Shopify apps can take your shop from “blah” to wow” by extending the functionality of your store, making it easier to manage and improving your marketing efforts. The goal, of course, is that this translates into increased sales.
Shopify’s app store has thousands of apps to bring all your customisation dreams to life. However, the sheer volume of Shopify addons on the market can make it very confusing and overwhelming to settle on the best Shopify apps for your store.
Not to brag or anything, but we’ve worked on our fair share of Shopify development projects and collectively our team has learnt which Shopify extensions have the greatest impact on a store. So, we’ve decided to share our list of absolutely must-have Shopify apps to add to your store that we’ll pretty confident will be total game-changers for you, depending on your needs.
Must-Have Shopify Apps for Marketing and Sales
1. Frequently Bought Together
Upselling is an essential sales technique for Shopify merchants hoping to give their revenue a boost. Upselling can increase the average order value for each customer by using AI technology to make personalised recommendations. Frequently Bought Together is a popular Shopify app that can be used to up your cross-selling and upselling game!
Features:
Smart AI-driven recommendations
Create bundle discounts
User-friendly report dashboard for a quick overview of progress
Customisable settings
Easy one-click installation with no coding needed
Mobile responsive
Pricing:
30-day free trial and thereafter $9.99 per month
2. Instafeed
In a competitive and ever-changing online landscape, multi-channel marketing is non-negotiable. People will arrive at your website through multiple touchpoints including organic traffic, direct searches, paid searches, physical store locations and other routes. That’s why making your Instagram feed shoppable makes a whole lot of sense, especially because it gives new customers social proof that you are trustworthy. If you have invested in beautiful content for your Insta feed it is worth sharing it with website visitors who may not have interacted with your Instagram account before arriving at your website. Your feed could inspire them with ways to use your product or customer reviews. Instafeed is a Shopify app that makes this not only possible but super easy to implement.
Features:
Add a styled, minimalistic Instagram feed to your Shopify store
Customise the layout as a grid or slider
Make the feed directly shoppable for added convenience
Simple user-interface
Pricing:
There is a free plan that offers basic features. A paid “pro” plan at $5.99 enables you to tag products, include reels, a profile photo, further layout customisations and more. The “Pro Plus” plan gives you all of the above in addition to automatic product feeds and the ability to filter posts by hashtags for only $17.99 per month.
3. Klaviyo
Email marketing is the best and most underrated marketing tactic that often falls by the wayside. People focus all their attention on social media and paid ads when they are sitting on a goldmine! Email marketing is the only marketing channel you have full control over. On the condition you have collected and stored customer data in a GDPR-compliant way, you can engage regularly and directly with your customers through email marketing. Klaviyo is a powerful email and SMS marketing tool that can help you take your direct marketing efforts up a notch.
Features:
Automatically syncs with your Shopify data
Uses predictive analytics to seamlessly segment audiences for personalised messaging
Automatic alerts sent to subscribers for price drops, back-in-stock, stock drops etc.
Get clear insights into the ROI of each campaign
Send coupons codes to abandoned carts or VIPs to coax customers back to checkout
Pricing:
Klaviyo is free to install and use for up to 250 email subscribers and 150 SMS credits. When your list grows bigger, you can level up to an email plan for $20 per month for up to 500 contacts and $15 per month for up to 1250 SMS credits.
Essential Plugins for Product Management
1. Matrixify
We bet you're all about the hustle to grow your business but let us ask you this: do you really have time to manually edit hundreds or even thousands of product listings one by one? Of course not! That's where a bulk editing app can be a real lifesaver. Not only does it save you precious time, but it also helps prevent errors and ensures consistency across your entire product catalogue.
Enter Matrixify, the Shopify app that takes bulk editing to a whole new level. With its intuitive interface and powerful features, Matrixify can help you manage your store like a pro.
The bulk editor in action
Features:
You can quickly and easily bulk-edit any aspect of your product listings, from titles and descriptions to prices and inventory levels.
Import and export product data in a variety of formats, including CSV, Excel and Google Sheets.
Filter your product list by a wide range of criteria, including SKU, product type and vendor.
