16 Best Squarespace Templates for Portfolios & Shops [2024] 

With over 200 Squarespace templates available, how do you choose the best one for your website? 

My advice is to choose a template that’s versatile but pre-purposed. It’ll be easy to customize and it’ll also have all the key features you need.  

Are you building a website for a business or professional service? You’ll need scheduling and online booking tools built into your template. An online store? E-commerce tools are a must. 

Restaurants need menu pages. Creative artists and designers need photo galleries. And every website should have a blog, social media links, and a newsletter or email signup.  

I’ve tested dozens of Squarespace templates and selected 16 of the very best across various types of websites. I’ve also included some of my favorites from Squarespace version 7.0, just in case none of the newer templates suit your needs.  

I’ve featured a choice for almost every niche, so read on to find yours.  

Squarespace Templates with Top Marks for Design and Features 

Almar – All-Around Best Template for Professional Services

Almar ’s smart style and client-focused text make it a perfect fit for professional services and small business websites.

It would also make an engaging CV, personal website, or blog, as it comes with all the content sections you need to share your experience, awards, testimonials, and latest posts. 

My favorite feature? The Get Started page, where clients can book a full suite of your services, including appointments, classes, and even a free 30-minute consult. There are also plenty of Learn More CTA buttons and a newsletter signup.

Depending on your profession, you’ll want to change the images, colors, and typeface to match your branding. But however you choose to customize the template, you can count on Almar’s built-in service booking tools to help you net new clients and maintain existing client relationships.

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Auburn – Deliciously Bold, Ideal for Restaurants

Auburn is my favorite Squarespace template for restaurants thanks to its striking design and long list of features. 

Its bold header text and full-bleed image draw visitors in from the first glance, while eye-catching photos throughout the homepage help visitors get a feel for your establishment . 

Accompanying text snippets let you highlight exactly what’s unique about each aspect of your restaurant, and smartly placed CTA buttons prompt visitors to check out your menu or reserve a table as they browse.

If your restaurant cultivates a particular atmosphere, you can use the abundant image space to focus on your elegant (or quirky, traditional, modern, etc.) interior in addition to your food. Or take a cue from social media and focus on both.

Best of all, Auburn has all the pages a restaurant needs: menu, locations, reservations (with an OpenTable integration) and a News page for menu updates. And since restaurants live or die on social media, there’s even a Yelp link in the prominent social media bar.

Anise – Polished and Alluring, Best for Luxury Brands 

The elegant Anise displays your products/creations as objects of desire, which makes it an especially good choice for a fashion, design, or artisan website. 

The neutral background and well-designed photo galleries set just the right tone for unique or luxury brands, whether you’re in jewelry, fine leather, fashion, art glass, or high-end home goods.

Anise comes with Squarespace’s suite of e-commerce tools, so customers can add products to their shopping cart and pay online. You can also enable optional features like customer accounts so that shoppers can create an account, check out faster, and save their carts.

And Squarespace makes it just as easy for you to manage shipments, fulfill online orders, and keep your inventory up to date.

About and Journal pages round out this template, giving you space to draw in curious visitors with compelling copy about your sourcing, design, and inspiration.

Rivoli – A Blog That Says Dive In

Rivoli’s clean design, large visuals, and big header make it a natural pick for travel, fashion, food, or lifestyle blogs.

With five attractive layouts to choose from – masonry grid, side by side, single column, basic grid, and alternating side by side – you’ve got plenty of options for customizing your site’s design. 

The navigation bar’s on-hover effect is a nice interactive touch. And I also liked how the full-page images automatically adjust to a two-column layout in response to my browser settings. 

You can tag and schedule posts, organize them by topic for easy searching, and allow users to leave comments through Squarespace or Disqus.  

You can also draft and save your posts before publishing and use built-in photo editing tools to make your images shine. And if you want to give your content an extra-special appeal, try incorporating audio or video blocks into your next piece!

Roseti – Focused and Inspirational, Tops for  Nonprofits

Nonprofits will find Roseti a good option for attracting followers and raising awareness about a cause. Though the demo features an organic farm, it would work well for any community group or charitable organization.

The About page lets you share convincing copy about your mission and includes a cool full-screen gallery section. On the Events page, you can post news about your speakers, classes, and other upcoming activities. 

There’s even a Visit page with your contact info and hours so visitors can easily plan an outing to your location (this is a great feature for arts, nature, and education centers).

There are CTAs throughout the template for your blog and newsletter, both of which can help you create a more personal connection with visitors and convert them into members or donors.

A navigation bar with those all-important social media links and deep footer are pinned to every page. Charitable organizations will want to add a Donate button and connect their site to Stripe or PayPal so they can process online donations.

Hart – Fashion Template with Attitude

Hart is the perfect “little black dress” – a simple but versatile staple with plenty of style that you can “accessorize” to suit a range of brands and needs.

Its many striking photo galleries make it ideal for a designer or stylist. Bloggers, professional service providers, and anyone looking for a stylish, image-focused personal or CV template will also find plenty to like here. 

