[Thorough Comparison] 5 Recommended Shopify Subscription Apps | Compared by Price and Features

"RuffRuff 予約販売" helps reduce the lost sales opportunities that occur during out-of-stock periods, before a new product launch, or while waiting for restocking.
It makes it remarkably easy to set up pre-orders on your own Shopify store, letting you register an unlimited number of pre-order products and accept an unlimited number of pre-orders. It can also restrict customers from ordering pre-order and regular products together, and can send restock notifications when the arrival date is undetermined.
It also has many unique features not found in other pre-order apps, such as a "deferred payment" feature that lets you collect payment before the product ships.

Are you running subscriptions on your own Shopify store? Subscriptions offer benefits to both the store and the customer. This article introduces the benefits and drawbacks of running subscriptions on a Shopify store, along with recommended subscription apps.

What Is a Subscription?

A subscription refers to a system that automatically purchases a product (or service) on a fixed, recurring cycle, such as monthly, weekly, or biweekly.
Benefits for the customer include preventing forgotten purchases and reducing the effort of buying.
Benefits for the store include being able to earn recurring revenue, expecting an increase in LTV, and being able to expect an increased advertising budget.

* LTV (Lifetime Value) refers to the total profit gained from a customer over their entire relationship with your store, including not just the profit from a single transaction but also profit from repeat transactions.

Benefits of Subscriptions

Benefits for the Customer (Buyer) Side

Benefits for the Business (Seller) Side

Drawbacks of Subscriptions

Drawbacks for the Customer (Buyer) Side

• Canceling takes some effort
• Products may end up in surplus
• Ongoing purchases can become a burden on the household budget

Drawbacks for the Business (Seller) Side

• Fewer site visits (from customers who used to visit for every purchase)
• Customers may stop seeing your non-subscription products
• You lose the freedom to change the sale price at will (since subscribers already have contracts)
• Costs are incurred for the service or app used to run recurring sales

6 Recommended Subscription Apps

GO SUB

GO SUB Features

• Built for Shopify certified app
• You can start with no monthly fee
• Relatively inexpensive with rich features
• Fully supports Japanese and English, and also supports multiple currencies and cross-border e-commerce
• Also supports migration from other subscription apps
• Design and feature customization to match your requirements is also possible

GO SUB Overview

A subscription app provided by GO RIDE Inc., which is certified as one of the few Plus Partners in Japan, and it is Built for Shopify certified. As of February 1, 2026, it is one of the subscription apps that does not conflict with the pre-order app "RuffRuff 予約販売."

Both the Starter plan and the higher-tier Premium plan are notably inexpensive compared to other subscription apps. Despite the low price, they still offer all the features needed for subscriptions. Support for multiple currencies is also a major feature, making it usable for cross-border e-commerce.
It's a good idea to choose the Starter plan until your monthly sales via subscriptions exceed around 300,000 yen.

The blog article below introduces GO SUB's features and functionality in detail. Please use it as a reference.

What Is the Shopify App "GO SUB"? A Subscription Management App You Can Start for Free
The Shopify app "GO SUB" is a subscription management tool you can start using for free. It supports multiple languages and currencies for cross-border e-commerce, offers rich features for everything from beginners to full-scale operations, and is Built for Shopify certified for peace of mind.

GO SUB Pricing Plans

* Beyond this, pricing scales in tiers according to the number of contracts

GO SUB Price Simulation

* Calculated using the USD/JPY rate as of February 1, 2026 (1 USD = 155 JPY)

* Beyond this, pricing scales in tiers according to the number of contracts

Kantan Subscription

Kantan Subscription Features

• You can start with no monthly fee
• Full Japanese support
• Relatively inexpensive with rich features

Kantan Subscription Overview

This is a subscription app provided by Groovy Media Inc.
It's a good idea to choose the Starter plan until your monthly sales via subscriptions exceed around 100,000 yen. If you first want to try out subscription sales, you can use it while keeping the monthly cost down.

