Skip to content
Start here
Browse by category
AI Assistants3Accounting Software3Agency & Funnel Software4B2B Sales Outreach4Business Backup3Business Email & Office3CRM Platforms4Cloud Storage1Customer Support2Design Tools3E-Signature2E-commerce Platforms1Email Marketing1Inventory Management3Knowledge Management1Marketing Automation3POS Systems3Paid Ads Management3Password Managers3Payment Processing1Payroll & HR1Project Management5SEO Software1Sales Intelligence1Scheduling Software1Social Media Management3Team Communication1Time Tracking3Video Conferencing4Website Builders2Workflow Automation2
All categories →
Not sure what you need? Start hereTell us the job and see the software it takes, with verified prices for your team.
Recently verified
Decision brief builderTurn your shortlist into a one-page case for sign-off: verified prices for your team size, requirements and sources.
Recently updated switching guides
All 150 migration guides →
What every guide covers
What transfers, and what doesn’tThe vendor’s own import path, step by step, plus the data you will rebuild by hand. Switching cost estimatorAn adjustable estimate of the hidden labor, cleanup and retraining cost, with its assumptions shown.
Pricing data
Software IndexEvery tool we track in one sortable table: entry price, free plan, AI pricing and source. AI Pricing DatabaseHow each vendor bills its AI features: bundled, add-on, metered or quote.
Original research
The B2B SaaS Sticker Shock IndexCheapest published entry price in 18 categories, ranked.The AI TaxHow 19 AI features are actually billed: bundled, add-on or metered.The Real Cost of a 10-Person Startup StackThree software stacks priced at published entry prices.
Open data
Download the datasetsJSON and CSV under CC BY 4.0. Every value carries its source page and verification date. How we verify pricingThe research method behind every figure on the site.
Security & compliance
Security & compliance databaseSOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA BAAs, and the plan you need for SSO, SCIM and audit logs. How to read security claimsSOC 2 vs ISO 27001, the single sign-on tax, and what “Not published” means.
Where your team works
Offline access databaseWhich tools work without internet, in which app, and what syncs later. Remote vs office guideIP allowlisting, device controls, data residency and office hardware, tool by tool.
Side by side
Security in every comparisonEach head-to-head now compares compliance, sign-in, offline and remote controls. Download the dataJSON and CSV, CC BY 4.0. Every value carries the vendor URL and quote.
POS SYSTEMS · MIGRATION GUIDE

Switching from Shopify POS to Square

Square has no Shopify importer, so products move by CSV. Many shops keep Shopify online and sync to Square in store instead.

Jump to migration steps Read the full comparison
By Bill Belcamino · Last updated September 19, 2026 · Our methodologyResearched and fact-checked by the HelpCompare team
Switching from Shopify POS to SquareVerified Sep 19, 2026

Quick verdict: Export Shopify products and customers to CSV and map them into Square’s item and customer templates. If you want to keep your Shopify online store, consider the ongoing Square–Shopify sync that Square lists through Thrive Inventory rather than a one-time move.

Estimate · your inputs

Switching Cost & Friction Estimator

Most buyers only budget for the new subscription. This estimates the hidden labor, data-cleanup, and retraining cost of actually making the switch.

25,000
10

Estimate assumes: 1 hour of data-mapping/cleaning labor per 2,000 records, a blended $75/hr ops rate, tiered migration & cleaning tooling fees, and 4 hours of retraining per seat at a $45/hr fully-loaded rate.

Estimated Migration Time —
Data Friction Rating —
Total Hidden Switching Cost $0

    Why teams move from Shopify POS to Square

    A $0 plan

    Square Free costs nothing a month.

    Staff tools

    Timecards and shift scheduling on Square Plus.

    No contracts

    Square says there are no locked-in contracts.

    How the migration actually works

    Decide first whether you are leaving Shopify entirely or only moving in-store sales.

    StepWhat you do
    1Export your Shopify products and customersIn Shopify admin, export products to CSV (emailed if the catalogue is large or any product has over 100 variants) and export customers to CSV.
    2Map to Square templatesCopy product names, variants, prices, SKUs and stock into Square’s item library Excel or CSV template.
    3Import items and customersImport the item library and the customer CSV in Square Dashboard.
    4Or keep both in syncIf Shopify stays your online store, use the Square–Shopify sync Square lists through Thrive Inventory.
    5Set up hardware and staffOrder the $59 reader or a Terminal and add staff.
    6Downgrade ShopifyRemove POS Pro locations at renewal; annual POS Pro cannot be downgraded mid-cycle.

    What this path doesn’t do for you:

    Square documents no Shopify importer; variants need mapping by hand. Shopify-only features such as ship-to-home and pickup at any location need rebuilding on Square’s online store or dropping.

    Pricing side by side

    PlanShopify POSSquare
    Monthly softwareShopify from $29 (annual); POS Pro +$89/locationFree $0; Plus $49; Premium $149 per location
    In-person rate2.6% + 10¢ (Basic), 2.5% + 10¢ (Grow), 2.4% + 10¢ (Advanced)2.6% + 15¢ (Free), 2.5% + 15¢ (Plus), 2.4% + 15¢ (Premium)
    Card reader$49$59
    ContractMonthly or yearly billingNo locked-in contracts
    Processor lock-inIntegrated payments need Shopify PaymentsNot stated

    US prices checked on each vendor’s own pricing pages on September 19, 2026. Clover.com prices may differ from bank and reseller offers. Card processing is charged on top of software fees.

