Squarespace vs Wix Comparison for Your Website
TL;DR:
- Wix offers flexible drag-and-drop design where you can place elements anywhere on the page
- Squarespace provides structured, professional templates with a more guided design approach
- Both platforms handle e-commerce well and suit different working styles
- Your choice depends on whether you prefer creative freedom or streamlined professional design
When you're weighing up website builders, Squarespace and Wix represent two different approaches to web design. Each has its strengths, and the right choice depends on how you like to work and what you're trying to achieve.
Wix: Complete Design Freedom
Wix gives you a blank canvas approach. You can drag elements anywhere on the page, resize them however you want, and build layouts that don't follow traditional website structures.
This freedom comes with trade-offs. While you can create unique designs, it's easy to end up with layouts that look unprofessional or don't work well on mobile devices. Wix has improved its mobile responsiveness, but you still need to check and adjust how your site looks on different screen sizes.
Where Wix works well:
- Creative businesses that need unique layouts
- Users who enjoy tinkering with design details
- Sites that need unusual page structures or animations
- Anyone comfortable spending time on design tweaks
Squarespace: Structured Professional Design
Squarespace takes a template-first approach. You choose from professionally designed layouts and customise within those frameworks. The templates are genuinely well-designed, and the platform keeps you within guardrails that generally produce good-looking results.
This structure means less flexibility but more consistency. Your site will look polished without needing design skills, and it'll work properly across all devices without extra effort from you.
Where Squarespace works well:
- Professional services, portfolios, and content-heavy sites
- Users who want results quickly without design headaches
- Anyone who prefers guided customisation over complete freedom
- Sites where content quality matters more than unique layouts
E-commerce Capabilities
Both platforms handle online selling, but they approach it differently.
Wix lets you place shop elements anywhere and offers more apps for extending functionality. You might find more third-party integrations and specialised tools.
Squarespace's e-commerce feels more cohesive with the rest of your site. The checkout process looks consistent with your branding, and product pages follow your site's design automatically. However, you'll have fewer add-on options.
Mobile Performance and Speed
Squarespace sites generally perform better on mobile devices because the templates are built with mobile-first design principles. The structured approach means fewer opportunities for things to break on smaller screens.
Wix sites can look great on mobile, but you'll need to test and adjust manually. The platform has improved its automatic mobile optimisation, but complex layouts still need attention.
Pricing Reality
Both platforms have similar pricing structures, but the costs add up differently. Wix often requires paid apps for functionality that Squarespace includes by default. Squarespace's plans include more features upfront but offer less flexibility in choosing what you pay for.
Factor in the time you'll spend on design and maintenance when comparing costs. Wix might cost less upfront but take more ongoing effort.
FAQs
Can I move my site from one platform to the other?
Not easily. Both platforms use proprietary systems, so moving between them means rebuilding your site. You can export content, but you'll lose design work and need to recreate functionality.
Which platform is actually easier for beginners?
Squarespace is more straightforward for most beginners because the templates guide your decisions. Wix's flexibility can be overwhelming when you're starting out, though some people prefer having all the options available.
Do both platforms work well for SEO?
Yes, both handle basic SEO needs well. Squarespace has cleaner code structure, while Wix offers more SEO apps and customisation options. Your content quality and marketing efforts matter more than the platform choice for SEO success.
How do the customer support options compare?
Squarespace offers email support and comprehensive guides. Wix provides phone support and has a larger community forum. Both have extensive knowledge bases, though Squarespace's documentation tends to be more organised.
Jargon Buster
Drag-and-drop design – A way of building web pages by clicking on elements and moving them around visually, rather than writing code
Mobile responsiveness – How well a website adapts to different screen sizes, particularly smartphones and tablets
Templates – Pre-designed website layouts that you can customise with your own content and branding
Third-party integrations – External tools and services that can connect to your website platform to add extra functionality
Wrap-up
Your choice between Squarespace and Wix comes down to how you prefer to work. If you enjoy having complete control over every design element and don't mind spending time perfecting layouts, Wix gives you that freedom. If you want professional results quickly and prefer working within proven design frameworks, Squarespace will serve you better.
Both platforms will get you online successfully. Consider how much time you want to spend on design versus content, how important unique layouts are to your brand, and whether you prefer guidance or complete freedom in your tools.
Ready to dive deeper into Squarespace? Join our community at Pixelhaze Academy for detailed tutorials and expert guidance.