Shopify vs Square: Price, Features & What’s Best in 2022

Shopify is a widely used e-commerce platform, with over 12 million active users and around 2.6 billion dollars in revenue per year. Square meanwhile has over 1 million merchants and generated $1.7 billion in sales for the first quarter of this year alone, making it an attractive option for entrepreneurs looking to enter the cryptocurrency space

Shopify and Square are both online stores that allow users to sell their products. The difference between the two is the price, features, and what’s best in 2022. Read more in detail here: shopify vs square online store.

If you’re comparing Shopify vs Square, you’re either wanting to sell online or require a multichannel sales solution that can handle both online and offline sales. Both companies provide intuitive point-of-sale (POS) software, online store and ecommerce capability, and integrated payment processing using industry-leading omnichannel and contactless payment solutions.

• If ecommerce is the backbone of your organization or you’re serious about online sales, Shopify is the way to go.
• If your principal sales channel is brick-and-mortar and you just require minimal online shop capability, Square is the way to go.

Quick comparison between Shopify and Square

Shopify and Square Online are two of our top recommendations in the following categories:

Why Do We Recommend Shopify as an Online Sales Platform?

If ecommerce is the lifeblood of your company, Shopify’s site builder, sales tools, and inventory management features are superior. While Square Online can handle curbside pickup orders and occasional online sales, it lacks inventory management capabilities and fundamental functionality that a growing ecommerce firm could need.

Why Is Square the Best Payment Option for Brick-and-Mortar Stores?

Square has a free plan as well as top-rated POS software and solutions for sectors other than retail, such as restaurants and appointment-based companies. It’s our top-recommended POS system for small companies, and the ideal solution for most stores that don’t require complex ecommerce functionality, thanks to its economical, user-friendly software with loads of add-ons.

Square is the most cost-effective option.

Both Shopify and Square provide low-cost options. Only Square, on the other hand, provides a completely free online shop and POS system. In minutes, anybody can join up for a free Square account and begin selling through an online shop or smartphone.

Pricing vs. Shopify vs. Square

*Included with Shopify Plus Plans is Shopify POS Pro. It costs an extra $89 per place.

Shopify and Square both provide:

• Billing is done on a month-to-month basis.
• Processing costs for high-volume sellers are reduced.
• You may personalize your solution as your company expands with a variety of pricing options and add-ons.

Shopify features tiers of software for ecommerce businesses and two POS solutions, but Square has a variety of free POS and online store alternatives with upgrade possibilities. Square, on the other hand, offers solutions that you may add and delete as required (such as payroll, loyalty programs, and team management). Learn more about Square’s pricing and fees in our in-depth analysis.

Shopify is the best platform for ecommerce.

When comparing Square vs. Shopify for ecommerce, Shopify is by far the better option. More templates, more customization choices, advanced order management, extensive product pages and inventory monitoring, more substantial shipping savings, and a quicker checkout procedure are all available.

A Shopify shop as an example

Shopify is the ideal option if you want to establish or develop an online retail company. Follow our instructions on how to set up a Shopify shop if you’re ready to get started.

Both Shopify and Square include templated site builders with a variety of themes, easy order monitoring and administration, shipping savings, marketing tools, and POS software integration. While Shopify is our top option for the finest ecommerce platform, with a 4.68 out of 5 rating in our review, Square Online also made the cut and took the top place in our list of the best free ecommerce website builders.

When Should You Use Square on the Internet?

For businesses who wish to add online ordering for shipment or pickup, Square provides a user-friendly and cost-effective option. Its product management capabilities are restricted, particularly if you have a big inventory or a significant number of variations. Square Online is less flexible than Shopify and has fewer built-in marketing options, as well as a smaller ecommerce software ecosystem.

Square, on the other hand, has a number of integrated customer communication tools, including texting and automatic order updates, as well as buy-online, pick-up-in-store (BOPIS) capabilities and local delivery choices. So, for businesses looking for a basic online presence, Square Online offers a user-friendly, low-maintenance choice. It also features a restaurant-specific solution and is one of our preferred online ordering systems for restaurants.

Square Online helps businesses to construct and manage online ordering pages fast and easily. (Image courtesy of Square)

Follow our instructions on how to set up a Square Online shop to have a website for your business up and operating in minutes.

Shopify is the best platform for multichannel sales.

Shopify’s advanced multichannel capabilities allow merchants to provide a fully seamless shopping experience by removing boundaries between online and in-store services such as order fulfillment and delivery, inventory, and marketing.

Shopify and Square, on the other hand, provide small companies with some of the greatest multichannel sales tools on the market, including perfectly integrated ecommerce and POS systems. With a score of 4.8 out of 5, Shopify is at the top of our list of recommended multichannel POS systems. However, Square, which received a 3.9 out of 5 rating, provides excellent value with its free and low-cost solutions.

When Should You Use Square?

While Shopify is the best option for most multichannel shops, Square is a wonderful option for new and small companies on a budget, particularly if your concentration is on brick-and-mortar sales rather than online sales.

Square also offers a significant edge over Shopify in the form of industry-specific merchandise. While Shopify is aimed only at merchants, Square offers a general-purpose POS as well as specialised solutions for food and beverage (such as cafés and food trucks), appointment-based (spas, salons, and other health and wellness providers), and retail.

Square is the best option for brick-and-mortar businesses.

In general, Square provides the finest POS systems for small companies, earning a 4.48 out of 5 in our review, slightly topping Shopify’s 4.47 out of 5. Square’s POS is the most cost-effective since anybody can sign up for a free account and start selling in minutes. Square also includes a few unique features, such as a more stable offline mode and a user-friendly digital receipt procedure that captures client feedback automatically.

