Quick answer
Shopify suits sellers who sell mainly online and want room to grow: Basic costs $39 a month and keeps $1.17 of a $30 online card sale. Square suits sellers who sell mostly in person and want a free online store next to it: Square has no monthly fee on Square Free and keeps $1.29 of the same sale. Start with Square if you sell face to face or want no fixed cost, and choose Shopify once online sales are the main business.
Nation, an AI store builder, publishes this page. It is pre-launch, with a waitlist on withnation.ai, so it is not in the comparison or the fee example. See where Nation fits.
How we compared
Both platforms were checked against the same four questions. The first one usually decides more than the fees do.
- Where you sell Where most of your sales happen, in person or online, usually decides between these two before the fees do.
- Fees on each sale The card processing fee on one online order, read from each platform's own pricing page for a US seller.
- Fixed monthly cost What you pay in a month with no sales, on the plan a small seller would start on.
- Room to grow Apps, themes, sales channels and higher plans you can move to without changing platform.
Shopify vs Square at a glance
Each platform is shown on the plan a small seller would start on. The source and check date for every number are listed under each platform and at the end of the page.
What Shopify and Square keep from a $30 sale
Fees are easier to compare on one order than as percentages. The example is one $30 online order, paid by card, with free shipping and no sales tax. Shopify Basic charges 2.9% + 30¢ with Shopify Payments, and Square Free charges 3.3% + 30¢ online. In person the rates are closer: 2.6% + 10¢ on Shopify Basic and 2.6% + 15¢ on Square Free.
- Shopify baseline $1.17 plus $39 a month Card 2.9% + 30¢ $1.17
- Square $1.29 free plan Card 3.3% + 30¢ $1.29
Assumes a $30 item, free shipping, no tax, a standard US card paid online, no apps and no currency conversion. Shopify uses Basic with Shopify Payments; another payment provider adds 2%. Square uses Square Free; Square Plus lowers the online rate to 2.9% + 30¢ for $49 a month per location.
Shopify and Square in detail
Both platforms get the same five lines: price, fees per sale, what it is strong at, who it is best for and its main limit.
The baseline. An online store builder with no transaction fee with Shopify Payments, and its Basic plan covers selling online and in person.
- Price
- Basic plan $39 a month, or $29 a month billed yearly. On most plans Shopify offers new stores 3 days free, then $1 a month for 3 months.
- Fees per sale
- Online card processing of 2.9% + 30¢ on Basic with Shopify Payments, and 2.6% + 10¢ in person. Another payment provider adds 2%.
- Strong at
- Online selling from one store. Basic includes themes and templates, and selling on social channels and marketplaces.
- Best for
- Sellers whose business is mainly online and who sell enough each month to cover the plan.
- Limit
- The plan fee is due in months with no sales. Tools for a full physical shop cost extra: POS Pro is $89 a month per location.
Square's online store builder for sellers who also take card payments in person. Square says the online store syncs with Square Point of Sale.
- Price
- There is no monthly fee on Square Free. Square Plus is $49 a month per location, with a free 30-day trial.
- Fees per sale
- Online card processing of 3.3% + 30¢ on Square Free, or 2.9% + 30¢ on Square Plus. In person it is 2.6% + 15¢ on Square Free.
- Strong at
- Selling in person and online together, since the online store syncs with Square Point of Sale.
- Best for
- Sellers who already take payments in person and want a free online store next to it.
- Limit
- The free plan's online card rate of 3.3% + 30¢ is higher than Shopify's 2.9% + 30¢, and on Square Free connecting a custom domain is not included.
Which one fits you
You sell mostly in person: a shop, a cafe, markets or fairs.
Square
Square says the online store syncs with Square Point of Sale. In person a card payment costs 2.6% + 15¢ on Square Free, and online 3.3% + 30¢.
You are starting out and want no fixed monthly cost.
Square
Square has no monthly fee on Square Free. You pay only when you sell: $1.29 on a $30 online sale.
