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ReadEverything you need to know about Shopify apps, including some of the best apps in the Shopify App Store—many of which are free.
ReadSure, Shopify offers plenty of out-of-the-box tools, but the standard features do have their limits. That’s where the Shopify App Store comes in.
With thousands of integrations that you can install, there you’ll find page after page of apps designed to improve your site’s functionality, marketing, operations, and analytics, or apps with other sales-growing features like customer-review finders or abandoned cart notifications.
In this article, we’ll share everything you need to know about Shopify apps, including some of the best Shopify apps in the App Store—many of which are free.
Click or tap here to skip ahead to our list of recommended Shopify apps.
Otherwise, keep reading to learn:
With so many apps to choose from, the selection process can feel overwhelming. Start by narrowing in on your business’s needs and goals by considering:
The apps created by Shopify are always free to install. Others are built by third-party developers, for free or at-cost. You can also have custom apps created, which can connect via APIs to assist with administrative needs.
One detriment to third-party or custom apps is that if you need support, you’ll have to work directly with the developer, not Shopify.
Also, If you need to pause or close your store, paid-app fees may still apply.
(To learn more about Shopify pricing and fees, read this.)
There are many articles about top Shopify apps, like this post we found that mentions popular email marketing apps. For convenience, we’ve included a list of helpful apps at the end of this article.
The best way to find specific apps is to utilize the Shopify App Store’s search function.
You can search directly by feature or name by typing it into the search box, or by category using the Categories drop-down menu.
Apps are also sorted by Collections, such as “Made by Shopify”. Collections are put together as a helpful way to bundle related apps for specific needs. Use the Collections drop-down menu to sort apps by collection.
From there, you can apply filters or sort your results, read reviews, and learn more details about each app.
Worth noting: Although paid apps have either a one-time, monthly, or per-use fee, many offer a trial period or Basic plan that allows you to test the waters before committing.
Installing apps is easy. Here’s a quick overview before we walk you through how to install each type of Shopify app:
First, log into the app store.
Once installed, you’re ready to go. You can find the app on your Apps page in your Shopify admin.
Please keep in mind that these install links only work for apps created before December 5, 2019. If you receive an error message because your Shopify Admin can’t install the app, it’s because the app was made after this date, and Shopify hasn’t vetted it.
If you receive a warning stating that the app isn’t from the Shopify App Store, it simply means the app hasn’t been verified by Shopify, which must be done in order to be listed in the Shopify App Store. But this does not necessarily mean it’s a harmful app.
A custom app is one built by a developer specifically for your online store. The developer will provide you with a unique custom link that will only work on your store.
An important thing to note: Custom links expire after one week, for security reasons. If you need more time, your developer will have to provide you with a new link. (For ease, you can give your developer permission to install the app for you, by giving them access to “apps and channels”.)
Removing an app is quick and easy.
Usually the only time deleting an app requires extra steps is if that app happens to be one that modifies your store theme. In this case, it’s best to reach out to the app’s support team, first.
Support for apps downloaded from the Shopify App Store can be found either on the app’s listing page in the Store, or from the app’s developer from the Apps section of the Shopify admin.
Here’s how to find support for Shopify apps::
Your message is sent directly to the app developer, and you’ll be notified after three days if the developer was able to resolve your issue. If not, Shopify will contact them again on your behalf.
You can also reach out directly to the app developer from the Support section of the app’s listing page in the Store.
Because most Shopify apps are built by third-party developers, Shopify won’t be able to assist if you need support. For help with an app downloaded from a developer’s website, you’ll need to find their contact information and reach out to the developer directly.
Private apps are custom-built apps designed for your Shopify store only. Unlike public apps, private apps will not work on other stores.
This is a useful tool for enhancing your Shopify admin features, or accessing data and extending your store to other platforms through custom storefronts.
However, private apps are different from custom apps, because although custom apps are built specifically for your store, they won’t require access to your Shopify Admin or API access to your store.
According to Shopify, private apps can be used to:
How do I enable private apps in Shopify?
To work with private apps, you’ll first need to enable the private app development setting in your admin settings. Your staff member or developer will need permission to View and Edit private apps.
Please keep in mind that the Shopify API License and Terms of Use document governs your access to and use of Shopify’s APIs. Be sure to read and understand these terms before creating your private app.
Another item worth noting: After you enable private app development, the feature can’t be disabled.
Here’s how to enable private apps:
Here’s how to generate the required credentials from the Shopify admin of the store that you want to connect with your app:
In the Admin API section, select the areas of your store that you want the app to be able to access.
