After building over 1,000 custom websites and helping countless businesses choose the right platform, I’m often asked: “Should I choose Wix or Squarespace for my website?” Both platforms have evolved significantly, but after extensive hands-on testing in 2025, I can tell you exactly which one suits your specific needs.
Having worked with both platforms for years and seen real businesses succeed (and sometimes struggle) with each, I’ll share the unvarnished truth about Wix vs Squarespace. This isn’t just theory – it’s based on actual client experiences and countless hours building sites on both platforms.
The Bottom Line: Which Should You Choose?
Choose Wix if you want:
- Maximum flexibility and creative control
- Powerful business management tools
- Better value for money
- Extensive app marketplace
- Strong ecommerce capabilities
Choose Squarespace if you want:
- Stunning, professional designs out of the box
- Simplified, beginner-friendly interface
- Built-in appointment scheduling
- Creative portfolio showcase
- Premium aesthetic appeal
But here’s what most comparisons won’t tell you: there’s actually a third option that might be even better for your business.
Why I Often Recommend Something Different
While both Wix and Squarespace are solid choices, I’ve found that many of my clients get better results with custom WordPress solutions. That’s why at Createawebsite.io, we specialize in ready-made WordPress websites that give you the best of both worlds – professional design and unlimited flexibility.
Our premade WordPress websites start at a fraction of what you’d pay annually for premium Wix or Squarespace plans, and you own everything outright. No monthly fees, no platform restrictions.
But let’s dive into the Wix vs Squarespace comparison first, then I’ll show you why WordPress might be your best bet.
Pricing Comparison: The Real Cost of Website Building
Wix Pricing (2025)
- Light Plan: $17/month (basic website)
- Core Plan: $29/month (ecommerce ready)
- Business Plan: $36/month (advanced features)
- Business Elite: $159/month (enterprise features)
Squarespace Pricing (2025)
- Personal: $16/month (basic website)
- Business: $23/month (ecommerce ready)
- Commerce: $39/month (advanced ecommerce)
- Enterprise: $99/month (high-volume stores)
The Hidden Costs Nobody Talks About
Here’s what I’ve learned after managing hundreds of client websites: the sticker price is just the beginning. Both platforms lock you into ongoing monthly payments, and costs escalate quickly when you need:
- Premium templates ($100-300 each)
- Third-party integrations ($10-50/month each)
- Professional email hosting
- Advanced ecommerce features
- Higher bandwidth limits
- Custom domain management
Annual cost reality check:
- Wix (realistic business use): $350-600/year
- Squarespace (realistic business use): $280-470/year
Compare this to our ready-made WordPress websites starting at just $297 one-time, with no recurring platform fees. You only pay for hosting (which you control) and can upgrade anytime without platform restrictions.
Design and Templates: Where Both Excel and Fall Short
Squarespace Templates: Beautiful but Restrictive
Squarespace templates are undeniably gorgeous. I’ve used them for clients in creative industries, and the results are consistently stunning. The problem? Limited customization options.
Squarespace strengths:
- 150+ professionally designed templates
- Mobile-responsive by default
- Consistent, polished aesthetics
- Great for portfolios and creative businesses
Squarespace limitations:
- Can’t switch templates after going live
- Limited layout flexibility
- Difficult to create unique branding
- Template modifications require coding knowledge
Wix Templates: Quantity Over Quality
With 2,000+ templates, Wix offers incredible variety. However, after using dozens of them for client projects, I’ve noticed significant quality variations.
Wix strengths:
- Massive template library
- More customization options
- Better for unique designs
- Drag-and-drop flexibility
Wix limitations:
- Inconsistent quality across templates
- Some templates feel outdated
- Can’t change templates after publishing
- Easy to create cluttered designs
The WordPress Advantage
This is where our custom WordPress designs shine. Every website we create is:
- Fully customizable without restrictions
- Built on the world’s most flexible platform
- Optimized for search engines from day one
- Scalable as your business grows
For businesses serious about long-term success, WordPress offers unlimited potential that neither Wix nor Squarespace can match.
Ease of Use: The Learning Curve Reality
Squarespace: Genuinely Beginner-Friendly
I recommend Squarespace to clients who want to get online quickly without technical knowledge. The guided setup process and grid-based editor make it nearly impossible to create a bad-looking site.
