Shopify is purpose-built for e-commerce with superior scalability and lower transaction fees (0% vs 3%), while Squarespace excels at all-in-one website building with better design templates and simpler setup for small businesses. Shopify dominates for stores prioritizing growth; Squarespace suits creative entrepreneurs wanting integrated site design.
Shopify vs Squarespace — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Choose Shopify if you're building a scalable e-commerce business, need extensive app integrations, or plan to accept high transaction volumes—the 0% transaction fees and commerce-first architecture justify the higher base cost. Choose Squarespace if you're a creative professional, designer, or small business wanting a beautiful all-in-one website with integrated store without technical overhead—its lower starting price and intuitive design tools make it ideal for minimal SKU counts.
SaaS e-commerce platform enabling independent online storefronts with full customization and control.
Premium website builder focused on beautiful design with mobile-first responsive templates.
Shopify vs Squarespace — Comparison Data
Structured comparison data for Shopify vs Squarespace with 271 attributes.
Typical Seller Monthly Revenue Threshold
Base Monthly Subscription (Starter Plan)
Monthly Active Buyers (Marketplace Access)
Profit Margin Retention (Example: $100 sale)
Shopify vs Squarespace — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Shopify vs Squarespace.
Which platform has lower total costs for a growing store?
For stores exceeding $100k annual revenue, Shopify's 0% transaction fees with Shopify Payments significantly offset its higher monthly cost. At $250k revenue, Shopify costs $468/year while Squarespace costs $8,100+ ($396 base + 3% transaction fees). Shopify breaks even around $20k-$30k in annual sales volume. For sub-$50k revenue, Squarespace's lower base price ($14/month) is more economical.
Is Squarespace good enough for serious e-commerce?
Squarespace handles light to moderate e-commerce well—up to 500-1,000 products—but lacks advanced features serious sellers need. It has no native inventory sync for multiple locations, limited staff account management (no granular permissions), and no native wholesale or B2B tools. The 3% transaction fees also penalize high-volume businesses. It's ideal for boutiques and service-based businesses selling <200 items monthly; serious retailers should use Shopify.
Can I migrate from Squarespace to Shopify later?
Yes, but not automatically. You'll need to manually export products, customer data, and orders from Squarespace, then import to Shopify using CSV or an app like Matrixify. Design elements don't transfer—you'll rebuild the store using Shopify's interface. Plan 2-4 weeks for migration depending on product count. Most users recommend starting with Shopify if you anticipate scaling, to avoid migration complexity.
Which is better for a designer's portfolio + small online store?
Squarespace wins decisively for this use case. Its 140+ design-forward templates, integrated blogging, and native portfolio layouts are purpose-built for creatives. Setup takes hours, not days. The integrated email marketing and CRM tools suit service-based businesses. Shopify's developer-centric approach and commerce focus feel overkill for a designer selling 5-10 items monthly. Squarespace's $14/month (Business Basic) also makes the decision easier financially.
What about SEO performance—which ranks better?
Both are SEO-capable, but Shopify edges ahead. Shopify natively supports advanced SEO features including automated sitemaps, mobile optimization, page speed (1.8s average), and integrates with SEO apps (Yoast, SEMrush, others). Squarespace's built-in SEO is solid for standard optimization but slower page speeds (2.3s average) and fewer third-party SEO tool integrations limit advanced optimization. For competitive keywords, Shopify's performance edge matters; both are fine for local/niche markets.