Easy Tech TutsHow to Setup Checkout on Squarespace, Create and Edit Checkout page template 2026 Easily
By Impran M NLast checked against official docs
A Squarespace checkout page works out of the box, but the settings that make it fit your store — a connected payment processor, the right billing fields, a custom form for extra order details — are spread across a few screens under Selling. This guide covers where those settings live, what each one controls, and a mix-up worth avoiding: Square is not the general online payment option it looks like at a glance.
Before you start
- A Squarespace site on a paid plan — accepting payments requires paid Commerce features, and Square specifically needs the Basic plan or higher
01Sign in and open Selling settings
Sign into your Squarespace account and pick the specific site you're configuring; checkout settings live per site, not account-wide. Inside that site's dashboard, open Settings, then look for Selling among the setting groups, alongside Website, Domains & Email, Marketing, and Developer Tools.
Selling groups every commerce control: Customer Accounts, Low Stock Alerts, Cart, Payments, and Checkout. Scrolling this list once before diving into any single section is a good way to see how the pieces connect.
02Connect the right payment processor
Open Payments inside Selling. For online checkout, the real choices are Squarespace Payments (Squarespace's own built-in processor), Stripe, and PayPal.
PayPal can run alongside either Squarespace Payments or Stripe, but Squarespace Payments and Stripe can't be connected at the same time. Square also appears on this list, and it's easy to assume it's another general online option.
It isn't: Square only processes in-person cash, card, and Tap to Pay payments through Squarespace's point-of-sale app, it's limited to US merchants, and it requires the Basic plan or higher. Connecting it doesn't power your online checkout on its own. If you sell online only, skip it and connect Squarespace Payments or Stripe instead.
03Set the checkout page's default behavior
Back in Checkout, a set of toggles shapes what every customer sees. Email signup lets customers opt into your marketing list at checkout, with subscribers stored automatically in Contacts.
Default billing address auto-checks "Use Shipping Address" during checkout, which customers can still uncheck if the addresses differ. Default country in address fields pre-selects a country for both address forms, saving a dropdown click for customers concentrated in one region.
04Decide which fields are required
Further down the same page, under Additional Fields, you can collect a phone number with the billing address and choose whether it's required. A required field cuts down on orders you can't follow up on, but each one adds friction at checkout. Only require what you'll use, such as a phone number for stores that call about delivery problems.
05Add a custom checkout form for extra information
For anything beyond the standard fields — a gift message, a delivery instruction, a size confirmation — enable Custom Checkout Form in the same Additional Fields area, then open Edit Custom Form to build it. This form appears as an extra step during checkout, and because it's part of Squarespace's own commerce flow, the answers show up beneath the order summary in your Orders panel instead of arriving as a separate email.
06Test the full checkout before you launch
Once your payment processor is connected and your checkout settings are saved, place a real or test order on the live site to see the flow as a customer would. The email signup checkbox, the billing address behavior, the required phone field, and your custom form questions should all appear as configured. Catching a misconfigured field now costs far less than fielding customer confusion about it later.
When it doesn't work
Square is connected but online orders still aren't taking card payments
Why: Square only handles in-person cash, card, and Tap to Pay payments through Squarespace's point-of-sale app. It doesn't process online checkout by itself.
Fix: Connect Squarespace Payments or Stripe for online orders, and keep Square only if you also sell in person.
The option to connect Square isn't available
Why: Square requires the Basic, Core, Plus, Advanced, Commerce Basic, or Commerce Advanced plan and is limited to US merchants.
Fix: Check your plan and country match those requirements, or choose Squarespace Payments, Stripe, or PayPal instead.
Stripe won't connect while Squarespace Payments is active
Why: Squarespace Payments can only be paired with PayPal. It can't run alongside Stripe.
Fix: Pick one primary online processor — Squarespace Payments or Stripe — and add PayPal alongside it if you want a second option.
Frequently asked questions
Which payment processor should I use for online checkout?
Squarespace Payments (the built-in option) or Stripe. Both accept major cards and digital wallets. PayPal can be added alongside either one.
What is Square actually for in Squarespace, then?
In-person sales. Square syncs cash, card, and Tap to Pay transactions from Squarespace's point-of-sale app; it doesn't process online checkout on its own, needs the Basic plan or higher, and is US-only.
Can I use Squarespace Payments and Stripe together?
No. Squarespace Payments can only be paired with PayPal, not with Stripe. Stripe, by contrast, can run alongside PayPal or Square.
Can I require a phone number at checkout?
Yes, under Additional Fields in the checkout settings, where you can also mark it as required or optional.
How do I collect extra information at checkout, like a gift message?
Enable Custom Checkout Form under Additional Fields, then use Edit Custom Form to add the fields you need. Answers appear beneath the order summary in your Orders panel.
Should I enable Default billing address?
Enable it if most customers ship and bill to the same address. It auto-checks "Use Shipping Address" at checkout, and customers can still uncheck it if needed.
Sources and last check
Click path and screens come from a recorded walkthrough. The checkout default-behavior and custom-form claims matched Squarespace's official documentation on re-check in September 2026. The payment-processor step was rewritten: Square was described as a general online payment option to connect for its own sake, but Squarespace's own documentation defines it as an in-person point-of-sale processor only, gated to US merchants on the Basic plan or higher, and the Squarespace Payments / Stripe / PayPal compatibility rules were added from the same source.
About the author
Impran M N
I've been hooked on technology for as long as I can remember — especially the new tools and AI apps that seem to land every other week. Easy Tech Tuts is where I write up whatever I've just worked out: I do the task in the real product, record the screen, and turn it into the guide I wish I'd found first.
