Best Website Builders for Small Business (2026): Wix, Squarespace, Shopify and Hostinger
A research-based comparison of website builders for small businesses and solopreneurs, with official prices, transaction fees and the trade-offs that matter.
| Feature | Wix | Squarespace | Shopify | Hostinger (hosting + builder) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Flexible design, many business apps | Polished templates, content + services | Selling physical or digital products | Lowest cost, WordPress option |
| Free plan / trial | Free plan | 14-day free trial | 3-day free trial | 30-day money-back |
| Entry paid plan (as of Oct 2026) | Light $17/mo, billed yearly | Basic $19/mo annual, $25 monthly | Basic $29/mo yearly, $39 monthly | Premium $2.99/mo on 48 months |
| Free domain | 1 year on most yearly plans | 1 year on annual plans | Not listed on pricing page | 1 year |
Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Our picks are based on fit, not commission.
How this list was made: Research-based. Prices and features come from each vendor’s official pricing page, checked as of Oct 2026. We haven’t built a long-term test site on each platform for this version, and we don’t give star ratings.
Quick picks
- Best all-rounder for most service businesses: Wix
- Best for design-led brands and content: Squarespace
- Best for online stores: Shopify
- Lowest cost if you’re happy with WordPress: Hostinger
How we chose
A small business website usually needs to do four things: look credible, be found in search, capture leads, and sometimes take payments. We compared builders on:
- Entry price and what billing it assumes
- Transaction fees on sales
- Built-in marketing, SEO and AI tools
- How easy it is to start (free plan or trial)
We only list a price where the vendor’s own pricing page showed it on our check date.
1. Wix: best all-rounder
Wix lets you create a site for free, then upgrade to a premium plan to connect a domain and remove Wix branding.
Plans (as of Oct 2026, prices shown for yearly billing):
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Wix subdomain, Wix branding |
| Light | $17/mo | 2 GB storage, 2 collaborators |
| Core | $29/mo | 50 GB, accept payments, basic eCommerce |
| Business | $39/mo | 100 GB, standard eCommerce |
| Business Elite | $159/mo | Unlimited storage, advanced eCommerce |
Wix was showing a limited-time discount on Core and Business on our check date, so you may see a lower first-term price. Wix says all premium plans include a custom domain, hosting, AI creation tools and 24/7 customer care, plus a 14-day money-back guarantee on the first upgrade. Most yearly plans include a free domain voucher for one year.
Fit for: service businesses, consultants and local shops that want bookings, forms and a blog in one place. Watch out: if you want to accept payments, the Light plan doesn’t list it. Core is the first plan that does.
2. Squarespace: best for polished, design-led sites
Squarespace is known for its templates and keeps its plan lineup simple.
Plans (as of Oct 2026):
| Plan | Annual billing | Monthly billing | Online store fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $19/mo | $25/mo | 2% |
| Core | $29/mo | $39/mo | 0% |
| Plus | $49/mo | $65/mo | 0% |
| Advanced | $99/mo | $139/mo | 0% |
On top of the platform fee, card processing through Squarespace Payments starts at 2.9% + $0.30 on Basic and Core. Digital content and membership sales carry an extra fee that drops from 7% on Basic to 0% on Advanced.
Squarespace has no free plan, but every site starts with a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. Annual plans include a free domain for one year, and Core and above include one Google Workspace account free for the first year.
Fit for: creatives, coaches and service providers who sell a few products or memberships and care about presentation. Watch out: Basic’s 2% store fee and 7% membership fee. If you’ll sell regularly, Core is usually the more sensible starting point.
3. Shopify: best for online stores
If selling products is the core of your business, Shopify is built for that job rather than adding commerce to a site builder.
Plans (as of Oct 2026):
| Plan | Yearly billing | Monthly billing |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $29/mo | $39/mo |
| Grow | $79/mo | $105/mo |
| Advanced | $299/mo | $399/mo |
| Plus | From $2,300/mo | — |
Shopify lists online card rates from 2.9% + 30¢ on Basic and from 2.7% + 30¢ on Grow. It offers a 3-day free trial and was promoting $1/month for the first 3 months on most plans on our check date.
Fit for: anyone whose main goal is selling, from a solo maker to a growing brand. Watch out: a content-heavy site with a small store attached may be simpler (and cheaper) on Wix or Squarespace. Shopify’s app ecosystem is powerful, but paid apps add to your monthly cost.
4. Hostinger: lowest cost, more DIY setup
Hostinger is a web host rather than a pure site builder, but its managed hosting plans include a drag-and-drop builder option, one-click WordPress and an AI agent it says can build a WordPress site from scratch.
Plans (as of Oct 2026): Premium $2.99/mo, Unlimited $3.99/mo, Cloud Startup $7.99/mo. These are 48-month prices paid up front. They renew at $10.99, $16.99 and $25.99/mo.
Fit for: budget-conscious owners who are willing to manage WordPress or a simpler builder in exchange for a much lower monthly cost. Watch out: you’re more responsible for plugins, updates and design than you would be on Wix or Squarespace. Read our Hostinger review and Hostinger vs Bluehost for the details.
Which builder should you choose?
| Your situation | Start with |
|---|---|
| Local service business needing bookings and forms | Wix |
| Portfolio, coaching or design-led brand | Squarespace |
| Selling products is the main goal | Shopify |
| Content site or blog on the smallest budget | Hostinger + WordPress |
Costs people forget
- Monthly vs annual billing. Squarespace and Shopify charge noticeably more per month if you don’t pay yearly.
- Transaction and processing fees. A 2% platform fee plus card processing adds up quickly on regular sales.
- Domain renewal. Free domains are typically free for the first year only.
- Email. A professional address (you@yourbusiness.com) is often a separate cost after any first-year offer.
- Email marketing. Built-in newsletter tools are basic. A dedicated tool may serve you better; see best email marketing tools.
Don’t forget the rest of the stack
A website is one piece. You’ll probably also want a CRM to track leads (see our HubSpot free CRM review) and a way to get found in search (see best SEO tools for solopreneurs).
FAQ
Which website builder has a free plan? Of the builders here, Wix has a permanent free plan with Wix branding and a Wix subdomain. Squarespace and Shopify offer free trials instead.
What’s the cheapest way to get a small business site online? On listed prices as of Oct 2026, Hostinger’s 48-month hosting plan has the lowest monthly equivalent. It also asks you to do more of the setup yourself.
Can I switch builders later? Usually, but moving a design is rarely automatic. Content can often be exported, but layouts usually have to be rebuilt. Choose with the next two to three years in mind.
Bottom line
If you want one builder that suits most small businesses, start with Wix. Choose Squarespace for presentation, Shopify for commerce and Hostinger for the lowest running cost. Use the free plan, trial or refund window to build a real page before you commit.
Sources
Official vendor pages used for prices and features (checked October 2026; plans change, so confirm before buying):
Affiliate links. Prices and plans change; confirm on the vendor's site.