Square Online vs Format (2024 Comparison)
Square Online offers a comprehensive e-commerce solution with seamless integration with Square products. Its user-friendly interface makes it ideal for beginners and small businesses looking to establish an online presence.
- Comprehensive e-commerce features.
- Seamless integration with Square products.
- User-friendly interface for beginners.
- Limited portfolio presentation options.
- Basic client proofing features.
Free plan?
YesStarting price
$29 per month
Format provides stunning templates and excellent client proofing tools tailored for creatives. It's the perfect choice for artists and designers looking to showcase their work professionally.
- Stunning templates for creatives.
- Excellent client proofing tools.
- Tailored for portfolio presentation.
- Limited e-commerce capabilities.
- Higher cost for advanced features.
Free plan?
YesStarting price
$8 per monthWhat is Square Online?
Square Online is a versatile e-commerce platform that allows businesses to create an online store with ease. It offers a range of features such as inventory management, payment processing, and customizable templates. This tool is particularly beneficial for small to medium-sized businesses looking to establish an online presence without the need for extensive technical knowledge. With Square Online, you can seamlessly integrate with other Square products, making it a comprehensive solution for managing both online and offline sales.
What is Format?
Format is a website builder specifically designed for creative professionals such as photographers, artists, and designers. It provides a platform to showcase portfolios with stunning templates and easy-to-use customization tools. Format helps users create visually appealing websites that highlight their work, making it easier to attract potential clients. With features like client proofing, online store capabilities, and SEO tools, Format is an excellent choice for creatives looking to establish a professional online presence.
Pros and Cons of Square Online vs Format
Pros & Cons of Square Online
- Square Online offers a wide range of e-commerce features, including inventory management, payment processing, and shipping options, making it a robust solution for online businesses.
- The platform integrates effortlessly with other Square products, providing a unified solution for managing both online and offline sales, which is a significant advantage for businesses already using Square.
- Square Online's intuitive interface makes it easy for beginners to set up and manage their online store without needing extensive technical knowledge, which is ideal for small business owners.
- While Square Online is excellent for e-commerce, it lacks the sophisticated portfolio presentation options that creatives might need, making it less suitable for artists and designers.
- The platform offers basic client proofing features, which may not be sufficient for professionals who require detailed feedback and collaboration with clients on their work.
Pros & Cons of Format
- Format provides a range of visually appealing templates specifically designed for creatives, allowing artists and designers to showcase their work in the best possible light.
- The platform offers robust client proofing tools, enabling creatives to share their work with clients for feedback and collaboration, which is essential for many professionals.
- Format is specifically tailored for portfolio presentation, offering features that highlight creative work, making it an ideal choice for photographers, artists, and designers.
- While Format offers basic e-commerce features, it lacks the comprehensive capabilities needed for running a full-fledged online store, which may be a drawback for some users.
- The platform's advanced features come at a higher cost, which may not be justifiable for users who do not require specialized tools for portfolio presentation.
Square Online vs Format: At A Glance
Square Online vs Format: A Detailed Breakdown of Key Features
Customizable Templates
Square Online offers a variety of customizable templates that cater to different business needs. While they are functional, Format's templates are more visually appealing and tailored for creatives. I found Format's templates to be more inspiring, especially for showcasing artistic work. If you prioritize aesthetics and creativity, Format is the better choice for customizable templates.
SEO Tools
Both Square Online and Format provide robust SEO tools to help improve your website's visibility. Square Online's SEO features are comprehensive, making it easier to optimize for search engines. Format also offers good SEO tools, but they are more focused on portfolio visibility. If SEO is a critical factor for your business, Square Online's tools are more extensive.
Mobile Optimization
In today's mobile-first world, having a mobile-optimized website is crucial. Square Online ensures that your site looks great on any device, with responsive designs that adapt seamlessly. Format also offers mobile optimization, but its focus is more on maintaining the visual integrity of portfolios. If mobile optimization is a priority, Square Online provides a more consistent experience across devices.
