Comparing Loop with?
You've built a base of repeat buyers and products that customers keep coming back for. At this point, adding a subscription option seems like a natural next step. But once you decide to launch subscriptions, you'll face some key questions:
It's easy to add a "Subscribe & Save" button to your Shopify store. But building a subscription management system that grows and thrives requires a lot more than just that. It's about creating a sustainable program that doesn't fall apart as you scale.
To succeed, you need an app that lets you:
The ideal Shopify subscription app should:
Many Shopify subscription apps claim to be "no-code," but often the reality doesn't match up. Widgets don't render, themes aren't compatible, or you need to know CSS just to get started. For brands without a developer on call, launches stall before they start.
A good Shopify subscription app should get you live in an afternoon by providing:
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A widget that just works. You should be able to install through Shopify's app blocks and have it work immediately—no developer required. With Loop, it works on most themes right away. You can adjust the design, copy, and layout directly in the settings. The widget loads fast, renders cleanly on mobile, and lets you create unique configurations for every product page.
Discounts you can set up in minutes. Want to offer 15% off for subscribers? A flat $5 discount? Bigger savings for customers who commit to more orders? You should be able to configure any structure in minutes and let it run on autopilot. Loop lets you do exactly that—including tiered "buy more, save more" discounts that increase as customers add items.
Bundles without extra setup. Whether you want preset bundles or build-your-own boxes, your app should handle inventory automatically. Loop's bundle builder lets you set the rules—minimum items, maximum items, category requirements—and enforces them. When an order comes through, individual SKUs flow to Shopify, so your warehouse knows exactly what to pack. No phantom products, no confusion.
A portal subscribers can manage themselves. Subscribers need to skip deliveries, pause, swap products, or update payment methods—without emailing you. Loop's self-serve portal handles all of this out of the box.
If any of this requires custom development, the app isn't built for brands that need to launch and scale fast.
Offering a subscription option on your site is just the first step. If it's hidden or requires extra steps, customers won't bother. Growth comes from making subscriptions visible, simple, and desirable.
You need a Shopify subscription app that can:
Convert one-time buyers into subscribers. If customers have to look for the subscription option, most won't. The widget should default to subscribe-and-save with the discount visible—no extra clicks, no buried text. The easier you make it to say yes, the more people will.
Let you test offers that convert. When you're just starting out, you won't know what discount structure works best for your audience. 10% off? 20% on the first order? A tiered setup like 50% off the first two orders, then 25% ongoing? The only way to find out is to test. Your app should make it easy to try different structures and see what actually moves the needle—without needing a developer every time you want to change something.
Enable native integrations that turn clicks into subscribers. Your email and SMS flows should connect directly to checkout links. When a customer clicks, they should land on checkout with the subscription already selected—no extra steps. Loop integrates with Klaviyo and Attentive so these one-click links work across email, SMS, and social.
Increase AOV with bundles. Build-your-own bundles let customers pick what they want while you set the discount tiers. Loop's bundle builder makes this easy—Lilac St. saw 72.7% revenue growth after implementing tiered volume discounts.
Provide subscription analytics that show what converts Not everything belongs on subscription. Your Shopify subscription app should show which products convert best and which delivery intervals customers actually prefer. Loop's analytics give you this visibility so you can focus where it matters.
Most subscribers who click "cancel" don't actually want to leave—they just want flexibility. But if your app doesn't offer alternatives at that moment, you lose them anyway.
You need a Shopify subscription app that turns these moments into retention opportunities by offering:
Skip or swap instead of cancel. If a customer has too much product, they should be able to skip their next delivery. If they're tired of the same thing, they should be able to swap to something else—without leaving the subscription entirely. Loop makes both options available right when subscribers need them.
Cancellation flows that save subscribers. If managing a subscription requires emailing support, customers will cancel instead. Your app should offer alternatives like pausing or skipping, customized based on customer history. Loop's cancellation flows do exactly this—and can be configured without code.
Exit surveys and targeted incentives. Understanding why customers cancel lets you offer the right incentive to save them. Four Sigmatic saw a 90% save rate using Loop's exit survey flows with targeted offers.
Here's something most brands don't realize: 30–40% of churn comes from billing issues. Expired cards, insufficient funds, random bank flags. None of it intentional—but the revenue loss compounds quickly.
You need a Shopify subscription app that recovers this revenue by providing:
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Smart retries that actually work. Most apps retry once or twice and give up. You need retries timed around paydays and optimal recovery windows—not just "try again in 3 days." Loop retries payments up to 15 times per cycle and skips unrecoverable declines, saving you transaction fees and focusing effort where it matters.
