Wix to Squarespace Migration: Step-by-Step Guide

Wix vs. Squarespace: Is the Switch Actually Worth It?

Before you spend days rebuilding your site, make sure the move actually solves your problem. Many people start a migration and discover mid-process that Squarespace does not support something they rely on in Wix. Here is a direct comparison of the areas where each platform leads:

Feature	Wix	Squarespace
Design flexibility	Drag-and-drop anywhere on the page	Section-based layout, more constrained
App marketplace	300+ apps in the Wix App Market	Smaller selection of integrations
eCommerce	Wix Stores, available on all plans	Commerce plans required ($23+/month)
Blogging	Basic blog with limited post layout options	Stronger blog tools, better post layouts
Booking and scheduling	Wix Bookings (built-in on higher plans)	Acuity Scheduling (separate subscription)
Templates	900+ templates	180+ templates, more polished visually
Pricing (entry level)	From $17/month	From $16/month
Dynamic content/CMS	Wix CMS (available on higher plans)	Not available (no true dynamic content)
SEO control	Full URL control, structured data support	Good SEO defaults, less granular control

The switch is worth making if you want cleaner design, a better blog experience, or stronger built-in templates (see the best Squarespace templates for a full breakdown of the top options). It is less worth it if your site relies on Wix's app ecosystem, Wix Bookings, or Wix's CMS for dynamic content like databases or member-generated listings.

What Squarespace Can't Do That Wix Can (Know Before You Migrate)

Every migration guide is written from the "Squarespace is great" angle. That is not always accurate. Here is what you actually give up when you leave Wix:

• True drag-and-drop design. Wix lets you place any element exactly where you want it on the canvas. Squarespace uses a section-and-column grid. You get cleaner results on Squarespace, but you lose pixel-level design freedom. If your Wix site has a unique layout built around precise element positioning, expect to redesign from scratch rather than replicate.
• The Wix App Market. Wix has over 300 apps covering everything from live chat to invoicing to social proof popups. Squarespace's integration options are more limited. Before migrating, check whether every Wix app you actively use has a Squarespace equivalent. Some do not.
• Wix Bookings without an extra subscription. If you run a service business that uses Wix Bookings for appointments, Squarespace does not have a built-in equivalent. You would need Acuity Scheduling, which is a separate paid product (starting at $16/month) that Squarespace now owns but does not include in base plans.
• Wix's CMS and dynamic pages. Wix CMS lets you create databases and display dynamic content, for example, a staff directory, a portfolio with filterable categories, or a recipe database. Squarespace has no equivalent feature. If your site uses Wix CMS, you cannot replicate that functionality on Squarespace without a workaround or a completely different approach.
• Granular SEO controls. Wix gives you control over structured data markup, hreflang settings, and more advanced technical SEO fields. Squarespace handles SEO basics well but gives you less direct access to these settings.

None of this means Squarespace is the wrong choice. It means you should walk into the migration with an accurate picture of what changes, not just what improves.

Before You Start: The Pre-Migration Checklist

Rushing into a migration without preparation is the fastest way to lose your search rankings. Before you touch Squarespace, do this:

• Crawl your entire Wix site. Use Screaming Frog (free for up to 500 URLs), Sitebulb, or Google Search Console's coverage report. Export every URL into a spreadsheet.
• Screenshot your Google Analytics data. Record your current monthly traffic, top landing pages, and top-performing keywords. You will need this baseline to measure recovery after migration.
• Download all your images and files. Wix does not let you bulk-export media. Right-click and save each image, or use a browser extension like "Download All Images" to grab them in batches.
• Copy all your text content. Open each page and blog post in Wix's editor and paste the text into a Google Doc or text file. Squarespace has no Wix import tool, so every word needs to be moved by hand.
• List every form, integration, and third-party app. If you use Wix Forms, Wix Bookings, or any connected apps, find their Squarespace equivalents now, before you have already launched.
• Check your domain registration. Is your domain registered through Wix, or through a separate registrar like Namecheap or GoDaddy? This determines how your domain transfer will work. For a deeper breakdown of Wix pricing and what you are currently paying for, see our full Wix cost breakdown.

