comparisonsbeginner

Wix vs Squarespace: Which Website Builder is Better?

A detailed comparison of two popular website builders. Find out which one suits your needs.

BuildStack Team
5 min read

Wix vs Squarespace: The Ultimate Comparison

Trying to decide between Wix and Squarespace? You're not alone. These are two of the most popular website builders, and choosing between them can be tough.

Affiliate Disclosure

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you purchase through our links.

In this detailed comparison, we'll break down the pros and cons of each platform to help you make the right choice.

Quick Summary

The Contenders

Wix

4.5

Best for creative freedom and flexibility

From $16/month

Squarespace

4.3

Best for beautiful, polished designs

From $12/month

Detailed Comparison

headers={["Wix", "Squarespace"]}

rows={[

{ feature: "Ease of Use", values: ["5/5", "4/5"] },

{ feature: "Design Quality", values: ["4/5", "5/5"] },

{ feature: "Flexibility", values: ["5/5", "3/5"] },

{ feature: "E-commerce", values: ["4/5", "4/5"] },

{ feature: "Blogging", values: ["4/5", "5/5"] },

{ feature: "SEO Tools", values: ["4/5", "4/5"] },

{ feature: "Customer Support", values: ["5/5", "4/5"] },

{ feature: "Value for Money", values: ["4/5", "4/5"] }

]}

affiliateLinks={[

{ name: "Wix", url: "https://www.wix.com?ref=buildstack" },

{ name: "Squarespace", url: "https://www.squarespace.com?ref=buildstack" }

]}

/>

Ease of Use

Wix: Drag-and-Drop Freedom

Wix uses a true drag-and-drop editor. You can pick up any element and place it anywhere on the page. This gives you incredible freedom but can be overwhelming for some users.

Pros:

  • >Move anything anywhere
  • >Intuitive interface
  • >Undo/redo functionality
  • >AI website builder option

Cons:

  • >Almost too much freedom
  • >Can create messy designs if not careful

Squarespace: Structured Simplicity

Squarespace uses a more structured approach. Elements snap into predefined areas, which limits creativity but ensures your site always looks polished.

Pros:

  • >Hard to make ugly designs
  • >Cleaner editing experience
  • >Consistent layouts

Cons:

  • >Less positioning flexibility
  • >Steeper initial learning curve

Pro Tip

If you're a complete beginner worried about making mistakes, Squarespace's guardrails might actually help you create a better-looking site.

Design & Templates

Wix Templates

Wix offers 800+ templates across many categories. Quality varies - some are stunning, others are dated. You can customize extensively but can't switch templates after starting.

Squarespace Templates

Squarespace has fewer templates (100+) but they're consistently high-quality and modern. All templates are now part of one flexible system, so you can switch anytime.

Winner: Squarespace - for consistent quality and flexibility to switch

Pricing Breakdown

Wix Pricing

  • >Free Plan - Wix-branded, limited features
  • >Light - $16/month - Remove ads, connect domain
  • >Core - $27/month - Full business features
  • >Business - $32/month - Advanced e-commerce
  • >Business Elite - $159/month - Enterprise features

Squarespace Pricing

  • >Personal - $12/month - Basic website
  • >Business - $18/month - E-commerce, analytics
  • >Commerce Basic - $26/month - Full store features
  • >Commerce Advanced - $40/month - Advanced selling

Info

Both offer discounts for annual billing. Squarespace is generally cheaper for comparable features.

E-commerce Features

Both platforms support online selling, but they approach it differently:

Wix E-commerce

  • >Integrated with Wix Payments
  • >App market for additional features
  • >Supports dropshipping
  • >Multiple payment providers

Squarespace E-commerce

  • >Beautiful product pages
  • >Built-in inventory management
  • >Member areas for subscriptions
  • >Integrated email marketing

Winner: Tie - Depends on your specific needs

Blogging

Wix Blogging

Functional blog feature with categories, tags, and scheduling. Works well for most users but not the most powerful.

Squarespace Blogging

Excellent blogging platform with beautiful post layouts, multiple contributors, and advanced scheduling options.

Winner: Squarespace - Better for serious bloggers

SEO Capabilities

Both platforms offer solid SEO tools:

  • >Custom URLs
  • >Meta titles and descriptions
  • >Alt text for images
  • >SSL certificates
  • >Mobile optimization
  • >Sitemap generation

Wix also offers Wix SEO Wiz, a step-by-step SEO plan generator.

Winner: Slight edge to Wix - for the guided SEO tools

Customer Support

Wix Support

  • >24/7 support
  • >Phone callback option
  • >Extensive help center
  • >Active community forum
  • >Wix Learn video tutorials

Squarespace Support

  • >24/7 email support
  • >Live chat (limited hours)
  • >Great documentation
  • >Video workshops

Winner: Wix - More support options available

Our Verdict

Choose Wix If:

  • >You want maximum creative control
  • >You're building something unique
  • >You need lots of third-party integrations
  • >Budget is a concern (free plan available)
  • >You want hand-holding support

Try Wix Free

Choose Squarespace If:

  • >Design quality is your top priority
  • >You're building a portfolio or blog
  • >You want a polished, professional look
  • >You prefer a more guided experience
  • >You value simplicity over flexibility

Try Squarespace (14-Day Trial)

Final Thoughts

Both Wix and Squarespace are excellent website builders. You genuinely can't go wrong with either one.

  • >For beginners wanting flexibility: Wix
  • >For beginners wanting polish: Squarespace

The best approach? Try both free trials and see which one clicks for you. Your intuition about the interface often matters more than feature comparisons.


*Used either platform? Share your experience in the comments!*

Tags

comparisonwixsquarespacewebsite builders

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