Artisanal Solutions / Guides / Shopify vs Square Online for food makers

Comparison

Shopify vs Square Online for food makers

The two online store builders food makers and farms compare most. Square Online is the easy, low-cost start if you already sell with Square. Shopify is the fuller store once online sales matter.

Get a plan and a priceSee the picks

Updated November 2026 by the Madeline's team, who set these tools up for makers and farms.

Shopify vs Square Online
5In view
5On track
2Needs you
ShopifySquare Online
Free plan No, trial only Yes, with branding
In-person POS Shopify POS Square POS
Subscriptions Via apps Paid plans
Wholesale B2B and apps Basic
App ecosystem Large Smaller
Features, plans and fees change; check each vendor before you switch.

The short answer

Choose Square Online if most sales are in person on Square and you want a simple online store, including a free plan to start. Choose Shopify if online is a real channel: shipping perishables with ship-day rules, subscriptions, wholesale and email built on order data.

Side by side

  1. Shopify

    Best for online as a real channel

    A hosted e-commerce platform with a large app ecosystem: subscriptions, wholesale portals, shipping rules for perishables and deep email integrations. Shopify POS covers in-person sales.

    Good fit if
    • Online sales are growing
    • You ship perishables and need ship-day rules
    • You want Klaviyo built on order data
    Watch for
    • Monthly plan plus paid apps
    • More to set up

  2. Square Online

    Best for starting simple

    Square's online store, connected to the Square register and inventory you already use. A free plan carries Square branding and a higher online card rate; paid plans remove branding and lower the rate.

    Good fit if
    • You already sell with Square at markets
    • You want an online store without a monthly fee
    Watch for
    • Fewer options for shipping rules and wholesale
    • Free plan has Square branding

Want one of these set up for you?

Tell us what you make. We send back a short plan and a price.

Get a plan and a price

How it works

  1. Tell us what you make

    What you make and what you use now. A spreadsheet and a Square account is a fine answer.

  2. Get a short plan

    Keep this, replace that, connect these, and the cost.

  3. We set it up

    Setup and migration done for you. You approve before anything goes live.

  4. Run it or hand it off

    Take it from there yourself or keep us on for the upkeep.

Questions

Is Square Online free?

Square Online has a free plan with Square branding and a higher online card processing rate. Paid plans remove the branding and lower the rate.

Should a farm use Shopify or Square?

Square if you mostly sell at markets and want a simple online store. Shopify if online sales and shipping are a real part of the business.

Can I use Square at market and Shopify online?

Yes, but inventory has to sync between them. Many makers move to Shopify POS to keep one inventory, or connect the two with an integration.

Can Madeline's move my store?

Yes. We move products, customers and order history, set up shipping and payments, and test checkout before you switch.

Get a plan and a price

Tell us what you make and what you use today. A spreadsheet and a Square account is a fine answer. We reply by email with what we would keep, what we would change and what it costs.

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