Squarespace vs Wix vs Showit: Choosing the Right Website Platform for Your Business

Jan 14
4 min read

One of the most common questions I hear from clients is:

“Which website platform is best — Squarespace, Wix, or Showit?”

It’s a fair question. Each platform has its strengths, its fan base, and its place. But the truth is, there’s no universally “best” option — only the platform that best supports your business, workflow, and long-term goals.

Instead of ranking platforms or declaring one right and the others wrong, this post breaks down what actually matters when choosing a website platform — and why, for many service-based businesses, Wix is often the most supportive long-term choice.

The Problem With Most Platform Comparisons

Most platform comparisons focus on surface-level factors:

Templates
Visual style
What’s trending in the design world
What other creatives are using

What’s often overlooked is what happens after launch — when you’re updating content, collaborating with others, and using your website as a real business tool.

A website isn’t just something you launch. It’s something you live with.

A Quick, Honest Look at Each Platform

Showit

Showit is popular in creative industries because of its drag-and-drop flexibility and visual freedom.

It works well when:

Visual expression is the top priority
The site is highly design-forward
You’re building from an established template

From personal experience, I found Showit challenging when starting from scratch. Without relying on templates, the lack of structured layout systems — particularly around spacing, margins, and hierarchy — made it harder to design efficiently while maintaining consistency.

Squarespace

Squarespace is known for its clean templates and ease of use. It can be a good option for:

Straightforward websites
Businesses with minimal customization needs
Founders who want a polished, template-driven look

Squarespace does offer saved styles, such as typography scales and color palettes. However, once you move beyond the template framework, deeper customization can feel more rigid — especially as a business grows or needs evolve.

Wix (and why I often prefer it)

Wix is sometimes underestimated, but in practice it offers a strong balance between creative flexibility and structured systems — especially for service-based businesses.

While both Squarespace and Wix support saved styles, Wix provides more depth of control in how those styles are applied, adjusted, and scaled as a site grows.

Why Wix Works Well for Growing Businesses

From a designer’s perspective — and from years of working directly with clients — these are the core reasons I consistently choose Wix when building websites for growing, service-based businesses.

1. User-Friendly at Every Skill Level

Wix works well for both beginners and high-level users. Clients don’t need to be technical to manage their site, while designers still have the flexibility to build intentional, sophisticated layouts. This balance makes it approachable without being limiting.

2. Built-In Brand Asset Management

Wix allows designers to upload and define brand assets — including fonts, font styles, color palettes, and saved styles — directly within the platform. This helps maintain visual consistency across pages and updates, even as a site evolves over time.

3. Designed for Collaboration

The platform supports real collaboration between designer and client. Features like comments, visual feedback, and shared editing make it easy for clients to leave notes, review changes, and feel involved without disrupting the design process.

4. True Multi-Device Responsiveness

Most users encounter brands on their phones first, often coming from Instagram, email, or search. Wix allows designers to view and adjust layouts across desktop, mobile, tablet, and even custom breakpoints — making it possible to fine-tune spacing, hierarchy, and readability across every screen size.

5. Strong Emphasis on Spacing and Structure

Wix is very measurement-forward, allowing intentional control over margins, padding, tracking, and alignment. These details are what elevate a site from “fine” to polished — and they play a major role in readability and user experience.

6. SEO Guidance Built Into the Platform

Wix supports SEO best practices and actively guides users through the process. It walks business owners through key steps like page titles, meta descriptions, indexing, and launch readiness — helping ensure the site is set up correctly from the start.

A Personal Note From Experience

I’ve worked across platforms, and while I’m very tech-savvy, I personally found Showit challenging when building from the ground up without templates. The lack of structured spacing and layout systems made the process less efficient.

My experience with Squarespace has been more limited, but it tends to feel more rigid once you move beyond its template framework.

For the way I design — and for how my clients typically operate — Wix offers the most balanced combination of structure, flexibility, and usability.

What Matters More Than the Platform

The platform itself is rarely the problem.

What truly determines success is:

Clear brand strategy
Thoughtful structure
Intentional design
A website built around how your business actually functions

A well-designed website on the right platform will always outperform a poorly structured site — regardless of the tool used.

Final Thoughts

Choosing a website platform doesn’t need to be controversial. Each option has a place. The goal isn’t to follow trends — it’s to choose a platform that supports your business now and as it grows.

For many service-based businesses, Wix provides the flexibility, clarity, and long-term usability needed to make that possible.

FAQ: Choosing the Right Website Platform

Is Wix good for SEO?

Yes. When built intentionally, Wix supports strong SEO through customizable page titles, meta descriptions, clean URLs, image alt text, and indexing tools. As with any platform, SEO success depends more on strategy, content, and structure than the builder itself.

Can I switch platforms later?

Yes, but switching platforms usually requires a rebuild rather than a simple transfer. That’s why choosing a platform that can grow with your business from the start is important.

Is Wix only for beginners?

No. While Wix is approachable for beginners, it also supports advanced customization, structured design systems, and more complex site builds — making it effective for both early-stage and established businesses.

Which platform is best for service-based businesses?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The best platform is the one that aligns with your business model, content needs, and long-term goals. For many service-based businesses, Wix is a strong fit due to its balance of usability and flexibility.