10 Best Shopify Apps You Can Start Using for Free (2027)

Table of Content

• How to choose Shopify apps in 4 checks
• The 10 best Shopify apps for a new store
• The 10 apps side by side
• How apps affect speed and security
• When to build a custom app
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Bottom Line

How to choose Shopify apps in 4 checks

The Shopify App Store has thousands of listings, and most lists of must have Shopify apps repeat the same names without telling you when to skip them. These four checks matter more than the list.

1. Start from a problem you have measured. “We lose visitors at the email signup” is a reason to install a forms app. “Everyone has one” is not.
2. Find the price trigger. Most apps are free until a limit: contacts, emails, pages or orders. Read what happens at the limit before you build a process on top of the app.
3. Read the one-star reviews. The complaints show the failure you would actually meet, such as a missing feature or a support delay. A 5.0 rating tells you less than three specific complaints.
4. Test speed after you install. Apps add code to your pages. Compare page speed before and after, and uninstall anything that costs more than it earns.

Shopify notes that most apps for Shopify stores are built by third-party developers, not by Shopify, and advises contacting the developer for help with one. That is another reason to prefer fewer, better-known apps.

The 10 best Shopify apps for a new store

These ten cover the jobs a new store needs first: email, reviews, search, automation, lead capture, advertising, translation and page building. Prices, ratings and review counts come from each app’s listing in the Shopify App Store, checked October 9, 2026.

1. Klaviyo: Email Marketing & SMS

Klaviyo builds email, SMS and WhatsApp campaigns and automated workflows, including AI-assisted ones, for e-commerce stores. It is rated 4.7 from 3,363 reviews. The app is free to install with a free tier: email is free for up to 250 contacts and SMS is free for up to 150 credits. Paid plans start at $20 a month for email (251 to 500 contacts) and $15 a month for SMS (up to 1,250 SMS or MMS credits).

Choose it if email and SMS will be a real sales channel. Watch for the contact limit, because your bill rises with your list.

2. Shopify Messaging

Shopify Messaging, built by Shopify and the simplest Shopify email app to start with, creates, sends and tracks email, SMS and WhatsApp campaigns inside Shopify, with templates, automations, segmentation and reporting. It is rated 4.8 from 4,619 reviews. It is free to install, and the first 10,000 emails each month are free. After that, pricing starts at $1 per 1,000 emails.

Choose it if you want email inside your Shopify admin without a separate tool. Watch for SMS and WhatsApp pricing, which the listing does not state, so check it before you turn those channels on.

3. Judge.me Product Reviews

Among the best Shopify review apps, Judge.me collects unlimited product reviews, photos, videos and testimonials and shows them through widgets, carousels and star ratings. It is rated 5.0 from 48,232 reviews and carries the Built for Shopify badge. A Free plan is listed as forever free, and the paid Awesome plan is $15 a month with a 15-day free trial.

Choose it if you want social proof on product pages from day one. Watch for a review widget that slows your product page, and test it after you install.

4. Shopify Search & Discovery

Search & Discovery, built by Shopify, customizes search, filtering and product recommendations, with analytics, to help shoppers find products and raise average order value. It is free. Its listing shows a 2.6 rating from 509 reviews, the lowest of the ten.

Choose it if your catalog is large enough that shoppers need filters. Watch for the low rating: read the reviews, and test the filters on your theme before you rely on them.

5. Shopify Flow

Flow, built by Shopify, builds no-code automated workflows for marketing, order fulfillment, inventory, fraud prevention and connections to other apps. It is free and rated 4.7 from 14,628 reviews, the most reviewed Shopify-built app here.

Choose it if you repeat the same manual task every day. Watch for over-automation. Start with one workflow, such as holding high-risk orders for review, which our guide to Shopify security explains.

6. Shopify Forms

Forms, built by Shopify, builds pop-up and inline forms to collect leads and tag new customers. You can add images, discounts and triggers, translate the forms, and use the stored submissions for segmentation. It is free and rated 4.5 from 747 reviews.

Choose it if you want an email list before you spend on ads. Watch for pop-ups that appear too soon and hurt the first visit.

7. Google & YouTube

Built by Google, this app syncs products, deals and shipping to Google Merchant Center, runs Performance Max ads across Search and YouTube, and connects Google Analytics. It is free to install, and additional charges may apply. Ad spend is billed to your Google Ads account. It is rated 4.5 from 5,527 reviews.

Choose it if you are ready to buy traffic or list products in Google. Watch for ad spend, which is the real cost. Set a daily budget before you launch.

8. Facebook & Instagram

Built by Meta, this app syncs eligible products to a Facebook and Instagram shop and provides shop insights and a conversion pixel. It is free to install, and additional charges may apply. Ad spend is billed to your Facebook ad account. It is rated 3.8 from 5,750 reviews.

Choose it if your buyers use Instagram or Facebook. Watch for the rating, which is the second lowest here, and check recent reviews for the issues you could meet.

9. Shopify Translate & Adapt

Translate & Adapt, built by Shopify, gives you a side-by-side editor for adding and reviewing translations, free automatic translation for up to two languages, and adaptation for regional spelling and messaging. You can localize from the theme editor or any admin resource page. It is free and rated 4.4 from 1,408 reviews.

Choose it if you sell in more than one language. Watch for automatic translation of product and policy text. Have a native speaker review it before you publish.

