Wix vs Squarespace Pricing 2026: The Real Cost of Building Your Website on Each Platform

Key Takeaway

Wix starts free and its paid plans begin at $17/month, but 2 GB of storage and paid marketplace apps add up fast. Squarespace starts at $16/month with unlimited storage, but that price jumps to $25/month at renewal, and the e-commerce tier charges a 3% transaction fee. The cheaper platform depends entirely on what you’re building and how long you plan to keep it running.

This is the most common website builder comparison for a reason. Wix and Squarespace are the two platforms most people evaluate when they need a site without hiring a developer. Both advertise affordable starting prices. Both bury costs that change the math.

The sticker prices look close. The total cost of ownership is not. Here’s where the money actually goes on each platform.

Sticker price comparison

All prices reflect annual billing. Monthly billing is 30-50% higher on both platforms.

Plan level	Wix	Squarespace	Difference
Free / Trial	Free (permanent, Wix subdomain)	14-day trial (no credit card)	Wix wins: free tier vs. trial
Entry-level	Light: $17/mo	Basic: $16/mo	Squarespace: $1/mo cheaper
Mid-range	Core: $29/mo	Core: $23/mo	Squarespace: $6/mo cheaper
E-commerce	Core: $29/mo (0% platform fee)	Core: $23/mo (3% fee) or Plus: $39/mo (0% fee)	Depends on sales volume
Advanced	Business: $39/mo	Plus: $39/mo	Same price

At first glance, Squarespace is slightly cheaper at the entry and mid-range tiers. But those numbers don’t tell the full story.

Where Wix wins on price

A real free plan

Wix’s free plan isn’t a 14-day trial. It’s a permanent tier that includes 500 MB of storage, a Wix subdomain, 2,000+ templates, SSL, and the full site builder. You can’t connect a custom domain, you’ll show Wix branding, and there’s no e-commerce. But you can build and publish a live site at zero cost.

Squarespace gives you 14 days to try the platform, then you pay or your site goes offline. If you’re testing an idea, building a prototype, or just learning the tool, Wix lets you do that indefinitely.

No platform transaction fees on e-commerce

This is Wix’s biggest pricing advantage for online stores. Every Wix e-commerce plan (Core and above) charges 0% platform transaction fees. You still pay the payment processor (2.9% + $0.30 through Wix Payments), but Wix itself takes no cut.

Squarespace Core charges a 3% Squarespace transaction fee on top of payment processing fees. On a $100 sale, you pay $2.90 + $0.30 to the processor and $3.00 to Squarespace. That’s $6.20 per $100 in sales, compared to $3.20 on Wix.

To get 0% transaction fees on Squarespace, you need Plus at $39/month — $10/month more than Wix Core.

More flexible structure and AI site builder

Wix’s drag-and-drop editor gives you pixel-level control over layout. You can place elements anywhere on the page, which is either liberating or chaotic depending on your design skills. Squarespace uses a structured grid system that’s more constrained but produces more consistently professional results.

Wix also includes an AI site builder that generates a working site from a text description. It’s not a replacement for manual design, but it gets you to a functional starting point faster than building from a blank template.

Cheaper monthly billing

If you can’t commit to annual billing, Wix’s monthly rates are lower at comparable tiers. Wix Light is $24/month versus Squarespace Basic at $25/month. Wix Core is $36/month versus Squarespace Core at $36/month (same). The difference is small, but monthly billing is where budget-conscious users often land.

Where Squarespace earns its price

Unlimited storage on every plan

This is Squarespace’s single biggest advantage. Every Squarespace plan, from Basic to Plus, includes unlimited storage. Wix Light gives you 2 GB. Wix Core gives you 50 GB. Wix Business gives you 100 GB.

For a simple text-based site, 2 GB is fine. For a photographer’s portfolio, a restaurant with food photography, or a business with video content, 2 GB is nothing. You’ll either compress everything aggressively or upgrade to Core.

At the entry-level tier, Squarespace’s unlimited storage versus Wix’s 2 GB cap is a meaningful difference that tips the value in Squarespace’s favor for media-heavy sites.

Better templates and design consistency

Squarespace’s templates are widely considered the best in the website builder category. They’re clean, modern, mobile-responsive, and designed with visual consistency. The structured grid system means even users with no design sense end up with professional-looking sites.