Automate repetitive tasks, such as updating prices or adjusting inventory levels, on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
Backup store data to make migrations from other
platforms a breeze.
Pricing:
A free plan enables you to manage up to 10 data types while paid plans range from $20 per month up to $200 per month, depending on your data volume.
2. Kimonix
Are you struggling to keep your product categories organised and easy to navigate? Do you find yourself spending hours manually sorting and filtering products? If so, it's time to check out a category and collection sorting app like Kimonix. Not only does it save you time but it also helps improve your customer’s shopping experience by making it easy to find what they're looking for.
Features:
Build smart collection pages by A/B testing, segmentation or automation
Sort collections using powerful AI predictive analytics for personalised recommendations
Smart automatic cross-selling
Create personalised collection landing pages to appear in your email marketing campaigns
Pricing:
Kimonix offers a 14-day free trial and thereafter paid plans start at $69 and go up to $589 for merchants with sales exceeding 8000 orders per month.
Essential Tools for Shipping and Fulfilment
1. Estimated Delivery Date Plus
If you're running an eCommerce business on Shopify, one of the simplest yet most effective ways to improve customer satisfaction is to provide an estimated delivery date on your product pages. This gives your customers a clear idea of when they can expect to receive their order, which helps manage their expectations and reduces anxiety. Not only does this lead to happier customers, but it can also result in fewer support requests and returns.
That's where the Estimated Delivery Date Plus Shopify app comes in. This app takes the guesswork out of shipping and allows you to provide accurate delivery dates for your products.
Features:
Show the estimated delivery date on multiple pages including product, cart and checkout
Set product delivery ranges for specific product categories and locations
Supports multiple language translations
Calculates order preparation date and delivery date
Simple set-up with no coding required
Pricing:
Free to use
Do you have a more complex business model and need more data? Reach out to us to implement a custom integration!
2. Ordersify
Ordersify offers a suite of Shopify apps that are designed to help you manage your Shopify store's logistics and shipping operations. These apps are designed to automate many of the tasks associated with managing your orders.
Features:
The Order Printer app lets you prepare customised, professional invoices that are automatically sent with each order email as well as print packing slips
The Automation Tags app enables you to automatically tag orders, products and customers based on predefined criteria to easily sort and manage your store (e.g. unpaid, pending and paid orders).
Pricing:
Free to set 1 automation rule and thereafter $8.99.
Must-Have Apps for Shopify Payments and Checkout
1. Rebuy
Personalisation is the buzzword in 2023, so it is essential to try to tailor the shopping experience to each visitor to your site. Before AI, this was no easy task but now Shopify apps like the wildly popular Rebuy Personalization Engine make it seamless. Personalised recommendations can expose your customers to products they may have not seen while browsing and create cohesive looks (for clothing stores) or collections, making the shopping experience much easier for customers.
Features:
An end-to-end personalisation solution with upselling, cross-selling and merchandising capabilities (“complete the look,” “customers also buy,” etc.)
AI-powered Smart Cart
Unlock gifts with purchase
Accelerated checkout and data-driven product recommendations to increase average order value
After-purchase and Re-order landing pages to drive engagement
Set custom rules for complete control over merchandising
Pricing:
21-day free trial and thereafter starts at $99 per month.
Essential Plugins for Customer Experience
1. Gorgias
We’re going to let you in on a little secret… using a live chat app on Shopify can be a game-changer for your business. It provides immediate customer support and helps build trust and loyalty with your customers, because who wants to wait for help when you’ve got things to buy and places to be?! A live chat and helpdesk can save time and allow for a more efficient sales process as an added bonus. In today's fast-paced world, customers expect quick responses, and a live chat app helps you deliver just that. We recommend a Shopify extension called Gorgias to bring this functionality to life in your store.
Features:
Centralise all customer communications in one place so you never miss a query again
Contextualise queries with a full customer and order history for every conversation
Edit and cancel orders via the Gorgias app
Answer questions instantly with a pre-set shopper menu
Pricing:
7-day free trial and thereafter $10.99 a month.
