Square vs Shopify
Square is the best free POS for in-person selling. Shopify is the best platform for businesses where online and in-store need to work as one. The monthly fee difference disappears fast when you factor in what each does best.
Our Verdict
Square for in-person focused retail. Shopify for omnichannel. If online is more than 20% of your sales, Shopify's integrated platform saves enough time and prevents enough inventory headaches to justify the monthly cost.
Best for:
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Square | Shopify POS | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $0 (Free plan) | $89/mo (Basic + POS) | Square |
| Processing (in-person) | 2.6% + 10¢ | 2.4-2.7% (plan dependent) | Tie |
| E-commerce | Basic, free | Best-in-class | Shopify POS |
| Inventory sync | Good | Excellent, real-time | Shopify POS |
| App ecosystem | Large | Massive (8000+ apps) | Shopify POS |
| Hardware options | Excellent variety | Good but fewer | Square |
| Ease of use | Very easy | Easy | Square |
| Multi-location | Free | Included | Tie |
Square
Pros
- ✓Free to start
- ✓Dead simple setup
- ✓Great hardware range
- ✓Strong invoicing
Cons
- ✗E-commerce is basic
- ✗Processing fees add up at volume
- ✗Inventory less sophisticated
Shopify POS
Pros
- ✓E-commerce king
- ✓True omnichannel inventory
- ✓Huge app ecosystem
- ✓Better at scale
Cons
- ✗Monthly fees
- ✗POS is secondary to e-commerce
- ✗Overkill for simple retail
In-Depth Analysis
The Real Cost Calculation
Square's 'free' costs 2.6% + 10¢ per swipe. On $20k/month in sales, that's $540 in processing. Shopify Basic ($39) + POS Pro ($89) = $128/month, but processing at 2.4% saves $40/month. Add the e-commerce value and Shopify often wins on total cost at $15k+ monthly sales.
Inventory Truth
Square syncs inventory between online and POS, but Shopify was built for this. Sell something online, it's instantly updated in-store. Run out at one location, show it in another. If inventory sync matters, Shopify's architecture is fundamentally better.
The Scaling Factor
Square is perfect for starting. But businesses doing $50k+/month often find themselves wanting more—better reporting, more integrations, sophisticated inventory. Shopify scales without switching platforms. Square may require jumping to another system later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Square for my Shopify store?
Not directly. They're competing ecosystems. You'd need to run separate systems and manually sync, which defeats the purpose. Pick one platform and commit for best results.
Which has better reporting?
Shopify's reporting is more sophisticated, especially for omnichannel. Square's free reporting is excellent for the price. Both let you export data if you want to analyze elsewhere.