A Squarespace site is neither accessible nor inaccessible because of the platform. Squarespace writes the markup of every block; you choose the layout, the colours, the words, the images and any code you add. Squarespace puts it plainly: because users have a lot of creative freedom, they can also build sites that are not accessible, and the site owner is responsible for compliance [5]. This page separates what the platform does from what stays with you.
Does the BFSG apply to your Squarespace site or shop?
If you sell to consumers with Squarespace Commerce, you provide a "Dienstleistung im elektronischen Geschäftsverkehr" (§ 1(3) no. 5 BFSG), covered in Germany since 28 June 2025. The BFSG transposes the European Accessibility Act, so a Squarespace shop selling elsewhere in the EU meets equivalent national laws there [1][2].
Micro-enterprises that provide services are exempt: fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than €2 million (§ 2 no. 17, § 3(3) BFSG) [1]. Both conditions must be met; details are on our page on the micro-enterprise exemption. A shop that sells only to business customers is not a service to consumers.
Many Squarespace sites are portfolios or brochure sites. The BFSG covers listed services – e-commerce, banking, telecoms, e-books, passenger transport – and a pure information site of a private company is generally not one of them; a booking or order function on it can be. Public bodies fall under BITV 2.0 instead. More in BFSG for online shops and the BFSG and EAA guide.
What the platform gives you, and what it does not
Squarespace is hosted: you edit in the browser, Squarespace renders the page, and on version 7.1 Fluid Engine is the primary editor for block sections [6].
You get:
- A skip link and a focus outline. Pressing Tab shows a "Skip to Content" link, and a visible outline marks links and fields reached by keyboard [3].
- Labelled checkout fields. Squarespace states that its checkout fields have clear text labels and that call-to-action buttons are distinct throughout the checkout [3].
- Colour controls and alt text fields. The Colors panel lets you pair backgrounds and text to meet WCAG contrast without custom CSS, and images have alt text fields [3].
- A VPAT. Squarespace points site owners to a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template describing how its site structure follows accessibility guidelines [10].
You do not get:
- Control over block markup. You choose blocks and settings; what a block renders is Squarespace's. You cannot restyle the focus outline's colour or thickness [4].
- Code on the checkout. Code injection needs a Core, Plus or Advanced plan, and checkout pages do not support code at all [9]. A problem there is Squarespace's to fix.
- Support for your own code. Squarespace support does not help with custom code or issues it causes [9].
- Legal advice or a guarantee. Squarespace's guidance says it is not legal advice and that you are responsible for meeting the requirements that apply to your business [3].
What we find on Squarespace sites
Fluid Engine layouts out of order
Fluid Engine places blocks freely on a grid, and the mobile layout can be arranged without affecting the desktop one [6][7]. Blocks can overlap; Squarespace's own advice is to keep them visible and usable [4]. What its documentation does not say is whether a rearranged mobile layout changes the order keyboard and screen-reader users follow – so test it: tab through a page on a phone-width window and compare the order with what you see.
Colours that hide the focus outline
Because the focus outline cannot be restyled [4], its visibility depends on the colours you pick. On some section colour themes, or on text laid over an image, the outline and the text both disappear. Check every colour theme you use, not just the main one.
Headings picked for their size
Squarespace recommends one Heading 1 per page and no skipped levels [4]. In practice headings are chosen for how big they look, so a page carries several H1s, or a section title is set as a large paragraph and never appears in a screen reader's heading list.
Cookie banner, code blocks and embeds
Consent tools, booking and newsletter widgets, maps and videos arrive as code blocks, embeds or code injection. Each brings its own markup, often an iframe with no title or a dialog that does not take focus. Squarespace does not support that code [9], so its accessibility is yours to test.
Product pages, variants and the cart icon
Variant selectors, product galleries with zoom and "Add to cart" are where Commerce pages are tested. Squarespace advises alt text that names colour and details, and text-based size charts because screen readers cannot read a size chart image [8]. It also notes that the cart icon's size cannot be adjusted – add a border and contrast, or use express checkout to skip the cart [8]. Autoplaying gallery slideshows need a pause control.
Forms and the checkout
Form blocks need visible labels; Squarespace itself says placeholder text should supplement a label, not replace it [4]. The checkout is Squarespace's page, with no custom code [9]: you test it with a keyboard to the payment step, report what fails to Squarespace, and list it as a known limitation until it is fixed.
Where to look first
| Criterion | Why on Squarespace | Automation |
|---|---|---|
| 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence (A) | Fluid Engine grid, separate mobile layout | Manual only |
| 2.4.3 Focus Order (A) | Overlapping blocks, mobile menu, cart | Partly automated |
| 2.4.7 Focus Visible (AA) | Fixed focus outline on dark themes | Partly automated |
| 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) (AA) | Section colour themes, text over images | Automated |
| 1.3.1 Info and Relationships (A) | Headings chosen by size | Partly automated |
| 1.1.1 Non-text Content (A) | Product images, size chart images | Partly automated |
| 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (A) | Code blocks, embeds, variant selectors | Partly automated |
| 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum) (AA) | Cart icon, social icons | Partly automated |
| 2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide (A) | Gallery slideshows, video backgrounds | Partly automated |
| 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (A) | Form blocks with placeholders only | Partly automated |
"Automated": a rule decides the criterion alone. "Partly automated": a rule finds some failures, a person judges the rest. All criteria: WCAG 2.2 AA, criterion by criterion.
A sensible order of work
- Know your version. Fluid Engine exists only on 7.1 sites [6]; on 7.0 the layout tools differ. Test the site you actually run.
- Fix colours in site styles. Set contrast in the Colors panel once, then check that the focus outline is visible on every section theme you use [3][4].
- Check order on desktop and mobile. Remove overlaps you do not need and tab through each template page at phone width [7].
- Write alt text at the source. On image blocks and on every product image, naming colour and details; replace size chart images with text [8].
- Inventory your code. List every code block, embed and injected script, including the consent banner. Test each with a keyboard; keep, replace or document it.
- Walk the purchase by hand. Product → variant → cart → checkout → payment in test mode. What fails on Squarespace's checkout goes to Squarespace support and into your accessibility information.
What Reviseberg checks on Squarespace – and what you still test yourself
Reviseberg crawls your published site, store pages included, and runs every axe-core rule on every page at a desktop width of 1280 pixels, then repeats the rules that change with the layout – contrast and target size among them – at 360 pixels, where Fluid Engine's mobile layout applies. Results are mapped to WCAG 2.2 A/AA and EN 301 549. Findings are grouped into issues by rule and ranked by the points you gain by fixing them, so a defect in a block you use everywhere is one issue, not hundreds. Where the cause sits in markup only Squarespace can change, you mark the issue "can't fix" with a reason, and it stays on record.
The keyboard agent opens the pages of a journey you name – say a category page and a product page – and presses Tab, Shift+Tab and Escape through each of them, recording every step. It reports unreachable elements, lost or invisible focus, missing skip links and keyboard traps. It does not fill in forms or place an order, so the checkout behind a full cart is yours to walk by hand. The free report covers up to 100 pages and runs the keyboard agent on one page you choose.
You still test some things yourself: whether alt text describes the image, whether error messages make sense, and how the site behaves with a screen reader and zoom. Screen-reader, zoom and voice-control agents are not built yet; for those criteria the platform gives you guided manual tests, and a criterion nobody has tested is reported as untested, never as passed. We install nothing on your site and never inject an overlay script.
Written to be useful, not as legal advice. As of 27 September 2026.