Wix offers 2,000+ templates with more variety but less quality control. Some are excellent. Some look like they were designed in 2015. The free-placement editor means you can also accidentally create layouts that look broken on different screen sizes.

If design quality is a priority and you don’t want to hire a designer, Squarespace is the safer bet.

Better for portfolios and creative businesses

Squarespace was built for visual content. Its gallery layouts, portfolio templates, and image handling are noticeably better than Wix’s equivalents. Photographers, artists, architects, and designers consistently choose Squarespace for this reason.

Unlimited pages from day one

Squarespace Basic includes unlimited pages. Wix Light caps you at 100 pages. Most small sites won’t hit 100 pages, but if you’re building a content-heavy site with blog posts, portfolio pieces, and service pages, the cap matters. For a broader look at what both platforms offer at the entry level, see our best website builders under $20 guide.

Hidden costs: Wix

Hidden cost	Amount	Notes
Domain renewal (year 2+)	$13-21/year	Free for year one on paid plans. Renewal price depends on TLD. Private registration is $9.90/year extra.
Business email	$6/user/month	Requires Google Workspace. Not included in any plan.
Premium marketplace apps	$2.50-499/month each	Many “essential” features (booking, events, restaurants) come from paid apps. Costs stack.
Payment processing	2.9% + $0.30/transaction	Standard rate through Wix Payments.

The marketplace app cost is the one that catches people off guard. Wix’s app market contains thousands of add-ons, but the useful ones (advanced booking, table reservations, event management, membership areas) often cost $5-50/month each. A restaurant site with reservations, online ordering, and a loyalty program can easily add $30-80/month in app subscriptions on top of the base plan.

Hidden costs: Squarespace

Hidden cost	Amount	Notes
Renewal price increase	56-64% increase	Basic goes from $16/mo to $25/mo at renewal. Core from $23 to $36. Budget for year-two pricing.
3% transaction fee (Core)	3% of all sales	On top of payment processor fees. Only removed on Plus ($39/mo).
Business email	~$6/user/month	Requires Google Workspace, same as Wix.
Scheduling	$16-49/month	For appointment-based businesses. Separate subscription.
Email Campaigns	$5-48/month	Built-in email marketing tool. Priced by subscriber count.
Member Areas	$9-119/month	For gated content, courses, or community areas.

The renewal price increase is Squarespace’s biggest hidden cost. A Basic plan that costs $192/year in year one costs $300/year in year two. That’s a $108 increase with no additional features. Wix’s renewal pricing stays the same (though the free domain goes away, adding $13-21/year).

E-commerce cost comparison

This is where the pricing math gets interesting. Squarespace looks cheaper at the sticker price, but the 3% transaction fee on Core can make Wix the better deal depending on your sales volume.

Monthly cost at different sales volumes (annual billing)

Monthly sales	Wix Core ($29/mo)	Squarespace Core ($23/mo + 3%)	Squarespace Plus ($39/mo, 0%)
$0 (no sales)	$29	$23	$39
$100/mo	$29	$26	$39
$200/mo	$29	$29	$39
$500/mo	$29	$38	$39
$1,000/mo	$29	$53	$39
$2,000/mo	$29	$83	$39
$5,000/mo	$29	$173	$39

The break-even point is around $200/month in sales. Below that, Squarespace Core is cheaper. Above that, the 3% fee makes it more expensive than Wix Core.

If you’re selling more than $334/month, Squarespace Plus ($39/month with 0% fee) becomes cheaper than Squarespace Core. But at that point, Wix Core at $29/month is still $10/month less.

The bottom line for e-commerce: Wix Core ($29/month) is cheaper than any Squarespace option for stores doing more than $200/month in sales. For stores doing less than $200/month, Squarespace Core saves a few dollars, but you should question whether the 3% fee will become a problem as sales grow.

Both platforms charge standard payment processing fees (2.9% + $0.30) in addition to the platform fees shown above.

Real-world cost scenarios

Scenario 1: Personal blog or portfolio (no e-commerce)

	Wix Light	Squarespace Basic
Base plan (annual)	$17/mo ($204/yr)	$16/mo ($192/yr)
Domain (year 1)	Free	Free
Domain (year 2+)	$15/yr	$20/yr
Email (1 user)	$72/yr	$72/yr
Year 1 total	$276	$264
Year 2 total	$291	$392

Year 1: Squarespace is $12 cheaper. Both include a free domain.

