Adobe Portfolio is a site builder that comes with the CC bundle. Squarespace makes a similar promise, but this site-building platform includes additional features that make it worth considering. Here is what you need to know about Adobe Portfolio vs Squarespace.
Which Platform is Easier to Use?
Getting started is quick and easy with Adobe Portfolio and Squarespace. You can create an account within a few minutes and can get started by selecting the template you want to apply to your site.
It offers twelve different templates. You can browse through the cover page and dynamic gallery themes, select the one you want to use, and start uploading your artwork to your website. It’s an easy process since there is a relatively small selection of themes to explore.
Squarespace takes a different approach and asks you to indicate the purpose of your website to recommend the most relevant themes. This approach makes more sense since Squarespace offers more than 100 site templates.
Adobe Portfolio has an editor with a live preview feature. You can see changes in real-time, but you won’t be able to use drag-and-drop editing to start personalizing your portfolio website.
While it delivers a fast and streamlined process for launching your online portfolio, Squarespace makes customization easier with a drag-and-drop editor. You can select blocks, resize them, and move them to launch a website with a unique look.
Appearance, Ease of Use, and Flexibility
Adobe Portfolio vs Squarespace is an important consideration because the two platforms differ in terms of the features and functionalities offered.
Domain and Hosting Possibilities
Adobe Portfolio offers hosting options, but you will have to purchase your domain from a third-party service. It’s a drawback because there is a manual setup process you will have to go through to add your DNS address and adjust other settings.
There is a tutorial for configuring your domain name, but the manual setup can be confusing if you aren’t tech-savvy.
Squarespace stands out when it comes to web hosting. It is much more than a simple website builder since it offers web hosting plans and custom domain names.
Import and Export Your Content
MyPortfolio Adobe gives you the possibility to import content from your Behance profile or from your Lightroom CC albums. There are no options to export your artwork from an existing website.
Squarespace lets you import entire websites from WordPress, Blogger, and Tumblr. You can import existing product pages from Shopify, Etsy, Big Cartel, or upload .csv files. You can import image metadata when uploading photographs from your camera and use a convenient import feature to upgrade a Squarespace 5 website and create a Squarespace 7 site.
SEO Features
Adobe has some basic SEO features that will make your art easier to find online. You can edit your titles, descriptions, and favicons to rank higher in search results.
Squarespace can boost your ranking in search results with clean HTML markup, automatic image tags, automatic redirects, description fields, meta tags, keyword analytics, and more.
Shopping Options
Adobe gives you the possibility to showcase your work and sell it through Adobe Stock. You will have to sign up as a Stock contributor and indicate which pieces you want to sell. A purchase button will appear in your gallery.
Squarespace is a lot more versatile when it comes to eCommerce. It offers store templates and supports integration with PayPal and other payment methods. You will find tools you can use to create product pages and describe the items you offer.
Developer Tools
It’s worth noting that Adobe doesn’t offer tools for developers. You will get access to a convenient WYSWYG editor and can launch your website with very little technical skills required thanks to the templates.
Squarespace gives you the possibility to create your own templates from scratch if you have coding skills, and you can also load an existing base template and edit the HTML markup. You can access template files via Git or SFTP to work on the code.
Widgets and Add-Ons
Adobe doesn’t offer any add-ons or widgets for your site. Squarespace is more versatile since you will find add-ons like social sharing buttons, contact forms, analytics, eCommerce tools, and more.
Layout and Design
Adobe is perfect for creating a portfolio with a responsive design. You can choose from 12 templates that will work with any device or screen size by resizing the different elements.
The main drawback is that the small selection of website themes tends to create a uniform look for creatives who use it. Someone who is comparing different portfolios might not feel that yours stand out from the rest in terms of design.
Squarespace has over 100 website templates to choose from, including 29 different templates for your cover page. You’ll also find a CSS editor that allows you to edit existing templates.
You can upload your own images and font files into the CSS editor and create customized banners, buttons, and other elements. You can customize your fonts with Adobe Fonts, but you can’t upload your own files.
Squarespace templates use a content block system that allows for more website customization. You can pick the content blocks you want to use and change their position on the page. You can also use the template-switching feature to apply different themes to a portfolio site.
There are more possibilities for designing a unique website with Squarespace because you can get access to the HTML and CSS code. However, users who don’t have advanced skills might prefer Adobe’s simpler approach.
Which Is More User-Friendly?
Adobe offers a simple but effective website builder. It is easy to master, and you can launch a portfolio site in no time. The functionalities will eventually limit what you can do as you grow your online presence, but it’s a user-friendly option that gives you the possibility to create dynamic galleries for your website with no coding skills.
