Squarespace vs Wix vs WordPress: which should you choose?

The three most common choices for a business site, compared on price, ease and control.

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The short answer

Pick Squarespace for the most polished design with the least effort (from $12 a month billed annually). Pick Wix for the most flexibility and built-in tools, with a free plan to start. Pick WordPress if you want full control, the best blogging tools and the freedom to move hosts, and you are willing to do more upkeep.

Where We.Inc fits: the free plan publishes up to 3 template sites on a we.inc address, with no AI and no custom domain, and needs no credit card. AI building, where you describe the site and it is written for you, starts at $20 a month (Starter, 250 credits); Pro is $50 and Max is $99.

Side by side

SquarespaceWixWordPress
PriceBasic $12, Core $17, Advanced $25 a month billed annually ($19, $27, $36 month to month). No free plan; 14-day free trialFree plan on a Wix address. Paid US prices could not be read on Sept 25 (Wix showed us a regional page and says prices vary by location); our Sept 24 US check recorded Light $17, Core $29, Business $39, Business Elite $159 a month on annual billingWordPress.org software is free; you pay for hosting, a domain, and any premium themes or plugins. WordPress.com: Free plan; Personal $4, Premium $8, Business $25, Commerce $45 a month billed annually ($9, $18, $40, $70 month to month)
Free planNo, 14-day trialYes, on a Wix addressYes on WordPress.com; software free to self-host
Ease of useEasiestEasy, busy editorSteepest
Design controlStructured, polishedFree placementUnlimited with themes and code
Can you move your site?Content onlyContent onlyYes, full site

Prices checked September 2026 (September 25) on each vendor's own pricing page, in US dollars. Vendors change prices often, so confirm on their page before you buy.

Pros and cons

Squarespace

Best for: Creatives and small businesses who want polish fast

Price: Basic $12, Core $17, Advanced $25 a month billed annually ($19, $27, $36 month to month). No free plan; 14-day free trial

Pros: Best-looking templates; All-in-one, little upkeep

Cons: No free plan; Less freedom than Wix or WordPress

Wix

Best for: People who want freedom and many built-in tools

Price: Free plan on a Wix address. Paid US prices could not be read on Sept 25 (Wix showed us a regional page and says prices vary by location); our Sept 24 US check recorded Light $17, Core $29, Business $39, Business Elite $159 a month on annual billing

Pros: Free plan; Huge app market

Cons: Prices vary by country; Template lock-in

WordPress

Best for: Content-heavy sites and people who want control

Price: WordPress.org software is free; you pay for hosting, a domain, and any premium themes or plugins

Pros: You own everything; Best blogging and plugins

Cons: Updates and security are your job on self-hosted; Takes longer to learn

We.Inc

Best for: People who want to describe a site or web app in plain English and have AI build it

Price: Free plan: up to 3 template sites on a we.inc address, no AI. AI building from $20/mo (Starter, 250 credits). Pro $50/mo, Max $99/mo.

Pros: Describe what you want in chat and AI builds a full, editable site or app; Edit by clicking on the page, by asking in chat, or in a real code editor; Export the React and TypeScript code to GitHub, so you are never locked in; Unlimited sites on paid plans, custom domains from Starter

Cons: The free plan is templates only; AI building needs a paid plan; Newer platform with a smaller app marketplace than the big names; Store features are simpler than a dedicated ecommerce platform

Which is cheapest?

WordPress.com's Personal plan is $4 a month billed annually, and Wix has a free plan. Squarespace Basic is $12 a month billed annually. Self-hosted WordPress cost depends on your host. Compare the plan you would actually need: selling on Wix needs Core, and Squarespace Basic charges 2% on sales.

Who should pick which

Squarespace: a portfolio, restaurant or boutique that wants to look great with little effort. Wix: a local business that wants bookings, a store and marketing in one place. WordPress: a publisher, a growing content site or anyone with a developer on hand.

Start from a template

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Is WordPress better than Wix and Squarespace?

For control and content, yes. For ease and low upkeep, Wix and Squarespace are better.

Which is easiest for beginners?

Squarespace is usually the easiest, followed by Wix. WordPress takes the most learning.

Which is best for SEO?

All three can rank well. WordPress gives the most control through plugins; Squarespace and Wix include the basics built in.

Related reading

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