Wix vs Squarespace vs a Web Designer: Which Is Right for Your Business?

If you run a small business and need a website, you will quickly land on the same three options. You can build it yourself on Wix, build it yourself on Squarespace, or pay someone to build it for you. Each route has loyal fans and frustrated former users, and the right answer depends far more on your situation than on which platform is "best".

This guide gives you a fair, practical comparison. We will look at what each option is genuinely good at, where it tends to fall short, what it really costs once you include your own time, and how to decide. We will not quote exact platform prices because they change often, so always check current pricing on the official sites before you commit.

The quick answer

• Choose Wix if you enjoy tinkering, want maximum drag and drop freedom, and need lots of add-on features through an app market.
• Choose Squarespace if you care most about clean, polished design out of the box and you are happy working within a more structured editor.
• Choose a web designer if your time is worth more spent on the business, you want a site built around getting enquiries, and you would like someone else to handle updates, fixes and security.

Now let us look at why.

What Wix does well

Wix is one of the best known website builders in the world, and for good reason. Its editor lets you place almost any element anywhere on the page. If you have a clear picture of how you want something to look, you can usually make it happen without code.

Strengths

• Flexibility: the freeform editor gives you pixel level control over layout.
• App market: a large library of add-ons for bookings, forms, chat, events, restaurants and more.
• Templates: hundreds of industry specific starting points.
• All in one: hosting, security certificates and updates are handled for you.

Common frustrations

• Too much freedom: it is easy to create a page that looks fine on a laptop and messy on a phone, so you often end up editing the mobile view separately.
• App costs add up: some of the most useful add-ons carry their own monthly fees on top of your plan.
• Hard to move away: you cannot simply export a Wix site to another host. If you leave, you typically rebuild.
• Speed: heavily customised Wix pages with many apps can feel slower, particularly on mobile data.

What Squarespace does well

Squarespace built its reputation on design. Its templates are elegant, consistent and look professional with very little effort, which is why it is popular with photographers, creatives, restaurants and boutique service businesses.

Strengths

• Design quality: templates look polished by default, with good typography and spacing.
• Structured editor: sections and blocks keep layouts tidy and usually responsive on mobile.
• Built in features: blogging, basic ecommerce, scheduling and email marketing are available within the platform, some as paid extras.
• Reliable hosting: security and uptime are managed for you.

Common frustrations

• Less flexibility: if you want something the template was not designed for, you can hit walls quickly.
• Fewer integrations: the extension library is smaller than Wix, so niche needs can be harder to meet.
• Learning curve: the editor is clean but not always intuitive for first timers.
• Lock in: like Wix, moving your site elsewhere usually means rebuilding it.

What a web designer does well

A web designer, whether a freelancer, a small studio or a subscription service, takes the build off your hands. A good one will also think about what the site needs to achieve: calls, bookings, quote requests or sales.

Strengths

• Your time back: you supply information and photos, review a draft, and approve.
• Built to convert: an experienced designer structures pages around the actions you want visitors to take.
• Technical setup done properly: page titles, meta descriptions, Google Business Profile, analytics and speed are handled.
• Ongoing support: on a care plan, someone fixes problems and makes changes for you.

Common frustrations

• Higher upfront cost: traditional freelancers and agencies often charge a significant one off fee.
• Quality varies: some designers vanish after launch or hold your domain hostage.
• Waiting on changes: you may need to ask for edits rather than making them yourself.

Side by side comparison

Factor	Wix	Squarespace	Web designer
Upfront cost	Low	Low	Low to high, depends on provider
Ongoing cost	Monthly plan plus any paid apps	Monthly plan plus paid extras	Care plan or hourly changes
Your time	Often 20 to 40 hours to build	Often 15 to 30 hours to build	A few hours of input and review
Design freedom	Very high	Moderate, template led	High, within budget
Mobile results	Needs checking	Usually good by default	Should be tested for you
SEO setup	Tools provided, you do the work	Tools provided, you do the work	Usually done for you
Support	Help centre and chat	Help centre and chat	A named person
Moving later	Rebuild needed	Rebuild needed	Depends on platform used

The real cost: your time

Platform pricing for Wix and Squarespace business plans typically sits at roughly the same level as a couple of takeaway meals a month, with ecommerce tiers costing more. That looks cheap, and the subscription itself often is. The hidden cost is your time.