10. PageFly

PageFly is an AI and drag-and-drop page builder for home, product, collection and landing pages, with 320 or more templates, A/B testing and heatmaps. It is rated 4.9 from 5,906 reviews. A free plan includes one published slot and 10 AI credits a month, and the lowest paid plan, Builder, is $24 a month.

Choose it if your theme cannot produce the landing pages you need. Watch for the speed cost of page-builder code. Your theme editor may already do the job, as our comparison of free Shopify themes shows.

The 10 apps side by side

Data from each app’s listing in the Shopify App Store, checked October 9, 2026. Ratings and prices change, and review counts shift daily, so confirm them on the listing.

How apps affect speed and security

Every app you install can add scripts to your storefront and gets access to store data. Treat each one as a small decision about speed and risk:

• Speed. Measure before and after each install, and remove apps you stopped using. Our guide to Shopify speed optimization covers the usual culprits.
• Security. Review the permissions each app asks for, and audit your installed apps every quarter. Our Shopify security steps include an app audit.
• SEO. Shopify SEO apps and any app that changes titles, redirects or structured data can conflict with your settings. The 27-point Shopify SEO checklist covers checking that product schema still works after a theme or app change.
• Cost. Add up what every app costs each month, then multiply by twelve. Our breakdown of Shopify website costs shows where apps sit in the total.

When to build a custom app

A custom app makes sense when no listing does the job, or when you pay for several apps to do one job. Typical triggers are a subscription model that off-the-shelf Shopify subscription apps cannot support, a business rule your checkout must enforce, a sync between Shopify and your ERP or CRM, or a workflow no app handles cleanly. The decision is a cost comparison: the monthly bills for the apps you would replace against a build and its upkeep.

If your needs are close to a standard app, use the app and save the budget. If they are not, our Shopify development services team can scope a custom app and tell you early whether it is worth building.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some popular apps for Shopify?

Popular choices for a new store include Klaviyo for email and SMS, Judge.me for reviews, Shopify Flow for automation, Google & YouTube and Facebook & Instagram for advertising, and PageFly for page building. Popularity measured in reviews is not the same as fit, so match each app to a problem you have.

What are the most useful Shopify apps?

For most new stores, the most useful are an email tool, a reviews app and Shopify’s own free apps for search, automation and forms. Add advertising apps once you have a product that converts. Install against a measured problem rather than a general list.

Are Shopify apps free?

Some are. All ten apps in this guide have a free plan or a free install, but several have limits. Klaviyo is free to 250 email contacts, Shopify Messaging is free for the first 10,000 emails a month, and the Google and Meta apps are free to install while ad spend is billed separately.

What are the best free Shopify apps?

Shopify’s own Flow, Search & Discovery, Forms and Translate & Adapt are free. Judge.me has a forever-free plan, Klaviyo has a free tier, and PageFly has a free plan with one published slot. Check the free limits before you build a process around any of them.

Which email app should I use, Klaviyo or Shopify Messaging?

Shopify Messaging is the simpler start because it lives inside your admin and the first 10,000 emails a month are free. Klaviyo is a stronger fit when email and SMS will drive much of your revenue and you want its automation depth. Its pricing rises with your contact count.

Do I need a review app on Shopify?

Not on day one, but social proof helps product pages convert once you have orders. Judge.me has a free plan, shows a 5.0 rating across 48,232 reviews, and carries the Built for Shopify badge, so it is a low-risk starting point. Test its widget for page speed.

Do Shopify apps slow down my store?

They can. Many apps add scripts that load on every page. Measure page speed before and after you install an app, keep only the ones that pay for themselves, and remove the rest. A page builder is a common source of added weight.

How many Shopify apps should I install?

As few as your problems require. There is no safe number, because the cost depends on what each app loads. Start with email and reviews, add others when you hit a specific limit, and review the list every quarter.

How do I install a Shopify app safely?

Install from the Shopify App Store, read the permissions it requests, check recent reviews for problems, and remember that most apps are built by third-party developers rather than Shopify. If you hit a problem with an app, contact its developer for support.

Can I build a custom Shopify app?

Yes. A custom app suits business rules, integrations or workflows that no listing handles. Compare the monthly cost of the apps you would replace with the cost of building and maintaining your own, and get a written scope before you commit.

Bottom Line

The best Shopify apps for a new store are the ones that solve a problem you have measured. Start with email, reviews and Shopify’s free apps for search, automation and forms, add Google and Meta when you are ready to advertise, and keep the total small.

Read the pricing triggers and the one-star reviews, test speed after each install, and audit the list every quarter. When no app fits, or you pay for several to do one job, a custom build can be cheaper. Our Shopify development services team can scope it with you.

Hardik Surana

Customer Success Manager

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As a Customer Success Manager, I specialize in bridging the gap between structured execution and long-term strategic growth. Drawing on my extensive background in traditional project management and account oversight, I ensure our clients don't just hit milestones, but achieve measurable business outcomes. My approach is rooted in providing a seamless transition from implementation to partnership, leveraging my technical discipline to anticipate challenges before they arise. I am committed to acting as a dedicated advocate for my customers, turning complex requirements into streamlined paths for success. By blending operational rigor with a relationship-first mindset, I focus on driving the continuous value that keeps our partners thriving.