As someone who is in the process of setting up an online store, you are probably researching and evaluating your options for an ecommerce platform that is suitable for your requirements. While you have many options for this today (as listed and assessed in our article on top eCommerce platforms, Shopify is a leading player in this field, and Squarespace is a (rapidly) rising star. We are going to compare these two platforms in the article below.
Here’s something we’ve all heard before …
“Success in e-commerce ultimately comes down to how you run your business and the corresponding customer support framework.”
Does this sound familiar?
Well, We’ll admit that it sounds perfect for most business owners.
Now, let’s switch to the side of the large-scale e-commerce gurus and start looking at everything from a different perspective. Take a minute and think very critically about that statement.
How accurate do you think it is this time?
Have you noticed the crucial element missing from the puzzle?
Well, We’ll get straight to the point and tell it like it is.
Here’s the thing. There will never be an end without a beginning. Or a destination without a corresponding origin. In other words, business success is not possible in practice without foundation.
Point?
Well, its base frame is much more meaningful than the two elements that we have mentioned. How your e-commerce business is founded fundamentally determines its corresponding success.
Shopify vs Squarespace: Overview
Shopify is located in the red corner. Squarespace is located in the blue corner. This is hands down the most critical contest between eCommerce platforms.
Shopify
Squarespace technically is older, as it was established in New York in 2013. Shopify, however was born three years later in Ontario, Canada.
Shopify is, unsurprisingly, the largest eCommerce platform when we shift our focus. It was launched immediately and has been in operation for 12 years.
This is how managed to capture the second-largest global market share in 2017.
Squarespace was primarily a website building platform for a lot of its existence. The Squarespace Commerce Section was launched in 2013 after the company had been operating as a website builder for at least ten years.
Squarespace
Squarespace is a late entry. That’s what makes Squarespace unique. They entered the eCommerce market with guns blazing.
The story is not complete without a large-ranging war chest. A decade of web design experience was also their advantage.
It makes sense that Squarespace could turn on Shopify and other eCommerce platforms right out of the gate.
He didn’t stop there. It has experienced exponential growth since then as more users join the bandwagon.
Then boom! Squarespace is, unsurprisingly, now the most used platform on the internet.
Shopify won’t take this lightly. Each new feature that is advertised by either service comes with a counter-strategy.
They won’t be the same. Although some features are identical and can facilitate e-commerce shops, Squarespace and Shopify have distinct functionalities.
Now, the elephant in your room. Which one has superior features?
Let’s see
Shopify vs Squarespace: Why not compare?
Let us explain …
First, don’t get us wrong. It is crucial to have a business process and a customer service structure. It is undisputed.
Don’t be confused. Both depend on the foundation of your business. It is the only thing that can limit or allow for total flexibility.
Shopify and Squarespace allow you to compare tools to find the product that offers the highest earning potential. You are choosing the best store or website builder service to return the most money. Only you know which features will generate repeat customers and credit card transactions for your brand. This will help you to decide which software or services are best for you.
Let’s take a look at how it works…
You can increase your conversion rate by adding videos to your store’s landing pages. This is likely to be around 86%. This is a statistical fact.
Video uploads are a great strategy to use when running an eCommerce website. It would be almost impossible to do if your website platform does not support it. It is essentially a platform that allows you to implement most of your strategies.
Customer support is now available…
On average, 41% of online shoppers will trust your company if they have access to live chat. 69% of US-based internet shoppers demand live chat support.
This is yet another reason to have a robust customer service system. Your options are dependent on your base framework, just as in the case of trading strategies.
Shopify vs Squarespace: Features
It is challenging for many website owners to decide right away what kind of software they need. Ultimately, there are so many different options to choose from that business owners are overwhelmed.
However, the decision comes down to what you are looking for. While Shopify is for serious marketers and is often considered the best platform for selling online, Squarespace is more about design. Squarespace stands out as the e-commerce tool for those who want to grab the audience’s attention with visual elements.
Let’s take a closer look at the features that both tools have.
