Squarespace: Should You Connect or Transfer Your Domain?

Jul 26

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Squarespace: connect vs transfer your domain

So, you’re working on a new website using Squarespace, and you’re approaching the point where you’re getting ready to launch it. If you specify that you already own your domain name, you’ll now have to decide whether to connect it to your new website, or transfer it to Squarespace.

(If you don’t already own a domain name (example: paulinewiles.com), this is a good time to purchase one. For simplicity, go ahead and use Squarespace to buy your domain. It will probably cost a little more than with other domain sellers, however, your invoicing will be streamlined, and getting started will be easy.)

Despite what the process inside Squarespace leads you to believe, you have a choice whether to transfer your domain, or connect it. And both options will work just fine.

Firstly, let’s set some groundwork. You purchased the rights to use your domain name through a provider called a domain name registrar.

What is a domain name registrar?

In simple terms, your domain registrar is a company that manages the reservation of domain names, and charges you an ongoing fee to use your website name. You may have purchased your domain at the same time as you bought web hosting, or you might have purchased the name on its own, with the intention of using it later. Popular domain registrars include Google Domains, GoDaddy, and NameCheap, but there are dozens of other companies where you can buy a domain name.

And, although domain names are commonly bundled with other services, you can absolutely use different companies for the different pieces you need to make your website work.

So, yes, you can absolutely use Squarespace with your own domain.

For example, this website is hosted by Squarespace, but my domain name is (currently) registered with Google. (This will change later in 2023, but it provides a nice example for us to explore, for now.)

What actually happens when someone tries to visit your website?

I’m aiming for a simple, non-technical explanation here. And I’ll use my own website as an example.

Imagine you have one of my business cards, and you see my website address is paulinewiles.com
You open the browser on your computer, and type in that you’d like to visit paulinewiles.com
Your browser asks the machine that maintains all “.com” domains which domain name registrar paulinewiles.com is registered with. The answer: Google Domains.
Your browser asks Google Domains for the IP (“internet protocol”) address of the web server(s) where my website files are actually hosted. In my case, the IP address is 198.185.159.144, which is one of Squarespace’s machines.
Your browser asks this Squarespace machine for the home page of my website.

The main thing to understand here is: as long as your DNS settings are correct, your domain does not need to be registered in the same place that your website is hosted.

The difference between connecting your domain, and transferring it to Squarespace

In the above example, Google is the record keeper for my domain, but it knows to send my visitors to Squarespace to get the web pages they want to see. This is known as connecting a domain. I currently pay Google $12 per year for my domain.

On the other hand, I could pass overall control of all of my domain records to Squarespace, so that Squarespace becomes my registrar, they keep my DNS records, and they bill me for the “domain” portion of my website. This would be transferring my domain.

Good reasons to transfer your domain to Squarespace

You value simplicity. You want one invoice, and you appreciate the ease of dealing with one company for both your domain name and website services.
You don’t mind paying a little more for your domain name.
You’re not currently using your domain name as part of your email address.
Either you haven’t had a live website before, or you don’t mind it (potentially) being unavailable for a little while, during the domain transfer.

Good reasons to connect your domain to your new Squarespace website

You are using your domain as part of your email address. For my custom website clients, if this is the case, I typically recommend that you leave your domain where it is. There’s no reason why you can’t transfer it to Squarespace, I just don’t like to risk breaking your email!
You definitely don’t want any website downtime or hiccups, while your domain transfers across.
You don’t mind getting one invoice for your domain, and one for your website.
You don’t mind logging into two different accounts. (Although, generally, once your domain settings are done, you won’t need to mess with them.)
You’re paying less than the (approximately) $20 per year that Squarespace charges for a domain, and you’d like to keep it that way.

Be aware: the Squarespace domain screen encourages you to transfer

Be on the lookout, when you reach the step in Squarespace where you specify which domain you want to use with your website. You’ll be encouraged to transfer your domain, instead of connecting it:

My guess is, Squarespace would like you to have all of your eggs in their basket. They probably make a small profit each year from your domain registration, and it’s also easier for them to help you, if you get in a tangle with your domain settings.

But do realize, you are not required transfer your domain. Many times in projects for my clients, I simply connect the domain instead. And it all works fine.

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