Choosing a shipping method is a critical part of running an online store. However, depending on the carrier, there may be certain conditions or restrictions, meaning you can't always offer the same shipping options to every customer. Because of this, you may need to restrict shipping for certain products, or prevent certain customers from selecting a particular shipping method.
This time, we've carefully selected 3 Shopify apps for restricting shipping methods and compare their features and characteristics. This will help you find the best solution for handling carrier-related constraints.
3 Shopify Apps That Can Restrict Shipping Methods
RuffRuff Order Limits
"RuffRuff Order Limits" is fully supported in Japanese and is Japan's first Shopify app to use the Cart and Checkout Validation API.
By using the "Cart and Checkout Validation API," it achieves order-restriction processing on the server side — something that could previously only be handled on the front end. As a result, compared to existing order-restriction apps, it can deliver more robust order restrictions that are harder to bypass.
With a single app, you can implement quantity limits, amount limits, weight limits, bundling limits, customer limits, payment limits, shipping limits, and access restrictions.
Based on cart weight, cart total, specific products, or specific customers, you can hide any given shipping method or disable store pickup.
Kakureru Shipping
Source: Kakureru Shipping｜Shopify App Store
Kakureru Shipping is a Shopify app that lets you customize shipping methods on the checkout page. Based on conditions such as specific customer tags, product tags, or cart total, you can hide, reorder, or rename shipping methods.
Atopura
Source: Atopura｜Shopify App Store
Atopura is a Shopify app that lets you customize the checkout page and thank-you page. The free plan lets you customize the thank-you page, and shipping method restrictions become available starting from the $199/month PLUS plan.
Comparing Shipping Restriction Apps
In this section, we compare the pricing plans and features of the apps needed to restrict shipping methods, clarifying the characteristics of each. Use this comparison of features and conditions to find the shipping restriction app best suited to your store.
Comparing Pricing Plans
The cost of adopting a shipping restriction app is an important factor. This table compares the pricing plans each app offers, showing which plan is available at what price. Checking the monthly fees and plan names makes it easier to choose one that fits your budget.
| App Name | RuffRuff Order Limits | Kakureru Shipping | Atopura |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan name | Monthly / Annual | Basic Plan | PLUS Plan |
| Price | Light: from $9.90/month or $99/year Full: from $29.90/month or $299/year Cumulative quantity limits: Full plan only |
$7.99/month | $199/month |
Comparing Restrictable Shipping Options
The shipping options each app can restrict differ. This section compares which shipping methods each app can restrict, so you can see which app has the feature you need. This helps you choose based on your specific needs, such as whether store pickup or local delivery can be restricted.
| App Name | RuffRuff Order Limits | Kakureru Shipping | Atopura |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shipping | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Store pickup | ✅ | - | - |
| Local delivery | ✅ | - | - |
Comparing Configurable Conditions
The condition settings for restricting shipping methods are an important indicator of an app's flexibility. Here, we compare the list of conditions each app offers, clarifying under what conditions shipping methods can be restricted. You can check whether shipping method settings are possible based on various conditions, such as customer tags or purchase history.
| App Name | RuffRuff Order Limits | Kakureru Shipping | Atopura |
|---|---|---|---|
| Login status | ✅ | - | ✅ |
| Customer tags | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Customer metafields | ✅ | - | ✅ |
| Customer's total order amount | - | - | ✅ |
| Customer's total purchase count | - | - | ✅ |
| Language | ✅ | - | - |
| Destination country | ✅ | ✅ | - |
| Cart total | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cart item count | ✅ | - | - |
| Cart weight | ✅ | - | - |
| Purchase date | - | - | ✅ |
| Purchase option | - | - | ✅ |
| Specific collection | ✅ | - | - |
| Specific product | ✅ | - | ✅ |
| Product tags | ✅ | ✅ | - |
Comparing Other Features
Finally, we compare features other than shipping method restrictions offered by each app. In this section, we introduce added-value features such as quantity limits, amount limits, and checkout/thank-you page customization to help with your decision. The unique features each app offers can help you find an option that improves store operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
| App Name | RuffRuff Order Limits | Kakureru Shipping | Atopura |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quantity limits | ✅ | - | - |
| Amount limits | ✅ | - | - |
| Weight limits | ✅ | - | - |
| Bundling limits | ✅ | - | - |
| Customer limits | ✅ | - | - |
| Payment limits | ✅ | - | - |
| Access restrictions | ✅ | - | - |
| Reordering shipping methods | - | ✅ | - |
| Renaming shipping methods | - | ✅ | - |
| Checkout customization | - | - | ✅ |
| Thank-you page customization | - | - | ✅ |
In Closing
Use the comparison above as a reference to choose the shipping restriction app best suited to your shop. Each app has its own unique features and pricing plans, and the extent of functionality that addresses carrier-related constraints is especially important. By considering these conditions in your operations and adopting an app that lets you deliver products to customers effectively, you can achieve smooth shipping management. We hope this information helps you make a wise choice.
