Shopify vs Squarespace: The ultimate comparison in 2024

Starting your first eCommerce store can feel daunting, especially if you're new. Fortunately, several excellent website builders simplify the task and help you get started quickly.

Among these, Shopify vs Squarespace are popular choices, offering user-friendly tools designed explicitly for creating eCommerce platforms. However, despite their shared goal of making the setup process smooth and straightforward, they have distinct features and approaches, making the decision between them a bit tricky.

In this guide, I’ll explore the strengths and limitations of Squarespace and Shopify. Highlighting their key differences, I’ll help you understand which platform might be better suited for those starting their first online store based on factors like ease of use, pricing, customization options, and more.

What is Shopify?

Before we compare Shopify and Squarespace, it’s helpful to understand each platform's offerings. Let’s begin with Shopify, which has become a leading name in the e-commerce industry since its launch in 2006.

Shopify

• Inventory locations
• POS Lite and Pro
• Global selling
• Custom reports and analytics

At its core, Shopify app designed to help users sell products online. While the concept might seem straightforward, what sets Shopify apart is how effectively it supports businesses throughout building, managing, and growing an online store.

Shopify offers a robust content management system (CMS). Unlike many other eCommerce tools that serve as plugins or extensions to existing websites, Shopify allows you to create a complete website from the ground up. This flexibility means that whether you’re starting fresh or integrating Shopify into a pre-existing site, it can adapt to your needs.

What makes Shopify a standout choice is its all-in-one nature—it offers everything an eCommerce entrepreneur might need, from customizable storefronts to integrated payment gateways, inventory management, and marketing tools. 

This makes it a go-to platform for businesses of all sizes. You can use Shopify to build a professional online presence and achieve sales goals.

And the more you choose Shopify, the more you'll understand its benefits. This means having something reliable that can help you get the most out of

What is Squarespace?

Next, let’s examine Squarespace, another popular platform for building eCommerce websites. Like Shopify, Squarespace website builder offers a range of tools to help businesses set up their online stores, but its approach and focus are quite different.

Squarespace

• Mobile optimized websites
• Advanced analytics
• Free custom domain
• Advanced shipping and discounting

Unlike Shopify, which is dedicated specifically to eCommerce, Squarespace is a versatile website builder that allows users to create various websites, with or without an online store. 

This flexibility can be a major advantage for those who want to create a website that is not solely focused on selling products but includes blogs, portfolios, or service pages. However, this generalist approach has advantages and drawbacks, which we’ll explore in more detail during the comparison.

Squarespace has surged in popularity recently, largely due to its strategic marketing efforts. The company has effectively partnered with influencers and leveraged social media to promote its brand, helping it reach a broader audience.

Shopify vs Squarespace: Quick comparison

Now that you know what Shopify and Squarespace are, you must know their key differences. Knowing about Shopify vs Squarespace will help you make a more informed decision. You can choose the perfect website builder based on your business’s needs. 

1. Ease of use

The first thing you must consider while choosing any website builder is its ease of use. In fact, this is the most important aspect to which you should pay close attention. 

The last thing you want is a website builder with poor user-friendliness and features that are too overwhelming. It will make the website creation process a living nightmare. 

Shopify: User-friendly interface

Shopify stands out for its user-friendly and intuitive interface, especially when managing e-commerce. The platform's dashboard is well-organized, allowing users to manage products, orders, and customer information easily. 

For example, I recently assisted a client who was not very tech-savvy in launching her handmade crafts business on Shopify, and she was pleasantly surprised at how quickly and smoothly we could set up her store.

The platform’s step-by-step setup wizard is particularly beneficial for newcomers, guiding them through each part of the process. After the initial setup, most of my clients can manage the day-to-day operations of their stores with minimal assistance, making Shopify a great choice for those new to e-commerce.

Squarespace: Excellent drag-and-drop

Squarespace is widely recognized for its user-friendly interface, and as of 2024, it continues to be a top choice for creating visually appealing websites. 

The platform’s drag-and-drop editor is highly intuitive, making it easy for users to design stunning sites without prior web design experience. In my experience, even clients new to website building can quickly become comfortable with Squarespace’s interface.

However, Squarespace can feel less intuitive than Shopify in terms of e-commerce. Its broad website-building focus means that some e-commerce features are less immediately accessible. 

