Comparing Squarespace and Wix: Selecting a website builder suitable for creative projects
For creative professionals seeking a platform to showcase their work and establish an online presence, Wix and Squarespace are two leading website builders with distinct advantages. Here's a detailed comparison of these platforms based on design freedom, features, performance, SEO and ecommerce capabilities, customer support, and pricing.
## Design Freedom
Wix is renowned for its outstanding design flexibility and customization options. It offers two main editors: the classic Wix Editor, which allows for drag-and-drop with minimal restrictions on element placement, and Wix Studio, designed for agencies and enterprises, providing advanced design control and detailed CSS capabilities. This makes Wix ideal for creatives who require highly bespoke sites.
Squarespace, on the other hand, is recognised for its clean, modern aesthetics and high-quality templates. The platform’s design approach is based on a gridded block system, and the introduction of Fluid Engine in 2022 increased flexibility. However, Squarespace still places more constraints on element placement than Wix, offering less freedom for completely unique layouts.
## Features
Wix provides a wide range of features, including an extensive app market, AI tools (even on free plans), and enhanced collaboration options for teams. Wix’s Business and Business Elite plans offer advanced features such as expanded storage, more collaborators, and upgraded AI capabilities.
Squarespace, however, focuses on streamlined, built-in features that appeal to creatives and small business owners. Higher tiers add API access and subscription features, making it suitable for those who want a robust, integrated experience without relying on third-party apps.
## Performance
Wix is known for reliable uptime and speed but can have storage and bandwidth limits on lower-tier plans, which may impact performance for media-heavy sites. Squarespace, on the other hand, offers unlimited storage and bandwidth on all paid plans (except for video storage), contributing to strong performance for most content types and user bases.
## SEO and Ecommerce Capabilities
Wix offers strong SEO tools, with customizable meta tags, structured data, and sitemaps. Wix is often praised for SEO friendliness, especially on higher plans. Squarespace, while having solid SEO features, is not as extensive as Wix’s. Both platforms support ecommerce, but Squarespace is well-regarded for its built-in ecommerce features and seamless integration, while Wix offers more flexibility in product management and supports a larger range of third-party integrations.
## Customer Support
Wix offers 24/7 support via phone and chat for higher-tier plans. Free plan users have access to documentation and community help. Squarespace provides robust customer support through email, live chat, and webinars. In-depth documentation and a community forum are also available, though phone support is limited or absent.
## Pricing
| Feature | Wix | Squarespace | |------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------| | Free Plan | Yes (ad-supported, no ecommerce/custom domain) | No (14-day trial, includes ecommerce) | | Ecommerce Pricing | Starts at $29/month (Core plan) | Starts at $25/month (Basic plan) | | Transaction Fees | None on any plan | 2% fee on Basic, none on higher tiers | | Storage/Bandwidth | Limits on lower plans | Unlimited on all paid plans (except video) | | Design Customization | Highly flexible, fewer limitations | Clean templates, more constraints | | SEO Tools | Strong, customizable | Good, but less extensive | | Support | 24/7 phone/chat (high tiers) | Email/live chat, webinars, limited phone |
## Key Takeaways
- Choose Wix if you require maximum design freedom, advanced customization, and robust SEO and ecommerce tools, especially if you plan to use third-party integrations or need AI-powered features. - Choose Squarespace if you prefer a polished, design-led experience with built-in features, unlimited storage/bandwidth on paid plans, and a streamlined workflow for creatives and small businesses.
In addition, both platforms offer annual discounts, providing savings of up to 36% compared to monthly payments. Wix's Light plan starts at $17 per month, offering access to 800+ well-designed templates and 2GB storage space. Squarespace's Personal plan starts at $16 per month for unlimited bandwidth and storage, mobile optimization, and a free custom domain for the first year.
For portfolios and basic websites, Squarespace's Personal plan is ideal, priced at $16/month. For selling creative products online, consider Squarespace's Commerce Basic plan, priced at $28/month. Squarespace has also made improvements to its front-end for better performance, suggesting strategies like compressing and resizing images before uploading.
Wix offers unmatched creative freedom with its drag-and-drop flexibility, allowing users to place elements anywhere. Wix's Business plan offers strong ecommerce capabilities for selling creative products online, priced at $36/month. Wix offers features like VideoBox to showcase videos and Pro Gallery for displaying high-quality photos.
Wix offers more plan options, which can complicate the decision process but allows users to find a plan that fits their needs. Squarespace focuses on design integrity and consistency across devices, while Wix emphasizes creative freedom with no grid limits. In 2025, Wix introduced AI technology that builds a custom website in minutes after answering a few questions about your brand and business.
- Creative professionals utilizing Adobe's UI tools for design might find Wix's extensive app market beneficial for further enhancement.
- UI designers seeking digital art integration for their portfolios may appreciate Wix's support for a larger range of third-party integrations.
- For artists specializing in 3D design or animation, Wix provides the freedom to place elements anywhere, offering a canvas suitable for these intricate creations.
- Adobe Color CC users could use Squarespace's polished, design-led experience to showcase their color palettes effectively.
- Designers working on branding projects might prefer Squarespace's clean, modern aesthetics to create impressive logos and visual identities.
- UX designers seeking to expand their skillset could benefit from tutorials on technology platforms like Squarespace or Wix, as they develop their user experience expertise.
- Artists and designers showcasing their photography work could leverage Wix's Pro Gallery feature for displaying high-quality photos on their websites.
- Digital art enthusiasts building a portfolio on Wix could appreciate the platform's drag-and-drop flexibility, offering greater creative control over their presentation.
- Branding professionals using Squarespace could take advantage of its front-end improvements, such as compressing and resizing images before uploading, to maintain performance and design integrity.
- Squarespace's approach to design, consistent across devices, might appeal to artists interested in maintaining a cohesive brand image and user experience.
