Wix vs Squarespace vs Next.js

When building a website for your business, choosing the right platform is crucial for long-term success. As a web developer, I've worked with many clients who have migrated from various platforms such as Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress. This article offers an honest assessment to help you determine which solution best suits your specific requirements.

Summary: Wix vs Squarespace vs Next.js

Wix and Squarespace are visual website builders that work well for hobby sites, blogs, and basic business websites with limited budgets. They offer do-it-yourself website creation with lower costs but require monthly subscription payments that continue indefinitely.

Next.js is a professional development solution for businesses serious about their online presence—whether established companies or ambitious startups. While more expensive than website builders, it delivers professional quality, better performance, and complete customisation that represent a worthwhile investment for businesses where online presence matters.

The key difference: Wix and Squarespace are budget-friendly tools for building your own website but tie you to their platforms and support systems. Next.js involves hiring a professional developer to build a custom website tailored precisely to your business needs, giving you superior results and greater control over your digital presence.

When to Choose Wix or Squarespace

Visual website builders like Wix and Squarespace are most appropriate when:

• Budget constraints are your primary consideration
• You need a simple online presence rather than a comprehensive business tool
• You're comfortable building and maintaining the website yourself
• Your business has basic website requirements with standard features
• You're willing to accept platform limitations for lower costs

These platforms offer attractive templates and user-friendly interfaces, making them accessible starting points for simple websites. However, they come with notable limitations:

• Limited customisation beyond what templates and add-ons allow
• Typically slower loading speeds that can impact visitor engagement
• Platform lock-in makes migrating your website difficult if your needs change
• Dependence on platform support when technical issues arise
• Ongoing subscription costs that continue as long as your website exists

When to Choose Next.js

Professional development with Next.js is typically better when:

• Professional quality and performance are priorities over initial cost
• Your website is critical to your business strategy or revenue
• You need custom functionality beyond standard templates
• Website performance and user experience are high priorities
• You're planning for growth and scalability

Next.js offers significant advantages for serious businesses of any size or stage:

• Faster loading websites that improve visitor engagement and conversion rates
• Complete customisation flexibility to match your exact business requirements
• Better search engine performance through technical optimisations
• No platform lock-in, giving you freedom to evolve your digital presence
• Professional implementation that reflects positively on your brand

The main considerations are higher development costs and the need to work with a developer for major changes or additions.

Support and Control Considerations

With Wix and Squarespace, you're dependent on their platform support when issues arise. While this can be convenient for basic problems, it can become limiting for complex issues or when you need specific customisations. Your website lives within their ecosystem, meaning changes to their platforms directly impact your site, sometimes beyond your control.

With a professionally developed Next.js website, you have greater control over your digital presence. You can choose your hosting provider and determine exactly how your website functions. When issues arise, you're not limited to standardised platform support but can work directly with developers to implement precise solutions.

Making Your Decision

The right platform choice depends primarily on your business goals and how important your website is to your overall success:

• Wix and Squarespace work well for hobby websites, simple business sites, or businesses with very limited budgets
• Next.js is ideal for professional businesses of any size where website quality, performance and flexibility are more important than minimising costs

If you're unsure which approach best suits your business needs, I invite you to contact me for a consultation. Drawing on experience helping businesses of all sizes, I can provide practical advice tailored to your specific situation.

Browse my portfolio to see examples of business websites I've developed, demonstrating the professional quality that custom development can provide for businesses serious about their online presence.