Understanding Wix's URL Structure (This Trips Everyone Up)

Here is something most migration guides skip entirely: Wix creates URLs differently than Squarespace, and if you do not understand the difference, your redirect map will be wrong from the start.

Wix URLs often look like this:

• yoursite.com/about-me (static page)
• yoursite.com/post/my-first-blog-post (blog post with /post/ prefix)
• yoursite.com/product-page/blue-sneakers (product with /product-page/ prefix)
• yoursite.com/blank-1 (auto-generated slug you never renamed)

Squarespace uses a cleaner structure by default:

• yoursite.com/about
• yoursite.com/blog/my-first-blog-post
• yoursite.com/shop/p/blue-sneakers

The mismatch between these structures is exactly why you need a redirect map. Without one, every old link pointing to your Wix URLs (from Google, from other websites, from your own social media posts) hits a dead end.

Step 1: Build Your Redirect Map

A redirect map is a two-column spreadsheet. Column A is every URL on your old Wix site. Column B is the matching URL on your new Squarespace site. No special software needed.

Old Wix URL	New Squarespace URL
/about-me	/about
/post/my-first-blog-post	/blog/my-first-blog-post
/services/coaching	/coaching
/product-page/blue-sneakers	/shop/p/blue-sneakers
/blank-1	/contact

Include every URL. Even the ones you think nobody visits. Google may have indexed pages you forgot about, and a broken link is a broken link whether it gets 10 visits a month or 1,000.

Tips for a Clean Redirect Map

• Use Google Search Console's "Pages" report to find every URL Google knows about. Your site crawl might miss pages that are indexed but not linked internally.
• Check for Wix's auto-generated slugs like /blank-1, /blank-2, or /copy-of-about. These are common on Wix sites and need redirects too.
• Map category and tag pages if your Wix blog uses them. Squarespace handles blog categories differently.
• Do not forget image URLs. If other sites link directly to images on your Wix site, those links will break after migration.

Step 2: Build Your New Site on Squarespace

Open a Squarespace trial (you get 14 days free) and start rebuilding. A few things to keep in mind:

• Match your URL slugs to the redirect map. If your old Wix blog post was at /post/my-first-blog-post, make the Squarespace version /blog/my-first-blog-post. The closer your new URLs match the old ones, the fewer redirects you need.
• Re-upload all images. Drag them into the media library and add them back to each page. Make sure every image has descriptive alt text.
• Paste your content carefully. When copying from Wix, paste as plain text first (Ctrl+Shift+V) to strip out Wix's formatting. Then reformat in Squarespace's editor.
• Rebuild your navigation. Squarespace handles menus differently than Wix. Set up your main nav and footer links before launch.
• Set up your blog. If you had a blog on Wix, create your blog page on Squarespace and add each post individually. For more on what Squarespace's blog can do, see our guide on running a blog on Squarespace.

Migrating Wix Forms and Contact Systems

This is the part of the migration most guides skip, and it causes problems post-launch. Wix Forms, Wix Chat, and any connected integrations (like MailChimp connections through Wix) need individual attention.

For each form on your Wix site, you need to:

• Document every form field. Open each Wix form and list every field name, required/optional status, and what it does. Squarespace form fields work differently, and you will rebuild these from scratch.
• Export any form submissions you need to keep. Wix lets you export form submissions from your dashboard. Do this before you cancel your plan. After cancellation, that data is gone.
• Check your form notification routing. If Wix forms send notification emails to specific addresses or trigger automations, set up the exact same routing in Squarespace before launch. It is easy to discover post-launch that contact form submissions are going nowhere.
• Replace Wix Chat. Squarespace does not have a built-in live chat tool. If you used Wix Chat, you will need a third-party option (Tidio, Crisp, or similar) embedded via Squarespace's Code Injection.

