When you think about building a website, the options are many and diverse. Squarespace and Wix stand out as two of the top choices when it comes to the most prominent website builders. Both platforms offer powerful tools for creating a great website without needing a degree in coding. That said, there are some noteworthy differences between the two. This small guide explores some of the differences, arguing that Squarespace is often the superior option despite both platforms offering excellent features.

Design and Aesthetics

One of the main reasons many users lean towards Squarespace is because of its outstanding design capabilities. Squarespace is known for its clean, modern, and visually appealing templates. The templates are crafted by professional graphic designers and are purposely designed to look great on both desktop and mobile devices.

Quality Over Quantity

Wix does offer a vast number of templates but the quality and design of Squarespace's templates are often considered better. Squarespace definitely does offer fewer template options compared to Wix, but each one is carefully designed to maintain high visual standards. This approach where quality is considered more valuable than quantity means that users are less likely to encounter outdated or unprofessional designs.

Customization and Design Flexibility

Squarespace offers a high level of customization while retaining the quality of its designs. Users can make a number of changes to the template including changes to fonts, colours, and spacing. Advanced users can also inject custom CSS for even more control over the site's appearance.

Wix offers more freedom than Squarespace in terms of customization but is that a good thing? While this might be welcomed by some users who like to try their hand at design, it can sometimes lead to inconsistent and less professional-looking designs overall, particularly for those without a design background. Wix's flexibility can also be its Achilles heel resulting in sub standard websites that lack clarity and professionalism. It appears you really can have too much of a good thing sometimes depending on your level of skill.

User Experience and Interface

Learning Curve

Squarespace is often loved for its intuitive user interface. It’s designed to be user-friendly, even if you have little to no experience with web design. The onboarding process is simple making it easy to get a site up and running in no time at all.

Wix, on the other hand with its broader customization options, has a much steeper learning curve. The platform's complexity can quickly become overwhelming to beginners. You might end up spending more time working out how to use the plethora of features than actually building your site.

Consistency and Cohesion

One of the things I loved about Squarespace when I first used it was how consistent it was, no matter what feature you were using. It seemed to almost know what you wanted to do next, very intuitive. It reminds me of the difference between using Apple products and Android. I always lean towards Apple and it always seems more intuitive to me, I find many creative people tend to use Squarespace in the website design world just as they do Apple products instead of Android in the phone world. It’s the same crowd, the creatives. It’s a seamless experience over all which makes it easy to get on with the main thing - building the website.

Wix’s interface, while undeniably powerful, can sometimes feel fragmented. The platform offers numerous features and tools, but they are not always easy to find. This can lead to a disjointed and confusing experience where the emphasis is on the user to navigate through various menus and settings that do not always align intuitively. Ultimately this means that the user spends more time trying to figure out how to navigate the platform than building the website which can be frustrating. Reminds me of Android and PC’s!

Features and Functionality

Built-In Features

Squarespace comes equipped with an array of built-in features. These include blogging tools, e-commerce capabilities, scheduling, course creation, analytics, email campaigns and SEO tools. This all-in-one approach means that users have almost everything they need without having to “plug in” third-party integrations. This makes Squarespace very appealing for those who want a simple, no-fuss solution.

Wix also offers a broad range of features but many of them are only available through third-party apps in the Wix App Market which again takes up time and requires more time to manage and more money to buy. The over reliance on third-party apps can also lead to compatibility issues and frustrating user experiences.

Blogging and Content Management

If blogging is important to you Squarespace offers a more diverse solution. Squarespace is widely used by bloggers and it’s blogging platform is highly regarded. Some of the features include integrated commenting, multiple author support, and easy-to-use content scheduling using categories and tags. Squarespace has built-in analytics that provide valuable insights into blog performance which helps bloggers understand their audience better.

Wix also offers blogging functionality but it is not as advanced or integrated as Squarespace’s. The blogging tools in Wix can feel like an after thought rather than one of their core features. The interface is a bit clunky and less intuitive compared to Squarespace.

E-Commerce Capabilities

Both Squarespace and Wix provide e-commerce functionality, but Squarespace stands out with its seamless and professional approach to online stores. Squarespace’s e-commerce tools include inventory management, product variants, promotional features, and secure payment processing. The platform also offers abandoned cart recovery, which is a critical feature for increasing sales.

Wix’s e-commerce capabilities are competitive, but they often require additional apps to match the functionality provided by Squarespace out of the box. This can lead to a more complex setup process and potential integration issues. For users who are serious about running an online store, Squarespace’s integrated e-commerce solution is typically the better choice.

Performance and Reliability

Hosting and Security

Squarespace includes high-performance hosting and high-level security features included free with every website. This ensures that websites not only load quickly but are also protected against common threats. Squarespace’s infrastructure is built to handle significant traffic making it a reliable choice for growing businesses.

Wix also provides reliable hosting, but its performance can vary depending on how complex the website is and the number of third-party apps used. Wix does offer great security features but the over reliance on third-party integrations can sometimes lead to problems that are not as common in Squarespace’s more controlled approach.

