Squarespace vs. Wix: What You Need to Know

The days when building a website required advanced coding skills are long gone. With website builders like Wix and Squarespace, anyone can create an online presence—be it an online store, a personal brand website, or a creative portfolio.

But with both platforms offering user-friendly interfaces, beautiful templates, and customization options, how do you decide which one is right for you? In this comparison, we’ll highlight the key differences between Wix and Squarespace to help you choose the best platform for your needs.

A Closer Look: Wix and Squarespace

Founded in 2006, Wix set out to make site creation accessible to everyone. It has become one of the most popular website builders due to its user-friendly design and impressive flexibility. The platform offers a variety of tools and customization options, making it an ideal choice for both beginners and experienced users.

Established in 2003, Squarespace built its reputation on clean, modern design. Renowned for its visually appealing templates, Squarespace is a favorite among creatives, photographers, and designers who want a polished look without excessive setup.

Head-to-head: Wix vs. Squarespace

Before we dive deeper into each platform’s standout features, here’s a quick side-by-side comparison of Wix and Squarespace.

Pricing

Wix offers a variety of plans to accommodate everyone from hobbyists to larger businesses:

• Free ($0/month): A solid entry-level option, though it includes Wix ads and limited features.
• Light ($17/month): Great for simple sites or personal projects.
• Core ($29/month): Adds essential eCommerce and marketing tools for growing businesses.
• Business ($36/month): Unlocks more advanced features for brands seeking to expand their online presence.
• Business Elite ($159/month): Provides unlimited storage and robust scaling for larger or rapidly growing ventures.

Squarespace’s plans cater to a range of goals, from personal blogs to professional eCommerce:

• Basic ($16/month): Ideal for straightforward websites, featuring unlimited bandwidth and a free one-year custom domain.
• Core ($23/month): Unlocks eCommerce capabilities to start selling online. 
• Plus ($39/month): Reduced transaction fees and additional tools for growing stores.
• Advanced ($99/month): Minimal transaction fees and advanced features such as inventory management and customer accounts.

Note: The prices listed here reflect current rates at the time of publication and may change in the future. Always check official websites for the latest rates.

Templates

Wix boasts over 800 customizable templates. Whether you want to change fonts, colors, or entire layouts, Wix lets you do so easily. Its AI-powered Wix ADI can even generate a personalized website based on a few quick prompts—handy if you’re strapped for time or new to web design.

Squarespace, on the other hand, offers 180 meticulously crafted templates. Each template exudes modern, visually striking appeal. Rather than providing volume, Squarespace focuses on retiring older designs in favor of fresh, on-trend layouts. While customization is somewhat more limited than Wix, the attention to design detail makes Squarespace templates stand out. This is especially true for portfolios, creative brands, or anyone who wants an instantly polished look.

User Experience

Wix’s drag-and-drop editor is widely regarded as one of the most user-friendly in the market. It has an intuitive interface—you can easily add, remove, or rearrange site elements. For those wanting more control, you can dive into advanced design features or integrate additional apps to expand functionality.

Squarespace also offers a drag-and-drop interface but takes a more structured approach to layout. This approach can initially feel restrictive to those who like complete freedom. Yet, it helps maintain a cohesive, professional appearance throughout your site. Once you get familiar with the layout, you’ll find powerful customization options, ensuring your site remains stylish and on-brand.

AI Tools

Pioneering AI in website creation, Wix ADI proposes personalized layouts and design elements based on a few simple questions. Think of it as a digital assistant. The tool guides you step-by-step as you build your site, making it a great option for those wondering how to design a website with AI. If you prefer manual control, you can switch to the standard editor at any point.

Squarespace also has an AI tool called Blueprint AI. It asks questions about your business, industry, or brand personality and generates tailored recommendations for your site’s structure, color palette, and font pairings based on your answers.

It’s a straightforward way to streamline the creation process, ensuring your website’s look and feel align with your brand identity without requiring a background in design.

eCommerce Features

Wix is an excellent choice for small to medium-sized online stores. It supports various payment gateways, such as Wix Payments, PayPal, and Stripe. You’ll also find useful marketing add-ons, like email campaigns and social media integration, to help drive traffic and sales.

Squarespace’s eCommerce tools are robust yet lean toward creators and entrepreneurs with smaller product ranges. The platform handles online shop essentials like product management, shipping, and taxes efficiently. However, multichannel integrations and advanced payment features are somewhat limited compared to Wix. Growing or high-volume stores may find it less versatile.

In any case, both platforms have useful features in building your online store.

SEO

Wix provides a comprehensive suite of SEO tools. The platform supports customizable meta tags, structured data markup, and direct integration with Google Search Console. Its 301-redirect manager is handy for preserving SEO rankings when reorganizing pages or renaming URLs.

Squarespace’s SEO toolkit covers the basics—an SEO checklist, customizable titles and descriptions, mobile-responsive designs, and automatic sitemap generation. Integration with Google Search Console is straightforward, and there’s an AI feature to help generate SEO-friendly copy. While it doesn’t offer as many advanced SEO configurations as Wix, it’s user-friendly and sufficient for most small-to-medium websites.

Customer Support

Wix offers 24/7 customer support via live chat and phone. It is backed by a comprehensive help center and community forum. While premium users get enhanced support, live chat response times can be inconsistent.

Squarespace provides 24/7 email availability and live chat during business hours. While direct phone support is unavailable, users can access a comprehensive knowledge base, video tutorials, and live workshops for troubleshooting.

Which Platform Fits Your Needs?

Your choice ultimately depends on your specific goals and preferences. Ask yourself:

• Are you planning to build a large online store with extensive customization?
• Do you prioritize a visually minimalist and modern brand aesthetic?
• How much time and effort are you willing to invest in customizing your website?

Wix is an excellent fit for:

• Flexibility seekers: Those who enjoy detailed layout and design customization will appreciate Wix’s extensive options.
• Small to medium businesses: Wix simplifies launching online stores with integrated eCommerce tools and app integrations.
• Feature-focused users: Users looking for comprehensive tools, including AI design, marketing, and SEO, will find Wix suitable.

Squarespace shines for:  

• Design enthusiasts: If a stylish, modern vibe is top priority, Squarespace’s curated templates deliver a consistent, high-end look.
• Simplicity lovers: Streamlined editing and built-in Squarespace features let you focus on content rather than fussing with endless settings.
• Small-scale store owners: Squarespace’s eCommerce capabilities and aesthetics will serve you well if you’re selling only a few items or services.

What Sets Them Apart?

Wix and Squarespace are excellent website builders, but they serve slightly different audiences. Wix stands out for its flexibility and advanced customization. From hundreds of templates to various apps and extensions, Wix gives you room to tailor your site exactly the way you want.

Squarespace, on the other hand, prioritizes design simplicity and cohesive visuals. Its curated templates offer a modern, high-end aesthetic. It is ideal for showcasing products, art, or personal content in a stylish, minimalist format.

Which Platform Comes Out on Top? 

Both Wix and Squarespace are powerhouse website builders, each with distinct advantages.

Choose Wix if you want maximum design freedom and scalability, leveraging its extensive features, apps, and integrations as your business expands. Choose Squarespace for its sleek, modern templates and value a guided, design-centric experience that lets you create a professional site with minimal setup.

No matter which platform you select, you’ll have the tools to create a stunning, functional online presence. The best choice is the one that aligns most closely with your vision, budget, and future plans.

Frequently Asked Questions