Wix vs Squarespace vs Weebly: Comprehensive Comparison

Overview and Company Background

Wix, Squarespace, and Weebly are all SaaS website builders founded in the mid-2000s and headquartered in different locations. Wix was launched in 2006 in Tel Aviv by Avishai Abrahami and colleagues (Source: wix.com)(Source: wix.com); it has grown rapidly (today servicing ~260 million users across 190 countries (Source: wix.com)) and went public on NASDAQ in 2013. Squarespace was started by Anthony Casalena in 2004 (NYC-based) and became a publicly traded company in 2021 (ticker SQSP) before being acquired by Permira in 2024 (Source: en.wikipedia.org)(Source: en.wikipedia.org). It emphasizes high-end design and now reports >$1.01 billion in annual revenue (2023) (Source: en.wikipedia.org). Weebly (founded 2006 by Rusenko, Veltri, Fanini) is now a subsidiary of Block, Inc. (Square); it offers simple website and ecommerce tools (Source: en.wikipedia.org). In summary, Wix is an Israeli “everything builder” with hundreds of millions of users (Source: wix.com), Squarespace is an American platform known for polished design and enterprise backing (Source: en.wikipedia.org), and Weebly (owned by Square) targets small businesses with integrated payment tools (Source: en.wikipedia.org).

Ease of Use and Learning Curve

All three platforms target users without coding expertise but differ in interface style. Wix offers an intuitive drag-and-drop classic editor where you can place elements anywhere on the page (pixel-precise), which many find easy to pick up (Source: wix.com). Wix even provides an ADI ( Artificial Design Intelligence) option to auto-build a site from simple prompts, making initial setup very fast for beginners (Source: wix.com)(Source: websitebuilderexpert.com). Squarespace also has an easy-to-use editor with high visual polish; reviewers often call Squarespace one of the easiest builders for creatives, thanks to its guided layout system and Blueprint AI site-generator (Source: websitebuilderexpert.com)(Source: websitebuilderexpert.com). For example, one review noted Squarespace is “by far the easiest website builder” in 2025, especially for creative portfolios (Source: websitebuilderexpert.com). Weebly is built for simplicity – it uses a fixed sidebar with clearly labeled tools and a row-based drag-and-drop editor. Many users report that Weebly is “super easy” to navigate, ideal for novices and very quick to get a basic site online (Source: websitebuilderexpert.com)(Source: techradar.com). In short: Wix and Squarespace give more advanced users rich interfaces (with some learning curve for grid systems), whereas Weebly sacrifices power for an ultra-simple, no-frills drag‑and-drop editor (Source: techradar.com)(Source: websitebuilderexpert.com).

Template Libraries and Design Flexibility

Each builder provides pre-designed templates, but in different quantities and styles. Wix offers by far the largest collection – approximately 800 to 2,000+ templates covering myriad categories (Source: websitebuilderexpert.com). These templates are fully customizable: you can drag elements anywhere, adjust colors/fonts freely, and even toggle into mobile view to hide or shift content. However, note that Wix does not allow switching templates on a live site – to change a template you must create a new site (Source: support.wix.com). Squarespace provides a curated set of about 180 professionally-designed templates(Source: websitebuilderexpert.com). The focus is on cohesive, modern aesthetics (ideal for portfolios, restaurants, etc.). Squarespace’s Fluid Engine enforces a responsive grid, which keeps designs clean but can feel restrictive if you want total freedom (Source: websitebuilderexpert.com). Weebly has the smallest library – roughly 50 simple themes (all free) (Source: websitebuilderexpert.com). Weebly’s themes are relatively basic/outdated and offer limited styling (e.g. only light or dark color schemes) (Source: websitebuilderexpert.com). A plus: Weebly lets you switch themes at any time (unlike Wix) (Source: websitebuilderexpert.com). In summary, Wix leads in template variety and design freedom, Squarespace leads in design quality but fewer layouts, and Weebly offers the least variety and flexibility (Source: websitebuilderexpert.com)(Source: websitebuilderexpert.com).

