15 Best Shopify Subscription Apps To Grow Your Ecommerce Business

Last updated: September 12, 2023

The world of ecommerce is changing quickly in the current digital era, and subscription-based business models have changed the game.

Shopify is an excellent platform for businesses that want to take advantage of the subscription model, and there are some great apps that can help you grow your business quickly.

In this Upscribe article, we’ll explore the importance of subscription apps and the major factors you should consider when choosing one for your business—from pricing to customer support.

Let’s get started.

What Is a Shopify Subscription App?

Shopify subscription apps help business owners manage subscription businesses and allow customers to subscribe and pay for products over time.

These apps usually include a range of features, such as:

Automated billing and payments
Customizable product subscription plans
Ability to manage multiple subscriptions
Support for upselling or cross-selling subscriptions
Subscription analytics and reports

You can use these tools to effectively manage subscriptions, monitor invoicing, and handle payments with these tools—all within the Shopify ecosystem. As a result, you may keep Shopify Checkout, ensuring that their buying remains seamless.

Why Are Shopify Subscription Apps Important?

Insights and Analytics

When growing your business without investing in extra resources or hiring more employees, Shopify subscription apps can be a game-changer. Through detailed data analytics, these apps provide valuable insights into individual products, marketing campaigns, and customer preferences. This information allows you to make informed decisions and scale your organization effectively.

Fully-Integrated Checkout Process

By the time a customer reaches checkout, they’ve already interacted with your brand, explored your offerings, and arrived at a buying decision. The checkout process marks the final stage of their journey and must align with their prior brand encounters.

Using a Shopify subscription app allows for a seamless checkout experience on your website without redirecting users to other sites, ensuring consistency.

Improved Customer Experience

Subscription apps significantly improve the user experience by making it simple for customers to subscribe, manage, and cancel recurring purchases. Tools like self-service portals, email and SMS order management, and automated payment systems are all available through subscription apps.

Criteria to Consider When Looking for a Shopify Subscription App

Features

Shopify subscription apps offer a range of features, so make sure the app you choose meets your unique needs.

Find Shopify subscription apps that offer flexible subscription models, including fixed-term subscriptions, recurring billing, and customizable billing intervals. This allows you to tailor your subscription options to your customers’ needs.

It’s also important to consider an app’s analytics and reporting capabilities to understand target customer behavior and optimize your subscription strategy.

Integrations With Apps and Platforms

To ensure smooth functionality, the Shopify subscription app needs to integrate seamlessly with necessary software and infrastructure, such as CRM systems, analytics programs, inventory management systems, and email marketing applications. This integration helps to keep your system unified and efficient, leading to a seamless and effective operation.

Cost

Examine the Shopify app’s pricing scheme. To make sure the app fits your budget and business needs, strike a balance between the app’s capabilities and cost-effectiveness.

When assessing the pricing structure of a Shopify app, it’s critical to dig into the details and make an informed decision about how it fits into your company strategy. Some apps charge a percentage of your earnings, so the more you earn, the more you spend on fees. On the other hand, some apps charge a set monthly fee, which can provide cost certainty but is less flexible than revenue-based pricing.

15 Best Shopify Subscription Apps

Upscribe: Best for growing your subscription business.
Loop Subscriptions: Best for mobile subscription management.
Recharge: Best for quick checkouts and simple subscription management.
Seal Subscriptions: Best for adding subscription pricing to native Shopify checkout.
Skio: Best for automated customer account creation.
Appstle subscriptions: Best for easy integration.
Recurpay Subscriptions: Best for simplicity.
PayWhirl: Best for simple subscription and payment administration.
Bold Subscription: Best for customization options.
RecurrinGO! Subscriptions: Best for payment options.
Yotpo Subscriptions: Best for catalog management.
Ongoing Subscriptions: Best for subscription incentives.
Ordergroove Subscriptions: Best for hassle-free subscription experiences.
Smartrr: Best for optimized customer experiences.
Native Subscriptions: Best for simple migration options.

1. Upscribe

Best for growing your subscription business.

Upscribe is an all-in-one subscription management tool for Shopify stores.

