Wix, Squarespace or a custom website: what is really worth it
Wix or Squarespace promise a website in an afternoon. What they really cost, where they fall short and when a custom website is worth paying for.
Wix, Squarespace and similar builders sell an attractive promise: pick a template, change the text and you have a website in an afternoon. For some cases it is a good option. For many businesses, it ends up expensive, slow and looking like everyone else's.
Here is how to compare them without letting "start for free" sway you.
What Wix or Squarespace really cost
Builders work on subscription. Free plans show the builder's ads and do not let you use your own domain, so any real business ends up on a paid plan: roughly €10 to €40 a month, depending on the plan and features.
Do the maths over five years: at €20 a month, that is €1,200. And if you ever stop paying, the website disappears: you cannot take it elsewhere.
You pay for a custom website once. At Nueva Página, between €349 and €899 + VAT where applicable, with no monthly fees. The only recurring cost is the domain, around €10–15 a year, registered in your name.
The time nobody counts
"Do it yourself" means exactly that: you write the text, choose the photos, place every block, check it on mobile and maintain it. If you enjoy it, great. If not, that is many hours not spent on your business, and it often shows.
Wix and Squarespace limitations
They all look alike
Thousands of businesses use the same templates. You can customise them, up to a point, and anyone browsing several websites in your sector notices the "I've seen this before" feeling.
Speed
Builders load a lot of code so everything can be edited with the mouse. That costs speed, especially on phones with a poor connection.
Lock-in
Your website lives inside their platform. You cannot download it and move it to another provider. If prices go up or terms change, you either accept or start from scratch.
Paid extras
Bookings, advanced forms or removing their branding are often on higher plans or apps with their own fee.
When Wix or Squarespace makes sense
- You are testing an idea and do not know if it will work.
- Something has to be live this weekend and the budget is zero.
- You like designing and have time to look after it.
When a custom website pays off
- Your website has to build trust and set you apart from competitors.
- You want to pay once and forget about subscriptions.
- Speed matters to you, and so does Google understanding your site.
- You need something specific: bookings, a calendar synced with Airbnb, a calculator…
If in doubt, check what yours would cost with the cost calculator and compare it with five years of subscription fees.
How to compare Wix or Squarespace with a custom website
To compare properly, add up what you would pay over five years for each option. With a builder, look at the plan you actually need, not the cheapest: many features, such as removing their branding or taking bookings, sit in higher plans. You can see current prices on Wix and Squarespace.
Then also count the time you will spend building and maintaining it yourself, because those hours cost money too. By contrast, with a custom website the cost is clear from the start and the website is yours. To see what matters most in your case, also read WordPress or custom website and the cost of running a website. The cheap option is the one that is cheap over five years, not in the first month.
On a related note, you may also find AI website builders useful.
Frequently asked questions
Can I move my Wix website to another platform?
Not directly: Wix does not let you export the website. You would have to rebuild it, although you can reuse the text and photos.
Is a Wix or Squarespace website worse for Google?
It is not penalised, but it is usually slower and you have less technical control. With good content it can rank; a custom website gives you a head start.
What happens to my domain if I leave the builder?
If you registered it in your name with a registrar, it is yours and you can point it at the new website. If you bought it inside the builder, you have to transfer it.
How much is a custom website compared with Wix or Squarespace?
At Nueva Página, between €349 and €899 + VAT where applicable as a one-off payment, and afterwards you only pay for the domain. Compare it in the cost calculator.