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How to use Alternative payment gateways with Squarespace

Omari Harebin

Squarespace's built-in payment options include Stripe and PayPal, which may not be suitable for all businesses. If you’re a high-risk merchant, Pay Pal or Stripe wont be friendly to you. Here are a few methods to expand your payment processing options on Squarespace:

1. Shopify Starter Integration

  • What it is: Shopify Starter gives you access to a wider range of payment gateways for a minimal monthly fee while still using Squarespace as your primary website builder.

  • How to integrate:

    1. Create a Shopify Starter account.

    2. Select your desired payment gateway within Shopify.

    3. Generate "Buy Buttons" for your products in Shopify.

    4. Embed these buttons on your Squarespace product pages.

  • Cost: $9/month for Shopify Lite + Your Squarespace plan cost ($18/month for Business and upwards)

2. Ecwid Integration

  • What it is: Ecwid is a flexible e-commerce platform that seamlessly integrates with Squarespace. It supports a wide variety of payment gateways.

  • How to integrate:

    1. Create an Ecwid account.

    2. Configure your desired payment gateways within Ecwid.

    3. Embed your Ecwid store onto your Squarespace site.

  • Cost: Ecwid has free and paid plans. Paid plans generally range from $15/month to $99/month.

3. ThriveCart

  • What it is: ThriveCart is a powerful checkout platform with advanced features like upsells, downsells, and cart abandonment recovery. It supports numerous payment gateways.

  • How to integrate:

    1. Create a ThriveCart account.

    2. Design your checkout pages and select your payment gateway.

    3. Embed ThriveCart checkout buttons or links on your Squarespace site.

  • Cost: ThriveCart has a one-time purchase option or a subscription model.

Important Notes:

  • High-risk business definition: Each payment gateway has its own policies regarding "high-risk" businesses.

  • Additional fees: Alternative payment gateways may charge higher transaction fees than Stripe or PayPal.

  • Choosing the right option: Consider your budget, the specific payment gateways you need, and the desired level of customization when selecting your strategy.