Quick comparison: wix vs squarespace vs wordpress
| Platform | Entry paid plan | Free option | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress.com | Personal: $9/mo monthly; $4/mo yearly; $2.75/mo on 3 years; 6 GB | Free plan, no expiry, 1 GB, no plugins | Plugins on every paid plan; Business $25/mo yearly, 50 GB |
| Wix | Light: $17.77/mo on a yearly subscription; 2 GB, 2 collaborators | Free plan, no credit card | Core $29.77 with eCommerce basics; Business $39.77 |
| Squarespace | Basic: $25/mo and $19/mo listed; label not explicit | 14-day trial, no free plan | Transaction fee 2% on Basic for online store |
WordPress.com: cheapest on long terms, plugins from Personal
WordPress.com lists Free at $0 (1 GB, no plugins, no expiry), Personal at $9 monthly, $4 yearly, $3.25 on 2 years and $2.75 on 3 years (6 GB), Premium at $18, $8, $6.50 and $5.50 (13 GB), Business at $40, $25, $20 and $17.50 (50 GB) and Commerce at $70, $45, $36 and $31.50 (50 GB). Prices exclude taxes.
Plugin installation (60,000+ plugins) is included on every paid plan starting with Personal. The Enterprise plan has no listed price. This is the WordPress.com hosted service, not the self-hosted WordPress.org software, which needs separate hosting.
- Lowest long-term prices
- Plugin access from the first paid tier
- Free plan with no expiry
- Monthly prices are much higher than yearly
- Free plan has 1 GB and no plugins
- Enterprise pricing not listed
Wix: drag-and-drop with a free plan
Wix lists Free at $0 with no credit card, then Light at $17.77 (2 GB, 2 collaborators), Core at $29.77 (50 GB, 5 collaborators, basic eCommerce), Business at $39.77 (100 GB, 10 collaborators, standard eCommerce) and Business Elite at $159.77 (unlimited storage, 100 collaborators). The page says prices are for yearly subscriptions paid in full and include GST.
The page says all plans include a custom domain while the FAQ says connecting your own domain needs a Premium plan, and it does not resolve the conflict. A “$159” figure next to “Save 50%” is not explained. A 14-day money-back guarantee applies to the initial Premium upgrade.
- Free plan to try
- Clear storage and collaborator limits
- Tiered eCommerce options
- Domain information conflicts on the page
- Prices appear to include GST
- Higher entry price than WordPress.com
Squarespace: polished templates, no free plan
Squarespace lists Basic at $25 and $19 a month, Core at $39 and $29, Plus at $65 and $49 and Advanced at $139 and $99, with “Pay annually” and “Pay monthly” options and savings of up to 36%. The page does not explicitly say which price goes with which option; the lower figure is presumably annual.
Online store fees are 2% on Basic and 0% on Core, Plus and Advanced; card rates are 2.9% + $0.30 on Basic and Core, 2.7% on Plus and 2.5% on Advanced. Every site starts with a 14-day trial with no credit card, and there is no free plan.
- Clear transaction fee schedule
- 14-day trial with no card
- Fees fall on higher tiers
- Annual versus monthly labels not explicit
- No free plan
- Basic charges a 2% store fee
Verdict: wix vs squarespace vs wordpress in 2026
Our short verdict on the wix vs squarespace vs wordpress: decide using the price, limits and data gaps shown above, not the headline discount.
If you are still comparing the wix vs squarespace vs wordpress, use the free plans, trials or refund windows as your real test.
If cost over several years and extensibility matter, WordPress.com is the cheapest on yearly and multi-year terms and allows plugins on paid plans. If you want a drag-and-drop builder and to try it free first, Wix fits, though check the domain terms. Squarespace suits those who value its templates and are fine paying more, after confirming which price is annual.
Remember the site is also tied to the platform: exporting a site from a hosted builder can be harder than moving a self-hosted WordPress site, so factor in migration before committing.
Related guides for the wix vs squarespace vs wordpress: web hosting for small business · Bluehost vs Hostinger vs SiteGround.
Sources (vendor pages read October 2026): Wix plans · Squarespace pricing · WordPress.com pricing
Wix vs Squarespace vs WordPress FAQs
Which is cheapest: Wix, Squarespace or WordPress?
On the published pages, WordPress.com is cheapest on yearly terms ($4 a month for Personal) compared with Wix Light at $17.77 and Squarespace Basic at $19 or $25.
Is there a free plan?
WordPress.com and Wix have free plans; Squarespace has a 14-day trial only.
Can I use plugins on WordPress.com?
Yes, plugin installation is included on every paid plan starting with Personal; the Free plan has no plugin access.
Does Wix include a custom domain?
The pricing page says all plans include one, but its FAQ says a Premium plan is needed, so confirm before buying.
Does Squarespace charge transaction fees?
Yes: 2% on Basic for online stores, 0% on Core, Plus and Advanced, plus card processing rates.
What is the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org?
WordPress.com is a hosted service with the plans above; WordPress.org is free software you host yourself, which needs separate hosting.
Which has the most storage?
Wix Business Elite lists unlimited storage; WordPress.com Business and Commerce list 50 GB; Wix Business lists 100 GB.
Do prices include tax?
WordPress.com excludes taxes; Wix says displayed prices include GST; Squarespace did not say.
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