Can You Share Your Squarespace Trial Site?
When building a new website on Squarespace, you get access to a 14-day free trial to explore the platform and create your site before launching it.
But what if you need help building the site or you want to get feedback from others while your site is still in trial mode?
Can you share your Squarespace trial site?
The answer is yes, with a few limitations.
There are 2 common scenarios for sharing a Squarespace trial site
You want to invite contributors to work with you to get the trial site ready for launch.
You want to invite people to preview the trial website prior to launch.
I’ll cover each scenario in the sections below.
PS. You may also want to read my Squarespace pricing guide
Adding contributors to work with you on building the trial site
It’s perfectly possible to build out a Squarespace site on your own. However, it’s often the case that multiple people will need to edit or administer your site.
You may need the help of a specialist Squarespace designer or a custom Squarespace developer.
You may also want to assign Content Editors to work on specific sections of the site, and so on
Adding a Contributor
Remember, contributors can actually edit the site, not just view it.
To add a Contributor:
In the Home menu, click Settings
Click Permissions
Click Invite Contributor
Enter their name and email address
Choose their permission level (e.g. Admin, Content Editor, etc.)
Click Send Invitation
The Contributor will get an email inviting them to create a Squarespace account to access your site. As the site owner, you control their permission level.
Contributor limit for the Squarespace Website Personal Plan
Trial sites can have unlimited contributors but when you’re ready to launch it won’t be possible to upgrade to the Website Personal plan if your trial has more than two contributors.
There's a two contributor limit for Squarespace sites on a Personal plan. The Owner counts as one of the contributors.
If you have more than two contributors and you want to subscribe to the Website Personal plan you’ll need to remove contributors until there’s just you and one other contributor left.
Higher tier paid plans allow unlimited contributors.
Inviting people to preview the trial site without needing a Squarespace subscription
By default, your Squarespace trial site is not public and cannot be previewed or indexed by search engines.
You can set a password to allow people to preview the site.
Password protecting your Squarespace trial site
To password protect your trial site:
In the Home menu, click Settings
Click Security
Check "Password protect" and enter a password
Click Save
Now when someone visits your trial site URL, they'll be prompted to enter the password to access it.
Sharing your Squarespace trial site URL
With the password in place you can share the unique trial URL with others to preview your site.
To find your trial site URL:
Log into your Squarespace account
Go to Settings > Domains
Under "Built-in Domains" you'll see the URL in the format "your-site-name.squarespace.com"
You can copy this URL and send it to people you want to share the trial site with.
They'll be able to view the site, but the general public won't find it
Limitations of Squarespace trial sites
While you can share Squarespace trial sites for collaboration and feedback, there are limitations to be aware of:
You cannot connect a custom domain to a trial site
Officially, trial sites expire after 14 days unless you request a one-time 7-day extension. In fact, you can extend a trial by up to six months.
Certain features like commerce and premium integrations are disabled until you upgrade
Trial sites are not indexed by search engines
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share my Squarespace trial site?
Yes, you can share your Squarespace trial site, either by inviting contributors to help build the site or allowing people to preview it with certain restrictions.
How do I add contributors to my Squarespace trial site?
To add contributors, go to Settings > Permissions and invite them via their email. You can assign different permission levels such as Admin or Content Editor.
Is there a limit on how many contributors I can have on a Squarespace trial site?
During the trial, you can have unlimited contributors. However, if you upgrade to the Website Personal Plan post-trial, you are limited to two contributors.
How can I allow others to preview my Squarespace trial site?
By setting a password in the Security settings, you can share the trial site’s URL for others to preview it without needing a Squarespace account.
Are there any limitations to Squarespace trial sites?
Yes, trial sites cannot have custom domains, certain premium features are disabled, and the sites are not indexed by search engines. Trial sites expire after 14 days, but you can request extensions.
Can I use my own domain name with a Squarespace trial site?
No. you can only link a custom domain name to a Squarespace site on a paid plan.
How do I share my Squarespace site with others for feedback during the trial period?
You can share your Squarespace site by setting a site password under Settings > Site Availability. Share the URL and password with others to allow them to preview the version of your site.
What happens to my domain if I decide not to continue with Squarespace after my trial?
If you registered a domain through Squarespace and choose not to continue, the domain remains yours but you may need to transfer it to another provider or renew it with Squarespace separately.
How do I log in to view a Squarespace trial site shared with me?
If someone shares their Squarespace trial site with you, you generally won’t need a Squarespace login to view it. Access the site through the shared URL and enter the password if it’s protected.
Can I share a preview of my Squarespace website without revealing the full content?
Yes, you can selectively share content from your Squarespace website by creating "password-protected" pages or using the Page Lock feature, allowing you to control what is visible to others during the preview.
