Wix vs Squarespace in 2026: Which is Right for You?
- Dhruv Nimbark
- Dec 19, 2025
- 16 min read
Updated: Jan 20
Key Highlights
Considering a new website builder? Here’s a quick look at Wix vs. Squarespace for 2026. Wix stands out as the best all-in-one website builder, packed with powerful features for most users. However, if you are looking for a better alternative to Wix in 2026, Squarespace is often recommended due to its superior design templates and intuitive interface, making it a strong contender among website builder options.
Squarespace is the champion of ease of use, making it incredibly simple for beginners to create a stunning site.
Wix provides better value for money with its feature-rich plans, even though it's slightly more expensive.
Both platforms now have an impressive AI website builder to help you get online faster.
Wix offers more extensive customer support, including 24/7 phone assistance, which Squarespace lacks.
Wix vs Squarespace
Choosing the right website builder is a huge step in building your online presence. Two of the biggest names in the game are Wix and Squarespace. Both are top-tier platforms that can help you create a professional website without needing to code. But they have very different strengths. Are you trying to figure out which is the best website builder for your specific needs?
This guide breaks down everything from features to pricing to help you make the perfect choice for your 2026 project.
Wix vs Squarespace in 2026: Which Platform Should You Choose?
When you compare Wix and Squarespace, the best choice really depends on what you prioritize. Wix is the better all-around website builder if you want a powerhouse of website features and customization options. It’s ideal for small businesses that need a central hub to manage and grow their brand.
On the other hand, if a smooth user experience and high-quality design are your top concerns, Squarespace is an excellent pick. It’s especially suited for creatives and service-based businesses. Let’s explore the details to see which one fits you.
1. Pricing and Plans Comparison
Pricing is a key factor, and while Wix and Squarespace have similar starting points, their plans offer different value. Wix provides a free plan, which is a great option for testing the platform, though it comes with ads. To sell online, you’ll need Wix’s Core plan.
Squarespace doesn't have a free plan, but it offers a 14-day free trial to get a feel for its features. Its entry-level business plan is slightly cheaper than Wix's equivalent, but it includes a transaction fee unless you upgrade. Both platforms include a free domain for your first year on their premium plans.
Here's a quick look at their starting plans:
Features | Wix Light Plan | Squarespace Basic Plan |
Starting Price (Annual) | $17/month | $16/month |
Free Domain | Yes (for 1 year) | Yes (for 1 year) |
Ecommerce | No | Yes (with 3% transaction fee) |
Support | 24/7 Support | 24/7 Support |
2. Ease of Use for Beginners
If you’re new to website building, ease of use is crucial. In this area, Squarespace is the clear winner. It's considered the easiest website builder to use, thanks to its intuitive interface and structured editing support. Its grid-based system helps you align elements perfectly, so it's hard to make your site look bad.
Wix, in contrast, offers total creative freedom with its drag-and-drop editor. While this is powerful, it can feel overwhelming for beginners and has a steeper learning curve. You can place anything anywhere, which requires a good eye for design to avoid a cluttered look.
Here’s how they compare on ease of use:
Squarespace: Offers a guided, grid-based editor that ensures a professional layout.
Wix: Provides a free-form editor for maximum creative control, which can be complex for newcomers.
Onboarding: Both platforms have helpful onboarding, but Squarespace’s Blueprint AI offers more guided design choices.
3. Website Design Flexibility and Templates
Your website design is the first thing visitors notice. Wix impresses with a massive template library of over 2,000 options, covering nearly every industry imaginable. This variety gives you a lot of starting points for your project.
However, Squarespace is unmatched when it comes to design quality. It offers a more curated selection of around 190+ templates, but each one is modern, professional, and visually stunning. This makes it a great option for creatives and portfolios where aesthetics are paramount. A key point to remember is that with both platforms, you can't switch your template after your site goes live, so choose wisely.
