Best Website Platform for Authors in 2026 (Compared: WordPress, Squarespace, Wix & More)
· 6 min read
Choosing the best website platform for authors can feel overwhelming. There are dozens of options, each claiming to be perfect for you. The truth is: the best platform depends on your needs, budget, and comfort level with technology.
In this guide, I’ll break down the top contenders—WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, and emerging author-specific platforms like Tertulia for Authors—so you can make an informed decision. I’ll be honest about the trade-offs, because every platform has them.
What to Look for in an Author Website Platform
Before comparing platforms, know what matters:
- Ease of use. Can you build and update your site without coding?
- Email list integration. Can you capture and email your readers directly?
- Direct book sales. Can you sell ebooks, audiobooks, or physical books without routing through Amazon?
- SEO optimized. Does it help you rank in Google and show up in answer engines like ChatGPT?
- Mobile optimization. Does it look good on phones (spoiler: it needs to)?
- Customer support. If something breaks, will someone help you?
- Cost. Can you afford it long-term?
- Scalability. Will it grow with your author career?
Let’s evaluate each platform against these criteria.
WordPress — Powerful but Complex
Is WordPress the best platform to build an author website? Well, WordPress.org (self-hosted) is the most popular website platform in the world. About 43% of all websites use WordPress. So it must be great for authors, right?
Pros:
- Extremely flexible. You can customize almost anything.
- Tons of plugins for email lists, SEO, and book sales.
- Relatively affordable. Hosting costs $5–15/month.
- Great for SEO when set up correctly.
- You own your site completely.
Cons:
- Steep learning curve. You need to understand hosting, domains, plugins, and updates.
- Requires maintenance. You have to update WordPress, plugins, and security patches yourself.
- You’re responsible for backups and technical issues.
- Too many plugin options can be overwhelming.
- Hidden costs add up (good hosting, email service, premium plugins).
Best for: Authors comfortable with technology or those willing to hire a developer.
Real cost: $200–500+ per year when you factor in hosting, premium plugins, and theme costs.
Squarespace — Attractive yet Limited
Is Squarespace a good platform for building your author website? Squarespace is a drag-and-drop website builder known for stunning, modern templates. It’s easy to use and looks professional out of the box.
Pros:
- Attractive templates. Sites look modern without design skills.
- All-in-one platform. Hosting, email, analytics included.
- Very user-friendly. No coding required.
- Good mobile experience.
- Customer support is solid.
Cons:
- Less flexibility than WordPress. You’re limited to what Squarespace allows.
- Limited email marketing tools. Built-in email is basic.
- Selling books is clunky. You have to use external services for ebook delivery.
- Expensive. Plans start at $16/month, go up to $33/month.
- Less powerful for SEO optimization.
Best for: Authors who prioritize design and ease of use over advanced features.
Real cost: $192–396 per year, plus external email and sales tools.
Wix — Flexible but Generalist
Wix is another drag-and-drop builder. It’s flexible and has lots of templates, but it’s designed as a generalist platform for all types of websites—not specifically for authors.
Pros:
- Very flexible drag-and-drop editor.
- Lots of templates and design options.
- App marketplace for extending functionality.
- Decent email tools included.
- Can build an e-store for book sales, but requires some muscle to set up.
- Custom domains are included with most paid plans.
Cons:
- Can feel generic. Hard to stand out because everyone’s using similar templates.
- Performance can be slow (bad for user experience and SEO).
- Expensive. Plans range from $16–49/month depending on features.
- Mobile optimization can be inconsistent.
- Less intuitive than Squarespace. Limited advanced SEO tools.
Best for: Authors who want design flexibility but don’t need specialized author features.
Real cost: There is a free plan, but you’ll need to upgrade, which can cost from $192–588+ per year.
Tired of choosing between powerful but complex, beautiful but limited, or expensive generalist platforms? Tertulia was built specifically for authors. It combines ease of use, author-specific features like direct book sales and reader management, and affordable pricing — all designed around how authors actually work.