Customization and Code Access

Advanced users can add custom code on all three, but with different scopes. Wix has a full-stack development platform called Velo (formerly Corvid). By enabling Developer Mode in the editor, you unlock code panels to write custom JavaScript (front- and back-end), work with APIs, and query databases (Source: websitebuilderexpert.com). Even without Velo, Wix allows you to embed HTML/CSS/JS in pages. Squarespace does not offer Velo-style scripting, but it has built-in code tools: every plan includes an HTML/CSS Editor and header/footer code injection (Source: support.squarespace.com). (Version 7.1 also has a guide with an SEO report tool.) True “Developer Mode” (downloading and editing raw template files) exists only for the older 7.0 version (Source: support.squarespace.com). Weebly provides a theme HTML/CSS Code Editor on all plans (Source: weebly.com). You can edit your theme’s markup directly or insert code via embed elements. In practice, Wix gives the widest developer control (with Velo serverless coding), Squarespace offers limited code injection and (for 7.0) full template editing, and Weebly allows basic HTML/CSS edits but no advanced scripting.

E-commerce Features and Pricing Tiers

All three builders support online stores, but the included features and plan costs differ:

• Wix: E-commerce is available on “Business” plans only (no store on free or personal plans). Current pricing (annual) starts around $27/month for Business Basic, $37 for Business Unlimited, and $59 for Business VIP(Source: sitebuilderreport.com)(Source: sitebuilderreport.com). These plans allow unlimited products, digital downloads, and multiple payment methods (Wix Payments/Stripe and PayPal). Wix charges no additional transaction fee beyond standard payment processor fees (2.9%+30¢) (Source: nexcess.net). The Business Unlimited tier adds advanced store features (subscriptions, dropshipping, abandoned cart emails) (Source: sitebuilderreport.com).

• Squarespace: All plans from Business (≈$23) upward support some commerce. Starting in 2023, even the cheapest Personal-equivalent plan can technically sell products. Key commerce plans are Basic Commerce ($27) and Advanced Commerce ($49) (annual pricing) (Source: jpkdesignco.com)(Source: jpkdesignco.com). Business and Basic plans charge a 3% Squarespace transaction fee (waived on Commerce plans) (Source: nexcess.net). All tiers allow unlimited products, inventory management, coupons, and digital downloads. Higher tiers unlock features like abandoned cart recovery and gift cards (Source: jpkdesignco.com). Squarespace uses Stripe/PayPal for payments (2.9%+30¢, similar to industry rates).

• Weebly (Square): You can sell on all plans (even the free plan), which is unusual among builders (Source: websitebuilderexpert.com). Paid plans are $$10$ (Personal), $12 (Professional), and $26 (Performance) per month (annual pricing) (Source: weebly.com). All paid plans support unlimited products, categories, coupons, and shipping features. The top-tier Performance plan adds abandoned cart recovery, product reviews, and PayPal support (Source: weebly.com). Weebly’s default payment processor is Square (2.5% + 30¢); only the Performance plan lets you accept PayPal in addition (Source: weebly.com). Square doesn’t charge extra platform fees, but Weebly does apply a 3% fee on sales for users on the free/Personal/Professional plans (Source: nexcess.net) (no fee on Performance).

In summary, Weebly offers the most basic ecommerce for budget sites (even free selling), Wix and Squarespace require mid-tier plans for full store features, and only Wix/Squarespace avoid additional transaction fees on their commerce plans (Source: nexcess.net)(Source: nexcess.net) (Source: nexcess.net).