For Storefront API, select: Allow this app to access your storefront data using the Storefront API. Then, in the Storefront API permissions section, choose which store data you want to expose to the app. You’ll see four defaults: Read products and collections, read and modify customers, read and modify checkouts, and read blogs and articles.
Keep in mind that the Storefront API is an unauthenticated public API, which means that all data you expose to the app could be seen by any visitors to your store. It’s recommended that you give permissions for only the types of data that the private app needs.
When you’re all set, click Save.
The API key and password for your app will now be displayed; keep this information secure—these credentials allow full API access to your store.
Once you have the credentials, the private app can access your store’s data.
Private apps can be deleted from your Apps page under Shopify Admin. Once deleted, if you would like it back, you’ll need to go through the app’s builder to reinstall.
To delete, go to the Apps page in your Shopify Admin, click Manage Private Apps, then click Delete.
Whether you’re just getting started with a new store or looking to upgrade your website with time-saving essentials, this list will help you find the best integrations.
By ShipperHQ
Price: From $50/month. 30-day free trial. Additional charges may apply.
If your business uses unique shipping rules, you’ll need to invest in a program that can support them. And Shopify’s native shipping rules won’t be robust enough for your needs. ShipperHQ is a one-stop-shop for all your Shopify shipping rate needs. With this app you can configure carriers and shipping rates, create custom rates based on location or customer, offer options like in-store pickup or LTL freight, test rates before they go live, choose your ideal carriers, and more.
by Gorgias
Price: From $60/month. 7-day free trial. Additional charges may apply.
Gorgias is a top-rated Customer Support and Live Chat Help desk used by more than 7,000 Shopify stores — and counting. The app serves as a customer support team to help manage and streamline support ticket responses, automate tasks, and transform your sales team into a sales channel. The result is a better customer experience through a more efficient customer service and support team.
by Klevu
Price: Free to install. Additional charges may apply.
Enhance customer experience with this hyper-personalized search tool used by more than 3,000 merchants around the world. Klevu utilizes AI to create personalized product recommendations based on the user’s search requests. This allows customers to connect with curated products most relevant to them. Klevu also features native language processing, Smart Category Merchandising, Smart Recommendations, and more.
by Signifyd
Price: $1,500/month. 14-day free trial. Additional charges may apply.
Fraud protection is critical in the ever-growing eCommerce world. That’s why Signifyd is a leading platform for eliminating fraud and customer abuse. The company uses a combination of AI, big data, and manual review to offer merchants a 100 percent guarantee against fraud on approved orders. And they offer fulfillment automation and abuse prevention services, for extra security.
by TaxJar
Price: From $19/month. 30-day free trial.
TaxJar offers invaluable information about sales tax, including economic nexus laws and jurisdiction-level return-ready reporting. With their AutoFile feature, this app automatically submits tax returns to the states where you’re registered. That helps you save time, reduce errors, and stay on top of tax changes. Although Shopify has a built-in tax engine, it does not currently remit or file taxes on your behalf.
by LoyaltyLion
Price: Free plan available
Create a customized loyalty program suited to your unique business brand. This easy-to-use feature allows you to reward customers for on-site activity, segment loyal and at-risk customers, communicate via various channels including on-app and email, allow customers to redeem points for various products and services, and more.
Price: Free to install. Additional charges may apply.
When it comes to an omnichannel experience, Nosto allows merchants to deliver curated, personalized, shopping experiences at every touchpoint. From product recommendations, to merchandising, to A/B testing, Nosto uses an AI-powered platform build and launch to build, without added resources. That means you can save time and money, while providing shoppers a better CX.
by Rewind
Price: From $3/month. 7-day free trial. Additional charges may apply.
Rewind automatically backs up your store’s data, allowing you to undo unwanted changes, save time by not backing up data by hand, and save your hard work in the event of a data loss event (like malicious activity, coding error, or accidental deletion). Automated store backups can be key to protecting your data, since as of this writing Shopify cannot help recover lost or missing data.
By Shopify
Price: Free to install. Additional charges may apply.
Shopify’s Google Channel allows you to reach shoppers searching Google for products like yours through free or paid listings. For paid listings, the app provides reporting on traffic and sales from each campaign and lets you adjust your budget as necessary without leaving Shopify. Smart Shopping campaigns reach shoppers on YouTube, Gmail, Search, and across their Display Network; Google optimizes your campaign by selecting the ideal time and place to show your products.
