Short answer: use a website builder like Wix or Squarespace if you want to edit your own site every week. Hire a freelancer if you want it built for you and then left alone. A builder costs a monthly fee for as long as you keep the site: on yearly billing, Wix Core is $29.77 a month and Squarespace Core is $29 a month. A freelancer is usually a one-time price. Mine is $190 for a Starter site, ready in 7 days.
I am a freelancer, so I have a side in this. I will tell you where that matters, and where a builder is simply the better choice.
What the builders charge
- Wix (yearly billing, per month): Light $17.77, Core $29.77, Business $39.77, Business Elite $159.77. Payments and store tools start at Core. A free domain is included for the first year.
- Squarespace (yearly billing, per month): Basic $19, Core $29, Plus $49, Advanced $99. Paying monthly costs more, for example $25 for Basic and $39 for Core. Basic takes a 2% fee on online store sales; Core and above take 0%.
Add up three years. Squarespace Core at $29 a month is $1,044. Wix Core at $29.77 a month is about $1,072. That is for one site, and the bill never ends while you keep it.
What a freelancer charges
My prices are one-time: Starter from $190, Business from $390, Shopify store from $490. A normal site on my hosting is free to host. You pay for the domain, about $10 to $20 a year, and optionally a $25 a month care plan if you want me to handle changes. Three years of a Starter site with a domain comes to a few hundred dollars, not a thousand. See prices for the full list.
What you really pay in time
A builder is cheap in money and expensive in hours. You choose the template, write the text, resize the photos, fix the phone layout and learn the tool. A freelancer sells you the hours back: you send photos and text, and I build the rest. Freelancer or agency? covers who to hire if you go that way.
Which one fits
- Pick a builder if you enjoy tinkering, change prices and pages often, and want to start today for under $20.
- Pick a freelancer if you want a site that looks professional, loads fast on a phone, and does not take your weekends.
- Pick either, but not both if you only need a page for Google Maps and WhatsApp. A one-page site is enough.
My take
Most of the owners who write to me have already tried a builder. They did the first draft, got stuck on the phone layout, and the site sat half done for months. If your site must be live next week and look good, hiring someone is cheaper than it sounds. If you love editing, a builder is a great tool and I would not talk you out of it.
Where this falls short
I am a freelancer, so weigh my opinion with that in mind. The builder prices are from each company's own pages on 24 October 2026, on yearly billing, and they change. Extras such as email or apps can raise a builder bill. Check the plan you would really use. If you want the exact price for your business, build a quote in one minute, or read how much a website costs in 2026.
Quick answers
Is Wix or Squarespace cheaper?
On yearly billing they are close: Wix Core is $29.77 a month and Squarespace Core is $29. Squarespace Basic is $19 a month but takes a 2% fee on store sales.
Is a freelancer cheaper than a website builder?
Over three years, usually yes. A freelancer's price is mostly one-time, while a builder charges every month. A builder is cheaper on day one.
How much does a freelancer website cost?
Mine start at $190 for a Starter site, $390 for a Business site and $490 for a Shopify store, one-time.
Can I edit a freelancer-built website myself?
It depends how it is built. Ask before you hire, and make sure you own the domain and the files.
Do Wix and Squarespace include a free domain?
Both list a free domain for the first year on yearly plans. After that it renews at the normal price.
Sources (checked 24 Oct 2026; prices change, so check before you buy)
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