Wix vs Squarespace: Which Website Builder is the Best?
When it comes to website builders, Wix and Squarespace are two of the most popular. There's a good reason for this. Both Wix and Squarespace offer an easy-to-use platform for building a website without coding or having any technical knowledge.
So, which is better? Well, it's not that simple. At the end of the day, it depends on your specific needs. While both are an effective way to build a website, there's a lot to consider, including features, support, ease of use, and pricing. Let's take a look!
Wix in a Nutshell
Wix is a website builder that enables anyone to build a website. Gone are the days when only techy coders could build a website. These days, there are several options for putting a site together, whether for personal use or a business. Wix is one of them.
Wix offers a powerful template editor and a drag-and-drop website builder. These tools provide you with full creative control without any coding knowledge. You can create a professional website in a lot less time than you may think.
No matter how you're planning to use your website or what it's for, Wix has you covered. From small businesses and restaurants to graphic designers and musicians, Wix has the tools to make a beautiful, effective site and cater to your niche.
Wix has been in business since it launched in 2006. It didn't take long for it to become one of the leading site builders on the market. It provides you with a vast range of pre-designed templates into which you can easily customize and plug your personal content. You can also use Wix's ADI feature, which asks you a series of questions and then builds a website for you. For putting a simple website together fast, this is an excellent feature to have.
Like any website builder, however, it has its strengths and its weaknesses. Although it's easy to use, it's difficult to make significant changes to your site once it's live. It's also not as scalable as you might like. We'll dig into the pros and cons of Wix in just a bit. First, let's take a look at Squarespace.
Squarespace in a Nutshell
Squarespace is another website builder that, just like Wix, enables anyone to build a website without having technical knowledge. It has lots of built-in features and tools. It is designed to support everything from small businesses to bloggers.
Squarespace has been used effectively by many big names in the industry, including Sadie Williams' fashion designer website and Keanu Reeves' motorcycle business. It has some top-notch tools for creatives, especially, and some industry-leading templates to highlight images, ideas, and products.
Similar to Wix, Squarespace enables designers to drag and drop different features onto your website. However, it keeps everything organized by remaining section-based, which makes it easy to build your site but takes away some of the freedom you might be able to find with other website builders.
Squarespace was founded in 2003 and its headquarters is in New York. It's a large and professional company with a track record of success. It offers a range of do-it-yourself tools to help you build a website that is right for you. It's an effective site builder for creative professionals, bloggers, small business owners, and web developers.
Nevertheless, Squarespace has its strengths and weaknesses. For instance, it has a range of stunning templates on offer but does not have an app store for developers, meaning that it relies solely on built-in features. It's also a somewhat manual platform, which is a good thing for some, while others may find it annoying to be prompted to save after every change rather than auto-saving on its own.
Wix vs. Squarespace, a Comparison
So, how do Wix and Squarespace compare? While they're both website builders with a lot to offer, the one that's right for you depends mainly on the type of site you're building and your expectations. Ease of use is a big one, but so are features, support, and pricing.
Both Wix and Squarespace offer stunning templates and tools for designing a website, but they both do it a little differently. For example, Squarespace is perfect for showing off visual work for designers and artists. Wix, on the other hand, is a better all-around site builder. Nonetheless, when it comes down to it, which one you choose will depend mainly on which of the following you value the most. With that in mind, let's break both platforms down to see which is best.
Ease of Use
If you're deciding on a website builder, one of the most important factors may be ease of use. While both Wix and Squarespace are drag-and-drop builders, they offer different features, templates, and customizations. Simply select an element, click on it, and drag it to the appropriate location.
Wix
Wix is a pure drag-and-drop builder, so you can add whatever you want to your site, wherever it'll fit. Plus, it has a lot of fun tools that make it easy for beginners to get started. All in all, it's simple and fast to design and redesign your new website with Wix.
