Softwr

Software · head to head

Shopify vs Squarespace Commerce

Shopify logo

Shopify

Software

The most trusted ecommerce platform to start, grow, and scale your business

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Squarespace Commerce logo

Squarespace Commerce

Software

All-in-one website builder and ecommerce platform

From
$14/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Shopify using any payment provider other than Shopify Payments adds a transaction fee on top of the card rate, at 2% on Basic falling to 0.2% on Plus; Squarespace Commerce the entry plan charges a 2% transaction fee on online store sales on top of payment processing
  • They diverge on capability: Shopify covers Hosted ecommerce platform, Squarespace Commerce covers Website builder.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Shopify and Squarespace Commerce actually diverge.

Attributes where Shopify and Squarespace Commerce differ
AttributeShopifySquarespace Commerce
Starting price$29/month$14/month
Founded20062003

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Shopify

  • Hosted ecommerce platform
  • Payment processing
  • Inventory management
  • Order tracking
  • Marketing automation
  • Apps and integrations
  • Multi-channel selling

Only in Squarespace Commerce

  • Website builder
  • Ecommerce platform
  • Mobile optimization
  • Email marketing
  • Analytics
  • Domain registration
  • Customer accounts

Both cover

  • SSL certificate

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Shopify

  • Running a hosted ecommerce store with payments and fulfilmentnot Squarespace Commerce
  • Selling across online, in person and social channels from one cataloguenot Squarespace Commerce

Squarespace Commerce

  • Running a store on a hosted website builder with managed hostingnot Shopify
  • Selling products, services and memberships from one sitenot Shopify

Where each one falls short

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

Shopify

  • Using any payment provider other than Shopify Payments adds a transaction fee on top of the card rate, at 2% on Basic falling to 0.2% on Plus
  • That fee makes the cheapest plan the most expensive place to use an outside processor, which is the opposite of how plans usually work
  • Card rates also improve with the plan, from 2.9% on Basic to 2.7% on Advanced
  • Amex is charged at a higher rate than other cards on every plan below Plus
  • Plus starts at $2,300 a month
  • The advertised lower monthly prices require paying a year up front

Squarespace Commerce

  • The entry plan charges a 2% transaction fee on online store sales on top of payment processing
  • Digital content and membership sales carry their own fee, up to 7% on the lowest tier
  • The entry plan is limited to 2 contributors
  • Reaching a 0% transaction fee requires moving up from the entry plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Shopify

$29/month
  • Starter$5/month
    • Buy Button & Sales Channel
    • Abandoned checkout recovery
    • Basic reporting
  • Basic$29/month
    • Online store
    • Up to 2 staff accounts
    • Basic reports
  • Standard$79/month
    • Professional reports
    • Gift cards
    • Up to 15 staff accounts

Squarespace Commerce

$14/month
  • Personal$14/month
    • Website builder
    • Free domain
    • Analytics
  • Business$23/month
    • All Personal features
    • Ecommerce functionality
    • Inventory management

Which should you pick?

Choose Shopify if

  • You need hosted ecommerce platform.
  • You also want payment processing.
Shopify review

Choose Squarespace Commerce if

  • You need website builder.
  • You also want ecommerce platform.
Squarespace Commerce review

Questions people ask

Is Shopify or Squarespace Commerce better?
Neither clearly leads. Shopify starts at $29/month and Squarespace Commerce at $14/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Shopify or Squarespace Commerce?
Shopify starts at $29/month and Squarespace Commerce at $14/month.
Does Shopify or Squarespace Commerce run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Shopify best used for?
Shopify is most often used for running a hosted ecommerce store with payments and fulfilment, selling across online, in person and social channels from one catalogue. Of those, running a hosted ecommerce store with payments and fulfilment and selling across online, in person and social channels from one catalogue are not what Squarespace Commerce is typically brought in for.
What can Shopify do that Squarespace Commerce cannot?
Shopify covers Hosted ecommerce platform, Payment processing, Inventory management, Order tracking. Squarespace Commerce covers Website builder, Ecommerce platform, Mobile optimization, Email marketing. Both handle SSL certificate.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Shopify

More on Squarespace Commerce

Keep looking

Other head to heads