Understanding the differences between Shopify Subscriptions app and Shopify pricing plans

Shopify Subscription can refer to two distinct concepts within the Shopify platform. It's important to clarify whether you're discussing the Shopify Subscriptions app, designed for managing subscription-based products, or Shopify pricing plans, which relate to the various levels of Shopify accounts available to you.

Shopify Subscriptions app

The Shopify Subscriptions app allows you to sell products on a recurring basis directly from their Shopify admin. This app can be used by businesses looking to offer subscription services or recurring billing options to their customers. Key features of the Shopify Subscriptions app include:

• Subscription management: Allows you to create and manage subscription products with fixed or custom billing intervals.
• Customer portal: Allows your customers to manage their subscriptions, including pausing, resuming, or canceling their orders.
• Discount management: Offers the ability to apply discounts to subscription orders, including percentage or fixed amount discounts.
• Analytics and reporting: Provides detailed analytics on subscription performance.

Shopify Pricing Plans

Shopify pricing plans are the various tiers of service offerings provided by Shopify, which determine the range of features available to you as well as the cost of using the Shopify platform. Key features include:

• Plan options: Includes Basic Shopify, Shopify, and Advanced Shopify, each providing different features to suit various business sizes and needs.
• Monthly or yearly pricing: Charges are based on the selected plan and are billed on a recurring monthly or yearly basis.
• Plan scalability: You can upgrade or downgrade your plan based on your business requirements.
• Included features: Depending on the selected plan, features can include Shopify POS integration and detailed reporting capabilities.

Comparing the Shopify Subscriptions app and Shopify pricing plans

Comparison of Shopify Subscriptions app and Shopify pricing plans

Feature	Shopify Subscriptions app	Shopify pricing plans
Purpose	Manages recurring product sales.	Defines level of access to Shopify features and tools.
Main focus	Subscription product management.	Platform access and use.
User interaction	Customer subscription management portal.	Choosing and managing plan settings.
Pricing	May involve additional fees depending on setup.	Monthly or yearly fixed pricing based on selected plan.
Intended audience	Merchants with subscription-based products.	Any merchant using the Shopify platform.