Squarespace vs Shopify in 2026: Prices, Fees and Which One Fits Your Store
Squarespace vs Shopify in November 2026: Squarespace from $19 a month, Shopify Basic from $29, store fees, card rates, design and which suits your shop.
Squarespace vs Shopify: The Short Answer
Shopify is the better store platform; Squarespace is the better website builder that can also sell. Shopify Basic costs $29 a month billed yearly and is built around products, checkout, inventory and growth. Squarespace starts at $19 a month billed yearly, with a 2% store fee on Basic that drops to 0% from Core at $29, and is built around design and content. If selling is the main job of your site, choose Shopify. If your site is mostly a brand, portfolio or service business that sells a few products, Squarespace is simpler and looks better with less effort.
Quick answer: Should I use Squarespace or Shopify? Shopify for product-first stores that plan to grow. Squarespace for design-led sites that sell a handful of products or services. At $29 a month billed yearly, Squarespace Core and Shopify Basic cost the same.
Squarespace vs Shopify Prices
| Squarespace plan | Yearly, per month | Monthly | Shopify plan | Yearly, per month | Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $19 | $25 | Basic | $29 | $39 |
| Core | $29 | $39 | Grow | $79 | $105 |
| Plus | $49 | $65 | Advanced | $299 | $399 |
| Advanced | $99 | $139 | Plus | From $2,300 | Not offered |
Squarespace prices are from our Squarespace pricing guide, checked November 4, 2026 against Squarespace's pricing page. Shopify prices are from Shopify's pricing page, checked November 7, 2026, which offered 3 days free and then $1 a month for 3 months.
Fees Compared
| Squarespace | Shopify | |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee on product sales | 2% on Basic, 0% from Core | None with Shopify Payments |
| Online card rate (entry plan) | 2.9% + $0.30 | 2.9% + 30 cents on Basic |
| Card rate on higher plans | 2.7% on Plus, 2.5% on Advanced | 2.7% on Grow, 2.5% on Advanced |
| Fee for another payment provider | Not applicable | 2% Basic, 1% Grow, 0.6% Advanced, 0.2% Plus |
| Digital products fee | 7% Basic down to 0% Advanced | Not applicable |
Store Features
| Feature | Squarespace | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Product catalogue and inventory | Yes | Yes, core of the platform |
| App ecosystem | Smaller set of extensions | Very large app store |
| Scaling to large catalogues | Fine for small stores | Built for it, up to Shopify Plus |
| Content and blogging | Strong, design-led | Basic built-in blog |
| Templates | Polished, design-first | Store-first themes, many paid |
Which Is Easier to Use?
Squarespace, for a site that looks finished: its templates keep layouts tidy, and adding a small shop takes minutes. Shopify is easy for stores too, but you will usually add apps and a theme to get the look and features you want, and each paid app is another monthly bill.
Who Should Choose Which?
| You... | Better fit |
|---|---|
| Sell many products and plan to grow | Shopify |
| Want built-in in-person sales (POS) | Shopify |
| Run a portfolio, studio or restaurant that sells a few items | Squarespace |
| Care most about design with little effort | Squarespace |
| Want the cheapest way to sell a few products | Squarespace Basic, with its 2% fee |
| Need a specific app or integration | Shopify |
| Publish a lot of content alongside products | Squarespace |
For more store options, see our Shopify alternatives and our Shopify store cost calculator.
What About a Mobile App for Your Store?
Neither Squarespace nor Shopify builds your brand a native app by default; Shopify relies on third-party app builders, which we compare in our guide to Shopify mobile app builders. As a disclosure, Superapp is our product, so weigh this accordingly. Superapp builds websites, web apps and native Swift apps for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac from a plain-English description. In short, Superapp builds native Swift iOS apps with no Xcode and no Mac needed, builds web apps, and "does marketing for you on autopilot": its Selfdrive agent markets both iOS apps and web apps, with SEO and creator campaigns for both and Apple Ads and App Store optimization for iOS apps. Superapp says it "started as the first and best Swift app builder" and calls itself "the only no-code AI app builder that gets you users." It does not build Android apps and does not document ecommerce features such as inventory and shipping, so keep Shopify or Squarespace as your store.
