Softwr

E-Commerce · head to head

PrestaShop vs Square

PrestaShop logo

PrestaShop

E-Commerce

Open-source ecommerce platform for online merchants

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Square logo

Square

E-Commerce

Powering the economy

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: PrestaShop no specific pricing tiers or costs disclosed on homepage; Square plus plan pricing not specified in documentation
  • They diverge on capability: PrestaShop covers Product catalog management, Square covers Payment processing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PrestaShop and Square actually diverge.

Attributes where PrestaShop and Square differ
AttributePrestaShopSquare
PlatformsWebPOS (Mobile app), Web
Founded20072009

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), 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 PrestaShop

  • Product catalog management
  • Order management
  • Payment gateway integration
  • Shipping module
  • Customer management
  • SEO tools
  • Analytics
  • Mobile-responsive design

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.

PrestaShop

  • Fully customizable ecommerce platform for startups to enterprisesnot Square
  • Stores handling millions in annual revenuenot Square
  • Access to thousands of modules and themesnot Square
  • Payment solutions integration with Stripe, Alma, Klarnanot Square

Square

  • Accept payments with all-in-one POS applicationnot PrestaShop
  • Online ordering and basic website creationnot PrestaShop
  • Invoicing and appointment bookingnot PrestaShop
  • Staff scheduling and loyalty programmesnot PrestaShop

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

PrestaShop

  • No specific pricing tiers or costs disclosed on homepage
  • Requires navigation to dedicated pricing pages for cost details

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

PrestaShop

Free
  • Classic$undefined/mo
    • Download source code and install from scratch
    • Self-hosted ecommerce platform
  • Hosted$undefined/mo
    • CivicPlus handles technical aspects
    • Ready-to-use store

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 PrestaShop if

  • You need product catalog management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want order management.
PrestaShop review

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.
Square review

Questions people ask

Is PrestaShop or Square better?
Neither clearly leads. PrestaShop starts at Free and Square at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PrestaShop or Square?
PrestaShop starts at Free and Square at Free.
Does PrestaShop or Square run on more platforms?
PrestaShop runs on Web. Square runs on POS (Mobile app), Web.
Can I use PrestaShop for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is PrestaShop best used for?
PrestaShop is most often used for fully customizable ecommerce platform for startups to enterprises, stores handling millions in annual revenue, access to thousands of modules and themes, payment solutions integration with stripe, alma, klarna. Of those, fully customizable ecommerce platform for startups to enterprises and stores handling millions in annual revenue are not what Square is typically brought in for.
What can PrestaShop do that Square cannot?
PrestaShop covers Product catalog management, Order management, Payment gateway integration, Shipping module. Square covers Payment processing, Point of sale, Invoicing, Payroll.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PrestaShop: How much does PrestaShop cost?

PrestaShop offers two models: Classic (free download with self-installation) and Hosted (vendor-managed). Specific pricing figures are not displayed on the homepage. Visit the pricing pages or contact PrestaShop directly for cost details.

Source
Square: 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.

Source
PrestaShop: Does PrestaShop have a free version?

Yes, the Classic plan is free and allows you to download the source code and install your store from scratch.

Source
Square: 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.

Source
PrestaShop: What payment methods does PrestaShop support?

PrestaShop integrates with payment solutions including Stripe, Alma, and Klarna.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on PrestaShop

More on Square

Keep looking

Other head to heads