Wix or Squarespace vs a custom-built website
Wix and Squarespace are the right choice when you want to build and edit a simple site yourself for a low monthly fee: Squarespace plans run from $19 to $99 a month billed annually, and Wix premium plans from $17.77 to $159.77 a month billed yearly, per their pricing pages checked October 5, 2026. A custom website from Modern Mustard Seed is the right choice when the site has to do work for the business, such as booking jobs, feeding an AI receptionist the same facts, or being cited by ChatGPT and Google AI answers, and when you want to own the code outright instead of renting a platform.
Last checked October 5, 2026. Competitor facts are from their own pages, linked below.
Wix or Squarespace (DIY) vs Custom site by Modern Mustard Seed
| Factor | Wix or Squarespace (DIY) | Custom site by Modern Mustard Seed |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Squarespace: Basic $19, Core $29, Plus $49, Advanced $99 a month billed annually ($25 to $139 billed monthly). Wix: Light $17.77, Core $29.77, Business $39.77, Business Elite $159.77 a month billed yearly. Wix also has a free plan. | Set package price, quoted after a free discovery call |
| Who builds it | You do, with templates and a drag-and-drop editor. | We do, around how your business actually works. |
| Time it takes you | Your evenings and weekends. | A discovery call and your review of the build. |
| Ownership | You rent the platform. The site lives on their servers and moving off means rebuilding. | You own the code, the domain and the deployment. Take it anywhere. |
| AI and automation | Built-in tools within the platform. | Anything the business needs: an AI receptionist, booking, quoting, follow-up agents, custom tools. |
| Search and AI visibility | Solid basics; depends on how you set it up. | Structured data, llms.txt and pages written to be cited by answer engines, built in. |
Price
Wix or Squarespace (DIY)
Squarespace: Basic $19, Core $29, Plus $49, Advanced $99 a month billed annually ($25 to $139 billed monthly). Wix: Light $17.77, Core $29.77, Business $39.77, Business Elite $159.77 a month billed yearly. Wix also has a free plan.
Custom site by Modern Mustard Seed
Set package price, quoted after a free discovery call
Who builds it
Wix or Squarespace (DIY)
You do, with templates and a drag-and-drop editor.
Custom site by Modern Mustard Seed
We do, around how your business actually works.
Time it takes you
Wix or Squarespace (DIY)
Your evenings and weekends.
Custom site by Modern Mustard Seed
A discovery call and your review of the build.
Ownership
Wix or Squarespace (DIY)
You rent the platform. The site lives on their servers and moving off means rebuilding.
Custom site by Modern Mustard Seed
You own the code, the domain and the deployment. Take it anywhere.
AI and automation
Wix or Squarespace (DIY)
Built-in tools within the platform.
Custom site by Modern Mustard Seed
Anything the business needs: an AI receptionist, booking, quoting, follow-up agents, custom tools.
Search and AI visibility
Wix or Squarespace (DIY)
Solid basics; depends on how you set it up.
Custom site by Modern Mustard Seed
Structured data, llms.txt and pages written to be cited by answer engines, built in.
When Wix or Squarespace is the better choice
- You are just starting out and the budget is a few hundred dollars a year.
- You enjoy building and want to edit every page yourself.
- The site is a simple brochure and is not expected to book work.
When we are the better choice
- Your site should book jobs, answer questions and capture every lead.
- You want your phone, your Google profile and your site telling one consistent story.
- You have outgrown a template and you are spending your own hours fighting it.
- You want to own the site, not rent it.
Which one fits you
Pick: Wix or Squarespace
A new side business testing an idea
Low cost, fast to start, easy to change your mind.
Pick: Custom
An established trade business that lives on inbound calls
The site and the phone have to work together to catch every job.
Pick: Squarespace
A portfolio for a photographer
Its templates are built for visual portfolios.
Pick: Custom
A business that wants to be recommended by ChatGPT
Every page is built for answer engines from the start.
Common questions
How much does Squarespace cost in 2026?
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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, or $25, $39, $65 and $139 billed monthly, with a 14-day free trial.
How much does Wix cost in 2026?
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Per wix.com/plans on October 5, 2026: Light $17.77, Core $29.77, Business $39.77 and Business Elite $159.77 a month for yearly subscriptions, plus a free plan. Wix notes prices vary by location.
Can Modern Mustard Seed move my Wix or Squarespace site to a custom build?
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Yes. We rebuild it as a custom site you own, keep your content and domain, and set up redirects so search rankings carry over.
Is a custom website worth it for a small business?
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When the site is expected to bring in work, yes. When it is a simple brochure, a DIY builder is often enough. That is the honest line.
Sources and method
Modern Mustard Seed wrote this comparison and is one of the options in it. Every fact about another company was read from that company's own website on October 5, 2026. Prices change; check the source before you buy.