Moving your website off Wix or Squarespace: what to know first
Maybe the monthly fees keep rising, the site is slow, or you want a site you actually own. Moving is very doable, but there are a few things you need to know before you cancel anything, so you keep your domain, your email and your place on Google.
Should you move at all?
Moving makes sense when:
- The monthly fees add up. Platform plans, apps and add-ons can cost more each year than a site you own.
- The site is slow, and you've already fixed images and removed apps you don't use. Try the free test in why is my website so slow first.
- You've hit the platform's limits, such as layouts, features or integrations it can't do.
- You want to own your site, not rent it, so you can move hosts or developers whenever you like.
It may not be worth it if the site works, loads quickly and the cost doesn't bother you. I'll tell you honestly if a few fixes inside your current platform would do the job.
What moves, and what doesn't
- Your domain: yes. Your web address can move to another registrar, or simply be pointed at the new site.
- Your text and images: yes. They can be reused in the new site.
- Your email: yes, if its records are copied across first.
- Your design and page layouts: no. Neither Wix nor Squarespace lets you take the site itself to another host, so the pages are rebuilt.
- Apps and add-ons: no. Booking, chat and store features need a replacement on the new site.
The order matters
- Don't cancel anything yet. Keep the old plan running until the new site is live.
- Inventory everything: every page and its address, every form, and your domain and email settings.
- Build and test the new site before it goes live.
- Set up redirects from every old page address to its new page, so they don't turn into broken links and page not found errors.
- Copy your email records, then point the domain to the new site.
- Submit the new sitemap in Google Search Console, then check the new pages are showing up on Google.
- Only then cancel the old plan, and transfer the domain if it was bought through the platform.
The most common mistake: cancelling the old plan first. On some platforms that can take the domain or email down with it. Move first, cancel last.
How I fix it
I rebuild the site so it looks right and loads fast, then move everything across in an order that keeps your email working and your Google results intact.
Take inventory
I list every page, image, form and old address on your current site, plus your domain and email settings, before anything changes.
Rebuild it, faster
I build the new site with your content, tested on phones and computers. You own it outright and it isn't tied to any platform.
Redirect every old address
Each old page address points permanently to its new page, so Google results, links and bookmarks keep working.
Switch over safely
I move the domain's settings with your email records copied first, submit the new sitemap to Google, and only then tell you it's safe to cancel the old plan.
Own-Your-Site Rebuild · $2,900 and up
The Own-Your-Site Rebuild covers up to 6 pages, or $4,900 for up to 12. You stop paying the platform's monthly fee, and the first month of a Care Plan is free if you want me to keep it updated.
The fix-first guarantee
You pay only after you've checked the work and you're happy with it. If anything I fixed breaks within 30 days, I fix it again at no charge.
Questions owners ask
Can I export my Wix website and move it to another host?
No. Wix doesn't let you export a site's design or pages to another host. Your content, text and images can be reused, but the site itself has to be rebuilt. Your domain can move.
Can I export my Squarespace website?
Partly. Squarespace can export some content, such as basic pages and blog posts, in a format other systems can import. Your design, product pages and many page layouts don't come across, so most sites are still rebuilt.
Can I cancel Wix or Squarespace but keep my domain?
Yes. If you bought the domain through the platform, you can transfer it to another registrar. Note that a domain can't usually be transferred within 60 days of being registered or transferred. Don't cancel your plan until the new site is live and the domain has moved.
Will I lose my Google rankings if I move?
Not if every old page address is redirected to its new page. Rankings are lost when a move skips redirects, which is why redirects are part of every rebuild I do.
Is Wix bad for SEO?
Not anymore, for most small sites. Wix and Squarespace sites can rank well. The stronger reasons to move are cost, speed, flexibility and owning your site. If yours works and you're happy with it, staying is a fine choice.
What happens to my business email?
If your email uses your domain, it keeps working as long as the email records are copied across when the domain moves. I copy them first, then test that email still arrives before switching anything else, including your contact form emails.
Melissa Charles
Founder of Charles Web Works, with a background as a Sr. Software Engineer, an M.S. in AI and machine learning and a bachelor's in accounting. I fix small business websites for one flat price, and you pay after you've checked the work.
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