Last updated: October 2026 | Wix prices from Wix’s plans page; Squarespace prices from its published plans as reported by independent reviews (August 2026)
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Squarespace and Wix are two of the most widely used website builders for small businesses that want a professional site without hiring a developer. Squarespace is known for beautiful, consistent templates and a streamlined editor. Wix gives you more freedom to place elements anywhere on the page and a large marketplace of apps.
Squarespace vs Wix at a glance
| Squarespace | Wix | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry plan (annual billing) | Basic, $19/mo | Light, $17.77/mo |
| Plan to sell online | Basic ($19, with 2% fee on physical sales) or Core ($29, 0% fee) | Core, $29.77/mo |
| Mid plan | Plus, $49/mo | Business, $39.77/mo |
| Top plan | Advanced, $99/mo | Business Elite, $159.77/mo |
| Editor | Section-based, structured | Freeform drag-and-drop |
| Templates | Highly polished, consistent | Very large library |
| Apps | Smaller extension library | Large App Market |
| Best for | Service businesses and creatives wanting a polished look fast | Owners who want full layout control and many add-ons |
Squarespace pricing in 2026
| Plan | Annual billing | Monthly billing (approx.) | Fee on physical product sales | US card rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $19/mo | ~$25/mo | 2% | 2.9% + 30¢ |
| Core | $29/mo | ~$36/mo | 0% | 2.9% + 30¢ |
| Plus | $49/mo | ~$56/mo | 0% | 2.7% + 30¢ |
| Advanced | $99/mo | ~$139/mo | 0% | 2.5% + 30¢ |
Digital product sales carry separate fees on lower plans (from 7% on Basic down to 0% on Advanced). Older “legacy” Squarespace plans have different pricing.
Wix pricing in 2026
| Plan | Annual billing | Storage | Commerce | Collaborators |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light | $17.77/mo | 2 GB | Not included | 2 |
| Core | $29.77/mo | 50 GB | Basic e-commerce, accept payments | 5 |
| Business | $39.77/mo | 100 GB | Standard e-commerce | 10 |
| Business Elite | $159.77/mo | Unlimited | Advanced e-commerce | 100 |
Wix lists plan prices for yearly billing; monthly billing costs more. Card processing fees apply when you accept payments.
Cost example: a small shop selling $3,000 a month online
| Option | Plan (annual) | Platform fee on sales | Monthly before card fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squarespace Basic | $19 | 2% × $3,000 = $60 | $79 |
| Squarespace Core | $29 | $0 | $29 |
| Wix Core | $29.77 | $0 | $29.77 |
If you sell products, skip Squarespace Basic: the 2% fee quickly costs more than upgrading to Core. Core on either platform costs about the same.
Features compared
Design and editing
Squarespace’s section-based editor keeps layouts tidy and makes it hard to create a messy site, which is ideal for owners who want a polished result quickly. Wix’s freeform editor lets you place anything anywhere, which offers more creativity but also more room for inconsistency, especially on mobile.
Selling online
Both handle small online stores well. Squarespace’s higher plans reduce card rates (2.7% on Plus, 2.5% on Advanced). Wix’s Business plans add more e-commerce features as you move up.
Apps and features
Wix’s App Market is larger, with booking, events, restaurant ordering and many third-party tools. Squarespace offers built-in scheduling, member areas and email campaigns as add-ons or extensions.
SEO and blogging
Both provide solid SEO basics: custom page titles, meta descriptions, clean URLs and sitemaps. Both include blogging. For content-heavy sites, WordPress offers more flexibility; see Shopify vs WooCommerce.
Switching later
Moving away from either is difficult, because templates and designs don’t transfer. Choose the one you’re happy to stay on.
Three real-world scenarios
A photographer who needs a portfolio and booking page. Squarespace Core’s templates make portfolios look great with little effort.
A yoga studio that needs bookings, events and memberships. Wix’s apps for bookings and events make it a strong fit.
A ceramics maker selling 30 products. Either Core plan works. If the maker sells digital patterns too, compare digital-product fees on each platform.
Questions to ask before you sign up
- Will you sell products? Avoid plans with a fee on physical sales.
- How much design freedom do you need? Wix for freeform, Squarespace for structure.
- Which features do you need beyond pages? Check bookings, events and memberships.
- Annual or monthly billing? Annual billing saves a lot on both.
- How will you handle email marketing? See Mailchimp vs Kit.
What a year really costs
| Need | Squarespace (annual) | Wix (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Simple service website, no selling | Basic: $228 | Light: about $213 |
| Small online store | Core: $348 | Core: about $357 |
| Growing store or business with extras | Plus: $588 | Business: about $477 |
Add a domain (often free for the first year with annual plans), card processing on sales, and any paid apps or extensions you need.
Frequently asked questions
Do Squarespace and Wix include a free domain?
Both have offered a free custom domain for the first year on annual plans. Check the current offer, and note the renewal price from year two.
Is Wix cheaper than Squarespace?
Their entry plans are close: Wix Light $17.77 and Squarespace Basic $19 a month on annual billing. For selling online, Wix Core and Squarespace Core cost about the same.
Does Squarespace charge transaction fees?
On the Basic plan, Squarespace charges 2% on physical product sales. Core and higher plans have no fee on physical products.
Which is better for SEO?
Both cover SEO fundamentals well. Your content and site structure matter far more than the builder.
Can I move my site from Wix to Squarespace?
Not automatically. You’ll need to rebuild the design; content like blog posts can sometimes be imported.
The bottom line
Choose Squarespace for a polished, low-maintenance site, especially for service businesses and creatives. Choose Wix for maximum design freedom and a large app ecosystem. If online selling is your main goal, also compare Shopify plans.