Final verdict
Square Online and Sellfy both offer unique advantages, but they cater to different types of users and business needs.
-
Square Online (Overall Grade: 7.2/10)
is a comprehensive website builder designed for businesses transitioning from brick-and-mortar to online sales. It excels in providing a seamless integration with Square’s payment processing and business management tools, making it ideal for retailers, restaurants, and service businesses. With a user-friendly interface, extensive design functionalities, and robust ecommerce features, Square Online is a strong choice for businesses looking to manage their online presence efficiently. -
Sellfy (Overall Grade: 6.0/10)
is tailored for creators and entrepreneurs looking to sell digital, physical, subscription-based, and print-on-demand products. It offers a simple, user-friendly interface that allows for quick setup of an online store without advanced technical skills. While it may lack some advanced design and customization options, Sellfy provides a comprehensive set of tools to manage, market, and scale an online business effectively, making it a suitable choice for creators seeking a straightforward ecommerce solution.
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Design functionalities & templates |
7.4 |
5.2 |
|
Ease of use |
8.4 |
7.8 |
|
Ecommerce |
7.3 |
6.8 |
|
Website Editors |
6.6 |
6.8 |
|
Product testing options |
7.8 |
7.3 |
|
Price |
7.5 |
7.9 |
|
Hosting quality |
7.8 |
7.3 |
|
Website speed optimization |
6.2 |
5.4 |
|
Plugins and integrations |
7.6 |
6.7 |
|
Marketing features |
7.4 |
7.1 |
|
Customer support |
6.7 |
5.8 |
|
Security |
8.5 |
7.2 |
|
AI capabilities |
7.4 |
0 |
|
User Management |
5.2 |
2.0 |
Best for ecommerce
7.3
6.8
Verdict
: Square Online is better suited for businesses transitioning from physical to online sales, while Sellfy is ideal for creators selling a variety of products, especially digital goods.
-
Square Online
: This platform excels in providing a seamless transition from brick-and-mortar to online sales, making it perfect for retailers, restaurants, and service businesses. It offers robust POS capabilities, comprehensive payment processing options, and a range of customizable templates. However, when comparing Square Online vs Sellfy, Square Online might be less flexible in design customization. -
Sellfy
: Tailored for creators, Sellfy simplifies the ecommerce process, making it easy to sell digital, physical, subscription-based, and print-on-demand products. It offers essential ecommerce features and integrates well with existing websites. However, it may lack the advanced POS capabilities and extensive payment options that Square Online provides.
Best for informational & business websites
7.4
5.7
Verdict
: Square Online is the better choice for informational business websites due to its higher score and more comprehensive features tailored for a broader range of business needs.
-
Square Online
: Scoring 7.4, Square Online excels in providing a user-friendly platform with a variety of customizable templates and seamless integration with Square’s suite of tools. It is particularly well-suited for businesses looking to manage their online presence efficiently. The platform’s design functionalities and ease of use make it a strong contender for creating professional informational websites. -
Sellfy
: With a score of 5.7, Sellfy is more focused on eCommerce, particularly for creators selling digital and physical products. While it offers a straightforward setup and user-friendly interface, its design customization options and integration capabilities are limited compared to Square Online. Sellfy is better suited for creators looking to quickly set up an online store rather than a comprehensive informational website.
Detailed comparison
Design functionalities & templates
Design FunctionalitiesRepresents how well each platform allows for creative design and customization of websites.Score Components:
- Template Variety (30%): Range and quality of design templates.
- Customization (30%): Flexibility and options for design alterations.
- User Interface (20%): Ease and intuitiveness of the design process.
- Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
- Innovation (10%): Unique design features and tools.
7.4
5.2
🏆
Winner: Square Online.
If you’re looking for a platform that offers more creative control and a wide array of design features, Square Online is the preferred choice.
