Shopify vs Squarespace: where to open your shop
Shopify is the better home for a business where selling is the main event: it handles checkout, shipping, in-person sales and social channels from one admin, with thousands of apps for anything extra. Squarespace suits a creative or small brand whose site matters as much as the shop, and it starts at $19 a month with hosting, domain and payments included. Squarespace's templates give you a polished look with less setup. Shopify takes more work to configure but keeps up as your catalogue, channels and team grow.
Which one to pick
You sell physical products, plan to grow the catalogue, want to sell at markets or in a shop with the same stock, and expect to add apps for reviews, subscriptions or marketplaces.
You are a photographer, designer or small brand selling a few products alongside a portfolio, bookings or a blog, and want a beautiful site live in a weekend.
Side by side
Questions
Is Shopify more expensive than Squarespace?
Squarespace starts at $19 a month, with hosting, a domain and payments in the subscription. Shopify has no free plan, and the real monthly cost depends on your plan, payment fees and the paid apps you add. For a handful of products, Squarespace usually costs less. Compare the full bill, apps included, once you know what you need.
Which is easier to set up?
Squarespace is easier: pick a template, add your products and launch. Shopify needs more decisions, from theme and shipping rules to taxes and apps. That extra setup is what lets Shopify scale with a larger store.
Can I move my store from Squarespace to Shopify later?
Yes. You can export products and customers from Squarespace and import them into Shopify, then rebuild the design with a Shopify theme. Set up redirects from your old URLs so you keep your search rankings. Plan the move outside your busiest sales season.
Do they handle EU VAT for cross-border sales?
Shopify charges VAT at checkout for EU sales, but you still file and pay it yourself, including any OSS return. Check Squarespace's tax settings for your country before selling across borders. Your accountant should confirm your OSS position once EU sales to consumers pass €10,000 a year.
Are Shopify and Squarespace available in Spain, Germany, France and Italy?
Each lets a European shop sell in euros. Shopify's large app store covers local payment methods and shipping carriers in many countries. In Germany, add a proper Impressum and legal texts to either platform before you open.