Based on our testing of 15 Shopify subscription apps, Appstle Subscriptions is the best for most stores because its paid plans charge 0% transaction fees. It’s also free up to $500/month in subscription revenue, with Build-a-Box available from $30/month.
This guide compares the best Shopify subscription apps on pricing, customer portals, and features worth upgrading for. I’ll walk you through each pick and help you compare running costs.
Why You Can Trust This Review
We compared 15 Shopify subscription apps, and seven made the cut. I installed each one on a Shopify test store and worked through plan setup, the subscription widget, the customer portal, and the upgrade path.
Key Takeaways 🔍
- Appstle is my overall pick for affordable prepaid subscriptions and Build-a-Box
- Paid plans range from $5.95/month with Seal to $499/month for Recharge Scale, before usage fees
- Appstle, Seal, Loop, and Shopify Subscriptions offer ongoing free plans
- Seal and paid Appstle plans charge 0%; the other paid apps add percentage fees
- Choose Recharge for complex integrations and customization; it also owns Skio
- Appstle: Best Overall
- Seal: Best for Small Stores
- Loop: Best for Growing Brands
- Shopify Subscriptions: Best Free Native Option
- Recharge: Best for High-Volume Brands
- Stay AI: Best for Churn Prediction
- Subi: Best for Memberships
Shopify Subscription App Comparison Table
Compare paid starting prices and app fees below. Ratings use a five-point scale, with App Store review counts in parentheses.
| App | Our rating | App Store rating | Starting price | Free plan | Transaction fees | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appstle | 4.8 | 5.0 (9,230) | $10/month | To $500/month revenue | 0% paid plans | Overall |
| Seal | 4.6 | 4.9 (3,157) | $5.95/month | 50 subscriptions | 0% | Small stores |
| Loop | 4.5 | 5.0 (813) | $99/month | 50 active subscriptions | 1.0% Starter | Growing brands |
| Shopify Subscriptions | 4.3 | 3.8 (897) | Free | Yes | None; processing extra | Simple replenishment |
| Recharge | 4.3 | 4.8 (3,155) | $149/month | No; 60-day trial | 1.50% + $0.20 Starter | High volume |
| Stay AI | 4.2 | 4.9 (148) | $299/month | No; 30-day trial | 1% + $0.19 | Churn prediction |
| Subi | 4.1 | 4.9 (934) | $29/month | Development stores only | 1.6% Starter | Memberships |
1. Appstle Subscriptions: Best Overall
- App Store rating: 5.0 stars, 9,230 reviews
- Starting price: $10/month
- Free plan: Up to $500/month subscription revenue
- Transaction fees: 0% on paid plans; Free unspecified
- Best for: Most small-to-mid stores
Appstle is my overall recommendation because flat paid pricing keeps subscription boxes affordable without taking a percentage of recurring orders.
Its plans cap subscription revenue rather than subscriber count. Seal can cost less when you sell expensive products to a small customer base.
- ✔️ Paid plans: No transaction fees means you keep more from each recurring sale.
- ✔️ Free plan: Prepaid subscriptions let you try upfront-payment offers without upgrading.
- ✔️ Boxes: Build-a-Box starts at $30/month, keeping customer-built subscriptions affordable.
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✔️ Support: Around-the-clock human assistance helps when setup questions come up.
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❌ Growth limits: Revenue caps mean watching sales alongside your feature requirements.
- ❌ Integrations: Webhooks have separate pricing beyond the advertised plan.
- ❌ Setup: Merchants say one-by-one product configuration creates repetitive work.
What’s new with Appstle Subscriptions? ⬇️
Appstle holds Built for Shopify status and has the largest merchant review base among these picks. Business Premium offers enterprise APIs and webhooks by request.
Why use Appstle Subscriptions in 2026? ⬇️
Appstle gives replenishment stores a path into customer-built boxes without switching platforms. Business combines Build-a-Box with retention tools and an advanced portal, making it the upgrade I’d examine when boxes become central to your offer.