2. Translation Lab
Using a language translation app, like Translation Lab, can revolutionise your business, opening up new markets and reaching customers from all over the world. By breaking down language barriers, you can create a more inclusive and accessible shopping experience for everyone. As we always say, it's not about what you sell, but how you sell it. And by using a translation app, you're showing your customers that you value their business and are committed to providing them with the best possible experience.
Features:
AI-powered language translations for every language supported by Shopify
Translate image text and show different images for each location
Multi-currency support for 160 currencies
Translate the checkout page for an easier, more accessible checkout experience
Translate text generated by 3rd party apps
Multilingual SEO support
Pricing:
Free plan for up to 20 languages and 2000 words, thereafter plans range from $9.99 to $29.99 depending on your requirements.
3. Cloud Search & Product Filter
Having an advanced product search and filtering app on your Shopify store is one of the smartest decisions you can make for your business. It not only helps you find exactly what you're looking for but it also makes the shopping experience smoother and more enjoyable for your customers. With easy navigation and personalised filtering options, you'll see an increase in customer satisfaction and conversion rates in no time by using an app like Cloud Search and Product Filter.
Features:
Customisable filters for search and collection pages, including tag-based, price, search, sort by, brand, colour and size.
It allows for bestseller prioritisation and product promotions to provide better search results and increase conversion rates.
Search analytics helps you understand how customers are using your search bar.
An instant search bar for faster product discovery.
No impact on collection page design, functionality or other integrations.
Pricing:
Free plan with a 14-day free trial for paid plans which start at $5 and go up to $49.
Must-Have Apps for Store Design and Customisation
1. Lucky Orange
Delivering an exceptional customer experience and easy site navigation is crucial to your success as a Shopify Merchant, so if you’re looking for ways to optimise your store’s design and customisations, your first port of call should be using Lucky Orange.
It's a powerful addon that provides heatmaps and customer surveys to help you better understand your customers' behaviour and needs. By using heatmaps, you can see which areas of your website are getting the most clicks and attention, allowing you to optimise your design to increase engagement and conversions. And with customer surveys, you can gather valuable feedback and insights to improve your customer experience by investing in UI/UX design services.
Features:
User session recordings to see how customers interact with your website and why they may not be converting
Heatmaps showing where people are/are not clicking and scrolling
Live chat to step in and help customers struggling with adding to cart/checkout
Surveys to collect valuable insights that you can use to customise your site and product offering
Form analytics
Trigger announcements or discount codes by behaviours
Pricing:
Basic free plan available for under 500 page views a month with tiered pricing starting at $9 to $35 depending on page views, with a 7-day free trial for paid plans.
2. SyncSpider
If you're running an online store on Shopify and you're tired of juggling a bunch of different apps and platforms to keep your business running smoothly, you need to check out the SyncSpider app. With SyncSpider, you can connect and sync all of your store data with other eCommerce platforms, marketplaces and apps, like Amazon, eBay, Facebook Marketplace and Google Sheets. Plus, it automates a bunch of tedious tasks like inventory management and order fulfilment so you can focus on the important stuff. And let's not forget about the customisation options and real-time syncing - this app is seriously flexible.
Features:
Sell across multiple platforms? Avoid selling out-of-stock items with inventory syncing
Connect all the tools you need to run your business in one place to reduce errors
Easy integration with other marketplaces for effortless multi-channel selling
Pricing:
Starting at $95 per month with a 14-day free trial
3. Judge.Me Reviews
We recently covered how online reviews are the ultimate salesperson so you didn’t think we’d forget about including a social proof/review app to our must-have Shopify apps list, did you? Customer reviews provide social proof that your products are worth buying because people are more likely to trust and make a purchase from a store that has positive reviews from previous customers.
Reviews can also help you identify areas where you can improve your products and services. Whether it's a recurring issue with a particular product or a common complaint about shipping times, reviews can provide valuable feedback for you to take action on.
Having reviews on your Shopify store can also help with your search engine optimisation (SEO) efforts. User-generated content such as reviews can help increase your store's visibility in search engine results by showing Google it is of value to users. We can highly recommend the user-friendly Judge.me review app which seamlessly integrates with Shopify.
