Squarespace vs Shopify: Which Website Builder Is Right for Your Business?
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Choosing the right website builder can feel like picking between a flat white and a long black—both have their perks, but which suits your taste (or business) better? In the bustling digital café of 2025, Squarespace and Shopify stand out as two of the most popular website builders and ecommerce platforms for entrepreneurs and small business owners. These ecommerce platforms offer a range of features for different business needs, making them top choices for anyone looking to build an online presence. Whether you’re a creative showcasing your portfolio or a retailer aiming to scale your online store, understanding the strengths and quirks of each platform is crucial. This article focuses on the Shopify vs Squarespace comparison to help you make an informed decision.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll brew up a detailed Shopify vs head-to-head comparison between Squarespace and Shopify, helping you determine which platform aligns best with your business goals.
Table of Contents
Overview
Squarespace is renowned for its sleek, designer-friendly templates and intuitive drag-and-drop interface. It’s especially popular with photographers, writers, and service-based businesses that need an elegant yet functional online home. From portfolios to wedding websites, Squarespace makes it simple to look sharp.
Setting up a Squarespace account is the first step to accessing the Squarespace platform's features, including domain management and site customization.
Shopify, however, is a juggernaut built specifically for e-commerce. If your primary goal is to sell products online—be they physical goods, digital downloads, or subscriptions—Shopify gives you the tools to scale. A Shopify account enables you to manage orders, inventory, and integrate with POS systems, making it a dedicated ecommerce platform for businesses of all sizes. It supports everything from garage-based businesses to major online retailers.
Key Differences at a Glance:
Purpose: Squarespace is a content-centric builder with optional e-commerce. Shopify is commerce-centric with optional content.
Ease of Use: Squarespace’s interface is more beginner-friendly. Shopify takes a bit longer to master but offers powerful selling tools.
Growth Potential: Shopify is ideal for long-term scaling. Squarespace is great for leaner operations.
Ecommerce Suitability: Both platforms are suited for building an ecommerce website and running an ecommerce business, with Shopify excelling as a dedicated ecommerce platform and Squarespace offering flexibility for ecommerce stores.
Whether you’re looking to showcase your work or shift serious product, choosing the right dedicated ecommerce platform is crucial for the success of your ecommerce stores. The Squarespace platform and Shopify both offer unique advantages for different types of ecommerce businesses. Your end goal should guide your platform of choice, so consider which Shopify or Squarespace site best fits your needs.
Website Builder Design and Customization
Squarespace is the aesthetic darling of the web builder world. With over 160 professionally designed templates and the new “Fluid Engine” editor, you can create layout masterpieces with very little effort. Squarespace offers a wide range of free templates, and its highly customizable Squarespace templates and themes are suitable for everything from content sites to online stores. Want an image collage that overlaps with stylish text and animations? Done. Need to adapt your site perfectly to mobile? Easy.
Shopify, while not winning any beauty contests out-of-the-box, offers strong design flexibility—especially if you’re comfortable tweaking HTML and CSS. Its themes are optimised for performance and sales, meaning conversion rates are a core priority. The Shopify theme store features a variety of Shopify themes, including both free and premium options, allowing users to choose and customize the best fit for their online shop.
Why Design Matters:
Imagine you’re a Melbourne-based yoga studio. A Squarespace template like “Hester” will let you display beautiful session photos, class schedules, and testimonials with ease, thanks to the visual appeal and flexibility of Squarespace's templates. Conversely, if you’re launching an activewear brand, Shopify’s design tools let you build a product-focused homepage that guides visitors straight to checkout.
Squarespace Wins For:
Creatives and content-heavy websites
Visual storytelling
Portfolios and service pages
Quality and variety of Squarespace themes
Shopify Wins For:
Conversion-optimised designs
Product-centric layouts
Advanced theme editing with Liquid (Shopify’s template language)
Availability and customization of Shopify themes
E-commerce Capabilities and Shopify Payments
Both Shopify and Squarespace are designed for selling online and meeting diverse ecommerce needs, making them popular choices for businesses looking to build ecommerce stores.
Shopify is the king of e-commerce—and for good reason. It supports everything from multi-channel selling (Instagram, Amazon, eBay) to automated tax calculations and international shipping rates. Shopify’s app store adds immense functionality, from dropshipping integrations to loyalty programs and subscription billing. Shopify shines due to its ecommerce functionality, advanced ecommerce tools, and marketing features that help businesses grow and scale.
