Wix vs Squarespace What’s Better in 2025?

Wix vs Squarespace is a decision that a lot of small businesses grapple with when they are getting started. As an experienced digital marketing agency working with businesses across the nation, SEO Design Chicago has helped countless clients navigate the complex decision between website building platforms. Many of our customers come for migrations from Wix or Squarespace, or look for advice on the best platform.

While both Wix and Squarespace offer compelling features for small businesses and startups, it’s important to consider your long-term business goals and scalability needs. As businesses grow, they often require more robust solutions that can handle increased complexity, higher traffic volumes, and specialized functionality. Our analysis will explore not only the comparison between these popular website builders but also touch on how they stack up against enterprise-level solutions in the market.

Today, we’re diving deep into the comparison between Wix and Squarespace, two of the most popular website builders in the market. Our extensive experience working with various content management systems gives us unique insights into which platform might better serve your business needs.

Which is a better platform to use? Or is there a better option like WordPress or Shopify?

Understanding the Core Differences

When it comes to choosing between Wix and Squarespace, the decision often comes down to your specific business goals, technical expertise, and desired design aesthetic. The platforms, while similar at first glance, serve different needs and business types in distinct ways. Through our years of experience implementing and maintaining websites for clients across various industries, we’ve developed a deep understanding of where each platform truly shines.

Creative Freedom and Design Flexibility

First and foremost, Wix offers significantly more creative freedom and flexibility compared to Squarespace. Through our work with clients ranging from small local businesses to large e-commerce operations, we’ve found that Wix’s drag-and-drop editor provides unparalleled customization options. This means you can place elements exactly where you want them on the page, resize components with pixel-perfect precision, and create unique layouts that truly represent your brand. While Squarespace offers beautiful templates, they can be somewhat restrictive in terms of customization.

The ability to fully customize your website becomes particularly important as your business grows and evolves. We’ve seen numerous cases where businesses outgrew their initial website design and needed to make substantial changes. With Wix, these transitions are generally smoother and require less technical intervention.

Wix vs Squarespace App Integration and Extensibility

Another compelling reason to choose Wix is its extensive app market. In our experience managing hundreds of websites, we’ve found that businesses often need to add functionality as they grow. Wix’s App Market offers over 250 applications that can be seamlessly integrated into your website. Whether you need to add a booking system, customer reviews, or advanced marketing tools, Wix provides these options without requiring custom coding. Squarespace, while offering excellent built-in features, has a more limited selection of third-party integrations.

The significance of this app ecosystem cannot be overstated. We’ve worked with restaurants that needed to add online ordering systems, fitness studios requiring booking functionality, and retail businesses seeking advanced inventory management tools. In each case, Wix’s app market provided solutions that could be implemented quickly and cost-effectively.

While 250 applications is impressive, it’s worth noting that this represents just a fraction of the integration possibilities available in the broader website platform market. As businesses scale, they often find themselves needing more specialized integrations or custom solutions that may not be available within Wix’s or Squarespace’s ecosystems. This limitation becomes particularly apparent when comparing these platforms to more extensive content management systems and e-commerce solutions available today.

E-commerce Capabilities and Business Features

When it comes to e-commerce capabilities, Wix has made significant strides in recent years. Our e-commerce clients particularly appreciate Wix’s robust inventory management system, multiple payment gateway options, and abandoned cart recovery features. While Squarespace also offers solid e-commerce functionality, Wix provides more flexibility in terms of product variations, shipping options, and tax calculations. This can be crucial for businesses with complex product lines or international shipping needs.

It’s worth noting that while both platforms offer e-commerce capabilities, their market positions differ significantly in this space. With a 26% market share, Shopify is the most popular e-commerce website builder, while Wix ranks third in worldwide market share of e-commerce platforms, with Squarespace following in fourth place.

