“Should I use WordPress or Squarespace?” is one of the first questions I get on almost every discovery call. And it’s a good one to ask early, because the platform you pick shapes almost everything about your website later on: how easy it is to update, how it looks, what you can add to it and how well it can grow with you.
I build mostly on WordPress and Squarespace, and my own site runs on WordPress. But the right answer really does depend on your business, so here’s how I’d think it through.
Why your website platform matters
A platform that fits you makes your site easy to keep up and leaves room to grow. One that doesn’t might work fine for a while, until you need a feature it can’t handle. Switching later usually means rebuilding the whole site from scratch, which is a lot of time and money you didn’t plan on spending.
The right platform should give you:
- A professional home for your services
- Tools that help customers understand what you offer
- An easy way to update your content
- Room to grow as your business does
The wrong one makes even simple updates frustrating. Slow pages, missing features and a confusing editor all add up, and a lot of them overlap with the website design mistakes that cost small businesses clients.
The most popular website platforms for small businesses
There are more website design options than ever, but these five are the ones I hear about most.
WordPress: the most flexible
WordPress is the one I reach for when a business wants full control over its design and features. It’s also the most widely used platform out there, powering more than 40 percent of all websites.
What I love about it: there are thousands of plugins for booking, calendars, SEO, online stores and memberships, you get full design control with themes and page builders, and its SEO tools are strong when they’re set up right. It’s a great fit for blogs, service businesses and any site that needs to grow.
What to know going in: there’s a learning curve at first, and you’re responsible for updates, security and hosting unless someone handles that for you. (That’s exactly what my hosting and maintenance plans are for.) Plugins can also pile up and slow things down, which is part of what happened on my own site before I fixed my own slow website.
Squarespace: the easiest to manage
Squarespace is a favorite for business owners who want a clean, modern site without having to think about the technical side. Hosting, security and templates are all built in, so it’s one simple package.
You get drag-and-drop editing, really polished templates, built-in analytics and email tools, and light online store options. Where it can feel limited is custom or advanced features, growing quickly, and a few SEO settings that take some workarounds.
For a lot of small businesses, though, it hits a really nice middle ground between good looks and easy upkeep.
Shopify: built for online stores
If selling products is the main thing your site does, Shopify is one of the strongest choices out there. It’s built from the ground up around smooth, secure checkout, and it handles a big product catalog really well.
It gives you a fast, easy checkout, tools for inventory, shipping and orders, apps for subscriptions, reviews and product bundles, and strong built-in security. The tradeoffs are that custom design changes often need a developer, app fees can add up, and it’s not as flexible for content-heavy sites like blogs or multi-page service sites.
Showit: design freedom for creatives
Showit is popular with photographers and creatives who want total control over how every page looks. You can place things anywhere on the page with no grid holding you back, design the desktop and mobile versions separately, and pair it with WordPress for blogging. There’s also a big template marketplace aimed at creative brands.
The downsides: it’s not built for online stores, it has fewer add-ons than WordPress, and you pay a monthly platform fee on top of your design. But for a business whose work is visual, it offers a kind of freedom template-based platforms can’t really match.
Wix: easy to start, harder to grow
Wix is often where new businesses start, because it’s affordable and very easy to use. Its editor is what’s called WYSIWYG, short for what you see is what you get, so your edits look close to the finished page as you make them.
The trouble comes later. Its SEO tools are limited, it’s less flexible for online stores or advanced features, and templates can start to feel restrictive as you add more. Speed matters here too. HubSpot has found a clear connection between page speed and conversion rates, and Wix can struggle there as your content grows.
Wix can work for a very simple site, but it’s not one I recommend for long-term business growth, and it’s not one I build on. Most businesses that start there end up moving to WordPress once they need more control, or to Shopify if selling products becomes the main focus.
How to decide which website platform is best for you
This gets a lot easier once you focus on what your business actually needs, not what’s popular.
Your budget
Some platforms have higher monthly fees, while others take more setup or upkeep. WordPress usually has the best long-term value but needs more work up front. Squarespace and Wix cost less to start, but they can cost more later if you need features they don’t offer.
Things that affect what you’ll spend:
- Hosting
- Templates or premium themes
- App or plugin fees
- Whether you hire a designer
- What you need right away, like an online store, booking or a blog
- What you’ll want later, like a bigger shop, memberships or more content
If you want something simple and affordable, Squarespace may be a great fit. If you want something that grows with you for years, WordPress is the stronger pick, and Shopify is the one to look at if your store is the heart of your business. And if you’re still deciding whether to build it yourself at all, I walk through that in DIY vs. hiring a designer.
The features you need
Before you pick, jot down what you need now and what you might want later. It’ll narrow things down fast. Common ones are:
- An online store
- Online booking
- SEO tools
- A blog or resource section
- Portfolio galleries
- Quote or inquiry forms
- A site that works well on phones
- Full control over your design
That phone piece matters more than ever. Google notes that most people now start their search on a mobile device, so a platform that handles mobile well helps both your visitors and your visibility. If SEO is a big part of your plans, my breakdown of what’s included in a small business SEO package might help too.
Where your business is headed
Think about where you’ll be in a few years, not just where you are today. A few questions to ask yourself:
- Will I add new services?
- Do I plan to sell more products?
- Will I want a blog?
- How custom do I want my design to be?
- How important is showing up in search?
If you’re expecting to grow, pick a platform built for the kind of growth you have in mind. If that means more products, Shopify scales really well as a store. If it means more features, like booking, memberships, custom forms or a big blog, WordPress gives you the most room to add on.
FAQs
What’s the best website platform for beginners?
Squarespace and Wix are the easiest to pick up, since both use simple drag-and-drop editors. Squarespace looks more polished and professional, while Wix is the most beginner-friendly.
Is WordPress too hard for small businesses to use?
It has a learning curve, but once it’s set up right, updating your content is pretty easy. Most people only struggle with the initial setup and theme, and that’s the part a designer can handle for you.
What platform is best for SEO?
WordPress is the strongest for SEO, because you can customize so much and the SEO plugins are powerful. Shopify is also great for SEO if you’re running an online store.
Can I switch platforms later?
You can, but it’s not always simple. Moving from Squarespace, Wix or Shopify to WordPress usually means a full rebuild, and switching between Squarespace and Wix isn’t automatic either. It’s much easier to pick a platform that fits your long-term goals from the start.
What platform is best for e-commerce?
For most small businesses selling products online, Shopify. It handles inventory, payments and shipping without needing a lot of extra tools, even as your product list gets bigger.
What if I want a completely custom design?
WordPress gives you the most freedom. Shopify’s design can be customized a lot too, but it usually takes a developer, and it’s still built around selling products more than adding other features.
Still not sure which one fits?
You don’t need the most expensive platform to have a professional, trustworthy website. You just need one that fits your goals and makes it easy for customers to reach you.
If you’d like help figuring out which one’s right for you, take a look at my web design services for small businesses or reach out, and we’ll talk through the options together. I work with businesses all over Blount County, Knoxville and beyond, and I’d love to help!
