Squarespace vs Wix vs WordPress: Which Website Option Is Best?
The Website Platform Builder Dilemma! Choosing the right platform to build your website can feel like a big decision. With Squarespace, Wix, and WordPress all vying for your attention, how do you know which one is truly the best fit for your business?
The truth is, it’s not about finding the "best" platform out there. It’s about finding the one to make your life easier and your business shine. Yeah? So, let’s look at the best platform for you.
Each one has its strengths, and it comes down to your specific needs:
Do you want complete design control?
A seamless eCommerce experience?
Or maybe you’re looking for something easy to manage so you can focus on your work without getting bogged down by technical details.
As someone who’s worked with website clients across many industries, I understand that your website isn’t just a box to check off—it’s the foundation of your brand. Whether you’re just starting or giving your existing business a bit of a glow-up, your website should be as unique as you are. Your website should be a strategic reflection of your vision, goals, and personality. And as a website designer, I proudly recommend Squarespace.
Here are some effective tips for launching a successful website.
Recommendation: While Wix and WordPress have their merits, Squarespace stands out as the ideal choice for small business owners who want professional, polished results without the overwhelming technical setup. In this post, let’s compare all three platforms and explore why Squarespace could be the best fit for your needs.
WordPress Note:
Before getting into the nitty gritty, it's crucial to distinguish between WordPress.com and WordPress.org, as they are very different and have very different needs.
WordPress.com is a hosting platform that offers various subscription plans, suitable for those seeking a more managed experience.
On the other hand, WordPress.org represents the open-source platform. This version is free to use, offering unparalleled freedom and customisation but requires you to secure your web hosting service. Unlike WordPress.com, WordPress.org is without limitations, giving full control over its website's design and functionality via themes and plugins.
In this blog post, I’m comparing WordPress.org.
Go here if you want to read about my awful experience with WordPress.org and here for Squarespace or WordPress, No Regrets (hint, here’s where my love affair with Squarespace began, and we haven’t looked back).
1. What Do You Need from a Website?
When it’s time to build out and design your website, the most important question to ask yourself is: What is my goal?
Perhaps your website needs to be:
Elegant, easy to manage, or have the potential for scalability?
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, coach, nutritionist launching a new business, an artist showcasing your portfolio, or a small business owner growing your brand, your website should reflect your vision and needs.
If you’re someone who values both design elegance and functionality—without the overwhelm and technical hassle—Squarespace is a fantastic choice. It’s built for people like you: purposeful, and focused on presenting a professional, creative, beautiful online presence. Whether selling products and/or services or simply sharing your story, Squarespace delivers the balance of form and function needed to engage your audience AND grow your brand.
Recommendation: Other platforms can feel like you're constantly trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. With Squarespace, you start with a stunning foundation and simply add your personal touch—without worrying about technical jargon or messy customisation.
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2. Platform Breakdown: Ease of Use
Let’s be honest—building a website can be daunting. But it doesn’t have to be.
The beauty of Squarespace lies in its simplicity. With its drag-and-drop builder, you don’t need to know any code to create something strategic and beautiful. This means you can spend less time stressing over how things work and more time focusing on what matters: sharing your passion, growing your business, and connecting with your clients and customers.
Now, let’s compare. Wix offers similar ease of use, but the endless customisation options can sometimes feel overwhelming. You might find yourself spending more time tweaking the design than focusing on content, and inconsistency in layouts can creep in. WordPress, while powerful, comes with a steep learning curve that often requires technical knowledge or hiring a developer just to get the basics right and for website updates and maintenance.
Recommendation: For the service-based pro, creative entrepreneur, small business owner, or individual looking for professional results without the headache, Squarespace is the best solution. Its interface is intuitive and user-friendly, so you can confidently create something that represents your brand without getting stuck in the technical weeds.
3. Platform Breakdown: Design and Customisation
When it comes to building a website that looks as professional as it functions, Squarespace shines.
