SMART Subscriptions vs Shopify Subscriptions
Updated · SMART Subscriptions (E-TRADE PARTNER)
Both apps are free. Shopify Subscriptions is Shopify's own app: it runs inside Shopify admin, sells on Shopify POS, retries both payment and inventory failures, and imports contracts from other subscription apps by CSV. SMART Subscriptions is a third-party app whose plans include pay in advance and a second discount after a set number of payments, with 17 email templates and a styled product-page widget.
SMART Subscriptions does this with plans, a product-page widget, and a native customer portal.
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Since neither app costs anything, this comparison is only about features and support. Shopify Subscriptions has strengths that come from being built by Shopify, such as POS selling and a CSV import from third-party apps. SMART is worth a look if your plans need pay in advance, a discount that changes after a set number of payments, or more control over the widget and the emails.
Quick comparison
| Area | SMART Subscriptions | Shopify Subscriptions |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | E-TRADE PARTNER | Shopify |
| Price | Free. No paid plans or app fees | Free |
| Where you work | Six SMART modules: Plans, Subscriptions, Widget, Management, Emails, Settings | Inside Shopify admin |
| Plan options | Pay as you go and pay in advance; every N days, weeks, months or years; second discount after a set number of payments; minimum and maximum payments; several options per plan | Delivery frequency, optional billing day and number of orders; Shopify's plan setup help does not describe a pay-in-advance option |
| Pricing types | Percentage, amount off, or a fixed price | Percentage off, amount off, or fixed price |
| Product page widget | Subscriptions Widget theme app block: live preview, typography, colors, CSS, translations; one shop-wide setting to hide one-time purchase | Subscription widget, re-installable from the app's Settings page |
| 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 | Pause, resume, skip and cancel, manage payment methods and shipping address from the customer account |
| Failed payments | Payment and inventory failure retries (count, interval), final pause, cancel or skip; non-retryable errors go straight to the final action | Billing attempts for "Payment method failure" and "Not enough inventory" (retries, days between), final skip, pause or cancel |
| Emails | 17 templates, inactive until activated, test sends, sender name and reply-to | Subscription email notifications, on by default, each one can be turned off; the App Store listing describes customizable templates |
| Import and export | No import or migration tool | CSV import of contracts from third-party subscription apps; CSV export to another Shopify Subscriptions store |
| Reporting | Home shows MRR and active subscriptions, refreshed about every 10 minutes | Analytics for active, paused and canceled subscriptions |
| Known limits | Customers cannot add a new card in the portal or change their plan or frequency | Shopify Help: bundles aren't compatible with Shopify Subscriptions |
| Support | Chat or email (support@etradepartner.io), plus SMART docs and guides | App support provided by Shopify; Shopify Help Center |
Sources, checked November 1, 2026: Shopify Subscriptions on the Shopify App Store and Shopify Help Center, including import and export, app settings and considerations. 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 Shopify beyond the Shopify App Store listing relationship. Spot something out of date? Email support@etradepartner.io.
When SMART fits better
- You want pay in advance plans, or a discount that changes after a set number of payments, for example a larger discount from the fourth order.
- You want to style the product-page block with live preview, typography, colors and custom CSS, and hide one-time purchase across the shop with a single setting.
- You want 17 email templates with test sends, your own sender name and reply-to address.
- You want app-specific docs and guides, and chat or email support from the developer.
When Shopify Subscriptions fits better
- You sell subscriptions in person on Shopify POS.
- You are moving from another subscription app: Shopify Subscriptions imports contracts from third-party apps by CSV, and SMART has no import tool.
- You prefer an app built and supported by Shopify itself.
- You want reporting that splits active, paused and canceled subscriptions.
What both apps already do
Some features look like differences but are not. Both apps offer percentage, amount-off and fixed-price options. Both retry payment failures and inventory failures, with a final skip, pause or cancel. Both let customers pause, resume, skip and cancel from their customer account. If that list covers your store, either app will do the job, and the native app avoids a third-party dependency.
To see how SMART's second discount and email templates work, read Subscription plans, Emails and the subscription discounts guide.
Need pay in advance or a second discount?
Try SMART's pay in advance options and second-discount rules, with a product-page block you can style, at no cost.
Install free on ShopifyFrequently asked questions
›Can Shopify Subscriptions import subscriptions from another app?
Yes. Shopify Help says you can import contracts from a third-party subscriptions app with a CSV file, and export them to another store that uses Shopify Subscriptions. SMART has no import tool.
›Does Shopify Subscriptions retry out-of-stock renewals?
Yes. Its billing attempt settings cover payment method failures and not enough inventory, each with a retry count, days between retries and a final skip, pause or cancel. SMART has the same two retry types.
›Does Shopify Subscriptions work with bundles?
Shopify Help says bundles aren't compatible with the Shopify Subscriptions app.
›What happens to subscriptions if I uninstall either app?
Uninstalling SMART stops renewals, and Shopify cancels SMART's active and paused contracts 48 hours after uninstall. Shopify Help says uninstalling Shopify Subscriptions deletes its subscription plans, contracts and Subscriptions discounts. Plan any switch before you remove an app.