Key design differences include:
Template Variety: Wix offers over 2,000 templates, while Squarespace has 190+.
Design Quality: Squarespace’s templates are widely seen as more polished and professional.
Creative Control: Wix gives you more granular control over design elements.
4. Ecommerce Features and Tools
If you plan to build online stores, Wix is the stronger choice. Wix Ecommerce provides a robust set of tools to manage your business, from inventory management for physical and digital products to advanced shipping options. It’s built to help your business grow.
Squarespace is also a capable ecommerce website builder, particularly for selling services, classes, or consultations. Its built-in Acuity Scheduling tool is excellent for managing appointments. A big plus for Squarespace is that it allows you to sell unlimited products on all its plans.
Here’s a comparison of their ecommerce features:
Wix: Offers advanced sales tools like abandoned cart recovery and multichannel selling on social media.
Squarespace: Excels with service-based businesses and includes the powerful Acuity Scheduling tool.
Product Limits: Wix has a product limit of 50,000, whereas Squarespace offers sales of unlimited products.
5. AI and Automation Updates for 2026
Both platforms have heavily invested in AI to make website building easier. Wix has been crowned the best AI website builder, offering a comprehensive suite of AI tools. Its conversational AI chatbot asks you questions to build a personalized site, and it even has tools for creating text, logos, and SEO recommendations.
Squarespace’s AI approach is more collaborative. Its Blueprint AI offers a guided five-step process to create a site by selecting designs, pages, colors, and fonts. While it doesn't have as many individual AI tools as Wix, its offerings are high-quality and well-integrated.
Recent AI and automation updates include:
Wix: Launched an AI Visibility Overview tool to track mentions by AI engines.
Squarespace: Released a new AI SEO tool to generate metadata and alt text.
Wix: Features an AI chatbot builder and AI image editing.
Squarespace: Includes a Brand Identity tool to ensure AI-generated content matches your tone.
6. SEO Capabilities and Performance
Getting your site seen by search engines is vital, and both Wix and Squarespace offer strong SEO features. However, Wix has a slight edge by going beyond the basics. It provides a personalized SEO checklist to guide you and integrates with Semrush to help you analyze keywords directly from your dashboard.
Squarespace covers all the essential SEO tools like mobile optimization, 301 redirects, and meta tag editing. While its tools are less advanced than Wix's, they are more than sufficient for most users to optimize their website performance.
Here's how their SEO capabilities stack up:
Wix: Offers a personalized SEO setup checklist and integrated keyword data from Semrush.
Squarespace: Provides all standard SEO tools needed for optimization.
AI for SEO: Wix has an AI meta tag creator, while Squarespace's new AI SEO tool generates metadata and alt text.
Performance: Reviewers often note that Squarespace sites feel more consistently performant by default.
7. Blogging and Content Management
For serious bloggers, Wix offers a more advanced blogging platform. It comes equipped with more tools for managing blog posts, performance reports, and post-archiving functionality. Its AI writer can also help you generate structured blog posts quickly.
Squarespace’s blogging tools are excellent for media-focused and creative blogs where visuals are key. While it lacks some of the advanced analytics offered by Wix, its platform is clean, easy to use, and perfect for content creators who prioritize aesthetics.
Key blogging and content management features:
Wix: Provides advanced post management, post-specific analytics, and an AI writer.
Squarespace: Better suited for visual and creative blogs with a focus on design.
Shared Features: Both allow you to schedule posts, create categories, and collect comments.
Monetization: Both platforms recently introduced options for monetizing your blog posts.
8. Mobile Responsiveness and App Integrations
A great mobile experience is non-negotiable today. Both Wix and Squarespace create mobile-responsive websites automatically, ensuring your site looks great on any device. You can also edit the mobile view separately for more control.
