Shopify is built to sell first, with apps, point of sale and a long list of sales channels. Squarespace is built for design-led websites, with commerce built in. I'd pick Shopify if the shop is the business and Squarespace if the website is the brand and selling is one part of it.
Picture two shop owners. One has two hundred products, a stockroom and a plan to sell on social media. The other has a studio, a strong visual style and a dozen products that sit beside a portfolio and a blog. Both need an online store, and they shouldn't be on the same platform.
Shopify and Squarespace side by side
| Area | Shopify | Squarespace |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Selling first | Design-led websites with commerce built in |
| Where you use it | Hosted, in a browser | Hosted, in a browser |
| Strongest at | Large catalogues, sales channels, add-on apps | Templates, layout polish, blogs and portfolios |
| Add-ons | A big app store for extra features | Fewer extensions, more built in |
| Selling in person | Point of sale is part of the product | Check the current in-person options where you live |
| Selling on other channels | A core strength | More limited; check what's supported |
| Content and blogging | Works, but isn't the main event | A genuine strength |
| Best for | Shops that will keep growing the range | Brands, creatives and small catalogues |
Both have paid plans, and plans change often. Compare the current plan pages for the features you need, rather than going by what you read last year.
If you sell more than you write
Shopify was designed around the idea that your main job is selling products. Inventory, variants such as size and colour, discounts, shipping options and order management all sit at the centre of how it works. If you expect the catalogue to grow, or you'll be handling a lot of orders, that focus matters.
It also connects to a wide range of sales channels, so you can show the same products on your own site and in other places where shoppers already spend time. For a business that wants to be everywhere its customers are, that reach is a big reason people choose it.
The trade-off is that the storefront can feel more like a shop than a showpiece. You can make it look beautiful, but you'll often get there through a theme and a few apps rather than the page-by-page design freedom Squarespace is known for.
If the site is the brand
Squarespace is where people go when appearance carries the business. Photographers, makers, coaches, restaurants and boutique brands often choose it because its templates look polished from the first day, and its editor makes it easy to build a site that feels personal instead of generic.
Commerce is built in, so you can sell products, take bookings or offer digital goods without bolting on much. For a small catalogue that sits alongside strong storytelling, this is often all you need. Your products live inside a site that also has an about page, a gallery, a blog and a contact form that all feel like they belong together.
The limits tend to show when the catalogue gets big or your selling gets complicated. If you start asking for lots of variants, advanced shipping rules or many sales channels, check carefully that Squarespace supports what you need today.
Apps and add-ons
Shopify has a large app store, and that's a big part of its identity. Need reviews, subscriptions, loyalty points, upsells or accounting links? There's probably an app. The flip side is that apps can add up, each with its own plan, its own settings and its own quirks. A store with ten apps is a store with ten things to maintain.
Squarespace takes the opposite approach. More is included in the platform, and there are fewer add-ons to hunt for. That means less choice but also less to look after. If you like things to just work together and you're not chasing exotic features, that can be a relief.
My suggestion is to write down the five features you can't live without. Then check whether each platform includes them or needs an add-on, and what the add-on's current plan involves. It's a dull exercise and it tells you more than any review.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Selling in person
If you also sell at markets, pop-ups or in a shop, Shopify has a clear advantage on paper, because point of sale is part of its product. Stock levels, orders and customers can sit in one place whether the sale happened online or at a till.
Squarespace is built online first. Some people sell in person with it, but in-person options depend on where you live and which hardware is supported. If you plan to take payments face to face, check what's on offer in your country before you commit.
Not selling in person at all? Then this section needn't influence your decision.
One more thing worth saying: neither platform will rescue a weak offer. Clear photos, honest descriptions and a checkout that works on a phone matter far more than which logo sits in your footer. Whichever you choose, spend your first week on product pages and delivery information, because that's where shoppers decide whether to trust you.
How I'd decide
Pick Shopify if you:
- have or expect a large catalogue with lots of variants
- want to sell across several channels, or in person as well as online
- don't mind using apps to add features
Pick Squarespace if you:
- have a smaller range and a strong visual brand
- want your site, blog and shop to feel like one thing
- would rather have more built in than hunt for apps
If you're also weighing WordPress, I've compared it with Squarespace here. And if you're thinking about handmade goods, read Etsy vs Shopify before you decide. Shopify vs WooCommerce is the next stop if you'd rather own a store on WordPress.
Other options worth a look
- BigCommerce: a hosted ecommerce platform aimed at growing catalogues, with plenty built in.
- Big Cartel: a simple, independent shop builder for artists and makers with small catalogues.
- Ecwid: lets you add a shop to a site you already have, rather than rebuilding it.
- WooCommerce: a free store plugin for WordPress, for people comfortable looking after their own hosting.
Make an ecommerce or website platform? See how to get it featured on this list.
Frequently asked questions
Is Shopify or Squarespace better for a small shop?
Neither wins outright. Squarespace suits a small range inside a design-led site. Shopify suits a small shop that expects to grow its catalogue or sell in several places.
Can Squarespace handle a big online store?
It can run a store, but very large catalogues and complicated selling are where Shopify's focus on selling tends to help. Check the current features against your needs before you commit.
Which is easier for a beginner?
Many beginners find Squarespace's editor friendly for building pages, while Shopify's setup is friendly for adding products. Try the free trial or demo options on offer and see which feels natural.
Can I switch from one to the other?
Yes. You can usually export product lists as files and import them elsewhere, though design and page layouts have to be rebuilt. Set up redirects for old addresses so you don't lose visitors.
