Ivana Shteriova

Wix

With an intuitive drag-and-drop editor and many features (including AI) to support all kinds of business and personal websites, Wix offers something for everyone. The generous free plan lets you build a fully functional website, making it one of the most accessible site builders available. It’s one of the few website builders I’ve tested that lives up to its reputation.

Shopify POS

Shopify POS is best suited for omnichannel businesses that sell online and in person. Its solutions allow you to unify sales across all your channels with automatic inventory updates and lets you manage your stock, staff, products, and marketing from one place. However, entirely brick-and-mortar businesses and those in industries other than retail might be better off with an...

Toast

Toast stands out as an all-in-one, customizable, and scalable restaurant POS solution. It integrates multiple ordering options with robust inventory and supply chain management. With plans starting at /month, Toast caters to all types of restaurants and budgets, including multi-location businesses. Discover how Toast can streamline your operations and revolutionize your...

Worldpay

Worldpay is a versatile payment processor that caters to businesses of all sizes – from small startups to large enterprises, including high-risk sectors such as iGaming and travel. It offers 60+ payment methods, international and multicurrency processing, and industry-specific tools. Like most processors, it lacks transparency in pricing. However, if you carefully review your...

Square POS

Catering to restaurants, retail stores, and appointment-based businesses, Square POS is one of the most popular systems on the market – no doubt in part because of its generous free plan, packed with features that are normally found behind paywalls. While Square POS works for most businesses, online-first and omnichannel businesses might find more robust support elsewhere.

Lightspeed POS

Lightspeed serves restaurant, retail, and golf businesses, standing out as a feature-rich POS solution with advanced inventory, multi-location, and omnichannel capabilities. It provides e-commerce functionality exclusively for higher-tier plans. This means brick-and-mortar businesses only pay for necessary features. Lightspeed is ideal for established businesses and those...

Sekure Payment Experts

Despite past hiccups, Sekure Payment Experts has refined its approach and now provides good support and customer service. Businesses on a budget can save with Sekure's zero-cost processing Edge program, plus it offers free equipment and same or next-day deposits at no charge. It’s worth considering, but make sure you carefully review your contract terms before signing.

Swyft Filings

Swyft Filings promises to handle the paperwork for the formation of your LLC, and that’s exactly what it does. Good customer support and an excellent set of features makes Swyft Filings ideal for small business owners. Though there are some extra fees to be aware of, it offers good value for money overall.

SpotOn

SpotOn POS stands out with a POS platform highly customized for retail, restaurants, professional services, salons, and other small to medium-sized businesses. You can easily migrate from another system due to its personalized approach. Its free restaurant and affordable entry-level retail plan make it a good deal, provided you don’t need many add-ons. As for whether it beats...

Epos Now

Epos Now is one of the few POS solutions that provides flexible software compatible with many third-party hardware brands. You can also integrate any payment processor, but long-term contracts may be a drawback. While suitable for small to mid-sized retail and hospitality businesses, large or more complex organizations might find its features limiting.

Harbor Compliance

Though not as popular as some alternatives, Harbor Compliance is a legitimate company handling LLC formation and compliance services. It specializes in industry-specific licensing and offers comprehensive support for nonprofit formation. Combined with its compliance software, Harbor Compliance can save you a significant amount of time. However, it provides less value than our...

ActiveCampaign Adds Square Loyalty for Multi-Location Brands

ActiveCampaign launched a new integration that syncs Square Loyalty data into ActiveCampaign HQ, its marketing automation platform for franchises and multi-location brands. The integration is designed to help retail, food and beverage, salon, and service-based businesses across the US, Canada, and Australia streamline marketing automation across locations, personalize...

Alibaba To Develop AI Chip Amid Limited Nvidia Supply for China

According to the Wall Street Journal, Alibaba is developing a new cloud-computing chip. The move comes in response to US restrictions limiting China’s access to Nvidia’s chips, and Beijing’s efforts to build a self-sufficient AI supply chain. Unlike its earlier, more specialized processors focused on training AI models, the new chip is designed to handle a wider range of AI...

Squarespace Launches Squarespace Capital

Website-building platform Squarespace has launched Squarespace Capital, a flexible funding service for growing businesses. Squarespace Capital is currently available to eligible customers in the US and the UK, with international expansion planned for 2025. Squarespace Capital aims to make funding more accessible than traditional lenders. While banks often require a lengthy...

Upwork Launches Contingent Workforce Solution Lifted

Upwork has launched Lifted, a wholly owned subsidiary designed to help enterprises integrate contingent workforce management. Lifted unifies all hiring tools enterprises need to source, hire, manage, and pay talent across various contingent workforce models, from independent contractors and staff augmentation to agent of record (AOR), employer of record (EOR), and statement...

Sam Altman Says AI Is in a Bubble

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said he believes the AI market is in a bubble. “Yes,” Altman answered to a reporter’s question of whether investors are overhyping AI. In the interview first reported by The Verge, he compared the current surge in optimism around AI to the late 1990s dot-com boom. “When bubbles happen, smart people get overexcited about a kernel of truth,” Altman...