Square Online offers a flexible website builder with a focus on e-commerce, providing a variety of design options through integration with platforms like Weebly. Users can customize their sites extensively, choosing from themes and preset styles to best represent their brand.
Compared to Square Online, Sellfy provides a collection of design templates through its theme store, located in the Store Customizer. Users have the option to preview these themes before applying them to their websites. As of the latest information, Sellfy offers five main theme options: Lumiére, Noir, Savant, Idée, and Mode. These themes cater to various aesthetic preferences and can be published to go live on a user’s website after selection and customization.
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Ease of use
Ease of useReflects the platform’s overall user-friendliness.Score
Components:
- Learning curve (40%): Quickness and ease of getting started.
- Interface design (30%): Simplicity and intuitiveness of layout.
- User guidance (20%): Quality of tutorials and support.
- Flexibility (10%): Adaptability to various user skills.
8.4
7.8
🏆 Winner: Square Online
. With a score of 8.4, Square Online offers an intuitive and user-friendly website building experience, making it accessible for users without coding skills. Sellfy, scoring 7.8, also provides a straightforward website builder, but its customization options and integration capabilities may not satisfy those seeking advanced design flexibility.
Learning Resources
🏆 Winner: Square Online
. Square Online provides comprehensive guides, video tutorials, active community forums, and accessible customer service. Sellfy also offers resources, but lacks a large community of users across various platforms.
For ecommerce
EcommerceMeasures the platform’s effectiveness in supporting online business activities.Score Components:
- Ecommerce themes and templates (20%): Variety and design of templates.
- Product management (25%): Ease of managing and organizing products.
- Payment options (25%): Variety and convenience of payment methods.
- Ecommerce features (20%): Features for managing an ecommerce store.
- Integration (10%): Compatibility with external e-commerce tools and services.
7.3
6.8
Square Online and Sellfy are both competent ecommerce platforms, each with its unique strengths. Square Online is a comprehensive solution, particularly tailored for retailers, restaurants, and service businesses, aiming to provide a seamless transition from brick-and-mortar operations to online sales. Sellfy, on the other hand, is an all-in-one eCommerce platform tailored for creators looking to sell a wide array of products including digital, physical, subscription-based, and print-on-demand items.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Ecommerce themes and templates |
6.8 |
7.0 |
|
Product page customization |
7.6 |
6.5 |
|
Payment processing and commissions |
7.9 |
8.0 |
|
POS capabilities |
9.0 |
4.0 |
|
Payment gateways |
7.5 |
6.0 |
|
Product numbers |
7.0 |
7.5 |
|
Additional ecommerce features |
7.2 |
6.5 |
Square Online ecommerce features:
- Product Listing and Inventory management
- Payment Processing and POS features
- Shipping and Fulfillment
- Marketing features
Sellfy ecommerce features:
- Product Listings
- Payment Gateways integration
- Product categories
Ecommerce themes & templates
Square Online offers a range of eCommerce templates designed to meet various business needs, enabling users to customize their sites to match their brand identity. It includes dynamic styling tools, personalized user experiences, and integrated payment solutions, including Square’s own payment gateway. While the platform emphasizes ease of use with drag-and-drop tools and pre-designed templates, it may offer limited design flexibility and payment processing options compared to other platforms. Sellfy, on the other hand, offers templates that are specifically designed for online stores, making it a suitable choice for creators and merchants looking to sell online.
Product page customization
In Square Online, you can add up to 250 variations per item, like different sizes or versions, through “Selectable Options” in the item details section of your online store. Additionally, “Item Modifiers” allow for further customization by letting customers choose options or input custom text, such as engraving names on jewelry, without affecting inventory levels. Sellfy supports a diverse range of products including digital goods like music, videos, ebooks, and software, as well as physical products and print-on-demand merchandise such as t-shirts and mugs. The platform enables the sale of subscriptions, offering a means for recurring revenue. Sellfy provides tools for product protection and piracy prevention, ensuring secure file hosting and delivery.
