Quick answer
Start with Shopify's free Shopify Subscriptions app if you need simple subscribe-and-save and don't need bundles. Move to a flat-fee app such as Appstle ($30/month at $10,000 in subscription revenue, 0% transaction fee) when you need more control. Consider Recharge when subscriptions are a large share of revenue and you want its retention, bundle and migration tooling, and can absorb its per-transaction fees. Prices were checked on each vendor's own page or Shopify App Store listing on Oct 7, 2026; none of these apps has been tested hands-on, and none is ranked.
Worked example
Monthly app cost at two revenue levels
Assumptions: $40 average order, one order per subscriber per month, so $10,000 is 250 orders and $50,000 is 1,250 orders. Payment processing, Shopify plan fees and add-ons are excluded because they don't change with the app.
| App and plan | $10,000/mo (250 orders) | $50,000/mo (1,250 orders) |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify Subscriptions (free) | $0 | $0 |
| Appstle Business ($30, to $15k) / Business Premium ($100, to $100k) | $30 | $100 |
| Seal Rising Star ($9.95, 250 subs) / Leader ($89.95, 2,000 subs) | $9.95 | $89.95 |
| Bold Grow ($49.99 + 1%) / Scale ($74.99 + 0.9%) | $49.99 + $100 = $149.99 | $74.99 + $450 = $524.99 |
| Loop Starter ($99 + 1.0%) | $99 + $100 = $199 | $99 + $500 = $599 |
| Recharge Starter ($99 + 1.49% + 19¢) | $99 + $149 + $47.50 = $295.50 | $99 + $745 + $237.50 = $1,081.50 |
| Recharge Plus ($499 + 1.34% + 19¢) | $499 + $134 + $47.50 = $680.50 | $499 + $670 + $237.50 = $1,406.50 |
| Skio Scale, monthly ($599 + 1% + 20¢) | $599 + $100 + $50 = $749 | $599 + $500 + $250 = $1,349 |
Editorial calculation from each vendor's pricing page or Shopify App Store listing, Oct 7, 2026. Recharge's help center quotes Starter at 1.25% + 19¢ in one section; its pricing page and Shopify listing show 1.49% + 19¢, used here. Seal's $9.95 plan covers exactly 250 subscriptions, so a growing store would need its $24.95 plan. Skio is $100/month less on annual billing.
Pricing models
Three ways subscription apps charge
- Free: Shopify Subscriptions has no app or transaction fee; Shopify plan and payment fees still apply.
- Flat fee by tier: Appstle (by monthly subscription revenue, free up to $500) and Seal (by number of subscriptions) charge 0% transaction fees.
- Platform fee plus a percentage: Recharge (from $99/month + 1.49% + 19¢), Loop ($99 + 1%), Bold ($24.99–$399.99 + 0.9–2%) and Skio ($599 + 1% + 20¢). These cost more as revenue grows, in exchange for broader retention tooling and support.
Framework
How to compare subscription apps
Fee base
Check whether a percentage fee applies to subscription orders only, or also to one-time orders, shipping, tax and refunds (Recharge's applies to all of those).
Revenue caps
Flat-fee apps such as Appstle tier by monthly subscription revenue; know what happens in a month you exceed the cap.
Checkout and gateways
Most apps run on Shopify's checkout; Shopify Subscriptions works with five gateways only.
Customer portal
Skip, swap, reschedule and cancel without contacting support reduces tickets and churn.
Retention tools
Cancellation flows, failed-payment retries and win-backs often matter more than the fee.
Bundles and build-a-box
Shopify says bundles don't work with its own subscriptions app; paid apps add them on some plans.
Migration
Moving payment methods between apps needs vendor support; ask who does it and what it costs.
Contract term
Recharge Plus and Skio's annual price involve longer commitments than month-to-month plans.
Read more
Our overviews
- Recharge: platform fee plus transaction fees; broad retention toolkit; $25/month for new stores with up to 50 subscribers.
- Appstle Subscriptions: free to $500/month in subscription revenue, then flat plans from $10.
- Shopify Subscriptions: free, managed in Shopify admin, with documented limits on bundles and gateways.
- Subbly: a standalone subscription commerce platform rather than a Shopify app.
Decision support
Frequently asked questions
What is the best subscription app for Shopify?
It depends on revenue and needs. Shopify Subscriptions is free for basic subscribe-and-save, Appstle offers flat pricing with no transaction fee, and Recharge suits brands that want broader retention tooling and can absorb percentage fees.
How much does Recharge cost?
Starter is $99/month plus 1.49% + 19¢ per transaction, and Plus is $499/month plus 1.34% + 19¢ on a 12-month term. New stores with 50 or fewer subscription customers start on a $25/month plan with no transaction fees.
Is Shopify Subscriptions free?
Yes. The app has no charge; your Shopify plan and payment processing fees still apply. Shopify's help center says bundles aren't compatible with it.
Have you tested these apps?
Not yet. These are independent editorial overviews based on first-party pricing pages and help centers; hands-on testing is pending.
Documentation