A first time builder typically spends many evenings choosing a template, writing copy, resizing photos, fixing the mobile layout, connecting a domain and working out why the contact form is not sending emails. If you value your time at even a modest hourly rate, a DIY site can cost more than a professional one in the first year. That is before counting the enquiries you might lose if the result looks amateur.

For a deeper breakdown of budgets, read our guide on how much a small business website costs.

SEO: does the platform matter?

Both Wix and Squarespace are perfectly capable of ranking on Google. Neither platform will hold you back if the basics are done well. What usually holds small business sites back is not the platform but the content and setup:

• Page titles that say "Home" instead of your service and location.
• No mention of the towns or areas you serve.
• Thin pages with a few lines of text.
• No Google Business Profile, or one that is not linked to the site.
• Slow loading images uploaded straight from a phone.

A builder gives you the tools. A designer typically uses them for you. If your current site is invisible, our guide on why your website is not showing on Google walks through the usual causes.

How to decide: a simple checklist

Answer these honestly:

1. Do I enjoy design and tech? If yes, a builder can be rewarding. If not, it will feel like a chore.
2. Do I have 20 or more spare hours in the next month? If not, the site may never get finished.
3. Is my site mainly a portfolio or a lead generator? Portfolios suit Squarespace. Lead generators benefit from a designer's conversion thinking.
4. Do I need special features? Lots of niche integrations point towards Wix or a designer.
5. Who will fix it when something breaks? If the answer is "nobody", consider a care plan.
6. Do I want to own my domain outright? Whatever you choose, register the domain in your own name.

Questions to ask any web designer

If you go the professional route, protect yourself by asking:

• Will the domain be registered in my name?
• What exactly is included in the monthly fee, and what costs extra?
• How long is the contract, and what is the notice period?
• How long until the site is live?
• Can I see examples of sites you have built for businesses like mine?
• What happens to my site and content if I leave?

Where SiteDrum fits

SiteDrum sits between DIY and a traditional agency. We build the site for you, live in 7 days, and look after it every month. Starter is $99 setup then $15 per month, Business is $249 setup then $29 per month, and Premium is $499 setup then $59 per month including an online shop. Every plan includes a WhatsApp button and Google Business Profile setup, there are no long contracts, and you own your domain. Compare plans on our pricing section, or see examples for businesses in London, New York and Toronto.

Not sure which route suits you? Book a free 15 minute call and we will give you an honest answer, even if that answer is Wix or Squarespace.

Scenarios: which route fits which business?

A sole trader electrician or plumber

You need a clear list of services, the areas you cover, a phone number that can be tapped, a WhatsApp button and some reviews. You probably do not need endless design freedom, and you almost certainly do not have spare evenings. A designer on a low monthly plan usually suits best, because the site exists to make the phone ring and someone else keeps it running.

A wedding photographer or interior designer

Your work is visual and your portfolio does the selling. Squarespace is often a strong fit here, because its templates show off large images beautifully. If you enjoy curating galleries yourself, the time investment can feel worthwhile.

A cafe or restaurant

You need menus, opening hours, a map, booking or ordering links, and fast loading on mobile. Either builder can work, but menus change often and many owners prefer someone else to update them. Check how easily you can edit menu content on whichever route you pick.

A growing business with several services

Once you have multiple service pages, location pages and perhaps a blog, structure matters. Wix can handle this with care, but a designer who plans a sensible page structure from the start usually saves you a messy rebuild later.

Mistakes to avoid whichever you choose

• Registering the domain through someone else's account. Always keep it in your own name.
• Choosing a template for looks alone. Check how it handles your actual content on a phone.
• Skipping the basics: clear contact details, service areas and a strong call to action on every page.
• Forgetting the ongoing work. A site needs occasional updates, fresh content and checks that forms still work.
• Signing long contracts with any provider before you know they deliver.

The bottom line

Wix suits hands on owners who want freedom. Squarespace suits owners who want beautiful design with less fiddling. A web designer suits owners who would rather spend their time running the business and want a site built to bring in customers. Pick based on your time, your skills and what the site needs to achieve, not on which logo you have seen advertised most.

Frequently asked questions

Website design in New York · Website design in London · Website design in Amsterdam · Website design in Singapore · Website design in Melbourne

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