Squarespace vs Shopify
Squarespace vs Shopify depends entirely on what you're building. Squarespace creates beautiful websites that can sell; Shopify creates powerful stores that can have content. Primary purpose is everything here.
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Quick Answer
Shopify beats Squarespace for most users. It scores 9.4/10 vs 9/10 and best-in-class e-commerce features. Choose Squarespace if you need stunning designer templates.
Squarespace
Award-winning templates for beautiful websites
Starting from
$16/mo
Shopify
WinnerLeading e-commerce platform for online stores
Starting from
$29/mo
Feature Comparison
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 9.0/10 | 9.4/10 |
| Starting Price | $16/mo | $29/mo |
| User Reviews | ||
| Resources | ||
| Templates | 150+ | 100+ |
| Storage | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Bandwidth | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Features | ||
| Custom Domain | ||
| E-commerce | ||
| SEO Tools | ||
| Mobile Editor | ||
| App Market | ||
| Security & Analytics | ||
| SSL Certificate | ||
| Analytics | ||
Pros & Cons Breakdown
Squarespace
- Stunning designer templates
- Clean, professional designs
- Built-in SEO tools
- Excellent blogging platform
- Great for portfolios
- All-in-one pricing
- Less flexible than Wix
- No free plan (only trial)
- Learning curve for editor
Shopify
- Best-in-class e-commerce features
- Massive app ecosystem
- Excellent payment processing
- Multi-channel selling
- Great for dropshipping
- 24/7 support
- Transaction fees on external payments
- Themes can be expensive
- Monthly cost adds up
Key Difference
Squarespace is a website builder with e-commerce added. Shopify is an e-commerce platform with website features added. Squarespace has better templates; Shopify has better selling tools. Primary purpose determines winner.
Which Should You Choose?
Squarespace
Choose Squarespace if you need a beautiful website first, have a small product catalog, want integrated blogging and pages, or care more about brand presentation than commerce features.
Shopify
Choose Shopify if you are building primarily to sell, need robust inventory and shipping, want the best payment rates, or plan to scale your product catalog significantly.
Our Verdict
Squarespace wins for content-first sites - portfolios, blogs, small businesses with limited products. Shopify wins for commerce-first sites where selling is the primary purpose. Know your primary goal before choosing.
Thinking of Switching?
If you've outgrown Squarespace's e-commerce, moving to Shopify is common but requires product migration. If you want more design control from Shopify, Squarespace means accepting lighter commerce. Align tool with primary purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Squarespace better than Shopify?
Shopify scores higher in our testing (9.4/10 vs 9/10). Shopify excels at best-in-class e-commerce features, while Squarespace is better for stunning designer templates.
Which is cheaper, Squarespace or Shopify?
Squarespace is more affordable at $16.00/mo vs $29.00/mo. Squarespace offers 45% savings.
Squarespace vs Shopify: which should I choose?
Choose Squarespace if you prioritize stunning designer templates. Choose Shopify if you need best-in-class e-commerce features. Both are solid website builders options.
What's the main difference between Squarespace and Shopify?
The main difference is Squarespace offers award-winning templates for beautiful websites, while Shopify focuses on leading e-commerce platform for online stores.