If you’re a small business owner looking to get online, you’ve probably heard of Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress. All three can help you build a website. But which one actually serves your business best in the long run?
After building and managing websites for small businesses and ministries for over a decade, we’ve seen businesses thrive on the right platform—and struggle on the wrong one. This guide breaks down exactly why WordPress remains the smart choice for businesses that want to grow.
The Quick Answer
WordPress powers over 43% of all websites on the internet for good reason. While Wix and Squarespace make getting started easy, WordPress gives you something more valuable: control over your business’s digital future.
But let’s dig deeper than the usual talking points. Here’s what actually matters when you’re running a business.
Ownership: Who Really Controls Your Website?
This is the question most business owners don’t think to ask until it’s too late.
With Wix and Squarespace, you’re renting space on their platform. Your website lives on their servers, built with their proprietary tools, locked into their ecosystem. If they raise prices, change features, or shut down tomorrow, your options are limited.
WordPress works differently. You own your website. You can host it anywhere, move it anytime, and customize it however you need. Your content, your design, your code—it all belongs to you.
Think of it this way: Wix and Squarespace are like renting an apartment where the landlord controls everything. WordPress is like owning your building. You pay for hosting and maintenance, but the property is yours.
Cost: The Real Numbers Over Time
Wix and Squarespace advertise simple pricing. But let’s look at what small businesses actually pay over five years.
Wix starts around $27/month for business features, and prices climb quickly when you need more storage, bandwidth, or professional capabilities. That custom domain you want? It’s only “free” for the first year.
Squarespace ranges from $16 to $49 per month, with e-commerce requiring higher tiers. Every template, feature, and integration comes from Squarespace or costs extra through their marketplace.
WordPress itself is free. Hosting costs $5-30 per month for most small business sites. Premium themes run $50-200 one-time. Quality plugins might add $50-200 per year for advanced features.
Over five years, a WordPress site typically costs 30-50% less than comparable Wix or Squarespace setups while offering significantly more capability.
Flexibility: Can Your Website Grow With Your Business?
Here’s where the platforms diverge dramatically.
With Wix, your site is built using their editor. You can customize within their boundaries, but those boundaries are firm. Want a feature Wix doesn’t offer? You’ll have to work around it or go without.
Squarespace is even more restrictive. Their beautiful templates come with strict structural limitations. Customization beyond their options requires workarounds that often break with updates.
WordPress has no ceiling. Need a booking system? Install a plugin. Want to add an online course? There’s a plugin for that. Need custom functionality that doesn’t exist anywhere? A developer can build it.
We’ve seen this play out repeatedly. A local restaurant started on Squarespace with a simple menu and contact page. When they wanted to add online ordering, gift card sales, and a loyalty program, they hit the platform’s limits. Rebuilding on WordPress cost time and money they could have saved by starting there.
A consulting firm used Wix for years. When they wanted to integrate their CRM, automate client onboarding, and add a member portal, they discovered Wix couldn’t deliver. Their migration to WordPress opened possibilities they didn’t know existed.
SEO: Getting Found on Google
Search engine optimization determines whether potential customers find your website. This is where platform choice makes a measurable difference.
Both Wix and Squarespace have improved their SEO capabilities, but structural limitations remain. You’re restricted to their URL structures, their site speed optimization, and their technical implementation. When Google updates its algorithms, you wait for the platform to respond.
WordPress gives you complete control over every SEO factor. You get custom URL structures that match your keyword strategy, full access to technical SEO elements like schema markup, and site speed optimization through caching, image compression, and code optimization. When new SEO best practices emerge, you implement them immediately.
For businesses that depend on local search or compete in crowded markets, this flexibility translates directly to revenue.
Professional Features: Beyond the Basics
Small businesses need more than a digital brochure. They need websites that work for them.
E-commerce illustrates the difference clearly. Wix and Squarespace offer built-in shopping features, but with significant limitations on payment processors, shipping options, and inventory management. WordPress with WooCommerce powers over 25% of all online stores. It integrates with virtually any payment processor, shipping service, or inventory system. As your sales grow, your platform grows with you.
Membership and courses show the same pattern. Wix and Squarespace provide basic tools for online courses or membership content. WordPress offers enterprise-grade solutions through plugins like LearnDash, MemberPress, and Restrict Content Pro.
The same story repeats across booking and scheduling, email marketing integration, and every other professional feature. WordPress doesn’t just do more—it does everything better because you’re not locked into a single company’s vision of what your business needs.
Security and Reliability
Website security isn’t glamorous, but it matters.
Wix and Squarespace handle security for you. This sounds convenient until you realize you have no control over security measures, no ability to add extra protection, and no recourse if their security fails.
WordPress requires you to manage security, but this responsibility comes with power. You choose your hosting provider’s security level. You add security plugins that match your needs. You control backups, monitoring, and recovery.
Yes, WordPress sites get hacked. But almost always because of outdated plugins, weak passwords, or bargain-basement hosting. A properly maintained WordPress site on quality hosting is extremely secure. And when you work with a professional who handles updates and security monitoring, you get the best of both worlds.
Support and Maintenance: The Hidden Factor
This is where many small business owners make their decision—and where the real costs emerge.
Wix and Squarespace offer customer support, but you’re still responsible for building and managing your site. When something breaks or you need changes, you’re in the support queue like everyone else.
WordPress doesn’t come with built-in support, but your options are better. Hosting providers offer WordPress-specific technical support. Thousands of developers and agencies specialize in WordPress. Active community forums provide free help. And managed WordPress services handle everything for you.
Many small businesses find that working with a WordPress professional actually costs less than the time they spend fighting with website builders.
When Wix or Squarespace Might Make Sense
We believe in honest assessments. The other platforms might work if you need a simple personal website or portfolio, have no budget for any professional help, your website needs will never expand beyond basic pages, or you’re testing a business idea before real investment.
But if you’re building something meant to last—a real business with growth ambitions—WordPress positions you for success.
Making the Right Choice for Your Business
The website platform decision affects your business for years. Switching later costs time, money, and momentum.
WordPress requires more upfront thought than dragging and dropping in a website builder. But that investment pays dividends through lower long-term costs, unlimited growth potential, complete ownership and control, superior SEO capabilities, and professional-grade features.
How NorthMac Helps
We’ve managed WordPress websites for small businesses and ministries for years. We’ve seen what works and what causes headaches.
Our subscription model takes the technical burden off your shoulders. We handle hosting, security, updates, and support while you focus on your business. You get WordPress’s power without the maintenance hassle.
Curious whether WordPress is right for your business? We’re happy to discuss your specific situation and help you make an informed decision—even if the answer isn’t WordPress.
Get in touch to start the conversation.
