Square vs Shopify POS (2024 Comparison)
Square offers a user-friendly interface and transparent pricing, making it an ideal choice for small businesses. Its robust inventory management features ensure efficient stock tracking and product management.
- User-friendly interface for easy navigation.
- Transparent pricing with no hidden fees.
- Robust inventory management features.
- Limited scalability for larger businesses.
- Fewer integrations compared to competitors.
Free plan?
YesStarting price
$69 per month
Shopify POS provides comprehensive features for managing online and offline sales. With extensive integration options and advanced reporting tools, it's perfect for businesses seeking a unified platform.
- Comprehensive features for online and offline sales.
- Extensive integration options with e-commerce platform.
- Advanced reporting and analytics tools.
- Higher price point for advanced features.
- Steeper learning curve for new users.
Free plan?
YesStarting price
$5 per monthWhat is Square?
Square is a versatile point-of-sale system designed to streamline transactions for businesses of all sizes. It offers a comprehensive suite of tools, including payment processing, inventory management, and sales analytics. With its user-friendly interface, Square helps businesses efficiently manage their operations, whether in-store or online. Its robust features, such as customizable reports and seamless integration with other business tools, make it an ideal choice for entrepreneurs looking to enhance their daily operations and improve customer experiences.
What is Shopify POS?
Shopify POS is a powerful point-of-sale solution that integrates seamlessly with Shopify's e-commerce platform. It allows businesses to manage both online and offline sales from a single dashboard, providing a unified view of inventory, customer data, and sales analytics. Shopify POS is designed to help retailers streamline their operations, offering features like mobile checkout, customizable receipts, and detailed reporting. This tool is perfect for businesses looking to expand their reach and improve customer engagement across multiple sales channels.
Pros and Cons of Square vs Shopify POS
Pros & Cons of Square
- Square's interface is designed with simplicity in mind, making it easy for users to navigate and manage their sales operations without any hassle.
- Square offers a straightforward pricing model with no hidden fees, making it an affordable choice for small businesses and startups.
- Square provides comprehensive inventory management features, allowing businesses to efficiently track stock levels and manage products.
- Square's features are more suited to small to medium-sized businesses, making it less ideal for larger enterprises looking for extensive scalability.
- Compared to competitors, Square offers fewer integration options, which may limit its functionality for businesses with specific needs.
Pros & Cons of Shopify POS
- Shopify POS offers a wide range of features that cater to both online and offline sales, providing businesses with a unified platform for managing their operations.
- Shopify POS provides a variety of integration options, particularly with its e-commerce platform, making it a versatile choice for businesses.
- Shopify POS offers advanced reporting and analytics tools, helping businesses gain valuable insights into their performance and make informed decisions.
- Shopify POS's advanced features come at a higher price point, which may be a consideration for businesses with limited budgets.
- New users may find Shopify POS's extensive features overwhelming at first, requiring more time to master the platform.
Square vs Shopify POS: At A Glance
Square vs Shopify POS: A Detailed Breakdown of Key Features
Payment Processing
Square offers a seamless payment processing experience, allowing businesses to accept various payment methods with ease. Shopify POS also excels in this area, providing a wide range of payment options and integrations. If you need a tool with extensive payment processing capabilities, Shopify POS is the better choice.
Inventory Management
Square provides robust inventory management features, making it easy to track stock levels and manage products. Shopify POS offers even more advanced inventory management tools, particularly for businesses with both online and offline sales. If you require comprehensive inventory management, Shopify POS is the superior option.
Sales Analytics
Both Square and Shopify POS offer detailed sales analytics, helping businesses make informed decisions. Shopify POS provides more advanced reporting tools, giving it an edge in this area. If you need in-depth sales analytics, Shopify POS is the better choice.
Mobile Checkout
Square's mobile checkout feature is user-friendly and efficient, allowing businesses to process sales on the go. Shopify POS also offers mobile checkout capabilities, with additional features for a seamless experience. If mobile checkout is a priority, Shopify POS is the more comprehensive option.
Customizable Receipts
Square allows businesses to customize receipts, enhancing the customer experience. Shopify POS offers even more customization options, making it the better choice for businesses looking to personalize their customer interactions. If customizable receipts are important, Shopify POS is the superior option.
Reporting Tools
Square provides a range of reporting tools to help businesses analyze their performance. Shopify POS offers more advanced reporting features, making it the better choice for businesses seeking in-depth insights. If reporting tools are a priority, Shopify POS is the superior option.
Pricing Comparison of Square and Shopify POS
To assist you in making an informed choice, we’ve outlined the pricing plans and essential features of Square and Shopify POS. This comparison will highlight the best option for managing your point-of-sale needs.
Square Pricing Plans
- Simple, transparent processing fees for in-person and online transactions.
- Basic phone support available Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT.
- Manage on-premise and online menus using Square Dashboard.
- Track and report on cash flow, including cash sales and refunds.
- 24/7 phone support for immediate assistance anytime.
- Advanced reporting and analytics for better business insights.
- Floor plan customization with click-and-drag layouts.
- Reopen closed checks to adjust or refund items.
- Square Kiosk software at no additional cost for unlimited devices.
- Comprehensive tools for established restaurants to expand.
- Reservation integrations with apps like OpenTable and SevenRooms.
- Instant payouts for real-time access to earnings.
Shopify POS Pricing Plans
- Limited online store to showcase products.
- Card rates starting at 5% + 30¢ USD online.
- Card rates starting at 5% + 0¢ USD in person.
- 5% 3rd-party payment providers for flexibility.
- 1 POS Pro location included for advanced features.
- Card rates starting at 2.9% + 30¢ USD online.
- Card rates starting at 2.6% + 10¢ USD in person.
- 2% 3rd-party payment providers for cost efficiency.
- Unlimited POS logins for seamless operations.
- Card rates starting at 2.9% + 30¢ USD online.
- Card rates starting at 2.6% + 10¢ USD in person.
- 2% 3rd-party payment providers for flexibility.
- Unlimited POS logins for efficient management.
- Card rates starting at 2.7% + 30¢ USD online.
- Card rates starting at 2.5% + 10¢ USD in person.
- 1% 3rd-party payment providers for cost savings.
- Unlimited POS logins for seamless operations.
- Card rates starting at 2.5% + 30¢ USD online.
- Card rates starting at 2.4% + 10¢ USD in person.
- 0.6% 3rd-party payment providers for cost efficiency.
Our Rating Methodology
We thoroughly evaluate each point-of-sale system, focusing on key aspects like functionality, ease of use, and scalability. By analyzing user reviews and testing each tool, we ensure our recommendations meet your needs. Each factor is weighted by importance to deliver a reliable final rating, helping you make informed decisions.
Square or Shopify POS: Which One Matches Your Business Needs?
Choose Square If You Need ...
- User-friendly interface
If you are a beginner or small business owner looking for an easy-to-use point-of-sale system, Square's user-friendly interface and straightforward setup make it an ideal choice.
- Transparent pricing
If you are a budget-conscious business owner seeking a point-of-sale system with no hidden fees, Square's transparent pricing model offers excellent value for money.
Choose Shopify POS If You Need ...
- Comprehensive features
If you are a business owner looking for a point-of-sale system with extensive features for managing both online and offline sales, Shopify POS's comprehensive capabilities make it the superior choice.
- Advanced reporting tools
If you need in-depth insights into your business performance, Shopify POS's advanced reporting and analytics tools provide valuable data to help you make informed decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which tool is better for small businesses?
Does Shopify POS offer better integration options?
Which tool offers more advanced reporting features?
Is Square suitable for larger businesses?
Which tool provides better customer support?
How do the security features compare?
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.