Kantan Subscription Pricing Plans

Kantan Subscription Price Simulation

* Calculated using the USD/JPY rate as of February 1, 2026 (1 USD = 155 JPY)

Teikikoubai

Source: Teikikoubai | Shopify App Store

Teikikoubai Features

• Rich feature set
• My page customization (reduces cancellation rate)
• Gift on skip (reduces cancellation rate)
• Thank-you upsell (sales growth
• Full Japanese support
• A rich selection of external apps it can integrate with

Teikikoubai Overview

Teikikoubai is a Shopify app provided by Huckleberry Inc. As of February 1, 2026, it is one of the subscription apps that does not conflict with the pre-order app "RuffRuff 予約販売."

If you "want to migrate from an overseas app to a Japan-made app," "have an external app you want to integrate with," or "want to minimize interference between Shopify apps," it's a good idea to choose Teikikoubai, which offers robust migration features and support. It also provides thorough support for detailed configuration, so it's recommended as a consultation partner for anyone not confident with Shopify.

It's also notable for offering features not found in other apps, such as a "membership tier feature" and a "gift-on-skip feature."

The blog article below also introduces the benefits of adding a membership tier feature to Shopify. Please use it as a reference.

4 Membership Rank Apps for Shopify | Featuring "VIP" and "Ranky - Simple Membership Rank & Card"
A thorough guide to implementing a membership rank system on Shopify! Covers the benefits — higher customer spend, stronger loyalty, and differentiation from competitors — along with specific setup methods using Shopify Flow and recommended membership rank apps.
 

Teikikoubai Pricing Plans

　* The FREE plan is test mode only

Teikikoubai Price Simulation

* Calculated using the USD/JPY rate as of February 1, 2026 (1 USD = 155 JPY)
* The FREE plan is excluded because it cannot be used in a production environment

Mikawaya Subscription

Source: Mikawaya Subscription | Shopify App Store

Mikawaya Subscription Features

• Features specialized in boosting store sales, plus full Japanese support
• Also offers select purchases, design customization for my page and more, subscription retention-rate analytics, and translation features
• Allows testing in a development environment

Mikawaya Subscription Overview

This is a subscription app provided by Floor Standard Inc.
It packs in genuinely useful features learned from Shopify merchants' real-world experience running subscriptions.
It's a good idea to choose the Light plan until your monthly sales via the subscription app reach around 300,000 yen. If you want to fully customize the my page or select-purchase (box) page, want to use an email address on your own domain, or plan to sell overseas via cross-border e-commerce, it's a good idea to choose the PRO plan. For details on the PRO plan, seehere

The blog article below introduces Mikawaya Subscription's features, recommended functionality, and setup process in detail. Please use it as a reference.

What Is the Shopify App "Mikawaya Subscription"? A Japan-Made Subscription App That Supports Sales Growth
Mikawaya Subscription is a Japan-made subscription app specialized in improving conversion rates and LTV. It offers rich data analytics and flexible box-sale features, and supports cross-border e-commerce, making it ideal for stores aiming to boost sales on Shopify.

Mikawaya Subscription Pricing Plans

Mikawaya Subscription Price Simulation

* Calculated using the USD/JPY rate as of February 1, 2026 (1 USD = 155 JPY)
* The Free plan is excluded because it cannot be used in a production environment

Shopify Subscriptions

Shopify Subscriptions Features

• Completely free
• The admin screen supports Japanese
• Simple settings screen
• Has all the features needed for subscription sales

Shopify Subscriptions Overview

Shopify Subscriptions is Shopify's own native subscription app.

It's completely free and supports Japanese, letting you run subscription sales on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis, with customers able to cancel, skip, or pause their subscription from their my page. However, it doesn't have features like a minimum purchase count setting, first-order discounts, or a box feature.

The blog article below explains Shopify Subscriptions' features, limitations, and usage in detail. Please use it as a reference.

