Shopify subscription app guide
Find a Shopify subscription app your team can run well.
A subscription app can take payments, but it cannot create repeat demand. You still need the right products, delivery schedule, customer controls and a clear plan for failed payments and cancellations.
The quick answer
Which option should you try first?
Try Shopify Subscriptions first for a simple new offer. Consider Appstle if you need more features on a smaller budget, or Loop if subscriber experience and cancellation flows matter most. Recharge and Skio suit more established subscription businesses. Ordergroove is built for complex enterprise needs.
Before you compare apps
Decide these four things first.
Your answers will show whether Shopify's own tools are enough and which paid options are worth considering.
What type of subscription will you sell?
Regular refills, curated boxes, memberships and prepaid plans each need a different setup.
What should subscribers be able to change?
Decide whether customers can skip, pause, swap, reschedule or cancel, and update their address or payment details.
What happens when a payment fails?
Choose who will manage payment retries and what messages customers will receive.
Can your team handle repeat orders?
Check that stock, packing, support and cash flow can cope with regular orders and unexpected problems.
Best fit by situation
Find the situation closest to yours.
No single app is best for every Shopify store. Start with the closest match below, then check that it works with the rest of your setup.
You are testing a simple subscription offer
Shopify Subscriptions
Use Shopify's own app when you need straightforward repeat billing and are still proving customer demand.You need more features on a smaller budget
Appstle Subscriptions
A practical option for small and growing subscription businesses that need more than the basics.You want better cancellation and retention journeys
Loop Subscriptions
A good match when your team has time to improve cancellation flows and the wider subscriber experience.You run an established subscription business
Recharge Subscriptions or Skio, a Recharge Company
These options suit brands that can make use of wider integrations, migration support and more advanced subscriber tools.You have complex enterprise requirements
Ordergroove
Bring an enterprise platform into the shortlist only when your scale, sales channels and system integrations require it.Compare your options
See the main differences at a glance.
Use this comparison to build a shortlist. Check current pricing and compatibility on the app's website before you buy.
You are testing a simple subscription offer
Starting priceFreeSetup effortLight setupView guide
Appstle SubscriptionsAppstleYou need more features on a smaller budget
Starting priceFreeSetup effortModerate setupView guide
Loop SubscriptionsLoopYou want better cancellation and retention journeys
Starting priceFrom USD 99/monthSetup effortHeavier setupView guide
Recharge SubscriptionsRechargeYou run an established subscription business
Starting priceFrom USD 25/monthSetup effortConfirm before startingView guide
Skio, a Recharge CompanySkioYou run an established subscription business
Starting priceFrom USD 599/monthSetup effortConfirm before startingView guide
OrdergrooveOrdergrooveYou have complex enterprise requirements
Starting priceConfirm current pricingSetup effortConfirm before startingView guideStart with Shopify
Prove the offer with Shopify's own app first
Shopify Subscriptions covers repeat billing, customer self-service, several discount types and basic reporting. Prove that customers want the offer before paying for a more complex platform.
- Customers have a clear reason to subscribe.
- The delivery schedule matches how often they use the product.
- Your margin covers the discount, packing and delivery costs.
- Someone owns customer support and retention.
- You have written down what happens after cancellations and failed payments.
Do not buy yet
Wait before buying if any of these apply.
- You have not proved that customers buy the product repeatedly.
- The discount is the only reason a customer would subscribe.
- Inventory and fulfilment cannot reliably support recurring orders.
- No one is responsible for cancellations, failed payments and subscriber support.
- You are comparing advanced features before deciding how the subscription will work.
Your implementation plan
Put your choice into practice.
Follow these steps before moving on to the setup guide for your chosen app.
- 01
Define the offer
Write down which products are included, how often customers pay, the discount and how cancellation will work.
What you should haveA clear offer with costs and expected margin. - 02
Map the customer journey
Plan sign-up, renewal reminders, skips, pauses, swaps, failed payments and cancellations.
What you should haveA customer journey with a named owner for every problem. - 03
Choose the simplest app that meets your needs
Compare only the features needed for the customer journey and integrations you have already planned.
What you should haveA written choice that explains why other options were rejected. - 04
Test the full subscription
Use test products and payments to check the product page, checkout, emails, customer controls, payment retries, packing and reports.
What you should haveA completed test record for successful orders and common problems. - 05
Review customer behaviour after launch
Track sign-ups, active subscribers, repeat orders, skips, pauses, cancellations, recovered payments and profit after costs.
What you should haveA regular review with clear points for when your team should act.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions before you choose.
What is the best free Shopify subscription app?
Shopify Subscriptions is the first option to try for a simple offer because it is Shopify's own app. Check that it supports every part of the customer journey you plan to offer.
When should I move beyond Shopify Subscriptions?
Move when your business needs something important that Shopify's app cannot provide, such as more advanced customer controls, retention journeys, integrations or migration help.
Is Recharge suitable for a new subscription store?
Recharge is designed for established subscription businesses with a wider set of integrations. A new store may be better served by a simpler option while it proves repeat demand.
What should I measure after launching subscriptions?
Track sign-ups, active subscribers, repeat orders, skips, pauses, cancellations, recovered payments, support demand and profit after all costs.
Sources
Where this information comes from.
App details come from the StackFit research database. Shopify features and limitations are checked against Shopify's own guidance.
- Shopify SubscriptionsShopify Help Center
- Setting up Shopify SubscriptionsShopify Help Center
- Subscription business modelsShopify Help Center
Affiliate relationships do not affect which apps appear or where they are placed. Read the StackFit recommendation methodology.
Still unsure?
Get a plan built around your store.
See what to install now, what to add later, what to replace and what to avoid for the moment.