Where they differ significantly is in their app markets. The Wix App Market is massive, offering hundreds of third-party apps to add almost any functionality you can imagine. This makes it incredibly versatile. Squarespace, on the other hand, has a more curated app store with under 50 integrations. While fewer, these apps are high-quality and well-integrated.
Here’s a quick overview:
Mobile Editing: Both platforms allow separate editing for desktop and mobile versions.
Wix App Market: Offers hundreds of apps for extensive functionality.
Squarespace App Store: Provides a smaller, curated selection of high-quality integrations.
Mobile Responsiveness: All templates on both platforms are fully mobile-responsive.
9. Customer Support and Help Resources
When you need help, having reliable customer support is a lifesaver. Wix excels in this area, offering the best help and support among website builders. It provides a wide variety of support channels, including 24/7 phone support, which is a huge advantage.
Squarespace also offers solid support through email and live chat during specific hours. However, it lacks phone support. Both platforms have extensive knowledge centers filled with guides and tutorials to help you solve problems on your own.
A look at their support channels:
Wix: Offers 24/7 phone support, live chat, email, social media, and a community forum.
Squarespace: Provides email support and live chat (Monday to Friday, 3 am to 8 am EST) but no phone help.
Learning Resources: Both have in-depth knowledge centers, but Wix also offers an SEO Learning Hub and online courses.
10. User Reviews and Community Feedback
Exploring user reviews and community feedback can offer real-world insights. Many users, especially on platforms like Reddit, praise Squarespace for its professional design quality and straightforward user experience. It's often recommended for beginners and creatives who want a beautiful site without a steep learning curve. The consensus is that it's hard to create a bad-looking site with Squarespace.
On the other hand, Wix is frequently commended for its immense flexibility and feature-rich platform. Users appreciate the creative freedom it provides. However, this same flexibility is sometimes noted as a drawback, as the editor can feel overwhelming for those without design experience. The sheer number of options can make the initial learning curve feel more challenging compared to Squarespace.
Deep Dive Into Pricing: Wix vs Squarespace in 2026
Let's take a closer look at the costs associated with Wix and Squarespace. While their starting prices are similar, the value you get can be quite different. Wix offers a free plan, making it a great risk-free way to start, while Squarespace provides a 14-day free trial.
Overall, our research found that Wix offers slightly better value for money due to its extensive features, even though some of its plans are more expensive. We’ll break down their monthly and yearly costs, what’s included in each tier, and how their free options compare.
Understanding Monthly and Yearly Costs
Both Wix and Squarespace offer discounts if you pay for a full year upfront, which is a great way to save on yearly costs. Wix’s premium plans range from $17 to $159 per month when billed annually. For example, its popular Core plan for ecommerce is $29/month.
Squarespace’s plans range from $16 to $99 per month with annual billing. It also offers the flexibility of month-to-month payments, though at a higher rate. For instance, the Basic plan is $16/month annually but jumps to $25/month if paid monthly.
Here’s a comparison of two popular plans:
Plan | Wix Core (Annual) | Squarespace Core (Annual) |
Price | $29/month | $23/month |
Ecommerce | Yes | Yes (No transaction fees) |
Free Domain | Yes (for 1 year) | Yes (for 1 year) |
Key Feature | Basic marketing tools | Google Shopping integration |
Value for Money: Features Included at Each Tier
When you look at value for money, Wix often comes out ahead. Even though its plans can be slightly more expensive, they are packed with built-in features, reducing the need for paid add-ons. The Wix Core plan, for instance, includes basic marketing tools and ecommerce functionality.
Squarespace plans are also feature-rich, and it has the advantage of offering unlimited products and storage on all plans. However, some key functionalities, like advanced scheduling or email campaigns, come as paid add-ons, which can increase your total cost.
Here's what you get for your money:
Wix: More built-in features, like a full marketing suite on higher plans.
Squarespace: Offers unlimited products and storage on every plan.
Ecommerce Value: Wix's Core plan is more expensive but includes features that Squarespace charges extra for.
