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POS SYSTEMS · MIGRATION GUIDE

Switching from Square to Shopify POS

Shopify’s own Store Migration app imports products and customers from Square’s CSV exports, so this is one of the easier POS moves.

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 Square to Shopify POSVerified Sep 19, 2026

Quick verdict: Export Square’s items and customers without editing the files, and import them with Shopify’s Store Migration app (early access, desktop only) or Shopify’s CSV import. The app does not import inventory by location, so set stock levels per location afterwards. Buy Shopify readers ($49) and decide whether each location needs POS Pro ($89 a month).

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 Square to Shopify POS

    One catalogue

    Online store, shops and inventory run from the same Shopify admin.

    Lower fixed fee

    Shopify charges 10¢ per in-person sale, against Square’s 15¢.

    First-party importer

    Shopify’s Store Migration app reads Square exports directly.

    How the migration actually works

    Decide which locations need POS Pro before you buy hardware.

    StepWhat you do
    1Export your Square catalogue and customersIn Square Dashboard, export the item library as Excel (.xlsx, recommended) or CSV from Items, then Item library, then Actions; export customers from Customers, then Directory, then Import/Export. Do not edit the files if you will use Shopify’s Store Migration app.
    2Choose a Shopify planBasic $29, Grow $79 or Advanced $299 a month on annual billing; add POS Pro at $89 a location where needed.
    3Import with Store MigrationUpload the Square exports in Shopify’s Store Migration app (early access, desktop); otherwise use product and customer CSV import.
    4Set inventory per locationThe app does not import inventory by location; count or import stock per location.
    5Set up staff and hardwareAdd staff PINs, pair the $49 reader, and set offline payment limits.
    6Run a parallel dayKeep Square Free active until the first Shopify payouts land.

    What this path doesn’t do for you:

    Inventory by location, gift cards, loyalty and sales history do not come across. Staff timecards and scheduling have no listed equivalent in Shopify POS.

    Pricing side by side

    PlanSquareShopify POS
    Monthly softwareFree $0; Plus $49; Premium $149 per locationShopify from $29 (annual); POS Pro +$89/location
    In-person rate2.6% + 15¢ (Free), 2.5% + 15¢ (Plus), 2.4% + 15¢ (Premium)2.6% + 10¢ (Basic), 2.5% + 10¢ (Grow), 2.4% + 10¢ (Advanced)
    Card reader$59$49
    ContractNo locked-in contractsMonthly or yearly billing
    Processor lock-inNot statedIntegrated payments need Shopify Payments

    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

    CapabilitySquareShopify POS
    Import from the other toolNo Shopify importerStore Migration app reads Square CSVs
    Online storeIncluded on FreeEvery plan
    Staff schedulingPlus and upNot listed
    In-person fixed fee15¢10¢
    Card reader$59$49

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

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

    Security & access: what changes when you switch

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

    What changesSquare (today)Shopify POS (after)
    SOC 2 reportNot publishedSOC 2 Type IIsource
    ISO/IEC 27001CertifiedsourceNot published
    Other certificationsPCI DSS Level 1sourcePCI DSS Level 1, SOC 3source
    GDPR data processing agreementNot publishedDPA offeredsource
    Single sign-on (SAML/OIDC)Not publishedYesShopify Plussource
    SCIM user provisioningNot publishedYesShopify Plussource
    Two-factor authenticationYessourceYesEnforcement: Shopify Plussource
    Admin audit logNot publishedYesShopify Plussource
    EncryptionCard-present payments encrypted end to end; no unencrypted payment data touches the devicesourceNot published
    Offline limitsUpload 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.sourceOffline 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.source
    Device & session controlsYesRemote device management: device profiles and codes, printer profiles, monitoring from off-site.sourceNot published
    Office & room hardwareSquare sells its own POS hardware: Reader for contactless and chip ($59), Terminal ($299), Handheld ($399), Stand ($149), Kiosk ($149) and Register ($899).sourceShopify 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.source
    Editorial assessment

    Before you cut over

    • Set up single sign-on in Shopify POS on Shopify Plus before you invite the team, so accounts are created through your identity provider rather than by hand.

    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 Shopify import my Square data?

    Yes. Shopify’s Store Migration app (early access, desktop only) imports products and customers from unedited Square CSV exports.

    Will stock levels per location import?

    No. The app does not import inventory by location; set stock per location after the import.

    Do I need POS Pro?

    Not for casual in-person selling, which every Shopify plan includes. POS Pro ($89 a location a month) adds staff roles, in-store inventory tools and returns at any location.

    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.

    SquarePricing, free plan, AI cost & every comparison›Shopify POSPricing, 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

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    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