Subi vs Shopify Subscriptions
Short answer: Shopify Subscriptions is free, built by Shopify and runs inside your Shopify admin, and for plain subscribe and save it may be all you need. Subi costs from $29 a month plus 1.6% and is worth it when you sell bundles, boxes or memberships; loyalty comes with the Subi plan at $119 a month plus 0.8%. Read from both App Store listings and Shopify's help pages on 10 October 2026.
The short answer
Shopify Subscriptions costs less than Subi at every volume: the app is free, and Subi's cheapest plan for a live store is Starter at $29 a month plus 1.6% per subscription transaction.
It is made by Shopify, so there is one less vendor: you manage subscriptions without leaving your Shopify admin, and its listing says you can transfer existing subscription contracts into it.
It covers weekly, monthly and yearly plans, several discount types, and a customer account where subscribers skip, pause or cancel.
Shopify's own help page says bundles are not compatible with the Shopify Subscriptions app. Subi lists fixed bundles, build a box, mystery boxes and subscription boxes.
Subi also lists memberships on every plan, loyalty points and rewards from the Subi plan, and hands-on help moving subscribers from another app.
Subi gives a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee on paid plans. Subi's Free plan is for development stores only.
What you would actually pay
Monthly cost of the app itself at different volumes of subscription revenue processed. Subi figures from our own billing configuration; Shopify Subscriptions is listed as Free on its App Store listing. Both checked 10 October 2026.
| Monthly subscription revenue | Subi (best-fit plan) | Shopify Subscriptions |
|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | $109 on Starter | $0 |
| $15,000 | $239 on Subi | $0 |
| $50,000 | $519 on Subi | $0 |
| $100,000 | $879 on Subi Plus | $0 |
Where Shopify Subscriptions is the better choice
We would rather you pick correctly than pick us.
- →You want the lowest cost. The app is free, and Subi's cheapest paid plan starts at $29 a month plus 1.6% of subscription transactions.
- →You want one less vendor. It is Shopify's own app and runs inside your Shopify admin.
- →Your offer is plain subscribe and save: auto-billed weekly, monthly or yearly plans with a percentage, dollar amount or buy X get Y discount, and subscribers who skip, pause or cancel from their customer account.
Where Subi is the better choice
The cases where a broader feature set and hands-on help are worth a monthly fee.
- ✓You sell bundles or boxes. Shopify's help says bundles are not compatible with its app; Subi lists fixed bundles, build a box, mystery boxes and subscription boxes.
- ✓You want memberships, loyalty points or rewards from the same app as your subscriptions. Subi lists memberships on every plan and loyalty programs from the Subi plan.
- ✓You want real people who know your setup. Subi lists live chat and email support from the Starter plan.
- ✓You are moving subscribers from another subscription app and want real people to do the move with you.
If you do decide to move
Shopify Subscriptions brings contracts in by CSV import; we do the move with you. Existing contracts have to keep billing on their own schedules, with their own discounts, asking as little as possible of your customers.
Talk to us first with your numbers. We will tell you which plan fits and what it will cost.
We map your existing plans, discounts and billing dates before anything moves.
Contracts transfer with their schedules intact, subscribers do not re-subscribe, and in most moves they do not re-enter payment details.
We stay on it through the first billing cycle, which is the one where problems actually surface.
Questions merchants ask
Is Shopify Subscriptions really free?
The app is listed as Free on its App Store listing. Shopify's own help pages say the app's pricing may involve additional fees depending on setup. Its eligibility page also says third-party transaction fees are charged on PayPal Express if Shopify Payments isn't activated on your store. Check your own payment setup before you count it as zero.
Does Shopify Subscriptions work with bundles?
Shopify's help page on eligibility says bundles are not compatible with the Shopify Subscriptions app (read 10 October 2026). Subi lists fixed bundles, build a box, mystery boxes and subscription boxes, with subscription bundles and box on the Free plan's feature list.
Can I try Subi on my live store for free?
Subi's Free plan is for development stores only. On a live store every paid plan starts with a 7-day free trial and carries a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Why would I pay for Subi when Shopify's app is free?
Only if you need something the free app does not do for you. If you sell plain subscribe and save and nothing else, the free app can be the right answer. If you sell bundles or boxes, or want memberships, loyalty (from the Subi plan) and a team that does the move with you, that is what the fee pays for.
Still weighing it up?
Bring us your numbers and we will tell you which plan fits, honestly. 4.9 stars from over 900 reviews on the Shopify App Store.
›Talk to us about switchingMoving from another app? We will send the move plan for your store.