The platform’s business features extend beyond basic e-commerce. We’ve implemented solutions for clients including membership systems, recurring billing, appointment scheduling, and complex product configurators. Wix’s flexibility in these areas often surpasses what’s possible with Squarespace’s more structured approach.

Language and Localization Support

A critical consideration for businesses operating in multiple markets is language support and localization features. Wix currently supports website creation in multiple languages with automatic translation tools and region-specific SEO settings. Their multilingual support extends to both the frontend and backend of the website, including customer service portals and checkout processes. Squarespace’s multilingual capabilities, while present, are more limited and often require third-party solutions for full implementation. This difference can be significant for businesses planning to expand into international markets or serve multilingual communities.

SEO and Marketing Tools

SEO capabilities are naturally a crucial consideration for our clients, and both platforms have their strengths. However, Wix has recently enhanced its SEO features, offering comprehensive tools for metadata optimization, XML sitemaps, robots.txt customization, and structured data implementation. Our SEO specialists have found that Wix’s platform makes it easier to implement advanced SEO strategies, though it’s worth noting that both platforms can achieve excellent search engine visibility when properly optimized.

Beyond basic SEO, Wix offers superior marketing integration tools. Our clients have successfully implemented email marketing campaigns, social media integration, and advanced analytics tracking with minimal technical assistance. The platform’s marketing suite includes features for creating and managing email campaigns, social media posts, and even video marketing content.

Though both platforms have made significant strides in their SEO capabilities, businesses with advanced digital marketing needs often find themselves bumping up against the limitations of these built-in tools. For organizations where search engine optimization is a critical component of their digital strategy, it’s worth considering how these platforms compare to more comprehensive content management systems that offer unrestricted access to technical SEO elements and custom optimization options.

Integration with Major Platforms and Analytics

Both Wix and Squarespace offer integration with major platforms like Google Analytics and Search Console, but their implementation differs significantly. Wix provides direct integration with Google Search Console through its dashboard, making it easier to monitor search performance and submit sitemaps.

Additionally, Wix’s analytics dashboard offers more comprehensive data visualization tools, including heat maps and scroll-depth analysis. While Squarespace also provides these integrations, the process often requires more manual setup and technical knowledge.

Cost Considerations and Scaling

From a cost perspective, Wix typically offers more flexible pricing tiers than Squarespace. Through our experience managing client budgets, we’ve found that Wix’s range of plans makes it easier for businesses to scale their website as they grow, without paying for features they don’t need.

The platform’s Business Basic plan, for instance, provides excellent value for small businesses just starting their online presence.

When considering long-term costs, it’s important to factor in not just the monthly subscription fee but also the potential costs of additional features, apps, and professional services. In our experience, Wix often proves more cost-effective in the long run due to its extensive built-in features and flexible app marketplace.

Breaking down the specific costs, Wix’s business plans range from $27 to $59 per month (when paid annually), with their Business VIP plan offering the most comprehensive features. Squarespace’s business plans range from $33 to $65 per month (annually), with their Advanced Commerce plan providing their highest tier of functionality. These price points position both platforms in the mid-range market for website solutions, though the total cost of ownership often increases with added apps and premium features.

Monthly pricing can significantly impact the total cost, with Wix’s month-to-month rates starting at $35 for business plans and Squarespace’s at $41. Both platforms frequently offer promotional discounts for first-time users, though these savings typically apply only to the first year of service. It’s crucial to factor in these promotional periods when calculating long-term costs, as the regular pricing will kick in upon renewal.

The true cost comparison becomes more complex when considering add-ons and premium apps. Wix’s App Market includes both free and paid applications, with premium app subscriptions ranging from $3 to $50+ per month. Squarespace’s limited integration options often mean fewer additional costs, but this comes at the expense of functionality.

Businesses should carefully evaluate which premium features they’ll need, as these can significantly impact the monthly operating costs. Additionally, both platforms charge transaction fees on their lower-tier plans – Wix at 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction and Squarespace at 3% for basic business plans.

