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The Best 4 Wix Alternatives for Any Website Project


The Best 4 Wix Alternatives for Any Website Project

When it comes to choosing a website builder, Wix is often one of the first names you’ll encounter — thanks to its drag-and-drop editor, wide range of templates, and built-in features. But that doesn’t mean it’s the best fit for everyone. You might be looking for more creative control, different pricing, or tools that better match your business needs. Whatever the reason, it’s worth exploring other options to find the platform that truly works for you.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the top four Wix alternativesSquarespace, WordPress, Webflow, and Weebly — each offering its own strengths when it comes to design, usability, and flexibility. Whether you’re building a personal portfolio, launching a blog, or creating a site for your business, this comparison will help you choose the right platform. And if you’re after a beautifully designed, user-friendly solution, Squarespace stands out as a top contender.

Website Builder
Advantages
Best For
Scores
Plans
Get Started
•HTML & CSS Access
•Easy drag-and-drop editor, no coding
•Wide array of templates available
•3rd-Party Apps & Integrations
Best Overall Website Builder
•14-day free trial
• Starting from $16
•Custom Database
•Full HTML, CSS & JavaScript Control
Easiest Website Builder
•Free Plan
•Premium from 108/m
•Simplified WordPress CMS
•Includes Hosting, Domain & Plugins
Quickest Setup Experience
•Free Plan
•Premium from 140/m
•Dynamic Video Background
•Built-in Image Editor
Cheapest Starting Prices
•Free plan
•Premium from 62/m

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1. Squarespace – Best for Creative and Service-Based Businesses

Squarespace is one of the best website builders on the market, offering a seamless experience from start to finish. Its intuitive drag-and-drop editor and professionally designed templates make it especially appealing to beginners and creatives alike. Whether you’re showcasing a portfolio, running a service-based business, or launching a blog, Squarespace offers the tools to bring your vision to life — without needing to write a single line of code.

In this section, we’ll take a closer look at what makes Squarespace so beginner-friendly and explore the features you get for the price. From design flexibility to eCommerce options and AI-powered setup tools, we’ll cover what you need to know to decide if Squarespace is the right builder for your needs.

Key Takeaways
  • Squarespace is the easiest website builder we’ve tested, thanks to its streamlined editor and guided setup.
  • Blueprint AI, Squarespace’s built-in AI website builder, helps you launch a professional-looking site in just minutes.
  • Pricing ranges from $16 to $52/month (when billed annually), offering solid value for the features included.
  • Ideal for creative professionals and service-based businesses who want a polished site without the hassle.

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Squarespace Pros & Cons

Pros:
  • Unmatched ease of use – It’s the most beginner-friendly builder we’ve tested, thanks to its intuitive drag-and-drop editor and smart design assistance with Blueprint AI.
  • Beautiful, industry-specific templates – Choose from 180+ professionally designed templates, ideal for creatives, businesses, portfolios, and more.
  • Built-in scheduling tools – Need to offer appointments or services? Acuity Scheduling integrates seamlessly for just $16/month.
  • Ecommerce ready – Easily add online selling features to showcase and sell products or services directly from your site.
Cons:
  • Limited creative freedom with grid overlay – While the grid overlay in the editor is helpful for beginners, it can feel restrictive for those who want complete creative control over their layout and design.
  • Lack of autosave – Despite Squarespace’s focus on design and ease of use, the absence of an autosave feature when editing can be frustrating, especially during long design sessions.
  • Templates

     

    One of Squarespace’s strongest assets for building an online store is its collection of high-quality templates. Out of its ~70 professionally designed options, 16 are specifically tailored for online stores, offering layouts that are clean, modern, and optimized for showcasing products.

    The template library covers a wide range of styles — from minimalistic to bold and dynamic — giving users the creative flexibility to match their brand’s aesthetic. Templates are organized into categories like Online Stores, Art & Design, Health & Fitness, Professional Services, Photography, Travel & Lifestyle, and more, making it easy to find the right fit.

    A major highlight is that all Squarespace templates are fully mobile responsive, ensuring your store looks great on any device. This is essential for today’s shoppers, especially with the rise in mobile browsing and purchasing.