What Is Shopify Subscriptions? How to Use This Free Subscription App
A clear explanation of Shopify's official subscription app, "Shopify Subscriptions" — its main free features, precautions, and setup steps. It also supports Japanese, and this article carefully summarizes what it can and can't do, plus operational tips, for shop staff who want to start simple subscription sales at low cost.
 

Shopify Subscriptions Pricing Plans

Free

3 Ways to Choose a Subscription App

When choosing a subscription app, it's a good idea to keep the following three points in mind.

• Whether it supports Japanese
• How much will it cost
• Whether it has the features you need 

Each is explained in detail below.

Whether it supports Japanese

Shopify also has well-known overseas subscription apps such as PayWhirl, Bold Subscriptions, and ReCharge.
If you casually choose an app just because it's well-known, hidden operational costs can arise (such as translating things into Japanese or making inquiries when problems occur), so be sure to take sufficient care.
First, check whether the following support Japanese.

• The storefront (the customer-facing part of the site)
• The app's admin screen
• Help Page
• Contact person 

How much will it cost

Subscription apps mainly incur two types of costs.

• Monthly usage fee
• Sales commission

The monthly usage fee is a cost charged every month, regardless of the number of subscription orders.
The sales commission is a fee equal to a few percent of the revenue from subscription orders sold via the subscription app, paid to the app provider.
Regarding sales commissions, note that whether canceled or refunded subscription orders are also included in the sales commission differs depending on the subscription app.

For example, with Kantan Subscription and Mikawaya Subscription, canceled orders are not included in the sales commission, but with Teikikoubai, canceled orders are also included in the sales commission.

Evidence

Is There a Fee If I Cancel an Order? | Mikawaya Help Page

When Are Fees Charged for the Teikikoubai App? | Huckleberry Help Page

Consider how much budget your Shopify store can allocate, from the perspective of "how much functionality you need from a subscription app" and "how much monthly revenue you expect subscriptions to generate." 

List of Subscription App Plans

Whether it has the features you need

The features you need from a subscription app change depending on the products you carry.
Before choosing an app, it's a good idea to identify the features you absolutely need
[Example Features]
First-order discount / minimum contract commitment / skip feature / changing delivery address / changing payment information / box feature / cancellation survey, and more

Subscription App Comparison Table

Compared by Pricing Plan

 As mentioned above, Shopify subscription apps incur two types of costs: a monthly usage fee and a sales commission. Here we compare the monthly usage fee and sales commission by plan for each Shopify app.

Compared by Basic Features

This compares essential subscription features such as order cycles and discounts.
* This comparison table reflects information as of October 1, 2023.
* Items with no information available on the Shopify App Store, official website, or help pages are marked with "-".

Compared by Nice-to-Have Features

This compares features that aren't essential for subscriptions but are useful to have, such as box functionality and cancellation surveys.

* This comparison table reflects information as of November 16, 2023.
* Items with no information available on the Shopify App Store, official website, or help pages are marked with "-".

Comparison of What Can Be Changed in the Admin Screen and My Page

This compares what information can be changed in the app's admin screen and in the customer's my page.

* This comparison table reflects information as of October 1, 2023.
* Items with no information available on the Shopify App Store, official website, or help pages are marked with "-".

(Store side) Changes in the admin screen

(User side) Change features on the my page

Compare Email and Notification Features

We compare the timing at which email notifications can be sent.

※ The comparison table is based on information as of October 1, 2023.
※ Where information is not available on the Shopify App Store, the official website, or help pages, we have entered "—".

Comparison of External Services That Can Be Integrated

※ Where information is not available on the Shopify App Store, the official website, or help pages, we have entered "—".

Frequently asked questions about subscriptions

Differences between "recurring sales," "hanpukai," and "subscriptions"

The difference between "recurring sales" and "subscriptions"

The difference from "hanpukai"

Products well suited to subscriptions

① Products consumed/used routinely or regularly

Examples include health foods such as supplements, foods such as rice and water, basic skincare products such as toners and milky lotions, toilet paper, and disposable diapers.

