Wix vs. Squarespace
Wix and Squarespace are website builders for creating and managing websites without extensive coding. Both offer templates, hosting, and tools for businesses, portfolios, blogs, and online stores.
Users often compare them because they serve similar needs but differ in flexibility, design approach, and available tools. This comparison looks at features, pricing, ease of use, customization, and ecommerce capabilities to help you choose the right platform.
Wix VS Squarespace: Which tool is the most popular?
| Tool | Reviews | Average rating | Positive / neutral / negative | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wix | 186 | 2.86/5 | 86 / 6 / 94 | Most popular: more reviews and a slightly higher average rating |
| Squarespace | 105 | 2.63/5 | 42 / 6 / 57 | Least popular: fewer reviews and a lower average rating |
Wix leads on both review volume and average rating, though both tools have more negative than positive reviews.
Wix and Squarespace: Quick Comparison Overview
I can’t perform a live web search in this chat, so this overview reflects established product positioning; features and plan limits may change.
| Ahrefs | Semrush | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary features | Backlink and competitor analysis; keyword research; site audits; rank tracking; content research. | SEO and competitor research; keyword tools; site audits; rank tracking; plus PPC, local SEO, social, and content-marketing tools. |
| Target audience | SEO specialists, content teams, link builders, and agencies focused on organic search. | SEO teams, agencies, and businesses seeking a broader digital-marketing toolkit. |
| Main advantages | Strong backlink research and a focused workflow for analyzing search performance and content opportunities. | Broad coverage across SEO and adjacent marketing channels, with tools for managing more of the marketing workflow in one platform. |
| Core value proposition | Find opportunities to grow organic traffic through links, keywords, and content insights. | Plan, analyze, and manage digital marketing across SEO, paid search, local, social, and content. |
| Ideal use cases | Backlink prospecting, competitor SEO analysis, keyword discovery, and content planning. | Coordinating SEO with PPC or other marketing activities; agency and multi-channel campaign research. |
Most liked vs most disliked features of Wix and Squarespace
| Platform | Overall sentiment | Most appreciated | Main frustrations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wix | Mixed. Many users value the platform’s ease of use and helpful support, while complaints about policies, payments, and trust weigh on some experiences. | User-friendly interface; knowledgeable customer service; help resolving site and auto-renewal issues; guidance for navigating problems. | Reports of alleged fraud involving brokers; difficulties with withdrawals and refunds; unclear policies; auto-renewal concerns; some platform and navigation issues. |
| Squarespace | Generally positive about website creation, but mixed on support and account management. Users praise the design tools, while customization limits and operational issues are recurring drawbacks. | Intuitive drag-and-drop editor; polished templates; mobile-responsive sites; e-commerce, analytics, and SEO tools; positive support experiences. | Limited template customization; inconsistent access to timely support; domain and email problems; navigation that some find unintuitive; frustration with pricing and publishing requirements. |
Key Features of Wix vs Squarespace
Wix
| Feature | How it benefits users | What’s distinctive |
|---|---|---|
| Large template library | Gives users a ready-made starting point for different industries and site types, so they can launch faster. | Wix emphasizes a broad range of templates, including options users can adapt or start from more freely. |
| Visual website editor | Lets users customize pages, text, images, and other elements without writing code. | Its editor offers substantial hands-on control over page design and placement. |
| Business and commerce tools | Supports common website needs such as selling products, taking bookings, and publishing content. | Users can build a site around a business use case rather than just a basic set of pages. |
| Apps and integrations | Add-ons can extend a site with extra functions as a user’s needs grow. | The Wix App Market provides a broad way to add third-party and Wix tools. |
| SEO and marketing tools | Helps users improve how their site is found and promote it through online channels. | These tools sit alongside the site-building features, making Wix a flexible option for users who want to manage more of their online presence in one platform. |
Source: Wix website templates
Squarespace
| Feature | How it benefits users | What’s distinctive |
|---|---|---|
| Design-focused templates | Gives users polished starting points for portfolios, businesses, online stores, and other site types. | Squarespace is particularly associated with cohesive, visually refined designs. |
| Visual page editor | Lets users arrange and style site content without coding. | Its Fluid Engine editor supports flexible page layouts while keeping design tools integrated with the template system. |
| Commerce tools | Enables users to sell products and services, and manage an online storefront. | Commerce is part of Squarespace’s broader suite of built-in website and business features. |
| Scheduling and other business tools | Helps service businesses offer appointments and manage customer-facing tasks online. | Scheduling and related tools can complement a business website without requiring a separate site-building platform. |
| Marketing, SEO, and analytics | Helps users promote their site, improve search visibility, and understand site activity. | These features are presented as part of Squarespace’s integrated platform. |
| Content features | Supports sites such as blogs, portfolios, and membership or digital-content offerings. | The range suits users who want a design-led site that can also support ongoing publishing or paid content. |
Source: Squarespace features
In short: Wix stands out for its breadth of templates, customization, and app extensions. Squarespace stands out for its coordinated visual design and integrated set of website and business tools. Specific features and availability may vary by plan.