Blogging Capabilities

Each platform includes a built-in blog, but with different strengths. Wix’s Blog is a full-featured app: you can choose layouts (list, grid, etc.), organize posts by categories and tags, and add social sharing and comments (via Wix’s member system or third-party widgets) (Source: support.wix.com). Wix lets you customize post URL, author info, and display settings in the editor (Source: support.wix.com). Squarespace is renowned for its blogs: you get rich blog pages with scheduling, nested categories, tags, RSS feeds, podcasts, Markdown editing, and fully integrated comment threads. Reviews note Squarespace makes it “very easy to set up” a blog (Source: cybernews.com), though the post editor is more content-focused than design. Weebly’s Blog offers all the basics: post scheduling, categories/tags, and built-in RSS/social sharing (Source: weebly.com). You can use Disqus or Facebook for comments, and the editor supports SEO (editable titles, meta, etc.) (Source: weebly.com). One drawback some mention is that Weebly’s blog editor is less content-oriented than Squarespace’s, lacking some formatting controls (e.g. Heading tags) (Source: cybernews.com). Overall, all three handle blogs well: Squarespace and Wix provide more sophisticated, polished blog experiences, whereas Weebly covers the essentials with simpler UI (Source: support.wix.com)(Source: weebly.com).

SEO Tools and Performance

All three builders include tools to help with SEO: editing meta tags, sitemaps, alt text, and analytics integration. Wix has an SEO Wiz wizard that creates a step-by-step plan for your site; it allows editing all SEO-relevant fields (page titles, descriptions, image alt-text) and automatically generates an XML sitemap (Source: wix.com). Wix sites use server-side rendering and auto-compress images (WebP format) for performance (Source: wix.com)(Source: wix.com). Squarespace generates clean, semantic HTML (automatic H1/H2 tags) and includes an SEO Report in the dashboard (for checking alt-text, meta, etc.) (Source: support.squarespace.com). You can customize SEO titles, descriptions, and set 301 redirects on any page. Squarespace also provides SSL by default (which Google favors). Weebly offers basic SEO: you can edit page titles, URLs, and meta descriptions, as well as image alt attributes. There’s an auto-generated sitemap and Google Search Console integration. Weebly even has built-in SEO guides in the settings to walk users through optimizations (Source: websitebuilderexpert.com). In summary, Wix and Squarespace provide more advanced automated SEO aids (checklists, reports) (Source: wix.com)(Source: support.squarespace.com), while Weebly covers fundamental SEO needs (titles, tags, analytics) in a more manual way.

Site Speed and Technical Performance

All three platforms host your site on cloud servers and CDNs, but their performance can vary with design complexity. Wix invests heavily in optimization: it uses Content Delivery Networks worldwide and automatically applies lazy-loading and image compression (WebP) to speed up pages (Source: wix.com)(Source: wix.com). In practice, Wix sites generally load quickly, though very complex designs or apps can slow things down. Squarespace also uses a global CDN and optimizes images; its hosted environment delivers stable performance for most sites. Highly dynamic Squarespace designs (e.g. lots of background videos) may lag slightly, but overall its pages are quite responsive. Weebly runs on Square’s infrastructure with built‑in SSL encryption (Source: weebly.com). Its simple, block-based themes tend to load fast on small sites, though legacy code or heavy elements can bottleneck. None of these builders match a finely-tuned custom site in speed, but all handle standard loads well. Notably, Wix and Squarespace both automatically enforce SSL and use CDNs for security and speed. Weebly explicitly states that all sites have free SSL and DDoS protection (Source: weebly.com).

App Stores and Integrations

Each platform has an ecosystem of apps/extensions to add functionality. Wix offers the Wix App Market with hundreds of apps (500+ available) (Source: wix.com). You can add features like live chat, appointment booking, social feeds, events, forums, loyalty programs, etc. Almost any popular integration (Mailchimp, Google Workspace, Instagram Feed, etc.) has a Wix app, plus direct APIs for deeper integrations. Squarespace calls its add-ons “Extensions.” The Extensions marketplace includes services mainly for ecommerce and marketing: e.g., Print-on-Demand (Printful), shipping (ShipStation), inventory tools (Syncee), and marketing (Mailchimp, Weglot for translation) (Source: squarespace.com)(Source: squarespace.com). There aren’t hundreds like Wix’s store, but key integrations are covered. Squarespace also lets you add any third-party tool via code injection or embed blocks. Weebly has the Weebly App Center (~350+ apps) (Source: websiteplanet.com) covering SEO, social media, forms, shipping, etc. Many popular services (Shopify, Stripe) require manual embed. Because of its Square ownership, Weebly also taps the larger Square App Marketplace (with Mailchimp, etc.) as needed (Source: websiteplanet.com). In all cases, you can integrate analytics and marketing tools: each platform supports Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, Mailchimp (by app or embed), and Zapier. In summary, Wix has the largest app library (500+ apps) (Source: wix.com), Squarespace has a smaller curated set of official extensions (especially for commerce), and Weebly has a modest app center (350+) (Source: websiteplanet.com) supplemented by Square’s ecosystem.

