SMART Subscriptions vs Seal
Updated · SMART Subscriptions (E-TRADE PARTNER)
SMART Subscriptions is free and never limits how many subscriptions you have. Seal Subscriptions is free for up to 50 subscriptions with unlimited revenue and 0% transaction fees, then prices by subscription count, from SUPERSALE ($5.95/mo, 100 subscriptions) to SUPERSTAR ($399/mo, 150,000). Seal adds product swaps and automations, magic-link and passwordless portal access, memberships, subscription boxes and recurring invoices.
SMART Subscriptions does this with plans, a product-page widget, and a native customer portal.
Try it freeOn this page
Seal's paid plans start at $5.95/mo, and its free plan already lists product swaps and automations, API and webhook access, and inventory forecasts. Two things separate it from SMART: Seal's free plan stops at 50 subscriptions, and Seal covers more subscription types, including memberships, digital access and invoiced subscriptions.
Quick comparison
| Area | SMART Subscriptions | Seal Subscriptions |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | E-TRADE PARTNER | Seal Subscriptions |
| Price | Free. No paid plans or app fees | Free up to 50 subscriptions (unlimited revenue); SUPERSALE $5.95/mo (100); RISING STAR $9.95/mo (250); LEGEND $24.95/mo (500); LEADER $89.95/mo (2,000); MEGA STAR $199/mo (50,000); SUPERSTAR $399/mo (150,000). 0% transaction fee; 30-day trial; 20% off yearly |
| Subscription types | Pay as you go and pay in advance, every N days, weeks, months or years | Classic and prepaid subscriptions, subscription boxes, memberships, free trials and digital access; auto-charging or recurring invoices |
| Customer access | Requires the new Shopify customer accounts | Magic links; passwordless customer portal from SUPERSALE; works with customer accounts |
| Customer actions | Pause, resume, skip or unskip, switch to a saved payment method, update the shipping address, cancel after the plan's minimum payments | Product swaps and automations on Free; discounts on product swaps from SUPERSALE; custom cancellation flow on paid plans |
| Out-of-stock renewals | Inventory failure retries with your own count and interval; final pause, cancel or skip | Out-of-stock alerts and skipping out-of-stock subscriptions on LEADER |
| Emails | 17 templates, test sends, sender name and reply-to | Custom email HTML on Free; codeless email editor and custom email domain on LEADER |
| Analytics | Home shows MRR and active subscriptions, refreshed about every 10 minutes | Inventory forecast on Free; statistics from SUPERSALE; payment calendar from RISING STAR; retention and cancellation insight on LEGEND |
| Support | Chat or email (support@etradepartner.io), plus SMART docs and guides | Regular support on Free; priority support on LEGEND and LEADER; dedicated success manager and phone support on MEGA STAR |
Sources, checked November 1, 2026: Seal on the Shopify App Store and Seal 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 Seal Subscriptions. Spot something out of date? Email support@etradepartner.io.
When SMART fits better
- You will go past 50 subscriptions and do not want to count subscribers against plan limits.
- Out-of-stock renewals should be retried on a schedule you set, ending in pause, cancel or skip, without a larger plan.
- You want a product-page block you can style (typography, colors, custom CSS) while watching a live preview, plus one shop-wide switch for subscription-only selling.
When Seal fits better
- You want customer product swaps and swap automations on a free plan.
- You sell memberships, digital access, free trials, or magazine-style fixed schedules (LEGEND, $24.95/mo).
- Customers should reach their subscriptions through magic links or a passwordless portal.
- Some customers should pay by recurring invoice instead of an automatic charge, or you need the app in one of the 18 languages Seal lists.
Seal's subscription-count tiers
Seal counts subscriptions, not revenue. A store with 80 high-value subscribers pays $5.95/mo on SUPERSALE, while one with 600 low-value subscribers needs LEADER at $89.95/mo, because LEGEND stops at 500. Revenue does not change the price on any Seal plan. SMART has neither a subscription count nor a revenue limit.
For SMART's storefront and portal setup, see Subscription widget, the subscription-only selling guide and the customer portal guide.
No subscriber count to manage
Add as many subscribers as you sell; SMART never counts them against a plan.
Install free on ShopifyFrequently asked questions
›Does SMART use magic links?
No. SMART's customer self-service runs in the new Shopify customer accounts. Seal offers magic links and a passwordless portal, and also works with customer accounts.
›What does Seal's free plan include?
Seal's free plan allows up to 50 subscriptions with unlimited revenue and 0% transaction fees, and lists product swaps and automations, tiered discounts and full API and webhook access.
›Can customers add, remove or swap products in SMART?
No. Customers can't change products in SMART. They can pause, resume, skip or unskip orders, choose another saved payment method, edit the shipping address and cancel after the minimum payments.