Wix Alternatives: The 4 Best Options To Try in 2026

We spent over 300 hours comparing 12 website builders and found the best Wix alternatives in 2026: Squarespace (best for services), Hostinger (best for low start prices), and Shopify (best for scaling ecommerce).

While Wix is a top-rated builder, these alternatives excel in specific areas like design, ease of use, or ecommerce functionality.

Wix Alternatives: Side-by-Side Comparison

Refer to the table below for a quick comparison between each alternative:

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		Overall rating	Today's best price	Free plan or free trial
Best Wix Alternative
Squarespace	Hostinger	Shopify	GoDaddy
4.5	4.2	4.2	4.1
$19 $17.10 with code “WBE10”	$11.99 $2.99/month	$29 $1/mo for 3 months	$9.99
14-day free trial	14-day free trial	3-day free trial	Free plan

How Does Wix’s Pricing Compare to Its Alternatives?

You can compare Wix’s pricing with alternative options using the table below:

• Hostinger and GoDaddy are the two cheapest Wix alternatives, despite their price increases at renewal.
• Squarespace’s pricing is most like Wix’s, though Squarespace is slightly cheaper. A key difference is that you can start selling on Squarespace’s cheapest plan.
• Shopify remains the most expensive Wix alternative on this list with plans starting from $29 per month. However, this price is justifiable if you own a scaling store and need the best ecommerce tools on the market.

1. Squarespace: For Service-Based Businesses

• Overall rating: 4.5/5 (excellent)
• Squarespace pricing: From $16 per month. Save 10% on your plan with code “WBE10” at checkout
• Squarespace review

Squarespace is the best Wix alternative for service-based businesses due to its popular Acuity Scheduling tool. It’s also an excellent platform for beginners, offering an AI builder, Squarespace Blueprint, and a simple drag-and-drop editor.

Squarespace’s Acuity Scheduling tool costs an additional $16 per month (billed annually), enabling you to take client bookings and showcase different types of appointments on your website, like consultations or classes.

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🚨 One thing I noticed during testing…

Squarespace’s Acuity Scheduling tool impressed me. It’s well integrated into the platform and I could tailor my scheduling page to complement my website’s design. Before your site goes live, I recommend setting your availability first. This way, potential customers will know when you’re available, preventing any bookings from trickling down into your personal time!

Holly Choules Writer

✔️ What Squarespace Does Well

• Powerful scheduling tool: Acuity Scheduling. Great for accepting appointments from your website.
• Best looking website designs for a professional online presence.
• Easiest editor to use thanks to its intuitive drag-and-drop interface.

✖️ Where Squarespace Could Improve

• Ecommerce features aren’t as advanced as Wix’s or Shopify’s. Squarespace is better for selling a few products at a time, not for scaling businesses.
• Website speeds need improvement. Squarespace sites had the slowest load times on desktop and mobile in our hands-on testing.
• Squarespace has fewer extensions than Wix (i.e. 40+ extensions vs 8,000+ extensions).

Want to set up with Acuity Scheduling? Our video below will show you how:

How Much Does Squarespace Cost?

• $16 and $99 per month (billed annually)
• 14-day free trial 
• No free plan
• 10% off with the code “WBE10” at checkout

Squarespace has four plans priced between $16 and $99 per month (billed annually). They’re generally cheaper than Wix’s plans, since there’s less of a steep price increase between the cheapest and the more expensive options.

💰 Learn more about its plans and pricing here: Squarespace pricing

Squarespace’s Key Differences

These are the key differences between Wix and Squarespace:

Is Squarespace Easier To Use Than Wix?

In testing, I found that Squarespace’s AI website builder tool was the easiest to use overall, which is especially helpful if you want to set up fast.

With Wix, I felt like I was being bombarded with questions before receiving my AI-generated design, while Squarespace walked me through a simple, five-step process. I could choose:

• My website’s tone of voice
• My homepage’s contents
• The exact pages I needed
• Specific colors and fonts for the design

Are Squarespace’s Templates Better Than Wix’s?

Yes, though Wix has a higher volume of templates, Squarespace’s professional templates are the best I’ve seen design-wise.

Squarespace’s 190+ templates scored highly in our hands-on testing, with sophisticated designs spanning entertainment, restaurants, travel, and other popular industries. These sleek, curated templates will help your website stand out online and impress your target audience.

