ChatGPT answers, unedited

For a small maker business that needs a simple POS + online store, I’d pick Square unless your online store is going to become the bigger part of the business.

My pick: Square

squareup.com is probably the best starting point for a maker selling at markets, craft fairs, pop-ups, and online.

• $0/month on Square’s Free plan for the online store. Square Square
• POS and online inventory/orders can stay synced.
• You can take payments with a phone, card reader, or other Square hardware.
• The online store supports shipping, pickup, and local delivery. Square
• It's particularly good if you're doing in-person markets/pop-ups and don't want to pay a big monthly software bill.
• The downside is that Square's online storefront is less polished/flexible than Shopify.

When I'd choose Shopify instead

shopify.com is the better choice if your website/ecommerce business is the main event and the physical POS is secondary.

Shopify's Basic plan is currently $39/month monthly ($29/month when paid annually), and includes the full online store plus basic in-person selling. Shopify Shopify

I'd choose Shopify if you expect to have:

• A substantial product catalog
• Lots of online sales
• More sophisticated website/branding
• Email/marketing integrations
• Multiple sales channels
• The need to grow into a more sophisticated ecommerce operation

The simple decision

For a typical small maker—candles, ceramics, jewelry, art, clothing, crafts, etc.—I'd start with Square. You can get the POS and online shop running without committing to a substantial monthly subscription. Square's current free online plan charges processing fees when you sell rather than a monthly software fee. Square

If you tell me what you're making, roughly how many products/SKUs you have, and whether you'll sell mostly at markets or online, I can tell you which one I'd use in your exact situation.

For a small maker business—especially if you sell at craft fairs, markets, pop-ups, and also want a simple online shop—I’d pick Square for most businesses.

My pick: Square

squareup.com is probably the best fit if your priorities are simple + inexpensive + in-person selling.

• $0/month for the basic POS software.
• You can start with a small card reader rather than buying a full register.
• Square can handle in-person and online sales with synced inventory. Square Square
• Its online store can handle shipping, pickup, local delivery, customer accounts, and basic ecommerce. Square
• Current U.S. Square Free card-present processing is 2.6% + $0.15. Square
• It's particularly good if you're selling physical handmade products at markets and want the online store to be an extension of that business.

When I'd choose Shopify instead

shopify.com becomes my recommendation if the online store is going to be a major part of the business.

Shopify is stronger for ecommerce: better storefront customization, product merchandising, marketing ecosystem, and long-term online growth. Its POS also connects online and in-person inventory. Shopify Shopify

The tradeoff is that you're paying for the ecommerce platform from the beginning—Shopify Basic is currently listed at $29/month when billed yearly, before other costs. Shopify

The simple decision

For a typical one-person maker business, I'd start with Square. You can get selling without committing to a monthly POS subscription, and you can upgrade as the business grows. Current comparisons also put Square among the strongest options for small businesses because of its free starting tier and practical in-person/online tools. Fit Small Business

If you tell me what you make, roughly how many products/SKUs you have, where you sell (Etsy, markets, your own website, etc.), and your approximate monthly sales, I can tell you whether I'd choose Square vs Shopify vs Etsy + Square specifically for your situation.

For a small maker business that needs a simple POS + online store, I’d pick Square in most cases.

My ranking

Why I’d choose Square

1. The POS is the strong point.
Square's basic POS software is free, and you can take payments with a reader or even Tap to Pay on your phone. squareup.comsquareup.com

That's particularly nice for a maker business selling at markets, festivals, craft fairs, or pop-ups.

2. Your online shop and physical inventory can stay together.
Square Online connects to the same catalog, so products, inventory, orders, and customer information can be managed alongside your in-person sales. squareup.com

3. You don't have to build a complicated ecommerce operation.
If you're selling, say, 30–100 handmade products rather than running a giant catalog, Square is plenty capable.

4. The cost structure is straightforward.
Square's free plan has no monthly POS software fee; its current U.S. card-present rate is 2.6% + 15¢, while online payments are 3.3% + 30¢. squareup.comsquareup.com

When I'd pick Shopify instead

I'd choose Shopify if your plan is more like:

"I'm building a real ecommerce brand, and the website/online sales will eventually be more important than selling at markets."

