The Shopify App Store has thousands of apps, and most stores end up with more than they need. Every app can add code, scripts, and ongoing costs, and apps that overlap can conflict with each other.
This list covers well-established apps across the categories most growing stores need. It isn't a ranking, and no app is right for every store. The best choice depends on your products, customers, and existing setup.
Start with what Shopify already includes
Before installing a third-party app, check whether Shopify already covers the requirement. Shopify builds and maintains several free apps and features that are easy to overlook:
- Shopify Search & Discovery — product filters, search synonyms, product recommendations, and boosting products in search results.
- Shopify Flow — automation for tagging customers and orders, inventory alerts, fraud checks, and other repetitive tasks.
- Shopify Email — email marketing campaigns built into the Shopify admin.
- Shopify Inbox — customer chat connected to your store.
- Shopify Forms — sign-up and lead capture forms.
- Shopify Bundles — fixed bundles and multipack products.
- Translate & Adapt — translating and adapting store content for different markets.
Using first-party tools where they're good enough keeps your store simpler, and they're maintained by Shopify.
Email and SMS marketing
- Klaviyo — one of the most widely used email and SMS platforms for Shopify stores, with deep integration of customer and order data for segmentation and automated flows.
- Omnisend — email and SMS marketing with pre-built automations, often considered by stores that want a simpler setup.
Choose one platform for email and SMS rather than splitting across several tools. Your customer data and automations stay in one place.
Product reviews
- Judge.me — product reviews, photo and video reviews, and review request emails, with a free plan.
- Yotpo — reviews and user-generated content, often used by larger brands alongside its loyalty tools.
- Okendo — reviews and customer content focused on fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands.
Reviews widgets load on product pages, so check how each one affects page speed before committing.
Subscriptions
- Recharge — a long-established subscription platform for Shopify, used for replenishment and subscription boxes.
- Shopify Subscriptions — Shopify's own free subscriptions app, suitable for simpler subscription models.
If your subscription needs are straightforward, start by checking whether Shopify's own app is enough.
Customer support
- Gorgias — a helpdesk built around ecommerce, showing order information alongside customer conversations.
- Shopify Inbox — a lighter, free option for stores that mainly need chat.
Upsells and personalization
- Rebuy — personalized product recommendations and upsells across the storefront, cart, and post-purchase.
Upsell apps can support average order value, but they also add to what loads on key pages. Test them properly rather than adding several at once.
Data import, export, and migration
- Matrixify — bulk import and export of products, customers, orders, redirects, and more. Widely used for migrations and large catalog updates.
- Store Migration — Shopify's own app for importing data from other platforms, including WooCommerce.
How to choose apps without slowing your store down
Apps are one of the most common causes of slow Shopify stores and unexpected storefront bugs. Before installing an app, it's worth asking:
- Does Shopify already do this? First-party features often cover more than expected.
- Does an app you already use do this? Many apps overlap.
- What does it load on the storefront? Check whether it adds scripts to every page or only where needed.
- Does it use theme app extensions? Apps built with app blocks are easier to manage and remove cleanly.
- What happens when you uninstall it? Some apps leave code in your theme after removal.
Review your installed apps regularly. Remove the ones you no longer use, and check your theme for leftover code from apps you've already uninstalled.
When an app isn't the answer
Sometimes the right solution is theme development, a small custom feature, or a custom Shopify app that replaces several overlapping apps. If your store feels slow and you're not sure which apps are responsible, a performance review can show where the cost is coming from.
App names, features, and pricing change often, so check each app's current listing in the Shopify App Store before installing.