Switching from 7.1 to 7.0

Can I switch* to an older template without having to pay again? Already paid for a 7.1 site, but am now realising how limited editing is compared to the previous version (adding custom code blocks, using Mailchimp for newsletter signups, even the simple things like adding a spacer or image, etc.). I've currently got a Personal Plan and just want to go back and start over with a template from version 7 instead of 7.1, but don't want to pay again. Is this possible?

*I realise that I can't actually 'switch' but would need to go and start from scratch, but I'm willing to do that if it gives me more control.

No. Squarespace offer a discount for committing to a year so they do not offer any refunds for early cancellation of a yearly plan. However, They will issue a full refund if you cancel within the subscription’s first 14 days.

[Edit: See the post below for updated workaround]

There is a slight workaround that I found for getting a refund on yearly plans. If you change your billing cycle from yearly to monthly you will receive a prorated refund for the year you paid for and then  be billed one month at the standard rate. Then you just need to cancel your new monthly subscription.

This does mean that you effectively lose a months subscription fees but it’s better than nothing. 

Also most of the things that you are saying you can’t do in 7.1 are not actually a function of them not being available on 7.1 but rather the personal plan. The personal plan doesn’t include premium features such as MailChimp. 
https://support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/115015517328-Premium-features

On 1/14/2020 at 1:55 PM, ThompsonWebDesign said:

If you change your billing cycle from yearly to monthly you will receive a prorated refund for the year you paid for and then  be billed one month at the standard rate.

Good workaround Brad @ThompsonWebDesign. 

Thanks to both of you guys for your replies.

@ThompsonWebDesign I'll definitely look into switching to monthly and cancelling that way. It seems so strange having to do such a convoluted workaround like that, when before you could switch templates back and forth no problem. I get the coding and behind-the-curtain stuff is different between 7 and 7.1, but I'm not looking to copy a page over but simply begin again on a different template.

The main thing I miss is the ability to add and edit content blocks. I'm a graphic designer, and having no freedom to put in my own spaces, or images, or text blocks, or really add any single item how I would like is super frustrating. 7.1 is definitely more streamlined for the average user with little to no design background or knowledge, but the ridiculously limited customisation is quite a step backward for me.

Unless I'm way off base? Is there a tick box somewhere that opens up the option to place blocks myself, or a button hiding somewhere in 'edit' mode? All I've been able to find is the pre-designed page sections (they look great, honest, but aren't usually what I have in mind). Paying for my own website and then being unable to make it my way is not a pleasant experience.

On 1/14/2020 at 9:38 PM, L_C said:

The main thing I miss is the ability to add and edit content blocks.

I'm not sure what's going on there. You can definitely build pages in exactly the same way on 7.1 with content blocks.

Right.

Well.

This is where I feel like an idiot.

In the past, I'd always used the '+' symbol in the top right of a page when adding content blocks. I have never once realised you could click on those lines to do the same thing. In 7.1 when the '+' disappeared from the interface I looked absolutely everywhere for a solution. Never found one, and now I know why no one else was having the same problem. That's what I get for thinking I wasn't an average user.

Well that's me sorted, then. Cheers, @paul2009, for broadening my horizons considerably.

Hi @paul2009, thanks for the workaround explanation. I’ll probably do this to switch from 7.1 to Brine/Cacao. 

Two things I’m missing: the possibility of having animated galleries over background pictures — I’ve read summary won’t do it;

and some parallax effect. Am I missing something?

L_C - for what it's worth, I was having the exact same issue you described; could not for the life of me figure out how to get, e.g., an "embed" block in 7.1.  I think that if I hadn't found your post I would have given up and gone with a 7.0 template, and would have been quite frustrated :)

Thanks paul2009 for posting that video; I'd spent at least an hour trying to figure out how to get that menu up and had never realized you could click on those circle thingies.  Much appreciated.