I’ve noticed that clients often have difficulty locating specific e-commerce tools within the platform's more generalized design interface. This can steep the learning curve for those primarily interested in setting up an online store.

2. Design and customization

A website builder should have top-notch design and customization features. After all, the website will be your storefront and the first thing your customers will see about your business. 

This means that you need to make your website highly personalized and eye-catching. These aspects are impossible to achieve without customization features. 

Shopify: Versatile templates

Shopify’s theme store provides a wide range of professionally designed templates, many tailored specifically for e-commerce. As of 2024, they’ve continued to enhance their offerings with an even larger selection of mobile-responsive and highly customizable themes. 

I recently utilized their new AI-powered theme customizer for a client’s boutique store, which significantly streamlined the design process and helped us achieve the desired look much faster.

For users seeking more advanced customizations, Shopify uses its own templating language, Liquid. While Liquid is a powerful tool, I’ve found that it comes with a learning curve. For example, in a recent project where a highly customized product page was needed, we had to bring in a Shopify expert to achieve the specific requirements.

For businesses that need maximum flexibility and performance, Shopify’s headless architecture is an option worth exploring. This approach decouples the front end from the back end, allowing for more advanced customization and improved performance across various platforms. 

Squarespace: Superb customization

Squarespace is celebrated for its beautiful, designer-quality templates, and in 2024, it continues to set a high standard. Its modern and visually appealing templates can be customized easily through the platform's intuitive drag-and-drop editor. 

In my experience, Squarespace's templates often require minimal initial adjustments to achieve a polished, professional look.

However, Squarespace has limitations when it comes to deeper customization. While users can add custom CSS and JavaScript to modify the design, the platform doesn't provide the same backend access as Shopify. 

For instance, when working with a client who required a unique product customizer, I found that Squarespace's options fell short, making it less ideal for projects that demand extensive customization.

3. eCommerce features

Not everyone will focus on building a personal or business website. Some want to build a highly functional eCommerce website to showcase their product listings. So, having reliable eCommerce features is a must. 

Shopify: Built for eCommerce businesses

Shopify is purpose-built for e-commerce, and this focus is evident in its robust feature set. Some of the key features I frequently rely on include:

One of Shopify's greatest strengths is its App Store. With thousands of apps available, I can always find solutions tailored to my clients' needs. 

For instance, I recently implemented a subscription box app for a client who sells online, providing functionality not available as a built-in feature. This flexibility makes Shopify a versatile choice for diverse e-commerce businesses.

Squarespace: Focused on general businesses

Squarespace has made notable strides in enhancing its e-commerce capabilities over the years. As of 2024, it provides a strong feature set for small to medium-sized online stores, including:

While these features are more than adequate for many small businesses, I've found them less ideal for more complex e-commerce needs. 

For example, when working with a client requiring advanced B2B capabilities, we eventually transitioned from Squarespace to Shopify to accommodate their specific requirements. This highlights how Squarespace’s e-commerce tools, while solid, might not scale as well for businesses with more intricate needs.

4. SEO and marketing

No matter how attractive your website becomes, you must rank it higher. The only way to achieve higher SERP rankings is by focusing on SEO and marketing. 

In fact, SEO is the most important aspect of ranking your website. Thus, the website builder you choose has to complement this aspect. 

Shopify: Marketing features to boosted visibility

Squarespace has made significant progress in enhancing its e-commerce capabilities over the years. As of 2024, it offers a robust feature set tailored for small to medium-sized online stores.

While these features adequately serve many small businesses, I've found that they can fall short of more complex e-commerce requirements. For instance, in a recent project with a client needing advanced B2B capabilities, we ultimately transitioned from Squarespace to Shopify to meet their specific needs better. 

This experience underscores that while Squarespace’s e-commerce tools are solid, they may not scale effectively for businesses with more intricate demands.

Squarespace: Reliable SEO and marketing

Squarespace has consistently offered strong SEO features, and as of 2024, it continues to impress. Some of the standout features I appreciate include:

Additionally, Squarespace's blogging features are particularly robust, which can be a significant advantage for businesses focused on content marketing. I’ve found it easier to create and manage content-rich sites on Squarespace than Shopify, making it an excellent choice for those prioritizing blogging and content-driven strategies.