My Appstle Subscriptions testing notes ⬇️
I worked through pay-as-you-go and prepaid options without needing Business. Appstle’s Shopify-native portal was available below that tier, while customer-built boxes required the upgrade. Merchants flag repetitive configuration and separate webhook costs, so make sure you map the products needing plans and ask about integration charges.
How Much Does Appstle Subscriptions Cost?
Paid plans include a 14-day trial, with monthly and annual billing options.
| Plan | Price per month | Transaction fee | Revenue cap and key adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Unspecified | $500/month; prepaid, migration, portal |
| Starter | $10, or $96/year | 0% | $5,000/month |
| Business | $30, or $288/year | 0% | $15,000/month; Build-a-Box, bundles, retention tools, advanced portal |
| Business Premium | $100, or $960/year | 0% | $100,000/month; product swaps, checkout links, custom email domain |
Best for: Stores wanting prepaid and boxes without percentage fees. Skip if: Your revenue exceeds the standard tiers or integrations need a separately priced package.
2. Seal Subscriptions: Best for Small Stores
- App Store rating: 4.9 stars, 3,157 reviews
- Starting price: $5.95/month
- Free plan: 50 subscriptions
- Transaction fees: 0% on every plan
- Best for: Stores with up to 500 subscriptions
Seal is my small-store pick because every plan allows unlimited subscription revenue, including Free. You pay for subscription capacity rather than a share of sales.
Standard priced tiers stop at 500 subscriptions. Appstle offers a clearer published upgrade path beyond that point, so ask Seal about larger-plan pricing.
- ✔️ Fees: There are no transaction charges as subscription sales increase.
- ✔️ Revenue: Unlimited revenue on every plan suits higher-value subscriptions.
- ✔️ Models: Prepaid subscriptions and boxes offer alternatives to recurring refills.
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✔️ Access: Eligible plans include a passwordless customer portal.
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❌ Capacity: Programs exceeding 500 subscriptions need a separate pricing conversation.
- ❌ Cancellation tools: The custom cancellation flow requires LEGEND.
- ❌ Guidance: Merchants report weak portal visibility, making clear account links important.
What’s new with Seal Subscriptions? ⬇️
Seal holds Built for Shopify status and offers larger plans beyond its standard tiers. LEGEND includes subscription delivery profiles and a custom cancellation flow.
Why use Seal Subscriptions in 2026? ⬇️
Seal suits an expensive monthly refill because higher order values don’t trigger a revenue-based upgrade. It also supports memberships and digital products alongside physical subscriptions.
I recommend it when affordable recurring billing matters more than predictive retention tools.
My Seal Subscriptions testing notes ⬇️
I worked through classic and prepaid options, alongside tiered discounts and free trials. Passwordless access stood out, but customers still need a clear route to their accounts. Merchants say guidance is thin and portal discovery difficult, so make sure you add a portal link to your account page and subscription emails.
How Much Does Seal Subscriptions Cost?
Paid plans include a 30-day trial, with monthly or annual billing.
| Plan | Price per month | Transaction fee | Subscription cap and key adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free for life | $0 | 0% | 50 subscriptions; unlimited revenue |
| SUPERSALE | $5.95, or $57.12/year | 0% | 100 subscriptions |
| RISING STAR | $9.95, or $95.52/year | 0% | 250; passwordless portal, renewal reminders |
| LEGEND | $24.95, or $239.52/year | 0% | 500; delivery profiles, custom cancellation flow |
3. Loop Subscriptions: Best for Growing Brands
- App Store rating: 5.0 stars, 813 reviews
- Starting price: $99/month
- Free plan: 50 active subscriptions
- Transaction fees: Starter 1.0%; Pro 0.75%; Free unspecified
- Best for: Brands building a retention program
Loop is my recommendation when payment failures and cancellations matter more than simply launching subscriptions. Starter combines build-your-own bundles with cancellation flows and payment recovery.