Payment processing
When it comes to payment processing, Square Online supports a variety of payment options including Square Pay, Apple Pay, Cash App Pay, Google Pay, and Afterpay, catering to diverse customer payment preferences. The platform charges a transaction fee of 2.9% + 30¢ per online transaction for its free plan, with a discounted fee available on the Premium plan. Sellfy supports two primary payment gateways, Stripe and PayPal, allowing for various payment options including credit/debit cards and localized payment methods in Europe. The platform does not charge transaction fees beyond its subscription cost, though payment processors’ standard fees apply.
Website Editors
Website EditorsEvaluates the platforms’ website building and editing capabilities.Score Components:
- Customization tools (40%): Range and power of editing features.
- Editor usability (30%): User experience within the editor.
- Design flexibility (20%): Freedom in layout and design changes.
- Update and maintenance ease (10%): Simplicity of updating and maintaining the site.
6.6
6.8
🏆
Winner: Sellfy
. Sellfy, with a score of 6.8, offers a straightforward and user-friendly platform for creating online stores, focusing on simplicity over advanced customization. It supports the sale of digital, physical, subscription-based, and print-on-demand products, alongside integrated marketing tools for promotion and sales optimization. Payment processing is secure and direct, utilizing popular gateways like Stripe and PayPal with no transaction fees. Despite some limitations in design customization and app integrations, Sellfy aims to provide a comprehensive e-commerce solution for entrepreneurs and creators.
Square Online’s website builder, scoring 6.6, is designed for businesses looking to establish an online presence with ease, focusing on e-commerce functionality. It offers limited customization options, aiming to simplify the design process, yet includes essential e-commerce and marketing tools suitable for a variety of business needs. The platform supports an unlimited number of products and integrates with Square’s payment processing, albeit with limited external payment options. While Square Online is user-friendly and efficient for quickly setting up a website, it may not cater to those seeking extensive design flexibility or advanced e-commerce features.
Mobile editor/app
5.5
7.5
🏆
Winner: Sellfy
. Both Square Online and Sellfy offer mobile capabilities for managing your website, but they cater to different needs and skill levels. Square Online does not have a dedicated mobile editor app. Users can manage and edit a website built with Square Online using mobile browser version, however it comes with certain limitations.
Sellfy, on the other hand, offers a mobile app that enables store owners to manage their online stores on the go, offering functionalities such as viewing store performance metrics, managing and tracking orders, and receiving customized notifications. Users can also access summary reports of their store’s performance on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. However, it’s not possible to change the layout or the design of the website itself.
In summary, Sellfy receives a higher rating due to its comprehensive mobile management capabilities and user-friendly interface, while Square Online lacks a dedicated mobile app and has certain limitations when accessed via a mobile browser.
Product testing options
Product Testing OptionsAssesses the options for trying out platform features before commitment.Score Components:
- Trial quality (40%): Extent and usefulness of the trial or free version.
- Feature accessibility (30%): How many features are available to test.
- Trial duration (20%): Length of the trial period.
- Ease of transition (10%): Smoothness of moving from trial to paid plans.
7.8
7.3
Overall Result
:
Square Online scores slightly higher than Sellfy
with a score of 7.8 against 7.3. Square Online offers a free version and a 30-day free trial where users can test premium features, although billing information is required. Sellfy, on the other hand, does not offer a free version but provides a 14-day free trial where premium features can be tested. Additionally, Sellfy offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, which Square Online does not.
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|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Free Plan |
Yes |
No |
|
Trial Duration |
30 days |
14 days |
|
Testing Premium Features |
During the 30-day free trial |
During the 14-day free trial |
|
Money Back Guarantee |
No |
Yes (30 days) |
Price
PriceLooks at the cost-effectiveness and value for money of each platform.Score Components:
- Plan value (40%): What each pricing tier offers.
- Transparency and clarity (30%): Clearness of pricing structures.
