SMART Subscriptions vs Loop
Updated · SMART Subscriptions (E-TRADE PARTNER)
SMART Subscriptions is free and includes pay as you go and pay in advance plans for every store. Loop Subscriptions is free for up to 50 active subscriptions, then Starter ($99/mo + 1%) or Pro ($399/mo + 0.75%), with Enterprise on request; Loop lists prepaid and gift subscriptions on Pro. Loop adds bundles and build-your-own boxes, cancellation flows, smart dunning with 15 retries, gamified journeys and white-glove migration on paid plans.
SMART Subscriptions does this with plans, a product-page widget, and a native customer portal.
Try it freeOn this page
Loop is built for brands that treat subscriptions as a growth program: cancellation offers, one-click checkout links, email actions, a gamified portal, and a dedicated CSM on Pro. SMART covers a smaller set of jobs for free. One plan detail stands out: on Loop, prepaid subscriptions are a Pro feature, while SMART includes pay in advance at no cost.
Quick comparison
| Area | SMART Subscriptions | Loop Subscriptions |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | E-TRADE PARTNER | Loop Solutions Inc |
| Price | Free. No paid plans or app fees | Free Forever up to 50 active subscriptions; Starter $99/mo + 1%; Pro $399/mo + 0.75%; Enterprise on request. 14-day trial |
| Prepaid | Pay in advance on every store, with optional minimum and maximum payments | Flexible prepaid and gift subscriptions on Pro |
| Bundles and boxes | No boxes or build-a-box | Fixed and build-your-own bundles on Starter |
| Customer self-service | Requires the new Shopify customer accounts. Pause, resume, skip or unskip, switch to a saved payment method, update the shipping address, cancel after the plan's minimum payments | Mobile-friendly portal on Free; branded portal with upsells on Starter; portal themes and custom sections on Pro |
| Failed payments | Payment and inventory failure retries with a count and interval you choose; final pause, cancel or skip | Smart dunning with 15 retries on Starter |
| Cancellation | Customers cancel once the plan's minimum payments are reached | Personalized cancellation flows and offers on Starter |
| Emails | 17 templates, inactive until activated, test sends, sender name and reply-to | Customer alerts on Free; one-click email actions with campaigns on Starter |
| Migration | No import or migration tool | White-glove migration on every paid plan |
| Support | Chat or email (support@etradepartner.io), plus SMART docs and guides | Email support on paid plans; dedicated CSM and 24x7 Slack support on Pro |
Sources, checked November 1, 2026: Loop on the Shopify App Store and Loop pricing. Prices are USD list prices as shown on those pages, and features are described the way the vendor describes them. Trademarks belong to their owners. SMART Subscriptions is not affiliated with Loop or Loop Solutions Inc. Spot something out of date? Email support@etradepartner.io.
When SMART fits better
- You want to sell prepaid subscriptions without moving to Loop Pro at $399/mo + 0.75%.
- You will have more than 50 subscribers and want to keep using a free app.
- You want customers to complete a minimum number of payments before the cancel option opens up.
When Loop fits better
- You want cancellation flows with personalized offers to save subscribers (Starter).
- You sell bundles or let customers build their own box.
- You want gamified subscriber journeys and rewards, multilingual portals and a dedicated CSM (Pro).
- You are switching apps and want white-glove migration, or you rely on integrations such as Attentive, Postscript, Gorgias, Rebuy, Klaviyo or Smile.
Prepaid on Loop versus SMART
A prepaid plan bills several deliveries up front. On Loop, prepaid sits on the Pro plan with gift subscriptions, so a store that only needs, say, a 3- or 6-delivery prepaid option pays $399/mo plus 0.75% per transaction. In SMART, pay in advance is a plan option next to pay as you go: you set the frequency, the discount or fixed price, and optional minimum and maximum payments, and the contract ends after the maximum.
To plan prepaid options in SMART, read the pay as you go vs pay in advance guide, Subscription plans and Failed payments and retries.
Prepaid plans without a Pro plan
Offer pay in advance next to pay as you go on a free app, with minimum and maximum payments per option.
Install free on ShopifyFrequently asked questions
›Does Loop include prepaid subscriptions on every plan?
No. Loop lists flexible prepaid and gift subscriptions on Pro ($399/mo + 0.75%). SMART includes pay in advance plans for free.
›How many retries does Loop's dunning use?
Loop's Starter plan lists smart dunning management with 15 retries. In SMART you choose the retry count and interval yourself, separately for payment failures and inventory failures.
›Can Loop migrate my subscribers?
Loop lists white-glove migration on every paid plan. SMART cannot import subscribers from another app.