Squarespace vs Wix vs WordPress: Picking Your Platform

Learning Objectives

• Compare the core features of Squarespace, Wix, and WordPress
• Identify which platform matches your website needs and skill level
• Get started with your chosen platform using practical first steps

Introduction

Building your first website means choosing the right platform from the start. Three builders dominate the market: Squarespace, Wix, and WordPress. Each serves different needs and skill levels. This chapter breaks down what each platform offers, who they work best for, and how to make your choice with confidence.

Lessons

Understanding Each Platform

Squarespace focuses on design and simplicity. You get professionally designed templates and an interface that makes sense from day one. It works well for creative professionals, small businesses, and anyone who wants a polished site without wrestling with technical details.

Wix offers maximum flexibility with its drag-and-drop builder. You can place elements exactly where you want them on the page. This appeals to people who want complete control over their layout and don't mind spending time tweaking every detail.

WordPress provides unlimited customization through themes and plugins. It scales from simple blogs to complex business sites. However, it requires more technical knowledge and ongoing maintenance.

Getting Started with Squarespace

Start with Squarespace's 14-day free trial. No payment details needed upfront.

Browse the template gallery and pick one that fits your industry or style. Don't worry about getting it perfect – you can always switch templates later.

Add your content page by page. Replace the dummy text with your own words, swap in your images, and adjust the colours to match your brand.

Use the Style Editor to fine-tune fonts, spacing, and colours. These changes apply across your entire site automatically.

Squarespace's Main Benefits

The interface makes sense immediately. Most people can build a basic site within their first session without watching tutorials.

Customer support responds quickly through live chat and email. The help centre covers common questions with clear explanations.

E-commerce features come built-in. You can add products, set up payment processing, and manage orders without installing extra tools.

All templates work properly on mobile devices. Your site will look good on phones and tablets without extra work.

Making Your Choice

Choose Squarespace if you want professional designs with minimal fuss. It works well for portfolios, small business sites, and online stores that need to look polished quickly.

Pick Wix if you enjoy designing and want control over every element's position. It suits people who have time to experiment and don't mind a learning curve.

Go with WordPress if you need specific functionality, plan to scale significantly, or have technical skills. It offers the most possibilities but requires the most maintenance.

Practice

Set up a test site with your top platform choice:

Start a free trial or demo account. Spend 30 minutes exploring the interface and adding some basic content.

Create three pages: a home page, an about page, and a contact page. Add real content rather than leaving placeholder text.

Test how your site looks on your phone. Make note of anything that doesn't work properly.

FAQs

Does Squarespace work for online shops?
Yes, all Squarespace plans include e-commerce features. You can sell physical products, digital downloads, and services through the built-in tools.

Can I change templates after building my site?
You can switch templates in Squarespace, but you'll need to reapply some customizations. Your content transfers over, but layouts may need adjusting.

How much does each platform cost?
Squarespace starts at £10/month, Wix at £4.50/month, and WordPress hosting varies from £3-15/month plus additional costs for themes and plugins.

Which platform is best for beginners?
Squarespace and Wix are both beginner-friendly, but Squarespace requires less decision-making upfront. WordPress has the steepest learning curve.

Jargon Buster

Templates – Pre-designed website layouts you can customize with your own content and colours

Plugins – Add-on tools that extend your website's functionality, commonly used with WordPress

Drag-and-drop – A way of building websites by clicking and moving elements around the page visually

E-commerce – Online selling features like product pages, shopping carts, and payment processing

SEO – Search Engine Optimization, the practice of helping your website appear in Google search results

Wrap-up

Each platform serves different needs. Squarespace excels at design and ease of use, Wix offers layout flexibility, and WordPress provides unlimited customization. Try free trials with your top two choices before committing. Most beginners find success fastest with Squarespace or Wix, while WordPress works better for those with technical skills or complex requirements.

Ready to start building? Get hands-on experience with Squarespace through our detailed tutorials at https://squarespace.syuh.net/pixelhaze.