Customer Support

Squarespace is known for its excellent customer support and shines in this area. Customers have access to 24/7 email support, live chat, and an extensive knowledge base filled with tutorials and guides. The quality and speed of Squarespace’s support team are often highlighted as a massive advantage over the competition.

Wix offers various support channels, including phone support, live chat, and a help centre. However, the quality of support can be inconsistent, and customers sometimes report longer wait times for resolution than with Squarespace. Squarespace isn’t perfect but for those who value quick and reliable customer support, Squarespace has the edge.

Pricing and Value

Transparent Pricing

Squarespace offers straightforward pricing plans with no hidden fees. The plans are structured to provide a clear understanding of what features are included, allowing users to choose the best option for their needs. This transparency extends to e-commerce features, where the cost of running an online store is clearly outlined.

Wix’s pricing can be more complex due to the sheer range of plans and additional costs associated with third-party apps. Users might find it challenging to determine the total cost of owning all of these apps, especially if they need to purchase multiple apps to achieve the desired functionality. This can lead to unexpected expenses.

Long-Term Value

While both platforms offer competitive pricing, Squarespace often provides better long-term value for users seeking a professional and scalable website. The built-in features, high-quality design templates, and reliable support make it a worthwhile investment. Users do not need to worry about additional costs or third-party app subscriptions, which can add up over time on Wix.

SEO and Marketing

Built-In SEO Tools

Squarespace offers high quality SEO tools that are built into the platform. Users can easily edit meta tags, create clean URLs, and manage site maps. Squarespace also automatically generates XML sitemaps and clean, readable HTML markup, which is beneficial for search engine indexing. Users can also integrate Google console and Google analytics data into the Squarespace platform so that everything can be seen in one place at a glance.

Wix has made significant improvements to its SEO capabilities in recent years, and it offers a range of tools to help users optimize their sites. However, the SEO tools are often spread across different apps and settings, which can be confusing for users who are not familiar with SEO best practices. Squarespace’s integrated approach provides a more streamlined experience for optimizing websites for search engines.

Marketing Tools

Squarespace includes a suite of marketing tools designed to help users promote their websites and grow their audience. These tools include email marketing, social media integration, and promotional pop-ups. This approach ensures that all marketing efforts are aligned with the site’s design and functionality.

Wix also offers marketing tools, but like its other features, they are often reliant on third-party apps. This can lead to a fragmented marketing strategy and additional costs for users who need to purchase and integrate multiple apps. Squarespace’s all-in-one solution provides a more cohesive and cost-effective approach to marketing.

Conclusion

While both Squarespace and Wix are powerful website builders with their own unique strengths, Squarespace emerges as the superior option for serious website creators in my opinion. Its emphasis on high-quality design, intuitive user experience, integrated features, reliable performance and transparent pricing make it an ideal choice for users who want a professional and scalable website without the hassle of dealing with third-party integrations and potential inconsistencies.

Key Takeaways

Design and Aesthetics: Squarespace offers a selection of meticulously designed templates that are both modern and visually appealing, ensuring a professional look for any website. Wix, while providing a larger number of templates, often lacks the same level of design quality and consistency.
User Experience and Interface: Squarespace's user interface is streamlined and intuitive, making it easy for users to create and manage their websites. Wix's drag-and-drop editor, although powerful, can be overwhelming and lead to less professional-looking results for users without a design background. Too much freedom can sometimes be a bad thing depending on your personal preference and how you like to work.
Features and Functionality: Squarespace includes a comprehensive set of built-in features that cover all essential aspects of website building including editable design templates, blogging, scheduling, course creation, newsletters, invoicing, email campaigns and e-commerce. Wix, on the other hand, relies heavily on third-party apps, which can complicate the setup and increase costs.
Performance and Reliability: Squarespace offers robust hosting and security features, ensuring reliable performance and protection against common threats. Wix's performance can vary, especially when using multiple third-party apps, which can introduce vulnerabilities and slow down the site.
Customer Support: Squarespace provides excellent customer support with 24/7 email support, live chat, and a comprehensive knowledge base. Wix's support, while available through various channels, can be inconsistent and slower in response times.
Pricing and Value: Squarespace's transparent pricing plans offer clear value without hidden fees, making it easier for users to budget. Wix's pricing can be more complex due to additional costs associated with third-party apps.
SEO and Marketing: Squarespace includes robust SEO tools and a suite of marketing tools that are integrated into the platform, providing a cohesive strategy for promoting websites. Wix's SEO and marketing tools, although improved, are often fragmented across different apps and settings.

I have been using Squarespace for my website design and SEO business Kaiō Marketing for years now and it has served me well. I find it is easily the best and most versatile solution for small businesses, charities and organisations of all sizes. If you are looking for website design or SEO services why not get in touch at info@kaiomarketing.com

You receive 20% off of the Squarespace subscription cost when you use me to design your website because I am an official Squarespace Circle member.

Squarespace vs Wix: Why Squarespace is the Superior Option