Its percentage fee grows with recurring revenue. Appstle Business is the better budget choice when affordable boxes matter more than retention tools.
- ✔️ Free plan: You can run 50 active subscriptions without a paid plan.
- ✔️ Starter bundles: Fixed and build-your-own options don’t require Pro.
- ✔️ Retention: Cancellation flows and payment recovery address departures and failed charges.
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✔️ Migration: Paid plans include free white-glove help for established programs.
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❌ Free tier: Retention tools require a paid budget.
- ❌ Prepaid and gifts: Both require Pro, affecting your subscription model’s cost.
- ❌ Support: Merchants say free-plan responses are slower.
What’s new with Loop Subscriptions? ⬇️
Loop recommends self-service migration only for smaller subscription programs. For an established store, arrange its supported route before setting a cutover date.
Why use Loop Subscriptions in 2026? ⬇️
Loop suits stores that attract subscribers but struggle to retain them. I like that Starter includes retention tools rather than reserving them for Pro. Configure cancellation offers around actual customer reasons instead of giving everyone a discount.
My Loop Subscriptions testing notes ⬇️
On Starter, I worked through a build-your-own bundle and branded customer portal. Payment recovery included up to 15 retries alongside cancellation flows. Free didn’t show the full retention package, so make sure you budget for Starter before planning a launch around cancellation flows.
How Much Does Loop Subscriptions Cost?
Loop offers a 14-day trial on paid plans, billed monthly. Compare features before upgrading for Pro’s lower percentage fee.
| Plan | Price per month | Transaction fee | Key adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Forever | $0 | Unspecified | 50 active subscriptions, mobile portal, analytics |
| Starter | $99 | 1.0% | Bundles, checkout links, branded portal, 15 payment retries, cancellation flows |
| Pro | $399 | 0.75% | Dedicated customer success manager, 24/7 Slack support, prepaid, gifts, APIs/webhooks |
4. Shopify Subscriptions: Best Free Native Option
- App Store rating: 3.8 stars, 897 reviews
- Starting price: Free
- Free plan: Entire app, no paid tiers
- Transaction fees: No app fees; payment processing applies
- Best for: Simple replenishment subscriptions
Shopify Subscriptions is my preferred native option for testing subscribe-and-save demand without an app bill. Customers manage subscriptions through Shopify accounts, and Shopify POS is supported.
The catch is flexibility: bundles aren’t compatible, and the order edits API doesn’t support subscriptions. Choose Appstle when prepaid subscriptions or customer-built boxes are central to your offer.
- ✔️ Cost: There are no subscription app fees.
- ✔️ Customer controls: Customers can skip, pause, and cancel through their accounts.
- ✔️ Retail: Shopify POS compatibility supports stores using Shopify’s retail setup.
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✔️ Migration: Existing subscription contracts can transfer rather than starting from scratch.
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❌ Bundles: Build-a-Box isn’t available for customer-built subscription boxes.
- ❌ Payments: Restricted gateway compatibility makes payment eligibility an early check.
- ❌ Feedback: It has the lowest App Store rating among these picks.
What’s new with Shopify Subscriptions? ⬇️
Shopify’s app launched in January 2024. Merchants say shipping recalculation can cause problems after introductory free-shipping orders, so check renewal shipping charges before launch.
Why use Shopify Subscriptions in 2026? ⬇️
I recommend Shopify Subscriptions for a straightforward coffee refill, not a rotating assortment requiring bundle management. Customer controls, email templates, and reporting cover the basics without another paid platform.
My Shopify Subscriptions testing notes ⬇️
I paired a selling plan with a discount and worked through customer self-service controls. The discount applied only to the first payment by default. Customers are billed the day after the due date, so renewal wording deserves attention. These settings shape the offer, so make sure you set ongoing discounts to recur and check the customer-facing terms.
How Much Does Shopify Subscriptions Cost?
