Square vs Shopify Comparison 2020: Which POS System is Best?

SBO Team

Today, we will talk about two POS system providers. To decide which one to choose, you first need to know what important factors of the POS system to look out for. Let’s go over that checklist.

It is important to check if a POS can process all payment methods you are going to need. If you expect customers to mostly pay with debit cards, and the POS system you choose can’t process them, you won’t have much use of its other features.

Good inventory management tools are a must-have. We live in a digital age and you shouldn’t settle for a POS system unless almost all inventory management is automated. It should also include good report and analytics tools, so you can keep track of how your business is doing.

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You should also pay attention to how well your physical locations and online store sync, and what are digital marketing and SEO features you get. For your sales to increase, your business must be easy to find online.

So, who is better in doing this, Square or Shopify? Let’s find that out by pitting them against each other.

So which is better, Square or Shopify?

Square is slightly better for merchants that have exclusively brick-and-mortar stores, but Shopify is much better in all other aspects. Better eCommerce handling, more features and payment gateways, and more sophisticated inventory management are some features Square can’t compete with.

Square discounts	Shopify discounts

Shopify vs Square comparison

Don’t forget to switch between Square and Shopify by clicking on the toggle button. If you are ready to read on, it is time to start this Square vs Shopify battle!

Square online store or Shopify ease of use

Square advantages
No technical knowledge required	Easy POS setup

Shopify advantages
Excellent backend control	Easier to manage big stores

Square vs Shopify website builder

Square advantages
Drag and drop

Shopify advantages
Capable of creating complex websites

Square vs Shopify templates, themes and customizability

Shopify advantages
Top-notch themes	Great customizability

Compare Shopify or Square eCommerce features

Square advantages
No limit to options and variations	Perfect for small businesses

Shopify advantages
100+ gateways	Automated tax calculator	Excellent scaling

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Square and Shopify SEO & marketing features

Shopify advantages
Flexibility	Shopify Email tool

Square POS vs Shopify POS

Square advantages
All payment methods work offline	Refund processing costs of uncompleted sales

Shopify advantages
More payment processor options

Shopify vs Square apps & add-ons

Shopify advantages
Huge app store	Easy to search	Premade collections of apps

Shopify vs Square customer support

Square vs Shopify speed, uptime and reliability

Shopify advantages
Faster load time

Square online store vs Shopify pricing

Square advantages
Free plan available	Free domain

Shopify advantages
Big shipping discounts	Great value for money	Plan for huge enterprises

Square vs Shopify conclusion

The winner is Shopify! There are only two reasons to pick Square over Shopify. The first is if you are going for the free plan they have, and the second is if you plan on having only a brick-and-mortar store. In all other aspects, Shopify outperforms Square.

Square versus Shopify final score

Host	Final ranking	Discounts?
Square	Overall Score: 39/50
Shopify	Overall Score: 47.5/50

FAQs

Is Square better than Shopify?

Square is better for merchants with only brick-and-mortar stores. Their POS system can process all supported types of payment while offline. You also get refunds for all processing fees on transactions that aren’t completed. However, Shopify is better overall because it outperforms Square in all other categories.

Does Shopify work with Square?

Square is listed as one of the options for payment processing with Shopify. They aren’t compatible in any other way, unless you use a third party app that can bridge some of the gaps between the two. You can’t combine their softwares or, for example, use Shopify to create an online store for your Square account.

Is Square compatible with Shopify?

Depends on what kind of compatibility you are looking for. If you want to use Shopify Online Store and Square POS, that isn’t possible. However, Shopify supports over 100 payment processors and Square is one of the payment processors on that list.

Can you sync Square and Shopify?

Shopify doesn’t integrate with Square, but some apps let you sync inventory between your Square and Shopify stores. One such example is SkuHarmony that lets you sync inventories of one Square location and one Shopify store. You can find that app in the Shopify App store.

What is the difference between Square and Shopify?

Square is more focused on the POS and their eCommerce features aren’t sophisticated. Shopify, on the other hand, is good in all aspects of helping you run your store. It has powerful eCommerce tools, while maintaining a great POS system for your brick-and-mortar stores.

Which is better Square or Shopify?

Shopify is better overall. They have more features and support more payment gateways. They also have a better website builder, customizability and app store that has tons of apps you can use to tweak your eCommerce any way you want to.