Shopify vs. Square

Scale without limits, offer unified shopping, and get the platform obsessed with commerce innovation. Just a few reasons the world's fastest-growing brands choose Shopify POS vs. Square.

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A store associate stands at a checkout counter as a customer completes their transaction. A second closeup image showcases the PIN entry screen on the POS Terminal. In the background, racks of clothing and a shelf of stylish accessories suggest a modern retail environment.

Join ambitious brands making the switch

Scalability without limits

Stress-tested for growth at scale

Get enterprise-grade point of sale software and hardware to run your retail stores, all backed by the world’s most powerful ecommerce platform.

10%

of all ecommerce in the United States is powered by Shopify¹

50%

as much as 50% conversion lift with Shop Pay, compared to guest checkout²

¹ Based on an external study completed with a Big Three global management consulting firm in April 2023.

Made for the world’s fastest-growing brands

Manage complex product catalogs

Add unlimited SKUs and up to 2,000 variants per product with no impact to site performance.

Go global without multiple accounts

Switch to Shopify and use a single account to manage up to 1,000 locations.

Sell confidently without downtime

Conquer peak periods with POS Go and Countertop Kit. Process 10K+ checkouts per minute with 99.9% uptime.

With Shopify, our physical and online stores now communicate seamlessly, which makes our lives a lot easier as we scale. We’re spending less time fixing website issues and more time focused on growth. The results we’re seeing are really exciting.
Jennifer Devlin — Owner

Unified commerce

The truly, completely, all-in-one platform

Shopify POS is the only solution that allows you to streamline operations from one place and offer exceptional customer experiences that convert. This is omnichannel selling at its best.

30%

YoY revenue growth for brands using Shopify to sell in person and online³

88%

of Square replatformers agree Shopify better unifies in-store and online selling⁴

³ Shopify Plus: Retail and Point of Sale

⁴ Based on an online survey of 1,000 Shopify POS customers. (November, 2023)

Flexible fulfillment, no matter your sales channel

Show realtime product availability

Instead of overselling, display accurate product availability online, whether it's on-hand at a store location or warehouse.

Offer flexible fulfillment options

Give customers control over how and where they buy with in-store pickup that works across multiple retail locations.

Use endless aisle to close more sales

Offer shoppers the ability to purchase out-of-stock items from other locations. Close the sale and fulfill orders from where inventory lives.

Simplify returns and exchanges

Complete returns and exchanges for online orders in store right from Shopify POS to save time for your staff and customers.

Shopify makes the experience I want to offer customers possible, without burdening me with more admin work. It was easy to migrate, easy to learn, and makes running my business more straightforward than it used to be.
Mandalyn Renicker — Owner

Unmatched innovation

Dedicated to the future of commerce

From infrastructure to cutting edge features, Shopify is the only platform innovating at the speed of commerce so you're always ahead of the competition.

A collection of labels showcasing recent product launches: Email capture at checkout, POS UI extensions, Ship to customer, Pick up in store, Inventory states, Shop Pay Instalments for Retail.

4.5K+

Shopify engineers committed to building the best commerce tools and features

$1.7B

invested in research and development alone at Shopify in 2023

Shopify lives, breathes, and invests in commerce

Proven commerce experts

There’s no split mission: we’re built for commerce, not hospitality. Shopify strives to make commerce better for everyone.

Stay competitive

Get the unfair industry advantage with our team of engineers building 200+ product enhancements yearly to help you sell more.

We evaluated some of the old-school guys, knowing we’d get the traditional POS that can handle some complexity right out of the box. But we would’ve sacrificed a ton of innovation if we hadn’t stayed with Shopify POS.
Travis Boyce — Head of Global Retail Operations

Infinite extensibility

Commerce solutions made for every business

Shopify understands no business is the same. With headless commerce, the Shopify App Store, and robust APIs, you can build your business any way you want.

8K+

apps for commerce, the biggest app ecosystem in the industry

10K+

Shopify Partners supporting brands across the globe, from store builds to marketing strategy

Get the flexible platform that grows with your brand

Build your online brand your way

Choose from 100+ website themes and customize without limits to match the look and feel of your brand.

