For most small businesses, Wix and Squarespace are the easiest way to build a website yourself, while WordPress gives you more control and ownership but asks more of you, or of whoever looks after it. A custom-designed website costs more up front but saves you the evenings, and is built around how your customers actually find and contact you.
The honest answer to "which is best?" is that it depends on your time, your budget and how much you want to own. Here's how they compare, from a web designer with 8 years in the industry.
The four options in plain English
Wix is an all-in-one website builder. You pay a monthly subscription, pick a template, and drag and drop your content into place. Hosting is included.
Squarespace works the same way, with a smaller set of polished, design-led templates. Also a monthly subscription, also hosting included.
WordPress (the free, open-source software from wordpress.org) is what a large share of the web runs on. You install it on hosting you choose, add a theme and plugins, and manage it yourself or have someone do it for you.
Custom means a designer creates your site from a blank canvas around your business. Mine are built as editable WordPress, so you get the design and the ownership.
Side by side
| Wix | Squarespace | WordPress (DIY) | Custom design | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who builds it | You | You | You, or a developer | A designer |
| Ease of setup | Easy | Easy | Steeper learning curve | Done for you |
| How it looks | Template-based | Template-based, polished | Depends on the theme | Designed around your business |
| Hosting | Included in subscription | Included in subscription | Chosen and paid separately | Organised for you |
| Moving away later | Usually means rebuilding | Usually means rebuilding | Easy to move hosts | Easy to move hosts |
| Ongoing upkeep | Platform handles it | Platform handles it | Updates are your job | Managed by me, or by you |
| Best for | Quick DIY sites | Visual DIY sites | Hands-on owners who want control | Businesses that want it done well |
Wix vs WordPress: the real trade-off
The big difference between Wix and WordPress for a small business isn't features. It's control.
With Wix, the platform looks after hosting, security and updates, which is genuinely convenient. The catch is that your site lives on Wix. If you outgrow it, you usually start again on something else.
With WordPress, you can take your site to any host, extend it with plugins, and hand it to any developer. The catch is that someone has to keep it updated, backed up and secure. If that someone is you, it's another job on the list. I explain the two ways I handle this in website hosting explained.
Where DIY builders shine
I'll be honest: Wix and Squarespace are the right choice for some businesses. They make sense when:
- You're testing an idea and need something live this weekend
- Your budget is very tight and your time isn't
- You enjoy design and don't mind fiddling
- You're happy with a template look
If that's you, go for it. Just keep your content (words and photos) saved somewhere outside the platform, so you can reuse it later.
Where they fall short
The problems usually show up a year or two in:
- It looks like a template, because it is one, and so do your competitors' sites
- The hours add up, and fighting a page builder at night is time you're not spending on your business
- Key things get missed, like a Book button on the first screen, a phone number that's easy to tap, or page titles that help you rank
- Moving away is hard, so a quick fix becomes a long-term commitment
For a tradie, that might be a quote form that only asks for a name and message. For a studio, a timetable that's hard to read on a phone. My pages on websites for tradies and websites for Pilates studios show what those features look like done properly.
The middle ground: a ready-made website
There's an option between DIY and fully custom that a lot of people don't know exists. My ready-made websites, called Starter websites on my pricing page, start from a finished design I've already built, tailored to your logo, colours, words and photos.
You don't touch a page builder. I do the setup, connect your domain and contact or booking form, and it's usually live in about a week, from $1,000 + GST. It's editable WordPress that you own, and you can upgrade to a custom website later with your content, domain and hosting carried over.
When custom is worth it
A custom website, from $3,500 + GST, is worth it when your website needs to do real work: bookings, several service pages, a blog, integrations with your CRM or newsletter, or a look that's unmistakably yours. You get two clickable homepage directions to choose from, motion built in and search-friendly foundations.
If you're weighing up a template against a design built from scratch, I've written a whole post on custom website vs template. And all of my prices are on my pricing page, so you can compare them against a year or two of builder subscriptions and your own time.
Frequently asked questions
Is Wix or WordPress better for a small business?
Wix is easier to start with if you're building it yourself. WordPress gives you more control and ownership, but needs ongoing updates. If someone else is building and looking after the site, WordPress is usually the better long-term choice.
Is Squarespace better than Wix?
They're similar. Squarespace has fewer, more polished design-led templates, while Wix offers more flexibility in its editor. Both are subscription builders, so the trade-offs around ownership are much the same.
Can I move my Wix site to WordPress?
Not directly in one click. In most cases the site is rebuilt, reusing your words and photos. It's a good moment to rethink the structure, and a ready-made website is often the quickest way to do it.
Is a web designer more expensive than Wix?
Up front, yes. Over time, the gap is smaller than it looks once you count subscriptions and your hours. My Starter websites start from $1,000 + GST, with a payment plan, and are live in about a week.
What if I only need one page for an ad campaign?
Then a landing page is a better fit than a whole website. It's one page for one offer, $1,500 + GST, with matching ad creatives and tracking set up.
The bottom line
Wix and Squarespace are fine for getting something up yourself. WordPress is the better long-term home if you want ownership. And if you'd rather spend your evenings on your business than in a page builder, a designer can give you the best of both. Tell me where your site is at, and I'll tell you honestly which option makes sense.
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Chloe, Coco Creatives. Sunshine Coast web designer with 8 years in web design and branding. I design and build every site myself, from our first chat through to handover.