- Flexibility of plans (20%): Range of options to suit different budgets.
- Hidden costs (10%): Additional expenses not included in the plan.
7.5
7.9
Sellfy and Square Online have similar pricing scores, but Sellfy offers a 20% discount on annual billing, while Square Online does not offer any discounts.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Free |
Free ($0/month): For businesses who want to start selling online fast. Online payments with 2.9% + 30¢, basic-site layouts and design controls, tax calculation, unlimited items, SEO tools, blog feature, Facebook ads. |
No offering at this amount. |
|
$20-$30 |
Plus ($29/month): For businesses looking to drive online growth and streamline operations. Includes all the features of the free plan, plus, free custom domain for a year, professional branding, custom embed code, manage multiple sites, pre-orders, abandoned cart recovery, free shipping and delivery progress bar, product reviews, discounts, website statistics. Value for price: 7.5 |
Starter ($29/month): Ideal for growing businesses with sales up to $10k/year. Offers unlimited products, digital and subscription products, domain connection, and 2,000 email credits. Annual savings available. Value for price: 7.5 |
|
$70-$80 |
No offering at this amount. |
Business ($79/month): Targets businesses with up to $50k in yearly sales, offering everything in the Starter plan plus 10,000 email credits, product and store design migration, product upselling, cart abandonment tools, and Sellfy branding removal. Value for price: 8.0 |
|
$100+ |
No offering at this amount. |
Premium ($159/month): For businesses with up to $200k/year in sales. Includes everything in the Business plan plus 50,000 email credits, product migration, and priority support. Annual savings are also offered. Value for Price: 8.5 |
location. As a result in rare cases the prices displayed here can differ from the ones you see on their
websites.
Hosting quality
Hosting
qualityExamines the reliability and performance of the hosting solutions.Score Components:
- Uptime (40%): Consistency and reliability of website availability.
- Speed (30%): Loading times and performance.
- Bandwidth and storage (20%): Sufficiency of resources provided.
- Data centers (10%): Quality and distribution of hosting infrastructure.
7.8
7.3
Winner: Square Online
. Both Square Online and Sellfy offer hosting services, but neither discloses the type of hosting or the locations of their data centers. However, Square Online has a slightly higher uptime of 99.96% compared to Sellfy’s 99.99%, and neither offers an uptime guarantee. Despite the lack of transparency, Square Online’s hosting quality score is slightly higher, making it the winner in this category.
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|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Do they offer hosting? |
Yes, with unlimited bandwidth | Yes |
|
Type of hosting: |
Not specified | Not specified |
|
Uptime: |
99.96% | 99.99% |
|
Uptime Guarantee: |
No | No |
|
Data Centers: |
Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
Website Speed Optimization
Website Speed OptimizationEvaluates optimization of website loading timesScore Components:
- PageSpeed Score (30%): Google’s score indicating performance optimization.
- Loading Time (30%): The average time until a website is fully interactive.
- Mobile Optimization (15%): Optimization effectiveness for mobile devices.
- Resource Optimization (15%): Optimizing images, scripts, and other heavy resources.
- CDN Usage (10%): Use of CDN to enhance speed across geolocations.
6.2
5.4
🏆 Winner: Square Online
Both Square Online and Sellfy have similar strategies for speed optimization, including lazy loading, code minification, caching, and image optimization. However, Square Online has a slightly higher website speed optimization score.
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Key Strategies |
Lazy Loading, Code Minification, Caching, Image optimization |
Code Minification, Caching, Image Optimization |
|
Load Times |
Varies depending on optimization and website complexity |
Varies depending on optimization and website complexity |
|
Page Speed Scores Range |
Varies depending on optimization and website complexity |
Varies depending on optimization and website complexity |
|
Core Web Vitals Improvement |
No information provided |
No information provided |
Square Online and Sellfy both use similar strategies for speed optimization, including lazy loading, code minification, caching, and image optimization. However, the load times and PageSpeed scores for both platforms can vary greatly depending on the level of optimization and the complexity of the website. Neither platform provides information on their Core Web Vitals improvements. Despite these similarities, Square Online has a slightly higher website speed optimization score, making it the winner in this category.
