Tilda vs Square Online: Comprehensive comparison guide for 2024

Final verdict


Tilda vs Square Online: Both platforms offer unique strengths, but they cater to different user needs.


  • Tilda (Overall Grade: 6.7/10)

    is ideal for users who prioritize design flexibility and visual content. It offers a wide range of customizable templates and a user-friendly, block-based design approach. Tilda is particularly suitable for bloggers, small businesses, and digital marketers who want to create visually appealing websites without coding. However, it falls short in ecommerce capabilities and customer support compared to Square Online.

  • Square Online (Overall Grade: 7.2/10)

    excels in providing a comprehensive solution for businesses looking to manage their online presence and sales efficiently. It offers robust ecommerce features, seamless integration with Square’s payment processing tools, and a user-friendly interface. Square Online is particularly well-suited for retailers, restaurants, and service businesses transitioning from brick-and-mortar to online operations. While it may not offer the same level of design flexibility as Tilda, its ecommerce and business management tools make it a strong contender.

Best for ecommerce

7.2
7.3


Verdict

: Tilda and Square Online both offer robust ecommerce capabilities, but they cater to different needs. Tilda is a user-friendly platform with a focus on typography and visual content, making it suitable for bloggers, small businesses, and digital marketers. On the other hand, Square Online is designed for businesses looking to manage their online presence, sales, and operations efficiently within a single ecosystem.


  • Tilda

    : Tilda is a versatile website builder that excels in creating visually appealing websites with a strong emphasis on typography and visual content. It offers essential ecommerce features such as product catalogs, payment gateways, and order management. However, it may not be as comprehensive as Square Online in terms of POS capabilities and advanced ecommerce functionalities. Tilda’s score for ecommerce is 7.2.

  • Square Online

    : Square Online is tailored for businesses that need a seamless transition from brick-and-mortar to online sales. It offers a range of customizable templates, easy drag-and-drop tools, and direct integration with Square’s suite of payment processing and business management tools. This makes it an attractive option for businesses looking to manage their online presence, sales, and operations efficiently. Square Online’s score for ecommerce is 7.3.

Best for informational & business websites

8.4
7.4


Verdict

: Tilda is the superior choice for creating visually appealing and highly customizable informational websites, while Square Online is more suited for businesses looking for a straightforward, integrated solution.


  • Tilda

    : Tilda excels in providing a wide range of design templates and customization options, making it ideal for users who want more control over their website’s design. Its focus on typography and visual content allows for the creation of professional-looking websites without the need for coding skills. Tilda’s versatility and integration with various services make it a strong contender for bloggers, small businesses, and digital marketers. With a score of 8.4, Tilda stands out in the Tilda vs Square Online comparison for informational websites.

  • Square Online

    : Square Online offers a user-friendly website building experience with a focus on e-commerce functionality. It provides a range of customizable templates and integrates seamlessly with Square’s suite of payment processing and business management tools. While it may not offer the same level of design flexibility as Tilda, Square Online is an attractive option for businesses looking to manage their online presence efficiently. With a score of 7.4, Square Online is a solid choice for businesses transitioning from brick-and-mortar operations to online sales.

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.
8.6
7.4

🏆

Winner: Tilda.

Tilda offers a wider range of design templates and more customization options, making it the preferred choice for users who want more control over their website’s design.

Tilda offers a diverse selection of design templates suitable for various types of content, all crafted by professional designers. These templates emphasize gorgeous typography, minimalist blocks, and striking images. Users have the flexibility to modify any template significantly or even start from scratch, ensuring the final website can meet a wide range of design preferences and requirements.


Tilda Themes

Tilda templates page
Tilda website template example

On the other hand, 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. While the exact number of templates available directly from Square is not specified, the integration with Weebly provides about a hundred themes, including 15 for online stores, emphasizing professional design and mobile responsiveness.


Square Online Themes

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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.
8.0
8.4


🏆 Winner: Square Online

. With a score of 8.4, Square Online slightly edges out Tilda, which scored 8.0. Square Online offers an intuitive and user-friendly website building experience, making it accessible for users without coding skills. It also provides robust customer support and seamlessly integrates with Square’s broader ecosystem, enhancing operational efficiency for users.