With the Wix Editor, you can add and position different elements by clicking and dragging them around. It's a beginner-friendly way to build a website without knowing a single line of code. Also, it's a handy way to make adjustments as you discover what works and what doesn't, as well as to include additional features as your site grows.
If the drag-and-drop editor is too much, you can also use Wix's ADI feature. To use this feature, you answer a series of questions, and Wix designs a website for you. You're then able to edit the design. Wix's ADI is a fantastic tool for building a site on the fly. Still, if you like to have a little more creative control, the Wix Editor is probably the way to go.
Squarespace
Squarespace is also a drag-and-drop builder. However, it differs from Wix in that it's more section-based and doesn't allow you to put an element just anywhere. While this may sound like a limitation, it can help ensure that you're building your website in the most effective way possible.
Using SquareSpace's editor takes a little getting used to, but once you do, you'll find its clean and smooth interface a joy to work with. It has a modern and clean feel that is easy to navigate and not as cluttered as Wix.
Squarespace is very straightforward, and how you view your site on the backend is exactly how it will look once it's published. It also offers structured content, so if you choose to add a certain kind of page, such as an About or Contact page, it will provide you with design options to choose from.
Features
As for features, Wix and Squarespace both offer loads of them to build the perfect website. In general, Wix has more options to choose from, but Squarespace has some of the best tools on the market for creatives.
Wix
Some of the most essential features Wix has to offer include its App Store, 123FormBuilder, and Flip Book integration. For instance, the App Store allows third-party developers to custom-build tools and features that Wix's internal lineup of tools does not provide.
As extensive as Wix is, there are times when you may find something you want to do but can't use native tools. When this happens, you can turn to the App Store and, since Wix is so popular, it's easy to find what you're looking for.
Wix apps are plugins or extensions that add value to your site. Plus, you can install them with a single click. Some of the apps available include marketing apps, shopping carts, and live chat features. A lot of them are free, but some cost a little extra for premium services.
The 123FormBuilder is another fantastic tool to have at your disposal. It enables you to design any form, survey, questionnaire, timesheet, or quiz and put it on your website. Having a form on your site is crucial for collecting data on your followers or customers to tailor your content more effectively and expand your base. For any kind of data collection, you'll be happy to have the 123FormBuilder.
Wix also has a Flip Book feature that makes it easy to create digital versions of your printed material. You can use this feature for magazines and brochures so that your users won't have to download a pdf, which takes them away from your website and isn't very engaging.
Squarespace
Squarespace has recently upgraded its software to include a Design Panel that makes it simple to make changes to your website with a few clicks. You can change fonts, colors, and spacing and create custom layouts and add pre-built sections to your site. Squarespace also offers tools for social media integration, SEO and marketing, and simple domain registration.
Integrating your social media with your website is often the difference between success and failure. Squarespace links seamlessly with over 20 social platforms. You can connect your site to DropBox to access photos and videos and share content from Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. After all, follows, tweets and favorites are the names of the game.
SEO features, or Search Engine Optimization, is the key to getting your website to rank highly in Google search results. Luckily, Squarespace enables you to manage titles, insert keywords, and alter alt text, all of which help improve your SEO. Although this sort of thing may be overwhelming for newbies, the SquareSpace support pages provide a thorough introduction to all you need.
It's also super easy to register a domain with Squarespace. Your domain is your website address and how people will find you. When you register for Wix's annual plan, you get a domain for free for one year. After that, it will renew at the standard rate.
Templates
When using a site builder, finding the perfect template is essential. The closer the template is to how you want your final site to look, the easier it will be to design it. With the right template, it's a matter of importing your content and then publishing your site.
Wix
Wix has over 500 templates available. It offers an impressive range designed for all types of industries, from blogging and business. All of them conform to the latest trends, and they all look professional and stylish.
Once you've chosen a template, you can customize your pages by uploading content and typing in your text. You can also add site features by dragging them from the sidebar to the location of your choosing on your site. You'll also have access to Wix's library of graphics, videos, and photos that you are free to use on your website.
