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E-Commerce · head to head

Squarespace Commerce vs Swell Commerce

Squarespace Commerce logo

Squarespace Commerce

E-Commerce

All-in-one website builder and ecommerce platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Swell Commerce logo

Swell Commerce

E-Commerce

Headless ecommerce for modern brands

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Squarespace Commerce the entry plan charges a 2% transaction fee on online store sales on top of payment processing; Swell Commerce each plan carries an annual revenue ceiling, and exceeding it is charged as a percentage of the excess: 2 percent on Starter down to 0.4 percent on Unlimited
  • They diverge on capability: Squarespace Commerce covers Website builder, Swell Commerce covers Headless architecture.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Squarespace Commerce and Swell Commerce differ
AttributeSquarespace CommerceSwell Commerce
Starting priceOn request$29/month
Founded20032019

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web), 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 Squarespace Commerce

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

Only in Swell Commerce

  • Headless architecture
  • GraphQL & REST APIs
  • Subscription commerce
  • Multi-currency support
  • Inventory management
  • Custom checkout
  • Webhook integrations
  • Developer-friendly SDK

What people use each for

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

Squarespace Commerce

  • Website building and hostingnot Swell Commerce
  • eCommerce and online store managementnot Swell Commerce
  • Digital content and membership salesnot Swell Commerce
  • Service booking and schedulingnot Swell Commerce

Swell Commerce

  • Running a headless commerce backend with APIs for a custom storefrontnot Squarespace Commerce
  • Selling subscription products alongside one off purchasesnot Squarespace Commerce
  • Operating multi currency stores from one commerce backendnot Squarespace Commerce

Where each one falls short

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

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

Swell Commerce

  • Each plan carries an annual revenue ceiling, and exceeding it is charged as a percentage of the excess: 2 percent on Starter down to 0.4 percent on Unlimited
  • Starter at $29 a month allows 2 admin users and includes only 100,000 API requests and 1GB of storage per month
  • Additional API requests cost $5 per 100,000 and extra storage $5 per GB
  • Role based permissions and developer support are restricted to the Unlimited plan at $2,250 a month
  • Advanced reports and priced currencies require the Standard plan or higher
  • Published prices are the billed yearly rates, so monthly billing costs more

Pricing, plan by plan

Squarespace Commerce

On request
  • Basic Plan$null/month
    • Designer templates included
    • Drag-and-drop editor
    • Free custom domain (annual plans only)
  • Standard Plan$null/month
    • All Basic features
    • Transaction fees: reduced rates
    • Gift cards and invoicing
  • Advanced Plan$null/month
    • All Standard features
    • Further reduced transaction fees
    • Point-of-sale capability
  • Premium Plan$null/month
    • All Advanced features
    • Lowest credit card processing rates (0% transaction fees for digital/memberships)
    • Dedicated Customer Success Manager

Swell Commerce

$29/month
  • Starter$29/month
    • Up to $50K annual revenue
    • Basic reports
    • Up to 5 admin users
  • Basic$79/month
    • Up to $250K annual revenue
    • Most popular plan
    • Basic reports
  • Standard$299/month
    • Up to $1M annual revenue
    • Advanced reports
    • Up to 15 admin users
  • Unlimited$2250/month
    • Up to $5M annual revenue
    • Unlimited scalability and granular control
    • Unlimited admin users

Which should you pick?

Choose Squarespace Commerce if

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

Choose Swell Commerce if

  • You need headless architecture.
  • You also want graphql & rest apis.
Swell Commerce review

Questions people ask

Is Squarespace Commerce or Swell Commerce better?
Neither clearly leads. Squarespace Commerce starts at On request and Swell Commerce at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Squarespace Commerce or Swell Commerce?
Squarespace Commerce starts at On request and Swell Commerce at $29/month.
Does Squarespace Commerce or Swell Commerce run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Squarespace Commerce best used for?
Squarespace Commerce is most often used for website building and hosting, ecommerce and online store management, digital content and membership sales, service booking and scheduling. Of those, website building and hosting and ecommerce and online store management are not what Swell Commerce is typically brought in for.
What can Squarespace Commerce do that Swell Commerce cannot?
Squarespace Commerce covers Website builder, Ecommerce platform, Mobile optimization, Email marketing. Swell Commerce covers Headless architecture, GraphQL & REST APIs, Subscription commerce, Multi-currency support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Squarespace Commerce: How much does Squarespace cost?

Squarespace does not publish specific plan prices on their pricing page. Four tiers (Basic, Standard, Advanced, Premium) are listed with descriptions of features and benefits. Annual subscriptions offer up to 36% savings compared to monthly billing.

Source
Swell Commerce: How much does Swell Commerce cost?

Swell offers four tiers starting at $29 per month for Starter and going up to $2,250 per month for Unlimited. Annual billing provides a 25% discount compared to monthly billing. All prices are in USD.

Source
Squarespace Commerce: Does Squarespace offer a free trial?

Yes, Squarespace provides a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. You can upgrade to a paid plan at any time during or after your trial, and there are no long-term contracts required.

Source
Swell Commerce: What are Swell's revenue tier overages?

Each plan includes a revenue ceiling based on 12-month trailing sales. Starter allows up to $50K with 2% overage, Basic allows $250K with 1.5% overage, Standard allows $1M with 1% overage, and Unlimited allows $5M with 0.4% overage. Custom plans are available for merchants exceeding $10M annually.

Source
Squarespace Commerce: What are Squarespace's transaction fees?

Transaction fees start at 2% on the Basic plan and decrease as you upgrade, reaching 0% for digital content and memberships on the Premium tier. Card processing rates also decrease by tier, reaching the lowest rates on Premium.

Source
Squarespace Commerce: How many AI credits does each Squarespace plan include?

AI credits range from 10 to 120 monthly depending on the plan tier, but specific allocations per plan are not detailed on the public pricing page.

Source
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