Short answer
Wix suits DIYers who want design freedom. Squarespace suits image-led businesses that want polished templates. WordPress suits sites that need to grow or move hosts. Entry plans cost about US$17 a month on Wix and NZ$19 on Squarespace, ex GST (checked Oct 2026). WordPress software is free, but hosting runs about $10 to $50 a month.
- All three can rank on Google. In our experience, your content and Google profile matter more than the platform.
- Wix and Squarespace keep your design on their platform. WordPress lets you move hosts.
- WordPress is the most flexible, and needs the most upkeep.
- Over 3 years, DIY averages ~$1,800 plus 20 to 40 hours of your time (ex GST, Oct 2026).
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Which platform suits your business?
Wix suits owners who want design freedom, Squarespace suits image-led businesses, and WordPress suits sites that will grow or need to move hosts. There’s no single best choice, so find your business below.
| Your business | Best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Tradie who wants a simple site to update yourself | Wix | Easy to start, flexible layouts, lots of add-ons |
| Café, photographer or salon (image-led) | Squarespace | Polished templates that are hard to make look messy |
| Professional firm planning lots of pages or articles | WordPress | Most flexible, and you can move hosts |
| Sole trader testing an idea | Wix free plan or a cheap plan | Low cost while you find your feet |
| Online store with many products | A store platform such as Shopify | Built for products, stock and payments |
| Anyone who doesn’t want to build it | A web designer | Someone else does the build and Google setup |
Our view, based on how each platform works in Oct 2026. There’s no single best choice.
What does each platform cost in NZD?
Entry plans cost about US$17 a month on Wix and NZ$19 on Squarespace, ex GST (Oct 2026), while WordPress software is free but hosting runs about $10 to $50 a month (2026). Check today’s prices on the Wix and Squarespace pricing pages, and get the free software from WordPress.org.
| Platform | Entry price (when checked, ex GST) | Free plan? | Extras to budget for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wix | ~US$17 a month billed yearly; NZ guides quote ~NZ$20 to $23 | Yes, with Wix ads | Domain, email, paid apps |
| Squarespace | From NZ$19 a month, ex GST (Oct 2026) | No | Domain, email |
| WordPress (self-hosted) | Software free; hosting ~$10 to $50 a month | Software is free | Domain, premium themes and plugins, updates |
Wix: pricing page, 3 Oct 2026 (USD, ex GST), and NZ guides (Jul to Aug 2026). Squarespace: NZ guide, Jul 2026. Hosting: published NZ prices, 2026. The NZ guides and hosting prices don’t state GST. Check current prices before you buy.
Add a domain at $20 to $60 a year and business email at $8 to $18 per person a month, both ex GST. Over 3 years, the extras can cost as much as the plan. Our Wix cost guide has the full sums.
Ease of use and design
Squarespace is the hardest to make look messy, Wix gives the most layout freedom, and WordPress has the steepest learning curve. Wix lets you drag anything anywhere. That’s great for freedom. But it’s easy to build a page that looks fine on a laptop and messy on a phone. Check every page on your mobile.
Squarespace is more structured. You get fewer choices, but its templates are hard to break. Many image-led businesses like that.
WordPress asks you to choose hosting, a theme and plugins, then keep them all updated. In return, you can build almost anything.
Which is best for SEO?
All three can rank on Google, because each lets you set page titles, descriptions and headings, and each makes a sitemap. WordPress gives the most control. Wix and Squarespace cover the basics well enough for most small businesses. Google’s SEO Starter Guide applies to every platform.
In our experience, the platform matters less than what you put on it. For a local business, these are the signals we see again and again:
What tends to move local rankings
- A page for each main service, naming the areas you cover.
- A complete Google Business Profile with the right category.
- A steady flow of Google reviews, with replies.
- A fast site that works well on phones.
- Clear page titles that say what you do and where.
Who owns your site?
On all three platforms your words and images are yours and your domain can be transferred out, but only WordPress lets your design move with you to another host.
| Platform | Your content | Your design | Your domain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wix | Yours, but no export to other platforms | Stays on Wix | Can be transferred out |
| Squarespace | Yours, with a limited export | Stays on Squarespace | Can be transferred out |
| WordPress (self-hosted) | Yours, with full files | Moves with you to any host | Can be transferred out |
How each platform worked in Oct 2026. Register your domain in your own name, whichever you choose.
When should you hire a designer instead?
Hiring a designer usually makes sense if you don’t have 20 to 40 spare hours, your time is worth more than about $50 an hour, or you want Google and SEO setup done well from the start.
Hiring someone usually makes sense if…
- You don’t have 20 to 40 spare hours to build and check it.
- Your time is worth more than about $50 an hour.
- You want your Google Business Profile and SEO set up from the start.
- You’d rather not keep plugins and updates under control yourself.
| Option | 3-year cost (ex GST) |
|---|---|
| DIY builder | ~$1,800, plus 20 to 40 hours of your time |
| Freelancer | ~$3,800 |
| Small agency | ~$9,100 |
Auckland averages from our NZ website prices survey, Oct 2026.
Where Web Smart HQ fits
Web Smart HQ builds the site for you for $499 + GST (1 page) or $899 + GST (5 pages), with SEO setup and Google Business Profile setup included. So is your first year of hosting, domain and small updates.
After year one, hosting and your domain continue at a monthly rate we agree with you before renewal. No surprises: we remind you before anything renews. Your domain, content, Google profile and analytics are in your name. We host the site, and you can move it any time. If you love building and tweaking yourself, one of these platforms may suit you better. If not, see our web design page or prices.