One of the significant downsides of using Wix is that once you've chosen a template and published your site if you decide you want to try another template, you'll have to start over and upload your content again. Fortunately, Wix's templates are ready-made websites. So, it's essential to be sure about a template before proceeding with customizations and content.
Squarespace
Squarespace has just over 60 templates to choose from. While this may not sound like a lot, especially compared to Wix's 500+, SquareSpace succeeds in quality over quantity. Each template is designed beautifully and provides the features you need to be successful.
The templates SquareSpace offers are designed to highlight visual elements. If you're a photographer or artist, they are sure to please, but small businesses and bloggers can benefit from this approach too. In addition, you can switch templates anytime you choose, even after your site has gone live.
As far as customization is concerned, you can add and delete sections, import your images, and drag certain elements to different locations on a page. You can customize colors, fonts, text, images, backgrounds, and even your menu structure.
Given how flexible SquareSpace's templates are, you don't need a large selection of them. It's easy to make a site that is unique to your needs.
Marketing Tools and SEO
Perhaps even more important than a well-designed website is a well-marketed one. Fortunately, top-notch marketing tools are available from both Wix and Squarespace. Both platforms offer tools for running an effective email marketing campaign and integrating social media into your website.
Wix
One of the big appeals for using Wix is its email marketing tools. Even using the free version, you can send up to 5000 emails over three different campaigns. After that, you can upgrade, but this starting limit gives you breathing room to get things started before your marketing efforts take off.
What's more, Wix lets you share your campaigns across various social platforms and store your contacts' details and information for future and ongoing campaigns. You'll also be able to customize the style of your emails, including background and fonts. And there's a tracker for statistics, so you'll always know how many people open, view, and click your emails. You also can upgrade to Wix Ascend, which gives you a load of tools for running a business.
As for SEO, Wix offers a step-by-step plan that sets your website up for success. The Wix SEO Wiz, as it's called, asks you for some keywords and the purpose of your site, and it does the rest. So, even if you're a complete newbie to SEO, Wix has the tools to help you.
Squarespace
Squarespace Email Campaigns is a top-notch service for managing your email marketing campaigns. With it, you can create beautiful emails with an emphasis on design for improved conversion rates. It's an all-in-one platform that integrates smoothly with most social media platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook.
One of the downsides of SquareSpace's email marketing tools is that they're not free. You can send a total of 50,000 emails over three campaigns for free, but after that, you'll need to sign up for a plan ranging from $5 to $48 each month. Depending on your needs and the size of your site, this may not be a big deal, but for some this cost could be a turn-off. However, it is a stellar service and worth considering.
Squarespace has highly-effective SEO tools built into its platform. Although it's not as beginner-friendly as Wix, it does provide you with an SEO Checklist to help you succeed. In other words, Squarespace has everything you need for proper SEO, but you'll still need to have a little knowledge or do some research to get the most bang for your buck.
Help and Support
Once again, both Wix and Squarespace have excellent help and support features. Whether you're someone who likes to look things up and figure them out yourself or you'd rather talk or chat with someone, both services have you covered.
Wix
Wix is known for offering quality help and support. It has excellent customer service and tools to help you succeed and solve problems. For example, there are question marks scattered throughout Wix's editor that provide a wealth of useful information and tips and advice.
Wix has an extensive help center where you can research how to do anything from simple tweaks to significant site-wide changes. You can also contact Wix directly by phone or email. Their experts are always happy to help you if you encounter problems.
One thing that Wix does not currently offer is live chat support. If this is your preferred method of contact, you can still get in touch with someone from Wix via their social media pages, or hop on one of their forums and get advice from fellow users.
Squarespace
Squarespace offers a wide variety of support options. It's easy to contact someone by email at any time of the day, or you can jump on Twitter, and their social media team is happy to help. On top of that, Squarespace offers live chat support during the weekdays.
