Framer Templates vs a Custom Design: How to Choose
Framer template or custom design? Template and plan prices read 6 Nov 2026, the CMS limit that picks your plan, and the licence terms in plain words.
Platforms
WordPress vs Wix vs Squarespace in Plain English: Price, Upkeep and the Exit Test
Three platforms, one decision, and most comparisons stop at features and starting prices. This one adds the test that matters a few years in: if you leave, what comes with you? We read each maker's own pages on 6 November 2026. Wix keeps your site on its servers, Squarespace exports part of it, and WordPress exports all of it. Here's what that means for your choice, in plain words.
Key takeaways
- Wix and Squarespace are rented; WordPress is owned. The first two bundle software, hosting and upkeep into one plan. WordPress is free software that you run on hosting you choose.
- Prices start close together. Wix's plans page showed $17, $29, $39 and $159 a month on 6 November 2026. Squarespace's US prices were $19, $29, $49 and $99 billed yearly in October 2026. Self-hosted WordPress starts with hosting at a few dollars a month.
- The exit test separates them. Wix's help centre says a Wix site must be hosted on Wix's servers. Squarespace exports some page types in a WordPress file. WordPress exports posts, pages, comments, categories and users through a built-in tool, and a full backup copies everything.
- Upkeep is the hidden price of WordPress. Someone has to apply updates and keep backups. On Wix and Squarespace that's included.
- For a simple site you'll keep for years, either builder is fine. For a site you expect to grow, change designer on or move, WordPress is the safer start.
The short answer
| If you want | Pick |
|---|---|
| The most layout freedom in a builder, plus a free plan to try | Wix |
| A polished template and the fewest decisions | Squarespace |
| Room to grow, full ownership and any feature you'll ever need | WordPress |
The question to ask yourself is not "which is best" but "who will look after this site in three years, and might I want to leave?" If nobody will, and you won't, pick a builder. If you're building something that should outlast any one tool or supplier, pick WordPress.
A note before the details: Amariq builds on all three, as well as Webflow and Framer. No platform pays us anything. Nobody here built one identical site three times for this piece, so any remark on how a tool feels in use rests on the makers' own pages and published reviews.
What ranks today, and the gap
On 6 November 2026, the first page of Google (US, English) for this search was Website Builder Expert, WP Kraken, a Reddit thread, Liquid Web, Leadhub, Icerocket, Rootless and Axess Web Design. Most are agencies or hosts, which is fair to know. Website Builder Expert, updated 16 April 2026, is the most thorough, with prices, an ecommerce section and a testing note, and it includes discount codes on the plans it lists.
None of the pages we checked sets out what happens when you leave each platform. That's a strange gap, because it's the one decision that is expensive to undo. It's the main thing this guide adds.
The three side by side
| Wix | Squarespace | WordPress (self-hosted) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you're paying for | A builder plus hosting | A builder plus hosting | Hosting; the software is free |
| Starting plan | $17 a month (Light) | $19 a month billed yearly (Basic, US) | Shared hosting from a few dollars a month |
| Free option | Free plan with Wix branding | 14 day trial | Free software, paid hosting |
| Who updates and secures it | Wix | Squarespace | You, your host or a developer |
| Editing | Drag anything anywhere | Structured sections | Gutenberg blocks, or a builder such as Elementor |
| Adding features | Wix apps | Built-in features and extensions | Plugins or custom code |
| Leaving | Site stays on Wix | Partial export | Full export and backup |
Wix's figures are from its plans page, read today: Light at $17, then Core at $29, Business at $39 and the top tier at $159. Squarespace's figures change with the visitor's country. The US numbers here ($19 rising to $99 a month on annual billing) are from a plan guide by Squarepaste that read the US page in October 2026.
The exit test: what you can take with you
This is the part to read twice.
Wix. Its help article on exporting says your site is built with Wix's technology and "needs to be hosted and operated on Wix's servers". You can connect a domain bought elsewhere, and you can move the domain away. The site itself doesn't move. Leaving means rebuilding the design and copying the content across.
Squarespace. Its help centre describes an export file in WordPress format that carries layout pages, a single blog, and simple text and image blocks. Shop pages, portfolios, product blocks, video blocks and the site's styling don't travel. The item-by-item list is in our Squarespace and WordPress guide.