Your business is mainly online and you want themes, sales channels and room to grow.
Shopify
A lower online card rate, 2.9% + 30¢, and no transaction fee with Shopify Payments, for $39 a month on Basic.
You sell mostly online and sometimes at pop-ups or events.
Shopify
Shopify Basic includes casual in-person sales at pop-ups and events, with in-person card payments at 2.6% + 10¢, so one store handles both channels.
You also sell on marketplaces and want one place for orders.
Shopify
On Shopify Basic, marketplace order sync is free for up to 50 orders a month, then 1% up to $99 a month.
You will pay a monthly plan to get a lower online card rate.
Shopify Basic
Both charge the same online rate (2.9% + 30¢ on Shopify Basic, 2.9% + 30¢ on Square Plus), and Shopify Basic costs $39 a month against $49 a month per location for Square Plus.
Where Nation fits
Nation
Category: an AI store builder
Nation says one description of what you make builds the store, then agents handle orders, customers and delivery and run ads, content and social posts, with you approving the work. Because pricing is not announced yet, it is not compared on fees here.
Limits today
- Status: pre-launch, with a waitlist on withnation.ai.
- Pricing and fees: not announced yet.
- Shopper marketplace: no shopper marketplace has been announced.
- Track record: no independent reviews or public stores yet.
Nation publishes this page. Nation is not compared here and will not be added to the fee example until signup is public and pricing is published.
Describe what you makeDisclosure and method
Nation, an AI store builder, publishes this page. Nation is not ranked here and will not be added to the comparison until signup is public and pricing is published.
The page compares Shopify and Square for a US seller of physical products. Neither company paid to be included, and none of the links are affiliate links.
Every fee was read on the platform's own pricing page on 2 Oct 2026, then re-read in a separate check. Each platform's section names its source, and the full list is below.
Questions about Shopify vs Square
Is Square cheaper than Shopify?
Square is cheaper than Shopify for a seller with few online orders, because there is no monthly fee on Square Free while Shopify Basic costs $39 a month. Per online card sale Square costs more: $1.29 on a $30 sale against $1.17 on Shopify Basic. Shopify only comes out cheaper once that gap per sale adds up to more than its monthly plan.
Is Shopify or Square better for in-person sales?
Square is the simpler choice for in-person sales. Square says the online store syncs with Square Point of Sale, in-person card payments cost 2.6% + 15¢ on Square Free, and there is no monthly fee on Square Free. Shopify Basic charges a slightly lower 2.6% + 10¢ in person, but only on top of its $39 a month plan, and POS Pro for a full shop is $89 a month per location.
Does Shopify charge transaction fees?
Shopify charges no transaction fee when you use Shopify Payments. On the Basic plan you pay only card processing: 2.9% + 30¢ for online cards and 2.6% + 10¢ in person. If you use another payment provider on Basic instead, Shopify adds a third-party transaction fee of 2% on each sale.
Does Square Online have a free plan?
Square Online has a free plan: there is no monthly fee on Square Free, and you pay 3.3% + 30¢ on each online card sale. On Square Free, connecting a custom domain is not included. Square Plus costs $49 a month per location and lowers the online card rate to 2.9% + 30¢. Square lists unlimited items for its online store.
Can I try Shopify or Square for free?
Shopify and Square can both be tried before a plan fee starts. On most plans Shopify offers new stores 3 days free, then $1 a month for 3 months. Square Free needs no trial: there is no monthly fee on Square Free, and you pay only card processing when you sell. Square Plus comes with a free 30-day trial before its $49 a month per location fee starts.
Is Nation an alternative to Shopify and Square?
Nation is not an alternative to Shopify or Square you can compare today. It is an AI store builder, pre-launch, with a waitlist on withnation.ai, and its pricing is not announced yet. Because no shopper marketplace has been announced, it would sit with own-store builders like Shopify and Square. Nation will be added to comparisons once signup is public and pricing is published.