Shopify vs Square
Shopify vs Square, compared side by side on 23 data points: what each one does, how big it is, what it has raised, the tech running each site, and what users report. We score both out of 100 on traction, team and visibility: Shopify is on 78/100 and Square on 67/100.
Where each one leads
Shopify
- our overall score: 78/100 against 67/100
- headcount: 28,166 against 55
- funding raised: $122M against $10.0M
- LinkedIn following: 1,077,189 against 380
Square
Leads on none of the measures we hold for both companies.
At a glance
| Measure | Shopify | Square |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Shopify provides a leading e-commerce platform that enables businesses of all sizes to create online stores, manage products, process payments, and fulfill orders, simplifying digital sales globally. | An all-in-one financial services platform providing point-of-sale systems, payment processing, and business management tools. |
| Category | E-commerce Platform, Online Retail, Payments, Point of Sale | Fintech, Payments, Fintech & Payments, Digital Payments |
| Sells toBusiness model | B2B | B2B |
| Offering | Platform | SaaS | Platform |
| Founded | 2006 | 2009 |
| Headquarters | Ottawa, Canada | San Francisco, United States |
| Status | Active | Active |
Size, funding and growth
| Measure | Shopify | Square |
|---|---|---|
| Employees | 28,166 | 55 |
| Total funding | $122M | $10.0M |
| Latest round | Series C | Series A |
| Valuation | $1.0B | $30.0M |
| LinkedIn followers | 1,077,189 | 380 |
StartupHub scores
Our own 0-100 ratings. They measure company strength and site quality, not which product suits you.
| Measure | Shopify | Square |
|---|---|---|
| StartupHub scoreOur 0-100 rating | 78/100 | 67/100 |
| Traction | 60/100 | 52/100 |
| Team | 70/100 | 60/100 |
| Community | 20/100 | 8/100 |
| Search visibility | 66/100 | 44/100 |
| Quality | 94/100 | 78/100 |
| Agent readinessHow well an AI agent can read and act on the site | D (54/100) | D (56/100) |
| Domain ratingLink authority, 0-100 | 96/100 | 93/100 |
Technology
Detected on each public site, so it reflects the marketing stack as well as the product.
| Measure | Shopify | Square |
|---|---|---|
| CDN | Cloudflare | Cloudflare |
| CMS | Shopify | Not detected |
| Frameworks | Tailwind CSS | Tailwind CSS |
| Payments | Not detected | Square |
| Open source | Yes | No |
What users say
| Measure | Shopify | Square |
|---|---|---|
| Reddit sentimentThreads we track | Not published | 0 positive, 2 negative across 3 threads |
“After two years of processing payments, with zero notice, and zero reason given Square closed our account Saturday in the middle of the day. I wish I could say we are alone, so many folks have posted on the BBB that this makes me think that”r/smallbusiness
Shopify vs Square: common questions
Which is better, Shopify or Square?
On our 0-100 score Shopify rates higher (78/100 against 67/100). The score weights traction, team, visibility and profile completeness, so it reflects company strength rather than which product suits you. We compare the two on 23 data points above: read the rows that match what you are buying for.
How do Shopify and Square compare on the numbers?
Shopify leads on our overall score (78/100 against 67/100), headcount (28,166 against 55), funding raised ($122M against $10.0M), LinkedIn following (1,077,189 against 380).
What do real users say about Shopify and Square?
Square: 0 positive and 2 negative mentions across 3 Reddit threads we track, mostly in r/smallbusiness.
Read the full Shopify review and pricing or the Square review and pricing. You can also browse other Shopify alternatives we track.