True cost comparison — not just what the pricing page says
Quick Verdict
Squarespace saves you 59%
Best for Squarespace
E-commerce platform for online stores. $39/mo sounds simple but transaction fees, app costs, and the
Best for Shopify
Design-forward website builder with beautiful templates. Plans from $16-$49/mo but e-commerce transa
Design-forward website builder with beautiful templates. Plans from $16-$49/mo b...
Advertised
$16
/month
True Cost
$133
/month (typical)
E-Commerce Transaction Fee
Business plan charges 3% transaction fee on all sales on top of payment processor fees. Only Commerc...
Scheduling Add-On (Acuity)
Squarespace Scheduling (Acuity) is a separate product: Emerging free (limited), Growing $16/mo, Powe...
Email Campaigns Add-On
Squarespace Email Campaigns is a separate product starting at $7/mo (500 subscribers) up to $48/mo (...
Contributor Limits
Personal plan allows only 2 contributors. Business allows unlimited contributors but costs $23/mo. T...
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission
E-commerce platform for online stores. $39/mo sounds simple but transaction fees...
Advertised
$39
/month
True Cost
$519
/month (typical)
Transaction Fees (Non-Shopify Payments)
Using Stripe, PayPal, or other gateways instead of Shopify Payments adds 2% (Basic), 1% (Shopify), o...
App Store Cost Accumulation
Most functional stores need 5-15 paid apps (reviews, SEO, email pop-ups, upsells, inventory). Averag...
Premium Theme Purchase
Free themes are limited. Premium themes cost $180-$350 one-time. Many stores buy 2-3 themes before f...
Shipping Label Markup
Shopify Shipping offers discounted rates but marks up USPS/UPS/DHL prices by 5-15% compared to direc...
$29/mo annual
$79/mo annual
$299/mo annual
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Shopify advertises $39/mo. Squarespace advertises $16/mo.
Shopify has 4 documented hidden fees. Squarespace has 4.
Shopify confidence: 84%. Squarespace confidence: 79%.
| Metric | Squarespace | Shopify | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advertised Price | $16/mo | $39/mo | Squarespace |
| True Monthly Cost | $133/mo | $519/mo | Squarespace |
| Hidden Fee Total | +$117/mo | +$480/mo | Squarespace |
| # Hidden Fees | 4 | 4 | Squarespace |
| Confidence Score | 79% | 84% | Shopify |
| Pricing Tiers | 4 | 4 | — |
| Affiliate Program | $100-$200 per referral (varies by plan) | Up to $150 per referral (varies by plan) | — |
Try the tool that fits your needs. Both offer free trials or free tiers.
From $16/mo
✓ Saves 59% on true costAffiliate link — we may earn a commission
Squarespace advertises $16/mo and Shopify advertises $39/mo. However, when you include hidden fees, Squarespace has 4 documented hidden fees adding +$117/mo, while Shopify has 4 hidden fees adding +$480/mo. Based on true cost, Squarespace is typically 59% cheaper.
Squarespace has 4 documented hidden fees: E-Commerce Transaction Fee, Scheduling Add-On (Acuity), Email Campaigns Add-On, Contributor Limits. These add approximately +$117/mo on top of the $16/mo advertised price.
Shopify has 4 documented hidden fees: Transaction Fees (Non-Shopify Payments), App Store Cost Accumulation, Premium Theme Purchase, Shipping Label Markup. These add approximately +$480/mo on top of the $39/mo advertised price.
Choose Squarespace if: E-commerce platform for online stores. $39/mo sounds simple but transaction fees, app costs, and the. Choose Shopify if: Design-forward website builder with beautiful templates. Plans from $16-$49/mo but e-commerce transa. The right choice depends on your team size, usage volume, and which features you need most.
This comparison is based on manual research of official pricing pages, terms of service, and user reports. Squarespace data has a 79% confidence score and Shopify has 84%. Prices were last verified in April 2026. For the most accurate estimate, enter your specific usage in our calculator.
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