Choosing the wrong platform is one of the most expensive mistakes a business can make online — not because of the monthly fee, but because of what happens two years later when you want to grow, move, or change direction. Here’s an honest, source-based comparison for business owners in Ireland.
Quick comparison
| Wix | Squarespace | WordPress (.org) | Custom Django site | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Hosted builder (SaaS) | Hosted builder (SaaS) | Open-source CMS, self-hosted | Coded on an open-source framework |
| You own the code? | No | No (partial export) | Yes | Yes |
| Move to another host? | No | Limited export | Yes | Yes |
| Cost model | Monthly subscription | Monthly subscription | Free software + hosting | One-off build + hosting |
| Best for | Quick DIY sites | Design-led sites | Blogs, flexibility | Bespoke, growth, integrations |
Wix — easy to start, impossible to leave
Wix is a proprietary, hosted “SaaS” builder. Its Premium plans run from about $17/month (Light) to $159/month (Business Elite), billed annually — and Wix notes prices vary by location, so the euro price in Ireland is shown on their pricing page.
The catch is ownership. In Wix’s own words, you cannot use another host for a Wix site because it “needs to be hosted and operated on Wix’s servers.” You can move a domain away or export a product list, but not the website itself. (Wix Help Center)
Good for: a very small business that wants something live this weekend and never plans to migrate.
Risk: you rent forever, and everything you build stays on Wix.
Squarespace — beautiful templates, same lock-in
Squarespace is also a hosted builder, known for polished templates. Legacy plans start around $16/mo (Personal), $23/mo (Business) and $27/mo (Commerce) on annual billing, with new Basic/Core/Plus/Advanced plans rolling out (squarespace.com/pricing).
Squarespace lets you export some content to .xml, but warns: “Not everything will export, as many features rely on our platform’s JavaScript and CSS,” and you can’t bulk-export images or videos. (Squarespace Help Center)
Good for: design-first personal brands and simple sites.
Risk: the same rental model — you leave most of your work behind if you move.
WordPress — you own it, but you maintain it
WordPress (the self-hosted WordPress.org software, not the WordPress.com service) is free and open source, licensed under the GPL — officially standing for “the freedom to build, the freedom to change, the freedom to share.” (WordPress.org)
Because it’s self-hosted, you provide hosting and domain, and you own everything. That freedom comes with responsibility: updates, plugin security and performance are yours to manage (or to pay someone to manage).
Good for: content-heavy sites and blogs where you want flexibility and ownership.
Risk: plugin bloat and security upkeep if left unmaintained.
A custom Django website — full ownership and control
Django is a free, open-source high-level Python web framework, maintained by the non-profit Django Software Foundation. Its official positioning: “Ridiculously fast,” “Reassuringly secure,” and “Exceedingly scalable” — noting that “some of the busiest sites on the web” run on it. (djangoproject.com)
A custom Django site is built for your business, not squeezed into a template. You pay once to build it (plus your own hosting and domain) and you own 100% of the code and data:
- No monthly platform rent — just hosting from about €10/month, which stays yours.
- Full SEO and speed control — clean, semantic HTML and no builder bloat.
- You choose EU/Ireland hosting — helpful for data control and GDPR, unlike a US-based SaaS platform.
- Real automation — Telegram bots, lead notifications and custom integrations that builders simply can’t do.
Good for: businesses serious about growth, performance, integrations and owning their online presence.
Trade-off: a higher upfront cost than a DIY builder — but no lock-in and no rising subscriptions.
So which should you choose?
- Want something live this weekend and don’t mind renting forever? Wix or Squarespace.
- Want a flexible, content-driven site you own and will maintain? WordPress.
- Want a fast, bespoke website you fully own, built around your business and ready to scale, with automation behind it? A custom Django site.
For most Irish businesses that want their website to be an asset — not a subscription they can never leave — a custom build pays for itself over time.
Building or rebuilding a business website in Ireland? Discuss your project — I’ll reply with a clear plan and a fixed quote within one working day.
Sources (official): Wix pricing · Wix export policy · Squarespace pricing · Squarespace export · WordPress.org · Django