Website builders · Comparison
Shopify vs Squarespace
Shopify starts at $29/mo billed yearly; Squarespace starts at $19/mo billed yearly. Over 3 years on 12-month terms, Shopify (Basic) costs about $1,044 and Squarespace (Basic) about $684. Prices checked 9 Oct 2026.
Website builders
Ecommerce platform for online shops, with checkout, POS and apps, plus a fee on sales if you use a third-party payment provider.
$29/mobilled yearly
Checked Screenshot of the pricing page (opens in a new tab)Visit Shopify (no commission) (opens in a new tab)Website builders
Template-led website builder known for design, with selling, memberships and email on four paid plans.
$19/mobilled yearly
Checked Screenshot of the pricing page (opens in a new tab)Visit Squarespace (no commission) (opens in a new tab)Starting price against renewal price
3 years, renewing yearly
- Shopify Basic, 1 year$1,044
- Squarespace Basic, 1 year$684
Side by side
| Shopify | Squarespace | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | From $29.00/mo (term: 1 year). Price checked . | From $19.00/mo (term: 1 year). Price checked . |
| Free plan | No; 3-day free trial then $1/month for 3 months | No; 14-day free trial |
| Online store | Yes, it is an ecommerce platform first | Yes, on every plan |
| Transaction fee (on top of processor) | Only with third-party payment providers: Basic 2%, Grow 1%, Advanced 0.6%, Plus 0.2% | Basic: 2% on store sales and 7% on digital content. Core: 0% store, 5% digital. Plus: 0% store, 1% digital. Advanced: 0% |
| AI site builder | Not captured | Built-in AI tools on every plan |
| Custom domain from plan | Not captured | Basic. The free custom domain carries a footnote on Squarespace's pricing page, so check its conditions |
| Trial length | 3 days | 14 days |
Both are Researched from public pricing and specifications; neither has been hands-on tested.
Selling costs
On yearly billing in October 2026, Shopify Basic was $29 a month and Squarespace Core was $29. Squarespace Basic was $19 but adds a 2% fee on store sales. Shopify adds 2% on Basic only if you use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments.
Shopify's trial was 3 days free, then $1 a month for 3 months. Squarespace's was 14 days free.
Read the full reviews: Shopify review and Squarespace review.