warebysquare online vs shopify for a small business
two ways to run your own online store, compared for small sellers: what they cost, what the free plan can’t do, and which is better if you also sell in person.
square online is the cheaper start: its free plan costs $0 a month and 3.3% + 30¢ per online sale, and it shares one account with square’s card readers. shopify starts at $39 a month ($29 billed yearly) with 2.9% + 30¢ a sale, and gives you more control, more apps and a stronger store as you grow. for a market vendor or cafe already on square, square online is the easy pick. for a shop that lives online and ships a lot, shopify usually wins. both have local pickup and delivery built in.
which should you pick?
| if you… | start with | why |
|---|---|---|
| already use a square reader at markets or a counter | square online | online and in-person sales in one account |
| want to start for $0 a month | square online, free plan | 3.3% + 30¢ a sale, no monthly fee |
| ship a lot and want room to grow | shopify | more apps, themes and control |
| want neighbors to find you, not just people you send | wareby | shoppers within 25 miles |
what does each cost?
| square free | square plus | shopify basic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| monthly | $0 | $49 | $39 ($29 yearly) |
| online card rate | 3.3% + 30¢ | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.9% + 30¢ |
| in person, per tap | 2.6% + 15¢ | 2.5% + 15¢ | 2.6% + 10¢ |
| on a $35 online sale | $1.46 | $1.32 | $1.32 |
square changed its plans in october 2025: one set of plans (free, plus at $49 and premium at $149 a month per location) now covers everything square. shopify’s in-person selling is included on every paid plan, with pos pro at $89 a month per location for more.
what can’t square’s free plan do?
- connect your own domain. that starts on plus
- hide square’s branding in the footer
- take retail preorders for a set date and time
- show live shipping rates at checkout (premium only)
shopify has no free plan: it’s 3 days free, then $1 a month for 3 months.
which is better for selling locally?
both have local pickup and delivery built in. neither brings local shoppers to you: they’re your own sites, so orders come from people you send. if your buyers live near you, there’s a third option. wareby only lists verified local businesses, shown to shoppers within 25 miles, with pickup and your own delivery. it’s free to open, with no listing or ad fees, and its fees are on the items only, never on shipping. we make wareby, so weigh that, but here’s how it compares with each.
questions people ask
is square online free?
there’s a free plan: $0 a month and 3.3% + 30¢ per online sale, with square branding and no custom domain.
is shopify better than square online?
for an online-first store that ships and wants to grow, usually. for a market vendor, cafe or bakery already using square’s reader, square online is simpler and cheaper to start.
can i use square’s card reader with shopify?
no, shopify has its own point of sale for in-person selling, included on paid plans.
which has lower fees?
on online sales, shopify basic and square plus are both 2.9% + 30¢. square’s free plan is 3.3% + 30¢ but has no monthly fee.
sources
- square: online store plans
- square: payment processing fees
- square support: the square online website footer
- square: new plans and pricing (october 2025)
- shopify: pricing
- shopify: point of sale pricing
- shopify help center: local pickup
- wareby: seller plans
we checked every fee and fact about other companies on october 12, 2026, on their own pages. fees change, so check theirs before you decide. spot something out of date? email hello@shopwareby.com and we’ll fix it.
etsy, amazon handmade, ebay, shopify, square online, wix, squarespace, big cartel, hotplate, bakesy, castiron, instagram, facebook marketplace, nextdoor, doordash, uber eats and grubhub are trademarks of their owners. wareby isn’t affiliated with any of them, and we make wareby, so weigh our opinions with that in mind.
we started tandoco, a small bakery in minneapolis, and sold under a blue tent at farmers markets before we built wareby. our story