2. Hostinger: For the Cheapest Starting Prices

• Overall rating: 4.2/5 (very good)
• Hostinger pricing: From $2.99 per month. Save 10% with code “WBE” at checkout
• Hostinger review

If sticking to a budget is your key concern, Hostinger is the best Wix alternative for your needs. Its two website builder plans cost $2.99 or $3.99 per month (for a 48-month term), which is superb if you need to set up a professional website for less.

And if you find your Wix website too slow, sites built with Hostinger had the fastest loading speeds in our testing!

✔️ What Hostinger Does Well

• Cheapest pricing plans starting from only $2.99 per month (48-month term).
• Fastest site load times. Hostinger’s average performance scores beat Wix’s on desktop and mobile during hands-on testing.
• Fantastic AI tool suite to boost efficiency, helping you generate a website design, email marketing, and additional content.

✖️ Where Hostinger Could Improve

• Not as scalable as Wix, with only two plans available and 50GB space on its most expensive plan.
• Less design options than Wix and more simplistic templates.
• Limited website functionality, especially since it doesn’t have an app market.

How Much Does Hostinger Cost?

• $2.99 or $3.99 per month (48-month subscription)
• 14-day free trial
• No free plan
• 10% off with code “WBE” at checkout

On a 48-month subscription, Hostinger’s plans cost between $2.99 to $3.99 per month and are great value for money. They’re the cheapest introductory offers on the market, making Hostinger ideal if high website costs are a key concern.

💰 Learn more about its plans and pricing here: Hostinger pricing

Hostinger’s Key Differences

This is how Hostinger differs from Wix:

Is Hostinger’s Dashboard Easier To Use Than Wix’s?

I found Hostinger’s dashboard easier to use than Wix’s during testing. All the tools I needed, from appointments to ecommerce, were well organized in the dashboard navigation bar, and I could follow a clear website checklist to get started.

With Wix, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by its interface as a beginner, especially with the large number of features baked into its dashboard.

Is It True That Hostinger Has Faster Site Speeds Than Wix?

Hostinger does have faster website speeds than Wix, making it ideal for informational websites handling high volumes of content. When we tested how quickly up-and-running sites would load, Hostinger websites performed the best out of all the builders we examined on mobile and desktop devices – even beating Wix by a significant margin!

3. Shopify: For Scaling Your Online Store

• Overall rating: 4.2/5 (excellent)
• Shopify pricing: from $29 per month (billed annually) – get your first three months for $1 per month
• Shopify review

Shopify is the best Wix alternative for online stores thanks to its exceptional sales and product management tools. Wix’s ecommerce offering, though high-quality, can’t compete with Shopify’s specialist features tailored to merchants who want to set up and scale their business.

Shopify also has AI tools for sellers with limited time on their hands, such as its AI theme builder and “Sidekick” ecommerce assistant.

✔️ What Shopify Does Well

• Shopify’s sales tools, from built-in shipping features to automatic invoice generation, support businesses at each stage of their selling journey.
• Seamless integration with other sales channels, such as online marketplaces and social media.
• Biggest app market where you’ll find 8,000+ apps to choose from.

✖️ Where Shopify Could Improve

• Only 24 out of 1000+ templates are free to use. Premium templates range between $100 to $500 for a one-off payment.
• Restrictive section-based editor. In hands-on testing, its customization tools didn’t give me much choice when arranging my homepage design.
• Doesn’t come with a built-in scheduling feature like Wix or Squarespace. You’ll need a third-party app to set up appointments instead.

How Much Does Shopify Cost?

• $29 and $299 per month (billed annually)
• Three-day free trial
• No free plan
• Get your first three months for $1 per month

Shopify costs between $29 and $299 per month, which isn’t the best value for money. There’s a steep price increase between the cheapest and the most expensive plans, while its free trial only lasts three days. But if you’re looking for a platform to sell from, each of Shopify’s plans come with unparalleled sales features, such as significant shipping discounts.

💰 Learn more about its plans and pricing here: Shopify’s pricing 

Shopify’s Key Differences

These are the key differences between Shopify and Wix to take into account:

Does Shopify Really Have the Best Sales Features?