    While Squarespace’s templates are beautifully crafted, they’re especially appealing to creative professionals or businesses with a keen eye for design. For those who want even more customization, CSS editing is available through Design > Custom CSS — but keep in mind, this does require some coding knowledge.

    Another great feature is the ability to install multiple templates on the same site. This gives you the flexibility to switch up your store’s look without starting from scratch — ideal for future redesigns or brand updates.

     

    Support

    If you have inquiries about building your online store, you can head to the Squarespace Help Center. There, you’ll find three main categories:

    Squarespace Knowledge Base
    This section offers a wide range of detailed guides covering topics such as getting started, account and billing, templates and design, SEO and analytics, integrations, customizations, technical issues, and more. The articles are well-written and many include helpful video tutorials to walk you through the process.

    Videos
    The video library provides additional visual guidance on using Squarespace. These tutorials offer tips and practical advice for making the most of your website builder, and they’re separate from the videos found in the Knowledge Base.

    Community Answers
    This is a forum-based support hub where users can ask questions and share solutions. It’s a great place to get advice from fellow Squarespace store owners who may have faced similar challenges.

    For users based in New York City, Squarespace hosts group workshops — 90-minute sessions that include presentations and hands-on practice to build your confidence using the platform. If you’re not able to attend in person, you can join online webinars held multiple times a month. These webinars cover topics for all skill levels, from beginners to more advanced users.

    Squarespace offers direct support during business hours. Before contacting them, you’ll be asked to complete a short questionnaire to better identify your issue. After that, you can send an email and usually receive a response within an hour during normal support hours. Live chat is also available Monday to Friday, from 3 AM to 8 PM EST. However, there is no phone support, and premium plans do not include extra support services.

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    Hosting & Domain

    Domain
    When you first create a Squarespace account, your website is assigned a default Squarespace domain that looks something like youraccountid.squarespace.com. Once you purchase or connect a custom domain, this placeholder domain is replaced with your personalized one.

    To update or manage your domain, you can either use the “Domains” tab in the top navigation bar of your account dashboard or go through Settings > Domains. From there, you’ll be able to search for and buy a new domain or connect an existing one you already own.

    Purchasing a domain directly through Squarespace is simple. Just search for your desired domain name, and Squarespace will present a list of available options. Standard domains like .com, .net, .org, or .online cost around $20 per year. More specialized extensions, such as .technology, .delivery, or .industries, can cost up to $70 annually. All domains purchased through Squarespace are hosted by their partner provider, Tucows, and come with a free first year.

    Connecting 3rd-Party Domains
    If you already own a domain from another provider, you can still use it with your Squarespace site. You have two options:
    You can transfer your domain to Squarespace and manage all settings from within your account. Transfers typically take 1 to 15 days and cost between $20–$70 depending on the domain extension. Alternatively, you can connect your domain without transferring it. This involves changing DNS settings in your third-party domain registrar’s account, provided they offer full DNS access.

    Hosting
    All Squarespace plans include free hosting, with unlimited bandwidth and storage. You also get access to import and export tools for site content. For example, you can import blog posts, comments, and images from platforms like Blogger, Tumblr, and WordPress. If you’re running an online store, Squarespace allows importing products from Big Cartel, Etsy, or Shopify. Exporting your content is also simple—everything can be downloaded in a .xml file format.

    SEO
    Squarespace has streamlined its SEO setup under Settings > Website. It offers a guided structure to help users optimize their pages. For instance, when editing a page, Squarespace allows you to auto-generate title tags by inserting predefined code. This ensures your page titles display correctly on search engines without manually entering code like “How to Build a Website – WebCreate.”

    For full optimization, you’ll still need to manually enter meta descriptions on each page. These can be accessed through the page’s settings in the Editor, where you’ll also find fields for the page title, navigation title, and URL slug.

    Beyond the basics, Squarespace includes a number of SEO-friendly features:

    • Sitemap: Automatically generates a sitemap.xml file.
    • SSL Certificates: Provided free for all domains.
    • Clean HTML Markup: Templates apply correct heading tags automatically.
    • Image Tags: Alt text descriptions are converted into image tags.
    • 301 & 302 Redirects: Easily set up in Settings > Advanced > URL Mappings.

