By Roy · Marketing manager at Subi. Writes about subscription and loyalty growth for Shopify merchants. · Published September 25, 2026 · Last updated September 25, 2026
Short answer: the main Recharge alternatives on Shopify are Appstle, Seal and Kaching if you want a flat fee with no transaction fee, Joy, Subi, Bold and Loop if a monthly fee plus a percentage is fine but you want a lower bill than Recharge Starter, and Stay AI if you are a large brand. Skio is a Recharge company.
At $5,000 a month in subscription revenue, Recharge Starter costs about $174 a month before its 19¢ per-transaction fee; Appstle costs $10, Joy about $87 and Subi $109. Every price here comes from each app's Shopify App Store listing, read on 25 September 2026.
We make Subi, one of the apps below, so read our entry with that in mind. This page is for a store that already runs Recharge, or is choosing between Recharge and something else. For the whole field of Shopify subscription apps, see our 2026 comparison of 13 subscription apps. For Subi and Recharge side by side, see Subi vs Recharge.
What is a Recharge alternative?
A Recharge alternative is any Shopify subscription app that can take over what Recharge does in a store: sell products on a repeating schedule, charge the saved card on each renewal, and give subscribers a portal to skip, swap, pause or cancel.
Recharge is rated 4.8 from 3,123 reviews on the Shopify App Store; of the apps on this page only Appstle has more. Most stores that look past it do so for a reason written on its own pricing:
- The $25 plan covers the first 50 subscribers with no transaction fee. Past that, Starter is $99 a month plus 1.49% + 19¢ per transaction.
- Loyalty rewards and referrals are on Plus, at $499 a month plus 1.34% + 19¢.
- Recharge's own pricing page says its Plus and Custom plans run on 12-month terms.
- The listing says some charges may be billed by Recharge separately from your Shopify invoice.
None of this makes Recharge a bad choice. It means the right alternative depends on which of these is your reason.
Which apps are the main Recharge alternatives in 2026?
Ten apps, sorted by App Store reviews. Rating, reviews and the starting price are copied from each listing on 25 September 2026.
| App | Rating (reviews) | Starting price on the listing | How it charges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appstle Subscriptions | 5.0 (8,801) | Free up to $500 a month in subscriptions; paid from $10/month | Flat fee by subscription revenue band, 0% transaction fee |
| Seal Subscriptions | 4.9 (3,109) | Free up to 50 subscriptions; paid from $5.95/month | Flat fee by number of subscriptions, 0% transaction fee |
| Kaching Subscriptions | 5.0 (1,062) | Free on development stores; paid from $9.99/month | Flat fee by subscription revenue band, no transaction fees |
| Subi | 4.9 (920) | Free on development stores; Starter $29/month | Monthly fee plus 1.6% per subscription transaction on Starter |
| Shopify Subscriptions | 3.7 (820) | Free | Free |
| Loop Subscriptions | 5.0 (765) | Free up to 50 active subscriptions; Starter $99/month | Monthly fee plus 1% per transaction on Starter |
| Joy Subscriptions | 4.9 (456) | Free up to 50 active subscriptions; Starter $49/month | Monthly fee plus 0.75% per transaction on Starter |
| Bold Subscriptions | 4.0 (383) | $24.99/month | Monthly fee plus 2% on Launch, 1% on Grow |
| Skio | 5.0 (241) | $599/month | Monthly fee plus 1% + 20¢ per transaction |
| Stay AI | 4.9 (147) | $499/month | Monthly fee plus 1% + 19¢ per transaction |
Prices change. Each app name below links to its listing; check it before you decide.
What would each alternative cost at my size?
The table shows the monthly bill for a store past 50 subscribers at three levels of subscription revenue, on the cheapest plan each app lists for that level, next to Recharge. Recharge's $25 plan and the free plans of Loop and Joy are left out because they are set by subscriber count, not revenue. We rounded to the dollar and left out per-transaction cents (Recharge's 19¢, Skio's 20¢, Stay AI's 19¢) because they depend on your order count, so those three cost a little more than shown.
| Monthly subscription revenue | $2,000 | $5,000 | $20,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recharge | $129 (Starter) | $174 (Starter) | $397 (Starter) |
| Appstle Subscriptions | $10 (Starter) | $10 (Starter) | $100 (Business Premium) |
| Kaching Subscriptions | $15 (Basic) | $25 (Growth) | no plan listed above $10,000 |
| Subi | $61 (Starter) | $109 (Starter) | $279 (Subi) |
| Joy Subscriptions | $64 (Starter) | $87 (Starter) | $199 (Starter) |
| Bold Subscriptions | $65 (Launch) | $100 (Grow) | $250 (Grow) |
| Loop Subscriptions | $119 (Starter) | $149 (Starter) | $299 (Starter) |
| Stay AI | $519 | $549 | $699 |
| Skio | $619 | $649 | $799 |
How to read it:
- Past 50 subscribers, most alternatives cost less than Recharge Starter at these three levels. Stay AI and Skio cost more at these levels; each sells a single plan, from $499 and $599 a month.