Square space is a Content Management System that is a lot more versatile. It’s intuitive, and you can get started even if you’re not tech-savvy. However, you will unlock more benefits if you have some coding skills.
Possible Integrations
My Portfolio supports integration with Stock, Photoshop, Behance, and Lightbox.
Squarespace offers integration with Getty Images to help you add images to your portfolio site, and this platform also supports integration with a Content Delivery Network that stores your content on a network of servers around the world to improve loading times.
Customer Support Options
Adobe delivers outstanding customer support to subscribers. You can access online articles and videos, forums, and troubleshooting tools. You can submit a support request through a contact form, or log into your account to call or chat with a customer service representative.
Squarespace offers online guides, videos, forums, and gives you the possibility to contact customer support via chat or email.
Pricing Comparison
The web for portfolio builder is free if you have an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription. This platform is part of the Adobe Creative Cloud bundle, and you can’t subscribe to it separately.
Pricing starts at $9.99 a month for an Adobe Creative Cloud bundle with Photoshop and Lightroom CC. You will have to spend $52.99 per month to access Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and other apps. There are other plans for businesses, students, and schools. Note that you will have to purchase a domain from a different service.
Squarespace has a $12 a month plan that includes a domain. You can spend $18 per month to access more eCommerce features and get a professional email address from Google.
Squarespace also offers a commerce plan that costs $26 per month with more marketing tools and no transaction fees, and a $40 a month plan that lets you sell subscriptions.
Adobe Portfolio Vs Squarespace: Pros and Cons
Considering the main benefits and drawbacks between the two platforms will give you a better idea of which one is right for you.
Adobe Portfolio Pros
One of the main reasons to pick Adobe Portfolio for your portfolio site is that you can get access to this site builder for free if you have a Adobe Creative Cloud subscription. If you use Photoshop or other apps, you might as well take advantage of everything your subscription includes.
Another benefit is that the Adobe Portfolio templates use responsive design. These templates will adapt to screen sizes and deliver an optimal experience for mobile users.
Adobe Portfolio Cons
The main drawback of this platform is that there are no ways of selling prints or booking photography sessions from your online portfolio. You can sell your art through Stock, but eCommerce features remain very limited.
The lack of advanced SEO settings can be a drawback if you want to get discovered online, and there are no marketing tools or email hosting options.
Squarespace Pros
Squarespace offers a huge selection of templates. You can choose from more than 100 different themes and create a unique website by editing existing base themes with Squarespace.
Overall, Squarespace delivers more value for the money and has a lot more features. Being able to import existing sites and product pages can help you save time if you already have an online presence, and PayPal integration is a plus if you’re looking to monetize your site.
Squarespace Cons
Squarespace is more technical than Adobe Portfolio. Editing HTML and CSS code isn’t accessible to everyone, and you might miss out on some features if you’re new to building websites for portfolios.
Adobe Portfolio and Squarespace: Who Are These Platforms For?
Adobe Portfolio is a viable option if you’re a creative who wants to showcase their work with a simple site-building platform. If you already use apps like Photoshop and have a CC subscription, creating a portfolio with this tool makes sense.
Squarespace is a better choice if you want more flexibility or need advanced SEO or developer features. It’s also your best bet if you want to launch an online store to sell your prints.
Which Platform Wins Out?
The fact that Adobe Portfolio comes with the CC bundle makes this platform your go-to site builder if you want to create dynamic galleries with little effort and don’t mind the limited choice of themes or lack of advanced features.
If you want a larger selection of themes, eCommerce features, and advanced SEO tools, Squarespace is the way to go.
Additional Questions
Here are a few additional things you should know about Adobe Portfolio.
- Is Adobe Portfolio any good?
Even though Squarespace has more features, this platform is a quality site builder that will help you create gorgeous dynamic galleries with very little technical skills required.
- Can I transfer my Adobe Portfolio to another account?
Your Adobe ID allows you to log into all the apps you use. You can associate your portfolio with a different ID by contacting the support team.
- Can you use Adobe Portfolio for free?
Adobe Portfolio is free If you have a Creative Cloud subscription. You can’t use this platform without a CC subscription.
- How much does Adobe Portfolio cost?
A Creative Cloud subscription costs as little as $9.99 a month. You can’t access this platform without a CC subscription.
- Adobe Portfolio examples
Adobe has an excellent selection of online portfolios from creatives in different fields to give you a better idea of what you can do with this platform.
- Adobe Portfolio eCommerce
You can use this platform to showcase your work and sell it through Adobe Stock, but you won’t get any eCommerce tools to sell your products online.
- Squarespace portfolio templates
Squarespace has over 100 different templates to choose from. You’ll find options for specific projects, including interior design, photography, art, fashion, and more.
