Hostinger vs Wix vs Squarespace: Comparing the Best Website Builders

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As our top three website builders for 2025, it’s only fair I put Hostinger, Wix, and Squarespace head-to-head so you can find the right fit for your business. In March 2025, we spent over 300 hours researching, testing, and comparing 12 top website builders, and Wix is our top choice for the 10th year in a row.

But what makes each of these builders one of the best in the market?

Key Takeaways 🔍

  • Wix is the best option for most individuals and businesses
  • Squarespace’s editor and designs help beginners create a professional site
  • Hostinger’s plans are great value for money, and the cheapest of the three
  • All three builders offer AI website builders
  • We’ve spent over 300 hours testing these builders to offer unbiased, data-driven recommendations

Which Builder Is Best?

Choosing between three builders can be difficult, so you can compare key details in this table before you dive into our summaries:

Swipe right to see more
0 out of 0

Wix

Squarespace

Hostinger

Overall Rating
4.8
Overall Rating
4.5
Overall Rating
4.2
Today's best price
Today's best price
Today's best price
Free plan or free trial

Free plan

Free plan or free trial

14-day free trial

Free plan or free trial

7-day free trial

AI website builder
AI website builder
AI website builder
Recommended for

Businesses promoting their online presence

Recommended for

Creatives, portfolios and service-based businesses

Recommended for

Freelancers and budget-conscious users

Try Wix Try Squarespace Try Hostinger

#1. Wix: Best All-in-One Builder

Editor's Choice

Wix

Best all-in-one builder

Outstanding

4.8

out of 5
  • Quality website features
  • 2,000 free templates
  • Caters to all industries
dollar icon svg

Free plan available

Paid Plans: $17 - $159 / month

Pros

  • icon yes svg Easy drag-and-drop editor
  • icon yes svg Personalized SEO advice
  • icon yes svg 24/7 help and support

Cons

  • icon no svg Can't switch template once live
  • icon no svg A lot to learn for beginners
  • icon no svg Slow loading times
Wix Review

Wix remains our top-rated website builder for another year, outperforming Hostinger and Squarespace thanks to its impressive built-in features, drag-and-drop editor, and affordable pricing.

Based on my testing, Wix caters to a lot of website needs and industries, so it’s a good option if you’re looking to set up a blog or build an online store. Plus, nearly everything is provided for you in the dashboard, saving you the hassle of installing and paying for plugins.

Wix's AI marketing agent page in the dashboard
Your Wix account should provide you with all of the tools you need, such as Wix's new AI Marketing Agent feature. Source: Website Builder Expert

✔️ What I Like

❌ Areas To Improve

  • Locked into your published template
  • Range of features can feel overwhelming for beginners
  • Slow to load and use at times
  • Limited storage space on cheaper plans

🚨 New Wix features 🚨

In July, Wix and Alibaba announced a partnership to help Wix merchants access the global online marketplace’s resources, including suppliers and products. This can all be managed from your Wix dashboard, saving you the hassle of jumping between portals.

How Much Does Wix Cost?

  • Wix has a free plan, but it comes with ads and limited features
  • Wix’s four premium plans range from $17 to $159 per month (billed annually)
  • You need to upgrade to the $29 per month Core plan to sell online

#2. Squarespace: Best for Beginners

Squarespace

Best for beginners

Excellent

4.5

out of 5
  • Ideal for creatives
  • Great booking tool
  • Easiest builder to use
dollar icon svg

Free trial available

Paid Plans: $16 - $99 / month

Pros

  • icon yes svg High-quality templates and designs
  • icon yes svg Intuitive editor
  • icon yes svg Blueprint AI builder

Cons

  • icon no svg No autosave in editor
  • icon no svg Limited third-party apps
  • icon no svg No phone support
Squarespace Review

I’ve spent over three years testing website builders myself, and Squarespace is by far the easiest to use. Time and again, I find myself drawn to the builder because of its intuitive drag-and-drop editor, stunning designs, and great user experience.

While Hostinger and Wix are also easy to use, Squarespace keeps things very beginner-friendly. Squarespace’s AI website builder, Blueprint AI, guides you through the setup journey, and the grid framework in the editor helps you keep your pages clean and professional-looking.

Moving a text box in Squarespace's drag and drop editor
I appreciated Squarespace's grid lines since it made it easy for me to align elements on the page. Source: Website Builder Expert

✔️ What I Like

❌ Areas To Improve

  • No autosave feature (remember to save your edits!)
  • Only a few Squarespace Extensions to add
  • Falls behind when it comes to AI features

🚨 New Squarespace features 🚨

If your business is using Squarespace Payments, you can now accept Google Pay, making it easier for customers to purchase products from you. Plus, merchants on Squarespace can now receive instant payouts, as soon as you secure a sale.