    Additionally, Squarespace integrates with Google Search Console, allowing you to track the keywords that drive traffic to your online store. This connection makes it easier to refine your content and SEO strategy based on real search data.

     

    Pricing & Plans

    Squarespace offers two robust plans for online store builders: Basic and Advanced. Starting at $26/month, the Basic plan includes key eCommerce features like unlimited product listings, no transaction fees, mobile-optimized websites and checkout, 24/7 support, and much more.

    For businesses ready to scale, the Advanced Plan at $40/month builds on the Basic features with advanced tools like abandoned cart auto-recovery, real-time carrier shipping, and access to the orders API—perfect for growing online stores that need more automation and flexibility.

    Both plans provide access to powerful commerce metrics, label printing, custom domain checkout, and customer accounts. Try it risk-free with a 14-day free trial, with an option to extend for another 7 days.

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    Webflow

    Webflow is a powerful website-building platform designed for users who want creative freedom without needing to write code. It’s a cloud-based Software as a Service (SaaS) tool that runs entirely in your web browser, available through a monthly or yearly subscription.

    You can use Webflow in two primary ways:

    1. Design and host your site directly on Webflow, gaining access to its CMS (Content Management System) and visual style editor for easy updates and maintenance.

    2. Export your site’s code (HTML, CSS, JS) and host it elsewhere — a method typically preferred by professional developers and agencies comfortable working directly with code.

    Most users choose the first method because hosting with Webflow ensures better performance and seamless access to content editing tools.

    Webflow offers a wide range of customizable templates to help you build a unique and visually engaging site. Launched in 2013 and headquartered in San Francisco, Webflow markets itself as a no-code solution — empowering both non-developers and developers to create complex, professional websites.

    While it focuses on no-code usability, Webflow still provides the flexibility to edit CSS, HTML, and JavaScript for those who want more control over their site’s design and functionality.

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    Limited-time offer: Save up to 10% on Squarespace plans—don’t miss out, click now to start building your dream website!

    Webflow Pricing and Features Review

    Site Plans (General)

    Pricing is a key consideration when choosing a website builder, and in our Webflow review, it became clear that its pricing structure leans heavily toward higher-tier plans.

    While Webflow offers a few entry-level packages, they come with significant limitations. Many essential features are locked behind more expensive tiers, making it likely that users will need to upgrade as their business grows — even for small changes or modest traffic increases. This can quickly drive up the overall cost of maintaining your website.

    Take the Site plans, for example. The Basic plan starts at $14/month, but it comes with restrictions: you’re limited to 150 static pages and can’t add any CMS items, making it a poor fit for blogging or content-heavy sites. Unlike platforms like Hostinger Website Builder — which gives users access to all its features for just $3/month — Webflow’s value for money is more limited at the lower levels.

    In short, while Webflow is powerful, its pricing structure may not be ideal for small businesses or users with tight budgets who need access to a full range of features without constant upgrades.

    The Site Plans (eCommerce)

    Our review of Webflow’s eCommerce plans reveals that there’s minimal difference in core functionality across the tiers — each package includes roughly 95% of the platform’s eCommerce features. However, this consistency in features comes with a steep price tag.

    The Standard plan is priced at around $29/month. It includes all the features of the CMS plan, plus support for up to 500 eCommerce items. However, it carries a 2% transaction fee and allows only three staff accounts, making it suitable for small online stores just starting out.

    The Plus plan comes in at nearly $74/month. It expands capacity significantly with support for up to 5,000 eCommerce items, 10 staff accounts, and no transaction fees, making it a strong option for growing, medium-sized businesses.

    At the top of the tier is the Advanced plan, costing around $212/month. It supports up to 15,000 eCommerce items and provides 15 staff accounts, positioning it as the best choice for larger, established online stores. However, even this tier may eventually require an upgrade if your store continues to scale rapidly.

    While all three plans provide a robust set of tools, the high costs mean Webflow is better suited for serious eCommerce ventures with the budget to match.

    WordPress

    The open-source version of WordPress, available at WordPress.org, is the world’s most widely used online publishing platform—powering around 30% of all websites. To make it more accessible, a hosted version called WordPress.com was launched in 2005. Unlike the original version, WordPress.com doesn’t require any technical skills—users can immediately begin creating a blog or website using its built-in website builder.

