Wix vs Squarespace: an honest comparison
Wix and Squarespace are both capable website builders, and for a simple DIY site either will do the job. The honest difference: Wix gives you more freedom and a bigger app market to manage, while Squarespace gives you fewer, more polished options that are harder to get wrong. Neither is a bad choice; they suit different temperaments. And if the real answer is that you do not want to build a site at all, a done-for-you alternative starts at £500, covered in the verdict below.
Last reviewed: 2 August 2026
| Wix | Squarespace | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Tiered monthly plans, with many extras added through paid apps on top of the base fee. | Tiered monthly plans with more included per tier and fewer add-ons to buy. (If you want it done for you instead, a managed Varsuite site is from £500, stores from £1,000; see the verdict.) |
| Ease of use | Drag anything anywhere. Flexible, but easy to end up with a cluttered page. | Structured, section-based editing. Less freedom, harder to break. |
| Templates and design | Hundreds of templates of mixed quality; switching template later is awkward. | A smaller, design-led set with a consistently polished feel. |
| Apps and extras | A large app market fills most gaps, often at extra monthly cost. | Mostly built-in features, curated rather than extendable. |
| Selling online | Solid e-commerce with plenty of payment and app options on its commerce plans. | Clean, simple e-commerce, with features gated by plan tier. |
| SEO | Covers the essentials; technical control is limited, as with any closed builder. | Covers the essentials too; neither offers deep technical control. |
| Leaving later | Content export is limited; moving usually means rebuilding. | Some content exports, but a move still means rebuilding elsewhere. |
Which is easier to live with?
This is mostly a question of temperament. Wix lets you drag anything anywhere, which is liberating if you have a clear eye and dangerous if you do not; it is easy to build something cluttered and then spend evenings nudging boxes around. Squarespace works in structured sections, so you make fewer decisions and it is genuinely hard to make a Squarespace site look bad. Tinkerers tend to be happier on Wix; people who want to set it up and leave it alone tend to be happier on Squarespace.
Which is better for selling and growing?
Both platforms sell online perfectly well at small scale. Wix leans on its app market, so there is usually an add-on for whatever you need, at the cost of managing (and often paying for) each one. Squarespace keeps more built in and gates features by plan tier, which is tidier but less extendable. For content, both handle a blog and standard pages comfortably. What neither gives you is anything beyond the platform's walls: custom features, unusual integrations or full technical control are out of scope for both, and that boundary, not the Wix-or-Squarespace question, is usually what a growing business eventually hits.
Which is better value?
Their pricing structures differ more than their headline prices. Wix's base plans look modest, but the total creeps up as paid apps attach themselves to your site one by one. Squarespace bundles more into each tier, so the bill is more predictable, though you may pay for features you never use. Check both platforms' current prices directly, they change often. For a sense of what a site should cost you overall, whichever route you take, our guide to what a website costs in the UK sets out sensible budgets for DIY builders and agencies alike.
What if you would rather not DIY at all?
Some readers get this far and realise the honest answer is neither: they do not want to build a website, they want to have one. That is the third option, a custom site built and managed for you, and it costs less than most people expect. We cover it properly in the verdict below, but the short version is that you brief a team, review a preview, and never touch a site editor at all.
As the referee: pick Wix if you want maximum freedom, an app for everything and you do not mind managing the sprawl. Pick Squarespace if you want a polished site with guardrails and fewer decisions to make. Both are respectable DIY choices. The third option is not to DIY: Varsuite builds and manages custom sites from £500 plus £100 a month, with a first preview within 72 hours, for readers who would rather hand the whole job to someone accountable for it.
Can I switch from Wix to Squarespace later, or the other way?
Yes, but not cleanly. Both platforms limit what you can export, so a switch usually means rebuilding the site and setting up redirects. It is worth choosing carefully first time, or picking a route where the site is portable.
Which is better for SEO, Wix or Squarespace?
Both cover the essentials well: titles, descriptions, sitemaps and mobile-friendly pages. Rankings depend far more on your content and reputation than on which builder you choose, and no platform or agency can honestly guarantee them.
Which is cheaper?
It depends on the tier you need and what you add. Wix's base plans can start cheaper but grow as paid apps stack up; Squarespace bundles more per tier so the total is steadier. Compare current prices on both sites for your exact needs before committing.
Is a done-for-you site much more expensive than DIY?
Less than most people expect. A custom Varsuite site is £500 up front plus £100 a month fully managed, with a £100 deposit to start. Once you count a builder subscription plus your own hours, the gap narrows considerably.
Not sure which is right for you?
Tell us what you are building and we will give you a straight answer, and a plan, within 72 hours.