Shopify's Basic plan is currently $39/month month-to-month ($29/month if billed annually), with a full-featured online store and in-person selling included. www.shopify.com

Its ecommerce ecosystem is considerably deeper, but you can end up paying for capabilities a small maker doesn't actually need. Shopify's more advanced POS functionality also costs an additional $89/month per location. www.shopify.com

What I would not do

I wouldn't start with Wix + Square unless having a particularly beautiful/content-heavy website is important to you. Wix can connect to Square and sync products/inventory/orders, but now you're managing two platforms instead of one. support.wix.com

Bottom line: start with Square. It's the lowest-friction combination of "take money at a market" + "have a decent online shop" + "don't spend your life administering software."

If you tell me what you make, roughly how many products you have, whether you sell mostly online or at markets, and your approximate monthly sales, I can tell you whether I'd choose Square or Shopify—and which exact plan/hardware I'd use.

For a small maker business that needs both a simple POS and an online store, I’d usually narrow it to Square vs Shopify. The right choice depends on where most of your sales happen. www.launchadvisor.cotechnologyadvice.com

My default pick: Shopify if you want to grow online

Choose Shopify if you:

• Sell handmade goods, crafts, apparel, art, candles, ceramics, etc.
• Want your own branded website (not just a marketplace)
• Expect online sales to become important
• Need better product pages, shipping tools, marketing, and integrations
• Do occasional markets/pop-ups and want POS synced with inventory

Shopify’s strength is that it started as an ecommerce platform and has added POS, so it’s usually better when the website is the “main store.” technologyadvice.com

My budget/simple pick: Square if you sell mostly in person

Choose Square if you:

• Do craft fairs, farmers markets, pop-ups, or a small storefront
• Need to start cheaply
• Want a very simple card reader + inventory system
• Only need a basic online shop

Square is excellent for makers who are physically selling most of the time and just need an online presence. technologyadvice.com

Where Etsy fits

Etsy can be useful as an additional sales channel because it has built-in shoppers looking for handmade products, but it is less ideal as your only home base if you want to build a recognizable brand. fitsmallbusiness.com

Quick decision:

• 80% in-person sales (markets/events) → Square
• 80% online sales or you want to build a brand → Shopify
• Just testing products and need discovery → Etsy + Square/Shopify later
• Selling online + at markets + growing inventory → Shopify + Shopify POS

For most serious small makers starting today, I’d lean Shopify unless your business is mainly weekend markets. It costs more, but it gives you more room to grow without migrating later. www.launchadvisor.cotechnologyadvice.com

If you tell me:

1. what you make,
2. whether you sell at markets/stores/online now,
3. approximate number of products/SKUs, and
4. your monthly budget,

I can give a more specific recommendation.

For a small maker business that needs both a simple POS and an online store, I’d pick Square unless your online store is going to be the main engine of the business.

My pick: Square

Square is probably the best fit if you’re selling things like handmade goods at markets, craft fairs, pop-ups, and occasionally online.

Why:

• $0/month POS software on Square Free—you mainly pay payment processing when you sell. squareup.com
• Online store can be connected to the same product catalog and POS. squareup.comsquareup.com
• Inventory, orders, customers, and sales are unified.
• Hardware is inexpensive: Square Reader is $59, and Square Stand is $149. squareup.com
• You can start very simply and upgrade as you grow.

When I'd choose Shopify instead

Shopify is better if your website/ecommerce operation is going to be the center of the business.

Shopify's Basic plan is currently $39/month month-to-month ($29/month when billed annually), with a full-featured online store and in-person POS included. www.shopify.com Its POS Pro features are an additional $89/month/location, but you probably wouldn't need Pro for a small maker operation. www.shopify.com

The simple decision

For a typical one-person maker business, I'd start with Square. You can get a POS running without committing to a monthly subscription, while still having a real online storefront. Square's Free plan specifically includes POS, website/online ordering, and related tools. squareup.com

If you tell me what you make, roughly how many products/SKUs you have, and whether you'll sell mostly at markets or online, I can narrow it down between Square vs Shopify vs Etsy + Square and tell you exactly what I'd use.

For a small maker business selling both in person (markets, fairs, pop-ups) and online, I’d pick Square unless your online store is going to be the main growth engine.

My pick: Square

Square POS

Why it fits a maker business particularly well:

• $0/month for the basic POS — you pay processing fees when you sell. squareup.com
• Excellent for craft fairs, markets, pop-ups and mobile selling.
• Inventory is shared between your in-person and online sales.
• You can build a simple online store without paying for a separate ecommerce platform. Square's free tier includes websites/online selling. squareup.com
• Hardware is inexpensive: a basic Square Reader is $59, while a Square Stand is $149. squareup.com
• The current in-person processing rate on Square Free is 2.6% + 15¢ per transaction; online is 3.3% + 30¢. squareup.com

When I'd choose Shopify instead

Shopify

Choose Shopify if you expect the online store to become the heart of the business—lots of products, sophisticated product pages, email/marketing integrations, social selling, subscriptions, wholesale, etc.

