Shopify is the better app overall, scoring 9.1 to 8.8. Shopify wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Square on 1.
Brands and small businesses that want to sell online with minimal technical work
Shops, cafes and service businesses that want simple payments and POS
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Shopify | Square |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Business & Sales | Business & Sales |
| Category rank | #1 of 8 | #3 of 8 |
| Developer | Shopify Inc. | Block, Inc. |
| Pricing | Subscription | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | No | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
Strengths and weaknesses
Shopify
- Fast to launch a professional-looking store
- Reliable hosting and checkout that scale easily
- Huge app store for marketing, shipping and more
- Monthly app fees add up quickly
- Extra transaction fees without Shopify Payments
Shopify is the easiest way to start and grow an online store. Themes look professional out of the box, checkout converts well with Shop Pay, and the app store covers almost any need. The same system runs in-person sales through Shopify POS, and the Sidekick AI assistant helps with setup and reporting. The catch: costs add up with apps, premium themes and extra transaction fees if you skip Shopify Payments.
Full Shopify review
Square
- Free POS software with no monthly fee to start
- Easy setup with simple, well-designed hardware
- Grows with add-ons for staff, loyalty and payroll
- Processing fees apply to every card payment
- Advanced features need paid plans or add-ons
Square makes taking payments simple for small businesses. The free point-of-sale app handles sales, inventory, receipts and customer lists, and you can add online ordering, appointments, invoices, payroll and loyalty as you grow. The hardware is easy to set up and pleasant to use. The trade-off is that you pay processing fees on every card sale, and advanced restaurant or retail features need paid plans.
Full Square review