Integrate your tech stack

Install powerful business apps made for Shopify, extend your store’s functionality with dedicated APIs, and more.

Save time with custom workflows

Design a custom workflow to automate tasks without knowing code or build a bespoke solution with POS UI Extensions to extend functionality natively.

Shopify’s customizability has been so valuable. We have a beautiful website whose product collections are easy to navigate, and I can use metafields to show important product information to staff and customers.
Mandalyn Renicker — Owner

Featured Apps

Essential apps for when you make the switch

Smile.io

Power brand loyalty, boost repeat sales, and engage buyers with rewards, VIP programs, and referral incentives.

Get the app

Shopify Bundles

Increase average order values, give customers discounts, and move inventory at volume with custom product bundles.

Get the app

Easy Team POS Staff Management

Streamline staff management, from scheduling and payroll to sales performance, all from Shopify POS.

Get the app

Appointment Booking Appointo

Let buyers book a service or event offered online or in person. Send automated emails and SMS reminders.

Get the app

Migration Partners

Make the move to Shopify

Skip the hassle and migrate with minimal downtime. Get the support your business needs from a certified partner that specializes in migrating from Square to Shopify.

Icee Social

Experts focused on web development, ecommerce strategy, and consulting.

Connect with Icee Social

Maxburst

Web development and digital marketing agency specializing in B2B and DTC.

Connect with Maxburst

Sunrise Integration

Partner focused on store migration, custom builds, and full site redesigns.

Connect with Sunrise Integration

Resources

Case Study

BKLYN Larder

Learn how switching to Shopify helped BKLYN Larder sell more and build meaningful connections with customers.

Read the case study

Case Study

Offbeat Bikes

Switching from Square to Shopify POS helped this Chicago brand streamline inventory management and invoicing.

Read the case study

Frequently asked questions

Shopify offers retailers a complete solution for starting, running, and scaling their business, in store and online. Backed by an intuitive POS, powerful commerce features, and transparent pricing plans, Shopify is a great fit for all businesses, whether you’re just starting out or scaling.

Square is easy to use and offers free plans. However, unexpected add ons and simplistic commerce features can make it confusing to understand your monthly costs and difficult to scale for growth.

While you can integrate Square POS with your online Shopify storefront, it’s not recommended.

If you’re looking to manage your business from one place, Shopify is the obvious choice. Shopify’s platform was designed to unify your in-store and online sales experience. Plus, Shopify is dedicated to constant innovation. With commerce features that support growth at scale, entrepreneurs have more time to focus on what matters most to their business. From winning back time spent on inventory management and fulfillment to converting and retaining more buyers, Shopify is the platform made for commerce.

Shopify’s monthly plans include POS, ecommerce, and payments with fast payouts. Card rates on Shopify’s Basic plan start at:

2.6% + 10¢ USD (in person, per transaction)
2.9% + 30¢ USD (online, per transaction)

Shopify offers 100+ professionally-designed themes (templates) that can be customized to match the look and feel of your brand. You can accept online payments, manage inventory, orders, customers, shipping, fulfillment, marketing campaigns, and more—all from one platform. All sales sync, whether in store or online, guaranteeing inventory is always up to date. Plus you get powerful data reporting tools and insights, so you can make impactful decisions to grow your business locally and globally.

Square offers simple website creation with limited customization. While easy to use, these basic templates can limit your ability to create the exact look and feel you want for your brand. Square will sync your in-store and online sales, but offers little data and insights to support business decisions and growth.

Shopify pricing plans include Shopify Payments.³ You can accept payments in store and online with consistent card rates and fast payouts. Card rates depend on your pricing plan, with premium plans offering lower card rates. Card rates on Shopify’s Basic plan start at:

2.6% + 10¢ USD (in person, per transaction)
2.9% + 30¢ USD (online, per transaction)

Square card rates start at:

2.6% + 10¢ USD (in person, per transaction)
2.9% + 30¢ USD (online, per transaction)
3.5% + 15¢ USD (manually entered, per transaction)

⁵Shopify Payments is available to stores operating in certain countries/regions. Learn more about eligibility requirements and Shopify Payments terms and conditions