The Shopify App Store has 8,000+ apps and most of them want $20/month of your money. After setting up several stores, here's my honest keep/skip list. (No sponsorships — I'd tell you if there were.)
Worth paying for
1. Klaviyo (email marketing) — Email still drives ~30% of revenue for most small stores. Klaviyo's abandoned-cart and post-purchase flows pay for themselves. Start on the free tier; upgrade when your list grows.
2. Loox or Judge.me (reviews) — Social proof is non-negotiable. Photo reviews specifically lift conversion; text-only reviews are nearly worthless by comparison. Judge.me's free plan is generous.
3. A proper upsell app (e.g., ReConvert) — Raising average order value is cheaper than acquiring new customers. A post-purchase one-click upsell is the highest-ROI placement.
4. TinyIMG or Crush.pics (image optimization) — Slow stores don't convert. This is unglamorous infrastructure work that directly affects your bottom line.
5. An SEO app (e.g., SEOAnt) — Shopify's native SEO is thin: no bulk alt-text editing, weak structured data. One good SEO app closes most of the gap.
6. A loyalty program (e.g., Smile) — Only worth it once you have repeat-purchase potential (consumables, fashion). Skip for one-time-purchase stores.
7. A currency converter (e.g., BEST Currency Converter) — If you sell internationally, showing local currency is a measurable conversion lift. Shopify Markets covers some of this now, so check before paying.
I'd skip these
1. Countdown timers / fake urgency widgets — They worked in 2018. Now customers recognize them and trust you less. Real scarcity (low stock alerts tied to actual inventory) is fine; fake timers are not.
2. "Spin to win" popups on day one — Popups convert, but a wheel popup on a store with no brand screams dropshipper. Build the email list with a plain 10%-off offer first.
3. Any app you installed "to try" 3 months ago — Audit quarterly. Every unused app slows your store and bills you monthly. If you haven't opened its dashboard in 30 days, delete it.
The rule of thumb
Each app should either make you money (upsells, email, reviews) or save you measurable time. "Nice to have" apps are how a $39/month plan quietly becomes $200/month. Review the list every quarter and be ruthless.
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