The verdict
Recharge vs Loop Subscriptions
Recharge is the safer all-round pick for most Shopify brands, with a $25 entry plan, a 60-day trial and the widest set of integrations. Loop Subscriptions is the better value for growing brands with steady subscription revenue, because its lower transaction fee and retention tools cost less at volume.
Best for most Shopify subscription brands
Recharge
- Our rating: 4.7 / 5
- Starting price: $25 / month
- Free plan: Free trial (60 days)
Best for growing Shopify brands focused on retention
Loop Subscriptions
- Our rating: 4.6 / 5
- Starting price: $99 / month
- Free plan: Yes
At a glance
| Recharge | Loop Subscriptions | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Most Shopify subscription brands | Growing Shopify brands focused on retention |
| Starting price | $25 / month (no fees on first 50 subscribers) | $99 / month (Starter) |
| Plan tiers | $25, Starter $99, Plus $499 / month | Free, Starter $99, Pro $399 / month |
| Transaction fee | 1.49% + 19¢ (Starter), 1.34% + 19¢ (Plus) | 1% (Starter), 0.75% (Pro), no per-order cents |
| Free plan or trial | 60-day free trial | Free plan (up to 50 active subscriptions); 14-day trial on paid plans |
| Platform | Shopify | Shopify |
| Retention tools | Cancellation prevention, failed payment recovery, benchmarks | Cancellation flows with offers, dunning with up to 15 retries |
| Named integrations | Klaviyo, Attentive, Gorgias, Avalara, Stripe, Triple Whale | Klaviyo, Attentive, Postscript, Gorgias, Rebuy, Smile, Omnisend |
| Top-tier extras | Hands-on implementation, loyalty, concierge SMS, SDK and Storefront API | Dedicated CSM, 24×7 Slack support, admin and storefront APIs |
Recharge is the better fit for most Shopify brands that want a proven subscription app with a cheap starting plan and a long trial, while Loop Subscriptions suits growing brands that already have subscribers and care most about keeping them. Both run on Shopify, both handle bundles, portals, cancellation flows and failed payments, and both charge a monthly fee plus a cut of each order. The real differences are in how those fees add up, what each puts on its higher plans, and how much hands-on retention work you plan to do.
We rate Recharge 4.7 out of 5 and Loop 4.6, first and second on our ranked list of the best subscription management software. Here is how they compare on the decisions that matter to a subscription brand.
Who each app is built for
Recharge is the most established subscription app on Shopify and now also owns Skio. Its range runs from a $25 entry plan for brands testing subscriptions to a $499 Plus plan with hands-on implementation. That breadth is its main selling point: you can start small and stay on the same platform as you grow, and the network of agencies and apps that already work with Recharge is large.
Loop Subscriptions puts most of its effort into retention. Its pitch is aimed at brands with an existing subscriber base that want to reduce churn and raise order value, and its plan features read that way: personalized cancellation offers, smart dunning, upsells in the portal and gamified subscriber journeys on Pro.
Winner: depends on stage. Recharge for brands launching or still finding product fit, Loop for brands with steady subscription revenue to protect.
Pricing and total cost
On paper, Recharge is cheaper to start. Its $25 plan has no transaction fees for your first 50 subscribers and includes the Starter feature set. The fee after those first 50 is not listed on its App Store page, so ask before you plan around it. Starter costs $99 a month plus 1.49% and 19 cents per transaction, and Plus costs $499 a month plus 1.34% and 19 cents.
Loop has a free plan for up to 50 active subscriptions, then jumps to Starter at $99 a month plus 1%, or Pro at $399 a month plus 0.75%. Loop does not add a per-order cents charge on either paid plan.
The fee gap matters quickly. At $50,000 a month in subscription revenue with a $40 average order (about 1,250 renewals), Recharge Starter works out to roughly $1,080 a month and Loop Starter to roughly $600. At the top tiers, Recharge Plus comes to about $1,400 at that volume and Loop Pro to about $775. Your payment processor’s card fees come on top of both.
Winner: Loop once you have meaningful volume. Recharge wins for very small programs that fit inside its $25 plan.
Retention and churn tools
Both apps cover the basics that keep subscribers active: a self-service portal for skips, swaps and frequency changes, cancellation flows, and failed payment recovery. Recharge’s Starter plan lists smart cancellation prevention, failed payment recovery, upsell and cross-sell tools, and analytics with industry benchmarks. Loop’s Starter plan lists personalized cancellation flows and offers, smart dunning with up to 15 retries, a branded portal with upsells and one-click email actions.
Where Loop pulls ahead is depth at the middle tier. Its retention features are the core of the product rather than an add-on, and Pro adds personalized upsell and upgrade profiles plus gamified subscriber journeys and rewards. Recharge counters at the top with loyalty rewards, a referral program and concierge SMS on Plus, which can replace a separate loyalty app for some brands.
Winner: Loop for churn reduction on a mid-tier budget. Recharge Plus is stronger if you want loyalty and referrals inside your subscription app.
