Wix works well for plenty of people. If you are looking around, though, maybe because it feels fiddly, costs add up, or you would rather someone else did it, there are several real alternatives. This is a fair rundown for Australian small businesses. We sell websites, so we are listed too, but we have tried to say where each option fits and where it does not.
First, work out what you actually need
Most small businesses need the same few things: a clear home page, a list of services, contact details, a way to book or enquire, and good showing on Google. If that is you, almost any option below will do the job. The real differences are who does the work, what you pay each month, and how easy it is to leave.
If you want a direct comparison with one platform first, see our Straight Up Web versus Wix article.
Squarespace
Squarespace is a do-it-yourself builder known for polished templates. It suits creative businesses, photographers, consultants and anyone who enjoys tweaking a design and has the time. You pay a subscription to the platform, so check Squarespace’s pricing page for the current plans in Australian dollars.
The trade-off is the same as Wix: you build and write it yourself, and the site lives on their platform. Our Squarespace comparison goes into more detail.
Shopify
If your main aim is to sell products online, Shopify is built for it. Carts, payments, inventory, and shipping tools are all part of the product. It suits shops, makers and anyone with a catalogue. It is less natural for a simple service business that just needs a brochure site and a contact form, and the monthly cost reflects that it is a shop platform. See Shopify’s own pricing page for current plans.
We do not build online shops at $500. If you need a custom shop, we pass that to our sister studio ClickTheory, who quote up front.
WordPress with a freelancer
WordPress is free software that powers a large share of the web. Someone has to set it up, host it and keep it updated, which is why people usually hire a freelancer. It suits businesses that want something custom, like special forms, a members area or unusual layouts, and that have the budget for it.
The risk is dependence on one person. If they go quiet, you may be left with a site nobody can update. Ask who holds the logins, who pays for hosting and what happens if the freelancer stops working. Our freelancer comparison and the guide to builder, freelancer or agency cover this at more length.
Square Online
If you already take payments with Square at a cafe, salon or shop, Square Online lets you put a simple ordering or booking site on top of the same system. It suits food, retail and appointment businesses that want everything linked to the till. It is less flexible as a general marketing website, so check what the free and paid options include on Square’s page for online stores.
A local budget agency (like us)
This is the done-for-you option. You send photos and a few details, and someone builds the site and writes the words. It suits busy owners who do not want to learn a tool. Prices and terms vary a lot between agencies, so ask the usual questions about domain ownership and contracts.
Here is how ours works. Straight Up Web builds a site of up to five pages for $500 + GST. We write the words, link to your booking tool, set up your Google Business Profile and Search Console, and include one round of changes and three months of Care hosting. After that Care is $49 a month + GST, month to month. You own the site and the domain. We do not build shops with a checkout, sites of more than five pages, logos or custom booking systems at that price. Those go to ClickTheory. See our pricing and what is included.
Side by side
| Option | Who does the work | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Wix | You | People who want a flexible do-it-yourself builder |
| Squarespace | You | Design-minded owners and creatives |
| Shopify | You or a developer | Online shops |
| WordPress with a freelancer | The freelancer | Custom needs and larger budgets |
| Square Online | You | Food, retail and bookings already on Square |
| Budget agency | The agency | Busy owners wanting a simple site done for them |
Where Wix itself still makes sense
To be fair to Wix, it is a capable builder, and plenty of owners run good sites on it. If you enjoy building, have the time, and your site is small, there may be no reason to move. The cases where people look elsewhere are usually the same few: they have run out of time to maintain it, the monthly cost has crept up as they added features, or they want help with the writing and the Google side that a builder alone does not give them.
That last point matters. A builder gives you the tools. It does not write your pages, set up your Google Business Profile or tell you what to say. Whichever route you pick, those jobs still have to be done by someone.
Cost: compare the whole year
When you compare options, add up a full year, not just the first month. Include the platform or hosting fee, the domain renewal, any paid apps or plugins, and your own time. The time is real: a few hours a month spent fixing a layout is time you are not billing customers. A done-for-you option can look dearer on paper and still work out cheaper once your hours are counted.
Questions worth asking about any of them
- Who owns the domain, and is it registered in my name?
- What will I pay in month 13, not just month one?
- Can I take my content, and ideally the site itself, if I leave?
- Who fixes it when something breaks?
- Is the site fast and easy to use on a phone?
More on spotting problems is in our guide to cheap website red flags.
How to choose
Pick the do-it-yourself tools if you enjoy the process and have the time. Pick Shopify if you are selling products. Pick a freelancer if you need something custom and trust the person. Pick Square Online if the till is the heart of your business. Pick a done-for-you agency if your hours are better spent on customers.
If that last one sounds like you, take a look at our examples or get started. If another option suits you better, we would rather you pick that than the wrong one.