Shopify vs Squarespace: Which One To Use in 2024?
Shopify vs Squarespace – which platform should you pick in 2024?
Find the answer here in our in-depth comparison blog, learn each platform’s pros & cons, key differences, pricing plans, and overall suitability from a business point of view.
So, read till the end to confidently pick a platform that aligns with your online business goals and notions.
Table Of Contents
- What Are Shopify And Squarespace?
- Shopify vs. Squarespace: Quick Comparison
- Shopify vs. Squarespace for Ecommerce: In Depth Comparison
- How to Choose Between Squarespace vs. Shopify?
- Final Take: Which is Better Shopify or Squarespace?
What Are Shopify And Squarespace?
The first thing to understand here is the core of each platform. They both work with a similar interest to help your business grow online, but the approach to achieving this is quite different.
- Shopify is an e-commerce platform to build an online store. It is well-suited for someone looking to sell their products or services online.
- On the other hand, Squarespace is a website builder to create presentable websites, which also offers some added e-commerce features.
As both platforms are designed for different interests, the features each one has to offer are different to align their efforts to their brand’s vision.
Shopify vs. Squarespace: Quick Comparison
| Features | Shopify | Squarespace | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| eCommerce features | Handy ecommerce feature that helps to scale | Limited ecommerce features | Shopify |
| Apps & integration | Gigantic app marketplace with more than 8000+ apps | A decent app center with around 30+ apps | Shopify |
| Theme & template | Offer 10 free theme and 100+ paid themes | Huge template library 110 templates with high-quality content | Squarespace |
| Security | Provides SSL certificate and manages all other security concerns | Provides SSL certificate and manages all other security concerns | Neutral |
| Support | Email support, Live chat, Community support, help center resources, and 24/7 phone support | Email and live chat | Shopify |
Let’s dig deep into this table.
Shopify vs. Squarespace for Ecommerce: In Depth Comparison
Shopify vs. Squarespace: Ease of Use
Considering both the platforms overall, Shopify and Squarespace are easy to use, but Shopify shines a little extra here.
It is extremely easy to build a store on Shopify.
It is designed in a way that after each step, it moves in a perfect flow. Mostly, all the steps are self-explanatory, and you can always get back to their team if you feel stuck.
Plus, a big win here is that it is loaded with eCommerce features and functionalities that will make your store powerful and presentable online.
Shopify vs. Squarespace: Pricing & Fees
| Shopify | Squarespace |
|---|---|
| Basic Shopify – $29/month | Personal – $23/month |
| Shopify – $79/month | Business – $33/month |
| Shopify – $79/month | Commerce (Basic) – $36/month |
| – | Commerce (Advanced) – $65/month |
| 2.6% + $0.30 per transaction (charges based on
your Shopify plan) |
3% transaction fee for physical products/services |
Looking at the above table, in this Shopify vs Squarespace cost comparison, Squarespace looks like a more affordable option.
Shopify does have some powerful features that will help you grow your online store, but we can’t deny Squarespace’s affordability if you are starting your online journey.
If you are thinking of a website with beautiful template options, then Squarespace is definitely a perfect choice.
And if you want a mix of both and are unsure which platform to opt for, you can take a free trial and decide for yourself.
Shopify vs. Squarespace: SEO Friendliness
Squarespace and Shopify provide basic SEO functionalities, but Shopify is just a step ahead in Shopify vs Squarespace SEO.
Shopify gives you more control over your robot. files, and it can auto-generate title and meta description for your page.
Along with this, Shopify does a good job of redirecting URLs.
Shopify vs. Squarespace: Templates & Themes
In this battle of Squarespace vs Shopify, Squarespace has a higher advantage in designing.
Squarespace is a home for beautiful free and paid templates. What makes Squarespace stand out here is they offer 164 free templates, while Shopify is limited to 12.
As it is specifically created as a website builder, the design flexibility and beautiful templates outweigh Shopify.
Shopify has decent themes and templates specific to different store types.
Squarespace has more comprehensive template options with functionalities like 360-degree image upload, mobile view, and more.
Shopify vs. Squarespace: Apps & Integration
Shopify’s marketplace is a treasure for you to discover and enhance your online store. There are 8000+ apps available in their app store.
Apps from players like TikTok or Facebook to apps like WhatsApp Chat and more, Shopify has it all for you.
Squarespace does offer extensions and apps, but they are not as functional as the ones Shopify provides.
Regarding integrations, Shopify integrates with plenty of email marketing service providers to send promotional emails or cart abandonment emails to improve sales. Squarespace does this, too, but the integrations are lean.
You can connect your store to popular social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok without any external app, unlike Squarespace. Also, you can sell on Amazon through your Shopify store.
Shopify vs. Squarespace: Payment Gateways
Shopify provides more payment options than Squarespace.
Shopify offers more than 100 payment options, while Squarespace provides 3 payment options.
With Shopify, you can choose to pay using Shopify Payments (their built-in payment processor) or use a third-party payment gateway.
Shopify also offers advanced features like Shop Pay for you to improve the shopper’s experience with any hassle.
Shopify vs. Squarespace: Inventory Management
Shopify has a very refined approach when it comes to inventory management. From dropshopping to POS (Point-Of-Sale) features, it has it all.
Shopify has a wide range of dropshipping apps compared to Squarespace.
It lets you, as a seller, calculate carrier rates and make the most of their shipping discounts. Squarespace offers a basic package suitable for moderate sellers, but it becomes a limitation when trying to scale.
Shopify vs. Squarespace: Customer Support
Shopify does offer better customer support than Squarespace.
Shopify offers live chat, emails, and even phone support, while Squarespace only offers live chat and email support.
Both platforms provide help materials in different languages, but here, we can say Squarespace’s help material is well explained. While Squarespace offers material in 6 languages, Shopify beats them with 21 languages.
How to Choose Between Squarespace vs. Shopify?
Now that we have an idea about the key differences between the platforms. Let’s see how you can make a better choice in picking the right platform for yourself.
In order to make the process simpler, we have listed down the pros and cons of each to get a better view of each.
Shopify Pro & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Packed with powerful e-commerce features | It can get expensive for growing e-commerce sellers |
| Highly scalable and works best for small businesses as well as large enterprise | The transaction fees can cut down profit if it is low-ticket item |
| The Shopify App Store is a goldmine with a wide range of integrations and extensions | It has a steeper learning curve for beginners |
Squarespace: Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Intuitive, user-friendly interface and affordable | Basic e-commerce features compared to Shopify |
| It offers website building and hosting in one package | Limited app and integration options |
| It has a built-in blogging platform, making it easy to leverage content marketing | Less suitable for growing business |
Shopify vs Squarespace: FAQs
1. Can Squarespace be used for ecommerce?
Yes, you can use Squarespace for e-commerce. They have few features related to e-commerce.
2. Why is Shopify better than Squarespace for ecommerce?
Shopify has more strong features to help you scale in ecommerce.
Final Take: Which is Better Shopify or Squarespace?
In this battle of Shopify vs. Squarespace, there is no clear winner.
We wish there were a straightforward answer to this question.
But it depends entirely on what you are trying to build and the features you need to grow your business.
Shopify works best for e-commerce store owners looking to build a powerful brand online, and Squarespace does an impressive job at creating captivating websites.
Each one is a master at what they do best, so make a mindful choice and start building your online presence.
If you are willing to build your Shopify store, let our experts guide you through and build an impressive store for you!
Some important resources:
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