Introduction:
So, do you want to know which one is most popular, Shopify or Squarespace? Then this blog is for you. Shopify and Squarespace are both famous e-commerce platforms and millions of businesses are already selling their products via these platforms. There are over 48,426 Shopify stores across the globe. On the other side, Squarespace is no less, it is a multi-billionaire company and 70% of its revenue comes from the US.
If you are someone who needs help in deciding between these two, Shopify vs Squarespace. Then read this blog till the end.
Let's start with the basics to get more idea of what is better Shopify or Squarespace.
What Is Shopify?
Shopify is a Canadian company launched in 2006. Since its launch, it has been the go-to platform for business to sell their stuff.
In short, we can define it as,
Shopify is a platform for eCommerce. It makes it easy for companies to start, manage and expand an online store on its own or using a partner's help. It also provides tools for designing websites, storing products on your own server or those of an app partner, and processing payments through various methods--either directly from there or via third-party payment service providers like PayPal and Stripe.
Key Features and Benefits of Shopify
It has many benefits if you use it for your business. They are as follows.
1. Intuitive Interface
Shopify's user-friendly interface makes it easy for you to set up and manage your online store. Nevertheless, even if you don't have technical skills, Shopify provides simple tools and drag-and-drop features so that customizing your website couldn't be simpler.
2. Scalability
Best of all, Shopify scales with your business. From those getting started to running a large store with many customers, products, and sales, its plans and capabilities can accommodate more traffic and not sacrifice performance and speed.
3. App Store
Over in Shopify’s App Store, you will find hundreds of plugins and tools to help you supercharge your store. You can easily add features to meet your business needs, from marketing to inventory management.
4. Security
Shopify provides SSL certificates and PCI compliance to protect your store. It secures your customer's data, payments, and transactions, thus ensuring safety for you and your buyers.
5. Mobile-Friendly
Shopify stores are mobile-responsive by default. Hence they look great and work perfectly on any device. This offers an easy shopping experience to your users who are using mobile and tablets.
Pros of Shopify
There are many things to love about Shopify which adds value to every kind of business. Below are the pros of Shopify that you will find helpful.
1. User-friendly
Shopify is user-friendly even for new users. Its easy interface allows businesses to run their online store without the need for technical knowledge which saves a lot of time and effort.
2. All-in-one solution
Shopify covers it all from hosting to payment options to marketing tools making it an all-in-one solution for managing an eCommerce business in a seamless manner.
3. App Ecosystem
You can add tools to your store to enhance functionality, like marketing, inventory management, and customer support, to suit your business.
4. Secure and Reliable
Shopify has built-in SSL certificates and PCI compliance so your store is secure and your customer's sensitive data is 100% protected and they can trust your business.
5. Mobile Friendly
Shopify themes are designed to look great on any device so mobile users have a seamless shopping experience and you can tap into the mobile shopping trend.
6. Sell Everywhere
Shopify lets you sell on social media, marketplaces, and in person. This helps to get new customers from multiple platforms to increase sales.
Cons of Shopify
Apart from pros, every platform lacks something and so does Shopify. Below are some of the minus points about Shopify.
1. Transaction Fees
Shopify charges transaction fees unless you use their payment gateway. This adds up for businesses using other payment processors.
2. Limited Customization with Basic Plan
Their Basic plan has limited customization options which may not suit some businesses’ branding needs.
3. URL Structure
Shopify’s fixed URL structure is not SEO-friendly and may affect search engine rankings for high-traffic businesses.
4. Migration
Moving to or from Shopify can be tricky, especially for bigger stores, as migrating data and configurations takes time and expertise.
5. Expensive
Advanced features like reporting and automation are only in higher plans.
Examples of Businesses Using Shopify
Most of the famous ecommerce stores across the world use Shopify. You can tell that simply by looking at their store theme.
1. Gymshark
Gymshark, a global fitness brand, uses Shopify to handle the volume and big sales. Shopify’s scalability and multi-channel capabilities help Gymshark reach customers worldwide and grow the brand.
2. Ruggable
If you are using washable rugs by Ruggable, then also know this- it also uses Shopify as its primary e-commerce store.
Shopify helped them to provide easy customization to customers like they included the rug quiz feature. Here users can fill up the quiz and find the rugs of their choice. Other than this this washable company also uses Shopify marketing tools to advertise their rugs all overthe world and grow their customers.