Wix vs Squarespace Pricing Comparison
| Brand and tier | Monthly billing | Annual billing | Main offerings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wix Light | About $24/month | $17/month (about $204/year) | Basic website features, 2 GB storage and 2 collaborators. No e-commerce or payment acceptance. |
| Wix Core | About $36/month | $29/month (about $348/year) | Adds payment acceptance and basic e-commerce; 50 GB storage and 5 collaborators. |
| Wix Business | About $43/month | $36/month (about $432/year) | More e-commerce and marketing features; 100 GB storage and 10 collaborators. |
| Wix Business Elite | About $172/month | $159/month (about $1,908/year) | Wix’s highest-capacity tier, with advanced e-commerce and marketing features, expanded storage and more collaborators. |
| Squarespace Basic | $25/month | $16/month (about $192/year) | Core website tools for a basic site. Includes a 2% commerce transaction fee and a higher fee on digital-product sales than upper tiers. |
| Squarespace Core | $36/month | $23/month (about $276/year) | Adds features such as custom code and integrations, removes Squarespace’s commerce transaction fee, and supports more contributors. A fee still applies to digital-product sales. |
| Squarespace Plus | $56/month | $39/month (about $468/year) | Adds more advanced selling tools, including abandoned-cart recovery; lowers the digital-product transaction fee compared with Core. |
| Squarespace Advanced | $139/month | $99/month (about $1,188/year) | The most advanced selling tier, with enhanced commerce tools and no Squarespace transaction fee on digital-product sales. |
Pricing and discounts: Wix’s prices above are U.S. rates; its pricing page notes that prices and promotions can vary by location. Annual billing is cheaper than paying month to month. Wix also offers a free website plan, but it has Wix branding and does not include a custom domain. Paid plans generally include a free domain for the first year, and Wix offers a 14-day money-back guarantee rather than a standard free trial.
Squarespace offers a 14-day free trial and does not have a permanent free plan. Annual billing is lower than monthly billing across its plans, and annual subscriptions generally include a free custom domain for the first year. Prices exclude applicable taxes. The monthly figures for Wix are approximate; confirm the amount shown at checkout, since Wix’s monthly rates and promotions can vary.
Support Options Comparison: Wix vs Squarespace
| Support option | Wix | Squarespace |
|---|---|---|
| Live chat | Offers live chat for some support requests. Availability and contact options can vary by issue, language, and region. | Live chat is available on weekdays, generally 4 a.m.–8 p.m. ET. |
| Phone support | Provides phone callbacks through its support process; customers generally request a call rather than dial a general support number. | Does not offer phone support. |
| Documentation | The Wix Help Center has searchable setup guides, troubleshooting articles, and instructions for site features and account issues. | The Squarespace Help Center provides searchable guides and troubleshooting resources for building and managing a site. |
| Additional resources | Wix also offers tutorials and learning materials through Wix Learn, along with community resources. | Squarespace offers video guides, webinars, and community resources in addition to its Help Center. |
Unique Features of Wix Vs Squarespace
| Brand | Less-common feature | Added value | Why it may decide the choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wix | Business tools for specific industries—including booking, restaurant, events, and membership tools—can be managed alongside the website. | A business can handle tasks such as taking reservations, selling tickets, or scheduling appointments without assembling a separate set of services. | A strong fit for businesses that need more than a brochure site and want their website and day-to-day operations in one system. |
| Wix | A large app ecosystem through the Wix App Market. | Apps can extend a site with functions such as customer support, marketing, sales, and integrations. | Useful when a business has a specialized need that isn’t covered by the core platform; it can reduce the need to move to a different system as the site grows. |
| Wix | Detailed, freeform visual editing. | The editor gives users substantial control over where page elements appear, rather than limiting them to a small set of fixed layouts. | Appealing to people who want to customize a design closely and are comfortable managing the layout themselves. |
| Squarespace | Fluid Engine’s grid-based editing. | Users can arrange and resize content within a visual grid, with control over how layouts appear on desktop and mobile. | A useful middle ground for people who want more layout freedom than a rigid template offers, while retaining a structured design system. |
| Squarespace | Acuity Scheduling for appointments and classes. | Scheduling, availability, and appointment payments can be handled through Squarespace’s scheduling offering. | Particularly relevant to service businesses—such as consultants, studios, and salons—that need customers to book online. Acuity may require a separate subscription. |
| Squarespace | Built-in options for selling and monetizing content, including memberships and digital products, alongside standard commerce features. | Creators can sell access to content or digital goods from the same site used to publish and promote them. | A good fit for creators and small businesses that want to combine a polished website with paid content or products, without piecing together multiple services. |
These features are differentiators rather than exclusive capabilities; other website platforms may offer similar tools. Wix’s supplied URL is its template gallery, not a dedicated features page. Sources: Wix templates, Wix features, Wix App Market, and Squarespace features.