    The free plan on WordPress.com provides a starting point with access to dozens of themes, basic design customization, community support, and a WordPress-branded subdomain. However, for more control and functionality, premium plans are available. These unlock additional features, including advanced customization, expanded design options, and access to a wide range of plugins—ideal for bloggers, freelancers, and small business owners looking to grow their online presence.

    Templates/Themes

    Before building your WordPress.com site, you’ll go through a quick setup process where you define your site’s purpose and industry. This step is just a formality—it won’t restrict you later, so you can keep your answers general.

    In the final part of this three-step setup, WordPress.com gives you the option to upgrade to one of its paid plans, though you can continue with the free plan if you prefer.

    To change the default theme selected during setup, simply click on the ‘Themes’ button located next to ‘Customize’ in the main dashboard menu on the left.

    WordPress.com currently offers 363 themes, and it automatically assigns one to your new site. You can begin customizing that default theme immediately from the dashboard or explore other available templates.

    Templates suitable for beginners are marked “beginner”, making it easier for users with no prior experience to get started. For our test, we selected the Shoreditch theme. Once you pick a theme, you’ll be taken directly to the editor, where you can start tailoring your site to fit your needs.

    Pricing/Plans

    In addition to the free account, WordPress.com provides three premium plans: Personal ($4/month), Premium ($8/month), and Business ($25/month). Each plan is billed annually, and users can cancel within the first 30 days to receive a full refund.

    Squarespace Special Offers (Limited-Time)

    Limited-time offer: Save up to 10% on Squarespace plans—don’t miss out, click now to start building your dream website!

    Weebly

    Weebly is one of the easiest website builders on the market, offering an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that even beginners can quickly grasp. Its editor provides a streamlined set of customizable features, and the App Center gives access to a wide range of tools, elements, and third-party integrations to enhance your site.

    While its selection of themes is polished but somewhat limited, Weebly stands out by allowing users to import third-party themes and fully edit the website’s HTML code. This makes it a strong choice for both beginners without coding knowledge and advanced users looking to personalize their site through custom coding.

    Theme

    Weebly offers over 60 free themes—fewer than competitors like Wix or Squarespace—but this limited selection is part of its user-friendly appeal. The simplicity of the theme library helps streamline the website-building process, especially for beginners. In recent years, Weebly has improved its design offerings, and now all themes are mobile-responsive (though a mobile preview feature is not available). Themes are organized into six categories: Online Store, Business, Portfolio, Personal, Event, and Blog.

    While the themes are categorized by business type, many of them are fairly generic. This can make it challenging to find an exact match for a specific niche. However, Weebly makes up for this with strong customization capabilities. You can easily change, add, or remove any page elements, and even access and edit the HTML and CSS code of your template. While coding knowledge is needed for deeper edits, the option gives users greater control over their site’s design.

    Another notable benefit is that you can switch themes while editing your website without losing any of your existing content—a rare feature among site builders. Although there’s no true blank canvas option to build a site from scratch, Weebly does let you import custom themes from third-party providers like Baamboo Studio or Mojo Marketplace, giving you even more design flexibility.

    The Editor

    Once you choose a theme in Weebly, you’ll be prompted to select a domain source: a free Weebly subdomain, an existing domain you own, or a new domain you can register (more on this in the Domain section). If you’re not ready to commit to a domain just yet, you can skip this step temporarily by clicking the “X” on the popup—but you’ll need to select one before publishing your site.

    Weebly’s editor is intuitively organized into six main sections, with the “Build” section being the hub for designing your website.

    Elements Menu Overview:

    The editor uses a drag-and-drop interface, with the left-hand menu listing all the available elements you can place on your page. These are organized into categories:

    • Basic: Titles, text boxes, images, maps, buttons, contact forms, and HTML embed blocks.
    • Structure: Sections, dividers, and spacers to organize layout.
    • Media: Includes HD video and audio (for premium users), documents, YouTube embeds, Flash, and file uploads.
    • eCommerce: Add products, categories, and store-related elements.
    • More: Includes features like social icons, search boxes (premium), RSVP forms, and surveys.
    • Installed Apps: Add-ons from the App Center that extend your site’s functionality.