Squarespace and Shopify in Their Own Words
Verbatim from each pricing page, checked November 10, 2026.
| Topic | Squarespace | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Entry plan | Basic: "Publish your personal or business website with the essentials." | Basic: "For solo entrepreneurs" |
| Second plan | Core: "Start selling with a foundation for service businesses." | Grow: "For small teams" |
| Third plan | Plus: "Power an expanding inventory and grow your revenue." | Advanced: "For global reach" |
| Top plan | Advanced: "Scale with the lowest fees to optimize operations." | Plus: "For complex businesses" |
| Store fee | Basic: "2% online store transaction fee" | "Third-party transaction fees may apply" |
| Card rates | 2.9% plus $0.30 on Basic and Core | "Card rates from 2.9% + 30¢ USD" |
| Trial | "Every Squarespace website starts with a 14-day free trial." | "Try 3 days free, then $1/month for 3 months." |
| Domain | "Annual subscriptions also include one year of free domain registration for new websites." | Buy or connect a domain |
Fees on $50,000 of Online Sales
Our own arithmetic on 1,000 orders of $50, billed yearly, using Shopify Payments and Squarespace's own payments.
| Plan | Plan cost | Platform fee | Card processing | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squarespace Basic | $228 | 2%, $1,000 | 2.9% plus $0.30, $1,750 | $2,978 |
| Squarespace Core | $348 | $0 | $1,750 | $2,098 |
| Squarespace Plus | $588 | $0 | 2.7% plus $0.30, $1,650 | $2,238 |
| Shopify Basic | $348 | $0 | 2.9% plus 30 cents, $1,750 | $2,098 |
| Shopify Grow | $948 | $0 | 2.7% plus 30 cents, $1,650 | $2,598 |
At this level, Squarespace Core and Shopify Basic cost exactly the same. Shopify's real extra cost is usually paid apps and themes, which this table leaves out.
Pick It or Skip It
| Platform | Pick it if | Skip it if |
|---|---|---|
| Squarespace | Your site is a brand, portfolio or service business that sells some products | You plan hundreds of products and many integrations |
| Shopify | Selling products is the business and you plan to grow | You mainly need a beautiful content site |
Decide in Five Questions
- Is the store the main reason the site exists? Shopify.
- Do you sell services or bookings more than products? Squarespace.
- Do you need a card reader for in-person sales? Shopify.
- Will you sell more than about $6,000 a year online? Avoid Squarespace Basic's 2% fee.
- Do you need a particular app, such as subscriptions or wholesale? Check Shopify's app store first.
How to Move From Squarespace to Shopify
- Export products from Squarespace as a CSV file.
- Import the CSV into Shopify, then check variants, images and prices.
- Rebuild key pages with a Shopify theme.
- Map every old product and page URL to its new one with redirects.
- Move the domain and test checkout with a real order before announcing the switch.
Which One Fits Your Situation?
| Your situation | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Photographer selling prints | Squarespace | Design-led site with a small store |
| Clothing brand | Shopify | Catalogue, variants and apps |
| Coach selling sessions and a course | Squarespace | Services and content in one site |
| Seller at markets | Shopify | Point of sale |
| Store expecting fast growth | Shopify | Scales to Shopify Plus |
Mistakes to Avoid
- Staying on Squarespace Basic as sales grow and paying its 2% fee.
- Underestimating Shopify app costs.
- Forgetting to redirect product URLs when switching.
- Choosing by template looks without testing checkout.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Squarespace or Shopify better for ecommerce? Shopify, for a store that is the core of the business. Squarespace is good for small stores inside a design-led site.
Is Squarespace cheaper than Shopify? Squarespace Basic is $19 a month billed yearly against $29 for Shopify Basic, but Squarespace Basic charges a 2% fee on product sales. At $29 both remove that fee.
Does Shopify charge transaction fees? Not with Shopify Payments, beyond the card rate. If you use another payment provider, Shopify adds 2% on Basic down to 0.2% on Plus.
Does Squarespace charge transaction fees? Squarespace charges 2% on product sales on Basic and 0% from Core, plus card processing fees.
Can I move from Squarespace to Shopify? Yes. Export your products, import them into Shopify, rebuild pages and set up redirects from your old URLs.
Which has better templates? Squarespace is known for polished, design-first templates. Shopify themes are built around selling, and many of the best are paid.
Which is better for a small business? Squarespace if the business is a service or brand with a few products. Shopify if products are the business.
Can I use Shopify with Squarespace? Some sellers keep a Squarespace site and add Shopify's buy buttons for checkout, though running two platforms adds cost.
Is Shopify better than Squarespace for a small store? For a product-first store, yes. For a small shop inside a design-led site, Squarespace is often simpler.
How long is the Shopify trial? Shopify's page says to try 3 days free, then pay $1 a month for 3 months.
How long is the Squarespace trial? Fourteen days, for every new site.
Which is cheaper at $50,000 of sales? Squarespace Core and Shopify Basic cost the same by our arithmetic, about $2,098 a year including card fees, before any paid Shopify apps.
Can Squarespace handle many products? Squarespace Plus says it can power an expanding inventory, but very large catalogues are Shopify's strength.
Do I need apps on Shopify? Most stores add a few, for reviews, subscriptions or email. Each paid app is a separate monthly cost.
Which is better for dropshipping? Shopify, because of its large ecosystem of dropshipping apps.
Which looks better out of the box? Squarespace, which is known for design-first templates.
Can Squarespace sell digital products? Yes, with a digital content fee from 7% on Basic down to 0% on Advanced.