If you’re trying to choose the best website platform for your small business, you’ve probably come across three big names:
WordPress.
Wix.
Squarespace.
And if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed already, you’re not alone.
This is one of the most common things I see with non-techie business owners.
You know you need a website.
You know it needs to look professional.
You know it needs to bring in enquiries, clients, bookings, sales, or subscribers.
But then you start looking at platforms and suddenly everyone has an opinion.
One person says Wix is easiest.
Another person says Squarespace is prettier.
Someone else says WordPress is better for SEO.
And before you know it, you’re stuck before you’ve even started.
So let’s make this simple.
The Short Answer
If you want the easiest place to start, Wix or Squarespace may feel simpler at first.
If you want the best long-term option for a serious business website, I’d usually recommend self-hosted WordPress.
That doesn’t mean Wix and Squarespace are bad.
They can be useful for some people.
But if you want control, flexibility, growth, blogging, SEO, online courses, memberships, funnels, digital products, or the ability to change direction later, WordPress is usually the stronger option.
WordPress does have a learning curve.
But that learning curve is manageable when you have the right guidance.
And once you understand the basics, you are not locked into one tiny version of your business forever.
Why This Decision Matters
Your website is not just a pretty online brochure.
It is part of your business.
It can help you:
- Get found on Google
- Explain what you do
- Build trust
- Grow your email list
- Sell services
- Sell products
- Host courses
- Take bookings
- Publish blog posts
- Share resources
- Support your clients
- Build long-term visibility
So the platform you choose matters.
It is not just about what feels easiest on day one.
It is also about what will still work for you in two years, five years, or ten years.
This is where WordPress shines.
WordPress is still the most widely used content management system. As of July 2026, W3Techs reports that WordPress is used by 41.5% of all websites and has 59.3% of the known CMS market.
That matters because WordPress is not a tiny platform or a passing trend.
It is a major part of the web.
What Is WordPress?
WordPress is a content management system.
That simply means it helps you manage your website content.
You can use WordPress to create pages, blog posts, images, menus, forms, online shops, courses, memberships, sales pages, and more.
There are two versions people often confuse:
- WordPress.com
- Self-hosted WordPress from WordPress.org
For a serious business website, I usually recommend self-hosted WordPress.
That gives you more control over your hosting, plugins, design, features, and long-term growth.
WordPress.org describes WordPress as a way to create any website using flexible design tools, blocks, themes, and no-code customisation.
That is one of the reasons I still recommend it for small business owners.
You do not need to code to use WordPress.
But you do need to understand the basics.
What Is Wix?
Wix is a hosted website builder.
This means the website builder, hosting, templates, and tools are bundled together in one platform.
For beginners, that can feel easier because you do not need to think too much about hosting or setup.
Wix can be a quick way to get a basic website online.
It has templates, drag-and-drop tools, apps, and paid plans.
Wix also states that many yearly or multi-year premium plans include a one-year free domain voucher for first-time purchases, and that custom email addresses can be purchased through Google Workspace.
So Wix can feel simple at the beginning.
But the trade-off is that you are building inside the Wix system.
If you later want to move, customise more deeply, change technical setup, or build something more advanced, you may find it more limiting than WordPress.
What Is Squarespace?
Squarespace is also a hosted website builder.
It is known for clean templates and polished designs.
Like Wix, Squarespace bundles the website builder and hosting together.
Squarespace offers monthly and annual subscriptions, and says annual subscriptions include one year of free domain registration for new websites.
Squarespace can be a good fit for some creatives and simple service-based businesses that want a polished website without too many technical choices.
But again, the simplicity comes from having fewer options.
That can be helpful at the start.
It can become frustrating later if your business grows beyond what the platform makes easy.
Why Website Builders Feel Easier at First
Wix and Squarespace often feel easier because they make a lot of decisions for you.
You choose a template.
You add your text.
You upload images.
You publish.
That can feel lovely when you’re brand new.
But easier at the start does not always mean better long term.
Sometimes a platform feels easy because it gives you fewer choices.
Fewer choices can mean:
- Less control
- Less flexibility
- Less ownership
- Less room to customise
- Less freedom to grow your website your way
That’s the part beginners often do not realise until later.
They start with a platform because it feels simple.
Then their business grows.
Then they want a blog, online course, membership, SEO strategy, digital product library, better lead generation, custom functionality, or more control.
And suddenly the easy option does not feel easy anymore.
Why WordPress Can Feel Harder at First
WordPress can feel harder at the beginning because it gives you more control.
You choose your hosting.
You choose your theme.
You choose plugins.
You choose how your website is structured.
You choose what to add and what to leave out.
That can feel like a lot when you’re new.
But that is also what makes WordPress powerful.
You are not stuck with one builder’s rules.
You have more freedom to create the type of website your business actually needs.
The trick is not to learn everything.
The trick is to learn WordPress in the right order.
