Shift4Shop vs Squarespace
A side-by-side look at Shift4Shop and Squarespace. On our scoring, Squarespace comes out ahead — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
| Platform | Shift4ShopAll-in-one | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| SellingScene score | 3.8/5 | 4.2/5 |
| User rating | 3.7 | 4.2 |
| Reviews | 540 | 2,240 |
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | Free | $23/mo |
| Pricing model | free in the US with Shift4 Payments | per month, billed annually |
| Transaction fees | 0% with Shift4 Payments | 0% on Commerce plans |
| Hosting & setup | ||
| Hosting type | Fully hosted (SaaS) | Fully hosted (SaaS) |
| Free trial | Free with Shift4 Payments | 14 days |
| Staff accounts | By plan | Up to 2 |
| Product limit | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Payments & security | ||
| Payment gateways | Shift4 + 100+ gateways | Stripe, PayPal, Square, Apple Pay |
| SSL included | Yes | Yes |
| PCI compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Gift cards | Yes | Yes |
| Catalog & content | ||
| Themes / templates | 100+ themes | 150+ templates |
| App marketplace | App store & integrations | Limited (extensions) |
| Multi-currency | Yes | No |
| Multi-language | Yes | No |
| POS included | Yes | Yes |
| Abandoned cart recovery | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in blog | Yes | Yes |
| Tools & flexibility | ||
| Drag-and-drop editor | Yes | Yes |
| API access | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile app | No | Yes |
| Support channels | 24/7 phone, chat, email (US) | 24/7 email & live chat |
| Actions | Read review | Read review |
Why pick Shift4Shop?
Shift4Shop (formerly 3dcart) offers a deep, feature-rich platform that becomes free if you process payments through Shift4. That bargain comes with dated interfaces and a payment lock-in that does not suit everyone.
Best for: US sellers who will use Shift4 payment processing
Why pick Squarespace?
Squarespace is the choice when design matters most. Its templates are gorgeous out of the box and the all-in-one editor is a joy, but the limited app ecosystem makes it a poor fit for large or complex catalogs.
Best for: Designers and content-led small stores