WordPress vs Wix vs Squarespace vs Custom Code: Which Is Best for Your Website?
Wix and Squarespace look cheap up front, but the hidden costs and limitations add up fast.
Review the differences in our article below…
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If you’re shopping for a new website, you’ll quickly find yourself comparing these four options: WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, and 100% custom code. Each promises a polished site, but the long-term costs and flexibility are very different.
Wix and Squarespace are marketed as budget-friendly website builders, but the low entry cost hides the real expense. Their platforms lock you into proprietary systems with limited scalability, higher monthly fees for advanced features, and extra costs for things like e-commerce, storage, or third-party integrations.
Over time, businesses often discover they’ve outgrown what Wix or Squarespace can do — forcing an expensive rebuild when it’s time to get serious. What seems cheap upfront quickly becomes costly when you need flexibility or growth.
https://www.ayokay.com/hidden-costs-of-website-ownership/
https://www.wix.com/upgrade/website
https://www.squarespace.com/pricing
At NerdiFly, hosting and maintenance start at just $199/year — less than the basic Wix or Squarespace plans. Unlike those platforms, our hosting includes ongoing maintenance, updates, and security built in, so your site stays fast, secure, and online
On the opposite end of the spectrum is fully custom code. A 100% custom-built website gives total control, but it comes at a steep price — both in dollars and practicality.
Nobody likes working on another developer’s code. If the original developer disappears, your site becomes difficult and expensive to maintain. Future updates often require tracking down specialists who need to relearn the entire codebase before making even small changes.
For most businesses, the risks and long-term dependency outweigh the benefits of going fully custom.
This is where WordPress shines. It strikes the balance between ease of use and limitless scalability.
Developer-friendly: Unlike custom code, WordPress sites can be handed off seamlessly. Any competent WordPress developer can jump in, see how the site is built, and make updates without starting from scratch.
Customizable: WordPress allows custom code where you need it, but it doesn’t lock you into a single developer’s work.
Plugin Ecosystem: With thousands of plugins, you can add booking systems, e-commerce, membership tools, SEO frameworks, and more — without reinventing the wheel.
https://wordpress.org/plugins/
Trusted by Big Brands: WordPress isn’t just for small businesses. It powers Sony Music, Meta Newsroom, PlayStation Blog, Time Magazine, The New York Times Company, Microsoft News, NASA, and more.
https://wordpress.org/showcase/
This combination of power and accessibility is why WordPress holds over 40% of the global CMS market.
https://w3techs.com/technologies/overview/content_management
Wix and Squarespace: Look cheap upfront, but hidden costs and limitations pile up fast.
Custom Code: Maximum control, but expensive and a nightmare to maintain if your developer moves on.
WordPress: Affordable, flexible, and widely supported — giving you the best mix of usability, scalability, and long-term stability.
With NerdiFly, you get the best of WordPress: custom builds, pro design, built-in maintenance, and a developer-friendly setup — without agency overhead or DIY headaches.
