Wix vs Squarespace for a small business: which should you pick?

Both platforms are all-in-one builders. You pay a monthly fee and get hosting, a domain option, templates and an editor in one place.

• Pick Squarespace if you want a clean, consistent look with less to decide, and you are happy to work within a template.
• Pick Wix if you want to move elements freely, try a free plan first or add apps from a large marketplace.

Neither is wrong for a small service business, a local shop or a portfolio. If you also want to weigh Webflow, our Squarespace vs Wix vs Webflow guide covers all three.

Prices below were checked on each company's pricing page in October 2026. They change, and Wix prices vary by location, so confirm before you buy.

• Squarespace: Basic $19, Core $29, Plus $49 and Advanced $99 a month billed yearly. Monthly billing is higher, at $25, $39, $65 and $139. There is a 14-day free trial.
• Wix: Light $17.77, Core $29.77, Business $39.77 and Business Elite $159.77 a month billed yearly. A free plan exists, but it shows Wix branding and has no custom domain.

Forbes Advisor's website cost guide, updated in September 2026, also puts Squarespace at $25 to $139 a month on its monthly pricing.

Ease depends on your temperament. If you like clear guardrails, Squarespace's section-based layouts keep pages consistent. If you like to place each item exactly where you want it, Wix's editor feels more open.

A practical test

Use the free trial on Squarespace and the free plan on Wix. Build your home page and a contact page on each in an hour. The one you finish without frustration is usually the right choice.

Templates are a starting point, not a brand. Whichever platform you pick, change the colors, fonts, photos and wording so the site looks like you.

Avoid heavy animations and decorative layouts that slow the page down. A simple layout with clear headings, real photos and an obvious contact button converts better than a fancy one.

If you do not yet have a logo or color palette, set them first. Our guide on how to create a small business brand identity walks through it.

Google does not rank sites by builder. It looks at whether pages are crawlable, useful and fast. Both platforms let you edit titles, descriptions and URLs and generate a sitemap.

What makes the difference is what you publish: clear service pages, local details, honest answers to customer questions and a site that loads quickly on a phone.

If search is a main way you plan to win customers, our SEO and AI search service can help whichever builder you choose.

Squarespace's Basic plan charges a 2% fee on store sales, while higher plans charge 0%. Card payments on Basic and Core are 2.9% plus 30 cents on its pricing page.

Wix has store plans with their own fees, and they vary by country, so check the current page for your location.

If you plan to sell hundreds of products or need advanced inventory tools, a builder may not be enough. Our guide to Squarespace alternatives covers other options.

• Consultants, coaches and creatives: Squarespace's tidy templates suit a few well-designed pages.
• Local shops and trades: Either works. Wix's free plan lets you test an idea before paying.
• Restaurants and appointment businesses: Check each platform's booking and ordering tools for your country.
• Growing brands with a content plan: Consider whether you will outgrow a builder. Moving later is possible but takes planning.

Before you decide

List the five things your site must do. Check that your chosen plan includes all of them, not just the headline price.

Moving platforms is common, but it is not a one-click job. Wix and Squarespace both limit what can be exported, so keep your own copies of images and text.

The most important step is redirects. If an old page address disappears without a redirect, you lose the visitors and search rankings that page earned.

If you want a custom site later, our website design and development service handles migrations with redirects set up.