Squarespace is a neat, closed system with beautiful defaults. WordPress is open, endlessly extendable, and yours to look after.
Sign up free: 3 template sites on a we.inc address. AI building from $20/mo.
Choose Squarespace if design and low upkeep matter most and your site is a portfolio, small business or simple store. Choose WordPress if you publish a lot of content, need specific plugins, or want to own and move your site.
Squarespace costs $16 to $99 a month with no free plan. WordPress.com costs $4 to $45 a month and has a free tier; self-hosted WordPress costs whatever your host charges.
If you want the look of Squarespace without building page by page, We.Inc writes and designs the site from a chat description. Free for 3 template sites; AI from $20/mo.
| Squarespace | WordPress | We.Inc | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No, 14-day free trial only | Yes, on a wordpress.com address | Yes: 3 template sites, we.inc address, no AI |
| Cheapest paid plan | Basic $16/mo | WordPress.com Personal $4/mo | $20/mo Starter (250 AI credits) |
| All plans | Basic $16, Core $23, Plus $39, Advanced $99 per month (monthly billing costs more) | WordPress.com: Personal $4, Premium $8, Business $25, Commerce $45 per month (monthly billing $9 to $70) | Starter $20, Pro $50, Unlimited $99 per month |
| Design out of the box | Very polished | Depends on the theme | Designed for you by AI from your brief |
| Maintenance | None | Updates, plugins, backups (self-hosted) | None |
| Take your site elsewhere | No | Yes | Yes, export to GitHub |
Prices checked September 2026, in US dollars per month on annual billing unless noted. Vendors change prices often, so confirm on their pricing page before you buy.
Best for: Design-led brands that want a beautiful site with no upkeep
Price: Basic $16, Core $23, Plus $39, Advanced $99 per month (monthly billing costs more)
Pros: Beautiful templates; Nothing to install or update; Good built-in commerce and scheduling; One bill covers everything
Cons: No free plan; Limited plugins and custom code; 2% store fee on Basic; Cannot export your site
Best for: Publishers and businesses that need specific features or full ownership
Price: WordPress.com: Personal $4, Premium $8, Business $25, Commerce $45 per month (monthly billing $9 to $70)
Pros: The strongest blogging tool of the lot; Plugins for almost anything; Move hosts whenever you like; Huge pool of developers
Cons: More to learn; Theme quality varies; Security and updates are on you when self-hosted; Costs creep with premium plugins
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, Unlimited $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
For most beginners, yes. Squarespace is visual and fully managed. WordPress rewards people who are willing to learn its settings and plugins.
WordPress, at entry level: WordPress.com Personal is $4/mo against $16/mo for Squarespace Basic, both billed annually. Add premium themes and plugins and WordPress can end up costing more.
WordPress. It was built for publishing and has the deepest set of blogging features and plugins. Squarespace blogging is clean but simpler.
Yes. Squarespace has built-in commerce (no store fee from Core at $23/mo). WordPress uses WooCommerce or the WordPress.com Commerce plan at $45/mo.
Yes. On We.Inc you describe your business and AI builds the pages, which you then edit by clicking or chatting. AI building starts at $20/mo; the free plan is 3 template sites without AI.
Sign up free and publish your first site today.
We.Inc is an AI-powered website builder you can resell under your own brand. Launch a branded client dashboard, bill on Stripe Connect, and deliver AI-generated websites in minutes. White-label plans are custom priced, with no per-site fees.