Year 2: Wix is $101 cheaper. Squarespace’s renewal increase from $16 to $25/month accounts for the entire swing. Add in the fact that Squarespace gives you unlimited storage versus Wix’s 2 GB, and this becomes a trade-off between price and storage capacity.

Scenario 2: Small business site (no e-commerce, needs apps)

	Wix Core	Squarespace Core
Base plan (annual)	$29/mo ($348/yr)	$23/mo ($276/yr)
Domain (year 2+)	$15/yr	$20/yr
Email (2 users)	$144/yr	$144/yr
Booking/scheduling app	~$120/yr	$192-588/yr
Year 1 total	$612	$612-$1,008
Year 2 total	$627	$852-$1,248

At this level, the costs converge or tip in Wix’s favor. Wix’s booking apps from the marketplace typically run $5-10/month. Squarespace Scheduling is $16-49/month. The base plan savings on Squarespace can get eaten by the higher add-on costs.

Scenario 3: E-commerce store ($1,000/month in sales)

	Wix Core	Squarespace Core	Squarespace Plus
Base plan (annual)	$29/mo ($348/yr)	$23/mo ($276/yr)	$39/mo ($468/yr)
Transaction fee	0%	3% ($360/yr)	0%
Domain (year 2+)	$15/yr	$20/yr	$20/yr
Email (1 user)	$72/yr	$72/yr	$72/yr
Year 1 total	$420	$708	$540
Year 2 total	$435	$948	$780

Wix Core saves $120/year versus Squarespace Plus and $288/year versus Squarespace Core for a store doing $1,000/month. The gap widens as sales increase because Squarespace Core’s 3% fee scales with revenue while Wix’s cost stays flat.

Who should choose Wix

Budget-conscious starters. The free plan lets you build and publish without spending anything. When you’re ready to upgrade, Light at $17/month and Core at $29/month are predictable costs without renewal surprises.

E-commerce sellers. Zero platform transaction fees from the Core plan onward. If you’re selling anything online, Wix’s e-commerce pricing is simpler and cheaper than Squarespace at any meaningful sales volume.

People who want flexibility. Wix’s free-form editor, 2,000+ templates, and extensive app marketplace give you more customization options. If you want to bolt on specific functionality (restaurant ordering, fitness booking, event ticketing), the Wix app market likely has it.

Anyone who hates renewal surprises. Wix’s annual pricing stays the same at renewal. The only added cost is domain renewal ($13-21/year). No sticker shock in year two.

Who should choose Squarespace

Design-first users. If your site’s visual quality is the top priority and you don’t want to think about design decisions, Squarespace’s templates and structured editor produce better-looking results with less effort.

Photographers, artists, and creatives. Portfolio layouts, gallery handling, and image presentation are genuinely superior on Squarespace. The templates are built for showcasing visual work.

Media-heavy sites. Unlimited storage on every plan means you never worry about running out of space. If you have hundreds of high-resolution images or video content, the storage alone justifies Squarespace over Wix Light’s 2 GB cap.

Sites that don’t need e-commerce. If you’re building an informational site, portfolio, or blog with no plans to sell anything, Squarespace’s transaction fee is irrelevant, and you get a more polished platform for roughly the same price as Wix.

The verdict

Neither platform is universally cheaper. The right choice depends on three questions:

Are you selling products online? Choose Wix. Zero transaction fees on Core ($29/month) beats Squarespace’s 3% fee on Core or the $10/month premium for Plus. The savings increase as your sales grow.

Is design quality your top priority? Choose Squarespace. Better templates, better image handling, more professional results with less effort. Budget for the renewal increase in year two.

Are you price-sensitive long-term? Choose Wix. Squarespace’s introductory pricing is a year-one discount that disappears at renewal. Wix’s pricing is what you see. A Squarespace Basic plan costs $108 more in year two than year one, with no new features to show for it.

For a simple personal site or blog, either platform works. The $1/month difference at the entry level is irrelevant. Pick whichever editor you prefer — Wix’s free plan lets you try it at no risk, and Squarespace’s 14-day trial (no credit card required) gives you enough time to evaluate.

For anything involving e-commerce, the math clearly favors Wix unless your store will never exceed $200/month in sales.

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Pricing sourced from Wix and Squarespace. Last checked March 2026.