Squarespace also has one of the most thorough and comprehensive knowledge bases in the industry. It's crammed with video tutorials, articles, and guides. It's highly recommended you check the knowledge base first before contacting someone.
However, Squarespace does not offer phone contact. While customer care is reliable, and the Wix team is happy to help, a lack of phone support can be a deal-breaker.
Pricing
Now we come to pricing. At the end of the day, it's crucial to find a pricing plan that offers everything you need for your website without paying for a bunch of extras you're not going to use. With this in mind, let's break down the plans a little bit.
Wix
Wix offers seven different plans, four for general websites, and three for e-commerce. The cheapest plan is $13 per month and comes with 2GB of bandwidth and 3GB of storage. From there, each plan has unlimited bandwidth and plenty of storage.
Unlimited plans range from $17 to $39. Depending on your needs, you can get everything from a Professional Logo app to priority support. Or if you're running an e-commerce site, you can go with one of the business plans, starting at $23 per month and then upgrade as your business grows to $27 and $49 per month.
Squarespace
Squarespace offers four premium price plans. Starting at $12 per month, you get unlimited bandwidth and storage, which is an outstanding deal for your money. Nevertheless, this plan is built for designing a personal website or if you're just starting.
The next step up is the Business Plan for $18 per month. With this plan, you'll get a lot of additional features, such as e-commerce tools, pop-ups, and professional emails. However, the $26 per month plan is specially designed for businesses that want to build an online store and provide all of the tools needed to succeed. Finally, the $40 per month plan has the same features but with priority support.
Best for
Generally speaking, Wix is a better overall web builder. However, SquareSpace is preferable for creatives. For beginners, Wix is easy to use, has a lot of great features, and plenty of pricing plan options. SquareSpace, on the other hand, has some of the best templates and designs on the market, with a sleek and modern feel. You'll need to choose carefully, depending on your needs.
Wix
Wix has tools for businesses and some excellent features, like subscription forms and email marketing. It also has everything you need for e-commerce. It's a solid choice for personal sites, but for blogging, there are better options, although Wix has excellent tools for including a blog as part of your business website. As for scalability, Wix will grow as your business does.
Squarespace
While Wix may cover a broader range of websites, SquareSpace is the best in town when it comes to visuals. It's ideal for photographers, artists, and bloggers that feature a lot of images. Wix also offers a range of features for small businesses, especially creative ones, from hip hop yoga to custom motorbikes. It's also great for personal sites, e-commerce, and scales as you grow.
Pros and Cons
So, Wix may be the better overall website builder, but SquareSpace is more powerful for creatives and has better visual media tools. Let's break it down.
Wix Pros and Cons
Wix is an excellent choice for beginners. It's an easy-to-use platform with a searchable knowledge base to help you along the way. It also automatically saves and backs up your site, so you'll always have peace of mind that your work is safe.
However, after you publish your site, you're stuck with whatever template you've chosen, so it's essential to choose carefully. Being stuck with a template can be a real problem as your business evolves, and if you need to change the overall appearance of your site, you'll have to start from scratch.
What's more, you may have to spend some money on third-party apps as your site grows. While Wix is perfectly capable of scaling, small app purchases can add up quickly, impacting your bottom line.
Squarespace Pros and Cons
Squarespace offers stunning templates for building your website that is mobile-ready. It also enables you to edit your site from SquareSpace's mobile app, and you can restore deleted pages and posts for up to 30 days.
That said, Squarespace does not have an internal app store, so you'll be forced to rely on in-built features only. Also, its editor doesn't have many automated features, so you'll have to do everything on your own, including saving your progress (although SquareSpace will prompt you after making major changes).
Final Thoughts
When all is said and done, you'll be able to build a beautiful website with both Wix and Squarespace. The one you choose should be based on your needs and preferences. While Wix is an excellent choice for beginners and is capable of building a variety of websites and e-commerce stores, SquareSpace is better at displaying visual media and running a small creative business for those who like complete creative control.