Additional Costs: Be mindful of extra costs for apps and domain renewals on both platforms.
Free Trials and Refund Policies
Trying before you buy is always a smart move. Wix offers a free plan that you can use for as long as you like. This is an excellent way to get familiar with the editor and basic features. However, the free plan includes Wix ads and has limitations like 500MB of storage and no custom domain.
Squarespace provides a 14-day free trial that gives you full access to the platform without needing to enter credit card details. This two-week window is plenty of time to build a test site and explore the user experience to see if it’s the right fit for you.
Key points on free options:
Wix Free Plan: Stay on it forever, but with ads and limited features.
Squarespace Free Trial: A 14-day period to test all features before committing.
Recommendation: Use Wix's free plan as an extended trial before upgrading to a professional plan.
No Risk: Both options allow you to test the waters without any financial commitment.
Comparing Design Features and Customization Options
The look and feel of your website are defined by its design features and customization options. Wix and Squarespace approach web design differently. Wix prioritizes creative freedom and variety, giving you thousands of templates and a highly flexible editor.
Squarespace, on the other hand, focuses on design quality and consistency, offering a curated set of stunning templates and a more structured editor. Let's examine how their template libraries, editors, and advanced controls compare to help you find the right fit for your design vision.
Template Variety and Quality
When it comes to templates, you have a choice between quantity and quality. Wix boasts a massive template library with over 2,000 designs covering a huge range of industries. This gives you plenty of design options and a high degree of creative control to find a starting point that fits your niche.
In contrast, Squarespace offers a smaller, more curated collection of over 190 templates. While the selection is smaller, the design quality is exceptional. Each template is modern, sleek, and professionally designed, making it the clear choice if you prioritize aesthetics.
Here’s how they compare:
Wix: Over 2,000 templates offering incredible variety.
Squarespace: Over 190 high-quality, professionally designed templates.
Best For: Wix is great for niche businesses, while Squarespace is ideal for creative portfolios.
Heads Up: You can’t change your template on either platform once your site is published.
Drag-and-Drop Editors: Wix Studio vs Squarespace Fluid Engine
The editing experience is where you'll spend most of your time. Wix’s classic editor offers a free-form, drag-and-drop canvas, allowing you to place elements anywhere you want. For more responsive control, Wix Studio provides a more structured environment, aimed at agencies and pros.
Squarespace uses its Fluid Engine, a grid-based drag-and-drop system. This editor gives you design flexibility but within a structured grid, which helps maintain alignment and a clean layout. This makes it much easier for non-designers to create a professional-looking site.
A closer look at the editors:
Wix Editor: A highly flexible, free-form canvas for maximum creative freedom.
Squarespace Fluid Engine: A grid-based system that ensures consistency and is easier to use.
For Beginners: Squarespace’s editor is more intuitive and beginner-friendly.
For Pros: Wix Studio offers advanced responsive controls for agencies and experienced designers.
Custom Code Access and Advanced Design Controls
For those who want to push their site's design further, both platforms offer access to custom code. Wix provides advanced functionality through Velo, its web development platform, and a "Dev Mode" that allows you to alter your site's code directly. This gives you ultimate creative freedom.
Squarespace allows for custom code through Code Blocks and Embed Blocks on all plans, where you can add HTML and JavaScript. On higher-tier plans, you can also use advanced options for CSS, iFrames, and Markdown. This is great for adding custom elements while working within Squarespace’s solid design framework.
Here’s how they handle custom code:
Wix: Offers deep code access with Velo and Dev Mode for complete customization.
Squarespace: Allows custom HTML, CSS, and JavaScript through dedicated blocks.
Ease of Use: Squarespace’s approach is safer for those less experienced with code.
Advanced Features: Wix provides more powerful tools for building custom web applications.
