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The platform question comes up early in almost every website project. Owners have heard that Wix is easy, WordPress is powerful, Squarespace is pretty and custom is expensive, and none of those summaries is much help when you’re trying to decide.
The honest answer is that each one is a reasonable choice for some businesses and a poor fit for others. What matters is how much control you need, who will maintain the site and how much the site has to do. Here’s how they compare on the things that actually affect a small business. If you’d rather start from your type of business, our guide to the best CMS by business type takes that angle.
The four options in plain terms
Wix and Squarespace are hosted website builders. You pay a subscription, and the company provides the hosting, the editor, the templates and the security updates in one package. You edit the site in your browser by dragging and dropping or editing blocks.
WordPress comes in two forms, which causes a lot of confusion. The open-source software from WordPress.org is free to use and runs on hosting you choose. WordPress.com is a hosted service built on that software, closer to Wix and Squarespace in how it works. When designers say “WordPress,” they usually mean the self-hosted version, and that’s what we mean here.
Custom means a site built specifically for you, either hand-coded or built with a modern framework, without a general-purpose builder underneath. It can range from a simple, very fast static site to a complex application.
(If selling products is the main job of your site, Shopify belongs in this conversation too. It’s a hosted platform built around e-commerce, with many of the same trade-offs as Wix and Squarespace.)
At a glance
| Wix / Squarespace | Self-hosted WordPress | Custom | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Included in the subscription | You choose the host | You choose the host |
| Moving the site later | Rebuild required | Move files and database to any WordPress host | Move the code to any suitable host |
| Upkeep | Handled by the company | Core, theme and plugin updates, backups, security | Very little for a static site; more for an application |
| Editing | Easiest for most owners | Easy if built well | Varies; ask before you commit |
| SEO control | Basics handled, less code access | Full control, usually via a plugin | Complete control |
Ownership and lock-in
This is easy to overlook, and it matters most when you want to leave.
- Wix and Squarespace: You own your content and your domain, but the site itself only runs on their platform. If you move, you can usually export some content, but the design and layout don’t come with you. In practice, leaving means rebuilding.
- Self-hosted WordPress: You can move the whole site, files and database, to any host that supports WordPress. You’re not tied to one company. The catch is that a heavily customized theme or page builder can still make redesigns harder later.
- Custom: You should receive the full source code, and any competent developer can host it anywhere. Make sure your contract says you own it, and that the code isn’t so unusual that only the original developer can work on it.
Whatever you choose, keep the domain registered in your own name. That’s what makes any move possible. The same goes for hosting on self-hosted WordPress and custom sites: our guide on how to choose web hosting covers what to look for, and our hosting and domains page covers our own plans as well as deploying a site to your own cPanel hosting.
SEO
All four can rank well in Google. The platform is rarely the reason a small-business site doesn’t show up; thin content, missing local information and slow mobile pages are more often the problem.
That said, there are differences in control:
- Wix and Squarespace let you edit page titles, descriptions, URLs and redirects, and handle the technical basics for you. You have less control over the underlying code, which rarely matters for a simple site.
- WordPress gives you full control, usually through an SEO plugin. That flexibility is useful, but it also means it’s possible to misconfigure things.
- Custom gives complete control over every tag and every byte. The quality depends entirely on who builds it.
Speed is where the gap can show. Builders and heavy WordPress themes load code your site may not need. A lean custom build, or a carefully built WordPress site, can be noticeably lighter on mobile. We explain why that matters here in why website speed matters for Sedona businesses.
Upkeep
Think about who will keep the site healthy for the next several years.
- Wix and Squarespace: The company handles hosting, security and software updates. Your job is keeping content current. This is the lowest-maintenance option.
- Self-hosted WordPress: WordPress core, the theme and every plugin need regular updates, plus backups and security monitoring. Skipped updates are a common way small-business WordPress sites get hacked, which is why updates feature so heavily in our website security basics. Someone has to own this, whether that’s you, a staff member or a website care plan.
- Custom: A simple static site has very little to maintain and a small attack surface. A complex custom application needs a developer on call.