    Feature parity check

    CapabilityShopify POSSquare
    Import from the other toolStore Migration app (Square, Clover)Excel/CSV templates only
    Online storeEvery planIncluded on Free
    Staff schedulingNot listedPlus and up
    In-person fixed fee10¢15¢
    ContractMonthly or yearlyNone

    Going the other direction, or want the full comparison first?

    Read the Square vs Shopify POS comparison Switching from Square to Shopify POS instead?
    Verified data

    Security & access: what changes when you switch

    Security, offline and access rules that differ between Shopify POS and Square. Rows where both tools are the same (2) are left out; the full side-by-side is on each tool’s page: Shopify POS, Square.

    What changesShopify POS (today)Square (after)
    SOC 2 reportSOC 2 Type IIsourceNot published
    ISO/IEC 27001Not publishedCertifiedsource
    Other certificationsPCI DSS Level 1, SOC 3sourcePCI DSS Level 1source
    GDPR data processing agreementDPA offeredsourceNot published
    Single sign-on (SAML/OIDC)YesShopify PlussourceNot published
    SCIM user provisioningYesShopify PlussourceNot published
    Two-factor authenticationYesEnforcement: Shopify PlussourceYessource
    Admin audit logYesShopify PlussourceNot published
    EncryptionNot publishedCard-present payments encrypted end to end; no unencrypted payment data touches the devicesource
    Offline limitsOffline card payments need POS app 9.14.0+, a compatible Shopify reader, and are capped by a device daily limit and a per-transaction limit that apply to all locations; POS Terminal needs the local Wi-Fi network working.sourceUpload within 24 hours, no later than 72 hours; not supported on Square Reader 1st gen v1/v2, Kiosk, Tap to Pay, manually entered cards, gift cards, Afterpay, Cash App Pay, Invoices app or services mode.source
    Device & session controlsNot publishedYesRemote device management: device profiles and codes, printer profiles, monitoring from off-site.source
    Office & room hardwareShopify POS runs on your iOS/Android phone or tablet with Shopify card readers (Tap & Chip Card Reader $49, POS Terminal $349, Verifone Victa Mobile $399) plus retail hardware such as barcode scanners, receipt printers and cash drawers.sourceSquare sells its own POS hardware: Reader for contactless and chip ($59), Terminal ($299), Handheld ($399), Stand ($149), Kiosk ($149) and Register ($899).source
    Editorial assessment

    Before you cut over

    • You have single sign-on in Shopify POS but we found none documented for Square. Plan how people will sign in, and how you will remove leavers, before cut-over.

    Checked September 19, 2026 against each vendor’s own trust center, help docs and app pages. Hover or tap “source” to see the exact wording we relied on. “Not published” means we could not find the vendor saying it on its own site — it doesn’t mean the feature is missing. Plan names are the lowest plan the vendor says includes the feature. Security · Offline · Remote vs office · Download the data

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can Square import from Shopify?

    Not directly. Export Shopify’s product CSV and map it into Square’s item library template.

    Can I keep Shopify online and use Square in store?

    Square’s pricing page lists a Square–Shopify sync through Thrive Inventory.

    Can I cancel POS Pro mid-year?

    Annual POS Pro cannot be downgraded until the billing cycle ends.

    Will my sales history move?

    Not as live records. Download sales reports from the old system for your accounting and tax records before you close the account; the imports cover items and customers.

    Canonical data for the tools on this page

    Every pricing fact, rating, AI billing model and switching guide we hold on each tool, on one page — with the date each figure was last verified.

    Shopify POSPricing, free plan, AI cost & every comparison›SquarePricing, free plan, AI cost & every comparison›
    Square vs Shopify POSHead-to-head comparisonClover vs Shopify POSHead-to-head comparisonSquare vs CloverHead-to-head comparison

    Sources

    Prices on this page were recorded from each vendor’s own pricing page on the date shown at the top of the page. Vendors change pricing often — check the live source before you buy.

    Every figure is also in our open dataset (JSON and CSV, CC BY 4.0), with its source page and verification date. See how we research pricing.

    Start with the job

    Guides for the jobs this software does

    Plain-language guides: the steps, what to check before you buy, common mistakes, and every tool it takes with verified prices.

    Take card paymentsSell in person with a POSTrack inventoryAll 50 job guides
    Need sign-off?

    Turn this into a one-page decision brief

    Verified prices costed for your team size, a check against your must-have requirements, the questions to settle before you sign, and a source for every figure. Print it, or paste it into an email to whoever approves the spend.

    Build a decision brief

    From shortlist to switched

    Built for the leader who owns the selection, answers for the spend, drives the rollout, and lives with the results. HelpCompare covers the whole decision, not just the first step.

    01 · CompareWhich tool fits your team, side by side.75 comparisons 02 · Price & approveSourced, dated pricing and a one-page brief for sign-off.Decision brief 03 · SwitchWhat moves, what you rebuild, what it costs.150 guides 04 · ShareDownload and cite the data. CC BY 4.0.Open data
    Bill Belcamino, founder of HelpCompare
    About the author

    Bill Belcamino

    Founder and author, HelpCompare

    Bill has worked in software and digital marketing for more than 20 years. He spent nine years as an engineer at HP, served as COO scaling a platform past 200,000 users, and ran Google’s $70M/year search syndication partnership at Alot.com. He has bought, trialled, integrated and cancelled more SaaS tools than he can count, and started HelpCompare because the real cost of switching tools is the part nobody covers.

    “I’ve sat on both sides of the table: the agency recommending the tool and the client paying for it.”

    Researched and fact-checked by the HelpCompare team. Pricing on this page was last verified on September 19, 2026. No paid sponsorships, no affiliate commissions.

    Read Bill’s story How we verify pricingSpot an error? Tell Bill