One of Square’s hardware alternatives, Square Register, has a customer-facing display, which Shopify lacks. (Image courtesy of Square)

Square’s business-specific features With a score of 4.54 out of 5 compared to Shopify’s 4.48, Square for Retail takes the top spot in our list of the best retail POS systems. Square for Retail is the greatest solution because of its inexpensive price range (Square’s industry-specific Square for Retail product tops our list of the best retail POS systems—with a score of 4.54 out of 5 compared to Shopify’s 4.48. Square for Retail’s low price point ($0–$60) and user-friendly back-office features make it the best choice.–$60) and user-friendly back-office functionality.

When Should You Use Shopify?

If you have a Shopify-based online store, the integrated Shopify POS is by far the finest solution. Your data and transactions will sync smoothly between online and offline. Plus, Shopify POS is available for free on your smartphone or tablet, making it perfect for Shopify ecommerce companies that want a point of sale for pop-up sales or events.

Unlike Square, which has a configurable interface, Shopify POS allows you to customize hotkeys for a faster checkout. (Image courtesy of Shopify)

Square is the best option for mobile payments.

Square’s payment processing received a 4.38 out of 5 rating as our preferred payment processor for small companies. It also offers a more versatile solution with industry-specific capabilities, a more robust offline mode, and additional mobile payment hardware possibilities. Square provides a separate payment solution for mobile, in-store, and online, whereas Shopify Payments is integrated to its ecommerce and POS systems (and needs a membership). More information may be found in our guide to the top mobile POS applications.

Both, on the other hand, provide payment processing services that let small companies to take credit card payments online and in person without having to open a typical merchant account. They also provide fixed prices with no contracts, monthly minimums, or cancellation costs, as well as savings for high-volume merchants, payment method storage choices for clients, and mobile card readers.

Mobile Card Readers that are Square

Mobile Card Readers for Shopify

Square is the most user-friendly.

Both systems are user-friendly and beginner-friendly (their setup wizards are simple and provide links to tutorials and advice, such as step-by-step directions and videos). Square, on the other hand, allows you to set up an online shop and start selling in a matter of hours, and its store administration function is simple—largely due to its basic functionality. Meanwhile, Shopify has a lot of ecommerce options, but it takes longer to set up. Its UI is still simple to use and navigate.

Square Provides Easy-to-Use Store Setup

The Square Online dashboard is incredibly user-friendly. Its setup guide, which comes in the form of automated prompts, walks you through the stages of launching your business, enabling you to do it without any technical knowledge. You may either watch video tutorials (all of which are available from the user dashboard) or utilize the setup process to design your website.

Shopify has a similar layout, but our early testing revealed that its website builder is a little clumsy and lacks drag-and-drop functionality; we found Square Online’s website builder to be simpler to use. We were given the option of adding or removing items from an existing template, and the modifications were reflected in real time, allowing you to quickly alter your mind if necessary. In this post, we’ll show you how to create a free Square Online shop.

Square Online updates your website in real time as you make changes in the site builder.

Shopify has released Online Store 2.0 (OS 2.0), which includes new themes and more customization possibilities than the previous version. Dawn, Shopify’s new default theme, is mobile-first and 35 percent quicker than the previous version’s themes (formerly referred to as “Vintage”). Check out what it’s like to set up a Shopify shop.

Shopify makes it easier to manage inventory in your store.

Shopify is the way to go if you have a complicated inventory with various product versions. It includes one of the greatest point-of-sale inventory management systems, enabling users at all account levels to input products, handle refunds, and see basic inventory data.

The inventory capabilities of Square Online are extremely rudimentary, but if you’re a merchant seeking for a free way to manage inventory (and sell in-store, online, through invoicing, or via mobile), this meets the bill. Goods received, inventory recount, restock return, and loss of stock due to damage or theft are the only stock changes you may make; there are no barcode, supplier, or purchase options.

Square for Retail ($60 per month) includes extensive inventory management features including kitting and bundling, vendor and purchase management, COGS monitoring, and cross-location inventory tracking.

Best in Help & Customer Support: Shopify

Shopify triumphs thanks to its round-the-clock phone, live chat, and email assistance. Its excellent and knowledgeable support crew has also been praised by third-party user and expert evaluations. It’s nice to know that if anything goes wrong with your shop at any time of day, you can ask for assistance.

The self-service options provided by Shopify and Square are superb. Active and helpful community forums, extensive help centers, easy-to-follow video tutorials, and setup assistance wizards are all available. Both provide a variety of contact options, including live chat, email, and phone.

Frequently Asked Questions about Shopify vs. Square (FAQs)

Is Shopify compatible with Square?

No, Shopify and Square are not compatible.

Is switching from Square to Shopify or vice versa simple?

Yes. You may discover that one platform is better for you as your company demands evolve. As a result, CSV files containing your goods or customer information may be imported into Shopify or Square. If you have a significant inventory, Shopify and Square suggest contacting their support staff for assistance.

Conclusion

Square and Shopify are two companies that provide user-friendly point-of-sale, ecommerce, and payment processing solutions. Shopify’s ecommerce technologies are more advanced, making it a better match for online and multichannel enterprises. Square, on the other hand, provides a free POS and mobile app that is ideal for firms who sell largely in person.

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Shopify is a platform that allows users to sell their products on the internet. It has been around since 2004 and recently it has been competing with Square. Shopify vs Square: Price, Features & What’s Best in 2022 Reference: shopify pricing.

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