No trial is needed because the app is free; your Shopify plan and payment processing remain separate costs.
| Plan | Price per month | Transaction fee | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | None; payment processing only | Weekly/monthly/yearly billing, discounts, skip/pause/cancel, email templates, reporting |
Best for: Simple replenishment with a supported gateway. Skip if: You need subscription boxes, customer-built bundles, or prepaid plans.
5. Recharge: Best for High-Volume Brands
- App Store rating: 4.8 stars, 3,155 reviews
- Starting price: $149/month
- Free plan: None; 60-day Starter trial
- Transaction fees: Starter 1.50% + $0.20 per transaction
- Best for: High-volume and enterprise programs
Recharge is my high-volume pick for integrations and customization supporting complex subscription operations. Scale adds developer tools and experimentation features smaller stores may never need.
Recharge charges both percentage and per-order fees. Loop offers cancellation flows at a lower entry price, while paid Appstle plans avoid percentage fees.
- ✔️ Trial: The extended Starter trial gives you room to evaluate setup.
- ✔️ Integrations: Klaviyo and Gorgias support connects subscriptions with existing workflows.
- ✔️ Starter retention: Cancellation prevention and payment recovery don’t require Scale.
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✔️ Scale bundles: Customer-built or curated options support flexible subscription assortments.
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❌ Entry cost: There’s no ongoing free plan, even for straightforward setups.
- ❌ Usage fees: Percentage and per-order charges add to the base price.
- ❌ Switching: Merchants report frustration with fees and migration.
What’s new with Recharge? ⬇️
Recharge acquired Skio on April 30, 2026, and both products continue operating. Skio now uses the name “Skio, a Recharge Company,” but their plans and features aren’t interchangeable.
Why use Recharge in 2026? ⬇️
Recharge connects with Shopify Flow and POS. Scale adds A/B testing and developer interfaces for custom experiences.
I’d pay for that flexibility only when cheaper apps cannot meet a specific requirement. Customized bundles are a stronger reason to choose Scale than high volume alone.
My Recharge testing notes ⬇️
On Starter, I worked through the no-code portal and cancellation prevention. Customizable bundles and tiered discounts required Scale, changing the budget for those features. Recharge’s charges are separate from payment processing, and some may arrive outside your Shopify invoice. The trial is the time to resolve that picture, so make sure you model the complete bill before it ends.
How Much Does Recharge Cost?
Starter includes a 60-day trial; Recharge bills in USD every 30 days.
| Plan | Price per month | Transaction fee | Key adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $149 | 1.50% + $0.20 | Widget, no-code portal, upsells, cancellation prevention, payment recovery, analytics |
| Scale | $499 | 1.25% + $0.20; scalable rates | Implementation help, customizable bundles, tiered discounts, A/B testing, concierge SMS, JS SDK, Storefront API |
6. Stay AI: Best for Churn Prediction
- App Store rating: 4.9 stars, 148 reviews
- Starting price: $299/month
- Free plan: None; 30-day trial
- Transaction fees: 1% + $0.19 per transaction
- Best for: Mid-size brands tackling churn
Stay AI is my predictive-retention pick because RetentionEngine combines churn tools and forecasting with advanced analytics. ExperienceEngine adds promotions within the same package.
There’s no inexpensive starter tier. Recharge has a larger merchant feedback base, while Loop offers cheaper entry into cancellation prevention.
- ✔️ Package: Retention and promotion engines come together without choosing feature tiers.
- ✔️ Forecasting: Churn intelligence identifies signals before customers reach cancellation.
- ✔️ Assistance: Customer success and migration are included.
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✔️ Trial: A month-long evaluation lets you assess the complete package.
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❌ Minimum cost: The plan starts at $299/month before usage fees.
- ❌ Feedback: The smaller merchant review base leaves less feedback to weigh.
- ❌ Flexibility: There’s no cheaper fallback tier for a simpler setup.
What’s new with Stay AI? ⬇️
Stay AI’s single-plan package includes a no-code portal. Ask about custom bundle requirements early, since a comprehensive package won’t necessarily fit every configuration.