3. Kylie Cosmetics
Kylie Cosmetics is a famous cosmetic brand, owned by Kylie Jenner. Kylie Cosmetics uses Shopify for design, high traffic, and secure payment. Shopify’s marketing tools help Kylie run promotions, go global, and build customer loyalty.
What is Squarespace?
Squarespace is a website builder and CMS that lets you create professional websites, online stores, or portfolios without code. It has pre-designed templates, drag-and-drop tools, hosting, custom domains, SEO support, analytics, and mobile editing through the app.
Key Features and Benefits of Squarespace
From sleek designs to some robust tools, Squarespace can offer several benefits to your business. Here are the key features that set it apart.
1. Gorgeous Templates
Squarespace has beautiful professional templates that make your website look great and leave a lasting impression on visitors. These designs showcase your brand and attract more customers, making your business look more credible and appealing.
2. Simple to Use
It has Drag and drop editor so you can build and edit your website fast, no code required. This also saves your a lot of time and effort.
3. Integrated Blogging
Squarespace has built-in blogging tools so you can share updates, news or stories with your audience. This will engage your customers and build trust in your brand.
4. Social Media Integration
Squarespace integrates with social media so you can display feeds or share content. This expands your online presence and drives traffic to your site and customer engagement.
Pros of Squarespace
Learn about the pros of using Squarespace and why it's loved by creative entrepreneurs. Here they are:
1. Sleek Design
Squarespace’s templates are professionally designed so businesses can have a clean, beautiful website. This looks good and builds credibility and trust with customers so businesses can stand out and create a brand.
2. User-Friendly
Its drag-and-drop interface is easy to use for beginners. This saves businesses time because the members don't need to do any technical operations and use their minds in setting up the store.
3. All-in-One Platform
Squarespace has hosting, domain registration, and site building all in one place. So, you can easily make a site without the need of using other third-party services.
4. Mobile Friendly
Squarespace’s templates look great on any device. So you get more customers and more sales through mobile traffic.
5. Blogging
It has Built-in blogging tools to publish content. This helps to engage with customers, improve SEO, and build a super community for your brand.
6. E-commerce
Squarespace has online stores. Businesses can sell products from their site.
Cons of Squarespace
Every platform has some quirks and may fall short in fulfilling some factors. Below are some of the cons of Squarespace you should be aware of it if you are going to use it.
1. Limited Customization
Squarespace has many templates but not as much flexibility as other platforms. If your store has unique needs, it might not fulfill yours.
2. Price
Squarespace can be more expensive than other website builders especially if you need more advanced features.
3. Limited Apps & Extensions
Squarespace has fewer integrations than other platforms like Shopify or WordPress. So, this can limit your store functionality because of the limited tools and plugins available.
4. Learning Curve
While it’s user-friendly, it takes some time to learn all the features and how to use them. New users will need some practice to get the hang of it.
5. eCommerce Limitations
It is not a good choice for larger businesses. Because it doesn't help with complex inventory management.
Examples of Businesses Using Squarespace
Below are some of the famous businesses that have used Squarespace and happily grown their business.
1. Fjällräven
Fjällräven, an outdoor gear brand, uses Squarespace to create a beautiful site that shows off their products and brand. Squarespace’s design and customization make it easy to showcase products and engage with customers and sell online.
2. Beardbrand
Have you seen the aesthetic landing page and website of Beardbrand? It's attractive. Isn't it?
The famous men’s grooming brand uses Squarespace to build a professional site. They used Squarespace to display products, manage inventory, and connect with customers.
3. Brown Eyed Baker
Other than the above, Square Space has helped many bloggers who want to share blogs online and are happy with limited functionality.
I am talking about Brown Eyed Baker, a food and recipe blogger, who uses Squarespace’s blogging features to publish and categorize recipes. Squarespace’s clean design and easy-to-use tools allow the creator to share content, connect with readers, and build an audience.
Squarespace vs Shopify: Head-to-Head Comparison
You must compare both platforms before you use them for Shopify vs Squarespace for e-commerce. Below is the straight comparison, let's check.
#1. Ease of Use
Shopify: Shopify is easy to use with a simple setup process, especially for eCommerce. Store management is easy to navigate but may have a slight learning curve if you’re new to online store setups.