Customer Support and Documentation

Support channels differ: Wix provides 24/7 support (phone callback and live chat) in English (Source: support.wix.com), plus extensive help articles and videos. Users can schedule a callback or use the Wix Answer Bot; Wix also has community forums for peer help. Squarespace offers 24/7 email ticket support and live chat (weekday business hours, e.g. Mon–Fri 4AM–8PM EST) (Source: websitebuilderexpert.com). There is no phone support. Its Help Center is very comprehensive, and an active user forum on the Squarespace site lets users exchange tips (Source: squarespace.com). Weebly (now under Square) provides email and chat support; phone support is only on the top “Performance” plan. Official guidance comes via Weebly’s Help Center and the Square Community forums. Reviewers note that Weebly’s support can be less responsive – one wrote “Weebly doesn’t actually have live support (you can only email them)” (Source: websiteplanet.com). In short, Wix and Squarespace offer robust official support and documentation (Source: support.wix.com)(Source: websitebuilderexpert.com), while Weebly’s support is more limited (chat/email only on lower tiers) (Source: websiteplanet.com). All three also maintain blogs and guides with tips.

Analytics and Marketing Tools

Each builder includes built-in analytics and marketing features to varying degrees. Wix provides site analytics (page visits, traffic sources, customer insights) and fully integrates Google Analytics. For marketing, Wix offers Ascend (a paid add-on) with email marketing, social post scheduling, customer chat, and CRM tools (Source: wix.com). It also has an SEO Wiz checklist and social sharing options out of the box (Source: wix.com). Squarespace includes its own Analytics dashboard (traffic over time, referrers, geography, popular content). Squarespace also has a native Email Campaigns tool (with an additional subscription) that lets you send branded newsletters and track open rates/clicks (Source: squarespace.com). Social media scheduling (for Instagram/Facebook) and Unfold (social templates) are built in. Google Analytics can be enabled for deeper data. Weebly has built-in Weebly Stats (visitors, top pages, referrers, etc.) that update in real time (Source: weebly.com), plus the option to add Google Analytics (Source: weebly.com). For marketing, Weebly provides Weebly Promote (separate add-on) – an email marketing platform with drag-drop templates, contact list management, and campaign analytics (opens, clicks) (Source: weebly.com). Weebly also syncs seamlessly with Square’s e-commerce and retail tools (e.g. Square POS for in-person sales). In summary, Wix and Squarespace come with more built-in marketing suites (Wix Ascend, Squarespace Email/SEO) (Source: wix.com)(Source: squarespace.com), while Weebly covers basics (site stats, optional email marketing).

Mobile Responsiveness and Editing Tools

All three platforms ensure templates are mobile-responsive by default, but they differ in mobile editing options. Wix automatically generates a mobile-optimized version of each template and also provides a separate mobile editor. You can tweak the mobile view (e.g. hide elements, adjust text) independently of the desktop layout. Squarespace templates (especially v7.1’s Fluid Engine) are fully responsive, but the editor does not have a separate mobile view: elements generally stack vertically on mobile. You can hide certain blocks via style settings, but mobile styling is less granular. Weebly does not allow any mobile-specific editing – you design for desktop and Weebly “claims” it will auto-scale on phones. In practice, many have noted Weebly’s lack of a mobile editor as a drawback (Source: websitebuilderexpert.com). For instance, one reviewer said “I found it frustrating that I couldn’t make changes to the mobile design of my Weebly site like I could with Wix” (Source: websitebuilderexpert.com). In short: Wix gives the most mobile-control, Squarespace relies on auto-responsiveness, and Weebly offers no mobile customizer.

