Can You Add a Shopping Cart to Squarespace?
The short answer is yes—but the bigger question is how you can add a cart that meets all your needs. Squarespace’s built-in eCommerce works great for simple product catalogs, but it has some constraints: limited payment gateways, basic digital downloads, subscription restrictions, etc. If you need more advanced functionality (multiple currencies, pay-what-you-want, one-click upsells, robust digital delivery, or a specialized subscription system), a third-party cart is your key to unlocking more possibilities while keeping your beautiful Squarespace website.
We’ve gathered some of the top third-party solutions. Each one embeds on your Squarespace site with copy-paste code or link-based buttons, letting you:
Offer advanced checkouts (with more payment gateways or specialized features)
Sell digital products in more flexible ways (no 24-hour timeouts!)
Sell subscriptions or memberships, complete with recurring billing
Seamlessly handle multi-currency transactions or advanced shipping rules
Read on for the highlights of each, plus tips on how to decide which is right for you.
1. Shopify Buy Button
Why It’s Awesome:
Access to Shopify’s full eCommerce engine—including robust payment gateways, multi-currency support, and a rich app ecosystem.
Embeds easily on Squarespace: just add Shopify’s Buy Button code to a Code Block.
Plans start at $5/month (Shopify “Starter”), making it very budget-friendly to get advanced commerce features.
Best For:
Anyone who loves the simplicity of Squarespace for content/branding but wants the proven reliability of Shopify’s cart.
Stores that may expand in the future—if you outgrow Squarespace, your products and customer data will already be in Shopify.
Selling physical or digital goods with robust inventory tracking, discount codes, shipping label printing, and more.
Keep In Mind:
You’ll manage products and orders in the Shopify dashboard (separate from Squarespace).
Subscriptions require extra apps and can get more expensive. But for general eCommerce, it’s an excellent, easy-to-integrate choice.
2. Ecwid
Why It’s Awesome:
Known for ease of use: simply copy an embed code from Ecwid and paste it into Squarespace.
Has a Free plan for small catalogs (usually up to 5 products).
Sell both physical and digital goods, manage inventory, and even sync to Facebook or Instagram Shops.
Best For:
Small businesses that want a plug-and-play store on Squarespace without paying high monthly fees.
Sellers looking to broaden reach on social media or external marketplaces—Ecwid easily syncs with multiple channels.
Keep In Mind:
Subscriptions aren’t built-in (you’d need an external workaround or third-party app).
Advanced multi-currency is partial (mostly display conversion); full multi-currency checkout is limited.
More robust features require the paid “Venture” or “Business” plans.
3. Foxy (FoxyCart / Foxy.io)
Why It’s Awesome:
Huge range of payment gateways (100+), advanced shipping/tax options, and built-in subscriptions.
Supports both digital and physical products—unlimited files, multiple currency checkout, and even high-risk products.
A single plan (~$25/month) includes all features plus low per-transaction fees (capped at $0.20).
Best For:
Businesses needing complex or custom eCommerce: multi-currency, advanced shipping, or unique payment gateways.
Subscription-based businesses—Foxy’s recurring billing is robust and easy to manage.
Sellers who need maximum flexibility but are okay copying some HTML forms/code into Squarespace.
Keep In Mind:
Setup is more technical than some plug-and-play options (like Ecwid).
You’ll embed Foxy’s scripts and “Add to Cart” forms on your Squarespace site, so it’s best if you’re comfortable with a bit of code.
4. Snipcart
Why It’s Awesome:
Ideal for developers or designers who want to “inject” eCommerce directly into any page.
Supports advanced features like subscriptions, digital downloads with unique secure links, multi-currency, and stock management.
No monthly fee—instead, you pay a 2% transaction fee (with a $10–$20 monthly minimum). Great for variable or low-volume sales.
Best For:
Creative sites or content-heavy projects that need a custom shopping experience (sell from within blog posts, for instance).
Sellers with moderate coding comfort—Snipcart’s “product attributes” method is flexible but requires editing HTML.
Subscriptions, digital media, and multi-language/currency scenarios.
Keep In Mind:
If your sales volume grows significantly, the 2% fee may add up quickly.
You’ll handle your own payment gateway (Stripe/PayPal) and shipping/tax setups.
For minimal fuss, solutions like Ecwid or Gumroad might be easier; Snipcart thrives when you need deeper control over the front-end.
5. SendOwl
Why It’s Awesome:
Specializes in secure digital downloads (PDFs, e-books, software, music) with no time limits or forced 24-hour windows.
Can also handle subscriptions, physical products, and even affiliate programs.
Simple Buy Now links or embeddable buttons—just paste them onto Squarespace, and payments go through your Stripe or PayPal.
No transaction fees—plans start around $9–$19/month, so it’s budget-friendly for growing creators.
Best For:
Digital-first creators—authors, musicians, software devs—who want reliable delivery and prefer using their own payment gateway.
Anyone who finds Squarespace’s native digital product feature too limited.
Light subscription needs (e.g., monthly memberships or payment plans) without extra fuss.
Keep In Mind:
Doesn’t have the advanced marketing funnels of SamCart or ThriveCart (e.g., no built-in one-click upsells).
If your store is mostly physical products and large inventory, SendOwl may feel too simple.