Learning Resources


🏆 Winner: Tilda

. Both platforms offer solid learning resources, but Tilda provides comprehensive resources and tools for users to create websites, online stores, and online courses without coding skills, focusing on design flexibility, content presentation, and SEO optimization.

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.
7.2
7.3

Tilda and Square Online both offer robust ecommerce capabilities, but they cater to different needs. Tilda is a user-friendly platform with a focus on typography and visual content, making it suitable for bloggers, small businesses, and digital marketers. On the other hand, Square Online is designed for businesses looking to manage their online presence, sales, and operations efficiently within a single ecosystem.

Tilda Logo
Square Online Logo

Ecommerce themes and templates

6.5

6.8

Product page customization

7.0

7.6

Payment processing and commissions

7.5

7.9

POS capabilities

0.0

9.0

Payment gateways

7.8

7.5

Product numbers

6.0

7.0

Additional ecommerce features

6.5

7.2

Tilda ecommerce features:

  • Product Catalogs and Inventory management
  • Payment Gateways integration
  • Shipping options
  • Order management
  • Built-in CRM and marketing tools

Tilda add a product

Square Online ecommerce features:

  • Product Listing and Inventory management
  • Payment Processing and POS features
  • Shipping and Fulfillment
  • Marketing features

Ecommerce themes & templates

Tilda offers around 20 ready-made online store templates, focusing on providing a seamless online shopping experience. Square Online, on the other hand, offers a range of ecommerce templates designed to meet various business needs, with dynamic styling tools and personalized user experiences.

Product page customization

Tilda enables a wide range of customizations for product pages, including the design, e-commerce functionalities, and integration with external services. Square Online allows for up to 250 variations per item, enhancing the shopping experience for customers.

Payment processing

Tilda supports a variety of popular payment systems such as Stripe, PayPal, and 2Checkout, without imposing additional transaction fees. Square Online supports a variety of payment options including Square Pay, Apple Pay, Cash App Pay, Google Pay, and Afterpay, charging a transaction fee of 2.9% + 30¢ per online transaction for its free plan.

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.
8.0
6.6

🏆

Winner: Tilda

. Tilda, with a score of 8.0, offers a user-friendly, block-based design approach that simplifies the process of creating websites without requiring in-depth coding knowledge. It features advanced customization options through its Zero Block feature, allowing for detailed control over design elements for those needing more specific layouts. The platform supports responsive design, ensuring websites are optimized for all devices, and includes built-in SEO tools, analytics, and a range of integrations with third-party services for extended functionality.

Tilda editor

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.

Mobile editor/app

5.5
5.5

🏁

Draw: Tilda vs Square Online

. Both Tilda and Square Online do not have a dedicated mobile editor app. However, they allow users to manage and edit their websites using the mobile browser version of the editor. It’s important to note that both platforms come with certain limitations when it comes to mobile editing.

Therefore, there is no clear winner in this category as both Tilda and Square Online have the same score of 5.5 for their mobile editor.

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.
5.9
7.8


Overall Result

:

Square Online wins

. Square Online scores 7.8, outperforming Tilda which scores 5.9. Square Online offers a 30-day free trial, during which users can test premium features, although billing information is required. Tilda, on the other hand, offers a free plan with some premium features available for testing, but does not provide a trial version or a money-back guarantee.

Tilda Logo
Square Online Logo

Free Plan
Yes Yes

Trial Duration
No
30 days

Testing Premium Features
Some features with free plan
During 30-day free trial

Money Back Guarantee
No No

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.
8.0
7.5


Tilda and Square Online offer similar pricing tiers, but Tilda provides more flexibility with monthly subscriptions and discounts on annual plans, while Square Online only offers annual billing.

Tilda Logo


Offerings

Square Online Logo


Offerings


Free

Free ($0/month):

Tilda’s Free plan allows for 1 website with up to 50 pages per website and 50 MB of space per project. It includes a free subdomain on tilda.ws, responsive design on all devices, basic animations, a built-in image and icon library, and Tilda CRM.


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.


$10-$20

Personal ($15/month):

The Personal plan offers 1 website with up to 500 pages and 1 GB of space. It includes all features of the Free plan plus the ability to connect a custom domain, advanced animations, full access to the Block Library, analytics, SEO tools, and online store capabilities.

Value for price:


7.5

No offering at this amount.

