Wix vs Squarespace for a Small Business: Real Plan Prices, a Two-Year Cost Table, and When to Look Beyond Both

Key takeaways

• Check the plan page, not the review. On 24 October 2026 Squarespace's pricing page showed three plans (Basic, Core, Advanced). A well-known comparison we read the same day still described four, with different prices.
• Billing changes the price a lot. Squarespace's Basic plan was $12 a month paid annually and $19 paid monthly. Wix's plans page shows yearly prices paid in full at purchase.
• Wix has a free plan; Squarespace has a 14 day free trial. Wix says a Premium plan is needed to connect your own domain and remove Wix branding.
• Wix is the more flexible tool; Squarespace is the more guided one. That is the common verdict in the reviews we read, and it fits the plan pages: Wix lists more collaborators and add-ons, Squarespace lists CSS and JavaScript customisation on Core and above.
• If your site needs a CMS-driven structure, custom code or heavy design control, look past both. The last section says how to tell.

The short answer

For a small business that wants a simple site live quickly and expects to edit it itself, either platform will do the job. Pick Wix if you want the most control over layout, a free plan to start on, and a large app market. Pick Squarespace if you want a more guided design that stays tidy, strong blogging, and a plan structure with fewer tiers. Neither is right if your site is a core sales channel that needs custom structure or performance work.

Who is writing: Amariq is a web design studio. We take website work on any platform, including Wix and Squarespace, and we do not earn anything from either company. We have not built the same site on both for this article, so where we say what a platform is like to use, we attribute it to the reviews we read.

What the top results say, and where they are out of date

On 24 October 2026 Google (United States, English) listed Squarespace's own comparison page, Reddit threads, Experte, Tooltester (12 March 2026), PCMag (4 August 2026), Expert Market (22 August 2025), Zapier (10 July 2025) and Cybernews. We read the Squarespace comparison page and Tooltester in full.

• Squarespace's page says its plans start at $19 a month and that Wix has "a free plan with ads, or starting at $17/mo". That $19 matches its monthly-billing price for Basic, not the annual one.
• Tooltester's page is a long, clear walk through eleven categories and ends 9 to 6 for Wix. It also discloses an affiliate relationship. Its price section lists Squarespace as four plans, Basic $16, Core $23, Plus $39 and Advanced $99, and says Basic and Wix Light "charge identical prices". Squarespace's pricing page on the day we read it showed three plans at different prices.
• Expert Market's snippet gives Squarespace as "$19 to $99" and Wix as "$17 to $159" a month, dated August 2025. The Wix range still matches Wix's plans page; the Squarespace range does not.

None of this means the reviewers were careless. Plan lines move, and an article written in March can be out of date by October. It does mean that the cost table should come from the makers.

Plan prices, read on 24 October 2026

Wix (wix.com/plans). Wix says displayed prices are for yearly subscriptions paid in full at purchase, and that taxes are extra.

Wix also states a 14 day money-back guarantee, and that the free domain voucher only works with a new domain bought from Wix.

Squarespace (squarespace.com/pricing). The page says "Free for 14 days" and "Pay annually to save up to 36%". We read both billing views.

Core and Advanced list advanced website analytics, "complete customization with CSS and Javascript" and professional email from Google Workspace. Basic lists neither of the first two. Squarespace shows "free custom domain" on every plan with an asterisk we could not read, and its comparison page says the domain is free for the first year on annual plans.

What each costs over two years

Plan price multiplied by 24 months, before tax, domain renewals, apps, email and card processing fees. Both firms say prices vary by location and exclude tax.

Two readings. Like for like on a simple brochure site, Squarespace Basic on annual billing is $120 cheaper over two years than Wix Light ($288 against $408), but Basic limits you to two contributors and leaves out CSS and JavaScript customisation. And if you want to sell, compare the whole row: Squarespace Core charges 0% on store sales, Basic charges 2%, and Wix's ecommerce starts at its Core plan. We did not read Wix's per-sale processing terms, so check them before you choose.

How they differ in use

These points come from the reviews and the makers, not from building the same site twice.

The last two rows matter more than they look. A free plan means you can build before you commit, and the way a site behaves when you stop paying should be checked on the maker's current terms before you rely on it.

Which to choose

When to look beyond both

Both are builders, and both have limits. Consider moving, or starting somewhere else, when:

• The site must be built around many pages of structured content, such as locations, case studies or products with filters.
• You need performance, tracking or markup control that a hosted builder does not give.
• The brand needs a design that a template and a grid keep pulling back.
• You are paying for several apps to fill gaps.

Our comparisons of Wix vs Webflow, Squarespace vs Webflow vs Framer and Webflow alternatives by use case go through those options with dated prices, and agencies for Wix and Squarespace migrations lists studios that move sites if you decide to. If you stay, nothing says you must move: the platform guide for small businesses helps you decide.

How Amariq can help

We work on Wix and Squarespace sites as well as Webflow, WordPress and Framer, so there is nothing you need to move to hire us. We can plan the pages and the copy, build or tidy the site, and set up forms and tracking. Pricing follows the scope of the work and never an hourly rate. Payment is 40% to begin, 30% at design approval and 30% before launch, and once the last payment is made the design, copy and code are yours, with the domain, hosting and analytics accounts in your name. See our web design service.

Frequently asked questions

Is Wix or Squarespace cheaper?

On the makers' pages on 24 October 2026, the cheapest paid Squarespace plan was $12 a month on annual billing, and the cheapest paid Wix plan was $17 a month on yearly billing. Squarespace Basic on monthly billing was $19. Compare the plan you would actually use, with the features you need.

Does Wix have a free plan?

Yes. Wix's plans page lists a free plan, and says a Premium plan is needed to connect your own domain and remove Wix branding. Squarespace offers a 14 day free trial.

Which is better for SEO?

Both let you edit titles, descriptions and URLs, according to Tooltester, which rated them about equal. A good result depends more on your content and site structure than on the builder.

Which is better for a blog?

Tooltester gives Squarespace the win on blogging, citing scheduling, categories and podcast hosting. Check that the features you need are on your plan.

Which is better for selling products?

Both sell products. Squarespace Core and Advanced list 0% store transaction fees and Basic lists 2%. Wix lists ecommerce from its Core plan. Check each maker's payment terms for your country.

Can I change platform later?

Yes, but moving takes planning: page addresses need redirecting and content needs moving. Do it with a plan, and only if the site has outgrown the builder.

Do I need an agency for either?

Not for a simple site. An agency helps when you want the structure, copy and conversion planning done properly, or when you are moving to a different platform.