6. ThriveCart
Why It’s Awesome:
High-conversion sales funnels: one-page checkouts, post-purchase upsells, order bumps, advanced discount logic.
Great for both digital and physical: you handle fulfillment, but ThriveCart can automate shipping costs, manage upsells, etc.
Subscriptions are built-in (recurring billing, payment plans, free trials).
A one-time fee (~$495) gets you a lifetime license, so no monthly bills—ideal for serious marketers.
Best For:
Sellers who want to turn their Squarespace pages into profitable funnels with upsells, downsells, and affiliate programs.
Launch-driven businesses (courses, coaching, or big product drops) seeking advanced marketing and conversion features.
Entrepreneurs who dislike monthly fees and want to invest once for a permanent solution.
Keep In Mind:
Bigger upfront cost compared to subscription-based carts.
Doesn’t host digital files itself (though “ThriveCart Learn” can host course content). For simple e-book downloads, you’ll configure success URLs or membership platform integrations.
7. SamCart
Why It’s Awesome:
Focuses on conversion optimization (similar to ThriveCart) with order bumps, upsells, and subscription billing built in.
Now has built-in digital delivery (upload files up to 1GB each) and a membership/course platform (“SamCart Courses”).
Modern checkout forms that accept Apple Pay, Google Pay, and more via Stripe.
Best For:
Sellers with higher-priced products, courses, or memberships who want to boost average order value (AOV) on Squarespace.
Anyone who values a well-designed, frictionless checkout with robust cart abandonment and subscription dunning (on higher plans).
Keep In Mind:
Plans start around $79/month, so it’s not the cheapest if you only have a handful of sales each month.
Great for scaling entrepreneurs or serious digital product launches—overkill if you just want to sell a $5 e-book occasionally.
8. Gumroad
Why It’s Awesome:
No monthly fee on the free plan—Gumroad processes payments for you (credit card or PayPal).
Extremely easy: embed a “Buy” button or overlay on your Squarespace site; no need to set up Stripe or PayPal accounts separately.
Built for creators: post updates, run memberships/subscriptions, or sell digital + physical items.
Automatically handles EU VAT on digital sales, simplifying tax compliance.
Best For:
Hobbyists, side-hustlers, or new creators who want zero upfront cost and minimal setup.
Quick membership offerings or pay-what-you-want digital sales.
Anyone who’d rather let Gumroad handle everything—hosting files, charging cards, paying you out weekly.
Keep In Mind:
Gumroad keeps 10% of each sale on the free plan. High-volume sellers might find those fees too steep.
Branding is less customizable; you’re tied to Gumroad’s checkout look unless you upgrade and do some custom CSS.
For advanced funnels, upsells, or multiple currency processing, you’ll outgrow Gumroad fairly quickly.
Which One Fits Your Squarespace Store Best?
1. “I only want an easy, basic cart—and I’m selling a few things.”
Gumroad or SendOwl are ideal if you want low-cost, no-fuss digital sales.
Ecwid is a strong pick if you have a small physical/digital mix and want a free plan for a mini store.
2. “I need robust features, but I’m on a tighter budget.”
Shopify Buy Button at $5/month can give you a top-tier eCommerce backend with minimal cost.
Foxy at $25/month is very powerful for multi-currency, advanced subscriptions, and weirdly specific requirements. A developer or code-savvy user might prefer this route.
3. “I want advanced funnels and big conversions—upsells, bumps, affiliate management.”
ThriveCart (one-time $495) if you prefer paying once and done.
SamCart (monthly subscription) if you like premium features (dunning, A/B testing, membership hosting) but are okay with ongoing fees.
4. “I’m scaling quickly or might move off Squarespace later.”
Shopify or Ecwid are easy to manage as your store grows. You can embed them now and potentially shift to a fully Shopify- or Ecwid-based site down the road.
If you expect a large product catalog or heavy inventory management, these solutions handle that better than a simple cart add-on.
5. “I’m a subscription-based business.”
Foxy or Snipcart are the top picks for built-in subscription handling with no external apps.
SamCart or ThriveCart also do recurring billing and free trials if you want marketing extras.
Gumroad or SendOwl for simpler, budget-friendly subscription products (like monthly digital releases or membership content).
Final Thoughts
You can absolutely add a shopping cart to Squarespace—and these third-party solutions prove there’s an option for every need. Whether you’re a small indie creator who just wants to sell an eBook without monthly overhead (hello, Gumroad!) or a seasoned entrepreneur building advanced funnels with subscription boxes and one-click upsells (looking at you, ThriveCart or SamCart), there’s a perfect match out there.
Squarespace remains a stellar platform for design and content. By pairing it with the right cart, you’ll expand your revenue potential, deliver a smoother experience to customers, and possibly tap new markets (thanks to multi-currency or advanced payment methods). The best part? You can start small—often for free or just a few dollars—and scale up as your business grows.
Ready to empower your Squarespace site with next-level eCommerce? Pick a solution that fits your product lineup, budget, and marketing strategy, then follow the simple embed instructions each platform provides. In no time, you’ll have a robust shopping experience that keeps the sleek Squarespace aesthetic intact, while giving you the power and flexibility of a dedicated eCommerce platform.
Happy selling!