User Experience and Learning Curve

Another factor to consider is the learning curve. While both platforms are designed for users without coding experience, we’ve observed that clients typically adapt to Wix’s interface more quickly. The platform’s intuitive editor and helpful tutorials make it easier for businesses to maintain their websites in-house, potentially reducing long-term maintenance costs.

We’ve found that this easier learning curve leads to more engaged clients who are more likely to keep their websites updated and relevant. This is crucial for maintaining an effective online presence and good search engine rankings.

Design Aesthetics and Template Quality

However, it’s important to note that Squarespace does excel in certain areas. Its templates are renowned for their modern, minimalist design aesthetic, and the platform maintains strict quality control over its ecosystem. For businesses in creative industries or those prioritizing a sophisticated, clean look, Squarespace might be the better choice.

That said, Wix has made significant improvements to its template library in recent years. We’ve successfully created equally sophisticated designs on Wix, with the added benefit of greater customization options.

Support and Technical Assistance

Support is another crucial factor we consider when recommending platforms to our clients. While both companies offer customer support, Wix provides more comprehensive assistance, including phone support in multiple languages. This can be invaluable when you need immediate help with your website.

Our experience with both platforms’ support systems has shown that Wix generally provides faster, more detailed responses to technical issues. This can be crucial during critical business periods or when launching new features.

Mobile Responsiveness and Performance

Mobile responsiveness is increasingly important in today’s digital landscape, and both platforms handle this differently. Wix’s approach allows for more customization of the mobile view, while Squarespace automatically adapts your desktop design to mobile. Based on our experience, this can be either an advantage or a disadvantage depending on your specific needs and resources for mobile optimization.

Performance optimization is another area where both platforms take different approaches. Wix has recently made significant improvements to its loading speeds and mobile performance, addressing what was previously one of its few weaknesses.

Website Speed and Core Web Vitals

Recent performance testing has shown interesting differences between the platforms. Wix websites typically achieve loading speeds of around 2.5 seconds, with an impressive Total Blocking Time of 0ms in many cases.

Squarespace sites generally match this loading speed but often show higher Total Blocking Times around 500ms. These metrics become increasingly important as search engines place more emphasis on Core Web Vitals and user experience signals. While both platforms perform within acceptable ranges, Wix’s recent performance optimizations have given it a slight edge in this area, particularly for sites with complex functionality or heavy media content.

Future-Proofing Your Website

One often overlooked aspect of choosing a website platform is future-proofing. Through our years of experience, we’ve seen how business needs evolve and how important it is to choose a platform that can grow with you. Wix’s continuous platform updates, expanding feature set, and flexible architecture make it a solid choice for businesses planning for long-term growth.

Head-to-Head Platform Comparison

Before diving deeper into specific features, let’s examine how these platforms measure up against each other in key areas:

Wix Advantages:

• Superior design flexibility with true drag-and-drop functionality
• Extensive app marketplace with over 250 integrations
• More flexible pricing tiers suitable for different business sizes
• Advanced e-commerce features including better inventory management
• More customizable mobile editing options
• Comprehensive phone support in multiple languages
• Better options for complex websites with multiple features

Wix Disadvantages:

• Can be overwhelming with too many options
• Some templates may look dated compared to Squarespace
• Site structure can become messy without careful planning
• Loading speed can be affected by excessive customizations
• Higher learning curve for advanced features

Squarespace Advantages:

• Premium, modern template designs
• Consistent, polished look across all pages
• Better built-in image editing tools
• More streamlined, intuitive interface
• Superior blogging capabilities out of the box
• Better native integration of design elements
• Stronger built-in analytics

Squarespace Disadvantages:

• Limited customization options
• Fewer third-party integrations
• More rigid structure and layout options
• Higher starting price point
• Less flexible e-commerce features
• Limited customer support options

Design Philosophy and Approach

The fundamental difference between these platforms lies in their design philosophy. Squarespace takes a more curated approach, offering fewer but more refined options. This results in consistently polished websites but can feel restrictive for businesses with unique needs. In contrast, Wix embraces a “freedom-first” approach, providing numerous customization options but requiring more discipline to maintain a cohesive design.

