Website Builder Showdown: Estage vs Wix vs Squarespace (Comparison)

Have you ever wondered why some websites feel clunky and outdated while others create an engaging experience that keeps visitors coming back? The secret often lies in choosing the right website builder.

When comparing Estage vs Wix vs Squarespace, each platform offers distinct advantages for different types of businesses and creators.

I've spent countless hours building websites, researching the facts, and pushing features to their limits.

What fascinates me most is how these platforms have evolved.

While Wix and Squarespace have dominated the market for years, Estage has emerged with an innovative hub-centric approach.

Why trust my review? After investing 11,000+ hours in online business, I've gained unique insights into what truly works.

Running my own agency with three employees while maintaining an affiliate marketing business has taught me invaluable lessons about online platform selection.

Through extensive testing and real-world implementation, I've found that choosing the right website builder isn't just about features or pricing, it's about finding a platform that aligns with your long-term business vision.

If you're planning to become an affiliate marketer, check out my software recommendations that shows you the best tools to maximize your earnings while using any of these platforms.

In this DETAILED comparison, I'll break down exactly how each platform performs across essential areas like design flexibility, e-commerce capabilities, and technical performance.

By the end, you'll understand precisely which platform best suits your specific needs.

Let's dive into the nitty-gritty details and uncover which website builder deserves your investment in 2025 and beyond.

I've spent years using various website builders, but nothing quite compares to what Estage brings to the table in 2025.

While relatively new to the scene, Estage is redefining the concept of website building by introducing a hub-centric approach.

The platform stands out by offering an integrated ecosystem where your website, community, and business tools work seamlessly together.

This isn't just another website builder – it's a complete business platform that grows with you.

What truly sets Estage apart is its ability to handle everything from simple landing pages to complex membership sites and online courses, all under one roof.

No more juggling multiple platforms or dealing with complicated integrations.

Their goal is to remove complicated technical setups and automation by building business tools all into one platform.

Wix has come a long way from its humble beginnings. With over 200 million users globally, it's transformed into a robust platform offering AI-powered tools and an extensive app marketplace.

The platform now includes advanced features like Wix Studio for agencies and Editor X for developers, showing its commitment to serving various user segments.

Squarespace has built its brand on stunning, minimalist designs that appeal to creative professionals and brands focused on visual impact.

The platform excels in providing polished, professional templates that work particularly well for portfolios, restaurants, and small business websites.

A website builder's true value lies not just in its features, but in how effortlessly it helps non-techy people like me and other users to transform their vision into reality without getting lost in technical complexities.

Starting your journey with Estage feels remarkably INTUITIVE.

The platform structure is set up to make a lot of sense, even if you're new to website building.

What impresses me is that every project in your account can have its own community, marketing funnels, and CRM.

Wix offers remarkable flexibility, but this freedom comes with a slightly steeper learning curve.

Users often spend extra time mastering its tiny details & messing with coding to achieve precise layouts. But this is not a negative point if you’re looking for more design freedom than most other builders.

Squarespace maintains a minimalist approach Their grid-based system requires very little time to understand, especially when trying to customize beyond basic templates.

Estage strikes an impressive balance by providing powerful features while maintaining a structured approach that prevents you from getting lost in endless options.

The AI revolution has transformed how we build websites, and each platform approaches it differently.

Estage has not rolled out any AI chatbot. It did have AI assistance for writing some text but it has not jumped into AI yet.

Wix's AI site generator can produce good results and you can even do some substantial tweaking. Generated designs tend to help you get closer to your ideal website without having to browse endless templates. (that said, Wix has the most template than the other builders)

Squarespace's AI tools are more limited but focused primarily on content generation and design suggestions rather than full site creation, which is great for planning.

Estage's template library is smaller than its competitors (with around 30) at present, but each template is thoughtfully designed with specific business needs in mind.

The customization options do allow pixel-perfect accuracy, but it’s not a graphic designing program. Estage has much less designing freedom than Wix and Squarespace, but it’s fine because their users are for scaling businesses, not designers.

Wix offers over 800 templates, which can be both a blessing and a curse. While the variety is impressive, finding the perfect template can feel overwhelming. That’s probably why they’ve introduced AI website creation.

Squarespace provides around 140 polished templates and customization allows a lot of freedom. However, for consistent mobile optimization, they use a grid-based system which has slightly less freedom than Wix.

This blog post is written on Estage.

As you can tell, it automatically adapts to different screen sizes while maintaining functionality across all devices. Manual adjustments are not needed, but I often do adjust them on mobile view.

Wix's editor requires manual adjustments to ensure your site looks perfect on smartphones. This extra step takes time but offers precise control over the mobile experience.

Squarespace templates are inherently responsive, their grid system ensures mobile compatibility and creative freedom.

The power of a modern website builder lies not just in its ability to create pages, but in how seamlessly it integrates essential business tools into one cohesive platform.

Estage delivers a comprehensive suite of tools that extend beyond basic website creation. If not for Estage, I would not have built a hub business.