- Appstle and Kaching are the cheapest here because they charge no percentage at all.
- Seal is not in the table because it prices by the number of subscriptions, not revenue: $5.95 a month up to 100, $9.95 up to 250, $24.95 up to 500, with 0% transaction fee.
- Under 50 subscribers, Recharge's $25 plan, Seal, Loop and Joy all have a cheap or free way in, and Shopify Subscriptions is free at any size.
The formula uses each listing's own numbers: monthly fee plus the percentage times your revenue. Put your own number in before you choose.
Which alternative fits my reason for leaving Recharge?
- The bill after 50 subscribers: Appstle, Seal or Kaching (no percentage), or Joy (0.75% on a $49 plan).
- You want loyalty without a $499 plan: Subi includes a loyalty program on its Subi plan ($119/month + 0.8%), and Appstle lists loyalty features (discounts and rewards) from its $10 Starter plan.
- You do not want a 12-month term: every app above shows monthly prices on its App Store listing, where Shopify bills app charges every 30 days. Recharge's pricing page names 12-month terms only for Plus and Custom. If any app offers you a contract outside its App Store listing, check the term before you sign.
- You want one bill: apps billed through Shopify appear on your Shopify invoice. Check each listing's pricing section for a note about outside charges.
- You are a large brand leaving for more tooling rather than a lower bill: Stay AI or Loop's Pro plan ($399/month + 0.75%). Skio fits that profile too, but it is a Recharge company.
- You only need subscribe-and-save: Shopify's own free app.
What does each Recharge alternative do differently?
Appstle Subscriptions
Appstle Subscriptions on the App Store. The most reviewed app on this page, 5.0 from 8,801 reviews. Plans are Free (up to $500 a month in subscriptions), Starter $10 (up to $5,000), Business $30 (up to $15,000) and Business Premium $100 (up to $100,000), all with 0% transaction fee. Hands-on migration is listed on the Free plan. Build-a-box and bundling start on Business.
Differs from Recharge: no percentage on any plan, so the bill steps with your revenue band instead.
Seal Subscriptions
Seal Subscriptions on the App Store. 4.9 from 3,109 reviews. Free for life up to 50 subscriptions, then $5.95, $9.95 and $24.95 a month for 100, 250 and 500, with bigger plans listed up to 150,000+ subscriptions. 0% transaction fee, and API and webhook access on every plan including Free.
Differs from Recharge: priced by how many subscriptions you run, which suits a store with few subscribers and a high order value.
Kaching Subscriptions
Kaching Subscriptions on the App Store. 5.0 from 1,062 reviews. Starter $9.99 (up to $1,000 a month in subscription revenue), Basic $14.99 (up to $3,000), Growth $24.99 (up to $10,000), no transaction fees, 14-day free trial.
Differs from Recharge: a flat fee with prepaid subscriptions and payment retry on every paid plan, but the listed plans stop at $10,000 a month.
Subi
Subi on the App Store. This is our app. 4.9 from 920 reviews. Starter $29/month + 1.6% per subscription transaction, Subi $119/month + 0.8%, Subi Plus $479/month + 0.4%. Free on development stores; every paid plan has a 7-day free trial and a 3-month money-back guarantee.
- Memberships, bundles and a subscription box are in every plan.
- Failed payment retry is on every paid plan (how retries work).
- A loyalty program, cancellation tools and the Standard recovery window of Smart Payment Recovery are on the Subi plan.
- Subi has a dedicated Recharge importer: you share a Recharge API key or four exports, and our team runs the import (how to prepare Recharge data).
Differs from Recharge: a lower entry price past 50 subscribers and loyalty on the $119 plan. It still charges a percentage, so a store that wants a flat fee pays less on Appstle, Seal or Kaching.
Shopify Subscriptions
Shopify Subscriptions on the App Store. Made by Shopify, free, 3.7 from 820 reviews. It covers subscribe-and-save with skip, pause and cancel, sells subscriptions on POS, and its listing says you can transfer existing subscription contracts into it.
Differs from Recharge: free, with a basic feature set. At 3.7 it is the lowest rated app here, so read its recent reviews first.
Loop Subscriptions
Loop Subscriptions on the App Store. 5.0 from 765 reviews. Free up to 50 active subscriptions, Starter $99/month + 1%, Pro $399/month + 0.75%. Starter includes bundles, cancellation flows with offers and dunning with up to 15 retries.
