Wix vs. Squarespace: Differences, pros and cons in 2024

Eric Rosenberg

BLUEPRINT

Updated 4:37 p.m. UTC April 10, 2024

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Wix vs. Squarespace: Overview

	CHEAPEST MONTHLY COST PLAN	HIGHEST MONTHLY COST PLAN	DESIGNER STYLE	STORAGE LIMITS
Squarespace	$25	$72	Columns, grid and blocks	Unlimited storage
Wix	$17	$159	Freeform	2 GB to unlimited

Wix and Squarespace are website-building, e-commerce and hosting platforms where someone without design skills can easily build a website and launch it quickly. Each has unique features and pricing, which could make one or the other better for your business needs.

Featured website builder offers

Wix

Learn More

Via Wix’s website

Monthly fee

$17

Free domain

For one year

24/7 live customer support

Yes

Web.com

Learn More

Via Web.com’s website

Monthly fee

$19.99

Free domain

Only when paying annually

Drag-and-drop builder

Yes

Squarespace

Learn More

Via Squarespace’s website

Monthly fee

$23

Free domain

For one year

Drag-and-drop builder

Yes

What is Wix?

Wix is a website company focused on offering all the features someone may need to build business websites, with options to build simple websites, e-commerce stores and web applications. You can choose from pre-built templates or design your site with more flexible website-building tools. As such, Wix is good for both beginners or users with some design experience.

Wix’s most basic plan costs $17 per month and offers a free domain for a year, two collaborators, very basic marketing tools and 2 GB of storage. Its “recommended” Business plan costs $36 per month and offers 100 GB of storage, 10 collaborators, a free domain for a year, a larger suite of marketing tools, analytics and e-commerce capabilities.

Wix is good for building simple sites or building more complex booking, reservation or ticketing websites. It offers drag-and-drop features that allow you to create a simple website or customize a website to your needs. Its other key website building features include a logo maker, domain name management tools and search engine optimization (SEO) tools.

If you plan to move beyond Wix’s 900+ provided templates, you may need strong web design skills that allow you to create a custom website from scratch. When relying on freeform design without advanced design skills, it’s easy to accidentally create a site that’s not attractive, functional or easy to use.

What is Squarespace?

Squarespace is a website builder and hosting company with website design templates, hosting features and domain name management. It helps small businesses build websites, e-commerce stores and blogs. Its additional features include logo makers, email marketing, scheduling and membership management tools.

Squarespace plans start at $16 per month when paying annually for the most basic plan. This plan includes a mobile-optimized website, a plethora of templates and a free custom domain, two collaborators and unlimited storage. Its “best value” Business plan costs $23 per month when paid annually or $36 per month when paid monthly. It adds advanced site analytics, an online checkout and e-commerce store, unlimited contributors and the ability to sell unlimited products.

Squarespace is best for businesses wanting a more streamlined design experience with everything in one place. The column, grid and section-based building tools make creating an attractive and functional business website an intuitive experience, even for users without web design knowledge.

Wix vs. Squarespace: Pricing

Winner: Squarespace

Squarespace and Wix offer plans starting at $16 and $17 per month, respectively, but that number can be deceiving. Both display pricing for annual billing by default. You’ll pay more with month-to-month billing. However, as websites are typically a long-term commitment, going with the lower cost of an annual plan is usually the best choice.

When billed annually, Squarespace plans range from $16 to $52 per month. Plans at Wix cost from $17 to $159 per month when billed annually. Each has a different combination of features added on with higher-tier plans.

While each website builder’s basic plans are similar, as you move up to higher tiers, Squarespace gives you a better value with more features supported and a much lower top-tier price point. But, even at the lowest tier, Squarespace offers more. While Wix’s plans start with 2 GB of storage, Squarespace’s lowest-tier plan offers unlimited storage.

Both Wix and Squarespace offer a free two-week trial, so you can sign up for both and compare your results before committing long-term.

Wix vs. Squarespace: Design and user interface

Winner: Tie

Wix’s website-building features give you more creative freedom and the ability to connect to more outside tools and resources. In contrast, Squarespace tools offer an all-in-one building platform where everything you need is provided by Squarespace directly.

With Wix, you access freeform drag-and-drop website building tools, which can be more flexible but might not look as polished if you don’t feel comfortable with design and the freeform tools. The block-based system with fixed columns at Squarespace could improve outcomes for business owners who aren’t computer savvy.