Shopify does have the best sales features on the market, a statement that’s reflected in our in-house testing. When I tried out different website builders, including Wix, the scope and quality of Shopify’s sales features impressed me the most.

I could:

• Generate customizable invoices
• Print discounted shipping labels
• Customize the checkout page to reflect branding
• View inventory reports
• Sell via different channels like Google Shopping, online marketplaces, and social media
• Set up over 100 payment options

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🚨 One thing I noticed during testing…

Though Shopify has fantastic sales features, I needed some time to get used to its dashboard and find where these tools are located. The dashboard itself is quite gray, so it’s easy to get lost on the screen. Because of this, I suggest writing down the key tools your business needs first, and then spending some time getting used to the platform and working out where everything is – you can use Shopify’s AI chatbot if you get stuck, too!

Holly Choules Writer

How Does Shopify and Wix’s Product Tools Compare?

Though I found it easy to add products through Wix, Shopify is better equipped for much larger inventories and scaling up your store. In testing, I could use my own CSV file to add items in bulk without having to spend ages adjusting the CSV for a seamless upload. 

Also, thanks to the Shopify Editions Winter ‘26 update, managing a larger inventory is easier than ever. You can:

• Manage inventory transfers
• Run flash sales from multiple locations
• View your inventory adjustment history past 180 days

4. GoDaddy: For Quick and Easy Website Setup

• Overall rating: 4.1/5 (good)
• GoDaddy pricing: From $9.99/month
• GoDaddy review

If you feel overwhelmed by bigger website builders like Wix, GoDaddy is the most suitable alternative. With its straightforward setup and supportive onboarding process, GoDaddy is ideal for complete beginners who need to build a professional website from scratch.

✔️ What GoDaddy Does Well

• Second cheapest website builder on this list, with a reasonable starting price of $9.99 per month (billed annually).
• Impressive marketing suite that comes with a social media calendar, helping you plan and create seasonal posts.
• Speedy website setup due to its AI-powered interface.

✖️ Where GoDaddy Could Improve

• Designs aren’t as advanced as Wix’s. When I used GoDaddy’s AI-powered builder, the designs felt generic and weren’t tailored to my website’s niche either.
• Doesn’t provide the most advanced customization options.
• GoDaddy’s SEO checklist needs improvement. I found that the guidance it offered wasn’t clear enough and may confuse marketing newbies.

How Much Does GoDaddy Cost?

• $9.99-$20.99 per month (billed annually)
• Free plan

GoDaddy’s pricing is affordable, with its three plans costing $9.99 to $20.99 per month (billed annually). You can get started with GoDaddy’s free plan, but it comes with very basic features, like website security, and displays GoDaddy ads on your site. I recommend upgrading to one of its three premium plans to remove ads.

💰 Learn more about its plans and pricing here: GoDaddy’s Pricing

GoDaddy’s Key Differences

I’ve explained a few of GoDaddy and Wix’s key differences below.

Does GoDaddy Really Have a Distinct Marketing Focus?

Yes! Unlike Wix, which is more of an all-rounder, GoDaddy has a distinct marketing focus. Some of the best tools from its GoDaddy Airo suite are marketing related, including:

• A social media calendar with important holiday dates and optimized posting times
• Email marketing campaign generation
• Social media ad creation

Does GoDaddy Have Better Onboarding than Wix?

GoDaddy’s onboarding is better if you’re a complete beginner and don’t mind having your hand held through the process. From the editor, I was taken through an onboarding experience that showed me how to use each tool, helping me get started quickly. In contrast, it can take a while to familiarize yourself with Wix and find the tools you need.

What Should I Look for in a Wix Alternative?

Need help choosing the right Wix alternative for you? Ask yourself:

• 👎 What you don’t like about Wix: Is it lacking a key feature you need? Or are its pricing plans no longer aligned with your budget? It’s time to look at other options.
• 👍 What you like about Wix: Your new builder should have the same Wix benefits you enjoy the most. (e.g. Don’t move to Hostinger if you love Wix’s creative freedom or countless features).
• 🔁 If it’s difficult to switch: Make sure that the process is doable. You don’t want to lose important website content along the way, so double-check each builder’s migration options.
• 💡 The features you need to keep: Will your new builder have all the features your business needs to thrive? (e.g. An ambitious online store owner should switch to a platform that supports scaling ecommerce, like Shopify).