Why use Stay AI in 2026? ⬇️
Stay AI’s forecasting needs someone responsible for acting on the signals. For me, it fits teams where retention work already has an owner, not those needing basic billing and occasional cancellation discounts.
My Stay AI testing notes ⬇️
I worked through the no-code portal and ExperienceEngine promotions without choosing a higher tier. Having the engines together simplified comparison, but isn’t evidence of better retention. The trial needs to cover your complete use case, so make sure you ask Stay AI to demonstrate your exact bundle and promotion setup.
How Much Does Stay AI Cost?
Stay AI offers a 30-day trial with monthly billing.
| Plan | Price per month | Transaction fee | What’s included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Plan | $299 | 1% + $0.19 | No-code portal, ExperienceEngine, RetentionEngine, advanced analytics and AI, customer success, migration |
Choose Stay AI over Recharge Scale for predictive retention, not as an automatic substitute for Recharge’s developer tools.
7. Subi: Best for Memberships
- App Store rating: 4.9 stars, 934 reviews
- Starting price: $29/month
- Free plan: Development stores only
- Transaction fees: 1.6% Starter to 0.4% Subi Plus
- Best for: Memberships and loyalty programs
Subi is my membership pick because it combines recurring payments with club-oriented features, including loyalty points and mystery boxes. It holds Built for Shopify status.
Percentage fees grow with your program, so compare the complete membership package. Appstle is cheaper for straightforward replenishment.
- ✔️ Memberships: Higher tiers include loyalty benefits beyond recurring delivery.
- ✔️ Capacity: Paid plans allow unlimited subscriptions and revenue.
- ✔️ Fees: Higher tiers charge lower percentages as programs grow.
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✔️ Guarantee: A thirty-day money-back option provides protection alongside the trial.
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❌ Live stores: There’s no ongoing free plan for live stores.
- ❌ Trial: The seven-day window requires planning your checks beforehand.
- ❌ Reliability: Merchants report payment declines and slow support responses.
What’s new with Subi? ⬇️
Subify has rebranded as Subi, so the older name refers to the same app.
Why use Subi in 2026? ⬇️
Subi suits paid clubs where members expect more than recurring delivery. Loyalty arrives on the middle tier, potentially removing the need for a separate rewards app. That’s the package I’d compare with Appstle.
My Subi testing notes ⬇️
During setup, memberships and mystery boxes were worth considering together. Starter lacked the middle tier’s loyalty program, which mattered for a complete membership offer. The short trial prioritizes payment checks, so make sure you test checkout with authorized transactions and check the customer account journey before inviting members.
How Much Does Subi Cost?
Paid plans include a seven-day trial; Free is restricted to development stores.
| Plan | Price per month | Transaction fee | Key adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $29, or $290/year | 1.6% | Unlimited subscriptions/revenue, prepaid, payment retries, API/webhooks |
| Subi | $79, or $790/year | 0.8% | Checkout links, cancellation tools, loyalty, bulk edits |
| Subi Plus | $199, or $1,990/year | 0.4% | Advanced analytics, customer success manager, priority support |
Best for: Memberships with loyalty. Skip if: You only need inexpensive recurring replenishment.
How Do I Choose the Right Shopify Subscription App?
Choose your subscription model before comparing prices. Appstle and Seal offer predictable fees, while percentage-fee apps need features that justify their growing bill. A free plan won’t always include the offer you want to sell.
- Match the model: Check prepaid, memberships, or Build-a-Box support
- Calculate usage fees: Include percentage and per-order charges
- Check limits: Identify the next revenue or subscription cap
- Check retention gates: Check which plan includes cancellation flows and retries
- Confirm payments: Check your gateway and store eligibility
- Plan migration: Ask what assistance costs and includes
What Will Each App Cost Me Per Month?