$20+

Business ($25/month):

The Business plan expands capabilities to 5 websites per account, each with up to 500 pages and 1 GB of space, including source code export and API access. It builds upon the Personal plan features with additions suitable for more extensive business needs.

Value for price:


9.0


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

In some cases companies have different prices based on various components like a
location. As a result in rare cases the prices displayed here can differ from the ones you see on their
websites.

Hosting quality

Hosting
quality
Examines 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.
6.2
7.8


Winner: Square Online

. Square Online edges out Tilda with a higher uptime and unlimited bandwidth. Both platforms do not disclose their data center locations and do not offer an uptime guarantee. However, Square Online’s higher uptime and unlimited bandwidth give it a slight advantage over Tilda.

Tilda Logo
Square Online Logo

Do they offer hosting?
Yes, cloud hosting with up to 1GB storage capacity Yes, with unlimited bandwidth

Type of hosting:
Cloud Hosting The platform does not specify the type of hosting it provides

Uptime:
99.9% 99.96%

Uptime Guarantee:
No No

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.
4.9
6.2


🏆 Winner: Square Online

Both Tilda and Square Online prioritize website performance and page speed, but Square Online has a more comprehensive approach to speed optimization, giving it the edge.

Tilda Logo
Square Online Logo

Focus

Lazy Loading, Image Optimization

Lazy Loading, Code Minification, Caching, Image optimization

Performance Tools

Not specified

Not specified

Key Strategies

Lazy Loading, Image Optimization

Lazy Loading, 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’s approach to enhancing site speed includes lazy loading, code minification, caching, and image optimization. These strategies help to reduce the amount of data that needs to be processed, thereby improving the speed of the website. However, Square Online does not provide any specific information on their Core Web Vitals improvements.

Tilda, on the other hand, focuses on lazy loading and image optimization to enhance website speed. These strategies help to reduce the amount of data that needs to be processed, thereby improving the speed of the website. However, Tilda does not provide any specific information on their Core Web Vitals improvements.

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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
7.6


🏆 Winner: It’s a tie.

Both Tilda and Square Online score 7.6 in plugins and integrations. Tilda offers a diverse range of integrations with services for payments, forms, analytics, and more, enhancing the functionality of websites created on its platform. On the other hand, Square Online supports a wide array of app integrations to facilitate various aspects of business operations, including eCommerce, accounting, marketing, and employee management. The choice between the two would depend on the specific needs of your business.

Square Online Applications

Square Online apps marketplace

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.
6.9
7.4

🏆

Overall Winner: Square Online

. Square Online edges out Tilda with a slightly higher marketing features score and a more comprehensive set of tools, including ads and promotions which Tilda lacks.

Tilda Logo
Square Online Logo

SEO Tools







Email Marketing







Blogging







Social Media Integration







Analytics and Reporting







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.
5.5
6.7


🏆 Winner: Square Online

. In the Tilda vs Square Online comparison, Square Online takes the lead with a customer support score of 6.7, compared to Tilda’s 5.5. Square Online offers a more comprehensive support system, including phone, live chat, and email support, with availability from 6 AM to 6 PM Pacific Time on weekdays and extended hours for account issues. Premium plan users also benefit from 24/7 phone support, ensuring that help is available whenever needed.

Tilda, on the other hand, provides customer support primarily via email and directs users to its Help Center for self-help options. While Tilda’s support is adequate for basic needs, it lacks the extensive support options and availability that Square Online offers, making Square Online the better choice for users who prioritize robust customer support.

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.
7.6
8.5

🏆

Winner: Square Online

. Square Online takes the lead in security with a score of 8.5, compared to Tilda’s 7.6. Square Online prioritizes user privacy and data security through encryption, adherence to industry standards, and constant security monitoring. It also provides free SSL security for every site, ensuring that personal and financial information remains confidential and protected.

Although it may not offer the same level of specialized ecommerce security features as Square Online, Tilda is committed to maintaining a secure platform for all types of websites. This includes regular monitoring and updates to protect against the latest cyber threats, ensuring that users’ websites are safe and their visitors’ data is protected. It provides built-in security features such as DDoS prevention and HTTPS encryption to safeguard user data. However, it falls slightly short in comparison to Square Online’s comprehensive 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.
2.1
7.4
Tilda Logo
Square Online Logo

Personalized Design







SEO Optimization







Customer Behavior Analysis




Personalized product recommendations based on customer behavior

Sales Predictions







Inventory Management







Content Generation

AI-assisted text generation for website content

AI-generated photo environments, personalized email copy, website content, and menu generation


🏆 Winner: Square Online

. Square Online, with a score of 7.4, offers a broader range of AI features, including personalized product recommendations, AI-generated photo environments, personalized email copy, website content, and menu generation. It also has additional AI features that enhance productivity and communication for businesses.