Hart would work for a trend-setting apparel shop, floral designer, or other online store if you add Squarespace’s e-commerce tools. (It’s as easy as clicking a button in the editor and following a few simple steps.) It already has all the other features you’d need – a Lookbook page, blog, contact form, email integration, and social media links.

Talva – Your Virtual Art Gallery

Talva is exactly what it seems – a larger-than-life virtual gallery where photographers, artists, and designers can exhibit their work in a compelling format. 

On the homepage, your images are framed with a narrow band of whitespace so each piece has its place on the gallery “wall”. Visitors are invited to zoom in on individual images to bring up a full-screen slideshow.

There’s also a Blog and an About page so you can share insights into your creative process. In keeping with the template’s purpose, text is kept to a minimum on every page to bring your work into sharp focus.

Visitors will find integrated social media links in the top navigation bar and footer (both are pinned to every page.) And the Contact page is a real gem, with multiple links that funnel inquiries to you, your agent, or public relations manager.

Dario – Best for Weddings and RSVP Events

Dario checks all the boxes for a wedding template. It’s got plenty of photos of the happy couple – starting with that glorious homepage close-up! – and puts the essential details of your big day front and center, above the fold.

But what really sets Dario apart is the space it dedicates to storytelling. You’ll quickly be melting hearts as you describe how you met and where your journey has taken you.

RSVP buttons on every page link to a detailed, customizable reply form. While the demo Location page is designed for a destination wedding, you can easily alter it to focus on your venue, nearby accommodations, or attractions in the area. 

Dario has a built-in cash registry, but you can swap it out for a traditional gift registry by adding an image block and clickthrough URL for each of your different registries. Or you can link to your Zola Registry by adding a Zola block.

Given all its features, you might consider customizing Dario to use for other special RSVP events, like anniversaries, graduations, and coming of age parties.

Hester – A Cheerful Take on E-Commerce

A workhorse e-commerce template should be versatile enough to fit a range of everyday and fine goods. And that’s exactly what Hester offers: a flexible, multipurpose design for an ambitious online shopping website – or any business that wants to market its products on the web.

Hester’s bright colors and crisp design leave plenty of white space so your text and photos really pop. I also love how on-hover effects in the shop gallery let you show your products from different views, inviting visitors to explore and get the full-on experience of your shop. 

The Blog and Our Story pages let you share the ideas that drive your product, service, or business. And there are plenty of CTA buttons throughout – including a customer Login button – to help you grow your customer mailing list.

Clune –  Best for Small-Business Brand Building

On the face of it, Clune is simply a spa template – but it would be a mistake to discount this versatile small-business template if you’re in a different industry. 

The navigation bar says it all: you’ve got Services, About, Team, and Contact pages, plus that bold blue Book Appointment button in the top right corner. 

If you’re a service provider or have a personal care/wellness business, Clune comes with all the essential features you need: scheduling, online appointment booking, and payment processing.

Meanwhile, Squarespace SEO and data analytics let you track client data, target visitors more effectively, and monitor the success of your email campaigns. 

Minetta – Curated Portfolio and CV for Creatives

Minetta is a stunning portfolio template, but it would also make an appealing personal or CV template for creative artists, stylists, and designers.  

The design flips the traditional dark/light convention, using negative black space to dramatically frame your work. That same striking contrast also draws attention to the white-font text, which is cleverly kept to a minimum so that each word packs a punch.

While this template keeps it simple, it’s still got plenty of interactive elements. Hover over an individual image and Minetta encourages you to click and bring up a slideshow. And the expansive photo gallery automatically adjusts to a visitor’s browser settings. 

You can share your current and upcoming projects on the About page. Naturally, social media links, a “work with me” CTA, and Contact page are all built in.

Eldridge – Best For Coffee Shops with Lots of Charm

Eldridge is not your typical coffee shop, bakery, or restaurant template design. Instead of the typical full-screen homepage image, it opts for a large text block below the header so you can tell your story right away. A teaser menu further down that links to your full menu page is also a nice touch. 

The demo’s style, colors, and text evoke a comfortable, traditional café where customers can relax and linger. But if your shop is more contemporary, you can easily change out the images and copy to reflect your vibe.

Eldridge also comes packed with features and built-in pages. Besides the full menu page, it’s got an expansive photo gallery with stacked full-screen images and an online shop – all the functionality you need to both draw customers to your physical shop and create an additional sales channel. 

There’s a bold Contact button and social media links at the top of every page. And to top things off, there’s an e-news signup so you can share your latest menu updates, partnerships, or live music events.

Hidano – A Modernist Take on Real Estate or Hospitality

Hidano is a minimalist template with some interesting design elements – like the large text links that replace the traditional navigation menu on the homepage.

It’s my top pick for a real estate broker or “live/work/shop” development website. But tweak its photos, text, and features and it could also work for a boutique hotel or inn with a modern, edgy vibe.

The template’s subpages include special amenities, team thumbnails, and fun things to do, like dining, shopping, and attractions. In another neat design twist, visitors can browse these different pages by clicking on the arrows that sit above the footer. 

If you plan to use Hidano for a hotel website, you’ll have to modify it a bit – you’d probably need a menu page, for example. On the other hand, scheduling and booking tools, integrated Google maps, and The Infatuation dining guide are already built into the template.