That’s where structured learning makes a huge difference.
Which Platform Is Better for SEO?
For SEO, WordPress is usually my preferred option.
Not because WordPress magically ranks your website by itself.
It doesn’t.
You still need useful content, good structure, clear pages, sensible keywords, internal links, and a website that works properly.
But WordPress gives you strong SEO flexibility.
You can:
- Publish blog posts regularly
- Create SEO-friendly pages
- Use SEO plugins
- Control page titles and meta descriptions
- Improve internal linking
- Add schema with the right tools
- Optimise images
- Improve site speed
- Build topical authority over time
- Create content hubs around your services
That is especially helpful if you want to be found on Google for your expertise.
For example, if you’re a coach, creative, consultant, maker, therapist, service provider, or educator, your website can become a library of helpful content that attracts the right people.
This is one of the biggest reasons I love WordPress for business owners.
It lets you build long-term visibility.
Which Platform Is Better for Blogging?
WordPress is a brilliant option for blogging.
It started as a blogging platform and has grown into a full website platform.
If content marketing, SEO, education, resources, or regular blogging are part of your strategy, WordPress is hard to beat.
You can use categories, tags, internal links, featured images, author details, SEO plugins, reusable blocks, and content upgrades.
You can build a proper blog structure that supports your business goals.
Wix and Squarespace both have blogging features.
But if blogging is going to be a major part of your marketing, I would usually choose WordPress.
Which Platform Is Better for Selling?
This depends on what you sell.
If you sell a few simple products, templates, or services, Wix or Squarespace may be enough.
If you want more control, WordPress gives you more options.
With WordPress, you can sell:
- Services
- Digital products
- Physical products
- Courses
- Memberships
- Subscriptions
- Downloads
- Workshops
- Tickets
- Coaching packages
- Bundles
- Resource libraries
You can use WooCommerce and other tools to create a more flexible selling setup.
This can be especially useful if your business model changes over time.
For example, you might start with 1:1 services.
Then add a lead magnet.
Then add a low-cost offer.
Then add a membership.
Then add an online course.
WordPress gives you the room to do that.
Which Platform Gives You More Control?
WordPress gives you more control.
That is the simplest answer.
With self-hosted WordPress, you have more say over your website setup, hosting, theme, plugins, functionality, SEO tools, content, and long-term structure.
With hosted builders, you are using their platform and their rules.
That does not make them bad.
It just means there are limits.
For small business owners who want their website to grow with them, control matters.
Which Platform Is Best for Non-Techie Beginners?
This is where I want to be really honest.
If you want the absolute simplest thing and you only need a very basic website, Wix or Squarespace may feel easier.
But if you are a business owner who wants to learn how to manage your own site, build confidence, improve your SEO, add content, and grow over time, WordPress is worth learning.
You do not need to be techy.
You do not need to code.
You do not need to know everything.
You just need the right support.
That is exactly why I created NCDAcademy WordPress101® and the WordPress Learners Lounge.
Most of my audience are not techies.
They are small business owners who want to feel more confident with their WordPress websites.
They want to know what to click.
They want to know what matters.
They want to stop panicking every time something looks unfamiliar.
And they want someone to explain things in plain English.
My Honest Recommendation
If your website is just a tiny personal project, a simple hosted builder may be enough.
But if your website is part of your business, I would seriously consider WordPress.
Especially if you want to:
- Be found on Google
- Write blog posts
- Build long-term traffic
- Grow an email list
- Sell services
- Sell courses or digital products
- Add a membership
- Keep control of your content
- Avoid rebuilding from scratch later
- Have room to grow
WordPress may take a little more learning at the start.
But it gives you much more room to build a website that actually supports your business.
What If You Already Started on Wix or Squarespace?
Don’t panic.
You haven’t done anything wrong.
Sometimes you need to start somewhere before you know what you really need.
If your current website is working for you, that’s great.
But if you’re starting to feel boxed in, limited, or frustrated, it may be worth looking at WordPress as your next step.
You do not always need to rush into a rebuild.
Sometimes the first step is simply understanding what your current website is doing, what it is not doing, and what you need it to support next.
That’s where a 1:1 WordPress Clarity Call can help.
We can look at where you are now and what would make the most sense for your business.
Final Thoughts
Wix and Squarespace can be useful beginner-friendly website builders.
But WordPress is usually the better long-term option for business owners who want control, flexibility, SEO, content marketing, and room to grow.
It may feel harder at first because there is more to learn.
But with the right guidance, WordPress becomes much easier.
You don’t need to be techy.
You don’t need to figure it all out alone.
You just need the right support and a clear path.
If you want step-by-step WordPress training, start with NCDAcademy WordPress101®.
If you want live support, reassurance, and somewhere to ask questions, come and join us inside the WordPress Learners Lounge.
And if you’re not sure what you need yet, book a 1:1 WordPress Clarity Call and we’ll talk it through together.