Our video below will also help you choose:

How We Tested These Wix Alternatives

We put each platform through our website builder research process, spanning over 300 hours of testing and analysis, to ensure that you receive the most accurate information possible.

During testing, we kept an eye on key criteria that reflected what users were looking for, and weighted them based on importance:

1. Website functionality (30%): How does the builder help me market and promote my business? Can I engage with my audience through email marketing tools? Can I optimize my site for SEO? How well does my website perform for visitors and in the backend?
2. Design features (25%): Are the available templates free to use and of a good quality? Can I use an AI website builder or build a template with AI support? Are the designs adaptable for different devices? Can I edit my creative assets?
3. Pricing (15%): How affordable is the Wix alternative? What features will I get for my money? Is there a free trial or plan?
4. User experience (15%): Is the editor easier to use than Wix? Is the account dashboard straightforward to navigate? How simple and beginner-friendly is the onboarding process?
5. Help and support (10%): What customer support options are available? Is the builder reachable 24/7? What online resources can you use, such as a knowledge center?
6. Reputation (5%): How likely am I to recommend the builder to others? How does the builder compare to Wix and others in the market? Does it have a good online reputation?

For instance, because “website functionality” had the highest weighting, I paid extra attention to key website features that small businesses will most benefit from, which includes scheduling, marketing, and sales tools. I also drew conclusions from my own experience of testing each website builder, sharing my first-hand experience throughout this article.

What Is the Best Wix Alternative?

Based on our research, Squarespace is the best Wix alternative overall. The platform rivals Wix with its unparalleled templates and easy-to-use editor, while its booking tool makes it the ideal choice for service-based businesses.

However, the other alternatives listed do have their benefits. Let’s recap:

1. Hostinger’s affordable introductory prices, costing $2.99 to $3.99 per month (48-month term), are excellent value for money if you’re on a strict budget.
2. Shopify is most suitable for online stores. This is your best option for scaling up your business or managing your inventory more effectively,
3. GoDaddy’s accessible customer support and straightforward editor make it the most beginner-friendly platform. It’s ideal if you’re setting up a website for the first time.

Wix Alternatives: FAQs

Written By

Holly Choules

Holly Choules is a Writer at Website Builder Expert with a background in researching and crafting engaging content for digital platforms. In previous roles, she has demonstrated her wordsmith skills by writing for public facing brands in a range of industries. After gaining hands-on experience using leading website builders, like Wix and WordPress, she is now keen to share her findings through informative, easy-to-follow articles that help small business owners get online and grow their presence.

Since joining the team in 2024 and transitioning into the tech sphere, Holly is passionate about applying her three years of content writing experience and upholding Website Builder Expert’s position as an authoritative source on website builders, ecommerce, and digital marketing.

You can read Holly’s articles below, or connect with her on LinkedIn.

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Reviewed By

Natasha Willett Lead Researcher

Natasha brings her expert credentials – a BSc, Ma, and MMRS – to Website Builder Expert. Natasha has qualifications in Advanced Statistical Analysis, MRS certificate in Market Research, Brand, Finding the Story in the Data, and Big Data: Measuring and Predicting Human Behaviour. These have allowed her to carefully analyze over 64 providers across website builders, ecommerce web builders, and hosting.

Natasha began building websites when studying sports science, originally using Weebly to create websites to help students learn in a more interactive way. During her first week at Website Builder Expert, she realized that website builders would become important in giving business owners full control over their websites. She began creating a rigorous methodology of research that centered around testing providers and products against a large set of mixed criteria turned into quantitative findings, comparing value for money, design, ease of use, and more. All to provide the most honest and objective insights rather than just looking at their claimed features.

In five years at Website Builder Expert, Natasha has attended multiple expos in her field, including ESOMAR, MRS, eCommerce Expo, Ad World, Digital Customer Engagement Summit, and IMRG, just to name a few. Natasha has also worked alongside website builders directly to share her research with them, so that they might improve their products for users.

She’s clocked an impressive 9,600 hours of product research and testing, pulling data from multiple sources and providing the Website Builder Expert team with the scores and product details they need to give you the best recommendations to succeed online.

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