Most frequently asked questions about Wix vs Squarespace
Which is easier to use, Squarespace or Wix?
Reviewers often describe both as approachable for beginners, but the experience differs. Squarespace is commonly praised for a more guided, consistent editing process. Wix is valued for its flexibility, though some users say its larger set of controls can take longer to learn. Paraphrased review theme: Squarespace feels more structured; Wix gives you more to adjust.
Which website builder has better design templates?
Squarespace frequently gets praise from reviewers for polished, cohesive templates that look professional with relatively little setup. Wix offers a wider range of starting designs, which users appreciate when they want more choice. The trade-off in review feedback is that Squarespace’s designs feel more curated, while Wix’s selection can require more browsing and tweaking.
Which offers more design customization?
Wix is generally the more flexible option: reviewers value being able to place and adjust elements freely and fine-tune page layouts. Squarespace also allows customization, but its structured sections and design system put more emphasis on keeping layouts consistent. In paraphrased user feedback, Wix offers more freedom; Squarespace makes it easier to keep a site looking cohesive.
Is Squarespace or Wix better for ecommerce?
Both can support online stores, but reviewers often find Squarespace appealing for visually driven shops and a streamlined site-and-store experience. Wix is frequently valued for its store-management options and flexibility across different business types. The better fit depends on the catalog and required features, so compare current plan limits, payment options, shipping tools, and transaction fees before choosing.
Which is better for SEO?
Reviews generally suggest that both platforms provide the core tools needed for routine SEO, such as editing page titles and descriptions. Some users favor Wix for the range of settings and guidance available, while Squarespace is often seen as straightforward for managing the basics. Neither builder can guarantee search rankings; content quality, site structure, performance, and ongoing SEO work matter too.
Which is cheaper and offers better value?
Reviewers’ value judgments often depend on the plan and features they need. Wix’s plan choices can suit different requirements, while Squarespace’s bundled approach may appeal to users who want design and site features together. Prices, promotional offers, renewal rates, and included features change, so compare the current total cost—including domains, commerce features, and any paid add-ons—rather than relying on the starting price alone.
Which has more apps and integrations?
Wix is commonly praised by reviewers for its broad app marketplace and the ability to add functions as a site grows. Squarespace offers integrations and built-in features, but users may find fewer add-on choices for particular needs. If a specific tool is essential—such as a booking, marketing, or accounting service—check that it works with your chosen platform and plan before committing.
Which company provides better customer support?
Support feedback for both services varies by issue and user experience. Reviewers often appreciate Wix’s help resources and support options, while Squarespace users commonly point to its documentation and support channels. Because response times and available contact methods can change, check each provider’s current support options and consider how quickly you may need help resolving problems.
Can I edit my site on mobile with Squarespace or Wix?
Both offer mobile-related tools, but reviewers distinguish between managing a site on a phone and doing detailed design work. Mobile apps can be convenient for routine updates, while larger layout changes are generally easier on a computer. If mobile editing is important, test the specific tasks you expect to do—such as updating products, publishing posts, or changing page layouts—before deciding.
Which should I choose if I may want to switch platforms later?
Reviewers commonly recommend considering portability before building a large site. Moving a website can involve recreating layouts and checking how content, products, URLs, and integrations transfer; a migration may not be one-click. Squarespace can suit people who prioritize a managed, design-led setup, while Wix can suit those who want extensive in-platform flexibility. If a future move is likely, keep copies of your content and verify what can be exported from either platform.