Start your free author website with Tertulia →Tertulia for Authors — Built Specifically for Authors
Unlike WordPress, Squarespace, and Wix—which are general website builders—Tertulia is purpose-built for authors. This is important because authors have specific needs these platforms don’t address well.
Pros:
- Author-centric features. Built-in book sales, email lists, and reader management.
- Easy to use. No coding or design skills needed.
- Direct book sales built in. Sell ebooks, audiobooks, and paperbacks without external tools.
- Automatic email capture. Every buyer joins your reader list automatically.
- Email marketing tools. Built-in email editor to reach your readers.
- Reader analytics. See what your readers are doing on your site.
- Affordable. Transparent pricing without hidden costs.
- Author support team. Customer service that understands your needs. A built-in community of authors to share best practices and trade notes.
Cons:
- Smaller platform than WordPress/Wix/Squarespace. Fewer third-party integrations.
- Less flexibility if you want flashy or highly custom looks (though templates are sleek and professional).
- Relatively new compared to the bigger players.
Best for: Most indie and traditionally published authors. You get everything an author needs without the overhead.
Real cost: Typically $7.99–19.99/month depending on your plan (significantly cheaper than alternatives).
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | WordPress | Squarespace | Wix | Tertulia for Authors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | Hard | Very Easy | Easy | Very Easy |
| Built-in Email Tools | With plugins | Basic | Good | Author-specific |
| Direct Book Sales | With plugins | Limited | Basic | Built-in, Optimized |
| Monthly Cost | $5–15 | $16–33 | $16–49 | $8–20 |
| SEO Power | Excellent | Good | Fair | Very Good |
| Design Flexibility | Unlimited | Good | Very Good | Good |
| Customization | Unlimited | Limited | Good | Very Good |
| Scalability | Excellent | Good | Good | Excellent |
| Support Quality | Community | Good | Good | Excellent (Author-focused) |
| Learning Curve | Steep | Gentle | Moderate | Gentle |
Pricing is approximate and may vary by region, billing cycle, and current promotions.
Which Platform Should You Choose?
Choose WordPress if: You’re tech-savvy, want complete customization, and have the budget to hire help or spend time learning.
Choose Squarespace if: You prioritize beautiful design and ease of use, and don’t mind paying a premium for simplicity.
Choose Wix if: You want design flexibility and don’t mind the cost for a generalist platform that “does everything” (even if nothing is optimized for authors).
Choose Tertulia for Authors if: You want an affordable, purpose-built author platform with all the tools authors actually use—books storefront, email campaigns, reader magnet—without the complexity of WordPress or the cost of Squarespace.
If you’re a new author, strapped for time, and just want something that works now, Tertulia is the obvious choice. If you’re willing to invest time to learn and have specific design requirements, WordPress might be worth the investment.
Ready to stop overthinking and start building? Tertulia is the only full-featured platform built specifically for authors. Get started free, sell books directly, manage your readers, and grow your author business.
Start your free author website with Tertulia →Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the easiest platform to build my author website?
Tertulia has built a tool that generates your draft website by entering your ISBN, so it wins the award for easiest platform. From author-specific email templates to integrated ebook sales to importing of author reviews, you will have a comprehensive solution that takes minutes to set up—and is easy to maintain.
Can I switch platforms for my author website later if I change my mind?
Yes, but it takes work. You’ll need to export your content, redesign your site on the new platform, and set up redirects so old links don’t break. Start with the right platform to avoid this hassle.
Do I need to pay for professional hosting separately?
Not with Squarespace, Wix, or Tertulia—hosting is included. With WordPress, yes—you may need to buy hosting separately depending on your plan (this adds to your monthly costs).
Which platform is best for SEO and AEO?
WordPress is thought to be most powerful for SEO, but there’s a high bar for configuring it properly. Squarespace and Tertulia are more than adequate for ranking in Google, and Tertulia provides tools to make your site more content-rich, which is great for SEO. The bigger factor is your content quality and consistency.
Can I use my own domain with these platforms?
Yes, all of them allow custom domains. You buy the domain separately and point it to your website. This costs about $15/year.