Technical Considerations and Performance

When it comes to technical performance, both platforms have different strengths. Squarespace sites typically have more consistent performance due to their structured approach and limited customization options. However, this comes at the cost of flexibility. Wix sites can achieve excellent performance but require more attention to optimization, especially when utilizing multiple apps and custom features.

Platform-Specific Development Tools

An often overlooked aspect of these platforms is their development environments. Wix offers Velo, its proprietary development environment that allows for custom JavaScript implementation and database management. This can be crucial for businesses needing specific functionality not available through the standard interface or app market.

Squarespace, while more limited in custom development options, provides developer mode access for those comfortable with code injection and custom CSS. However, this level of customization often requires significant technical expertise and can impact the platform’s native responsive design features.

Cost-Benefit Analysis

While both platforms offer various pricing tiers, they structure their value propositions differently. Squarespace’s higher entry point comes with more built-in features, making it potentially more cost-effective for businesses that need a simple, beautiful website with basic features. Wix’s lower entry point and flexible scaling options make it more suitable for businesses that want to start small and add features as they grow.

Real-World Applications

Through our experience at SEO Design Chicago, we’ve seen these differences play out in real-world scenarios. For instance, a high-end restaurant client thrived with Squarespace’s elegant templates and built-in reservation system. Conversely, a growing retail business benefited from Wix’s flexible e-commerce features and ability to add custom functionality through apps.

When examining total cost of ownership across different business types, we’ve found that service-based businesses typically spend $400-600 annually on Wix or Squarespace subscriptions, plus an additional $200-300 on premium apps and integrations. E-commerce businesses often face higher costs, averaging $700-1,000 annually for platform subscriptions alone, with additional costs for payment processing, shipping integrations, and specialized e-commerce apps potentially adding another $500-1,000 per year to their operating expenses.

Hidden costs can also impact the total investment. While both platforms advertise “free hosting,” businesses often need to upgrade their plans to access essential features like professional email accounts, enhanced security features, or priority support. Wix’s Email Marketing plans, for instance, range from $10 to $49 per month, depending on list size, while Squarespace’s email marketing features come included in higher-tier plans but with limited sending capabilities.

For businesses requiring custom functionality beyond what’s available in standard plans, development costs should also be considered. While both platforms market themselves as “code-free” solutions, achieving certain customizations may require professional help. Our clients typically spend between $500-2,000 on custom development work during their first year, depending on their specific needs and the complexity of their desired features.

Making an Informed Choice

Understanding these contrasts is crucial for making the right choice for your business. If your priority is having a beautiful, consistent website with minimal maintenance, Squarespace might be your better option. However, if you need flexibility, customization, and the ability to add various functionalities as your business grows, Wix would be the more suitable choice.

As we evaluate these platforms, it’s crucial to acknowledge that while both Wix and Squarespace excel in certain areas, they represent just one segment of the website building market. For many businesses, especially those with ambitious growth plans or specific technical requirements, exploring alternatives beyond these website builders might be worthwhile. The web development landscape offers several robust solutions that, while potentially requiring more initial setup time and expertise, can provide greater long-term flexibility and scalability.

Both platforms continue to evolve. Squarespace is gradually adding more customization options while maintaining its design-first approach. Wix is streamlining its interface and improving template quality while maintaining its flexibility. Your choice should consider not just current needs but also your anticipated future requirements.

Alternative Platforms: Why WordPress and Shopify May Be Better Choices

While Wix and Squarespace offer convenient website building solutions, our experience at SEO Design Chicago has shown that many businesses ultimately outgrow these platforms. Let’s explore why WordPress and Shopify often prove to be superior choices for serious business owners.

