Wix and Squarespace are the two most popular all-in-one website builders, and they solve the same problem in opposite ways. Both give you hosting, an editor, templates and business tools in one subscription — no servers, no code. The difference is philosophy: Wix hands you a huge toolbox and lets you arrange almost anything anywhere, while Squarespace hands you a curated kit and quietly steers you toward layouts that already look good.
Choosing between them isn't about which is "better" in the abstract — it's about which one fits how you work. We've built sites on both platforms. Here's what we found in 2026, including the places where Squarespace genuinely wins.
Our scores at a glance
Wix — 4.6/5
More creative freedom, a bigger app ecosystem and stronger annual-plan value. Our pick for most small sites and first-time owners. Full breakdown in our Wix review.
Squarespace — 4.3/5
Beautifully curated templates and a streamlined editor that keeps design decisions off your plate. Fewer options by design — that's the point, and for some people it's the appeal.
What it's like to actually use them
Building the site
On Wix, the first hour feels like a blank canvas — which is exactly what some people dread. The AI builder softens that: answer a few questions and you get a complete draft site to edit instead of an empty page. From there, the drag-and-drop editor lets you move anything anywhere, and the App Market is where Wix really separates itself — bookings, memberships, forums, multilingual content and hundreds of other functions install in a couple of clicks.
On Squarespace, the first hour feels more guided. You pick one of its curated templates and work inside structured sections that snap into tasteful arrangements. The upside is speed and consistency — it's hard to make a Squarespace page look broken. The downside shows up the moment you want something the sections didn't anticipate: the guardrails that protect the design also limit it.
Living with it long-term
Both platforms handle hosting, security and updates for you, so day-to-day ownership is light either way. The longer-term difference is ecosystem depth. Wix's app catalog and business tools (bookings, subscriptions, invoicing) mean a growing site usually finds a first-party answer before it hits a wall. Squarespace's built-ins cover the common cases well, but niche needs more often require external services stitched together manually.
Wix vs Squarespace: feature comparison
The table below covers the decisions that actually matter. Wix figures verified September 2026; Squarespace figures are approximate — always check the provider's current pricing before you commit.
| Feature | Wix | Squarespace |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free plan to test; paid plans from $17/mo billed yearly | Free trial only; personal plans from around $16–25/mo |
| Ease of use | Very easy — instant drag-and-drop freedom | Very easy — structured editor keeps you on rails |
| Design flexibility | Drag any element anywhere; near-total layout control | Section-based editing; polished but bounded |
| Templates | 900+ covering nearly every niche | ~150–200, curated and design-forward |
| E-commerce | Native store tools from Core upward; no platform transaction fees | Solid built-in selling on higher tiers; check per-plan limits |
| Apps & extensions | App Market with hundreds of add-ons | Smaller curated set; fewer third-party integrations |
| Blogging & SEO | Full-featured blog; fine-grained SEO controls | Excellent blogging experience; solid SEO basics |
| Template switching | Locked after publish — choose carefully | Limited switching within compatible template families |
| Support | Help center and callbacks; priority support on top tiers | Strong help center and email support; no phone line |
Reading the table: Wix wins on breadth — price tiers, template count, apps and raw design freedom. Squarespace counters with restraint: fewer templates, but each one is polished; fewer apps, but the built-ins cover common needs; a stricter editor, but one that rarely lets you produce an ugly page.
One caveat deserves its own sentence. Wix locks you into your chosen template once the site is published — switching means rebuilding. Squarespace allows limited switching between compatible templates, which is more forgiving but still not effortless. If you expect to redesign often, plan for that on either platform.
Which one should you pick?
Choose Wix if…
- You want to drag elements anywhere and control every detail
- You need apps for bookings, memberships, forums or multilingual sites
- You want lower annual-billing prices and a free domain for year one
- You'd like AI to generate a first draft of the site for you
Choose Squarespace if…
- Design polish matters more to you than layout freedom
- You prefer an editor that limits options to prevent bad choices
- Your site is mainly a portfolio, blog or content brand
- You want fewer decisions and a faster path to "done"
Pricing: where the real difference is
On list prices the two look close, but annual billing changes the picture. Wix runs Light at $17/mo, Core at $29/mo and Business at $39/mo when billed yearly ($24, $36 and $46 if you pay monthly), and every paid plan includes a free custom domain for the first year. Squarespace personal plans typically run from around $16 to $25 per month depending on tier and billing term — check squarespace.com for current pricing.
Wix also runs seasonal sales — New Year, spring and back-to-school windows — that can take up to 50% off annual plans for a limited time, which can widen the gap considerably. See our Wix discount codes page for what's live right now.
Wix prices verified September 2026 — always check wix.com for live figures.
The bottom line
If you want the most capable all-rounder — and the better deal once annual billing and seasonal sales enter the picture — Wix is our pick for most readers. Squarespace remains a genuinely good choice for design-first creators who want fewer decisions and don't need deep app ecosystems. Neither is a mistake; Wix is simply the safer default for most first sites and small businesses.
FAQ
Can I switch from Wix to Squarespace (or vice versa) later?
You can move, but not painlessly. Neither platform transfers page designs — you'd rebuild the site and migrate whatever content (blog posts, products) can be exported. And remember that Wix doesn't let you switch templates after publishing, so if you stay with Wix, choose your starting template carefully.
Which is cheaper long-term, Wix or Squarespace?
On annual billing, Wix is usually the cheaper route to equivalent capability: Light at $17/mo, Core at $29/mo and Business at $39/mo billed yearly, each with a free custom domain for the first year. Squarespace personal plans typically run around $16–25/mo depending on tier and term. Seasonal Wix sales can widen the gap further — check both providers' current pricing.
Which is better for an online store?
For small to mid-size stores, Wix is the stronger value: native e-commerce from the Core plan upward, and no platform transaction fees on any plan. Squarespace suits design-led stores with simpler catalogs. If commerce is your entire business and you plan to scale hard, read our Wix vs Shopify comparison instead.
Does Wix have a free plan like Squarespace?
Wix has a permanent free plan, but it shows Wix ads and uses a wixsite.com subdomain, so it's only suitable for testing. Squarespace offers a free trial rather than a permanent free tier. For anything public-facing, both platforms expect you to pay.