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Plugins and integrations
Plugins and integrationsMeasures the range and effectiveness of additional plugins and integrations.Score Components:
- Variety of options (40%): Range of available add-ons.
- Integration smoothness (30%): Ease of integrating plugins into the site.
- Quality of plugins (20%): Functionality and reliability of the options.
- Custom integration capabilities (10%): Support for custom or third-party integrations.
7.6
6.7
🏆 Winner: Square Online.
With a score of 7.6, Square Online offers a wide array of app integrations that facilitate various aspects of business operations, including eCommerce, accounting, marketing, and employee management. These integrations span from free options to premium services, allowing businesses to tailor their Square setup to their specific needs.
Sellfy, scoring 6.7, also offers various integrations for its website builder, including Google Analytics, Facebook Live Chat, Zapier, and social media advertising tools. However, the breadth and depth of Square Online’s integrations give it the upper hand in this category.
Marketing Features
Design FunctionalitiesRepresents how well each platform allows for creative design and customization of websites.Score Components:
- Template Variety (30%): Range and quality of design templates.
- Customization (30%): Flexibility and options for design alterations.
- User Interface (20%): Ease and intuitiveness of the design process.
- Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
- Innovation (10%): Unique design features and tools.
7.4
7.1
🏆
Overall Winner: Square Online
. Square Online edges out Sellfy with a slightly higher score in marketing features. While both platforms offer robust SEO tools, email marketing, social media integration, analytics and reporting, and ads and promotions, Square Online also provides blogging capabilities, which Sellfy lacks.
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|---|---|---|
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SEO Tools |
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|
|
Email Marketing |
|
|
|
Blogging |
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|
Social Media Integration |
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|
Analytics and Reporting |
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|
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Ads and Promotions |
|
|
Customer Support
Customer supportEvaluates the quality and availability of support options.Score Components:
- Response time (40%): Speed of support responses.
- Support quality (30%): Effectiveness and helpfulness of the support.
- Availability (20%): Range of support channels (phone, chat, email).
- Resource richness (10%): Quality of self-help and educational materials.
6.7
5.8
🏆 Winner: Square Online
. In the comparison of Square Online vs Sellfy, Square Online takes the lead with a customer support score of 6.7. Square Online offers a variety of support channels, including phone, live chat, and email, with availability from 6 AM to 6 PM Pacific Time on weekdays for general inquiries. Additionally, premium plan users benefit from 24/7 phone support in English, alongside weekend support hours, ensuring comprehensive assistance for businesses.
Sellfy, on the other hand, provides 24/7 customer support, but it is limited to email and possibly a knowledge base for self-service, as phone and live chat options are not available. With a customer support score of 5.8, Sellfy’s support is accessible at any hour, but the lack of diverse support channels may be a drawback for some users. Despite this, Sellfy’s focus on simplifying the eCommerce process for creators ensures that users have the necessary tools to manage their online business effectively.
Security
SecurityLooks at the platforms’ security measures and data protection.Score Components:
- Data protection (40%): Safeguards for user and customer data.
- SSL and encryption (30%): Implementation of secure connections.
- Compliance (20%): Adherence to industry security standards.
- Regular updates (10%): Frequency of security updates and patches.
8.5
7.2
🏆
Winner: Square Online
. Square Online takes a comprehensive approach to security, providing free SSL security for every site, constant security monitoring, and compliance with GDPR for EU and UK users. This ensures that personal and financial information remains confidential and protected, which is crucial for building trust with customers and securing online transactions.
