Wix vs Squarespace
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Which is better, Wix or Squarespace?
It depends on what you need it to do. Pick Wix if you want a polished site you can fine-tune by hand on a platform that's been around for nearly 20 years. Pick Squarespace if design matters most to you and you're happy to run the marketing yourself. On our rubric Wix scores 5.8 to 5.3, mainly because it covers 6 of the 10 jobs we track to Squarespace's 4. Wix is cheaper to start, at $17 a month against $19 for Squarespace, as of November 2026.
Wix5.8
Choose Wix if you want a polished site you can fine-tune by hand on a platform that's been around for nearly 20 years.
Visit Wix
Squarespace5.3
Choose Squarespace if design matters most to you and you're happy to run the marketing yourself.
Visit SquarespaceScores side by side
| Criterion | Wix | Squarespace |
|---|---|---|
| Autonomy (30%) | 3.0 | 2.5 |
| Coverage (25%) | 7.0 | 6.0 |
| Ease of use (15%) | 8.0 | 8.0 |
| Value (15%) | 6.5 | 6.0 |
| Trust (15%) | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Overall | 5.8 | 5.3 |
What each one does
| Job | Wix | Squarespace |
|---|---|---|
| Keeps working after setup | ||
| Builds the website | ||
| Takes payments | ||
| Email (inbox or marketing) | ||
| Posts to social media | ||
| Runs paid ads | ||
| Answers and makes phone calls | ||
| Forms your LLC | ||
| Custom domain | ||
| API or MCP access |
Price, fees and fine print
| Wix | Squarespace | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | AI website builder | AI website builder |
| Our rank | #10 | #12 |
| Starting price | From $17/mo | From $19/mo |
| Free plan | Yes: Wix branding and subdomain, no payments | No. 14-day free trial, no card |
| Fees on your sales | Wix Payments processing fees; extra fees on subscription plans on lower tiers | 2% store fee on Basic; 7% (Basic) to 0% (Advanced) on digital products; plus card fees |
| Refunds | 14-day money-back guarantee on your first premium plan | First annual plan refundable within 14 days; monthly plans and renewals are not |
| Best for | Owners who want AI speed plus full manual control and a mature platform. | Creatives and small brands that care most about polished design. |
Prices, free plans, fees and refund terms as of November 2026, from each company's own site. US dollars before tax.
Wix: pros and cons
- Mature store, bookings, email and social tools
- Switch between AI prompts and manual editing
- Free plan and a 14-day refund window
- MCP server for building with AI assistants
- The AI doesn't keep working after setup
- Monthly billing costs noticeably more than the annual prices
- The cheapest paid plan can't take payments
- Harmony doesn't support custom code
Squarespace: pros and cons
- The most polished design output
- Blueprint AI included on every plan
- Strong commerce from Core upward
- Trial with no card needed
- AI stops at setup and writing help
- Prices rose in mid-2026
- Fees on sales on the Basic plan
- No free plan
Wix vs Squarespace: questions
Is Wix better than Squarespace?
On our rubric, Wix scores higher (5.8 vs 5.3 out of 10). Squarespace is still the better pick if design matters most to you and you're happy to run the marketing yourself.
Which is cheaper, Wix or Squarespace?
Wix has the lower starting price (from $17/mo vs from $19/mo, as of November 2026). Compare fees on your sales too: Wix: Wix Payments processing fees; extra fees on subscription plans on lower tiers; Squarespace: 2% store fee on Basic; 7% (Basic) to 0% (Advanced) on digital products; plus card fees.
Can Wix and Squarespace both run my business on autopilot?
Wix: no, it stops once you've built what you asked for. Squarespace: no, it stops once you've built what you asked for.