These advantages are reflected in market adoption rates. In the US, Shopify remains the most popular e-commerce website builder, with Wix holding second place, followed by WooCommerce. This market dominance isn’t accidental – it’s a direct result of Shopify’s focused approach to e-commerce functionality and scalability.

WordPress has emerged as the clear industry leader, powering over 43.6% of all websites on the internet, including those without a content management system. This becomes even more impressive when looking at the CMS market specifically, where WordPress commands a dominant 62% market share.

This dominance isn’t accidental. WordPress offers unmatched flexibility and scalability that Wix and Squarespace simply cannot compete with. The WordPress ecosystem includes over 59,000 plugins compared to Wix’s 250 apps and Squarespace’s limited integration options. This means virtually any functionality you can imagine is available through WordPress.

From an SEO perspective, WordPress provides significantly more control and customization options. Our SEO specialists consistently achieve better results with WordPress sites due to superior technical SEO capabilities, including advanced schema markup options, detailed control over robots.txt, and granular permalink structures. While Wix and Squarespace have improved their SEO features, they still lag behind WordPress’s comprehensive SEO toolset, particularly when enhanced with powerful plugins like Yoast SEO or Rank Math.

For e-commerce businesses, Shopify stands head and shoulders above both Wix and Squarespace. Its purpose-built e-commerce infrastructure delivers superior performance, security, and scalability. Shopify’s extensive app store offers over 6,000 apps specifically designed for e-commerce, compared to the limited e-commerce extensions available on Wix and Squarespace. Our e-commerce clients consistently report higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction after migrating to Shopify.

The support ecosystem for WordPress and Shopify is vastly superior. While Wix and Squarespace limit you to their internal support teams, WordPress and Shopify give you access to millions of developers, designers, and experts worldwide. This means you’re never locked into a single vendor and can always find the right expertise for your specific needs. The active community also means faster problem resolution and more innovative solutions.

When it comes to data ownership and portability, WordPress and Shopify offer much better options. Wix and Squarespace can make it challenging to export your site data and migrate to other platforms, effectively creating vendor lock-in. With WordPress, you have complete control over your data and can easily move between hosting providers or make comprehensive backups. Shopify similarly provides robust data export options and API access.

Most importantly, WordPress and Shopify offer better long-term value. While Wix and Squarespace might seem more affordable initially, their limited functionality often leads to costly workarounds or complete rebuilds as businesses grow. WordPress and Shopify sites can scale seamlessly, adding functionality through plugins or apps without requiring platform migration. Our clients who start with WordPress or Shopify typically spend less on development and maintenance over time, despite higher initial setup costs.

Security is another crucial factor. WordPress and Shopify have robust security frameworks and regular updates. WordPress hosts like WP Engine provide enterprise-level security features, while Shopify handles PCI compliance and security updates automatically. While Wix and Squarespace aren’t unsafe, they offer less control over security measures and fewer options for custom security implementations.

Based on our extensive experience at SEO Design Chicago, we typically recommend WordPress for content-rich business websites and Shopify for e-commerce operations. While Wix and Squarespace have their place in the market, particularly for temporary sites or very small businesses, serious business owners should strongly consider WordPress or Shopify for their long-term digital presence. The investment in these more robust platforms typically pays for itself through better performance, higher search rankings, increased conversions, and lower long-term maintenance costs.

These advantages are reflected in WordPress’s overwhelming market dominance. While Wix and Squarespace are popular website builders, they represent just a small fraction of the overall web presence compared to WordPress, which powers over 43% of all websites globally and controls 62% of the entire CMS market. This extensive adoption has created a rich ecosystem of developers, plugins, and resources that simply isn’t available with more limited platforms.

Remember, your website is often your business’s most important digital asset. Choosing the right platform from the start can save significant time, money, and frustration down the road. Our team at SEO Design Chicago is always available to help you evaluate these options and make the best choice for your specific business needs whether it’s a Wix vs Squarespace site or another platform.