Notable Features:
Real-time shipping rates
Abandoned cart recovery emails
Built-in fraud analysis
Multiple staff accounts for team-based workflows
Custom checkout with Shopify Plus
Shopify Shipping for integrated label printing and carrier rates
Shopify supports a wide range of payment gateways and third-party integrations
Shopify subscriptions and Shopify handle can be managed directly through the Shopify admin
Extensive third party apps available through Shopify's app store to extend ecommerce features
Unlike Squarespace, Shopify offers more robust ecommerce tools and integrations
Shopify focuses on scalability and advanced ecommerce functionality, making it ideal for growing businesses
Squarespace’s e-commerce features are adequate for light to moderate needs. You can manage inventory, accept payments via Stripe/PayPal, and even sell digital products or services. Squarespace lets users create a Squarespace store with built-in ecommerce features, but unlike Shopify, some advanced ecommerce functionality may require a third party app. Squarespace Payments is available in select countries, and the Squarespace offer includes essential tools, but may not match the breadth of Shopify's ecommerce platform. But features like multi-currency, complex shipping logic, or detailed sales reports? They’re either limited or require workarounds.
Use Case Example:
If you’re selling handmade ceramics at weekend markets in Melbourne and just want to offer some products online, Squarespace is plenty. But if you’re building an international DTC skincare brand, a Shopify store or Squarespace store can be optimized for different types of ecommerce businesses, and Shopify is your golden ticket.
When comparing transaction fee differences, Shopify plans like Shopify Basic cater to different business sizes and needs, offering flexibility as your business grows.
Shopify Pricing and Plans (in AUD)
Squarespace Pricing:
Personal: $17/month – Great for basic websites
Business: $28/month – Adds basic commerce, analytics
Basic Commerce: $37/month – No transaction fees, product reviews
Advanced Commerce: $62/month – Abandoned cart, advanced shipping
Squarespace plans are structured to suit different needs, from simple personal sites to advanced commerce, with each plan including varying features like themes, analytics, and transaction fee differences.
Shopify Pricing:
Basic: $42/month – Best for new online stores
Shopify: $114/month – Mid-sized business tools
Advanced: $431/month – Analytics, custom reporting
Shopify plans include Shopify Basic, Shopify, and Advanced, with each Shopify plan designed for different business sizes and needs, offering a range of features and pricing to match.
Transaction Fees: Shopify charges extra if you don’t use Shopify Payments. Transaction fees decrease as you move up through the Shopify plans, while Squarespace uses Stripe/PayPal and charges a 3% fee on the Business plan, with lower or no fees on higher Squarespace plans.
Is the Price Worth It?
If you’re primarily a content site, Squarespace is more affordable. But if e-commerce is your bread and butter, Shopify’s advanced tools justify the price, especially as your business grows.
SEO and Marketing Tools
Squarespace includes solid SEO features out of the box—auto-generated sitemaps, clean URLs, mobile responsiveness, and image optimisation. Optimizing your site for search engines is crucial for visibility, and both platforms offer tools for search engine optimization. Both Squarespace and Shopify allow you to edit meta tags, including meta titles and descriptions, to improve your search engine rankings. You can also link your site with Google Search Console.
Shopify, on the other hand, includes everything Squarespace does and then some:
Customisable robot.txt
Built-in schema markup for rich results
App integrations with SEO plugins
Integrated blogging tools (not as strong as Squarespace but functional)
Shopify's SEO tools help your site perform better in search engine results by optimizing key elements for search engines.
Squarespace also allows you to export your site content in WordPress format, making it easier to migrate your pages, posts, and images to other platforms.
Email Marketing:
: Native email campaigns with drag-and-drop design
: Shopify Email or integrations like Klaviyo/Mailchimp
Content Marketing Use Case:
Let’s say you run a boutique travel agency and blog about destinations. Squarespace’s elegant blog layouts and native email tools will help you build an audience. But if you’re running an online fashion store, Shopify’s remarketing integrations will drive more repeat customers.
For tips on how to use your website to attract traffic and conversions, see seo marketing for small business
Performance and Security
When it comes to performance and security, both Shopify and Squarespace pull out all the stops to keep your online store fast, reliable, and safe. Shopify’s robust infrastructure, powered by a global content delivery network (CDN), ensures your site loads in a flash—often clocking in at an impressive 300ms average page load time. Squarespace also leverages a CDN and platform optimizations to deliver speedy load times, so your customers won’t be left waiting.
Security is a top priority for both Shopify and Squarespace. Every site comes with free SSL certificates, so your customers’ data and transactions are always encrypted and protected. Shopify goes a step further with automatic updates, regular backups, and a dedicated security team monitoring for threats around the clock. Squarespace matches this with HSTS encryption, frequent security audits, and a web application firewall (WAF) to keep your site safe from attacks.
In the battle of performance and security, both Shopify and Squarespace excel, but Shopify’s advanced features and dedicated security team give it a slight edge for those who want extra peace of mind.
Shopify Apps and Integrations
One of Shopify’s biggest advantages is its thriving app ecosystem. The Shopify app store is packed with over 8,000 apps and integrations designed to supercharge online stores of all sizes. Whether you need social media integration, advanced shipping tools, or automated marketing, there’s an app for that. Popular picks like Oberlo (for dropshipping), Mailchimp, and Klaviyo make it easy to expand your store’s capabilities without any coding.