Third-party integrations connected through Wix need to be reconnected fresh on Squarespace. A MailChimp connection in Wix does not carry over to Squarespace. You will need to re-authorize each integration from your Squarespace settings.

Step 3: Transfer Your Domain

Domain transfer is the step where many people panic, but it is straightforward if you follow the right order:

1. Unlock your domain in Wix. Go to your Wix dashboard, find Domains, click the three dots next to your domain, and select "Transfer Away." Toggle off the domain lock.
2. Get your authorization code (EPP code). Wix will email this to you: a string of letters and numbers that proves you own the domain.
3. Start the transfer in Squarespace. In your Squarespace settings, go to Domains, click "Use a domain I own," and enter your domain. Paste in the EPP code when prompted.
4. Wait 5-7 days. Domain transfers are not instant. During this time, your site may briefly show your old Wix site or a temporary page. This is normal.
5. Verify DNS settings. After the transfer completes, make sure your DNS records point to Squarespace's servers. Squarespace's help docs list the exact records you need.

If your domain is registered with a third-party registrar (not Wix), you can skip the transfer and just update your DNS records to point to Squarespace instead. This is faster and avoids the 5-7 day waiting period. For a full walkthrough of the Squarespace domain transfer process, including EPP codes, email safety, and troubleshooting, see our guide on how to transfer your domain to Squarespace.

Step 4: Set Up Your 301 Redirects

This is where your redirect map pays off. In Squarespace, go to Settings > Advanced > URL Mappings and enter each redirect in this format:

/old-wix-url -> /new-squarespace-url 301

For example:

• /about-me -> /about 301
• /post/my-first-blog-post -> /blog/my-first-blog-post 301
• /product-page/blue-sneakers -> /shop/p/blue-sneakers 301

A 301 redirect tells Google and browsers that a page has permanently moved. Google transfers most of the old page's ranking signals to the new URL. Without 301 redirects, Google treats your new pages as brand new content with zero history.

Testing Your Redirects

After entering all your redirects, test every single one. Open your browser and type in the old URL. It should automatically forward to the new page. If it does not:

• Check for typos in the URL mapping.
• Make sure you included the leading slash (/) on both URLs.
• Verify you added 301 at the end of each line.
• Use the Redirect Path Chrome extension to see exactly what is happening with each URL.

What Actually Happens to Your Wix SEO After Migration

Most migration guides say "your rankings recover in 8-12 weeks." Here is what that actually looks like week by week, and what you should be monitoring.

After your redirects go live, submit the old Wix URLs (not the new ones) to Google Search Console's URL Inspection tool and request indexing. This signals Google to crawl the old URLs, discover the 301s, and transfer ranking signals to the new Squarespace pages faster. Do this for your top 20-30 pages by traffic, not all of them; GSC's request indexing tool has a daily quota.

In your Search Console account, watch these specific signals in the first 4 weeks:

• Coverage report: Old Wix URLs should move from "Indexed" to "Redirect" (meaning Google followed the redirect). New Squarespace URLs should appear in "Indexed" within 2-4 weeks for your most important pages.
• Sitemaps report: Submit your Squarespace sitemap (yoursite.com/sitemap.xml) immediately after launch. Check back in 3-5 days to confirm Google is reading it and the page count is correct.
• Performance report: Export your pre-migration keyword positions and compare weekly. Individual keyword rankings will fluctuate, often dropping and then recovering. If a specific page loses more than 80% of its impressions after week 4 and doesn't recover, that page's redirect is likely missing or broken.

One thing that catches people off guard: Google may continue to show the old Wix URL in search results for several weeks even after the redirect is in place. This is normal. Google takes time to process 301s and update its index to the new URL. It does not mean the redirect is failing.