Differs from Recharge: the same $99 entry price with a lower percentage (1% against 1.49% + 19¢), and a free plan under 50 subscriptions.
Joy Subscriptions
Joy Subscriptions on the App Store. 4.9 from 456 reviews. Free up to 50 active subscriptions, Starter $49/month + 0.75%, Professional $199/month + 0.5%. Its listing says it rebuilds the subscription widget for stores that migrate.
Differs from Recharge: about half the entry fee and half the percentage of Recharge Starter.
Bold Subscriptions
Bold Subscriptions on the App Store. 4.0 from 383 reviews. Launch $24.99/month + 2%, Grow $49.99 + 1%, Scale $74.99 + 0.9%, each with a 30-day free trial. The listing offers complimentary white-glove migration from other subscription apps.
Differs from Recharge: a low monthly fee; above about $2,500 a month in revenue the Grow plan costs less than Launch.
Skio
Skio on the App Store. 5.0 from 241 reviews. One plan, $599/month + 1% + 20¢ per transaction, with build-a-box, cancel flows and payment recovery included and "zero-downtime migration" listed.
Differs from Recharge: one all-in plan for large brands. Its listing names it "Skio, a Recharge Company", so moving to Skio keeps you with the same parent company.
Stay AI
Stay AI on the App Store. 4.9 from 147 reviews. One plan, $499/month + 1% + 19¢ per transaction, with a 30-day free trial on the listing.
Differs from Recharge: the same $499 monthly fee as Recharge Plus with a lower percentage (1% + 19¢ against 1.34% + 19¢).
How hard is it to move off Recharge?
Moving means your subscribers keep their products, prices and billing frequency without signing up again. Several alternatives list migration help on their App Store page: Appstle (on its Free plan), Bold (complimentary), Skio, Joy (a widget rebuild) and Subi. Shopify Subscriptions says existing contracts can be transferred.
What a move from Recharge to Subi looks like, from our own migration guide:
- You request migration from Subi's settings. We review it within two business days.
- You recreate your plans in Subi, place a test order and turn off the Recharge widget.
- You share a Recharge API key (or four exports), and we prepare the data.
- Our team runs the import, usually within two business days of receiving valid export files, and keeps you updated on progress.
One thing to check before any move: our Recharge data guide says subscriptions created through a custom checkout have to be moved to Shopify Payments by Recharge first, or they cannot be migrated to Subi. Ask any app you consider how it handles the payment methods your subscribers use today. Under 50 subscriptions, you can also recreate them by hand in Subi.
More on the process: migrating to Subi.
When is Subi the right Recharge alternative, and when is it not?
Subi fits when:
- You are past 50 subscribers and want a lower entry price than $99. Subi Starter is $29 + 1.6%.
- You want loyalty for subscribers without a $499 plan. It is on the Subi plan at $119 + 0.8%.
- You want the move done for you. Our team runs the Recharge import.
Subi is not the right pick when:
- You want no percentage at all. Appstle, Seal and Kaching list 0% on their paid plans.
- You have fewer than 50 subscribers and want to pay nothing. Seal, Loop and Joy are free there, and Recharge's $25 plan has no transaction fee.
- You want a long trial. Recharge gives 60 days and Bold 30; Subi gives 7, with a 3-month money-back guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Recharge on Shopify?
It depends on why you are leaving. For the lowest bill, Appstle, Seal or Kaching, which charge no percentage. For a monthly fee plus a percentage but a lower bill than Recharge Starter, Joy, Subi or Loop. For a large brand, Stay AI. Every price here is from the App Store listings on 25 September 2026.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Recharge?
Yes, past 50 subscribers. At $5,000 a month in subscription revenue, Recharge Starter is about $174 a month plus 19¢ per transaction. Appstle is $10, Kaching $25, Joy about $87 and Subi $109. Under 50 subscribers, Recharge's $25 plan with no transaction fee is cheap too.
Is Skio part of Recharge?
Yes. Skio's App Store listing names it "Skio, a Recharge Company". It sells one plan at $599 a month plus 1% + 20¢ per transaction.
Will my subscribers have to sign up again if I leave Recharge?
They should not. An app that migrates from Recharge moves the existing subscription contracts with their products, prices and billing frequency, so subscribers do not check out again. Ask how it sets each subscriber's next charge date and how it handles payment methods: Subi's guide says subscriptions created through a custom checkout must be moved to Shopify Payments before they can be migrated.
Does Recharge have a long-term contract?
Recharge's pricing page says its Plus and Custom plans run on 12-month terms. It names no term for Starter.