Editing it yourself
- Wix and Squarespace are the easiest for most owners to edit day to day.
- WordPress is straightforward for text, blog posts and images once it’s set up well. Poorly built sites with complex page builders can be confusing to edit.
- Custom sites vary. Some include an easy editing interface; others need a developer for every change. Ask before you commit.
Which fits your business?
These are starting points, not rules.
A simple brochure site you’ll edit yourself
A small shop, studio or solo practice that needs a few pages, hours, a contact form and a link to a booking tool. Squarespace or Wix is often a sensible choice, especially if no one will manage updates.
A growing service business that relies on search
A contractor, real estate agent, wellness practice or tour company that wants many service and location pages, a blog and room to grow. Self-hosted WordPress is usually the strongest fit, as long as someone is responsible for maintenance. If that sounds like you, see our WordPress website service.
A shop that sells products online
A gallery, winery or retailer with real online sales. Shopify, or WordPress with WooCommerce, depending on how much of the site is store versus content. Rules for selling some products, like alcohol, vary by state, so check what your platform and payment provider support, and see our notes on winery websites if that applies to you.
A business that needs speed and has few content changes
A restaurant, lodging or attraction where the site mainly needs to load instantly on a phone and change occasionally. A lean custom build can be a strong option here, provided you have someone to make edits.
A business booking through a dedicated tool
If FareHarbor, Peek, Mindbody, OpenTable, Resy, Tock or a similar system handles your bookings, most platforms can link to or embed it. Check how the booking flow looks on a phone before you choose.
If you’re comparing designers as well as platforms, our guide on how to choose a web designer in Sedona covers the questions to ask them, including why they recommend one platform over another.
How to choose a website platform, step by step
Decide who updates content
Name the person who will edit text, photos and hours, and how often. If it's you with little time, favor the easiest editor.
Decide who handles upkeep
Work out who will run software updates, backups and security. If nobody will, a hosted builder or a low-maintenance build is safer.
Estimate how big the site will grow
Think about how many service, location and blog pages you expect in two or three years. Larger content sites usually favor WordPress.
List the jobs the site must do
Note whether you need to sell online, take bookings or manage members. Check that each platform handles those well, including on a phone.
Decide how much portability matters
Ask yourself how important it is to move the site later. If it matters a lot, avoid platforms where leaving means rebuilding.
Match, then confirm with your designer
Pick the option that fits your answers and ask your designer to explain why they agree or don't. A good reason is tied to your business, not habit.
Frequently asked questions
Is WordPress.com the same as WordPress.org?
No. WordPress.org offers the free, open-source software that you install on hosting you choose, giving you full control. WordPress.com is a hosted service built on that software, which works more like Wix or Squarespace. When designers talk about WordPress sites, they usually mean the self-hosted version from WordPress.org.
Can I move my Wix or Squarespace site to WordPress later?
You can move to WordPress, but you can't take the Wix or Squarespace site with you as it is. You can usually export some content, such as text or blog posts, but the design and layout stay behind, so moving means rebuilding. If you do switch, plan redirects from your old page addresses so you don't lose search traffic.
Does my choice of platform affect where my site is hosted?
Yes. Wix and Squarespace include hosting in the subscription, so there is nothing separate to choose or manage. Self-hosted WordPress and custom sites need hosting you pick, which means you control speed, backups and where the site lives, but you also need to choose well. Our hosting and domains page explains the options we offer, including deploying to your own cPanel hosting.
Is a custom website worth it for a small business?
Sometimes. A lean custom build can be very fast and needs little maintenance if content changes rarely, which suits some restaurants, lodging and attractions. It's a poorer fit if you need to edit often without a developer. Before choosing custom, confirm you'll get the full source code and a simple way to make everyday edits.
Should I use Shopify instead of these for an online store?
If selling products is the main job of your site, Shopify is worth considering. It's a hosted platform built around e-commerce, with similar trade-offs to Wix and Squarespace. If the store is one part of a content-heavy site, WordPress with WooCommerce may fit better. See our e-commerce website service for how we approach the choice.
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