Squarespace alternatives for small business
Squarespace runs from $19 a month billed annually ($25 monthly) to $99, and scheduling is a separate Squarespace product rather than part of the website plans, per squarespace.com/pricing on October 5, 2026. Small businesses look elsewhere when they want booking built into the site plan, a free start, or a site built for them. Alternatives: Wix for a free plan and scheduling from its Core plan, WordPress.com for the lowest paid price, a freelancer for a small site with a clear brief, and Modern Mustard Seed for a custom site that books work and gets recommended by AI. Stay with Squarespace if designer templates matter most.
Last checked October 5, 2026.
Further reading: Wix or Squarespace vs a custom website, Best ways to get a website for a Montana small business
- Scheduling is not included in the website plans; it is a separate Squarespace product.
- The Basic plan charges 2% on store sales and 7% on digital content and memberships.
- Monthly billing costs more than annual: $25 against $19 on Basic.
From Squarespace's own pricing page, read October 5, 2026.
- You want designer templates and hosting in one place.
- You want 0% store transaction fees, from the Core plan up.
- You will build and maintain the site yourself, with a 14-day free trial first.
Squarespace alternatives at a glance
| Option | Best for | Billed by | Starts at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wix | Best for starting free with booking built into a paid plan | Monthly plan, paid yearly | Free, or $17.77 a month |
| WordPress.com | Best for the lowest paid price and room to grow | Monthly plan | Free, or $4 a month |
| Modern Mustard Seed | Best for a site that books work and gets recommended by AI | Set package price | Quoted after a free discovery call |
| A freelancer | Best for a small site with a clear brief | Set by the freelancer | Varies |
Wix
A drag-and-drop website builder with a free plan, and scheduling and services from its Core plan up.
Strengths
- A free plan to start.
- Premium plans include a free domain for one year and accept payments.
Watch for
- The free plan has no custom domain.
- Displayed prices are for yearly subscriptions paid up front, and vary by location.
PriceFree; Light $17.77, Core $29.77, Business $39.77, Business Elite $159.77 a month billed yearly (reference prices).
Source: Wix pricing pageWordPress.com
Hosted WordPress with a free plan and paid plans billed monthly, yearly or every three years.
Strengths
- Paid annual and multi-year plans include a free custom domain for the first year.
- The Personal plan starts at $4 a month billed annually.
Watch for
- The free plan has no custom domain and shows ads.
- Plugins need a higher plan; you build and maintain the site yourself.
PriceFree; Personal $4, Premium $8, Business $25, Commerce $45 a month billed annually ($9, $18, $40, $70 billed monthly).
Source: WordPress.com pricing pageModern Mustard Seed(that's us)
A Kalispell, Montana studio that builds custom websites that book work, built to be understood and cited by Google and AI assistants, and that can share one set of facts with an AI receptionist.
Strengths
- Our own site scores 100 for Lighthouse SEO, accessibility and best practices.
- You own the code, domain and accounts outright.
- Changes to what we built are included, with no change order.
Watch for
- Not a do-it-yourself tool; it starts with a discovery call.
- More than a simple brochure site needs.
PriceSet package price, quoted after a free discovery call
See what we buildA freelancer
One designer or developer, found locally or on a marketplace, who builds the site for you.
Strengths
- Often the lowest cost for a small, well-defined job.
- Someone else does the building.
Watch for
- You manage the project.
- Check that the domain and accounts are in your name.
PriceSet by each freelancer.
- Every price and plan limit was read from the company's own pricing page on October 5, 2026 and is linked below.
- Reasons to switch come only from what Squarespace publishes: plan limits, how it bills, and what its pricing page leaves out. No reviews, no rumors.
- Modern Mustard Seed wrote this page and is one of the options. Every option gets the same space.
Prices change; check each source before you buy.
Common questions
How much does Squarespace cost?
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Per squarespace.com/pricing on October 5, 2026: Basic $19, Core $29, Plus $49 and Advanced $99 a month billed annually; $25, $39, $65 and $139 billed monthly.
Does Squarespace include appointment booking?
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Not in the website plans. Squarespace sells Scheduling as a separate product.
What is cheaper than Squarespace?
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WordPress.com has a free plan and paid plans from $4 a month billed annually, and Wix has a free plan with paid plans from $17.77 a month billed yearly.
Related comparisons and alternatives
Want it built for you instead?
Tell us what the business needs. We scope it in a free discovery call and agree a set package price before work starts.