Wix vs Squarespace for Small Business: How the Plans Differ
Wix and Squarespace compared on how their plans are structured: free plan versus trial, domain inclusion, billing and store fees, using their own pricing pages.
Wix and Squarespace both sell hosted website builders: you pay a subscription and get hosting, templates and an editor. This article compares how their plans are structured, using each company's pricing page as checked on 20 September 2026. It doesn't quote prices, which change and vary by location, and it isn't based on hands-on testing.
This article is part of our guide to choosing a website builder.
Side by side
| Wix | Squarespace | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan names | Free, Light, Core, Business, Business Elite | Personal, Business, Commerce, Commerce Advanced (plus a Premium tier for larger businesses) |
| Try before you pay | A free plan with no credit card required | A 14-day free trial with no credit card required |
| Free plan limits | Wix-hosted address, no custom domain, Wix branding stays | Trial, not a permanent free plan |
| Domain | Most yearly and multi-year premium plans include a 1-year free domain voucher | Annual subscriptions include one year of free domain registration for new websites |
| Billing | Prices shown are for yearly subscriptions paid upfront; other periods are available | Monthly and annual; the annual plan is described as saving up to 36% compared to monthly |
| Store fees | Not covered here | Online store transaction fees fall by plan: 2% on Personal, 0% on Business and above; digital content fees also vary by plan |
| Money-back | 14-day money-back guarantee on first premium upgrades | Change or cancel at any time, effective at the end of the billing cycle |
| Regional pricing | Prices and currency vary by location | Check your region |
What the differences mean
Free plan versus trial. Wix lets you keep a site on a free plan indefinitely, but only on a Wix address. That is fine for testing. A business needs a custom domain, which needs a paid plan. Squarespace gives you 14 days, after which you pay.
The first-year domain. Both include a first-year domain on some plans. Ask what it costs to renew, because that is the price you'll pay from year two.
Billing period. Both show cheaper effective prices for annual payment. That's fine once you're sure of the platform; for a first trial, avoid a long commitment.
Selling online. If you plan to take payments through the site, compare transaction fees. Squarespace lists 2% on its Personal plan for online stores and 0% on Business and above. Look up the equivalent on Wix's current pages before you decide.
How to decide
- Work out what the site must do: information only, bookings or a shop.
- Build your real home page on Wix's free plan and in Squarespace's trial.
- Check the mobile version.
- Compare the total cost for a full year, including domain and any fees.
- Confirm you can export your text and images.
For the wider choice, see our guide to choosing a website builder and WordPress.com vs WordPress.org. Once your site is live, Core Web Vitals for small business websites explains how to check its speed.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, Wix or Squarespace?
We don't quote prices here because both vary by region, billing period and promotion. Compare the yearly total for the plan you'd actually need, including the domain and any store transaction fees, on each vendor's current pricing page.
Which is easier to use?
We haven't built sites on both, so we can't say. Use Wix's free plan and Squarespace's 14-day trial to build your real home page in each and compare.
Can I use my own domain?
Wix's free plan has no custom domain, but paid plans do, and most yearly plans include a one-year free domain voucher according to its plans page. Squarespace says annual subscriptions include one year of free domain registration for new websites, and you can connect an existing domain.
Sources
- Wix — Plans and pricing — checked Sep 20, 2026
- Squarespace — Pricing — checked Sep 20, 2026
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