What makes it easy:
- Intuitive drag-and-drop editor
- Grid system prevents design disasters
- Clean, organized dashboard
- Helpful onboarding process
Wix: Flexible but Overwhelming
While Wix offers more creative freedom, I’ve seen many clients struggle with the abundance of options. It’s easy to spend hours tweaking minor details instead of focusing on content and business goals.
The Wix learning curve:
- Steeper initial setup
- More decisions to make
- Easy to overcomplicate designs
- Requires more time investment
Our Solution: Ready-Made WordPress Sites
This is exactly why we created our premade WordPress websites. You get:
- Professional design without the learning curve
- Pre-built functionality for your industry
- WordPress power without complexity
- Same-day setup and launch
Ecommerce Capabilities: Selling Online Successfully
Wix Ecommerce: Feature-Rich but Limited
For small to medium online stores, Wix provides solid ecommerce functionality. I’ve helped clients launch successful stores, but growth limitations become apparent over time.
Wix ecommerce pros:
- Integrated POS system
- Abandoned cart recovery
- Multi-channel selling
- Decent inventory management
- Good payment processing options
Wix ecommerce cons:
- 50,000 product limit
- Limited B2B features
- Restricted customization options
- Transaction fees on lower plans
Squarespace Commerce: Great for Service Businesses
Squarespace excels at selling services, appointments, and digital products. The built-in Acuity scheduling is particularly impressive for service-based businesses.
Squarespace commerce pros:
- Excellent appointment booking
- Unlimited products
- Beautiful product displays
- Good for service businesses
- Strong inventory tracking
Squarespace commerce cons:
- Limited payment gateways
- Fewer marketing integrations
- Basic shipping options
- Restricted checkout customization
The WordPress/WooCommerce Advantage
For serious ecommerce, I always recommend WordPress with WooCommerce. Our ready-made ecommerce brands include:
- Complete product catalogs
- Professional branding packages
- Optimized checkout processes
- Unlimited customization potential
- No transaction fees or product limits
Want the best hosting for your ecommerce site? Check our recommendations for best WooCommerce hosting providers.
SEO and Marketing: Getting Found Online
Wix SEO: Improved but Still Limited
Wix has made significant SEO improvements, and I’ve helped clients achieve decent search rankings. However, structural limitations remain.
Wix SEO features:
- SEO Wiz setup assistant
- Meta tags and descriptions
- XML sitemaps
- Structured data markup
- Google Analytics integration
Wix SEO limitations:
- URL structure restrictions
- Limited schema markup options
- Slower loading speeds
- Less control over technical SEO
Squarespace SEO: Clean but Basic
Squarespace produces clean, fast-loading sites that Google likes. However, advanced SEO requires workarounds.
Squarespace SEO pros:
- Clean, semantic code
- Fast loading times
- Mobile optimization
- SSL certificates included
- Good Core Web Vitals
Squarespace SEO cons:
- Limited keyword targeting options
- Restricted meta tag control
- Basic analytics integration
- Fewer SEO apps and plugins
WordPress SEO: The Clear Winner
WordPress dominates search results for a reason. With our custom WordPress solutions, you get:
- Complete SEO control
- Advanced plugin ecosystem (Yoast, RankMath)
- Superior site speed optimization
- Flexible URL structures
- Extensive schema markup options
Customer Support: When You Need Help
Wix Support: Comprehensive but Crowded
Wix offers multiple support channels, but response times can be slow during peak periods. Phone support is available, which many clients appreciate.
Squarespace Support: Quality Over Quantity
Squarespace provides fewer support channels but generally higher-quality responses. Email support is thorough, though slower than live chat.
Our White-Glove Service
When you choose Createawebsite.io, you get personal support from experienced web developers. No waiting in queues – just direct access to people who built your site and understand your business needs.
Performance and Speed: The Technical Reality
Site Speed Comparison
Based on my testing across dozens of client sites:
Average load times (mobile):
- Wix sites: 3.2-4.8 seconds
- Squarespace sites: 2.1-3.4 seconds
- Our WordPress sites: 1.8-2.7 seconds
Site speed directly impacts search rankings and conversions. Every second counts, and properly optimized WordPress sites consistently outperform both Wix and Squarespace.
The Performance Problem
Both Wix and Squarespace host thousands of websites on shared infrastructure. You have no control over server performance, CDN optimization, or caching strategies. This creates inherent speed limitations that affect your business success.
Our WordPress solutions include recommendations for best WordPress hosting providers, giving you complete control over performance optimization.