Our tool combines a powerful (but intuitive) subscription checkout with subscription-focused features like a out-of-the-box customer portal, a powerful subscription analytic dashboard, smart cancellation flows, subscription notifications bvia email and SMS , and churn defenses.

The result is a product that allows you to deliver your customers a seamless, fully integrated subscription experience.

Upscribe wins by delivering the following:

A Strong Subscriber Experience: Upscribe provides a user-friendly customer interface that improves the look and feel of your online store. It gives subscribers choices for stopping, adding items, and more via web, mobile, SMS, and email, making managing their subscriptions simple.
Growth Tools Built to Scale: Businesses using Shopify can lower their churn rates by using smart cancellation and scheduled payment retries. With the aid of these tools, businesses can recoup declined payments and reward or otherwise reward customers contemplating subscription cancellation. Additionally, Upscribe offers sophisticated dashboards that are easy to use for merchants so they can monitor their overall success.
Single-Click Reorder Functionality for Non-Subscribers: Now that one-time purchases without subscriptions are an option, your consumers have freedom and convenience. Reordering is straightforward with Upscribe, thanks to its availability through SMS or email.

Pricing

At Upscribe, we offer a single plan made for any subscription business.

Our subscription platform costs $100 monthly plus 1% of each transaction. There are no additional fees for transactions that receive free priority support and we don’t charge a flat fee per transaction.

Shopify stores can leverage Upscribe and grow without worrying about being nickel and dimed.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Negligible learning curve
Complimentary priority support
Significantly less expensive than competitors (up to 40% less each month)
Easy-to-use interface

Cons

Lack of customization options

2. Loop Subscriptions

Best for mobile subscription management.

Loop subscription helps you increase your membership rate by providing simple subscription management, attractive designs, and minimum payment errors. It also allows a quick and easy transition from other platforms like Bold and Recharge thanks to data migration options.

Relevant Features

Loop Flows
Smart Dunning Management
Cancellation Surveys
Bundle Builder

Pricing

Growth costs $99 per month plus a 1% transaction fee, while Enterprise costs $399 per month plus a 0.75% transaction fee.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Highly customizable and automated
Affordable price
Great functionality

Cons

Inexperienced customer support
Lack of learning resources

3. Recharge

Best for quick checkouts and simple subscription management.

With Recharge, customers can enjoy a speedy checkout process. Brands can easily manage their subscriptions and increase conversion rates through a variety of customizable options. Customers can also opt for SMS notifications and manage their subscriptions via the customer portal when purchasing subscriptions.

Relevant Features

Transactional SMS
Customer Portal
Analytics
Subscription Flows

Pricing

Standard costs $99/month with transaction fees of 1.25% plus 19 cents. The Pro plan comes with advanced customization and costs $499/month with a 1% transaction fee plus 19 cents per transaction.

There’s also a custom enterprise plan.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Easy integration with third-party apps
Customizable product bundles
Well known, industry leader

Cons

New monthly charge by 2024
Clunky reporting
Extra fees for priority support
Pricing add up with a flat per transaction fee on top of support costs

4. Seal Subscription

Best for adding subscription pricing to native Shopify checkout.

Seal Subscription offers a free version and a native Shopify checkout option, including a subscription widget. Once installed, simply create subscription rules to begin selling.

Relevant Features

Automatic billing
Shopify Integration
Information and Analytics
Subscription Boxes

Pricing

There’s a free plan available that supports up to 150 subscriptions.

Paid plans include Legend ($20/mo), Leader ($50/mo), and Megastar ($140/mo).

Pros and Cons

Pros

Advanced activity dashboard
Customizable branding
Allows mixed subscriptions in the same cart

Cons

Limited customer portal
Limited features with the free trial
Website UI needs improvement

5. Skio

Best for automated customer account creation.

Skio has become a well-known subscription app thanks to its excellent user and customer experiences. With Skio, you can use automated account creation for customers with each new subscription order and password-free user login.

Relevant Features

1-Click Shopify Checkout
Conditional Cancel Flow
Data Analytics Platform
Customer Portal

Pricing

The Dog plan costs $399/month, plus a fee of 1% + 20 cents for each transaction. The Cat plan is custom and is available for businesses with large payment volumes.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Plenty of subscription models to set up
Detailed analytics with an array of metrics
Offers family plans
Smart referrals

Cons

Costly transaction fees
Limited customer support

6. Appstle Subscriptions

Best for easy integration.

