OpenCart vs Square Online
A side-by-side look at OpenCart and Square Online. On our scoring, Square Online comes out ahead — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
| Platform | OpenCartOpen-source | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| SellingScene score | 3.8/5 | 4.1/5 |
| User rating | 3.7 | 4 |
| Reviews | 640 | 1,320 |
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Pricing model | free core + hosting & extensions | free plan + processing fees |
| Transaction fees | 0% (processor fees apply) | 2.9% + 30¢ online |
| Hosting & setup | ||
| Hosting type | Self-hosted | Fully hosted (SaaS) |
| Free trial | Free core | Free plan available |
| Staff accounts | Unlimited (role-based) | Role-based |
| Product limit | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Payments & security | ||
| Payment gateways | Many via extensions | Square (primary) |
| SSL included | Yes | Yes |
| PCI compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Gift cards | Yes | Yes |
| Catalog & content | ||
| Themes / templates | Theme marketplace | Template-based |
| App marketplace | 13,000+ extensions | Square App Marketplace |
| Multi-currency | Yes | No |
| Multi-language | Yes | No |
| POS included | No | Yes |
| Abandoned cart recovery | No | Yes |
| Built-in blog | No | No |
| Tools & flexibility | ||
| Drag-and-drop editor | No | Yes |
| API access | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile app | No | Yes |
| Support channels | Community forum, paid commercial support | Phone & chat (business hours), email |
| Actions | Read review | Read review |
Why pick OpenCart?
OpenCart is a lean, genuinely free cart that is easy to spin up and supports multiple stores from one admin. Its core stays minimal, so you will lean on the paid extension marketplace and your own hosting know-how.
Best for: Developers wanting a simple, free self-hosted cart
Read the full OpenCart reviewWhy pick Square Online?
Square Online is the obvious add-on for businesses already running Square POS in the real world. The free plan is genuinely usable, though serious online-first brands will outgrow its lighter feature set.
Best for: Retail & restaurants already using Square
Read the full Square Online review