Square Online vs WooCommerce
A side-by-side look at Square Online and WooCommerce. On our scoring, WooCommerce comes out ahead — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| SellingScene score | 4.1/5 | 4.2/5 |
| User rating | 4 | 4.4 |
| Reviews | 1,320 | 3,890 |
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Pricing model | free plan + processing fees | free core + hosting & extensions |
| Transaction fees | 2.9% + 30¢ online | 0% (payment processor fees apply) |
| Hosting & setup | ||
| Hosting type | Fully hosted (SaaS) | Self-hosted |
| Free trial | Free plan available | Free core plugin |
| Staff accounts | Role-based | Unlimited (role-based) |
| Product limit | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Payments & security | ||
| Payment gateways | Square (primary) | 100+ via extensions (Stripe, PayPal, etc.) |
| SSL included | Yes | Yes |
| PCI compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Gift cards | Yes | Yes |
| Catalog & content | ||
| Themes / templates | Template-based | Thousands (WP ecosystem) |
| App marketplace | Square App Marketplace | 900+ official extensions |
| Multi-currency | No | Yes |
| Multi-language | No | Yes |
| POS included | Yes | No |
| Abandoned cart recovery | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in blog | No | Yes |
| Tools & flexibility | ||
| Drag-and-drop editor | Yes | Yes |
| API access | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
| Support channels | Phone & chat (business hours), email | Docs, community forums, host/extension support |
| Actions | Read review | Read review |
Why 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 reviewWhy pick WooCommerce?
WooCommerce gives you total ownership and zero platform fees, but you trade convenience for responsibility. If you already live in WordPress and have some technical comfort, it is unbeatable on flexibility and cost of goods.
Best for: WordPress users who want full control
Read the full WooCommerce review