Which platform should run your business?
This is about the core commerce platform your business sells on — not your website's design, and not a single course or download (see our Course Platform Comparison for that).
Answer these before comparing platforms
- What are you actually selling? Physical products, digital products, services, or subscriptions each favor different platforms.
- What sales volume do you expect in year one? A side hustle and a business planning six figures in month one have different needs.
- Do you need in-person selling too? If you'll ever sell at a market, pop-up, or storefront, built-in point-of-sale matters.
- How much do you want to customize the storefront versus using a template as-is?
- What's your appetite for ongoing technical maintenance? Some platforms need more hands-on upkeep than others.
Our recommendations
Shopify
The most reliable path from a first sale to real scale. The widest app ecosystem for the moment you need something specific (subscriptions, custom shipping rules, wholesale), and it handles online, in-person, and marketplace selling from one back end.
Squarespace Commerce
If your site is primarily a portfolio, blog, or brand story with a shop attached — rather than a full storefront — Squarespace keeps design and commerce in the same simple system.
Skip both if you're only selling a handful of digital downloads or a single course — a dedicated platform (see our Course Platform Comparison) will serve you better than a general commerce platform built for physical inventory.