Wix vs Squarespace (2026): Which Website Builder Is Better?

In 2026, building a professional website doesn’t have to be overwhelming — whether you’re a creator, freelancer, or small business owner. Two giants in the website builder world are Wix and Squarespace, each with their own strengths. In this detailed comparison, I'll break down how each platform works, how they differ, and which one might be right for your project.

Note: I partnered with Wix for a video on this topic (see below), but I wanted to share these extra thoughts here on the blog because I think they're helpful

Watch the full video review here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKPDUG0dGP4

This video is sponsored by Wix, a platform I believe in for its flexibility and ease of use. All opinions here are my own based on a clear comparison of both builders.

Quick Overview: Wix vs Squarespace 2026

Feature	Wix	Squarespace
Best for	Creative, highly customized sites	Elegance + simplicity
Templates	Thousands, fully customizable	Fewer, more structured
Free Plan	Yes	No (Free trial only)
AI Website Builder	Wix Harmony – generates sites quickly	Blueprint AI (new, still evolving)
SEO Tools	Advanced and flexible	Strong but less flexible
eCommerce	Powerful, customizable	Excellent for small stores
Extensibility	Huge App Market	Smaller but curated selection of apps & integrations

Templates and Design

Wix offers an extensive template library and total control over layout, spacing, and design elements. You can place anything anywhere — which is great if you want freedom, but it can feel intimidating at first or get frustrating when you can't "lock things in place". It's honestly one of the things I hear people complain about the most AND a feature that makes people choose Wix in the first place.

Squarespace has a more structured design system that guides you into elegant layouts. The templates are polished and consistent, which helps maintain visual balance even if you’re not a designer and the Editor is a little more "snappy" in terms of helping you place things within a grid. You can't put your elements exactly where you want- but you have more guardrails in place to keep stuff from getting wonky.

Free Plans & Trials

• Wix has a true free plan you can start with (with Wix branding). You can create as many sites as you want, or take as long as you want to get used to the tools before you ever have to commit. (Pro tip: Wix plans go on sale 50% off ALL the time. Literally, you can't miss one of their 50% off sales, I promise). Take a closer look at your upgrade options here.

• Squarespace offers a 14-day free trial, but you’ll need a paid subscription to publish or to continue working on your website if it takes longer than 2 weeks to build (it very well might depending on how prepared you are, and how many other responsibilities you have while running your business).

If you want to test platforms before committing, Wix’s free option gives you more time to explore without entering a payment method.

Editing Experience and Workflow

Wix provides drag-and-drop freedom — move elements wherever you want. This is great for customizing the exact layout you imagine.

Squarespace, on the other hand, uses a more structured approach. It’s elegant and efficient, but less flexible if you need unique layouts.

AI Website Generation

Wix Harmony

Wix’s AI website builder — Wix Harmony — can generate a professional site in minutes based on your answers to a few questions. This is ideal if you want a speedy start and easy editing afterward. There's an on-screen agent to help you troubleshoot any and every element of your site- from design to business management.

Squarespace Blueprint AI

Squarespace also has AI site building tools. They’re useful, but in 2026 they feel a little behind the curve. You are mostly manually adding sections and choosing from a few different options for the section layout, it's nothing like the new Wix Harmony builder which generates an entire site from prompts and then lets you hop right into precise manual edits, but it can give you a site that looks a little less like a template.

Business Tools & Apps

Both platforms offer a powerful set of tools for:

• Online stores

• Booking systems

• Blogging & content

• Marketing tools

Wix has a larger App Market with many add-ons that can extend your site’s functionality without complex integrations. They offer some of the most important features as native apps, meaning you get top level support when you need it.

Squarespace’s extensions are very curated which also ensures quality, you can do all the basics like scheduling and selling products or tickets to an event. Many small business owners appreciate the small app market for its simplicity but as your business grows you might bump into a wall with the tools you need to run your business.

Final Verdict

Here’s the short version when it comes to Wix vs Squarespace 2026:

• Choose Wix if you want maximum flexibility, powerful SEO tools, and room to grow. Wix is the best place to start if you want your website to help you run your business.

• Choose Squarespace if you want to start with a beautiful template and utilize structured editing tools. Your site will be a little more like a digital postcard but not everybody needs a robust online presence!

Both are excellent platforms — but the right one depends on your priorities as a creator or business owner.

Try Wix

If you want to get started with Wix you've got several different pathways to begin. You can use the classic Editor, Wix Studio, or give the new Wix Harmony a try.

Start building with Wix: https://www.wix.com

Try Wix Harmony (AI site builder): https://www.wix.com/harmony