My Website Journey: From Carrd to Wix to SquareSpace
In February 2024, I took a big step for my business—I made and published my first .com website using Wix. Before that, I had been using Carrd.co, a simple digital business card where I kept all my social media and store links organized. While Carrd was great, it made my link Emmyteddy.carrd.co, which I realized was unfamiliar to customers outside the art community. I could see how a .co domain might seem untrustworthy to people who weren’t familiar with Carrd, so I made it a goal to pay for a custom domain and build a proper website.
Fast forward a year later, it’s April 2025, and I have officially transferred my domain to SquareSpace. Here’s what I’ve learned from the process.
Wix vs. SquareSpace: What I Learned
1. Pricing – SquareSpace Wins
I was paying about $35 per month annually for Wix, whereas SquareSpace’s basic plan is $16 per month annually—a huge difference. I also paid $20 per year for my domain. Websites are more expensive than I expected, but with consistent sales, they’re manageable. I want to share these numbers so other artists can get a better idea of what to expect before committing.
2. The Learning Curve – You Have to Experience It
I don’t regret making my website. I could have watched endless YouTube videos and read all the articles, but nothing would have fully prepared me. Sometimes, you just have to learn by doing.
After launching my Wix website, I spent a year building it up:
Adding to my FAQ page
Uploading new pictures
Featuring my latest YouTube videos
Posting Scribble Squad events & market dates to my website calendar
One of the biggest pros of having a website? It was free of ads and algorithms, and it grew with me.
3. Managing a Website – More Work, But Worth It
A website is another thing to update on top of:
✅ Instagram
✅ Facebook
✅ YouTube
✅ My product listings
✅ The art I make
✅ Market prep
But it was worth it. There were times when I’d pay booth rent for an event, show up, make zero sales, and then check my website—only to find that I had made online sales that covered my booth rent.
4. My Blog – A Surprise Win
Starting a blog was a totally new experience for me. It encouraged me to:
Take more photos & videos of my booth at markets
Write about art business strategies
Document & analyze my own growth
Having a website gave me control over my narrative and how the public perceives me. I got to showcase how involved I am in my business and community.
Why I Switched from Wix to SquareSpace
1. Wix Was Expensive & Clunky
Even though my website was growing with me, I realized that many artists I followed were using SquareSpace—and even getting sponsored by them. At first, I felt like I had made a mistake by choosing Wix, but then I reminded myself:
📌 It’s okay to start with something, learn from it, and upgrade later.
Just like how I started with a $100 Wacom tablet in 2016 before upgrading to a high-end one, Wix was my beginner platform. It taught me the habit of maintaining a website, and once I outgrew it, I switched to something better.
2. SquareSpace is Cleaner & Easier to Use
✅ It only took me 4 days to transfer my domain, blog, FAQ, and art portfolio
✅ I redesigned my homepage, about me, and shop
✅ I downsized my shop from 70 items to 3 (starting with greeting cards, then adding vinyl decals later)
✅ The design feels smoother—features like calendars and customer reviews blend in better without third-party apps
One small but exciting feature? At the bottom of my homepage, I added customer reviews that scroll like breaking news! That’s the kind of built-in customization that Wix lacked.
Final Thoughts – My Advice? Go with SquareSpace.
If you’re an artist thinking about launching your own website, start somewhere—whether it’s Carrd, Wix, or SquareSpace. The most important thing is to get into the habit of updating and maintaining it.
But if you’re choosing between Wix and SquareSpace?
💡 Go with SquareSpace. It’s cheaper, cleaner, and just makes sense for artists.
Would love to hear if other artists have gone through a similar journey! Let’s chat in the comments. 😊
Wix vs. SquareSpace: A Side-by-Side Comparison of My Website Upgrade
Below, you’ll see side-by-side comparisons of my Wix homepage vs. my SquareSpace homepage and my Wix About Me page vs. my SquareSpace About Me page. You’ll see how the design, layout, and overall feel of my website evolved—and why I ultimately made the switch.