Ecommerce and Online Selling Capabilities
Ready to start selling online? Both Wix and Squarespace are capable ecommerce website builders, but they cater to slightly different needs. Wix provides a powerful, all-in-one solution with deep ecommerce functionality and marketing tools designed for growing online stores.
Squarespace offers a more streamlined, design-focused approach to ecommerce, making it perfect for creatives and service-based businesses. Let's compare their product management, payment options, and marketing integrations to see which platform is the best fit for your store.
Product Management and Inventory Tools
How you manage your products is central to your ecommerce success. Wix allows you to sell a variety of physical and digital products, with a robust backend for inventory management. However, it has a limit of 50,000 products, which might be a consideration for larger stores.
A major advantage of Squarespace is its offer of unlimited products across all plans, giving you plenty of room to grow your catalog. It also supports selling digital products, subscriptions, and courses, with a clean dashboard to manage everything.
Here’s a look at product management:
Wix: Strong inventory tools but limited to 50,000 products.
Squarespace: Sell unlimited products, subscriptions, and digital goods on all plans.
Storage: Squarespace offers unlimited storage, while Wix’s storage varies by plan.
Services: Squarespace’s Acuity Scheduling is excellent for booking services.
Payment Gateways and Checkout Experience
A smooth checkout experience is crucial for converting sales. Wix offers a wide range of payment gateways, including its native Wix Payments, which waives transaction fees on all ecommerce sales. It accepts most major credit cards and Buy Now, Pay Later methods.
Squarespace also has its own gateway, Squarespace Payments, alongside options like Stripe and PayPal. However, its Business plan comes with a 3% transaction fee, which is removed on higher-tier plans. Both platforms provide essential features like abandoned cart recovery to help you recapture lost sales.
Comparing payment options:
Wix: Offers over 50 payment gateways and no transaction fees with Wix Payments.
Squarespace: Charges a 3% transaction fee on its entry-level business plan.
Checkout: Both offer customizable checkouts and abandoned cart recovery.
Payment Methods: Wix Payments accepts a broader range of payment methods.
Marketing and Sales Integrations
Promoting your store is just as important as building it. Wix excels here with a comprehensive suite of built-in marketing tools. Its email marketing features are scalable, and it offers deep integrations with tools like Mailchimp and social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram for multichannel selling.
Squarespace also provides solid marketing tools, including its own Email Campaigns platform with beautiful templates. It integrates with social media to sync products and share posts. However, its app market for sales features is much smaller than Wix's, offering fewer options for extending your marketing efforts.
A rundown of marketing and sales integrations:
Wix: Offers scalable email marketing, social media ad campaigns, and marketplace integrations.
Squarespace: Features a built-in email marketing tool and syncs with Facebook and Instagram.
App Market: Wix has a massive app market for additional marketing and sales features.
Overall, Wix provides a more thorough all-in-one solution for marketing your store.
Ideal Use Cases & Who Should Use Each Platform
When deciding between Wix and Squarespace in 2026, it's essential to consider the specific needs of your online store.
Wix: Best suited for small to medium-sized businesses that prioritize flexibility and extensive customization. With its robust app market, Wix is ideal for users who want to experiment with different marketing strategies and integrate various tools without being hindered by limitations.
With its constant push for innovation, Wix now boasts enhanced AI tools that facilitate personalized marketing strategies. Users can harness data-driven insights to optimize their websites dynamically. In a world where online competition is fierce, businesses looking to engage with customers across multiple channels will find Wix's integration capabilities indispensable.
Squarespace: On the other hand, is perfect for creatives and individuals seeking a visually stunning online presence. It’s tailored for artists, photographers, and small businesses that value aesthetic appeal over extensive customization.
Squarespace’s elegant templates offer a polished look right out of the box, making it an excellent choice for those who need to launch quickly with minimal fuss.