Whether you’re an artist looking to showcase your portfolio or a business owner who needs a polished, on-brand site, Squarespace offers a design-forward solution that doesn’t require hours of tinkering.
For those with coding experience, Squarespace offers the ability to further customise your website by editing or adding code. This increases the flexibility. You can trust that your website will look amazing right out of the gate.
Unlike Wix, Squarespace allows users to add up to 1000 pages. However, they don’t recommend adding more than 400 pages because this can slow down your website. Wix has a 100 static page limit with their plans. This may not be a deal breaker, but it does make Wix less ideal for websites that need the freedom to grow and evolve.
When comparing Squarespace vs other website builders, Squarespace is also known for its comprehensive blogging capabilities, making it an excellent choice for image-driven brands and content-centric websites. Here’s my post on Why Writing Blog Posts is Always Superior to Relying on Social Media.
Squarespace supports more third-party integrations that users can add to websites to enhance functionality.
Squarespace also offers a range of eCommerce features, making it a viable option for online stores. Here’s more info. for my eCommerce website design services.
Now, Wix offers many customisation options and templates which may sound appealing, but in practice, too much flexibility can become a double-edged sword. It lacks structured customisation. The more you tweak, the higher the risk of design inconsistencies creeping in, especially if you’re not a seasoned designer. And Wix’s app store doesn’t have nearly as many third-party integrations to add to your website compared to Squarespace.
Wix’s blogging capabilities are more basic and lack the advanced tools offered by Squarespace and WordPress.
And while WordPress gives you the highest level of customisation, it comes with added complexity and often requires a developer to get things just right. That can be a problem for people who want a clean, professional look without spending extra time (or money) on customisation.
Recommendation: If you want a professional design from the start, without having to tinker endlessly, Squarespace is the platform for you. Its templates are sleek, reliable, and ready to help you make a great first impression.
4. Platform Breakdown: SEO and Performance
We know that great design isn’t enough—your website also needs to be discoverable and perform well.
Squarespace handles this seamlessly, with built-in SEO tools that make it easy for you to optimise your site for search engines without needing to install third-party premium plugins, unless you want to. Optimised SEO is also essential for ensuring websites load in under three seconds as Google recommends.
I’m living proof of Squarespace’s successful SEO with blog posts that are 4+ years old, still bringing me traffic and leads. Plus, every Squarespace site can be mobile-optimised using Fluid Engine, right from the start, ensuring that your site looks fantastic and performs smoothly on mobile devices (a must for Google and favourable rankings).
Back-end example of Fluid Engine, the Squarespace mobile optimised drag-and-drop editor
Some of Squarespace’s built-in SEO features include:
Built-in mobile optimisation
SSL certification
Google Search Console and Google Analytics integration
Auto-generated meta tags for all pages
Auto-generated sitemaps
Clean URLs
SEO checklist
While Wix has some decent SEO capabilities, it’s not as robust, especially if you plan to grow a larger, more complex site. On the other hand, WordPress offers powerful SEO options, but they require plugins like Yoast, which add an extra layer of management and potential complications.
Recommendation: For those who want a seamless all-in-one solution for SEO and performance, Squarespace is ideal. With built-in tools and mobile optimisation, you won’t need to worry about juggling third-party solutions or running into technical issues that could slow you down.
5. Platform Breakdown: eCommerce Features
If you want to sell products or services online, Squarespace makes the process straightforward to set up and manage.
Everything is streamlined and integrated, so there’s no need to add plugins or deal with external systems.
Example of a previous client’s online store for an eCommerce Website Design
Whether you’re selling physical products, digital downloads, or even services, Squarespace’s built-in eCommerce tools are designed to support small to medium-sized businesses, helping you manage orders, inventory, and customer interactions with ease.
Wix offers strong eCommerce capabilities as well, but scaling can become a challenge as your store grows. WordPress, through WooCommerce, is highly flexible for larger stores or more complex needs, but it requires more setup and additional plugins, which can quickly become a headache (been there) for someone who just wants a straightforward e-commerce solution.
