Shopify app comparison
Loop vs Recharge
Shortlist Loop when a named team member will actively improve cancellations, the customer portal and failed-payment recovery. Shortlist Recharge when an established subscription business values a long track record and a broad integration ecosystem. Both now publish lower-cost entry routes, so compare the limits and transaction charges at your expected scale.
Loop
A person responsible will actively improve cancellations, payment recovery and the subscriber portal using regular performance data.
Setup: Heavier setup
Affiliate link. It never affects our advice.
Recharge
You run an established subscription programme and value ecosystem maturity, integrations and familiar operating patterns.
Setup: Confirm before starting
Official vendor website.Neither yet?
Customers have not yet shown that they want to reorder, recurring deliveries are unreliable or nobody is responsible for the subscription experience.
See the simpler starting point →The differences that matter
Swipe the table to see both apps →
| What to check | Loop | Recharge |
|---|---|---|
| Active retention work | Centres the customer portal, cancellation experience and failed-payment recovery. | Supports retention work within a broad, established subscription platform. |
| Established ecosystem | A growing integration set built around active subscription operations. | A long-established platform with a broad integration ecosystem. |
| Published entry cost | A free plan is available, with paid tiers for teams that need more retention and operating capability. | A $25 route covers 25 to 50 subscribers, with larger paid tiers and transaction charges as the programme grows. |
| someone to manage it | One person must review why customers leave and improve the experience. | One person must manage subscriptions, integrations and customer issues. |
Loop is the stronger fit when:
- Your team will actively improve cancellations and failed-payment recovery.
- The customer portal and keeping subscribers are central to the programme.
- You have enough subscription orders to see whether the changes are working.
Recharge is the stronger fit when:
- You operate an established subscription business.
- A wide choice of established integrations matters to your store.
- You value a mature ecosystem and familiar day-to-day work.
What will you actually pay?
Loop
FreeFree Forever covers up to 50 active subscriptions. Starter is $99/month plus 1% per transaction; Pro is $399/month plus 0.75% per transaction. Prices are in USD. Check current limits and terms before choosing.
Pricing checked 2026-09-22Check official pricing ↗Recharge
From USD 25/monthThe $25/month introductory tier covers the first 50 subscribers without transaction fees. Starter is $99/month plus 1.49% and $0.19 per transaction; Plus is $499/month plus 1.34% and $0.19, with volume terms available.
Pricing checked 2026-09-07Check official pricing ↗You might not need either yet
Customers have not yet shown that they want to reorder, recurring deliveries are unreliable or nobody is responsible for the subscription experience.
- Customers have not yet shown that they want to reorder the product.
- Your stock, delivery or support process cannot reliably handle repeat orders.
- Nobody is responsible for cancellations, failed payments and subscriber support.
Ready to set it up?
Start with one useful feature and test the customer journey before switching on more.
Set up Loop
Loop is most valuable when the retention workflows will be actively managed.
- Record current cancellation, payment-recovery and support baselines.
- Design customer portal controls, cancellation reasons and save offers.
- Configure failed-payment recovery and the messages around it.
- Review reasons, recoveries and subscriber actions every week.
Set up Recharge
Recharge needs a disciplined migration and integration plan.
- Map products, subscriber rules, customer controls and required integrations.
- Plan migration ownership, data checks and customer communication.
- Configure one focused subscription journey and test every customer action.
- Monitor renewals, failures, cancellations and support demand after launch.
Checks that apply to either app
- Sign-up, renewal, skip, swap and cancellation all work on mobile.
- Failed payments trigger the right recovery and customer messages.
- Inventory and fulfilment can handle recurring order timing.
- Finance, support and ecommerce teams agree how success will be measured.
Common questions
Is Loop better than Recharge?
Not automatically. Loop is a strong shortlist option for a team focused on active retention workflows. Recharge can be the better fit for an established programme that values ecosystem maturity and a broader integration base.
Which is better for a new subscription store?
A new subscription store may not need either platform yet. First prove repeat demand and compare the free Shopify baseline or a lower-cost specialist option.
What should I compare beyond price?
Compare customer controls, payment recovery, cancellation journeys, migration support, integrations, analytics, transaction costs and the ongoing work your team must own.
How do Loop and Recharge pricing compare?
Loop publishes a free plan plus paid tiers that can include transaction pricing. Recharge publishes a lower-cost entry route for a limited subscriber range plus larger paid tiers and applicable transaction fees. Model the total cost at your expected subscriber and order volume, then check both official pricing pages before buying.
Can I move from Recharge to Loop, or from Loop to Recharge?
Both changes should be treated as controlled migrations. Confirm which subscriber, payment, selling-plan and historical data can move, agree a freeze and rollback plan, test a small cohort and reconcile future orders before the final cutover.
Still comparing?
All subscriptions options →Sources and independence
Based on official app listings and vendor documentation, not a claim of hands-on testing of every feature. Affiliate relationships do not decide which app we recommend.
- Loop Subscriptions: official product information
- Recharge Subscriptions: official product information