MIT Report: 95% of Company AI Pilots Are Failing

A report by MIT’s NANDA initiative, titled “The GenAI Divide: State of AI in Business 2025,” reveals that despite the potential generative AI holds for enterprises, 95% of corporate AI pilot projects fail to deliver financial results. The research unveils the reasons behind the success stories and stagnant projects. Many companies assume AI projects fail due to performance...

Wix Payments Review [2025]: Fees, Plans & Is It Worth It?

If you have a Wix Business plan, you can take advantage of Wix’s built-in payment gateway, Wix Payments. It’s an all-in-one business solution that allows you to conveniently manage payments from orders, events, bookings, and subscriptions from the same platform where you manage your Wix online business. As someone fascinated by (almost) everything Wix, I just had to dive...

Vibe Coding Tool Hostinger Horizons Integrates E-Commerce

Hostinger has integrated its e-commerce engine into Hostinger Horizons, the same one that powers its Hostinger Website Builder. With this update, Horizons becomes the first vibe coding tool with built-in e-commerce functionality. Hostinger Horizons is an AI-powered, no-code web app builder that creates fully functional applications from conversational AI prompts. Users only...

Google Confirms Salesforce CRM Breach

Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) has confirmed a data breach in its Salesforce CRM database, linked to the hacking group ShinyHunters. The attackers, also known as UNC6040, gained access to Google’s Salesforce CRM in June, likely through a social engineering attack. After discovering the breach, Google responded by conducting an impact analysis and initiating...

9 Best Virtual Terminals for Credit Card Processing in 2025

If you run a mail order, phone order, or remote payment business, a good virtual terminal isn’t just convenient – it’s critical. Without the right one, you’ll struggle to accept payments securely, set up recurring billing, or track transactions efficiently. Making the right choice can be tricky, since many processors lock you into lengthy contracts, hide fees, or limit you to...

TikTok Rolls Out TikTok Pro in EU With Built-in Charity Program

TikTok has introduced a new version of its app, “TikTok Pro,” across several European countries, including Germany, Portugal, and Spain. The app features the new “Sunshine Programme,” which enables users to support charities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) directly through the platform. The Sunshine Programme helps charitable organizations reach new audiences,...

Wix Introduces Financial Services Suite

Wix has integrated two new financial solutions, Wix Checking and Wix Capital, into its platform. The services are available to select US-based Wix Payments users, but the company plans to broaden access to more users and regions in the future. “With Wix Checking and Wix Capital, we’re giving users a complete financial solution built into the platform they already use,” Amit...

Wix Expands PayPal Partnership for Streamlined Payments

Website building platform Wix has expanded its partnership with PayPal Holdings Inc., bringing more online payment options for US-based merchants. The new options are built into the company’s proprietary payment solution, Wix Payments. “By bringing PayPal under the Wix Payments umbrella, we gain significantly more control over the user experience and how PayPal’s products...

AI Fuels Tech Layoffs but Boosts Other Sectors’ Salaries by $18K

The Beyond the Buzz study by Lightcast explored AI’s impact on the labor market, highlighting the most affected roles, in-demand AI skills, and adoption trends across industries. The study found that the tech industry – the original epicenter of AI innovation – is now facing the greatest disruption, with many workers being displaced by the very tools they helped create...

AI Saves Marketers, SMBs 13 Hours a Week, Study Finds

Marketing automation platform ActiveCampaign surveyed 1,000 US-based professionals who deal with marketing tasks daily – including junior marketers, C-suite executives, and small business owners – on AI use and the technology's impact on performance. The study unveils widespread use of AI among marketers. Eighty-two percent of the respondents report AI use, with half using...

Squarespace Module 1 | Quick Prep

Define your website’s structure and purpose. Collect essential brand assets like a logo, images, and copy.

The Website Planet Squarespace Starter Guide

The most comprehensive, step-by-step guide for small business owners and freelancers who want to build a branded website with Squarespace and avoid the cookie-cutter template look. Every module is free, supported with illustrations, and developed in collaboration with a certified Squarespace website designer.

Module 5: Combined Homepage and Portfolio (Part 2/2)

Complete your Portfolio page with a CTA and About section, then set it as your homepage to invite exploration and earn trust.

Module 5: The Homepage – Salon

Design and build an eye-catching, high-impact homepage that says: “This is my brand!” rather than “This is a Squarespace template.

Module 5: The Homepage – Agency

Design and build an eye-catching, high-impact homepage that says: “This is my brand!” rather than “This is a Squarespace template.

Module 4: Combined Homepage and Portfolio (Part 1/2)

Build a compelling portfolio page to showcase your talent and impress visitors.

Module 3: The About Page – Portfolio

Develop an about page that fosters a genuine connection with potential clients by emphasizing common values and experiences.

Module 3: The About Page – Salon

Develop an about page that fosters a genuine connection with potential clients by emphasizing common values and experiences.

Module 3: The About Page – Agency

Develop an about page that fosters a genuine connection with potential clients by emphasizing common values and experiences.

Module 2: The Contact Page – Portfolio

Make it simple for visitors to get in touch. Build an intuitive contact page that includes an enticing contact form.

Module 2: The Contact Page – Salon

Make it simple for visitors to get in touch. Build an intuitive contact page that includes an enticing contact form.

Module 2: The Contact Page – Agency

Make it simple for visitors to get in touch. Build an intuitive contact page that includes an enticing contact form.