② Products available only at your store (original products)

Even if you carry the products in ①, if they can also be purchased at other stores, it is difficult to get customers to subscribe at your own store.

③ Products you can offer more cheaply than anyone else

If you absolutely cannot offer the products in ②, offering products more cheaply than anyone else (provided you can still secure a solid gross profit) can increase the chances of getting customers to subscribe.

Products not well suited to subscriptions

① Products not consumed/used routinely or regularly

Examples include products used only temporarily, such as over-the-counter medicine for acute symptoms. It's difficult to get customers to subscribe to products that aren't used continuously.

② Products available anywhere

As explained in the "well-suited products" section, if a product is also available at other stores, it becomes harder to give customers a reason to subscribe to it from your store.

③ Products with a long usage/consumption period

Examples include products like insect repellent, where a single item lasts six months to a year or more. Since customers themselves can't picture whether they'll still be using the same product six months to a year later, it's difficult to get them to subscribe.

* The products introduced here are simply not well-suited by default; by changing the target audience or selling points (i.e. adjusting your approach), it is still possible to sell them as subscriptions.

What payment types are available with subscription apps?

Only credit card payment is supported.

This is because all subscription apps rely on Shopify's underlying "Shopify Subscription API," and the Shopify Subscription API itself only supports credit cards. 

Can it be used with payment providers other than Shopify Payments?

It can also be used with payment providers other than Shopify Payments. However, currently only the payment gateways listed below are supported.

• Shopify Payments
• PayPal Express
• Authorize.net
• Adyen
• Stripe

Reference information:Considerations for Subscription Products and Payment Gateway Services

* If you use a payment provider other than Shopify Payments, please check directly with Shopify first.

Is Data Migration Possible Between Subscription Apps?

Yes, it is possible.

However, the subscription app you're migrating from must have a data export feature, and the app you're migrating to must have a data import feature. It's a good idea to contact each app company directly to confirm whether this is supported. 

What happens to shipping when a subscription product and a regular product are purchased together?

Due to Shopify's specifications, when a subscription product and a regular product are purchased together, the customer is charged the shipping fee for the subscription product plus the shipping fee for the regular product.

If both regular and subscription products are free shipping, or if only one of them is, it's not a major issue. However, if both regular and subscription products have shipping fees, the customer ends up being charged shipping twice, so you need to consider your policy for handling this with customers.

New Customer Accounts or Classic Customer Accounts: Which Should You Use?

When using a subscription app, letting customers cancel or skip their subscription from their my page is a nice, customer-friendly feature.
If you want to use the my page features described above, select "Classic customer accounts".
As of July 2023, subscription apps themselves cannot integrate with the new customer accounts' my page, so the my page features described above cannot be used.

Reference article

[Comparison Table Included] What Are Shopify's New Customer Accounts? Differences from the Classic Version Explained
On January 31, 2023, Shopify announced the launch of “New Customer Accounts”. In this article, we will explain the difference between "classic customer accounts" and new customer accounts, how to switch future logins to new customer accounts, and points to note when using new customer accounts.
 

What Are Some Subscription App Case Studies?

In Closing

In addition to subscription apps, the article below introduces various recommended apps by category, such as "customer acquisition," "sales growth," and "blog article expansion." Please use it as a reference.

Recommended Shopify Apps: A Complete Guide to Boosting Sales, Improving Efficiency, and Free Apps!
A thorough guide to recommended apps for streamlining Shopify operations! We introduce carefully selected apps by purpose, including customer acquisition, conversion rate improvement, workload reduction, SEO, and newsletter creation. Packed with useful information for everyone from beginners to advanced users! Rather than a popularity ranking, these are Shopify apps we genuinely recommend after actually using them ourselves, from free apps to top-quality Shopify-certified apps!