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Squarespace Commerce vs WooCommerce

Squarespace Commerce logo

Squarespace Commerce

Software

All-in-one website builder and ecommerce platform

From
$14/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
WooCommerce logo

WooCommerce

Software

The flexible, open-source ecommerce platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only WooCommerce has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Squarespace Commerce the entry plan charges a 2% transaction fee on online store sales on top of payment processing; WooCommerce the plugin is free but you must supply and pay for WordPress hosting, which WooCommerce itself puts at $25 to $350 per month for most stores
  • They diverge on capability: Squarespace Commerce covers Website builder, WooCommerce covers Product management.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Squarespace Commerce and WooCommerce differ
AttributeSquarespace CommerceWooCommerce
Starting price$14/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
Founded20032011

Identical on both: 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 Squarespace Commerce

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

Only in WooCommerce

  • Product management
  • Shopping cart
  • Payment integration
  • Shipping management
  • Tax calculations
  • Order management
  • Inventory tracking

Both cover

  • Customer accounts

What people use each for

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

Squarespace Commerce

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

WooCommerce

  • Running an online store inside an existing WordPress sitenot Squarespace Commerce
  • Selling physical, digital or subscription products with full control of the codenot Squarespace Commerce
  • Building a customised commerce workflow through plugins and hooksnot 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

WooCommerce

  • The plugin is free but you must supply and pay for WordPress hosting, which WooCommerce itself puts at $25 to $350 per month for most stores
  • Functionality such as subscriptions and bookings comes from paid extensions priced at $29 to $299 per year each, renewed annually
  • Card payments through WooPayments cost roughly 2.50 to 2.90 percent plus 30 cents per transaction
  • Total cost depends on how many extensions a store needs rather than a single published plan price

Pricing, plan by plan

Squarespace Commerce

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

WooCommerce

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Core ecommerce features
    • Unlimited products
    • Community support
  • Premium$299/year
    • All Free features
    • Premium support
    • Performance optimization

Which should you pick?

Choose Squarespace Commerce if

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

Choose WooCommerce if

  • You need product management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want shopping cart.
WooCommerce review

Questions people ask

Is Squarespace Commerce or WooCommerce better?
Neither clearly leads. Squarespace Commerce starts at $14/month and WooCommerce at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Squarespace Commerce or WooCommerce?
WooCommerce has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $14/month for Squarespace Commerce and Free for WooCommerce.
Does Squarespace Commerce or WooCommerce run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use WooCommerce for free?
Yes. WooCommerce has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Squarespace Commerce starts at $14/month.
What is Squarespace Commerce best used for?
Squarespace Commerce is most often used for running a store on a hosted website builder with managed hosting, selling products, services and memberships from one site. Of those, running a store on a hosted website builder with managed hosting and selling products, services and memberships from one site are not what WooCommerce is typically brought in for.
What can Squarespace Commerce do that WooCommerce cannot?
Squarespace Commerce covers Website builder, Ecommerce platform, Mobile optimization, Email marketing. WooCommerce covers Product management, Shopping cart, Payment integration, Shipping management. Both handle Customer accounts.
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