Step 5: Post-Migration Tasks

Your site is live on Squarespace. The redirects are in place. You are not done yet. These post-migration steps separate a smooth transition from a traffic disaster:

1. Submit your new sitemap to Google Search Console. Go to Search Console, add your Squarespace sitemap URL (usually yoursite.com/sitemap.xml), and request indexing.
2. Update Google Analytics. If you were using Wix's built-in analytics, set up Google Analytics on Squarespace. If you already had GA, verify the tracking code is on your new site.
3. Check for broken links. Run your new site through Screaming Frog or a free broken link checker. Fix anything that returns a 404 error.
4. Update external links you control. Change the URLs in your social media bios, email signatures, Google Business Profile, and any directories that list your site.
5. Monitor your rankings for 8 weeks. Some ranking fluctuation is normal. If you set up redirects correctly, your rankings should stabilize within 2-3 months. If a specific page drops significantly, check that its redirect is working.

The Mistakes That Kill Rankings After Migration

After many Wix-to-Squarespace moves, these are the mistakes that come up again and again and the ones most guides never warn you about:

• Not redirecting Wix's /post/ prefix. Every Wix blog URL includes /post/ before the slug. When you migrate, your new Squarespace blog uses /blog/. This means you need a redirect like /post/article-name -> /blog/article-name 301 for every single blog post. Missing even one breaks all backlinks to that article.
• Wix query parameters cannot be redirected in Squarespace. Wix sometimes generates URLs with query strings like ?lightbox=image-xyz. Squarespace's URL Mappings cannot redirect query parameters. If Google indexed those versions of your pages, those links will result in 404s permanently. The fix: create a custom 404 page in Squarespace that guides visitors to the nearest relevant page rather than hitting a dead end.
• Changing all your page titles during migration. If you rewrite every title tag at the same time you change your domain and URL structure, Google has too many signals changing at once. Keep titles the same during migration and update them a few weeks later.
• Your Wix plan does not cancel itself. After going live on Squarespace, many people forget to cancel their Wix subscription. Keep the account active for 2-4 weeks after migration (as a safety net), then cancel before the next billing date. Wix does not offer prorated refunds.
• Squarespace's SSL takes a few hours to activate on a new domain. After pointing your domain to Squarespace, there is a delay before the SSL certificate provisions. During this window, visitors may see a browser security warning. Do not migrate over a weekend if your site handles time-sensitive transactions.
• Your Wix blog's RSS feed URL will change. If email subscribers or RSS readers are following your Wix blog feed, they will lose updates after migration unless you redirect /feed.xml or notify subscribers of the new feed URL. Squarespace generates its own RSS feed at yoursite.com/blog?format=rss.
• Wix dynamic pages do not transfer at all. If you built any dynamic pages using Wix CMS (a member directory, a filterable portfolio, or a database-driven events page), those pages have no equivalent in Squarespace. You cannot migrate them. Before you start, audit every dynamic page and decide how you will rebuild or replace it.
• The Wix App Market gap will catch you off guard. Many site owners do not realize until after launch that a Wix app they relied on has no direct Squarespace equivalent. Cross-reference every active Wix app against Squarespace's official integrations page before you commit to the move, not after.
• Skipping the mobile check. Your Wix site and Squarespace site may look completely different on mobile. Test every page on a phone before launch. Google uses mobile-first indexing, so if your mobile experience is worse after migration, your rankings will suffer.

How Long Until Your Rankings Recover?

Be realistic about the timeline. Here is what to expect:

• Week 1-2: Google starts recrawling your site and processing the redirects. You may see ranking drops during this period.
• Week 3-4: Most redirected pages should be reindexed at their new URLs. Traffic starts stabilizing.
• Month 2-3: If everything was done correctly, rankings should be back to pre-migration levels or better. Pages that gained backlinks from the old site should retain most of their authority.
• Month 3+: Any remaining fluctuations are likely due to normal algorithm updates, not your migration.

If you are still seeing significant drops after 3 months, recheck your redirect map. The most common culprit is a high-traffic page whose redirect is missing or pointing to the wrong destination.

Planning to add member-only content on your new Squarespace site? Read our breakdown of running a membership site on Squarespace before you set up your page structure.

If you are migrating more than one Wix site to Squarespace, our guide to running multiple websites on Squarespace explains how billing, domains, and contributor access work when managing several sites under one account.