Depending on your design and web experience, either could be a good choice. Wix is a little more friendly to beginners, but Squarespace may lead to a more polished result.

Wix vs. Squarespace: Features

Winner: Tie

Most business owners can find everything they need with either Wix or Squarespace. However, there are subtle differences between the offerings, which could tip the scales when deciding between the two, depending on the use case.

Squarespace features easy-to-use tools for blogging and podcasting. However, it provides more rigid ecommerce options, with only a select group of Squarespace-approved payment processing options.

For more fully featured websites, including membership sites and custom apps, Wix offers more robust features, including the ability to choose your payment processor and commission-free payments, potentially lowering payment costs. While Squarespace offers a handful of payment processor options, Wix offers over 70.

Wix vs. Squarespace: E-commerce options

Winner: Wix

Squarespace and Wix offer e-commerce features and templates, enabling you to sell products and services online.

However, Squarespace gives you a potentially quicker path to build your store with fewer complex features to navigate. However, you also get fewer payment processing options, and Squarespace takes a fee every time you make a sale.

Wix gives you more flexibility in building your store and more payment processing options. And, there’s no added fee when you make a sale through your Wix-based online store. Because of its better payment processing options and fees, Wix is the winner here.

Wix vs. Squarespace: Customer support

Winner: Wix

Wix and Squarespace both offer 24/7 customer support. Squarespace features 24/7 email support along with a live chat option from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. And, Wix offers 24/7 phone support using its callback service. However, you’ll need to be logged into your account to reach someone most efficiently.

In the end, with around-the-clock phone support, Wix offers better customer support than Squarespace.

Which is best for your business?

Winner: Squarespace

Some consider Squarespace an easier-to-use platform, while Wix offers a more flexible design experience. Nearly any small to midsize business would do well with either platform. Your decision should come down to pricing and which platform feels more intuitive for your needs.

Squarespace offers an all-in-one platform focused on helping you deploy a website quickly, with standout options for blogging and podcasts. Wix gives you more flexibility with a freeform drag-and-drop editor and more add-on customizations, including the ability to create your own web applications.

Because it’s a little easier to use, Squarespace is our top choice for a small business website builder. But with a free two-week trial from each, testing out both could be prudent.

Featured website builder offers

Wix

Learn More

Via Wix’s website

Monthly fee

$17

Free domain

For one year

24/7 live customer support

Yes

Web.com

Learn More

Via Web.com’s website

Monthly fee

$19.99

Free domain

Only when paying annually

Drag-and-drop builder

Yes

Squarespace

Learn More

Via Squarespace’s website

Monthly fee

$23

Free domain

For one year

Drag-and-drop builder

Yes

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Squarespace is helpful for a wide range of businesses, including professionals such as lawyers, accountants and doctors.

Every business should consider building a website that makes it easy for customers to find them online. Whether you choose to use a self-hosted content management system like WordPress or a website builder like Squarespace or Wix comes down to your technical knowledge, budget and personal preferences.

Wix is more customizable than Squarespace. While both have drag-and-drop capabilities, Wix offers more design flexibility and customization options.

Squarespace is generally better for blogging than Wix, though you can build a blog with the Wix website builder.

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Eric Rosenberg

BLUEPRINT

Eric Rosenberg is a financial writer, speaker, and consultant based in Ventura, California. He is an expert in topics including banking, credit cards, investing, cryptocurrency, insurance, real estate, and business finance. He has professional experience as a bank manager and nearly a decade in corporate finance and accounting. His work has appeared in many online publications, including Business Insider, Nerdwallet, Investopedia, and U.S. News & World Report.

Alana Rudder

BLUEPRINT

Alana is the deputy editor for USA Today Blueprint's small business team. She has served as a technology and marketing SME for countless businesses, from startups to leading tech firms — including Adobe and Workfusion. She has zealously shared her expertise with small businesses — including via Forbes Advisor and Fit Small Business — to help them compete for market share. She covers technologies pertaining to payroll and payment processing, online security, customer relationship management, accounting, human resources, marketing, project management, resource planning, customer data management and how small businesses can use process automation, AI and ML to more easily meet their goals. Alana has an MBA from Excelsior University.