    The best part of Weebly’s editor is its WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) nature—edits appear in real time without requiring a preview. Simply drag an element to your desired spot, and the interface will automatically adjust the layout to accommodate it. Clicking an element opens a small edit box directly above it, offering additional customization options.

    However, a notable downside is the lack of in-editor guidance or tooltips. While elements like “Text” or “Image” are self-explanatory, more abstract ones like “Section” vs. “Spacer” may confuse beginners. Without built-in hints or descriptions, some users might face a learning curve early on.

    That said, Weebly’s editor remains one of the most streamlined and beginner-friendly builders available—balancing flexibility with ease of use for users at all skill levels.

     

     

     

    Pricing/Plans

    Weebly offers four main pricing tiers, beginning at $5/month for the Connect plan and going up to $38/month for the Business Plus plan. There’s also a free plan, but it’s not ideal for businesses due to its limitations:

    • Just 500MB of storage
    • Site hosted on a Weebly.com subdomain (e.g., yourbusiness.weebly.com)
    • Visible Weebly ads on your pages

    These drawbacks can make a site look unprofessional, which is why we recommend skipping the free plan if you’re building anything beyond a personal project.

    While Weebly’s paid plans are competitively priced, it’s important to factor in potential costs for App Center add-ons. Many of the tools and integrations that enhance your site’s functionality come at an extra cost—so your actual monthly expense may be higher than the base plan price.

    That said, even with added app costs, Weebly still offers significant savings compared to hiring a developer or designer for a custom-built site.

    Take the Pro plan at $12/month as a solid mid-tier option. It includes:

    • A free custom domain (for the first year)
    • Unlimited storage and pages
    • Free hosting
    • Customizable footer
    • Site search functionality
    • Video backgrounds, and more

    Overall, Weebly’s pricing structure is budget-friendly and scalable, making it a great choice for beginners and small business owners looking for a balance of ease, flexibility, and value.

     

     

    Squarespace Special Offers (Limited-Time)

    Limited-time offer: Save up to 10% on Squarespace plans—don’t miss out, click now to start building your dream website!

    Conclusion

    Choosing the right website builder is a critical step in launching a successful online presence, and while Wix has long been a favorite for its ease of use and creative flexibility, it’s not the only contender in the game. Depending on your unique needs—whether that’s building an eCommerce store, showcasing a portfolio, managing a blog, or simply getting your business online—there are other powerful platforms that may serve you better.

    Squarespace, for example, is a go-to alternative for creatives and business owners who want a beautifully designed site with minimal effort. Its award-winning templates and all-in-one structure make it especially appealing for those who prefer a streamlined experience without sacrificing quality. Squarespace is also great for selling products, offering services, or building a personal brand, thanks to its solid eCommerce and marketing features.

    Webflow, on the other hand, is an ideal choice for designers and developers who want full control over every aspect of their website. With its advanced visual editor and ability to export code, Webflow bridges the gap between no-code simplicity and developer-level customization. It’s best suited for users who crave flexibility and are willing to invest a little more time into the design process to achieve a professional and highly customized site.

    WordPress.com is perfect for content-heavy websites, bloggers, and small businesses that want strong SEO tools and a robust content management system. With hundreds of themes and a huge plugin ecosystem, WordPress.com allows for significant growth and scalability. Whether you’re launching a simple blog or a complex business site, WordPress.com gives you the tools to do so, even without technical expertise.

    Weebly rounds out the list as a highly accessible and user-friendly option. Its intuitive drag-and-drop editor makes it a favorite among beginners and budget-conscious users. Despite having a smaller theme library, Weebly allows for HTML/CSS editing and third-party theme imports, offering more flexibility than one might expect. It’s also a solid option for small eCommerce businesses, personal websites, and side projects.

    In the end, the best alternative to Wix depends on what you’re building and how much control, scalability, and design flexibility you need. All four of these platforms—Squarespace, Webflow, WordPress.com, and Weebly—offer strong alternatives that cater to different user preferences and project types. With the right choice, you’ll not only get a powerful set of tools, but a platform that grows with your goals.

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