Shopify’s open API also means developers can build custom integrations, making it a flexible choice for businesses with unique needs. In comparison, Squarespace’s extension library is more curated but still covers the essentials—think Instagram feeds, Facebook shops, and seamless Google Analytics integration. While Shopify’s app store offers more variety and depth, both platforms make it easy to connect your online store with the tools you already use.
Squarespace Exclusive Features and Online Stores
Squarespace shines when it comes to exclusive features that elevate your brand’s visual identity. Its template library is packed with over 100 beautifully crafted, mobile-responsive designs, and the intuitive drag-and-drop editor makes customization a breeze—even for beginners. For online stores, Squarespace offers perks like express checkout, immersive 360-degree product views, and built-in shipping options that streamline the buying process.
Membership and subscription features are another standout, letting you offer exclusive content or services to your most loyal customers. While Shopify offers similar e-commerce features, Squarespace’s focus on design and user experience makes it a top pick for businesses that want their online store to look as good as it performs.
Reporting and Analytics
Understanding your store’s performance is key to growth, and both Shopify and Squarespace deliver strong analytics tools. Shopify’s analytics dashboard gives you a clear view of sales trends, customer behavior, and marketing effectiveness, with customizable dashboards to track the metrics that matter most to your business. Squarespace’s analytics suite is equally user-friendly, offering insights into website traffic, engagement, and conversion rates, and it integrates seamlessly with Google Analytics for even deeper data dives.
While both Shopify and Squarespace provide the essentials for data-driven decision-making, Shopify’s more advanced reporting features and customizable dashboards give it a slight advantage for businesses that want to dig deeper into their numbers.
Mobile Apps and Accessibility
Managing your online store on the go is a must in today’s fast-paced world, and both Shopify and Squarespace deliver with robust mobile apps. Shopify’s app lets you add and manage products, process orders, and monitor performance from anywhere, while Squarespace’s app offers drag-and-drop editing and instant publishing for quick updates on the fly.
Accessibility is another area where both Shopify and Squarespace show their commitment to inclusivity. Features like keyboard navigation, screen reader support, and high contrast modes ensure your site is usable by everyone. Shopify also includes closed captions for video content, while Squarespace offers descriptive alt text for images, making sure your online store is accessible to all visitors. Whether you choose Shopify or Squarespace, you can be confident your store will be easy to manage and welcoming to every customer.
Customer Support
Customer support becomes crucial when something breaks—and it will.
Squarespace Offers:
24/7 email support
Live chat during business hours
Community forum and help centre
Shopify Offers:
24/7 email, phone, and live chat
Dedicated support for Shopify Plus
Massive community forum and active third-party developer network
Verdict: Shopify wins for accessibility and scope. For time-sensitive issues—like your checkout not working during a sale—Shopify's around-the-clock help can save serious dollars.
Real-World Use Cases
Here’s how these platforms stack up in practical business scenarios:
Photographer Portfolio – Squarespace
Need: Beautiful galleries, booking forms, testimonials
Why Squarespace: Stunning templates and easy scheduling integrations. A Squarespace website or Squarespace site is ideal for showcasing creative work with visually appealing layouts.
Fitness Coach Selling Programs – Shopify
Need: Digital downloads, recurring subscriptions, CRM integration
Why Shopify: App support for memberships, Stripe billing, lead tracking. A Shopify site is well-suited for selling digital products and managing subscriptions efficiently.
Ecommerce Web Design Melbourne Business – Shopify
Need: Scalability, inventory syncing, shipping automation
Why Shopify: Built for e-commerce; works seamlessly with fulfillment services. Both Squarespace and Shopify can be used for ecommerce business, but Shopify Squarespace comparisons show Shopify is often preferred for scalability.
Local Café with Online Menu – Squarespace
Need: Menu, gallery, contact form
Why Squarespace: Visual emphasis, fast launch, Google Maps integration. Both Squarespace and Shopify can be used for small business websites, but both Squarespace and Shopify offer unique advantages depending on the business model.
F.A.Q
1. Can I switch from Squarespace to Shopify later?
Yes, but it can be tricky. You’ll need to manually transfer content or use migration tools like LitExtension or Cart2Cart. Squarespace also allows you to export your site content in WordPress format, which can simplify migration to other platforms.
2. Which is better for international selling?
Shopify. It offers multi-currency, multi-language support, and international tax handling.
3. Is Squarespace or Shopify better for SEO?
Shopify has more advanced SEO tools and integrations, but both platforms are SEO-friendly with proper setup. For a detailed look at their SEO capabilities, see a comprehensive Squarespace comparison with Shopify to understand which platform better fits your needs.
4. Can I hire a professional to build my site on either platform?
Absolutely. Agencies like GoClearcut offer custom web design Melbourne services tailored to your platform of choice.
5. Do I need coding skills for either platform?
No. Both offer no-code solutions. But Shopify allows deeper customisation if you do know HTML/CSS or want to hire a developer.
Need help deciding or building your dream site? Chat with the experts at GoClearcut—your trusted web design agency Melbourne.