdict: Duda Wins for Local Businesses
After comparing both platforms across every factor that matters to local businesses, Duda emerges as the clear winner . Here's why:
1. Superior Local SEO
Duda's automatic local business schema markup, industry-leading Core Web Vitals scores, and comprehensive SEO tools give local businesses a significant advantage in search rankings. For businesses competing for local customers, this advantage alone justifies the platform choice.
2. Performance That Drives Results
Faster websites rank higher and convert better. Duda's performance leadership translates directly into more visibility and more customers for local businesses.
3. Built for Business Growth
While Squarespace excels at making you look good, Duda excels at helping you grow. The local business features, advanced functionality, and scalability options support long-term success.
4. Better ROI
Yes, Duda costs more upfront. But when you factor in the SEO advantages, performance benefits, and business-focused features, Duda typically delivers better return on investment for serious local businesses.
When Squarespace Still Makes Sense
Don't write off Squarespace entirely. It remains the better choice for:
- Creative professionals who need stunning visual portfolios
- Very small businesses with minimal SEO needs
- Users who prioritize simplicity over functionality
- Businesses with extremely tight budgets
The Bottom Line
For most local businesses serious about online success, Duda provides the tools, performance, and SEO capabilities needed to compete and win in local search. While Squarespace creates beautiful websites, Duda creates websites that get found by customers—and in the competitive world of local business, being found is what matters most.
Ready to Make the Right Choice for Your Local Business?
Choosing the right website platform is just the first step in your digital marketing journey. At Spearlance Media, we specialize in helping local businesses leverage platforms like Duda to dominate their local markets. Whether you need a new website, want to improve your local SEO, or are ready to outrank your competitors, we're here to help.
Get started today:
- Try Duda's 14-day free trial to experience the difference
- Contact Spearlance Media for a free website audit
- Download our Local SEO Checklist to optimize your current site
Ready to stop blending in and start standing out in your local market? Let's build something that gets results.