Shopify's Basic plan is currently $39/month month-to-month ($29/month billed annually), with online card rates starting at 2.9% + 30¢. Its basic POS functionality is included, but POS Pro adds $89/month per location for advanced retail features. www.shopify.com

The simple decision

For a typical small maker—candles, ceramics, jewelry, art, woodworking, crafts, etc.—I'd start with Square. It's less expensive and less infrastructure than you need to get selling, while leaving you room to upgrade as you grow.

If you tell me what you make, roughly how many products/SKUs you have, and whether you sell mostly at markets or online, I can tell you which one I'd choose for your specific setup and what the monthly costs would look like.

For a small maker business that needs a simple POS + online store, I’d pick Square in most cases.

My ranking

🥇 I'd start with Square

The big advantage is simplicity: Square's free POS has no monthly software fee, and its online store can sync with Square POS and inventory. You can sell at craft fairs, markets, pop-ups, etc., and have those sales reflected in the same product/inventory system as your website. squareup.comsquareup.com

You also don't need to buy elaborate hardware. For example, Square currently offers a $59 contactless/chip reader, while a Square Stand is $149. squareup.com

For a maker, that's a pretty compelling starting point:

Make product → list it once → sell at a market or online → inventory stays synchronized.

When I'd choose Shopify instead

I'd choose Shopify if you think your website will eventually become the center of the business—lots of products, online orders, shipping, email/marketing integrations, wholesale, social selling, etc.

Shopify's Basic plan is currently $39/month monthly ($29/month when billed annually), and includes online selling plus basic in-person POS. More advanced POS functionality is an additional $89/month per location. www.shopify.com

It's considerably more powerful for ecommerce, but that can also mean more stuff to configure and pay for than a small maker actually needs.

My rule of thumb

If 70%+ of your sales will be in person: → Square

If 70%+ will be online: → Shopify

If you're just starting and don't know yet: → Square, because you can start with essentially no monthly POS software cost and see where the business goes. squareup.comsquareup.com

If you tell me what you make, roughly how many products/SKUs you have, and whether you sell mostly at markets, through Instagram, Etsy, or your own website, I can tell you which one I'd personally choose and what the cheapest sensible setup would be.

For a small maker business that needs both a simple POS and an online store, I’d pick Square in most cases.

My ranking

Why I'd lean Square

For a maker—ceramics, candles, jewelry, art, woodworking, clothing, etc.—you probably want to be able to:

• Take payments at craft fairs/pop-ups without much setup
• Keep inventory synchronized between your booth and website
• Have a simple branded online shop
• Sell from your phone/tablet
• Avoid a big monthly software bill while you're small

Square's Free plan has $0/month software cost, and Square says its POS doesn't require you to purchase hardware—you can even use Tap to Pay on a phone. Its online-store system is also integrated with the POS, so products and inventory can stay synchronized. squareup.com

That's a particularly nice fit for a maker whose sales might be 70% in-person at markets and 30% online, for example.

When I'd choose Shopify instead

I'd pick Shopify if you're expecting the website to become the primary sales channel—for example:

Instagram/TikTok → your website → shipping orders all over the country

Shopify's ecosystem is substantially stronger for ecommerce, marketing, apps, product variations, shipping, and scaling. Its Basic plan is currently $39/month, with in-person selling included, although the more advanced POS features require an additional POS Pro subscription. www.shopify.com

So I'd think of it this way:

Mostly markets + simple website → Square

Mostly online + occasional markets → Shopify

Beautiful content/brand website is the priority → Wix

One other option is Wix + Square POS. Wix officially supports connecting Square POS and syncing products/inventory, but I'd generally avoid adding that extra layer unless you specifically prefer Wix's website builder. support.wix.com

If you tell me what you're making, roughly how much you expect to sell per month, and whether you'll do mostly craft fairs/markets or online sales, I can tell you exactly which one I'd use and what the cheapest setup would be.

For a small maker business—especially if you sell at craft fairs, markets, pop-ups, and also want a straightforward online shop—I’d pick Square.

