When setting up an online website for blogging, a business, or a professional portfolio, you'll notice that Wix vs. Squarespace is a popular debate. Both platforms are popular with beginners because you can create a well-functioning website without being a technical expert.

But both of them are pretty different from each other, so it's vital to get an in-depth look at them before committing to a purchase.

So, which is better: Wix or Squarespace? This article will outline the key characteristics of both to help you make a decision.

Wix vs. Squarespace: Setting Up

While it's easy to get started with both Squarespace and Wix, they do have some slight differences. Here's a brief outline of the setup process for both.

Wix

The two options you can pick from when creating a Wix website

Creating a website with Wix is pretty straightforward. After signing up for an account, you'll get two options. Either you can answer a few questions and let the Wix ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence) create a website for you, or you can choose to build your site from scratch.

Screenshot of the Wix homepage editor

If you choose to start from scratch, Wix will help you by showing a live preview of how your website looks while you create it. You have complete control and can add text, images, and more, wherever you want.

Squarespace

Screenshot showing what you can add to a Squarespace homepage

Setting up with Squarespace is also pretty simple. Like Wix, you can start from scratch and make your homepage—and other pages—look how you want them to. If you'd prefer, you can also use themes (more on those later).

Wix vs. Squarespace: SEO

If you're creating a website for something you want to grow in the long term, thinking about search engine optimization (SEO) is vital.

Wix

Wix has a variety of options when it comes to SEO. Like Squarespace, you don't need to worry if you’re not an expert in coding. You can create custom URLs, add headings, and choose whether you want to index pages or not.

Wix also has a helpful feature called SEO Wiz, which will help you optimize your site better.

Squarespace

Squarespace also handles a lot of the SEO for you but still offers a variety of customization options.

On Squarespace, you can add descriptions for both your pages and website. Moreover, you can tweak article URLs and add metadata. You can also add a site title. However, one thing worth keeping in mind is that you cannot integrate third-party SEO tools with Squarespace.

If you want to rank better for SEO on Squarespace, take a look at its SEO checklist.

Wix vs. Squarespace: Blogging Capabilities

Writing blog posts is a super-effective tool to drive visitors to your website, even if blogging isn't your primary objective. And when asking whether Wix or Squarespace is better for blogging, both are on a level playing field here.

Wix

Screenshot highlighting the blogging selection possibilities on Wix

With Wix, you can choose whether you want to blog individually, as part of a team, or with a member's area. Managing posts is pretty simple, and you can import WordPress content if you previously used that web hosting platform.

Squarespace

Screenshot showing a selection of blog posts on Squarespace

Squarespace allows you to manage blog posts with ease. You can also divide your content using different files and pages, making them work seamlessly on your website. If you're new to website ownership, you'll also appreciate how you can drag and drop elements into a Squarespace blog post without much hassle.

Related: Things to Include on Your Freelance Writing Website

Wix vs. Squarespace: Adding and Changing Themes

Let's talk about themes for a moment. Themes are one of the most important aspects of building your site, as they serve as a site's foundation.

Wix

A screenshot showing some of the themes you can choose when creating a Wix website

Wix has a broad selection of themes on its website. Wix houses dozens of themes on its Templates page, so you're sure to find something that matches the purpose of your site.

Just keep in mind that while you can edit the content on your Wix website and move things around, you cannot change the theme without making a completely new site.

Squarespace

Example of the themes you can choose on Squarespace

When it comes to Squarespace, most people choose this platform because of how beautiful its themes are. You can find a variety of stylish themes on its Templates page, and you can even take a quiz to help you narrow down the best themes for your site.

Unlike Wix, Squarespace allows you to change your website template whenever you want. You can do this as often as you want, and you don't need to have your first theme in place for a certain period of time.

Related: The Best Squarespace Templates to Display Your Photos and Art

Wix vs. Squarespace: Pricing

Paying for a professional website is a significant investment, whether you choose Wix, Squarespace, or another provider. So, it's a good idea to look at pricing and—more importantly—what you get with that membership fee.

Wix

Wix has a free package with limited capabilities. You can create a simple website but won't have a custom domain.

You can also find various paid plans; those of the most interest to you are listed below:

  • Combo: $18/month; $14/month when you pay upfront annually. Benefits include a custom domain and 3GB of storage space.
  • Unlimited: $23/month; $18/month when you pay upfront annually. Benefits include 10GB of storage space and a free visitor analytics app for one year.
  • VIP: $47/month; $39/month when bought upfront annually. Benefits include adding a professional logo, priority customer care, and a $75 ad voucher.

All of the custom domains with Wix are free for one year, after which you need to pay a renewal fee. Wix has a range of other plans, too, which you can check out here.

Squarespace

Squarespace also has a broad selection of plans. You'll find a list of these below:

  • Personal: $16/month; $12/month when you pay annually. Benefits include adding a maximum of two contributors, plus unlimited bandwidth and storage.
  • Business: $26/month; $18/month when you pay annually. Benefits include adding unlimited contributors and a free professional Google email address for one year.
  • Basic Commerce: $35/month; $26/month when you pay annually. Benefits include eCommerce analytics and syncing your products on social media.
  • Advanced Commerce: $54/month; $40/month when paying annually. Benefits include abandoned cart recovery and the ability to sell subscriptions.

Like with Wix, all custom Squarespace domains are free for a year. To keep it for longer, you’ll need to pay for renewal. You can find more information about Squarespace's plans on its pricing page.

Wix vs. Squarespace: Monetization

One of your goals for creating a website might be to monetize it later down the line. You can do this through e-commerce, affiliate marketing, and a host of other ways.

Wix

Wix allows you to promote its services through your website and earn money through the Wix Affiliate Program. You can also add advertising banners to promote other products and businesses.

In addition, you can write sponsored posts, sell products with specific plans, as well as create membership plans.

Squarespace

Squarespace similarly allows you to sell items and begin various affiliate marketing ventures. And like Wix, you can sell products on your site and create members-only content.

Squarespace also has an Affiliate Program that allows you to earn money by promoting the web builder.

Wix vs. Squarespace: What's Your Preference?

When it comes to Wix vs. Squarespace, the best choice is ultimately the one that fits your goals. But it's also about which one you prefer using; you're more likely to stick with growing a website in the long run if everything is less stressful.

Some content creators argue that you can't rank well on Google with one or the other. Others dislike both of them. The truth, however, is that you will run a successful website if you remain consistent and offer value to your audience.