Prices for M1 come straight from the price list, so they’re always current. Outside figures are linked to their sources.
When Wix or Squarespace is the right choice
I build websites for a living, and I’ll still tell you a website builder is sometimes the better call. It usually is when:
- you’re just starting out and need something decent live without a big upfront cost;
- your needs are simple: a few pages, a contact form and your details;
- you enjoy this kind of work, and you’re happy to learn it;
- you want to change things yourself, often, without asking anyone.
The templates are good, hosting and security are handled for you, and you can be live in a weekend if the words and photos are ready.
What Wix and Squarespace actually cost in the UK
These are the UK plan prices listed by ExpertSure this month. The first figure is the monthly price on yearly billing, the second if you pay month to month.
- Wix: Light £9 or £11.50, Core £16 or £19, Business £25 or £29 a month.
- Squarespace: Basic £12 or £16, Core £17 or £24, Plus £29 or £36, Advanced £79 or £89 a month.
Wix has a £0 plan, but it comes with a Wix address, Wix adverts on every page and no custom domain, which isn’t how most businesses want to look. Squarespace offers a 14-day trial. Over three years, a mid-range plan on yearly billing adds up to several hundred pounds before you count any paid add-ons.
Web designer vs Wix or Squarespace, side by side
| Wix or Squarespace, done yourself | A web designer | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Low. You pay the plan, often yearly | A build fee, from a few hundred to several thousand pounds |
| Running cost | The monthly plan, for as long as the site is live | Hosting and upkeep, which vary by designer |
| Your time | High. You write, design, set up and maintain it | Lower. You supply facts, photos and decisions |
| Words and design | Templates. The words are up to you | Designed around your business, words often written for you |
| Moving the site | A Wix site can’t move to another host. Squarespace exports only some content, for WordPress | Depends on how it’s built. Ask before you sign |
| SEO basics | Editable titles and descriptions, a sitemap and https | The same basics, plus set-up done for you |
| When it breaks | The platform’s help centre, and you | The designer, if support is agreed |
Want a rough figure for your own site? Try the website cost estimator.
The two costs people miss: time and ownership
Time. The builder is quick. The words aren’t. Writing a clear page for each service, choosing photos, setting up forms and learning how search works takes evenings and weekends. If you enjoy it, fine. If every hour on the site is an hour you could have billed, the cheap option can end up the dear one. Many DIY sites I see were started with good intentions and never quite finished.
Ownership. Wix says your site has to be hosted and run on Wix’s servers, so you can’t take it to another host. You can keep your domain name registered elsewhere and connect it, which I’d recommend. Squarespace lets you export some content as a file for WordPress, but many page types, style settings and custom code don’t come with it, so a move means a rebuild. Neither is a reason to avoid them. It’s a reason to go in with your eyes open.
Is a designer-built site better for Google?
Not automatically. Wix lets you edit each page’s title tag and meta description. Squarespace creates a sitemap for you, includes SSL certificates for connected domains, and makes sites mobile-friendly by default. The platform is rarely the reason a local business doesn’t show up.
What matters more is the work: a clear page for each service, your Google Business Profile done properly, reviews, and consistent details across the web. A designer is worth it if they do that work for you. If they only make it look nice, you’ll be in the same place on a prettier site.
When a designer is worth it, and what to ask one
A designer usually earns their fee when your time is better spent on paying work, when you need the words written, when you need booking, deposits or follow-up connected, or when you cover several services and areas. Before you hire anyone, ask:
- Is it a fixed price, with a written scope?
- Who owns the domain, the site and the content? Can I move it to another host if I leave?
- What will I pay each year after launch, and what does that include?
- Who writes the words, and who supplies photos?
- How long will it take, and what do you need from me to keep to that?
- Can I see live sites you’ve built, on my phone?
Some designers build on Wix or Squarespace themselves, which can be a good mix: done for you, easy to edit later. Just know the ownership points above still apply.
How M1 compares
My prices are published, fixed before work starts, and no VAT is charged.
- Enquiry Page, £800: one page for your best service, with the words written for you, an enquiry form and tracking. Typically 1 to 2 weeks.
- Foundation Build, from £3,500: up to about 6 pages, with your Google profile, review requests and tracking set up. Typically 3 to 4 weeks.
- Growth Build, from £6,500: adds a follow-up system, missed-call text-back and a chat assistant, paid in 4 stages from £1,625 each.
After a build, the site is yours and you can move it to your own hosting. You don’t need a monthly plan. Any third-party costs, such as your domain, are paid at cost or directly by you and listed before you agree. Still unsure? The Foundation Blueprint is £200, and the full price comes off a build if you go ahead within 14 days.
Sources
Plan prices change, so check the provider’s current page before you buy.
- Wix Pricing UK 2026: All Plans, Fees and Hidden Costs, ExpertSure, accessed 30 September 2026
- Squarespace Pricing UK 2026: Plans, Fees and True Costs, ExpertSure, accessed 30 September 2026
- Exporting or Embedding Your Wix Site Elsewhere, Wix Help Center, accessed 30 September 2026
- Exporting your site, Squarespace Help Center, accessed 30 September 2026
- Adding SEO Title Tags and Meta Descriptions to Your Pages, Wix Help Center, accessed 30 September 2026
- What Squarespace does for SEO, Squarespace Help Center, accessed 30 September 2026