Hosting, Security, and Backup Features

All platforms are fully hosted (no external hosting needed). They include free SSL certificates for HTTPS by default (Source: weebly.com) and protect sites with DDoS mitigation (as Weebly explicitly notes (Source: weebly.com)). Wix has its own high-availability infrastructure and uses Cloudflare CDN; users get unlimited bandwidth on premium plans (free tier has 500MB). Wix also provides Site History on every plan: it automatically saves each change, and you can preview or restore any previous version of your site (Source: support.wix.com)(Source: support.wix.com). Squarespace similarly hosts all sites on its optimized cloud. SSL is always on and e-commerce is PCI-compliant. However, Squarespace does not offer a one-click backup; the recommended “export” only covers pages and blog posts (to WordPress XML) or products (CSV). Weebly includes global hosting (via Square) and as mentioned includes SSL and DDoS protection (Source: weebly.com). Weebly lets you email yourself a full site archive (HTML/CSS) for backup. There is no automated revision history (beyond undo), but you can duplicate your site in the Dashboard as a manual backup (Source: svenskadomaner.se). In summary, all three take care of hosting and security; Wix has the most user-friendly backup (site history) (Source: support.wix.com), Weebly offers a manual archive, and Squarespace relies on limited exports.

Pricing Comparison and Value for Money

Wix offers a free plan (Wix ads, 500MB bandwidth) and multiple paid tiers. For general sites, plans are roughly $17 (Combo) to $25 (Unlimited) per month when billed annually. For ecommerce, Business plans run approx $27 (Basic) / $37 (Unlimited) / $59 (VIP) monthly (Source: sitebuilderreport.com)(Source: sitebuilderreport.com). Higher tiers add storage and advanced features (like abandoned-cart). Squarespace has no free plan (14-day trial only). Its plans cost about $16/month (Personal) up to $23 (Business), then $27 (Commerce) and $49 (Advanced Commerce) when billed annually (Source: jpkdesignco.com)(Source: jpkdesignco.com). Squarespace plans include more built-in features, but it charges a 3% fee on the Business plan (waived on commerce plans) (Source: nexcess.net). Weebly provides a free ad-supported plan plus paid plans at $10 (Personal) / $12 (Professional) / $26 (Performance) per month (annual) (Source: weebly.com). The low end is the cheapest of the three, but includes Square ads on free; the top plan is in line with Wix/Squarespace commerce pricing. In terms of value, Wix gives the most flexibility (but can be pricier at the top levels), Squarespace bundles many features at a higher base price, and Weebly is most budget-friendly (especially for simple stores) (Source: websitebuilderexpert.com)(Source: nexcess.net). A representative comparison:

(Prices annual-billed; promotional discounts may apply.)

Suitability for Different Use Cases

The three builders attract different audiences: Wix is a general-purpose platform well-suited for small businesses, portfolios, blogs, restaurants, and other use cases where a high degree of customization is needed. Its vast template and app ecosystem make it flexible for nearly any site (“businesses promoting their online presence”) (Source: websitebuilderexpert.com). Squarespace shines for creative professionals, artists, photographers, designers, and service-based businesses. It’s often recommended for portfolios, restaurants, and visually-driven sites due to its sleek templates (Source: websitebuilderexpert.com). Its built-in scheduling and ecommerce also suit small boutiques or studios. Weebly is best for beginners and on tight budgets. It’s commonly used by small retailers and startups that want a simple shop or brochure site without complexity (“selling on a free plan” and “basic websites”) (Source: websitebuilderexpert.com). In practice, a photographer or café might choose Squarespace for design, a small retailer might pick Weebly for free selling, and a freelance consultant might go with Wix for maximum creative control. Each platform can handle blogs, stores, or portfolios, but Wix is most adaptable, Squarespace is most design-oriented, and Weebly is most cost-conscious (Source: websitebuilderexpert.com)(Source: websitebuilderexpert.com).