Squarespace 7.0 Templates: Should You Use One?

The difference between Squarespace 7.1 and 7.0 templates is pretty straightforward. All 7.1 templates share the same style and functionality options, which can make choosing a template a bit easier.

Version 7.0 templates, on the other hand, are grouped into families, each with its own customization options in terms of features and design. Basically, you have to review the Squarespace guide for each family to be sure the template has what you’re looking for. 

In case you were wondering: no, you can’t convert a 7.0 to a 7.1 site. And version 7.1 no longer lets you switch between templates (although that’s probably because you can access all features from any template, as I mentioned earlier).

Here are a few of my favorite 7.0 templates to consider.

Brine (7.0) – Flexible Favorite for Brands and Businesses

No roundup of the best Squarespace templates would be complete without Brine, long prized for its shape-shifting versatility. It’s an e-commerce template that’s super flexible and easy to customize for any brand or business. 

Brine has loads of extra design features and settings, like advanced product gallery and blog options. You can also add full-bleed banners to any page, or use parallax scrolling (not available in version 7.1!) to enhance user experience and make your site more engaging. 

Discerning eyes may have noticed that 7.1’s Hester and 7.0’s Brine may look like twins – but they’re fraternal twins at best, each with different features. For example, Brine limits your shop to 200 products, while you can technically sell up to 10,000 items with Hester. 

Like all Squarespace templates, Brine is fully responsive, but you can edit your site for mobile to give it that special on-the-go appeal. That’s another difference between Brine and Hester.

Adirondack (7.0) – Chic Fashion and Lifestyle Classic

Adirondack ’s smart, image-focused design uses white space effectively and keeps text to a minimum, so nothing detracts from the focus on your products. It’s a fashion template at it’s best.

But that doesn’t mean it’s short on features. Everything you need for your online store comes built-in: airy product galleries (visitors can click to bring up prices and descriptive text), powerful e-commerce tools, a blog, a contact form, and an email link. 

You’ll also appreciate the pages for important practical details, like your shipping and returns policies and an embedded map for customers who prefer in-store shopping. 

One thing is missing, however – you’ll definitely want to add social media icons to the collapsible navigation bar and footer.

Rally (7.0) – A Feature-Rich Blog with Plenty of Personality

Rally is a blog template with an unconventional design: the homepage begins with a horizontal banner of your latest posts before opening onto a full-screen image for your featured post, tempting visitors to click through. 

There are plenty of design styles and features you can use to customize your site, like adding audio and video content to your searchable blog posts, or using parallax scrolling effects to enhance your site’s visual appeal.

Plus, the built-in newsletter signup form can help you build your audience and sell subscriptions to monetize your blog.

The Best Website Template Captures Your Brand and Style

The best website template will clearly telegraph what’s unique about you or your business. 

Choosing a layout that appeals to you and aligns with your brand is a valuable step. However, it’s crucial to see beyond the demo colors, fonts, and images and recognize that you have the ability to modify all these elements according to your preferences.

On the other hand, you’ll save yourself some time if you choose a template that’s pre-designed for your business niche (that’s what Squrespace’s categories and topics are for). This list has my top picks for the most popular categories, whether that’s restaurants, blogs, or photography. 

But don’t limit yourself by any means. In fact, I found some of the best templates in unlikely places. So think of this list as a jumping-off point… and then dive in and have fun!

FAQ

Are Squarespace templates good?

Squarespace templates are all good-looking and well-designed, even if they all fall into the “trendy and minimalist” bracket. They’re spread across 5 categories and 16 topics, each with their own built-in features. Plus, all templates are fully responsive, so you never have to worry about how your website will look on a phone or tablet. 

That said, Squarespace can get a bit pricey, especially if you want to add an online store to your website. For the best deals, head over to our coupon page.

Which is the most versatile Squarespace template?

Brine has long been considered the most versatile Squarespace template because it has lots of features and ways to personalize the design and style of your site. You can use it for an online store, restaurant, blog, professional service – just about any type of business. 

But now it has some stiff competition from Squarespace’s new version 7.1 , which includes more than 100 variations on a single theme. Because these templates all share the same features and have some style options not available in Brine, one or more may challenge for the top spot.

Which Squarespace templates are best for SEO?

The best templates for SEO are responsive, load quickly, and have informative content sections. Simpler designs (most Squarespace templates qualify!) tend to perform better, so don’t overload your website with over-the-top design customizations. 

Whichever template you choose, Squarespace does have SEO tools that can help you make your site easier for Google and other search engines to find. You can also use its analytics tools to review data and see which search terms drive users to your site. 

That said, Wix  gets higher marks for SEO – because it’s just more intuitive. So if you want to explore other options, check out our roundup of the best website builders in 2024.

Is Brine still the best Squarespace template?

Brine was long considered the most versatile, feature-packed Squarespace template – until Squarespace version 7.1 came along. Now, there’s just a single template framework with over 100 different customized designs you can choose from. And it seems more are coming.

For some, sticking with version 7.0 to use Brine may still be worth it. But others will say that 7.1 templates make it easier to create a professional website that will get results.