Wix, Squarespace or a custom website: what a local business should pick
Website builders are cheaper. Custom sites do more. Here's how to tell which one your business actually needs, from someone who'll tell you if a builder is the better fit.
By Scott McArthur, KingsWay Sites. . 5 minute read.
I build custom websites for a living, so you'd expect me to tell you to skip Wix. I won't. For some businesses a builder is the right call. For most local service businesses that want the phone to ring, it isn't. Here's the honest breakdown.
What the builders cost in 2026
| Plan | Per month (billed yearly) |
|---|---|
| Wix Light | $17 |
| Wix Core | $29 |
| Wix Business | $39 |
| Squarespace Basic | $19 ($25 billed monthly) |
| Squarespace Core | $29 ($39 billed monthly) |
| Squarespace Plus | $49 ($65 billed monthly) |
That's $200 to $600 a year. Cheaper than any designer. The catch is everything that isn't in the price.
What you're really signing up for
- You're the web designer. Picking a template is quick. Writing every page, sizing photos and getting it to look right on a phone takes most owners several weekends.
- You're the SEO person. The builders give you the tools. Using them well, with town names in the right places and a page for each service, is on you.
- You look like everyone else. Popular templates get used thousands of times. Customers notice.
- You can't take it with you. Wix doesn't let you move the site itself to another host, and Squarespace only exports some of your content. If you outgrow it, you rebuild.
When a builder is the right call
- You're just starting out and the budget is tight.
- You like tinkering and have the time.
- You mostly need a page that proves you exist, not one that brings in work.
If that's you, start on a builder. Seriously. Come back when the business is ready to grow.
When a custom site wins
- You want to show up when someone searches for your service in your town.
- Your time is worth more running the business than building a website.
- You want a quote form that sends real requests straight to your phone.
- You want a site that looks like your business, not a template.
- You want one person to call when something needs changing.
The middle ground most people miss
Custom used to mean $10,000 and a two-month wait. It doesn't have to. I build custom sites for local businesses starting at $2,500, live in two to three weeks, and you see a free mock before you pay anything. The monthly plan covers hosting, security and upkeep, so you're not the webmaster.
Quick answers
Is Wix good for SEO?
Wix gives you the tools to rank. Whether you rank depends on how they're used: town names, service pages, page titles and a Google Business Profile. Most DIY sites skip those steps.
Can I move my Wix site to another host later?
Not the site itself. Wix doesn't support exporting a site to run somewhere else, so moving usually means rebuilding.
How much does a custom website cost?
From a freelancer or small studio, usually $1,500 to $8,000. At KingsWay it's $2,500 to $4,500 depending on page count, plus a monthly plan.