WordPress. The built-in export tool creates a file of your posts, pages, custom post types, comments, custom fields, categories, tags and users that another WordPress site can import. Copying the files plus the database goes further still: it moves the entire site, theme and all, to whichever host you like.
| What leaves with you | What you rebuild | |
|---|---|---|
| Wix | Your domain, and content you copy by hand | Design, pages, store, forms |
| Squarespace | Layout pages, one blog, text and images | Design, store, portfolio and other page types |
| WordPress | Everything | Nothing, if you keep a full backup |
None of this makes Wix or Squarespace a bad choice. Plenty of businesses stay on one for a decade and never need to leave. But if you're not sure, it's the reason to lean towards WordPress.
Five years of platform fees
Plan fees only, at today's prices, before tax, with no paid apps or plugins. Each line is the monthly price times 60.
| Setup | Five years |
|---|---|
| Wix Light ($17) | $1,020 |
| Squarespace Basic ($19, US, yearly) | $1,140 |
| Wix Core ($29) | $1,740 |
| Squarespace Core ($29, US, yearly) | $1,740 |
| Wix Business ($39) | $2,340 |
| WordPress on Hostinger Premium, renewals included | $251.40 |
| WordPress on Kinsta's first managed plan | $1,750 |
The WordPress lines come from our WordPress hosting cost comparison, read on 2 November 2026. Add paid plugins if you use them, and the cost of whoever does updates. A WordPress site on cheap hosting with free plugins and an owner who does the upkeep is by far the cheapest of the three. Add a care plan and premium plugins and it can cost more than either builder. Our website cost per month guide shows how those extras add up.
Who each one suits
Wix suits
- Owners who want to place things exactly where they like on the page.
- A small business that wants bookings, a simple shop or events without extra tools.
- Anyone who wants to start free and upgrade later.
Watch out for: free sites carry Wix branding and can't use your own domain until you upgrade. Our Wix price breakdown has the detail.
Squarespace suits
- Creative businesses, studios and portfolios where the look matters most.
- Owners who would rather pick from good templates than design from scratch.
- A small shop on Core or above, where Squarespace takes no fee on sales.
Watch out for: the 2% sales fee on Basic, and the limited export.
WordPress suits
- Businesses that publish a lot or plan to.
- Sites that will need custom features, integrations or a larger store.
- Anyone who wants to own the site outright and be free to change host or designer.
Watch out for: updates, plugin conflicts and security are your job unless you pay someone. A neglected WordPress site is a real risk.
Three common situations
A plumber who wants a five-page site and enquiries by phone. Wix or Squarespace. The site will barely change, and nobody wants to maintain it. Our home services website guide covers what to put on it.
A consultant who wants to rank with a weekly blog. WordPress. The blog is the asset, and it should be fully portable.
A ceramics studio selling 30 pieces online. Squarespace Core, or Wix Core. Both handle a small catalogue well. If the shop becomes the main business, compare Shopify then.
What we'd tell a friend
Choose the one you'll actually keep up to date. A tidy Squarespace site that's edited every month beats a WordPress site nobody has logged into for a year. But if your business depends on its website, and you think it might outgrow its first home, start where you can take everything with you.
Down to two? The pair guides go deeper: Wix against WordPress, and Wix against Squarespace.
How Amariq can help
Because we build on all three, we can say which one fits your plans without steering you to the one we prefer. If you're moving, we rebuild what can't be exported and set up redirects so old links and rankings carry over. Every project is quoted from its scope, not by the hour, with payment in three parts: 40% to begin, 30% once the design is approved and 30% ahead of launch. With the last part paid, the design, copy and code are yours to keep, and we register the domain, hosting and analytics to your business. Read how our web design service works.
Frequently asked questions
Of the three, which one should a business choose?
None is best for everyone. Wix gives the most freedom in a builder, Squarespace the most polished templates, and WordPress the most room to grow and full ownership.
Which is cheapest?
Self-hosted WordPress on shared hosting with free plugins, if you do the upkeep yourself. Among the builders, Wix Light at $17 a month and Squarespace Basic at $19 a month billed yearly (US) are close.
Can a Wix site be moved to WordPress?
Not directly. Wix says its sites have to run on Wix's servers, so the design is rebuilt and the content copied over. Your domain can move with you.
Can a Squarespace site be moved to WordPress?
In part. The words and images on standard pages and one blog come across in a WordPress file; the shop, portfolio pages and the look of the site are rebuilt.
Is WordPress harder to use than Wix or Squarespace?
At the start, a little. The editor itself is straightforward. What takes more effort is choosing a theme and plugins, and keeping them updated.
Which ranks best on Google?
Any of the three can rank. WordPress hands you the most technical control via plugins, yet what you write and who links to it count for more.
Which is best for a small online store?
For a small catalogue, Wix or Squarespace Core. For a larger or more complex store, WordPress with WooCommerce, or Shopify.
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