A Squarespace template comparison in 2026 is a different exercise from the one people remember, because on version 7.1 every template is the same template: identical features, blocks, style options and sections, differing only in the demo content and the starting layout. Squarespace’s own template guide says so directly. So the comparison that matters is not which template has which feature (they all do) but which starting layout saves you the most rebuilding for your kind of business, and, for the minority still on 7.0, which template family to be on before features diverge. This post compares by business type, explains what actually changes when you “switch” templates on 7.1, covers the 7.0 families for anyone still there, and gives the three checks that matter more than the template.
What actually differs between Squarespace 7.1 templates?
| Differs | Does not differ |
|---|---|
| Demo pages and sample content | Blocks, sections, Fluid Engine, galleries, forms, commerce |
| Starting sections on the home page | Site Styles options: fonts, colours, buttons, spacing |
| Initial font pack and colour palette | Header and footer options |
| Which page types are pre-added (blog, store, portfolio) | SEO fields, code injection, custom CSS, plans |
| The mood of the demo photos | Anything you can build afterwards |
On 7.1 a template is a head start, not a constraint. You can add a store to a portfolio template, delete every demo page, and rebuild the home page from blank sections; the result is indistinguishable from starting on any other template. Paige Brunton’s chart reaches the same conclusion: on 7.1 the chart is no longer needed.
Squarespace template comparison by business type (7.1)
| Business | Start from a template that has | Examples in the store (names change; check the layout, not the name) | Then change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photographer or creative | Full-bleed gallery sections, a portfolio page, minimal header | Templates in the Photography and Portfolio categories | Swap demo galleries for yours; add a pricing page |
| Service business, consultant | A hero, services grid, testimonials, contact form on the home page | Professional Services and Local Business categories | Add a page per service |
| Restaurant, cafe | Menu section, hours and map, reservation button | Restaurants category | Replace the PDF menu with a menu block or page |
| Shop | Store page with product grid, featured products on home | Online Store category | Set up Squarespace Payments and shipping |
| Blog or publication | Blog page with list layout, sidebar or grid, newsletter block | Blog category | Set categories before importing posts |
| Personal brand, coach, therapist | About-led home, booking or contact section, calm palette | Personal and Wellness categories | Add services with fees |
| Wedding or event | Countdown, RSVP form, gallery, schedule sections | Weddings category | Set a launch date for the countdown |
Pick by layout, not by the demo’s industry. A restaurant template with the perfect home page structure works for a bakery, a bar or a caterer once the words and photos change; the page-organising exercise tells you which layout you need before you look.
What happens when you switch templates on 7.1?
Nothing, because you cannot: 7.1 has no template switcher. “Changing template” on 7.1 means changing Site Styles (fonts, colours, spacing), rebuilding sections, or starting a new trial from a different template and moving content across. Changing the whole look of an existing 7.1 site is therefore a restyle and a rebuild, not a switch, which duplicating the site makes safe to attempt. The same is true of the paid designer templates sold by studios: they are 7.1 sites duplicated into your account, with the same features as everything else and a better starting layout.
Squarespace 7.0 template families compared
On 7.0, the template decides features. The families that still matter:
| Family | Strengths | Limits | Verdict in 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brine (Brine, Rally, Mojave, Wells, and 50+ others) | Index pages with stacked sections, parallax, full-width, the most style tweaks; the closest thing to 7.1 | Older editor; no Fluid Engine | Stay if the site works; otherwise move to 7.1 |
| Bedford (Bedford, Anya, Bryant, Hayden) | Banners, sidebars for blog | Fewer layout options | Move to 7.1 |
| Pacific (Pacific, Charlotte, Horizon) | Long-scroll index pages | Limited style control | Move to 7.1 |
| Tremont, Montauk, Avenue and older | Various | Missing modern features | Move to 7.1 |
Squarespace’s template comparison charts list the per-family features for 7.0 in detail. A 7.0 site cannot be upgraded in place; moving to 7.1 is a rebuild on a new trial with a domain move at the end, and it is worth it for almost every site still on 7.0, because 7.1 gets the new features (Fluid Engine, saved sections, Background Art, QR codes and most of what Squarespace has shipped since 2020) and 7.0 does not.
What matters more than the template?
- Page structure: the right pages with the right jobs, decided before the template is chosen.
- Typography and colour: two fonts and a palette set in Site Styles; the best Squarespace font pairings covers the choice. This is what makes a template look like a brand.
- Images: real, sized correctly, consistent. A template full of the owner’s phone snaps at 6 MB each looks worse than a plain one with good photos.
- Words: a headline that says what the business does, one button per page.
- SEO fields: the same on every template; filled in on few.
Every Squarespace site I build starts from a template chosen for layout, then has those five done properly, and clients cannot tell which template it was. That is the point of 7.1, and the reason a template comparison is now a ten-minute decision rather than a week of charts; whether Squarespace is good for SEO is the question worth the week instead.
Frequently asked questions
On 7.1, none is better than another: all templates share the same features and style options and differ only in demo content and starting layout. Choose the one whose home page layout is closest to what your business needs, then restyle it.
Not on 7.1; there is no template switcher. Change the look through Site Styles and by rebuilding sections, or start a new trial from a different template and move content across. On 7.0, Design, Template lets you install and switch templates.
On 7.0 each template family has its own features and limits, so the choice mattered. On 7.1 the template is a starting design and nothing more.
Any 7.1 template with full-bleed gallery sections and a portfolio page as its starting layout, restyled with two fonts and your photos. The template name matters far less than image quality and page structure.
They are 7.1 sites with a designer’s layout, fonts and sections already set, duplicated into your account. Worth it if the layout saves you days and matches your business; they have no features a free template lacks.
Almost always, because 7.1 receives new features (Fluid Engine, saved sections, Background Art, QR codes) and 7.0 does not. It is a rebuild on a new trial with a domain move and redirects at the end.