Although it may not offer the same level of specialized ecommerce security features as Square Online, Sellfy is committed to maintaining a secure platform for all types of websites. This includes the use of secure payment processors like Stripe and PayPal, unique download links for each purchase, and limited download attempts. However, it falls short in comparison to Square Online’s more robust security measures.
AI Capabilities
AI capabilitiesMeasures the effectiveness of AI-driven features and tools.Score Components:
- Automation efficiency (40%): Impact of AI on streamlining processes.
- Personalization (30%): AI-driven customization for users or customers.
- AI-Assisted design (20%): Role of AI in website design and functionality.
- Data analysis (10%): Use of AI in interpreting user data and analytics.
7.4
0
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
Personalized Recommendations |
AI algorithms offer personalized product recommendations based on customer behavior |
|
|
Content Generation |
AI-generated photo environments, personalized email copy, website content, and menu generation |
|
|
Additional AI Features |
“Team Announcements” for internal communication, “Auto-imported Services” for salons and spas, “Kitchen Categories” for restaurant operations |
|
🏆 Winner: Square Online
. Square Online, with a score of 7.4, utilizes AI to enhance the ecommerce experience and streamline operations for businesses. Its AI features focus on personalized product recommendations, content generation, and operational efficiency.
Sellfy, on the other hand, does not have any AI capabilities.
User Management
User ManagementAssesses the platforms’ capabilities in managing user roles, permissions, and accessibility.Score Components:
- Role Customization (40%): Flexibility in creating and defining user roles and
permissions. - Ease of Management (30%): User interface and tools for managing users.
- Access Control (20%): Effectiveness of access control measures for different user
levels. - Scalability (10%): Ability to manage a growing number of users efficiently.
5.2
2.0
🏆 Winner: Square Online
. When it comes to managing your online team, Square Online and Sellfy offer different levels of flexibility.
- Square Online allows multiple staff accounts, however the platform does not specify how many accounts are supported.
- Sellfy, on the other hand, does not support adding multiple users or staff to a single account.
This makes Square Online a more flexible option for businesses that need to manage multiple users or staff members.
Additional Features
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|---|---|---|
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SSL Certificate |
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Custom Domain |
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Free Custom Domain Included |
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International Domains |
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Mobile Responsive |
|
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|
Page Speed |
|
|
|
Website Builder Mobile App |
|
|
|
Convert a Website To An App |
|
|
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Website Analytics |
|
|
|
Multilingual Sites |
|
|
|
Multiple Users |
|
|
User Feedback
Users appreciate Square Online Store for its ease of setup, no initial payment requirement for registration, and dependable payment processing. The platform is lauded for its simple user interface, which allows for quick product sales and efficient inventory management. However, some users express dissatisfaction with the limited design customization options and the simplicity of the store layouts, noting that they do not match the design quality of competitors like Wix, Squarespace, or Shopify. Additionally, limitations in scheduled order processing and a desire for more advanced features and better support for custom HTML and SEO were highlighted.
The user feedback on Sellfy highlights its strengths in providing an efficient, compact online store setup that caters to specific needs with affordable pricing, including a 14-day trial period to familiarize users with the product. Many appreciate its user-friendly interface, internal marketing tools, and customization options, which enable sellers to tailor their storefronts to their brand, along with integrations for payment processing like PayPal and Stripe. However, criticisms include issues with mobile site speed, a desire for clearer insights, limitations on customization, and some customer service inefficiencies.
The making of this blog
We followed a clear, step-by-step process to write and research this article.
FAQ
Which platform is better for creators, Square Online or Sellfy?
Can I use Square Online for a restaurant or retail business?
Which platform offers better design and customization options?
How do Square Online and Sellfy compare in terms of ease of use?
Which platform is more affordable, Square Online or Sellfy?
How do the platforms compare in terms of customer support?
Which platform has better marketing features?
Is Sellfy a good option for selling digital products?
Can I manage multiple users or staff with Square Online?
Which platform offers better security features?
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