Shopify vs Wix vs Squarespace for small business (2026)
By BLAZE · Last checked 1 November 2026
All three let a small business build a website and sell online. Shopify is built around selling. Wix and Squarespace are website builders that also sell. Prices below come from each provider's own pricing page. All three say prices, currency or payment options vary by location, so always check the page in your own country before you sign up.
Comparison table
| Shopify | Wix | Squarespace | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best at | Online stores, selling in person and on several channels | General websites, bookings and services, with a free plan to start | Design-led sites for creatives, services and small shops |
| Free option | 3-day free trial with no card, then US$1/month for 3 months on most plans (per Shopify) | Free plan (Wix branding, no custom domain); paid plans have a 14-day money-back guarantee | No free plan; 14-day free trial, no card |
| Entry plan, US pricing page | Basic US$29/mo billed yearly, US$39 monthly | Light. Not verified: the exact price didn't load reliably when we checked; Wix says prices vary by location | Basic US$19/mo billed yearly, US$25 monthly |
| Plans | Basic, Grow (US$79 yearly / US$105 monthly), Advanced (US$299 / US$399), Plus (from US$2,300/mo) | Free, Light, Core, Business, Business Elite, Enterprise | Basic, Core (US$29 / US$39), Plus (US$49 / US$65), Advanced (US$99 / US$139) |
| Lowest plan that sells online | Basic | Core (Light doesn't include accepting payments or eCommerce) | Basic (2% online store transaction fee); Core and up are 0% |
| US online card rate, entry plan | 2.9% + 30¢ (Shopify Payments) | Not verified | 2.9% + $0.30 (Squarespace Payments) |
| Fee for using another payment provider | 2% on Basic, 1% Grow, 0.6% Advanced, 0.2% Plus | Not verified | See online store transaction fee above |
| Domain | Free myshopify.com address; connect or buy your own | Free domain for 1 year on most yearly plans (new domains bought from Wix) | Free domain for 1 year on annual plans |
Regional notes
United States
All three list US-dollar prices, and both Shopify Payments and Squarespace Payments are available in the US. Squarespace's in-person POS is listed for the US and UK only.
Asia
Shopify says it is available in nearly every country, but Shopify Payments only works in certain countries, so card rates and payment options depend on where your business is based. Squarespace Payments lists the US, UK, Canada and several EU countries only, so in most of Asia you'd use Stripe or PayPal with Squarespace. We did not verify Asian-currency prices for any of the three; check the pricing page from your own country.
New Zealand and Australia
On 1 Nov 2026, Shopify's NZ pricing page showed Basic NZ$59/mo yearly (NZ$65 monthly), Grow NZ$159 (NZ$175), Advanced NZ$600 (NZ$669). The online card rate on Basic was 2.65% + NZ$0.30, and the in-person rate was 1.8%. Viewed from another location, the same NZ page showed US-dollar prices, so what you're shown depends on where you're browsing from. Shopify's AU pricing page redirected to the NZ page when we checked, so we have not verified AUD prices. Squarespace Payments is not listed for NZ or AU, so you'd connect Stripe or PayPal. Wix says prices and currency vary by location.
BLAZE verdict
If selling products is the core of your business, especially across channels or in person, Shopify is the most complete of the three. If you mainly need a site with bookings or a few products and want to start free, try Wix's free plan first. If design matters most and you sell a modest range, Squarespace Core is a clean choice with 0% online store transaction fees. If you're in NZ or AU, check payment support before you pick.
New to Shopify? Read How to start a Shopify store. More tools are in the small-business software hub.
FAQ
Which is cheapest to start?
Wix, because it has a free plan. Shopify's trial and first 3 months at US$1/month (per Shopify) make it cheap to test. Squarespace has a 14-day free trial but no free plan.
Can I sell in person?
Shopify includes in-person selling with a phone or card reader. Squarespace POS is US and UK only. Not verified for Wix.
Sources
Last checked: 2026-11-01. All facts come from these official pages. Anything we couldn't confirm is marked "Not verified".
- shopify.com/pricing – Shopify plans, card rates (US view)
- shopify.com/nz/pricing – Shopify plans and card rates in NZD (shopify.com/au/pricing redirected here when we checked)
- wix.com/plans – Wix plan names, inclusions, refund policy
- squarespace.com/pricing – Squarespace plans, fees, payments countries
© 2026 BLAZE