Shopify vs Squarespace: Pros and Cons
When comparing Shopify vs Squarespace, or either of the two eCommerce store options for that matter, it’s often helpful to break the two tools down into their most essential pros and cons. After all, every website building solution on the market will have its advantages and disadvantages as well.
Shopify Pros
- Great for eCommerce with tons of excellent shopping features
- Lots of plugins and extensions to integrate with your favorite tools
- Incredible customer support from live chat and email
- Tons of built-in ease of use and a vast knowledge base
- A robust community where you can find answers to your questions
- Lots of premium and free templates to choose from
- Integrations with offline sales solutions.
- Multi-channel sales available through Instagram and Facebook
Shopify Cons
- Transaction fees are required unless you pay with Shopify Payments
- Depending on the tools and applications you choose to use, the costs can add up
- Shopify may take longer to get used to than Squarespace
Squarespace Pros
- Focusing on design means you get a lot of attractive templates
- Very easy to use with a lot of guidance.
- Integrations with offline put options
- Analysis system to help you examine the performance of your store
- Excellent for print-on-demand sales.
- Excellent blogging tools for your content marketing strategy.
- Good pricing options for businesses on a budget
Squarespace Cons
- There is no app store or market for extensibility
- Payment options are limited in the Shopify vs Squarespace debate
- There are not as many options as Shopify for selling
Shopify vs Squarespace: Pricing
By now, you’re probably wondering how deep all these features we’ve reviewed are going to dig into your pocket.
The good news is that both Shopify and Squarespace have packages at different prices suitable for other businesses. Sadly, the bad news is that tracking them down to compare features isn’t as easy as it sounds.
Squarespace Pricing – How much does squarespace cost
Squarespace, for starters, comes with four pricing options. Two are classified as “online stores”, while the rest are intended for “websites”.
In “online store”, you can choose between:
- The Basic package starts at $26 per month charged annually, or $30 if you pay monthly.
- The advanced package begins at $40 per month set annually, or $46 if you prefer to pay monthly.
Now, you might be wondering why they have the “website” classified business package separate from other “online store” options.
It’s straightforward. If you think about it, all online businesses don’t exist as eCommerce stores. And this is the type of package that is best optimized for that selected class of websites.
With that said, let’s look at the main differences between these prices:
- It is impossible to sell online through Personal
- Also, you will not be able to capitalize in developer mode, nor will you add javascript and CSS to your website if you continue with Personal
- All sales made through the business plan are subject to 3% transaction fees.
- While the number of contributors in all other pricing plans is unlimited, the personal plan is only open to two.
- Only the advanced plan includes the most important abandoned cart recovery feature.
- Subscribing to the Business, Basic or Advanced plans qualifies you for a free Google Apps account for 12 months.
- All “Online Stores” plans come with exclusive eCommerce reports.
- Choosing to continue with annual billing, as opposed to monthly payments grants you a free custom domain.
Shopify Pricing
Although Squarespace limits the options to four, Shopify opts to add more options, making them five. They include:
- Shopify Lite at $9 per month.
- Shopify Basic Package at $29 per month.
- Shopify at $79 per month.
- Advanced Shopify at $299 per month
- Shopify Plus with additional features for large businesses, starting at $2000 per month.
Shopify is also cheaper than Squarespace if you pay upfront for a more extended period. Subscribe for 12 months to get a 10% discount, while 24 months gets you 20%
These are the key differences between plans to help you make informed decisions:
- Shopify Lite doesn’t offer any features to design or build an eCommerce website. This will be only an option if your goal is to sell via a Facebook page or point of sale.
- Unlike Squarespace, All Shopify Retirement products come with the Abandoned Cart Saver feature, except Shopify Lite.
- All Shopify, Advanced Shopify and Shopify Plus Gift Card Support Plans.
- Advanced reports can only offered with Shopify, Advanced Shopify and Shopify Plus.
Shopify Vs Squarespace : Conclusion
Before choosing your eCommerce platform, please do your research to ensure it provides you with all the tools you need to run your eCommerce site successfully. Squarespace may be right for you if you have a smaller website without requiring as many features. However, if you need something more powerful, Shopify is probably the right option for you.
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