Price: Free, or starting at $19/month
Chatra Live Chat is a customer service tool that allows you to boost your customer service game by alleviating customer concerns and questions faster, while obtaining feedback to improve your store and metrics to determine valued customers. Features include Cart-saving, which reduces cart abandonment by contacting customers stuck on checkout, live typing, group chats, and Facebook integrations, sending any Messenger chats straight to Chatra so that you don’t miss a note.
Price: Free trial available, then plans start at $19/month
True to its name, this app sends notifications to potential customers when a sold-out product is back in stock. All they need to do is sign up to receive email or SMS text alerts, and they’ll be able to find out if a specific product (including color or size) is available. Ideal for flash sales and other promotions, this app is user friendly for both the shopper and the merchant, with an easy setup that doesn’t require any coding.
By Spocket
Price: Free trial period, then plans start at $24/month
Dropshipping allows eCommerce stores to sell products without holding any inventory or upfront cost, which comes with some risks. Enter: Spocket, a dropshipping marketplace that allows merchants to find products to sell from suppliers around the world. Benefits of Spocket include faster shipping, competitive wholesale pricing with 30-60% discounts off retail pricing, automated inventory updates, branded invoicing, real-time order tracking, and more.
Price: Free plan available
The developer of this app created it so that Shopify users would have the same “suggested item” cross-selling feature that Amazon utilizes. Product detail pages will show a recommended/similar product based on what other users have purchased. For instance, if you purchase a blanket, you might see that other customers who bought that blanket also bought a specific pillow. Not only does this provide better customer experience, but it also can increase your average order value.
By Shopify
Price: Free to install. Additional charges may apply.
If your company values include environmental awareness, this free Shopify app calculates the total emissions generated by your shipped orders, turns it into a low fee, and your payment benefits organizations that protect forests. You’ll be able to view data that tells how much you’ve contributed financially to offsetting your carbon footprint and see how many trees and forests you’ve been able to help protect.
By Yotpo
Price: Free plan available. External charges may apply.
How many times have you browsed customer reviews before making a purchase? Yotpo understands the influence of outside opinions, and takes user-generated content to benefit your store’s reputation—collecting reviews, ratings, photos, and Q&As from customers. These external attributes can help to increase conversions, brand awareness, and site traffic by building trust before even making a purchase.
By ReCharge
Price: From $60/month. 60-day free trial. Additional charges may apply.
By adding a subscription option to your checkout system, customers can choose to receive repeat purchases, like consumables or refills, on a regular basis. This enhances the shopping experience while bringing in recurring revenue to your store. ReCharge simplifies the administrative aspect of subscriptions and recurring payments. Setup takes minutes, plus you can automate notifications, customize your offerings, and get valuable data on revenue, customers, and subscriptions.
By StilyoApps
Price: Free plan available. 30-day free trial.
Your website contains a multitude of opportunities for upselling—even on your “thank you” page after making a sale. ReConvert allows you to customize your thank you page in a way that optimizes it for your next sale. You’ll have access to widgets including a discount popup with a countdown timer, product recommendations, a birthday feature, reorder button, social sharing, post-purchase surveys, SMS marketing, and more.
Price: Free to install. Additional charges may apply.
Give back and build your brand reputation by adding Change Commerce to our checkout, which allows you or your customers to donate based on purchase amounts. The nonprofit you choose will receive 100% of the donation, and the service works both online and with in-store POS systems. It’s an ideal way to launch new campaigns, increase brand awareness, respond to natural disasters, or simply, help others.
By Growave
Price: Free plan available. 14-day free trial.
Ideal for mid-sized Shopify stores, this well-rounded app features functions aimed at increasing engagement, building trust, and improving the overall customer experience. Growave allows you to offer loyalty programs, VIP memberships, referral-rewards, a customer Wishlist option to reduce cart abandonment, and it can automatically gather photo and product reviews as a way to drive traffic.
Price: Free plan available. 14-day free trial.
Reveal allows you to learn more about your customers’ behavior across various channels, with the goal of increased acquisition, retention, and CX. Features include automated RFM segmentation, highly personalized email marketing through Klaviyo, future-purchase prediction, and more.
Now you should feel confident in finding, installing, removing, and choosing the best Shopify apps for your store.
Bookmark this page in case you need to revisit the information on this post. We’ll be sure to update it over time as more innovative new apps are built and added to the Shopify App Store.
Or, contact us for help with migrating to Shopify or creating a customized Shopify store or app for your business.
Do you use a favorite Shopify app that we haven’t listed here? Leave a comment below!