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HSTS vs Squarespace

Based on 2557 and 13 real audits

View HSTS details | View Squarespace details
MetricHSTSSquarespaceWinner
Performance4932HSTS
Accessibility8994Squarespace
Best Practices8897Squarespace
SEO9195Squarespace
Security7070Tie
TTFB364ms333msSquarespace
Composite7575Tie
Performance
HSTS
49
Squarespace
32
Accessibility
HSTS
89
Squarespace
94
Security
HSTS
70
Squarespace
70
SEO
HSTS
91
Squarespace
95
Composite
HSTS
75
Squarespace
75

Squarespace outperforms HSTS in 4 of 7 categories, with a stronger composite score (75 vs 75). HSTS leads in performance.

When to choose HSTS

Choose HSTS when your primary concern is performance. Its audit data shows consistent strength in these areas across the sampled sites.

When to choose Squarespace

Choose Squarespace when your primary concern is server response time and best practices. Its audit data shows consistent strength in these areas across the sampled sites.

How this comparison was built

Scores are medians across 2557 audited HSTS sites and 13 audited Squarespace sites in the BeaverCheck database. Every audit runs the same 100+ checks — Lighthouse performance, security headers, accessibility, SEO, server response time — against a real URL. No vendor input, no sponsorship, no affiliate links. Read the full methodology →

FAQ

Which is faster, HSTS or Squarespace?
Based on real BeaverCheck audits, HSTS sites score higher on Lighthouse performance (49 vs 32 on average).
Which has better security, HSTS or Squarespace?
HSTS sites score higher on security analysis (70 vs 70 on average).
Which has better accessibility, HSTS or Squarespace?
Accessibility scores measured by Lighthouse WCAG 2.1 checks favor Squarespace (94 vs 89). Both technologies can be made fully accessible with care — the difference reflects common patterns in the sampled sites, not inherent platform limits.
Which is better for SEO, HSTS or Squarespace?
Squarespace sites score higher on Lighthouse SEO signals (95 vs 91 on average), which cover meta tags, crawlability, mobile friendliness, and structured data. Content strategy and backlinks still matter more than platform choice for ranking.
Which has faster server response (TTFB), HSTS or Squarespace?
Squarespace sites show lower Time to First Byte (333 ms vs 364 ms on average). TTFB depends heavily on hosting and CDN setup rather than the technology itself, but the sampled sites suggest a meaningful difference in common deployment patterns.
Should I choose HSTS or Squarespace for my website?
Both platforms have trade-offs. HSTS scores higher on overall composite score while HSTS may excel in metrics you care about most. Run a free BeaverCheck audit on a real site using each to compare the metrics relevant to your use case.
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