E-commerce Capabilities
Square Online excels in e-commerce capabilities, offering features like inventory management, payment processing, and shipping options. Format, while providing basic e-commerce features, is more focused on portfolio presentation. If your primary goal is to run an online store, Square Online's e-commerce capabilities are more comprehensive and suited for business needs.
Portfolio Presentation
Format shines in portfolio presentation, offering stunning templates and customization options that highlight creative work. Square Online, while capable, doesn't match Format's level of sophistication in this area. If showcasing your portfolio is your main objective, Format's specialized tools make it the superior choice for creatives.
Client Proofing
Client proofing is a feature where Format truly stands out, providing tools that allow creatives to share work with clients for feedback. Square Online lacks this specific feature, focusing more on e-commerce functionalities. If client proofing is essential for your workflow, Format offers a more tailored solution for creative professionals.
Pricing Comparison of Square Online and Format
To assist you in making an informed choice, we’ve outlined the pricing plans and essential features of Square Online and Format. This comparison will highlight the best option for creating your website.
Square Online Pricing Plans
- Sync with Square POS for seamless operations.
- Offer pickup, local delivery, and shipping options.
- Sell on social media platforms for wider reach.
- Accept multiple payment types for convenience.
- QR code ordering for contactless service.
- Customer accounts for personalized experiences.
- Advanced item settings for better management.
- Free domain for 1 year to boost credibility.
- Real-time shipping rates for accurate checkout.
- Premium customer support for quick assistance.
- Waived in-house delivery fees for savings.
- Advanced features for scaling operations.
Format Pricing Plans
- 70 high-resolution images for optimal display.
- Mobile-optimized website for seamless viewing on devices.
- Free mobile app for easy management on the go.
- Lightroom integration for streamlined photo editing.
- 1500 high-resolution images for comprehensive portfolios.
- 100GB image storage for ample creative work.
- 15 hosted video minutes for multimedia content.
- Custom fonts to personalize your website's appearance.
- 1TB image storage for vast creative collections.
- 120 hosted video minutes for rich multimedia content.
- 1000 commission-free online store products for sales.
- Priority 24/7 customer support for quick assistance.
Our Rating Methodology
We thoroughly test each website builder, evaluating key features like ease of use, functionality, and scalability. We also analyze user reviews to ensure our recommendations fit your needs. Each of the seven evaluation factors is weighted by importance to provide an accurate final rating, helping you avoid poor-quality tools and make informed decisions.
Square Online or Format: Which One Matches Your Business Needs?
Choose Square Online If You Need ...
- Comprehensive e-commerce solution
If you are a business owner looking for a comprehensive e-commerce solution with seamless integration with Square products, Square Online is the ideal choice. Its robust features and user-friendly interface make it perfect for managing both online and offline sales.
- User-friendly for beginners
If you are a beginner or small business owner looking for an easy-to-use website builder, Square Online's intuitive interface and straightforward setup process make it an excellent option for getting your online store up and running quickly.
Choose Format If You Need ...
- Tailored for creatives
If you are a creative professional such as a photographer, artist, or designer looking to showcase your work, Format's stunning templates and portfolio presentation features make it the perfect choice for highlighting your creative projects.
- Excellent client proofing tools
If you require robust client proofing tools to share your work with clients for feedback and collaboration, Format offers specialized features that cater to the needs of creative professionals, making it an ideal solution for your workflow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which platform is better for e-commerce, Square Online or Format?
Is Format suitable for showcasing creative portfolios?
Can I integrate Square Online with other Square products?
Does Format offer client proofing tools?
Which platform offers better SEO tools, Square Online or Format?
Is Square Online user-friendly for beginners?
Martin Lunendonk
Martin Lunendonk is a senior tech writer specializing in website builders, web hosting, and ecommerce platforms. With a background in finance, accounting, and philosophy, he has founded multiple tech startups and worked in medium to large tech companies and investment banking, bringing deep expertise and reliable insights to his software reviews.