In response to the increasing demand for visually captivating online presence, Squarespace has also stepped up its game. By introducing augmented reality (AR) features and enhanced e-commerce capabilities, it allows businesses can create immersive shopping experiences. The platform's focus on aesthetics remains paramount, but now it seamlessly integrates functionality for those looking to sell products or services through beautifully crafted digital storefronts.
In 2026, businesses focused on aggressive marketing campaigns or those looking to scale rapidly should lean towards Wix due to its extensive integrations and customizable options. Conversely, individuals or brands emphasizing brand storytelling through visuals, like artists or boutique shops, will benefit from Squarespace’s streamlined and elegant interface.
As we progress into 2026, the landscape of website builders continues to evolve, catering to diverse user needs and preferences. Both Wix and Squarespace have carved niches that reflect their strengths and target audiences.
Security Features & Website Security Comparison
As the competition between Wix and Squarespace heats up in 2026, website security has become a critical focal point for users choosing between these two platforms. Both have made significant strides in enhancing their security measures, but they cater to different priorities.
Security Features
Wix has embraced robust security protocols, offering advanced features like automatic backups and enhanced malware protection. Its diverse array of applications means that businesses can integrate security tools tailored to their unique needs. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for larger enterprises handling sensitive customer data or those operating in heavily regulated industries.
On the other hand, Squarespace has concentrated on a more holistic approach to security, emphasizing simplicity and user-friendliness. Their built-in SSL certificates and automatic updates provide users with peace of mind, ensuring that their websites remain secure without requiring extensive technical knowledge. This approach resonates particularly well with small business owners and creatives who prioritize ease over complexity.
User Experience & Interface The user experience in 2026 also highlights the distinct philosophies of each platform. Wix continues to push boundaries with its drag-and-drop functionality, allowing users to create highly customized layouts without coding skills.
This versatility appeals especially to designers and entrepreneurs who wish to showcase their creativity without the constraints of predefined templates. Wix’s intuitive interface encourages experimentation, fostering a sense of ownership among its users as they craft unique online presences tailored to their brands.
Conversely, Squarespace leans into a more structured design philosophy, providing sleek, modern templates that prioritize aesthetics and coherence. The platform's streamlined editing experience allows users to customize within established frameworks, ensuring that the final product maintains a high standard of visual appeal. This resonates with artists and small business owners seeking elegance and professionalism without the need for extensive design knowledge.
Conclusion
In conclusion, choosing between Wix and Squarespace in 2026 ultimately depends on your specific needs and preferences. Both platforms offer unique features that cater to different users, whether you're a novice looking for ease of use or a seasoned professional seeking advanced customization options. By weighing the pros and cons of pricing, design flexibility, ecommerce capabilities, and user feedback, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your goals.
Don’t hesitate to explore both options further, and if you need assistance or have questions, get in touch with our team. We're here to help you find the perfect fit for your online journey!
Wix Vs Squarespace FAQ
Is Wix or Squarespace easier to use for small businesses in 2026?
For small businesses and business owners new to website building, Squarespace is generally easier to use due to its intuitive user experience. However, Wix offers more advanced features that can be invaluable as a business grows, even if it has a slightly steeper learning curve.
What are the biggest new features in Wix and Squarespace for 2026?
Both platforms have rolled out significant AI features. The biggest new updates include Wix's AI Visibility Overview tool and its advanced AI builder. Squarespace has introduced Blueprint AI for guided web design and a new AI SEO tool to automate metadata and alt text creation.
Which platform is more cost-effective for ecommerce in 2026?
While Squarespace's entry-level ecommerce plan is cheaper, Wix often provides better long-term value for money. Wix's Core plan includes more ecommerce features and has no transaction fees with Wix Payments, making it a more cost-effective choice for growing online stores.
What do users on Reddit say about Wix vs Squarespace in 2026?
On Reddit, users often praise Squarespace for its high-quality design options and simple user experience, calling it great for beginners. Wix is typically recommended for its flexibility and extensive website features, though some users mention the learning curve can be steeper due to its creative freedom.
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