My pick: Square

Why it fits a maker business well:

• $0/month to start for Square’s basic online store; you pay payment processing when you sell. squareup.comsquareup.com
• POS and online inventory/sales can be synced, so selling an item at a market can update its online stock. squareup.com
• Very easy to take payments in person, including without dedicated hardware using Tap to Pay. squareup.comsquareup.com
• You can add shipping, local delivery, pickup, customer accounts, and social selling. squareup.com
• It's a particularly good fit if you're testing the business and don't want another $40-ish monthly bill before sales justify it.

When I'd choose Shopify instead

I'd go with Shopify if the online store is going to be the heart of the business—lots of products, serious online marketing, subscriptions/apps, wholesale, multiple sales channels, or plans to grow substantially.

Shopify's Basic plan is currently $39/month month-to-month ($29/month when billed annually), and its POS connects directly to the online store. www.shopify.com

Bottom line: If you're making candles, ceramics, jewelry, art, baked goods, crafts, etc. and expect a mix of in-person + online sales, I'd start with Square. You can always move to Shopify later if ecommerce becomes the dominant part of the business.

If you tell me what you make, roughly how many products/SKUs you have, and whether most sales will be markets or online, I can tell you which one I'd choose specifically for your business.

For a small maker business that needs both a simple POS and an online store, I’d pick Square unless your online store is going to be the main engine of the business.

My recommendation: Square

Why: it’s the simpler, lower-cost starting point for a maker selling at craft fairs, markets, pop-ups, and online.

• $0/month for Square Free POS software. You pay processing fees when you sell. squareup.com
• Square also gives you an online store, so your in-person and online inventory can live in the same ecosystem. squareup.comsquareup.com
• You can start with just your phone and Tap to Pay, or add a $59 Square Reader if you want a dedicated card reader. squareup.com
• The basic in-person rate is currently 2.6% + 15¢ per transaction. squareup.com
• It's particularly attractive if you do markets/pop-ups, because you don't need to commit to a substantial monthly software bill.

When I'd choose Shopify instead

I'd choose Shopify if you're expecting the online store to become the center of the business—lots of products, serious online marketing, social selling, shipping, subscriptions/apps, or eventually multiple sales channels.

Shopify's online/ecommerce capabilities are stronger, and its POS is tightly integrated with the online store. But the entry point is more expensive: the Basic plan is currently $39/month, and more advanced POS functionality is another $89/month per location. www.shopify.com

Simple decision

For a typical small maker, I'd start with Square. You can get selling without taking on a monthly platform cost, and its online store is good enough for a straightforward catalog. squareup.comsquareup.com

If you tell me what you're making, roughly how many products/SKUs you have, and whether you'll sell mostly at markets or online, I can tell you which one I'd choose for your specific business and what hardware I'd buy.

For a small maker business that needs both a simple POS and an online store, I’d pick Square unless your online store is going to be the main engine of the business.

My pick: Square

Square is the better simple/low-cost starting point:

• $0/month for Square Free; you pay payment-processing fees when you sell. squareup.com
• Your POS and online store share the same inventory, orders, discounts, and customer data. squareup.comwww.shopify.com
• You can start very cheaply with a $59 card reader, or use Tap to Pay on your phone without buying hardware. squareup.com
• The online store handles shipping, pickup, local delivery, gift cards, discounts, and basic SEO. squareup.comwww.shopify.com
• Particularly good if you're doing craft fairs, markets, pop-ups, workshops, or occasional in-person sales.

When I'd choose Shopify instead

Shopify is worth the extra cost if you expect online sales to become the core business.

Shopify Basic is currently $39/month monthly, with online and in-person selling integrated; its POS Pro upgrade is another $89/month/location if you need advanced retail features. www.shopify.com

I'd choose Shopify if you care about:

• A more polished/brand-focused ecommerce site
• Lots of products/variants
• Growing online traffic and marketing
• Selling through multiple online channels
• Eventually having a more sophisticated retail operation

Simple decision

For a typical small maker just getting started, I'd start with Square. You can get the POS + website + inventory system running without committing to a monthly ecommerce subscription. Square's current Free plan specifically includes POS, website, online ordering, and related tools. squareup.com

If you tell me what you make, roughly how many products/SKUs you have, and whether most sales happen online, at markets, or in a physical shop, I can give you a more definitive Square vs. Shopify recommendation.

For a small maker business that needs a simple POS + online store, I’d pick Square in most cases.

