Shopify Apps That Actually Matter (And the Ones You Can Skip)
The Shopify App Store has over 8,000 apps. Most of them you don't need. Some will actively slow down your store.
Here's an honest guide to the apps that genuinely make a difference – and the ones that are just noise.
The Essential Apps (Install These First)
Reviews App
Why you need it: Social proof drives conversions. Customer reviews build trust.
Best options:
Judge.me – Great free plan, photo reviews, easy to use
Loox – Beautiful photo reviews, Instagram integration
Yotpo – Enterprise-level features if you need them
Skip if: You're not ready to actively collect reviews yet. An empty reviews section is worse than none.
Email Marketing
Why you need it: Email is still the highest ROI marketing channel. Abandoned cart recovery alone pays for itself.
Best options:
Klaviyo – Industry standard, powerful segmentation
Omnisend – Great for beginners, good automation
Shopify Email – Built-in, basic but free for 10k emails/month
Skip if: You're not ready to actually send emails. Don't install it "just in case."
SEO Optimization
Why you need it: Shopify's built-in SEO is decent, but these apps fill the gaps.
Best options:
Plug in SEO – Identifies SEO issues, gives clear fixes
SEO Manager – Comprehensive SEO toolkit
Smart SEO – Auto-generates meta tags and alt text
Skip if: You're comfortable handling SEO manually. These apps are helpful but not essential if you know what you're doing.
The "Nice to Have" Apps
Upsell & Cross-sell
Why it helps: Increases average order value by suggesting related products.
Best options:
Bold Upsell – Post-purchase upsells
Frequently Bought Together – Amazon-style recommendations
ReConvert – Thank you page upsells
Skip if: You have under 50 products or low traffic. Focus on getting traffic first.
Inventory Management
Why it helps: Keeps stock levels accurate, especially if you sell across multiple channels.
Best options:
Stocky (by Shopify) – Built-in inventory management
TradeGecko – Multi-channel inventory sync
Cin7 – Advanced inventory and order management
Skip if: You're managing under 100 products manually without issues.
Live Chat
Why it helps: Answer questions in real-time, reduce cart abandonment.
Best options:
Tidio – Good free plan, chatbot features
Gorgias – Integrates with all your support channels
Shopify Inbox – Free, built by Shopify
Skip if: You don't have the bandwidth to actually respond to chats. An ignored chat is worse than no chat.
The "Probably Don't Need" Apps
Countdown Timers
The pitch: Create urgency with countdown timers on products.
The reality: Most visitors see through this. If every product has a countdown timer, it's not urgent – it's just annoying.
Skip unless: You're running genuine limited-time offers and can use it sparingly.
Instagram Feed Widgets
The pitch: Show your Instagram feed on your store.
The reality: It slows down your site and distracts from buying. If people want to see your Instagram, they'll follow you.
Skip unless: Your Instagram content directly showcases products and drives sales.
Popup Apps (Most of Them)
The pitch: Capture emails with popups.
The reality: Most popups are annoying and hurt user experience. Plus, Shopify has built-in popup functionality now.
Skip unless: You have a compelling offer and can design a non-intrusive popup.
Currency Converters
The pitch: Show prices in customer's local currency.
The reality: Shopify has multi-currency built-in now. You probably don't need an app for this.
Skip: Use Shopify's native multi-currency feature instead.
Apps That Slow Your Site Down
Every app adds code to your store. Too many apps = slow site = lost sales.
The worst offenders:
Apps that load external scripts
Apps with heavy image sliders
Apps that add features you're not using
Multiple apps doing similar things
How to check:Use Google PageSpeed Insights. Disable apps one at a time and retest. You'll quickly see which ones are killing your speed.
Rule of thumb:If you're not actively using an app's features, delete it. "Just in case" isn't a good reason to keep an app installed.
The App Audit Process
Every 3-6 months, audit your apps:
List all installed apps
For each app, ask:
Am I actively using this?
Is it generating revenue or saving time?
Could I do this manually or with a different tool?
Is it slowing down my site?
Delete ruthlessly
Most stores can run effectively with 5-10 apps. If you have 20+, you're probably carrying dead weight.
The Free vs. Paid Decision
When free apps make sense:
You're just starting out
You don't need advanced features
The free plan covers your needs
When paid apps are worth it:
They directly generate revenue (email marketing, upsells)
They save significant time (inventory management, automation)
The features genuinely improve customer experience
Don't fall for: "It's only £10/month." Five apps at £10/month is £600/year. Make sure they're earning their keep.
The Bottom Line
The best Shopify stores aren't running 30 apps. They're running 5-10 carefully chosen apps that solve specific problems.
Before installing an app, ask:
What specific problem does this solve?
Can I solve it another way?
Will this slow down my site?
Am I actually going to use it?
Your store doesn't need every app. It needs the right apps.
Need help optimizing your Shopify store? We can audit your current setup, recommend the right apps, and help you streamline for better performance. Get in touch
