Head-to-head
Wix vs Squarespace: which one in 2026?
Wix and Squarespace are hosted website builders that each generate a first draft with AI. Wix gives you a free-form editor and a free plan with an app market, while Squarespace is template-led, has no free plan and puts store, scheduling and memberships in tiered plans.
Verdict
Squarespace is the safer choice for owners who would rather be guided than handed a blank canvas, and its published store fees make selling costs predictable. Wix wins on entry cost and freedom, since the free plan and $17 Light plan are easy to try. Neither vendor's privacy policy addresses AI training, so data questions do not separate them. Squarespace's pricing display needs checking at checkout, because the pages show two sets of prices.
Wix and Squarespace side by side
| Wix | Squarespace | |
|---|---|---|
| Price entry | Under $20 per month, billed yearly | €14.52 per month, billed yearly |
| Can you start free? | Yes. A Free plan exists with a Wix-branded domain; its storage and collaborator limits are not stated on the page. | No. The vendor says it offers no free plan, only a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. |
| What the cheapest paid plan costs | Light is $17 per month on yearly billing in USD, with 2 GB storage, 2 collaborators and a free domain for one year. | Basic shows €17 and €12 under the billing toggle without labels, while a product page line says subscriptions start at $19. The pages show two sets. |
| Editor style | Drag-and-drop with elements movable and resizable freely and no column locks, which gives control and also room for uneven layouts. | Template-based design with Design Intelligence for generating designs, images and content, plus AI writing tools for headlines and product descriptions. |
| AI site generation | The AI builder creates a site from a description, and the page warns that AI can make mistakes and results need double checking. | Blueprint AI Builder asks a few questions before generating a site. The page says it was named one of TIME's Best Inventions of 2025. |
| Selling products | Basic ecommerce starts on Core at $29 per month and standard ecommerce on Business at $39, both with payments and scheduling. | Every plan sells unlimited products. Basic charges 2% on store sales, while Core, Plus and Advanced show 0%, with card rates from 2.0% plus €0.25. |
| Team access | Collaborators are capped by plan: 2 on Light, 5 on Core and 10 on Business. | Basic allows up to 2 contributors. Core and every higher plan give unlimited contributors, and Basic also lacks advanced analytics. |
| Extending the site | An App Market that the homepage puts at 800+ apps and the FAQ at 500+, plus Wix Headless, POS and CRM. | Custom CSS and JavaScript from Core up, commerce APIs on Core, and a third-party extensions marketplace. |
| Data and AI training | The privacy policy is silent on AI training, names no storage region and mentions no ISO or SOC 2 certification. | The policy does not mention AI training either. It names US servers, cites Standard Contractual Clauses and states Data Privacy Framework certification. |
Where each one wins
Wix wins on
- A free plan lets you build and publish on a Wix-branded domain before spending anything.
- The editor has no column locks, so you can place any element anywhere on the page.
- Tier caps on storage are stated clearly: 2 GB, 50 GB and 100 GB across Light, Core and Business.
Squarespace wins on
- Unlimited contributors come with Core, where Wix caps collaborators at 5 on its equivalent tier.
- Four plans publish transaction fees and card rates, so the cost of selling is easy to model.
- Data transfer terms are specific: Standard Contractual Clauses and a stated Data Privacy Framework certification.
Which to pick
Pick Wix if
You want to start for free, need flexible placement of every element, or plan to add apps from a large marketplace later.
Pick Squarespace if
You want a template that keeps its layout, expect several contributors, and want store fees and card rates written out per plan.
Each tool in context: Wix, Squarespace, and the full Best AI Website Builders in 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, Wix or Squarespace?
Wix is cheaper to start because it has a Free plan and Light at $17 per month on yearly billing. Squarespace has no free plan, and its pages show two sets of prices: euro cards of €17 and €12 on Basic and a $19 line on a product page. Confirm at checkout.
Can I sell products on Wix Light or Squarespace Basic?
On Squarespace, yes: Basic sells unlimited products with a 2% store transaction fee. On Wix, the cheapest plan listed with accepting payments and basic ecommerce is Core at $29 per month on yearly billing, so Light is not enough for a shop.
Which one lets more people work on the site?
Squarespace gives unlimited contributors from Core, with Basic limited to 2. Wix scales collaborators by plan: 2 on Light, 5 on Core and 10 on Business. A team larger than ten would have to look beyond Business on Wix's own listing.
Do Wix or Squarespace train AI on my content?
Neither privacy policy, as read in November 2026, mentions training AI models on customer data. Squarespace names servers in the US, while Wix does not state a hosting region. Ask each vendor in writing if your content is regulated, since the policies leave the question open.