Our verdict
Wix for flexibility and features; Squarespace for design and simplicity.
Wix and Squarespace are the two best-known website builders. Wix offers more flexibility and apps; Squarespace offers more polished design and a tighter, simpler product.
Choose Wix if…
- You want freedom to place elements anywhere
- You need many apps or booking features
- You want a free plan to start
Choose Squarespace if…
- Design quality matters most
- You want a simpler, consistent editor
- You run a portfolio or design-led brand
Side by side
| Criterion | Wix | Squarespace |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 8.2 / 10 | 8.2 / 10 |
| Features & fit | 8.8 | 8.2 |
| Ease of use | 9.0 | 8.8 |
| Value for money | 7.8 | 8.0 |
| Support & reliability | 7.8 | 8.2 |
| Security & privacy | 7.8 | 8.2 |
| Integrations & ecosystem | 8.4 | 7.6 |
| Starting price (indicative) | Free plan with Wix branding; paid from around $17 / month | From around $16–25 / month (billed annually) |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Free trial | No | Yes |
| Best for | Non-designers | Creative and design-led businesses |
Feature by feature
| Feature | Wix | Squarespace |
|---|---|---|
| Editor | Freeform drag and drop | Structured sections |
| Templates | Very many | Fewer, highly polished |
| Apps | Large app market | Smaller, curated extensions |
| E-commerce | Good for small stores | Good for small stores |
| Site export | Very limited | Limited |
| Best for | Flexibility and many features | Design-led brands |
Pricing compared
Wix
| Plan | Indicative price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Wix branding and subdomain |
| Light | ≈ $17 / mo | Billed annually |
| Core | ≈ $29 / mo | — |
| Business | ≈ $36 / mo | — |
Squarespace
| Plan | Indicative price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | ≈ $16 / mo | Billed annually |
| Business | ≈ $23 / mo | — |
| Commerce | ≈ $28 / mo | — |
Indicative USD list prices; excludes tax, add-ons and promotions. Confirm on each vendor’s site.
Editor
Wix's free-form editor offers more freedom; Squarespace's section-based editor keeps designs consistent.
Features
Wix has a larger app market. Squarespace integrates fewer, well-designed features.
Templates
Squarespace templates are widely praised for design; Wix offers more variety.
Business apps
Wix includes built-in apps for bookings, events, restaurants and online stores, plus a large app market. Squarespace offers scheduling, commerce, member areas and email campaigns, with fewer third-party extensions but tighter integration.
Moving away later
Both platforms make it hard to export a full site; moving usually means rebuilding the design. Blog posts can be exported, and products and customers can usually be exported as CSV. Choose the platform you are happy to stay on for several years.
Ecommerce depth
Both sell physical and digital products, subscriptions and services. Wix offers more ecommerce apps and multichannel options; Squarespace offers a cleaner, more curated commerce experience. Larger catalogues tend to outgrow both and move to Shopify or BigCommerce.
Pros & cons
Wix
- Very flexible editor
- Large app market
- Bookings and ecommerce
- Templates hard to switch after launch
- Can feel cluttered
Squarespace
- Stunning templates
- Integrated tools
- Reliable hosting
- Less layout freedom
- Fewer integrations
Key features of each
Wix
- Drag-and-drop editor. Place elements freely.
- Wix Bookings. Appointments and scheduling.
- App Market. Hundreds of add-ons.
- AI site generator. Generate a first draft.
Integrates with: Google Analytics, Mailchimp, PayPal, Stripe.
Squarespace
- Templates. Design-led starting points.
- Commerce. Sell products and subscriptions.
- Acuity scheduling. Bookings.
- Email campaigns. Built-in marketing.
Integrates with: Google Workspace, Mailchimp, Stripe, PayPal.
Who should avoid each
Skip Wix if…
- Users who might switch platforms later
- Large content sites
Best for: Non-designers; Service businesses needing bookings; Feature-rich small sites.
Skip Squarespace if…
- Complex sites
- Large catalogues
Best for: Creative and design-led businesses; Portfolios; Small shops.
Switching between Wix and Squarespace
Migration difficulty: Hard
Neither platform exports a site you can import into the other. Plan to rebuild pages and copy content manually; products can move by CSV.
- List all pages and URLs on the current site.
- Rebuild the design and pages on the new platform.
- Export products by CSV and import them.
- Set up 301 redirects for changed URLs.
- Point the domain to the new site and check forms and analytics.
Weigh it your way
Adjust the weights to your priorities to see which tool comes out ahead for you. Print or export the result for your team.
| Tool | Features | Ease | Value | Support | Security | Integrations | Your score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Wix | 8.8 | 9.0 | 7.8 | 7.8 | 7.8 | 8.4 | 8.24 |
| 2. Squarespace | 8.2 | 8.8 | 8.0 | 8.2 | 8.2 | 7.6 | 8.19 |
Drag the sliders to match your priorities. Scores are our editorial sub-scores; weights start at the values we publish on the methodology page. Nothing you change is stored or sent anywhere.
How our scores and weights work · Add a third tool side by side
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for ecommerce?
Both handle small stores. Larger catalogues may suit Shopify better.
Can I move between them?
Not directly; you would rebuild the site.
Does Wix or Squarespace have a free plan?
Wix has a free plan; Squarespace has a free trial but no permanent free plan. Indicative starting prices: Wix — Free plan with Wix branding; paid from around $17 / month; Squarespace — From around $16–25 / month (billed annually).
Which scores higher in our review, Wix or Squarespace?
Wix scores 8.2/10 and Squarespace 8.2/10 on our weighted rubric. Wix leads on 3 of six criteria. A higher score does not make it right for every buyer — see the “choose if” lists above.