These estimates use the cheapest eligible plans, not feature-equivalent packages; Loop and Recharge stay on Starter at higher revenue.
| App | $2,000/month revenue | $10,000/month revenue | $50,000/month revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appstle | $10 | $30 | $100 |
| Seal | $0; 50-subscription cap | $9.95 | Confirm larger-plan price |
| Loop | $0 base; fee unspecified | $199 | $599 |
| Shopify Subscriptions | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Recharge | $189 | $349 | $1,149 |
| Stay AI | $328.50 | $446.50 | $1,036.50 |
| Subi | $61 | $159 | $399 |
The estimates assume a $40 average order and one monthly order per subscription: 50 orders in the lowest scenario, 250 in the middle, and 1,250 in the highest. All use monthly billing and exclude payment processing and add-ons.
Check Loop’s free-plan fee separately. Seal’s highest scenario exceeds its standard 500-subscription tier, so that total needs larger-plan pricing.
Appstle preserves more margin here unless premium features justify a larger bill. Treat this as a cost comparison, not a claim that every plan delivers the same tools.
How Do I Switch Shopify Subscription Apps?
Whether customers must re-enter payment details depends on your gateway and migration route. Check both with the destination app before canceling your current service.
Some migrations preserve billing through legacy Stripe or Braintree connections. Cross-store moves and processor changes need separate confirmation; don’t assume payment details transfer automatically.
- Request migration help: Loop includes white-glove help on paid plans; Appstle, Stay AI, and Subi also offer assistance
- Launch the new app: Route new subscribers there through a coordinated cutover
- Pause old billing and notifications: Prevent duplicate charges during the agreed migration window
- Export historical data first: Order history and lifetime-spend analytics may not transfer with contracts
How We Test and Rank Shopify Subscription Apps
We weight pricing highest because recurring fees directly affect subscription margins. We also separate starting offers from the plans needed for standout features.
- Pricing and fees (30%): We compare base prices, usage charges, upgrade thresholds, and feature gates
- Subscription features (25%): We assess replenishment, bundles, prepaid options, and memberships
- Retention tools (20%): We examine portals, cancellation prevention, and payment recovery
- Ease of setup (10%): We assess plan configuration, widgets, and account requirements
- Help and support (10%): We compare migration assistance and tier restrictions
- Reputation (5%): We consider merchant ratings and recurring feedback separately from editorial scores
Prices current as of November 2026.
Final Verdict: Which Shopify Subscription App Do I Recommend?
Appstle is my recommendation for most small-to-mid stores because flat paid plans support prepaid subscriptions and affordable boxes without percentage fees.
Choose Seal for small programs, Shopify Subscriptions for plain subscribe-and-save, or Recharge for complex integrations. Loop suits retention programs, Stay AI fits predictive-retention priorities, and Subi suits memberships.
Watch Appstle’s revenue caps, then use free plans or trials to test checkout and portals. Check recurring discounts and renewal shipping against your advertised offer.
FAQs
What is the best free Shopify subscription app?
Appstle is my best free choice for flexibility, including prepaid subscriptions, up to $500 in monthly subscription revenue. Seal suits up to 50 subscriptions regardless of revenue. Shopify Subscriptions avoids those caps but excludes bundles and Build-a-Box.
Is Shopify’s own Subscriptions app good enough?
Yes, for simple replenishment with discounts and customer controls. It doesn’t support bundles or the order edits API. Check recurring discounts and gateway compatibility before launch. Choose Appstle for prepaid subscriptions or boxes; compare Loop for retention tools.
Did Recharge buy Skio?
Yes, Recharge acquired Skio on April 30, 2026, and both products continue operating. Skio remains a separate product, not a Recharge pricing tier.
Skio starts at $599/month before usage fees. Ask about roadmap commitments and migration expectations rather than assuming common ownership means the same experience.
Which payment gateways work with Shopify subscription apps?
Gateway support varies by app. Shopify’s native Subscriptions app supports:
- Shopify Payments
- PayPal Express
- Authorize.net
- Adyen, for select merchants
- Stripe, for select merchants
Local, manual, or non-card methods may be unavailable for recurring billing. Check your exact gateway and store eligibility before installing an app or migrating active subscriptions.