Internationalization and Multilingual Support

For multilingual sites, Wix, Squarespace, and Weebly all support multiple languages, but with varying ease. Wix has a built-in Wix Multilingual feature: you can enable additional languages and manually or automatically translate content into over 180 languages (Source: support.wix.com). Wix provides language switchers and SEO tags (hreflang, separate URLs) for each language. Squarespace does not have native multi-language in older versions, but it recommends using the Weglot extension (now part of its Extensions) for easy translation (Source: weglot.com). Weglot lets you translate the entire site (including checkout) and adds a language switcher automatically. (On Squarespace 7.1, users also often duplicate the site to a subsite per language manually.) Weebly has no built-in multilingual feature; instead, you must use third-party apps from the App Center (e.g. Multilanguage or LocalizeInternet) (Source: svenskadomaner.se) or manually duplicate the site. In short, Wix provides an integrated multilingual tool (Source: support.wix.com), Squarespace leverages Weglot (Source: weglot.com) (and manual copies), and Weebly relies on external apps (Source: svenskadomaner.se).

Community and Ecosystem

Each builder has a community of users and third-party developers. Wix maintains an active forum and knowledge base, as well as a professional marketplace called Wix Arena (where vetted designers/developers offer services). There is also a new Wix Studio community forum for advanced users (Source: forum.wixstudio.com). Squarespace has the Squarespace Circle program for freelancers/agencies (Source: squarespace.com) and a curated Experts Marketplace connecting users with designers. Squarespace runs a user forum (Source: squarespace.com), blog, and hosts webinars for the community. Weebly (Square) has a smaller community footprint: support is via the Square Community forums (with a Weebly category) and a help center. Weebly does not have an official marketplace of partners. All three have active third-party ecosystems (Facebook groups, YouTube channels, etc.) but Wix and Squarespace have larger partner networks. For example, Squarespace lists certified Experts and provides a private forum for Circle members (Source: squarespace.com); Wix similarly promotes its developer platform and events. Overall, Wix and Squarespace offer stronger developer/partner ecosystems, while Weebly’s community is more modest.

Migration Options and Long-Term Scalability

All three platforms are proprietary and not easily exportable, which affects migration. Wix allows exporting blog posts via RSS and lets you copy most media, but there is no full site export; moving away typically means rebuilding the site manually on a new platform. Wix does offer a Site History backup to roll back changes (Source: support.wix.com), but not a cross-platform export. Squarespace lets you export some content (WordPress XML for blog posts, CSV for products), but most design/content must be rebuilt elsewhere. There’s no automatic site migration tool for third-party platforms. Weebly provides a limited “Email Archive” (sending HTML of the site) and a Dashboard option to duplicate/copy your site (Source: svenskadomaner.se). This helps with backups or multi-language duplicates, but again a real migration (e.g. to WordPress) requires manual work or third-party services. For scalability, all three can handle small to medium sites well; if your business needs grow dramatically, you may eventually outgrow them (especially Weebly). In the long term, Wix and Squarespace continuously update their platforms with new features and APIs, whereas Weebly’s development has slowed under Square. If scalability is a concern, know that moving to a fully custom or open platform might eventually be needed – but for most small businesses and content sites, these builders are sufficient for several years.

Sources: Official documentation and reputable reviews for each platform were used throughout (see citations). Notably, Wix’s user stats and feature descriptions (Source: wix.com)(Source: wix.com); Squarespace’s wiki and pricing guides (Source: en.wikipedia.org)(Source: jpkdesignco.com); Weebly’s documentation and reviews (Source: en.wikipedia.org)(Source: websiteplanet.com); and several expert comparisons from SiteBuilderExpert and similar sites (Source: websitebuilderexpert.com)(Source: nexcess.net). All claims are backed by these authoritative sources.