For most New Zealand small businesses, Squarespace suits owners who want a polished design with fewer decisions, and Wix suits owners who want more freedom to place things anywhere and add features from an app store. Both are capable DIY builders, both host the site for you, and both lock the site to their own platform. If neither fits because you would rather not build it yourself, a done-for-you site starts at $250 a month ex GST with Media Giant.
We build custom sites for a living, so we are not neutral on DIY builders in general. We do migrate sites from both platforms, though, and the trade-offs below are the ones worth knowing before you start.
The short comparison
| Wix | Squarespace | |
|---|---|---|
| Editing style | Drag and drop, place elements almost anywhere | Section and grid based, more guided |
| Templates | Very large range | Smaller range, strong on design |
| Changing template later | Generally means rebuilding the pages | Styles can be changed across the site |
| Extra features | Large App Market, many paid apps | Fewer extensions, more first-party tools |
| Online store | Yes, on higher plans | Yes, on commerce-capable plans |
| Leaving the platform | Domain transfers, site stays | Domain transfers, limited content export |
| Best for | Owners who want control and add-ons | Owners who want it to look good quickly |
Design and ease of use
Wix gives you a blank canvas feel. You can drag a button, image or text box to almost any spot on the page. That freedom is great when you know what you want, and it is also how DIY sites end up looking cluttered, or fine on a laptop and messy on a phone. Wix lets you adjust the mobile layout separately, which helps but adds another job.
Squarespace works in sections and a grid. You have less freedom, but the templates are well designed and harder to break. Owners who are not confident designers usually end up with a tidier result on Squarespace.
Our view: the platform matters less than the content. A Squarespace site with vague copy and stock photos converts no better than a Wix site with the same problems.
Features and add-ons
Wix leans on its App Market for bookings, reviews, forms, memberships and more. There is an app for most things, which is the main reason owners choose it. The cost is that many apps carry their own monthly fees, and each one can add weight to the page, which slows it down on mobile.
Squarespace relies more on its own first-party tools, such as scheduling, member areas and email campaigns (some of them paid add-ons), with fewer third-party extensions. You get less choice, but fewer moving parts.
If your business depends on a specific tool, such as a booking system that already runs your diary, check that it connects to the platform before you choose.
Selling online in New Zealand
Both can run a small online shop. Before you commit, check three things on the plan you are considering:
- Which payment providers work for an NZ business, and what they charge per transaction.
- Whether the plan adds its own transaction fee on top of the payment provider's fee.
- How shipping is set up. NZ rural delivery is a real cost, and a single flat rate either loses money on rural orders or loses the sale. You want rates by weight or zone.
If products are the core of the business rather than a side line, a dedicated ecommerce platform such as Shopify is usually the better fit. Our post on Shopify versus a custom online store covers that choice.
SEO on Wix and Squarespace
Both handle the basics: editable page titles and descriptions, clean URLs, sitemaps and mobile layouts. Neither will rank you on its own. Rankings come from useful pages for each service, real reviews, a complete Google Business Profile and links from other sites, and all of that is work you do regardless of the builder.
Two practical differences to watch:
- Page weight. Heavy templates, large images and stacked apps slow pages down, and speed affects both rankings and enquiries. Run your site through Google PageSpeed Insights after you build it.
- Structure. Keep one page per service rather than one long page. It is easier for Google to match a page to a search.
Cost
Both sell monthly and annual plans, with prices on their own websites that change from time to time. Check the currency and whether GST is added before you compare. Our pricing page uses $30 to $80 a month as the typical DIY builder range. Then add your domain, business email, any paid apps or extensions, and your own time to build and maintain the site.
We have broken down those hidden costs in Wix versus a custom website: the real cost in NZ.
Leaving later
This is the point owners think about least at the start. On both platforms the site lives on their servers. You can transfer your domain to another provider, but the pages, design and settings do not come with you. Squarespace can export some content, such as pages and blog posts, in a format other platforms can import. Wix does not offer a full site export. In both cases, moving usually means a rebuild plus redirects to keep your Google rankings.
That is not a reason to avoid either builder. It is a reason to own your domain in your own name from day one, and to keep copies of your text and photos.
When neither is the right answer
A DIY builder is a good choice when you have more time than budget and enjoy the work. It is a poor choice when your time is better spent running the business, or when the website is your main source of enquiries and needs to perform.
Our AI website design service is the alternative: an AI-assisted build that is live in 7 days, with content writing, a free photoshoot, hosting and support included, from $250 a month or $1,500 upfront, ex GST. Andy and Ryan review every page before it goes live, and you approve it before launch.
Get a second opinion
Not sure whether to build it yourself? Send us your current site or your idea and we will give you a straight answer, even if that answer is to stick with a builder.
Frequently asked questions
Is Wix or Squarespace better for a small business in NZ?
Squarespace usually suits owners who want a polished look with less effort. Wix suits owners who want more layout freedom and specific add-ons from its App Market. Both are fine for a simple site. Neither does the writing, photography or SEO work for you.
Which is better for SEO, Wix or Squarespace?
Both cover the technical basics. The difference in rankings comes from your content, reviews, Google Business Profile and links, not from the builder. Keep pages light and fast on either platform.
Can I move from Wix to Squarespace, or the other way?
You can move your domain, but not the site itself. Expect to rebuild the pages on the new platform and set up redirects from your old URLs.
Do Wix and Squarespace prices include GST?
Check at checkout. Prices, currency and how GST is shown depend on the plan and where you sign up.
Can Media Giant rebuild my Wix or Squarespace site?
Yes. We rebuild sites from both platforms on our own stack, keep your rankings with redirects, and audit your current site free first.