7 Best Shopify subscription apps in 2025: Free and paid options

Subscriptions have become one of the most reliable ways to grow a Shopify business. They create consistent revenue, keep customers coming back, and let you build stronger relationships over time. For products people use regularly—like vitamins, skincare, pet food, or coffee—subscriptions remove friction and make reordering automatic. For digital products, memberships, or services, they unlock an easy way to deliver recurring value.

However, not all subscription apps are the same. Some are built for fast setup and simplicity, while others focus on advanced retention tools and customization. Depending on your business model, one tool might be a better fit than another.

This guide breaks down the top 10 Shopify subscription apps in 2025 based on features, ease of use, and how well they integrate with Shopify’s checkout. We’ve also included a section showing how to use any of them inside Instant, so you can build subscription-ready landing pages and product pages without writing a line of code.

Top subscription apps for Shopify in 2025

1. Bold Subscriptions

Best for: Enterprise brands and teams that want full control

Bold Subscriptions is built to help you get more subscribers—and keep them. It’s one of the most flexible subscription apps on Shopify, offering advanced tools that increase the value of each customer over time.

Here are some of the key features:

• Subscription MAXIMIZERS to increase revenue across the customer lifecycle

• Prepaid and pay-as-you-go plans with flexible schedules

• Add-ons, upsells, and dynamic discounts

• Advanced dunning and cancellation flow customization

• Powerful APIs for custom builds

• Free migration from other subscription platforms

Bold is a great choice if you need advanced tools, want more control over the subscriber journey, or have a complex setup that other apps can’t handle out of the box.

2. Recharge Subscriptions

Best for: Established brands focused on growth and retention

Recharge is an all-in-one subscription platform trusted by top Shopify brands. It helps you grow recurring revenue with flexible tools for bundling, retention, and analytics.

Here are some of the key features:

• No-code customer portal with full brand customization

• Tools to identify churn risks and reduce cancellations

• Support for dynamic and customizable bundles

• Incentives and upsells to grow subscriber value

• Unified checkout that works with one-time and recurring items

Recharge is a strong choice if you want robust features, advanced insights, and a seamless experience for both you and your customers.

3. Skio Subscriptions

Best for: DTC brands that want a smoother subscription experience

Skio is built to simplify subscriptions—for both brands and their customers. It supports native Shopify Checkout and includes features that reduce churn and support growth.

Here are some of the key features:

• Easy migration to Shopify’s native 1-click checkout

• Passwordless login to reduce customer support tickets

• Conditional cancel flows to retain more subscribers

• Skio Data Platform for subscription analytics

• Backed by experienced teams and trusted investors

Skio is a great pick if you want fewer support headaches and more control over the subscriber journey.

4. Stay AI

Best for: Brands focused on retention and personalized experiences

Stay AI uses machine learning to help you improve the subscriber experience and drive more revenue. It’s designed for brands that want to reduce churn and personalize touchpoints.

Here are some of the key features:

• No-code portal with full design and copy customization

• ExperienceEngine to run targeted promos across the customer lifecycle

• RetentionEngine to forecast churn and keep customers longer

• AI-driven insights and analytics

• High-touch support team for setup and migration

Stay is ideal for teams that want to test, optimize, and personalize their subscription program with smart data.

5. Appstle Subscriptions

Best for: Flexible features at an affordable price

Appstle gives you full control over how you offer subscriptions—whether it’s build-a-box, prepaid plans, loyalty perks, or one-click checkouts.

Here are some of the key features:

• Build-a-box, free trials, tiered discounts, and gifting options

• Custom shipping rules, loyalty rewards, and mystery boxes

• Customer portal with one-click login and quick actions

• Upsells, bundling, retention tools, and bulk automation

• 24/7 support and native integration with other Appstle apps

Appstle is great for merchants who want flexibility and rich features without a steep price tag.

6. Loop Subscriptions

Best for: Brands that want control, customization, and retention tools

Loop gives you the tools to build flexible subscription experiences and reduce churn through smart automation. From personalized bundles to interactive cancel flows, it helps brands grow LTV and streamline operations.

Here are some of the key features:

• Mobile-first, self-serve customer portal

• Custom flows to build gamified subscriber journeys

• Support for fixed and customizable bundles and box subscriptions

• Smart dunning to recover failed payments

• Personalized cancel flows to retain more customers

Loop is a great option for brands that want a flexible, user-friendly platform with strong retention features.

7. Firmhouse

Best for: European brands and local payment support

Firmhouse is a Shopify-native subscription app built with the European market in mind. It supports local payment methods and offers fast setup with minimal configuration.

Here are some of the key features:

• Seamless integration with Shopify stores

• Support for local payments like iDEAL and Bancontact via Mollie and Adyen

• Payments converted to SEPA direct debit for recurring billing

• Out-of-the-box widgets for instant subscription setup

• Customer-managed subscriptions and order changes

Firmhouse is ideal for merchants in Europe who want a native-feeling experience and strong payment coverage without the hassle of custom integrations.

How to integrate subscription apps into your Shopify store design with Instant

Instant works seamlessly with all of the subscription apps listed above. You don’t need to embed code—if a product is subscription-enabled, it just works.

Here’s how to integrate a subscription app with your Instant pages:

1. Install your preferred subscription app from the Shopify App Store. Most apps will guide you through the setup.
   
   

2. Enable subscriptions on your product(s). Once active, subscription options will appear automatically on your Shopify product detail pages.
   
   

3. Open Instant Page Builder. Use Instant to build a custom product page to sell your subscription products.
   
   

4. Drop in a product section. Choose a product that has subscriptions enabled. Use the subscription picker. The subscription options will appear automatically.
   
   

5. Customize your layout. Rearrange blocks, add headlines, and control the look and feel of the subscription section, without losing functionality.
   
   

6. Publish your page. The page will go live with full subscription functionality; no extra setup is required.

This approach lets you create tailored product pages for different subscription offers while keeping your checkout process intact.

Final thoughts

Whether you're building a subscription box business or want to add recurring options to a few products, there's never been a better time to start. The tools on this list cover every stage—from beginner-friendly to enterprise-ready—and give you the flexibility to grow over time.

And with Instant, you’re not stuck with one layout or locked into your Shopify theme. You can build out high-converting landing pages, PDPs, and bundles that show off your subscription offers however you want.

Want help getting started? Check out Instant’s free section templates or reach out to our team—we’re happy to point you in the right direction.