Integrating Appstle with your Shopify checkout is easy. Its user-friendly interface makes subscription management simple for sellers and buyers. Plus, there are plenty of customization options for subscribers.

Relevant Features

Subscription Boxes
Cart Page and Fast View Widgets
Appstle Memberships
Analytics and Reporting

Pricing

There’s a free plan with a 0% transaction fee to get you started. After that, plans range from $10/mo to $100/mo with a customizable Enterprise plan for large businesses.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Wide range of features, including loyalty tools and product swaps
Plenty of integrations
Unlimited personalized emails
24/7 support available for all plans

Cons

Pricey higher-tier plans
Steep learning curve for advanced features

7. Recurpay Subscriptions

Best for simplicity.

If you’re looking for a reliable subscription management tool with a user-friendly interface, Recurpay is a great option. It offers a range of features that can help you grow your subscription-based business.

With Recurpay Subscription, you can customize your customer interface and offer multilingual support, making it easy for your customers to manage their subscriptions without contacting support.

Relevant Features

Auto Debiting
Data Analytics and Insights
Mixed Carts

Pricing

Subscriptions are free up until $100 in sales. The entry-level package costs just $9 per month. Higher tier plans range from $29/mo to $79/mo.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Discount bot for discounts on future renewals
Allows for subscriptions on COD
Flexible customer portal

Cons

Charges transaction fees
Not transparent about its pricing on the Shopify page

8. PayWhirl

Best for simple subscription and payment administration.

Managing subscriptions and payments for your Shopify business is easy with PayWhirl. It seamlessly integrates with Shopify’s checkout and provides a variety of designs for a great consumer experience.

Relevant Features

Recurring Billing Automation
Embedded Payment Widgets
Customizable Emails & Invoices
Data and Analytics

Pricing

Business Pro costs $49/month plus a 2% transaction fee.

Business Plus costs $149/month plus a 1% transaction fee, while Business Ultimate costs $249/month plus a 0.5% transaction fee.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Flexible subscription options
Automated carrier-calculated shipping rates
Developer tools to quickly build custom UIs

Cons

Recurring transaction fees
Customer support is unavailable 24/7 for merchants outside the US

9. Bold Subscription

Best for customization options.

If you’re looking for a highly customizable option, Bold Subscription might be the right fit for you. For starters, you can alter every design component, including the code. Plus, Bold Subscription provides in-depth information on shopping trends, consumer preferences, and more.

Relevant Features

Subscriber Experience Optimizer
Dynamic Payment Routing
Checkout UI Customization

Pricing

Bold Subscription offers a 60-day free trial. Subscriptions begin at $49.99 monthly, with a 1% transaction fee on every order.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Easy migration process
Seamless integration with Shopify
Customizable automated emails

Cons

High learning curve for code integrations
Slow response time for customer support
Issues with payment gateways

10. RecurrinGO! Subscriptions

Best for payment options.

With RecurrinGO!, you can offer your customers personalized subscription payment options. Collecting analytics data upfront allows you to gain valuable insights into subscription patterns and preferences. Once set up, repeat payments will be automatically processed, and customers will receive a payment link within a specific timeframe.

Relevant Features

Recurring Billing
Customer Portals
Subscription Analytics
Churn Prevention

Pricing

They have a free Starter plan, but there is a 3% processing cost for any order that includes a subscription item. Basic paid plans (Basic, Plus, and Pro) range from $9–$99 per month with a decreasing transaction fee as you move up the plan tiers.

The Ultimate plan costs $199/month with a 0% transaction fee.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Unlimited subscriptions in each plan
Analytics on subscriptions and subscription rules
Flexible customization of the widget

Cons

High transaction fees
Lacking detailed metrics for the analytics section

11. Yotpo Subscriptions

Best for catalog management.

Yotpo Subscription offers Shopify business owners a powerful subscription solution with a range of features. It provides an intuitive interface for managing subscriptions, creating plans, and integrating with other apps in your tech stack. There are also a range of conversion tools.

