When building a new website, one of the most critical decisions you’ll have to make is which website builder to use. Not all website builders are created equal; some won’t help you achieve your personal or business goals.
Wix and Squarespace are popular website builders that offer an all-in-one web creation experience, with everything from the domain to hosting and other features.
But which is better of the two and why? That’s what I’ll be discussing in this guide. So follow me as I share everything you need to know about Wix and Squarespace.
What is Wix?
Wix is a smart website builder and a common name whenever the subject of creating a website comes up. It’s designed to be user-friendly, highly functional, and responsive and lets you build a personalized website in minutes.
One of the things that makes Wix very popular is its freemium pricing plan. Rarely do you see website builders with a free web-based plan, but Wix is one of the select few, and it is so easy to set up.
What is Squarespace?
Squarespace is more than just a website builder; it’s a content management system that allows you to create your website and manage it all from your end.
Irrespective of your technical ability or experience, Squarespace has graduated from being a website builder for creatives to an all-around website builder. This means that you don’t need any special skills to use it.
Which is better, Wix or Squarespace?
It depends on your website needs. If you’re an avid blogger and affiliate marketer, Squarespace will serve you better. This is because it has more robust features that can support your activities.
On the flip side, Wix is better for you if you’re completely new to building a website. It’s easier to use, customizes, and has great SEO functions.
Pros and cons of using Wix
Pros
- Wix is an easy-to-use platform with intuitive drag-and-drop functions that simplify website creation.
- Hundreds of professionally designed templates are available, so you don’t need to be a web design expert to create an attractive website.
- Wix is incredibly affordable, with basic plans starting at just $4.50 per month and more advanced plans offering plenty of features for a low price.
- It provides powerful eCommerce tools that make it easy to start selling products online.
- The Wix App Market offers a range of third-party tools and services to help you extend the functionality of your website.
Cons
- Wix websites do not offer as much flexibility as self-hosted solutions such as WordPress, so customizing your site may be more limited.
- SEO can be tricky with Wix, since some features may not be as optimized for search engines as other platforms.
- Wix sites run on their proprietary technology, which means you are locked into the platform and cannot transfer your website to another host.
- The pricing structure can be confusing since some features require paying extra fees or upgrading your plan.
- Technical support is limited, so you may need to rely on online forums for help if you run into any issues.
Pros and cons of using Squarespace
Pros
- Easy-to-use website builder, with plenty of customization and design options.
- Built-in hosting services, allow websites to be hosted quickly and efficiently.
- Responsive designs optimized for mobile devices, provide a great user experience for visitors.
- Inclusion of built-in SEO features, allowing for more efficient optimization of website content.
- Ability to integrate with 3rd party services and applications such as Google Analytics, MailChimp, and social media accounts.
- Comprehensive customer support options through email, phone, and live chat.
Cons
- It allows limited control over websites’ coding, limiting the level of customization that can be done.
- The inability to add custom plugins or extensions makes adding complex features and functionality difficult.
- Not as many design templates available compared to other website builders.
- Prices for premium plans are significantly higher than some competitors.
- Some features available on lower priced plans are not included in higher priced plans.
Wix vs. Squarespace pricing
Both website builders have varying pricing plans and here’s what that looks like:
Wix Pricing
- Wix Free Forever: starts at $0
- Wix Connect Domain: starts at $4.50/month
- Wix Combo: starts at $8.50/month
- Wix Unlimited: starts at $12.50/month
- Wix VIP: starts at $24.50/month
Squarespace Pricing
- Personal: starts at $16/month
- Business: starts at $23/month
- Basic Commerce: starts at $27/month
- Advanced Commerce: starts at $49/month.
From this, you can see that Wix is more affordable than Squarespace. Also, Squarespace doesn’t have a free forever plan. But they offer a 14-day free trial and no card-required allowance to give users a feel of the platform.
Is Wix or Squarespace better for eCommerce?
Wix is better if you’re considering the pricing. Its eCommerce basic plan starts from as low as $17/month, while its eCommerce business unlimited plan costs $25/month, all with unlimited bandwidth.
On the other hand, Squarespace’s basic eCommerce plan starts at $27/month and its advanced eCommerce plan costs $49/month.
Is Wix or Squarespace better for blogging?
Squarespace is better for blogging. As I said, it has more robust support for active bloggers. However, on desktop and mobile, Wix has a slightly faster loading speed than Squarespace.
Is Wix or Squarespace better for SEO?
Squarespace is better. Wix renders the mobile version of a website differently from how it renders on a desktop. This isn’t favorable to users because Google prefers a more responsive design. Because of this, Squarespace is the winner when it comes to SEO.
Is Wix or Squarespace better for a portfolio?
Squarespace is better. It has a competitive advantage when it comes to customizations and user-friendliness. Squarespace also helps you create stylish portfolios, better than what you’ll find on Wix.
FAQs
Which is more beginner-friendly, Wix or Squarespace?
The answer is Wix. Although both website builders have drag-and-drop functions, Wix is the best for beginners.
Is Wix or Squarespace more expensive?
Squarespace is more expensive. Also, it doesn’t offer a free forever plan as Wix does. You can review the pricing review section again to see how Squarespace does against Wix.
Does Squarespace take a percentage of sales?
Yes, they do. When you use the Business Plan, Squarespace charges up to 3% on sales. However, there are no transaction fees when you upgrade to the Commerce plan.
Conclusion
Wix and Squarespace are similar yet unique website builders with drag-and-drop functions. Regarding pricing, Wix is a better and more affordable alternative. It’s also better for beginners compared to Squarespace.
On the other hand, Squarespace is better for SEO, building a portfolio, and blogging. Overall in this review, Squarespace is the better option.
Thanks for reading.
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