Tilda, with a score of 2.1, has limited AI capabilities, focusing mainly on content generation. It does not offer any AI ecommerce features or additional AI features apart from text generation.

Tilda AI text generation

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.
7.3
5.2


🏆 Winner: Tilda

. Both Tilda and Square Online offer user management features, but Tilda provides more detailed and flexible options.

  • Tilda’s Collaborators feature allows adding teammates with either Full or Limited access. Full access enables collaborators to edit, publish, delete pages, view requests and statistics, and make changes to built-in website services. Limited access allows the project owner to specify what actions the collaborator can perform. This feature is available as a premium offering, and adding more collaborators requires additional payment, with costs adjusted based on previously paid periods. It applies to the entire account, not individual projects, and collaborators can be managed or replaced through the Site Settings.
  • Square Online allows multiple staff accounts, however the platform does not specify how many accounts are supported.

Unfortunately, there is no detailed information available about user roles and access levels for both platforms.

Additional Features

Tilda Logo
Square Online Logo

SSL Certificate







Custom Domain







Free Custom Domain Included







International Domains







Mobile Responsive







Page Speed







Website Builder Mobile App







Convert a Website To An App







Website Analytics







Multilingual Sites







Multiple Users


User Feedback

Tilda
47 reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
Square Online
16 reviews
4.3 out of 5 stars

Tilda Publishing receives varied feedback from users, highlighting its strengths in offering a no-code, customizable website building experience with features like Zero Block for personalization and easy backend setup. Users appreciate its affordability, user-friendly interface, and responsive customer support. However, criticisms include buggy font customization, limited design elements, and instability in some of its features. Despite these drawbacks, many find Tilda beneficial for creating professional websites quickly and managing multiple sites under one plan, although some users advise caution due to issues with stability and customer support.

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 making of this blog

We followed a clear, step-by-step process to write and research this article.

FAQ

Which platform is better for ecommerce, Tilda or Square Online?

Square Online slightly edges out Tilda in ecommerce capabilities, offering a more integrated solution for businesses that require seamless operation management alongside their online presence. Square Online is tailored for retailers, restaurants, and service businesses, providing comprehensive tools for managing online sales, payments, and operations all in one place.

Can I create a visually appealing website with Tilda?

Yes, Tilda excels in design flexibility and customization, making it ideal for users focused on creating visually appealing websites. It offers a wide range of pre-designed blocks and templates, alongside advanced features like Zero Block for deep customization. Tilda is particularly suited for bloggers, small businesses, and digital marketers who prioritize design over advanced ecommerce functionalities.

Is Square Online easy to use for beginners?

Square Online is known for its intuitive and user-friendly website building experience, scoring slightly higher in ease of use compared to Tilda. It provides robust customer support and seamlessly integrates with Square’s broader ecosystem, enhancing operational efficiency for users without coding skills.

How do Tilda and Square Online compare in terms of website speed and performance?

Square Online has a more comprehensive approach to website speed optimization, including strategies like lazy loading, code minification, caching, and image optimization. While both platforms prioritize website performance, Square Online’s approach gives it a slight edge over Tilda.

Which platform offers better customer support, Tilda or Square Online?

Square Online outperforms Tilda in customer support, providing assistance through phone, live chat, and email, with specific hours for general inquiries and account issues. Tilda mainly offers support via email and suggests users consult its Help Center for self-help options.

Are there any AI capabilities in Tilda or Square Online?

Square Online offers a broader range of AI features, including personalized product recommendations and AI-generated content, enhancing productivity and communication for businesses. Tilda has limited AI capabilities, focusing mainly on content generation.

What are the main differences in user feedback for Tilda and Square Online?

Users appreciate Tilda for its no-code, customizable website building experience and affordability, despite some criticisms regarding buggy features and limited design elements. Square Online is praised for its ease of setup and dependable payment processing, though some users desire more advanced features and better design customization options.

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