On the marketing side, Squarespace provides tools for email campaigns, social media integration, and basic analytics. However, these marketing features are less comprehensive than those offered by dedicated e-commerce platforms like Shopify. While Squarespace excels in SEO and content management, businesses looking for advanced marketing capabilities may need to explore additional solutions.

5. Performance and scalability

Your business won’t always stay the same. Over time, it will grow, and you will have more resources on your website. This is where scalability comes into the picture. 

I have seen many people overlooking the scalability part. Thus, they choose something less effective and then face many problems down the road. 

Shopify: Scalable as business grows

Shopify’s hosted solution takes the burden of server management off your shoulders, allowing you to focus on running your business. In my experience with several high-traffic Shopify stores, the platform consistently delivers outstanding performance. 

Its global content delivery network (CDN) ensures fast loading times worldwide, which has been especially advantageous for my clients and international audiences.

One of Shopify’s standout features is its scalability. I’ve witnessed stores grow from just a few sales a day to thousands without experiencing any performance issues. 

The platform adeptly handles traffic spikes, a lifesaver for one of my clients when their product went viral. This ability to manage increased traffic seamlessly is why I often recommend Shopify for e-commerce businesses looking to scale.

Squarespace: Cannot handle high-volume eCommerce

Squarespace provides robust hosting with solid performance for most websites. In my experience, Squarespace sites load quickly and manage moderate traffic effectively. 

The platform's image optimization features are awe-inspiring, ensuring fast load times even for media-heavy sites.

However, regarding high-volume e-commerce, I’ve observed that Squarespace can struggle. For example, one client experienced a sudden surge in orders during a flash sale, and we encountered performance issues that we likely wouldn’t have faced on Shopify. 

This limitation highlights that while Squarespace is great for many businesses, it may not be the best option for those anticipating high traffic or rapid growth in their e-commerce operations.

6. Payment options

The payment options will greatly impact the website builder you choose. For instance, poor payment options will drive customers away as they will feel less convenient. 

Shopify: Catching payment options

Shopify Payments, powered by Stripe, stands out as a robust native solution that is easy to set up and offers a seamless checkout experience. This integration simplifies the payment process for both merchants and customers. 

Shopify also supports a wide array of third-party payment gateways; however, these typically come with additional transaction fees unless you're on the Shopify Plus plan.

I’ve successfully implemented region-specific payment methods for various clients, which has been essential for catering to international businesses. This flexibility allows merchants to provide tailored payment options that resonate with their target markets, ultimately enhancing the customer experience.

Squarespace: Fewer payment gateways

Squarespace offers fewer payment gateway options than Shopify, integrating with Stripe, PayPal, and Square. While this selection is sufficient for many small businesses, I've encountered clients with specific payment needs that Squarespace couldn’t meet.

On the upside, Squarespace does not charge additional transaction fees, which is a definite advantage. However, the limited payment options can be a drawback for businesses with unique requirements or operating in regions not supported by the available gateways. 

This limitation may lead some businesses to seek alternatives that offer a broader range of payment solutions.

7. Pricing

The pricing structure is another determining factor when choosing between Shopify vs Squarespace. If you’re a small business owner, you must carefully consider the pricing structure. As you'll be running your business on a tight budget, having a cost-effective option will always prove beneficial.

Shopify: Affordable pricing structure

One of the best things about Shopify is its cost-effective pricing structure. They are aware that many businesses face affordability issues when choosing a website builder. Thus, they ensure that their pricing structure remains affordable despite the size of your business.

However, the Advanced and Plus pricing plans are quite expensive for small businesses. The price is justified, given the features provided by Shopify. The Plus plan will be perfect if you want your business to scale.

Squarespace: Within the budget

Now, I really admire Squarespace's pricing structure. They did some market research and realized that having a higher pricing range would not benefit them. Thus, they also made their pricing much more affordable than Shopify's.

As you can see, the Squarespace has a more affordable pricing plan. Even its most expensive pricing plan is lesser than Shopify. This is why Squarespace is perfect for entreprenuers and small businesses.

Ready to use the best website builder?

Now that you know the differences between Shopify vs Squarespace, you shouldn’t face any problems. Remember that both these website builders are extremely effective at building a functional site. 

Nevertheless, the ultimate decision depends on your needs. Shopify is best for building an eCommerce site, while Squarespace is more effective for building a regular website. 

I hope you found this blog informative. Do you have any questions? Let me know in the comments below.

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