My ranking

Why Square: its free POS has no monthly subscription, and Square Online can use the same product catalog/inventory as your in-person operation. You can take payments with a phone, and Square explicitly supports syncing online and in-person inventory/orders. squareup.com

For a maker doing craft fairs, pop-ups, markets, occasional custom orders, and a small web shop, that's a very nice setup: one catalog, one payment system, one dashboard.

Square's current U.S. Free plan has $0/month software cost; standard in-person processing is 2.6% + 15¢, while online card payments are 3.3% + 30¢. squareup.com

When I'd choose Shopify instead

I'd choose Shopify if you expect the online store to become a serious part of the business—lots of SKUs, significant online marketing, subscriptions, sophisticated inventory, apps/integrations, etc.

Shopify Basic currently starts at $39/month and includes online selling plus basic POS functionality, but the more advanced POS features require POS Pro at $89/month per location. www.shopify.com

So my rule of thumb is:

"I make things and sell them in person, with an online store on the side" → Square.

"I run an e-commerce brand that also happens to sell at markets/stores" → Shopify.

If you tell me what you make, roughly how many products/SKUs you have, where you sell (markets, fairs, own website, Etsy, etc.), and approximate monthly sales, I can tell you which one I'd personally choose and what the setup would cost.

For a small maker business—handmade goods, markets/pop-ups, fairs, occasional online orders—I’d pick Square.

My pick: Square

Why: it’s the simplest way to have one inventory + POS + online store without committing to a sizable monthly software bill.

• $0/month for Square’s basic POS software. squareup.com
• You can sell in person and online, with inventory syncing between them. squareup.com
• Excellent for craft fairs, farmers markets, pop-ups, and occasional retail events because you can use a small card reader or phone rather than a full checkout setup.
• Square's online store can handle shipping, pickup, local delivery, customer accounts, and social selling. squareup.com
• You can start very cheaply and add more sophisticated inventory/retail features later.

When I'd choose Shopify instead

Shopify is the better choice if your website is going to be the center of the business—lots of online orders, a growing product catalog, multiple sales channels, subscriptions/apps, etc.

Shopify's Basic plan is currently $39/month, and its POS integrates tightly with the online store and inventory. www.shopify.com

So I'd think of it this way:

For a typical one-person maker business, I'd start with Square. You can always move to Shopify later if ecommerce becomes the bigger part of the business.

If you tell me what you make, roughly how many products you have, and whether you sell mostly at markets or online, I can tell you which one I'd choose for your specific setup and what hardware I'd buy.

For a small maker business that wants a simple POS + online store, I’d pick Square.

My ranking

Why I'd choose Square

1. It starts at $0/month.
Square's current Free plan includes the POS, product/item catalog, inventory tracking, invoicing, and an online site/store. You pay transaction fees rather than a monthly software subscription. squareup.com

2. It's particularly good for makers who sell in person.
If you're doing craft fairs, markets, pop-ups, workshops, or occasional retail, Square's POS is straightforward, and you can even accept Tap to Pay on an iPhone or Android without buying a terminal. squareup.com

3. Your inventory can stay unified.
The same product catalog can power your in-person and online sales, which is a big deal when you have, say, 30 candles or 12 handmade mugs and don't want to manually reconcile what sold at a market with what's listed online. Square's online store supports pickup, delivery and shipping as well. squareup.com

4. You can start extremely lean.
I'd start with Square Free, rather than paying for a higher tier. Square currently lists in-person processing at 2.6% + 15¢ and online processing at 3.3% + 30¢ on its Free plan. squareup.com

When I'd pick Shopify instead

I'd choose Shopify if you're thinking:

"The online store is going to become the main business, and the POS is mainly there so I can sell at markets."

Shopify's Basic plan is currently $39/month, with online selling built in and POS included for basic in-person selling. Its more advanced POS Pro functionality is another $89/month per location. www.shopify.com

Shopify is the better long-term choice if you expect to build a substantial ecommerce operation—lots of products, sophisticated online merchandising, email/marketing integrations, social selling, apps, etc.

The simple rule

Mostly markets + some online → Square.
Mostly online + some markets → Shopify.

For a small maker business, I'd start with Square unless you already know ecommerce will be the center of the business. You can get surprisingly far without paying a monthly fee. squareup.com

If you tell me what you make, roughly how many products/SKUs you have, and whether you sell mostly at markets or online, I can tell you which one I'd choose for your specific business and what I'd buy to set it up.