Pros and

Relevant Features

SMS Marketing
AI-driven Conversion
Subscription Management
Visual UGC

Pricing

Yotpo Subscriptions offers a free plan with limited features. Growth ($15/month) and Prime ($119/month) are designed for growing businesses with SEO and on-site conversion needs. Premium and Enterprise are customizable plans designed for established subscription brands.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Advanced analytics of content areas for growth
Relatively easy to use
Wide range of features

Cons

A bit expensive
Poor lead generation

12. Ongoing Subscriptions

Best for subscription incentives.

Shopify businesses can use Ongoing Subscriptions to offer savings incentives in a variety of ways, such as a set price, a specified amount off, or a percentage off. Customers can set up recurring payments or prepaid subscriptions using a widget that matches your theme after adding it to your store in just one click.

Relevant Features

Subscriber Portal
Recurring Billing
Analytics
Migrations

Pricing

A free Starter plan offers unlimited subscription plans and subscription orders (for a 3% transaction fee).

The Pro plan costs $99/month with a 2% transaction fee, including Custom Emails and Custom Branding for Subscriber Portal. At $299/month, the Enterprise Plan has a 1% transaction fee and comes with everything in Pro, plus API access.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Complete subscription creation & management tools
Customizable customer dashboard portal
Responsive In-app chat support

Cons

Charges transaction fees
Expensive pricing plans for small-sized stores

13. Ordergroove Subscriptions

Best for hassle-free subscription experiences.

Ordergroove Subscription is explicitly designed for Shopify entrepreneurs who are serious about expanding their business through subscriptions. Thanks to its seamless integration within the Shopify ecosystem, the app provides a hassle-free subscription experience for your customers.

Relevant Features

Subscription Incentives
Ecommerce Platform Integration (Shopify, Salesforce, BigCommerce, Magento)
Performance Analytics and Insights
Subscription Boxes

Pricing

Ordergroove Subscriptions offers flexible plans based on monthly subscription GMV with a starting price of $499/month.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Great customer support
Several functionalities for specific order management systems
Can manage a high volume of subscriptions at a scale

Cons

Automated email functionality requires improvement
Limited integrations

14. Smartrr

Best for optimized customer experiences.

Smartrr offers Shopify business owners a range of tools supporting customer loyalty and retention. You can easily manage your subscription plans, offer discounts and gifts with every purchase, and reward customers for loyalty.

Relevant Features

Subscription Membership
Account Portal
Native Loyalty Rewards
Data-driven Analytics

Pricing

Smartrr has three plans to choose from—Launch ($99/mo + 1% GMV), Grow ($299/mo + 1% GMV), and Excel ($499/mo + 1% GMV).

Pros and Cons

Pros

Diverse subscription management actions
Advanced analytics
Highly customizable subscription programs

Cons

Expensive pricing plans
Support on Smartrr’s entry-level plan is limited to email and chat options

15. Native Subscriptions

Best for simple migration options.

Native Subscriptions is an excellent choice for migrating customers because it allows for simple integration. Native also allows you to customize and personalize sales and checkout flows, ensuring every step works precisely how you want it to.

Relevant Features

Subscription Management
Recurring Billing
Analytics and Reporting

Pricing

Native Subscriptions offer a free Standard plan with a 1% transaction fee (up to $49). There’s also Pro ($25/mo) with no transaction fees, which includes all advanced features.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Easy-to-use and intuitive UI
Highly responsive customer support
Affordable pricing plans

Cons

The app is a bit buggy
Occasional sudden cancellation issues with subscriptions to the tool

Conclusion

Subscription apps for Shopify can revolutionize your online store by offering various advantages, including advanced analytics, effortless checkout processes, and enhanced customer satisfaction. With the right subscription app that aligns with your business objectives and financial plan, you can elevate your ecommerce venture to new heights.

As you embark on your subscription journey, Upscribe will help you navigate the process and ensure you get the most out of your business. Upscribe offers all the features—intuitive checkouts, flexible payment options, subscriber growth tools, and analytics.

Take the next step and schedule a demo with Upscribe today.