How Much Does Squarespace Cost?

  • Squarespace’s pricing updated this year, ranging from $16 to $99 per month (billed annually)
  • Squarespace has a 14-day free trial, but no free plan
  • You can sell online with any Squarespace plan
  • Acuity Scheduling costs extra (from $16 per month)

#3. Hostinger: Best Budget Builder

Hostinger

Best budget builder

Very Good

4.2

out of 5
  • Great for simple sites
  • Suite of AI tools
  • Drag-and-drop editor
dollar icon svg

Free trial available

Paid Plans: $2.99 - $19.99 / month

Pros

  • icon yes svg Fastest site speed
  • icon yes svg Affordable ecommerce plan
  • icon yes svg Hostinger Reach for email marketing

Cons

  • icon no svg Limited room to grow
  • icon no svg No app market
  • icon no svg Renewal fees are steep
Hostinger Review

Hostinger is the cheapest website builder of the three. Its two plans cost just a few dollars per month, whereas Squarespace’s and Wix’s plans start at $16 and $17, respectively.

Hostinger’s cheap introductory fees and user-friendly AI tools make it a great starter builder, but I recommend upgrading to another platform once you need advanced tools. For example, online stores with Hostinger can only sell up to 600 products.

List of Hostinger AI tools in the website editor
Hostinger has a large suite of AI tools but you can only access these on the Business Website Builder plan. Source: Website Builder Expert

✔️ What I Like

  • Cheaper starting prices than Wix or Squarespace
  • AI website builder and large suite of AI tools
  • Drag-and-drop editor (combines the styles of the other two builders)
  • Sell online for less than $5 per month

❌ Areas To Improve

  • No app market for extra functionality
  • Most AI tools aren’t available on cheapest plan
  • Ecommerce plan is limited for businesses
  • Lacks scalability

🚨 New Hostinger features 🚨

Hostinger has filled a gap in its suite of features by adding Hostinger Reach. The AI-powered email marketing tool can help you create personalized emails, manage campaigns, and track engagement.

How Much Does Hostinger Cost?

  • Hostinger has two premium plans, with no free plan
  • Hostinger’s pricing ranges from $2.99 to $3.99 per month (for a 48-month term)
  • You can get up to three months for free with a longer subscription
  • You need the $3.99 Business Website Builder plan to sell products

How We Test Website Builders

Our dedicated in-house research team spent over 300 hours testing, evaluating, and building websites with Hostinger, Wix, and Squarespace. Our rigorous research process puts these builders through their paces by looking at six core categories, covering 207 areas of investigation. I also carry out hands-on testing regularly to ensure my reviews are up-to-date and helpful.

The six core categories we focus on are listed below – each area has a unique weighting, depending on what is more important for small businesses:
  • Website Functionality: 30%
  • Design Features: 25%
  • Pricing: 15%
  • User Experience: 15%
  • Help and Support: 10%
  • Reputation: 5%

Hostinger vs Wix vs Squarespace: Our Winner

You can’t go wrong by picking Hostinger, Wix, or Squarespace – all three website builders offer AI support, affordable plans, and built-in features to help you grow and manage your site.

Of course, it depends on what you prioritize the most. If you don’t want to break the bank and only need to build a simple site, choose Hostinger. For an easy building experience, Squarespace is your best bet. And, for anything else really, Wix will have you covered.

Which builder should you pick?

Personally, I find Squarespace’s website builder the most enjoyable to use, but you can’t ignore the capabilities of Wix. It does it all, without becoming too complex for beginners. While Hostinger is cheap and also easy to build with, you have to factor in the long-term costs of renewal fees and paying for third-party integrations to supplement the limited built-in tools.

For that reason, Wix is my go-to recommendation for most people and businesses. No matter what you want to build, whether it’s a portfolio or an online store, Wix can support you. Plus, it can continue to grow with you as you gain more traffic and visitors.

Headshot of Emma Ryan
Emma Ryan Lead Writer
Written by:
Headshot of Emma Ryan
Emma is Lead Writer at Website Builder Expert, having first joined the team in 2022. She manages the website's topical content strategy to help website owners navigate the highs and lows of being online. Emma also specializes in following the development of leading website builders Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify, through hands-on testing and research. Her work and expertise have been featured in Startups.co.uk, Digiday, TechRound, Industry Today, and Digital Information World.
Researched by:
Headshot of Ollie Simpson
Oliver Simpson is a Senior Research Executive at Website Builder Expert, providing objective, in-depth research and ratings on website builders and ecommerce platforms that underpins the recommendations we make across the website. Every website builder review and recommendation you read on Website Builder Expert has been informed using Oliver’s unique research methodology. Whether running first-hand testing with writers or conducting in-depth research into audience needs, industry trends, and product features, Oliver is driven by a relentless pursuit of improvement and results.

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