Business Growth and Scalability
When You Outgrow Wix or Squarespace
I’ve helped numerous clients migrate from Wix and Squarespace to WordPress when their businesses outgrew platform limitations. Common triggers include:
- Needing custom functionality
- Hitting product/traffic limits
- Wanting better SEO control
- Reducing monthly expenses
- Integrating complex business systems
Migration Challenges
Moving from Wix or Squarespace to another platform is painful:
- Content export limitations
- Lost SEO rankings during transition
- Broken links and redirects
- Design reconstruction required
- Significant downtime risks
Starting Right with WordPress
Our ready-made WordPress websites eliminate these future headaches by starting you on the right platform from day one.
Industry-Specific Recommendations
Creative Professionals and Portfolios
Winner: Squarespace, but consider our custom design services for unlimited creative control.
Service-Based Businesses
Winner: Squarespace for built-in scheduling, but WordPress offers more powerful business management tools.
Online Stores
Winner: Wix between the two, but WooCommerce (WordPress) is the superior long-term choice. Check out our ecommerce web design services.
Blogs and Content Sites
Winner: WordPress – neither Wix nor Squarespace offers the content management power that serious bloggers need.
Local Businesses
Winner: Wix for simplicity, but WordPress provides better local SEO opportunities.
The Alternative: Why WordPress Might Be Your Best Choice
After building websites professionally for years, I’ve seen the limitations of closed platforms like Wix and Squarespace. That’s why we created Createawebsite.io – to offer the WordPress alternative that most businesses actually need.
Our WordPress Advantage:
- One-time investment instead of endless monthly fees
- Complete ownership of your website and content
- Unlimited customization without platform restrictions
- Superior SEO potential with WordPress’s flexibility
- Scalable growth as your business expands
Ready-Made Solutions for Every Business:
For Quick Launch: Browse our premade WordPress websites starting at $297
For Unique Branding: Get custom web design tailored to your business
For Online Selling: Launch with our ready-made ecommerce stores including products and branding
Need a Business Name? Use our business name generator to find the perfect brand identity
Modern Alternatives: AI Website Builders
The website building landscape is evolving rapidly with AI-powered solutions. If you’re interested in cutting-edge technology, check out our comprehensive guide to the best AI website builders available in 2025.
These AI tools can create websites in minutes, but they often lack the depth and customization that serious businesses need. Our approach combines AI efficiency with human expertise for optimal results.
Making Your Final Decision
Choose Wix if:
- You want maximum template variety
- You need extensive third-party integrations
- You prefer drag-and-drop creative control
- You’re building a complex business website
- Budget allows for ongoing monthly costs
Choose Squarespace if:
- Design aesthetics are your top priority
- You want the simplest user experience
- You’re in a creative industry
- You need built-in appointment booking
- You prefer curated, high-quality templates
Choose WordPress (our recommendation) if:
- You want to own your website completely
- Long-term growth and flexibility matter
- SEO performance is critical
- You want the most cost-effective solution
- You need unlimited customization potential
Getting Started: Your Next Steps
If You Choose Wix or Squarespace:
Take advantage of their free trials to test the platforms thoroughly. Build a complete page before committing to ensure the editor meets your needs.
If You Want the WordPress Advantage:
- Browse our premade designs to find your perfect starting point
- Consider custom design for completely unique branding
- Explore ecommerce solutions if you’re selling products
- Review our hosting recommendations for optimal performance
Still Unsure? Try Our AI Website Builder Guide
Our AI website builder recommendations can help you explore the latest technology options. Many clients find AI builders perfect for rapid prototyping before moving to more robust WordPress solutions.
Conclusion: The Real Winner Depends on Your Goals
Both Wix and Squarespace will help you create a functional website, but your choice should align with your long-term business objectives. After working with hundreds of clients, I’ve found that most businesses benefit from WordPress’s flexibility and ownership advantages.
The monthly subscription model of Wix and Squarespace can cost thousands over time while limiting your growth potential. Our WordPress solutions provide immediate value and unlimited future potential at a fraction of the long-term cost.
Whatever platform you choose, focus on creating valuable content for your audience and building a sustainable online presence. The best website is the one that serves your customers effectively and grows with your business.
Ready to get started? Explore our website design solutions or use our business name generator to begin your online journey today.
This comparison is based on extensive hands-on testing and real client experiences. Website building needs vary by business, so consider your specific requirements when making your final decision.