Moving Your Domain from Squarespace
The Authority Guide to Saving 30–50%
Most Squarespace users overpay for their domains simply because they fear "breaking" their website or losing their professional email. By moving your domain registration to a specialised registrar, you can cut your renewal costs by 30–50% annually while gaining superior security.
The Golden Rule: You are moving the domain registration (the phone book listing), not your website hosting (the house). Your site stays live, but you pay a different provider significantly less to keep the name active.
1. The Cost Analysis: Why Switch?
Squarespace charges a "convenience markup." Dedicated registrars operate on high volume (Namecheap) or at-cost pricing (Cloudflare).
| Provider | Renewal Price (.com) | The "Vibe" | Markup? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squarespace | £18.00 – £60.00/yr | The "Default" | High |
| Namecheap | ~£13.00/yr | Balanced & Friendly | Low |
| Cloudflare | ~£9.00/yr | The Technical King | Zero (Wholesale) |
Authority Note: When you transfer a domain, you pay for one year upfront. You do not lose your existing time; that year is added to your current expiration date.
2. The "Gotchas" (Read Before You Click)
The Google Workspace Trap
If you bought your professional email (Google Workspace) through Squarespace, your billing is tied to your domain.
The Risk: Transferring the domain can leave your email in a "suspended" state.
The Fix: You must transfer the billing relationship directly to Google. After the domain move, log into admin.google.com, enter your card details, and pay Google directly. This is often cheaper and ensures you own the relationship, not Squarespace.
The 60-Day Rule
ICANN regulations prevent moving any domain that was registered or transferred within the last 60 days.
If you just bought your domain, you'll need to wait before you can escape the Squarespace markup.
3. The "Zero-Downtime" Method
If you simply "transfer" the domain without a plan, your website may go down because Squarespace often deletes your DNS records (the map to your site) the moment you leave.
Path A: Moving to Cloudflare (Best for Savings)
This is the superior method because you can set up your "map" before you even pay.
- Create Account: Sign up at Cloudflare.com and "Add a Site."
- Scan DNS: Cloudflare will scan your records. Verify that you see your A Records (pointing to Squarespace) and MX Records (for your email).
- Switch Nameservers: In your Squarespace Domain settings, select "Use Custom Nameservers" and enter the two addresses provided by Cloudflare.
- Transfer: Once Cloudflare says "Active," go to their Registration tab and enter your Auth Code (generated in the Squarespace Domains panel).
Path B: Moving to Namecheap (Best for Support)
Namecheap is perfect if you want 24/7 human chat support to help you through the process.
- Unlock & Auth: Unlock your domain in Squarespace and request the "Auth Code."
- Backup DNS: Take a screenshot of your Squarespace DNS panel. You will likely need to re-enter these manually into Namecheap once the move is finished.
- Speed it Up: Transfers usually take 5 days. However, after you start, check your email for an "Approve Transfer Out" link from Squarespace. Clicking this can finish the move in 20 minutes.
Expert Help from movemy.site
At movemy.site, we understand that no two companies are the same. You might have your email with Google, a registration at one provider, and sub-domains used for other tools.
When you work with us, we don't just "give you a guide"—we help you at every stage. We audit your current setup to ensure that your email billing, security certificates, and site connections remain 100% stable throughout the transition. We handle the technical "heavy lifting" so you can simply enjoy the savings.
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