Automated reminders before payments fail. Customers should be prompted to update their card before you lose them. Pre-dunning alerts should notify them when their card is about to expire. Loop automates both via SMS and email.
One-click card updates. Customers should be able to update payment details directly from the email or portal—no friction, no hunting for the right page. Loop's dunning management makes this seamless and is built into every paid plan.
The customer portal is often an afterthought—and subscribers feel it. If it's hard to find, confusing to navigate, or requires a password no one remembers, customers will cancel because managing their subscription feels like too much effort.
You need a Shopify subscription app that keeps subscribers engaged by providing:
Built-in upsells and cross-sells. Subscribers managing their order are already engaged—that's the perfect moment to offer add-ons. Loop's portal upsells helped OSEA Malibu increase upsell revenue from 4.5% to 6.8%.
Rewards that keep subscribers around. When subscribers can see upcoming perks and milestones, they understand what they'd lose by leaving. Live Bearded reduced first-order cancellations from 50% to 40% by showcasing clear subscription perks in Loop's portal.
One-click reactivation for churned subscribers. Win-back campaigns work best when it's easy to say yes. Deep-link "Resume" buttons should take former subscribers straight back in. NutriPaw achieved a 40% reactivation rate using Loop's targeted win-back flows.
Most dashboards show subscriber counts and MRR without context. They don't tell you why subscribers are leaving or which products retain best. Without that clarity, you're guessing.
You need a Shopify subscription app that shows you:
A clear view of subscribers and revenue. You should know your subscriber count and be able to forecast next month's MRR with confidence. Loop's dashboard gives you both at a glance.
Cancellation reasons, not just numbers. "Too expensive" needs a different response than "too much product." Your app should capture these reasons and let you act on them. Loop's cancellation flows do both—capturing the reason and presenting targeted alternatives in the moment.
Product performance at a glance. You need to see what's converting well on subscription and what's retaining customers longest. Loop's analytics break this down so you can double down on what works.
Early warning signs before churn happens.Subscribers who cancel immediately after signing up signal friction in your onboarding. Loop shows trends over time, so you can spot where subscribers drop off and act before it's too late.
Features get you started. But you also need the infrastructure to support growth—especially when things break. Make sure your Shopify subscription app also offers:
Pricing that won't surprise you. Per-order fees add up fast. A 19¢ charge per order doesn't sound like much—until you're processing 500 subscription orders a month. That's $1,140 per year in fees alone. Feature paywalls are the other trap. Most apps lock cancellation flows, bundles, and analytics behind expensive tiers. By the time you need these tools, you're paying enterprise rates for features that should've been included from the start. Loop charges a flat monthly fee plus 0.75% of subscription revenue. No per-order fees. Cancellation flows, dunning, bundles, and analytics are included on every paid plan.
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Support that actually supports. At some point, something will break—a widget won't render, a discount won't apply, or a Shopify update will interfere with something that worked yesterday. When that happens, you need someone who responds fast. Loop's support team responds in hours, not days. Pro plans include a dedicated Slack channel and Customer Success Manager. 5.0 rating on the Shopify App Store with 590+ reviews.
Integrations that just work. Subscriptions touch everything—email, support, analytics. If your tools aren't connected, you're managing data manually or flying blind. Klaviyo and Attentive need subscription events to trigger the right flows. Gorgias and Zendesk need subscriber data in tickets. Loyalty programs need to display benefits in the customer portal. If any of these require Zapier workarounds, something will break eventually. Loop connects to 40+ tools natively. Subscription events sync automatically. Subscriber data appears where your team needs it.
Here's what experienced subscription brands wish they'd known earlier:
The portal matters more than features. If your subscription portal isn't easy to use, you risk losing subscribers. OSEA Malibu cut churn from 10% to 5% in six months—not by adding features, but by making their portal frictionless.
Read the full story →
Switching apps later is painful. Migrating subscriptions is complex and can disrupt your business. Loop has migrated brands with 130,000+ subscriptions in under three weeks—but choosing the right app from the start is always better.
Dunning isn't optional. Payment failures are a major source of churn. Mammaly implemented smart dunning and saw 30% of customers update their payment info, plus 18% of churned subscribers reactivate.
Read the full story →
Retention is key. Acquisition gets customers in the door, but retention keeps them. Four Sigmatic increased their save rate by 90% using cancellation flows to engage subscribers before they left.
Read the full story →
Starting a subscription program? Loop offers a 14-day free trial so you can test everything before committing.
Migrating from another app? Loop's migration team handles the entire process, ensuring a seamless transition with minimal disruption to your subscribers.
1,065+ brands. $2B+ in subscription revenue processed. 5.0 stars on Shopify.
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