Recommendation: For businesses just getting started or looking to grow their online store efficiently, Squarespace’s built-in eCommerce tools offer everything you need without the hassle of managing plugins or custom development.
eCommerce Growth: Squarespace reported a 14% year-over-year increase in eCommerce sales on its platform in 2023, reflecting the growing popularity of its built-in e-commerce tools for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
(Source: Squarespace Financial Report 2023)
6. Cost Comparison
Let’s talk about cost because, at the end of the day, your website needs to fit your budget. Squarespace offers predictable monthly pricing with everything included—hosting, templates, eCommerce, and even live customer support. There are no hidden costs, and you won’t be surprised by extra charges for hosting or must-have features.
Squarespace UK pricing as of September 2024.
If we work together, I can offer you 20% off your first year of Squarespace hosting.
Squarespace offers a 14-day free trial, allowing users to explore its features before committing to a paid plan. Its pricing plans cater to various needs, including websites, blogs, courses, and eCommerce, with prices starting at around £12 per month for the Personal Plan.
Squarespace offers a free domain for the first year.
Wix starts with lower upfront costs, but as you add features like custom domains or eCommerce, the price can quickly rise. Meanwhile, WordPress is technically free to use, but WordPress requires you to independently find a web hosting service and a domain name registrar. These components are essential for launching and maintaining a WordPress site and add to the overall expenses. You’ll also need to pay for premium themes, plugins, and potentially a developer, which can add up considerably more than you might expect.
Recommendation: Squarespace’s transparent pricing makes it easier to manage your website budget, especially if you’re a small business owner or creative entrepreneur who needs everything in one place, without worrying about unexpected costs.
7. Customer Support & Resources
Squarespace
Reliable customer support and ample resources are critical components of any website builder, facilitating efficient resolution of any issues encountered during the website construction process.
Squarespace offers 24/7 reliable email support and live chat support during designated hours, ensuring access to help whenever needed. I find their support to be timely and efficient for both myself and my clients. It’s reassuring to know that help is available when needed.
Squarespace also offers an excellent range of resources, including help articles, guides and videos, if you need guidance on any features and tools.
Wix
Wix provides 24/7 phone and ticket support, ensuring that help is available when needed. However, its live chat response times can be slower compared to Squarespace, which may be a concern for those who need immediate assistance.
WordPress
Unlike Wix and Squarespace, WordPress is an open-source platform and doesn't have a dedicated support team. Instead, you rely on open forums to provide answers which can be unreliable and very frustrating.
Recommendation: Squarespace’s email and live help and support is second to none, as are their help articles, videos etc.
8. Why Squarespace is the Best Choice for Most Users
Surprise, surprise - After looking at all the platforms, it’s clear that Squarespace offers the perfect balance of design excellence, ease of use, built-in e-commerce, and reliable performance.
For most entrepreneurs, creatives, and small business owners, Squarespace provides professional results without the steep learning curve of WordPress or the design inconsistencies of Wix.
Recommendation: If you’re looking to build a website that’s professional, easy to manage, and ready to scale with your business, Squarespace is the right choice!
User Satisfaction: A 2023 survey by TechRadar found that 86% of users rated Squarespace highly for its ease of use, particularly praising its design and template options as well as the intuitive interface for beginners.
Wrapping Up: Ready to Choose Squarespace?
If you’re feeling ready to take the next step, why not try Squarespace’s free trial and explore the beautiful templates for yourself? I’m also here to help. If you’re feeling unsure or need support in creating a site that perfectly represents your brand, I’d love to assist you in the design process.
What To Do Now?
If you prefer email, please contact me.
Or, click the button below to schedule an informal, no-pressure online chat 😊 to ask any questions and to share your vision and website goals.
Thanks 🌟 for being here, and if you’d like more tips, tools, and tricks [without the overwhelm], to help YOU grow your small business, I’d love to have you join my twice-monthly HeartBiz 💌 Letter.
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5-Step Web Design Checklist PDF
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Ideal Customer editable Canva Template
SEO Checklist for all platforms (including Squarespace)
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