Prices checked October 24, 2026
Square vs Shopify: which is better for your store?
Square is built around in-person payments, and its online store comes with them: a free plan, then Plus at $49 and Premium at $149 a month per location, with online card fees from 2.9% + 30¢. Shopify is built around the online store and adds point of sale on every plan, with POS Pro at $89 a month per location. If most of your sales happen at the counter, Square is simpler, and if most happen online, Shopify fits better.
Square vs Shopify, side by side
Ten things that decide the switch, from each platform's own pages, checked on October 24, 2026. Prices in US dollars, before tax.
Price
- Square
- Square Free at $0. Plus $49 or Premium $149 a month per location. Custom pricing above $250,000 a year.
- Shopify
- Basic $29, Grow $89 or Advanced $359 a month billed yearly ($39, $105 or $399 monthly). Plus from $2,300 a month.
Transaction fees
- Square
- No separate transaction fee. Card fees depend on the plan.
- Shopify
- None with Shopify Payments. With another payment provider: 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced, 0.2% on Plus.
Payments
- Square
- Online: 3.3% + 30¢ on Free, 2.9% + 30¢ on Plus and Premium. In person: 2.6% + 15¢ down to 2.4% + 15¢.
- Shopify
- Online with Shopify Payments: 2.9% + 30¢ on Basic down to 2.25% + 30¢ on Plus. In person: 2.6% + 10¢ down to 2.3% + 10¢.
Apps
- Square
- Square's own tools for payroll, banking, bookings and more.
- Shopify
- Thousands of apps in the Shopify App Store. POS Pro adds staff roles and in-store tools for $89 a month per location.
SEO
- Square
- Website builder with SEO tools on every plan.
- Shopify
- Editable titles, meta descriptions and image alt text on every page, and products that can sell in AI chats on every plan.
Speed and hosting
- Square
- Hosted by Square.
- Shopify
- Hosted by Shopify, with unlimited bandwidth and a free SSL certificate on every plan.
B2B
- Square
- Invoices, paid by card or by ACH bank transfer at 1%, $1 minimum.
- Shopify
- Built in on every plan with up to 3 catalogs. Plus adds unlimited catalogs.
International selling
- Square
- A 1.5% fee on international card payments.
- Shopify
- Shopify Markets on every plan: unlimited countries, translated storefronts, local currencies and domains, duties and taxes.
Ownership and lock-in
- Square
- Hosted by Square. The catalog and customers sit in Square, next to your point of sale.
- Shopify
- Hosted platform. Products and customers export as CSV files at any time. Themes and apps are built for Shopify.
Support
- Square
- Chat and email on every plan. Phone on weekdays (the first 90 days on Free), or 24/7 on Premium.
- Shopify
- 24/7 live chat on every plan, enhanced on Advanced, priority support on Plus.
Stay on Square, or switch?
Plenty of stores should stay on Square. Here is when it is the right call, and when Shopify fits better.
Stay on Square if
- Most of your sales happen in person, and the online store is a side channel
- You run a café, restaurant or service business on Square's point of sale, bookings or payroll
- Square Free already covers what your website needs
- Your team knows Square's hardware, and switching would slow the counter down
Shopify is the better fit if
- Online is your main channel, and you want themes, apps and a checkout built for it
- You ship across the country or abroad, and want Shopify Markets for currencies, languages and duties
- You sell wholesale and want B2B catalogs on the same store
- You want apps for subscriptions, reviews, loyalty and email from thousands in the Shopify App Store
- You still sell in person and want point of sale on the same platform
What a move from Square costs and takes
We have no fixed package for Square yet, so a move from Square is scoped store by store.
Shopify's plan
Basic is $29 a month billed yearly, Grow $89 and Advanced $359. In-person card rates start at 2.6% + 10¢, and POS Pro is $89 a month per location if you need it.
The migration
Tell us how your Square store is set up, and we send a free migration plan within 48 hours, with the scope and the timeline.
Online and in store
Products, customers and orders move to Shopify, and Shopify POS can take over the counter when you are ready, or later.
Your store stays live
We build the Shopify store in parallel, so Square keeps taking orders until the switch.
Moving from Square? See how our migrations to Shopify work, or book a call about yours.
Square vs Shopify questions
Is Square or Shopify better for an online store?
Shopify is better when online is your main channel: it is built around the online store, with themes, apps, B2B and Shopify Markets. Square is better when most sales happen in person and the online store is a side channel.
Is Square cheaper than Shopify?
Square has a free plan, with online card fees of 3.3% + 30¢. Its Plus plan is $49 a month per location, with 2.9% + 30¢ online. Shopify Basic is $29 a month billed yearly with 2.9% + 30¢ online on Shopify Payments, and POS Pro is $89 a month per location if you need it.
What are the fees on Square and Shopify?
Square charges 3.3% + 30¢ online on Free and 2.9% + 30¢ on Plus and Premium, and in person from 2.6% + 15¢ down to 2.4% + 15¢. Shopify Payments charges from 2.9% + 30¢ online on Basic down to 2.25% + 30¢ on Plus, and in person from 2.6% + 10¢ down to 2.3% + 10¢.
Shopify POS vs Square POS: which is better?
Square POS is the simpler choice when the counter is the business, with a free plan and its own hardware. Shopify POS suits brands whose online store comes first, since in-store and online sales run on one platform. POS Pro adds staff roles and in-store tools for $89 a month per location.
Who should use Shopify POS instead of Square?
Brands that sell mostly online and also run shops, pop-ups or markets. Shopify POS keeps the online store and in-person sales on one platform, so you manage one set of products and customers.
Can I move from Square to Shopify?
Yes. Products, customers and orders move to Shopify, and the Square store keeps taking orders while we build. Ask for a free migration plan and we send the scope and timeline within 48 hours.
Sources
Each platform's own pages, checked on October 24, 2026. Prices are in US dollars and change often, so check the platform before you decide.
Not sure you should switch?
Book a call. We look at your store and tell you whether Shopify would pay off, even when the answer is to stay.