Wix vs Squarespace
Editor Sebastiaan Smits ·
Published November 12, 2026 · Updated November 12, 2026
Wix lets you build and keep a site for free, then charges for a custom domain, storage and payments across a ladder of five plans. Squarespace has no free plan, only a 14-day trial, and states its store fees in plain numbers on one pricing page. Wix suits testing before paying; Squarespace suits people who want the fee terms up front.
Side by side
 Wix |  Squarespace | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | All-in-one, AI-assisted website builder with CMS features | Design-forward, template-based website and content platform |
| Best for | Small businesses wanting an all-in-one, no-code platform | Design-conscious small businesses and creatives |
| Headquarters | Israel | United States |
| Pricing model | Per site / month | Per site / month |
| Pricing | A free plan is available with Wix branding and a Wix subdomain; paid Premium plans are billed per site on a published table, adding a custom domain, storage and removing ads. | Published plans are billed per site with no permanent free tier, only a 14-day trial; every plan includes a store, with a 2% store fee on Basic that Core and higher plans remove. |
| Free option | Free plan | Free trial |
| List price as listed on November 12, 2026 | Free plan, then paid plans from $17.77 per month on a yearly subscription (Light) | No free plan; 14-day free trial, then Basic, Core, Plus or Advanced, with a pay annually or pay monthly option |
| Place in our CMS (content management system) software ranking | #10 of 14 | #11 of 14 |
| Website | wix.com | squarespace.com |
Both are reviewed in full in Best CMS (Content Management System) Software in 2026. Vendors can pay for more visibility, and commercial relationships can affect which products we feature and how prominently. Placement disclosure.
Which one to choose
Choose Wix if
you want to build a site before spending anything, need to see how much storage each plan includes, and are happy to pay only once you connect a domain or take payments.
Wix, #10 in the ranking · Visit Wix →
Choose Squarespace if
you are ready to pay from the start, want the store transaction fee and card rates printed on the pricing page, and prefer a contracting entity in Ireland if you are outside the United States.
Squarespace, #11 in the ranking · Visit Squarespace →
Where they differ
Building before you pay
Wix offers a free plan that needs no credit card, so a site can sit online indefinitely while you decide. Premium plans remove Wix branding and allow a custom domain. Squarespace has no free plan; every site starts with a 14-day trial, also without a credit card, after which a plan is required. For someone still unsure, Wix gives more time to decide.
Edge: Wix
Storage you can read off the plan
Wix lists storage per plan: Light 2 GB, Core 50 GB, Business 100 GB and Business Elite unlimited. That makes it easy to see which tier a media-heavy site needs. The Squarespace pricing page we opened names four plans, Basic, Core, Plus and Advanced, but does not state storage for any of them, so the comparison cannot be finished on that point.
Edge: Wix
Store fees and card rates
Squarespace prints its terms: a 2% transaction fee on Basic and 0% on Core, Plus and Advanced, with card rates of 2.0% plus 0.25 EUR on Basic and Core, 1.7% on Plus and 1.5% on Advanced. Wix says building a store is free and accepting payments needs a paid plan, but neither page we opened states a transaction fee. Squarespace is the more transparent of the two here.
Edge: Squarespace
Domain on the annual term
Both give a custom domain free for the first year. On Wix this applies to Light, Core, Business and Business Elite plans, billed yearly. On Squarespace it applies to an annual term, while unlimited domains can be attached on monthly or yearly plans. The terms differ in wording but not in outcome: a year of domain cost is covered either way, so we call this even.
Edge: even
Who you contract with
Wix is a Nasdaq-listed company headquartered in Tel Aviv, and its about page gives the legal name as Wix.com, Inc. Squarespace, founded in 2003, contracts through Squarespace, Inc. in the United States and Squarespace Ireland Limited elsewhere. Its privacy policy says personal data may move to US servers, with the Data Privacy Frameworks covering EEA, UK and Swiss transfers. Neither page settles data location.
Edge: even
Tally: Wix 2, Squarespace 1, even 2.
When neither fits
Neither is right for a team that wants to own and host its own site software. Wix and Squarespace are hosted builders, and both tie you to their platform and plans. WordPress is open source under GPLv2 or later and developed by a community, and Ghost is the narrower choice for a publication, with hosted plans from $18 a month billed yearly.
See WordPress and Ghost among the 14 products in Best CMS (Content Management System) Software in 2026.
Questions and answers
Does Wix or Squarespace have a free plan?
Wix does: its free plan needs no credit card, and premium plans remove Wix branding. Squarespace has no free plan, only a 14-day trial for every site, also without a credit card. For long-term use without paying, only Wix qualifies.
How much does Wix cost per month?
On yearly subscriptions Wix lists Light at $17.77, Core at $29.77, Business at $39.77 and Business Elite at $159.77 a month, as shown on its pricing page. A separate monthly-billed price is not shown there, so we do not quote one.
Does Squarespace charge a transaction fee?
Yes, on its lowest plan. Squarespace lists a 2% online store transaction fee on Basic and 0% on Core, Plus and Advanced. Card processing is 2.0% plus 0.25 EUR on Basic and Core, 1.7% on Plus and 1.5% on Advanced.
Do Wix and Squarespace include a free domain?
Yes, for the first year. Wix includes a free custom domain for one year on Light, Core, Business and Business Elite. Squarespace includes one free year on an annual term and lets you attach unlimited domains on monthly or yearly plans.
Sources
Prices, plan limits and product facts on this page were checked against the vendors' own pages on November 12, 2026. Vendors change both without notice, so treat the figures as of that date.
- Wix premium plans page: Free plan with no credit card, yearly prices for Light, Core, Business and Business Elite, storage per plan, free domain for one year, removal of Wix branding
- Wix about page: Headquarters in Tel Aviv, Nasdaq listing, founded 2006, legal name Wix.com, Inc.
- Wix eCommerce page: Building a store is free and accepting payments needs a paid plan
- Squarespace pricing page: Basic, Core, Plus and Advanced plans, 14-day trial, no free plan, store transaction fee and card rates, free domain on an annual term
- Squarespace about page: Founded 2003, New York office
- Squarespace privacy policy: Squarespace, Inc. and Squarespace Ireland Limited as operating entities, US server transfers, Data Privacy Frameworks for EEA, UK and Swiss transfers
- Squarespace eCommerce page: Store features and the need to connect a payment processor
- WordPress about page: GPLv2 or later license and community development
- Ghost pricing page: Ghost(Pro) Starter at $18 a month billed yearly