The platform's hub-centric approach integrates community features, membership capabilities, and business tools seamlessly.

Each element works in harmony with others, eliminating the need for multiple third-party integrations that often plague other platforms.

Wix's unique features are its ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence) and its complete creative control, enabling users to position elements anywhere without restrictions.

Squarespace provides a clean, distraction-free blogging experience and Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP).

All 3 platforms provide essential SEO tools.

But I must say that Squarespace and Wix go above and beyond by including advanced tools like schema markup editing.

Currently, Estage lacks this type of advanced schema markup tool, but support reassured me that more SEO features should be developed very soon. While Estage's content blocks are visually appealing and can match Squarespace's quality, at the time of recording this video, their current editor is tedious to use. Thankfully, Estage is planning to implement a Word doc-style blogging backend, which should significantly improve the writing experience like a heavyweight!

Wix's blogging tools offer basic functionality with customizable layouts.

Squarespace excels in blog aesthetics but can feel limiting when trying to create complex content structures or membership-restricted posts.

I know the success of an online store depends not just on what you sell, but how seamlessly your platform handles everything from payment processing to customer management.

Estage does not look like it will have an e-commerce for physical products for a while. But do have plans for it.

Currently, The platform’s shopping features are limited to only digital projects within the community areas. I am guessing that Estage intends to combine traditional e-commerce with membership sites and online courses. How it looks is everybody's guess for now.

Wix is playing the field with its extensive marketplace integrations, allowing you to sell your products everywhere, like on Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, and eBay.

It's like having a store on every corner of the internet (well, almost).

Squarespace also offers solid e-commerce features, though they do charge a 3% transaction fee on some of their plans.

Whatever you're selling, these platforms can help you turn your online presence into a revenue stream- Potentially!

Estage provides flexible payment solutions through multiple trusted providers:

Wix offers over 50 payment options. They also include Point-of-Sale integrations.

Squarespace limits payment gateways to fewer options, which can restrict international selling capabilities.

The product management system in Estage allows:

Wix requires various apps to achieve similar functionality, potentially increasing your monthly costs.

Squarespace's product management is straightforward and includes advanced features for complex product catalogs.

Understanding transaction fees is crucial for your bottom line:

The platform you choose can significantly impact your PROFIT margins when considering these fees.

I think a platform's true strength lies in how well it balances native functionality with strategic third-party integrations, ensuring you have the tools you need without unnecessary complexity.

Each integration serves a specific purpose, from payment processing to marketing automation, ensuring you're not overwhelmed with redundant options.

The differences in approach are striking:

Choose a platform that provides essential integrations without forcing you to piece together basic functionality through multiple third-party apps.

Your time is better spent growing your business than managing plugin updates and compatibility issues.

Website performance isn't just about speed - I believe it's about creating a robust foundation that ensures your business stays online and secure while delivering an exceptional user experience.

Site speed can make or break your online presence:

Estage provides enterprise grade hosting infrastructure that scales with your business:

Wix offers decent hosting capabilities and can handle heavy traffic loads.

Squarespace provides reliable hosting with many optimization options for advanced users.

Security remains a top priority across all platforms:

All of them offers:

The true cost of a website builder extends beyond monthly fees.

I like to think, it's about finding a platform that provides comprehensive features without nickel-and-diming you for essential business tools.

Understanding pricing structures reveals SIGNIFICANT differences between platforms.

Estage's pricing reflects its business focus. It includes many things streamlined:

Wix's pricing structure is:

Here's Squarespace's correct pricing structure:

Plans with annual billing:

Estage definitely isn’t one of those cheaper options at all. And I’m not going to convince you that it is.

Each platform handles additional costs differently:

Estage:

Wix:

Squarespace:

Trial periods vary significantly:

The key difference lies in what you can actually test during these periods.

Beyond basic subscriptions, consider these extras:

Estage:

Wix:

Squarespace:

The strength of a platform's support system isn't measured just by response times, but I truly think, it is by how effectively it empowers users to succeed with their online ventures.

Estage:

Wix:

Squarespace:

Consider support availability in your time zone and preferred communication method. The best features mean nothing if you can't get help when you need it.

I think a platform's strengths and limitations must be weighed against your specific business needs - what seems like a drawback for one user might be irrelevant for another.

ADVANTAGES:

Limitations:

STRENGTHS:

Weaknesses:

Benefits:

DRAWBACKS:

After thoroughly analyzing Estage, Wix, and Squarespace across every crucial aspect, one thing becomes crystal clear: there's no one-size-fits-all solution. However, certain platforms shine brighter for specific needs.

Estage has proven itself as a choice for businesses seeking more than just a website. Its hub-centric approach, combined with robust community features and integrated business tools, creates a complete ecosystem that grows with your business.

While Wix impresses with its vast template library and Squarespace catches eyes with stunning designs, they are still amazing when it comes to creating a truly integrated business platform.

Here's my straightforward recommendation based on specific needs:

Make your decision based on your long-term vision, not just your immediate needs. Your future self will thank your present vision for it!

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