E-Commerce · head to head
commercetools vs Square
The short version
- Only Square has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: commercetools no published pricing: customers cannot see costs, tier details, or feature breakdowns before contacting sales; Square plus plan pricing not specified in documentation
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which commercetools and Square actually diverge.
| Attribute | commercetools | Square |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | quote | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web | POS (Mobile app), Web |
| Founded | Unknown | 2009 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (E-Commerce).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in commercetools
Nothing recorded that Square does not also cover.
Only in Square
- Payment processing
- Point of sale
- Invoicing
- Payroll
- Banking
- QuickBooks
- WooCommerce
- Wix
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
commercetools
- Composable commerce platforms for enterprise retailersnot Square
- B2C and B2B commerce API infrastructurenot Square
- Multi-region commerce operationsnot Square
Square
- Accept payments with all-in-one POS applicationnot commercetools
- Online ordering and basic website creationnot commercetools
- Invoicing and appointment bookingnot commercetools
- Staff scheduling and loyalty programmesnot commercetools
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
commercetools
- No published pricing: customers cannot see costs, tier details, or feature breakdowns before contacting sales
- Order-based pricing opacity: described as 'transparent' but actual fee structure per order is undisclosed
- Free trial time-gate: 60-day trial does not reveal production pricing for ongoing operations
- Marketplace distribution unclear: availability on Google Cloud and AWS Marketplaces implies pricing varies by channel without transparency
Square
- Plus plan pricing not specified in documentation
- Processing fees differ by tier but exact rates not detailed
- Free plan pricing mentioned but specific features for Plus unclear
- Text marketing charged at 3¢ per message after first 500 included
Pricing, plan by plan
commercetools
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the commercetools review.
Square
Free- FreeFree
- Accept payments with all-in-one POS app
- Online site builder (ordering profiles, basic websites, online stores, booking sites)
- Item library and inventory tracking
- Plus$null/mo
- All Free plan features
- Advanced POS features for food, retail, and appointments
- Lower processing fees on card transactions
Which should you pick?
Choose commercetools if
Nothing in the data separates commercetools from Square on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
Choose Square if
- You need payment processing.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on POS (Mobile app), Web.
- You also want point of sale.
Questions people ask
- Is commercetools or Square better?
- Neither clearly leads. commercetools starts at On request and Square at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, commercetools or Square?
- Square has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for commercetools and Free for Square.
- Does commercetools or Square run on more platforms?
- commercetools runs on Web. Square runs on POS (Mobile app), Web.
- Can I use Square for free?
- Yes. Square has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. commercetools starts at On request.
- What is commercetools best used for?
- commercetools is most often used for composable commerce platforms for enterprise retailers, b2c and b2b commerce api infrastructure, multi-region commerce operations. Of those, composable commerce platforms for enterprise retailers and b2c and b2b commerce api infrastructure are not what Square is typically brought in for.
- What can commercetools do that Square cannot?
- Square covers Payment processing, Point of sale, Invoicing, Payroll.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
commercetools: Does commercetools publish pricing online?
No. Pricing is not published on their website. Customers must contact sales, start a free 60-day trial, or purchase through Google Cloud or AWS Marketplaces to discuss pricing.
SourceSquare: Does Square offer a free plan?
Yes, Square's free plan includes an all-in-one POS app, online site builder, item library and inventory tracking, invoicing, appointment scheduling, staff calendars, and checking and savings account access. No subscription fees are charged.
Sourcecommercetools: What is the pricing model for commercetools?
commercetools uses order-based pricing (not Gross Merchandise Value dependent) described as 'transparent and growth-friendly' with 'no hidden fees or penalties for scaling,' but exact per-order costs are disclosed only through sales consultation.
SourceSquare: What does Square Plus add compared to the free plan?
Square Plus adds advanced POS features for food and retail, lower processing fees on card transactions, custom loyalty programs, unlimited email marketing campaigns, text messaging, and staff scheduling and attendance tracking.
Sourcecommercetools: Does commercetools offer a free trial?
Yes. A 60-day free trial includes full access to production-ready infrastructure, APIs, tools, and preloaded sample B2C/B2B data, with the option to move MVP to production without setup costs.
SourceRelated pages
More on commercetools
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