Features:
Automated scheduled emails requesting reviews from customers
Show off a star rating, review carousel and trust badge as social proof
Share your reviews on multiple platforms
Customisable to match your store design and branding
Supports 37 languages
Pricing:
The free plan is great for new stores while the added automated synching features offered by the paid plan are worthwhile for established stores at $15 per month.
Essential Plugins for SEO
1. Yoast SEO
Yoast is well-known and loved amongst the WordPress blogging and developer community so it’s great news for Shopify merchants that this powerful SEO addon has made its way into the Shopify app store. It can be difficult to manipulate aspects of your store’s SEO without coding knowledge which this app not only eliminates but automates.
Features:
Smart recommendations for content optimisation
Automated technical SEO optimisation
Improve the readability of your text
Update SEO titles and meta descriptions from the app
Automatic generation of structured schemas for rich results
Pricing:
14-day free trial and a straightforward plan costing $19.99 per month for access to all features.
Must-Have Shopify Apps for Marketing and Sales
1. WhatsApp Chat + Abandoned Cart
WhatsApp has over 2 billion users globally with many of these people using the instant messaging app as their primary form of communication. Many people no longer use text messaging and use WhatsApp to send and receive messages instead. So if you hope to win back a customer who left you hanging at checkout, WhatsApp is one of the best ways to remind them they’ve got something exciting waiting in their cart!
WhatsApp Chat & Abandoned Cart enables you to connect with customers who abandoned checkout over WhatsApp to improve the conversion rates of your abandoned cart recovery campaigns.
Features:
Send out automated abandoned cart recovery messages via WhatsApp
Send automatic order updates
Connect with Loox reviews to send a review link directly to customers
Better customer service with instant chat and support capabilities
Pricing:
Free for 100 manual messages and starting at $9.99 a month for automated messaging plus a 14-day free trial.
Conclusion
There you have it… our absolute favourite Shopify apps that we feel really change the game for the average Shopify store. By improving your customer service, marketing efforts and store management through these Shopify extensions, you can save time while growing your business - that’s what we call a win-win!
We have a bunch of hand resources for you to help you make DIY improvements like our complete Shopify checklist and loads more. Need help with something a little more bespoke? Contact our team of Shopify experts to discuss your project requirements, we can’t wait to work with you!
FAQ
What are the best Shopify apps for Dropshipping?
There are several Shopify apps that can be useful for dropshipping businesses. Some of the best ones include:
Oberlo: This app allows you to import products from AliExpress directly into your Shopify store and fulfil orders automatically.
Spocket: Spocket offers a range of products from US and EU suppliers, enabling faster shipping times and reduced shipping costs for your customers.
Modalyst: Modalyst offers a range of products from suppliers worldwide, with a focus on high-quality, unique items.
Dropified: This app allows you to import products from various sources and automate your fulfilment process.
How do I turn my Shopify store into an app?
App development is often too costly to consider for most merchants but thanks to technology…there’s an app for that! Tapcart turns your Shopify store into a user-friendly Android and iOS app without any coding needed. The biggest drawcard of introducing a mobile app for your store is control over push notifications. Running a flash sale? Let your customers know instantly and increase your conversion rates.
The app has a 14-day free trial and costs $300 per month thereafter.
What are the best Shopify apps to increase sales?
There are many Shopify apps designed to help increase sales in your store. Some of the best ones include:
Smile.io: This app allows you to create a loyalty program and reward customers for repeat purchases, referrals, and more.
Privy: Privy helps you create special promotions for events like Black Friday or Christmas, and grow your subscriber list to target through Klaviyo campaigns.
Frequently Bought Together: This app enables you to create targeted upsell and cross-sell offers on your product pages and in the cart.
Recart: Recart helps you recover abandoned carts with targeted Facebook Messenger campaigns.
How to choose the right Shopify apps for my store?
When choosing Shopify apps for your store, consider the following:
Your specific business needs and goals.
The app's features and functionality.
User reviews and ratings.
The app's cost and whether it fits within your budget.
The app's compatibility with your existing store and other apps.
The level of customer support offered by the app's developers.