Choosing Shopify apps
Find a Shopify subscription app your team can run well.
Use Shopify Subscriptions to test a simple offer at no app cost, but do not assume it is the best fit: merchant feedback is currently weaker than for the specialist alternatives. Appstle is a strong low-cost specialist starting point. Loop now has a free entry plan but makes most sense for a team that will use its retention workflows. Recharge and Skio suit more established programmes, while Ordergroove is enterprise infrastructure.
Match the app to the job
6 options, with different strengths. These are not ranked by popularity. Check plan limits and extra fees before choosing.
You want to test a straightforward subscribe-and-save offer.
- Starting price
- Free
- Setup estimate
- Light setup
- Pricing checked
You want flexible subscription offers while keeping the initial budget small.
- Starting price
- Free
- Setup estimate
- Moderate setup
- Pricing checked
You already have repeat buyers and want to improve the subscription experience.
- Starting price
- Free
- Setup estimate
- Heavier setup
- Pricing checked
You need established subscription integrations and room to build a more complex programme.
- Starting price
- From USD 25/month
- Setup estimate
- Confirm before starting
- Pricing checked
Subscriptions are a major part of your business and you can justify the higher fixed fee.
- Starting price
- From USD 599/month
- Setup estimate
- Confirm before starting
- Pricing checked
Enterprise retailers and high-volume subscription programmes
- Starting price
- Confirm current pricing
- Setup estimate
- Confirm before starting
- Pricing checked
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More side-by-side comparisons
Use Shopify's own app as the native benchmark
Shopify Subscriptions shows what the free native option can cover. Merchant feedback is currently weaker than for the specialist alternatives, so use it to define the baseline and test the customer journey rather than assuming it should win.
- 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.
When it is better to wait
- 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.
Before you install
Choose one problem to solve, check the full cost, then use the setup guide for your chosen app.
Questions to settle before choosing
- 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.
Advice for different store setups
You are testing a simple subscription offer
It shows what a free native setup can do without adding an app fee. Merchant feedback is currently weaker than for the specialist alternatives, so test the full storefront and customer journey before launch.
Read the Shopify Subscriptions guide →You need specialist features on a smaller budget
It offers a broad specialist feature set and a free entry tier, provided your team keeps the configuration disciplined.
Read the Appstle Subscriptions guide →You will actively improve cancellations and retention
Loop makes most sense when a named team will operate its portal, cancellation flows, payment recovery and retention analytics.
Read the Loop guide →You run an established subscription business
Recharge has a lower entry point and mature ecosystem. Skio is a higher-investment option for brands prioritising subscriber experience, migration and operating data.
Read the Recharge guide →Read the Skio guide →You have complex enterprise requirements
Use it only when enterprise scale, channels, integrations and regular checks justify custom commercial and implementation commitments.
Read the Ordergroove guide →Open the setup checklist
- 1Define the offer
Write down which products are included, how often customers pay, the discount and how cancellation will work.
- 2Map the customer journey
Plan sign-up, renewal reminders, skips, pauses, swaps, failed payments and cancellations.
- 3Choose the simplest app that meets your needs
Compare only the features needed for the customer journey and integrations you have already planned.
- 4Test the full subscription
Use test products and payments to check the product page, checkout, emails, customer controls, payment retries, packing and reports.
- 5Review customer behaviour after launch
Track sign-ups, active subscribers, repeat orders, skips, pauses, cancellations, recovered payments and profit after costs.
Starting subscriptions from scratch? Follow the launch guide →
Common questions
How do I start a Shopify subscription service?
Start with a product customers already buy repeatedly. Define the delivery schedule, discount, customer controls, cancellation process, failed-payment plan and expected margin before choosing an app. Then test the complete subscriber journey with the simplest suitable option.
What is the best free Shopify subscription app?
Shopify Subscriptions is the free Shopify's own tools, while Appstle and Loop also publish free entry plans with different limits and operating depth. Do not choose on the word 'free' alone: compare the subscriber journey, transaction charges, plan thresholds and work your team can actually support.
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.
Related topics
Sources and how we compare apps
Our guides draw on official product listings and documentation. This is not a claim that we have personally tested every app.
- Shopify Subscriptions
- Setting up Shopify Subscriptions
- Subscription business models
- Appstle Subscriptions
- Loop pricing
- Recharge pricing
- Skio pricing
- Ordergroove feature descriptions