Squarespace: Squarespace is also easy to use and has a drag-and-drop editor that makes website creation for all users, perfect for beginners and small businesses.
#2. Pricing
Shopify: Shopify has multiple pricing plans from basic to advanced. While the basic plan is affordable, premium features and add-ons can get pricey.
Squarespace: Squarespace is for those who want everything in place. Means this one gives you hosting, templates, and e-commerce features all on one platform. And that too, is within budget!
#3. Website Security
Shopify: Shopify has strong security with built-in SSL encryption, PCI compliance, and regular security updates to protect customer data.
Squarespace: Squarespace too has SSL certificates and secure hosting, but not stronger like Shopify. So, it's just suitable for small to medium businesses. Don't take risks if you are operating a larger business.
#4. Payment Options/Processing
Shopify: the best part here is Shopify has its own payment gateway. plus, if you want to use others, you can also choose from multiple payment gateway options to accept payment from all over the world.
Squarespace: in Squarespace, you get limited payment options. You can integrate your store with Stripe, PayPal, and Apple Pay. but this does not fulfill every need of the business.
#5. Customization
Shopify: you have total control over your online store- how you want to make it look and feel. As there is limitless customization with the app store and theme options.
Squarespace: it has good customization within templates but is limited to advanced changes.
#6. Scalability
Shopify: it is scalable from small businesses to big enterprises. It handles high traffic and growing product catalogs seamlessly.
Squarespace: this one is suitable for small businesses but struggles with scalability as the business grows.
#7. Marketing and SEO
Shopify: it has Built-in SEO tools, app integrations for advanced marketing, and analytics to track performance. Blog and social media integration for reach.
Squarespace: while Squarespace has Strong SEO capabilities, and built-in tools for metadata, headings, and URLs. you can use the Blog feature for content marketing, but not as detailed analytics as Shopify.
#8. HTML/CSS Editor
Shopify: if you are a techie person, Shopify has a code editor to change HTML and CSS to customize the themes.
Squarespace: there is Custom CSS for users who know how to code, but limited HTML editing compared to Shopify.
#9. Support
Shopify: Shopify has the fastest 24/7 support through live chat, email, and phone and an extensive help center and community forums.
Squarespace: Squarespace too has support via live chat and email. It also has resources in the help center. but not as fast or varied as Shopify’s support.
#10. Performance Monitoring
Shopify: it has Built-in analytics to see real-time sales, customer behavior, and traffic to make data-driven decisions.
Squarespace: it has basic analytics, you can check site traffic and sales data. For more in-depth tracking, you may need to integrate with third-party tools.
Bottom line
Hope you enjoyed reading this blog and helpful in deciding- between Squarespace or Shopify. It’s all about your business. Shopify is for larger stores or businesses that want to scale. If you are running a big e-commerce business, Shopify can be your choice because it has international shipping options, and can handle high traffic.
On the other side, Squarespace is for small businesses and entrepreneurs who want an easy-to-use, affordable platform with a beautiful design and built-in blogging tools. It’s for simpler online stores or those that focus on branding and content.
In the end, you know your business better than us so consider your budget, growth, and requirements and decide which one fits your business goals. If you need any help with Shopify development services or an e-commerce store, reach out to Commerce Bizz. Our Shopify consultant can help you get quotes according to your business.
Squarespace vs Shopify 2025: FAQs
1. Should I switch from Squarespace to Shopify?
Ans: yes, If you want to grow your e-commerce business with advanced features like strong inventory management, more app integrations, and better marketing tools, moving from Squarespace to Shopify would be a good move to support your business growth.
2. Can you transfer Squarespace's website to Shopify?
Ans: Yes, you can move a Squarespace website to Shopify. First, decide what to transfer and export data like products and customer info. Edit the data file, import it into Shopify, and check for accuracy. Then set up your domain and payment details.
Note: Transfer time depends on store size and complexity.
3. How do the pricing models of Shopify and Squarespace compare?
Ans: Shopify has a higher monthly cost but lower transaction fees, especially for high sales. Squarespace has a lower starting price but may charge transaction fees on some plans. Choose based on your budget and expected sales volume.
4. Which platform is better for scaling my business?
Ans: Squarespace is primarily preferred for creating general websites like basic e-commerce. however, if you are planning to grow your business, you should go with Shopify because it gives you more advanced features and better inventory management.