Bundles and subscription types
Recharge supports a long list of subscription and bundle types, including replenishment, memberships, subscription boxes, build-a-box, mix-and-match and digital products. Customizable bundles and tiered discounts sit on its Plus plan. Loop includes fixed and build-your-own bundles from Starter, and adds prepaid and gift subscriptions on Pro.
Winner: Recharge for range of formats, Loop for getting custom bundles on a cheaper plan.
Integrations
Both connect to the tools most Shopify subscription brands use. Recharge lists Shopify Checkout, Customer Accounts, Shopify POS, Shopify Flow, Klaviyo, Attentive, Gorgias, Avalara, Stripe and Triple Whale. Loop lists Shopify Checkout, Customer Accounts and Flow, plus more than 35 apps including Klaviyo, Attentive, Postscript, Omnisend, Gorgias, Rebuy, Smile and Stamped.
Recharge’s advantage is its age. Far more agencies, developers and app partners have built around it, so finding help is easier. Loop’s named list leans toward SMS, loyalty and upsell apps, which fits its retention focus. If you run headless, note that Recharge reserves its JavaScript SDK and Storefront API for Plus, while Loop includes admin and storefront APIs and webhooks on Pro.
Winner: Recharge for breadth of partners, though Loop covers the core stack.
Ease of use and day-to-day work
Both apps run inside Shopify’s native checkout and customer accounts, so subscribers buy and log in the same way they do for one-time orders. That keeps the shopper side simple on either platform.
The day-to-day difference is on the merchant side. Recharge’s no-code customer portal and subscription-first product page widget get a basic program live quickly, and its documentation and partner network make most questions easy to answer. Loop gives you more to configure from the start, with ready-made widget templates, cancellation offers, dunning rules and email actions on Starter. That is useful if someone on your team owns retention, and extra work if nobody does.
Winner: Recharge for a fast, low-touch setup. Loop rewards teams that will tune their flows every month.
Support and onboarding
Recharge includes hands-on implementation on its Plus plan, which helps brands moving a large subscriber base. Loop’s Pro plan includes a dedicated customer success manager and 24×7 Slack support, which is a strong offer at $399 a month. On the entry plans, both rely more on documentation and standard support channels.
If you are migrating, ask each vendor who runs the move, whether saved payment methods transfer without customers re-entering cards, and how they test next charge dates before switching over.
Winner: Loop for support access per dollar at the upper tier.
Free plan and trial
Recharge offers a 60-day free trial, one of the longest in the category, which gives you two full renewal cycles to test. Loop offers a permanent free plan for up to 50 active subscriptions and a 14-day trial on its paid plans. For a brand launching subscriptions for the first time, either path costs little. For a brand migrating thousands of subscribers, Recharge’s longer trial gives more room to test real renewals.
Winner: Recharge for testing at scale; Loop for a no-cost start that never expires.
The bottom line
Pick Recharge if you are starting subscriptions, want the lowest entry price, or need the widest partner network and the option of loyalty and referrals built in. Pick Loop if you already run a subscription program with meaningful revenue, because its lower fees and retention-first tools will usually cost less and do more for churn at the same volume.
Pros and cons
Recharge
Pros
- Low-cost plan for brands just starting subscriptions
- Long 60-day free trial
- Large network of integrations and agencies
Cons
- Transaction fees add up at volume
- Advanced features sit on higher plans
- Fee after your first 50 subscribers is not listed
Loop Subscriptions
Pros
- Free plan to start
- Lower transaction fee than Recharge’s paid plans
- Strong churn reduction tools
Cons
- Big jump from free to $99 a month
- Shopify only
- Fee still applies on every order
Which should you choose?
Choose Recharge if
- You are launching subscriptions and want a $25 entry plan
- You want a 60-day trial to test real renewals
- You rely on agencies and apps that already support Recharge
- You want loyalty and referrals inside your subscription app
Choose Loop Subscriptions if
- You have steady subscription revenue and want lower transaction fees
- Churn reduction is your top priority
- You want custom bundles without paying for a $499 plan
- You want a dedicated success manager at $399 a month
See the full ranking
Best Subscription Management Software in 2026
We compare six subscription apps for online stores and name the right pick for new Shopify brands, tight budgets, high-volume DTC, and WooCommerce.
Frequently asked questions
Is Loop Subscriptions cheaper than Recharge?
At most volumes, yes. Both paid entry plans cost $99 a month, but Loop charges 1% per transaction while Recharge Starter charges 1.49% plus 19 cents per order. On $50,000 a month in subscription revenue, that difference is roughly $480 a month. Recharge is only cheaper for very small programs that fit inside its $25 plan.
Can you move your subscribers from Recharge to Loop?
Yes, but treat it as a project, not a settings change. Ask Loop who runs the migration and whether saved payment methods transfer without customers re-entering cards. Export your full subscriber list first, freeze price changes during the move, test a small batch, and email subscribers about the new portal before their next charge date.
Which app is better for a brand just starting subscriptions?
Recharge, for most brands. Its $25 plan includes the Starter feature set with no transaction fees for your first 50 subscribers, and the 60-day trial lets you test two renewal cycles. Loop’s free plan also covers up to 50 active subscriptions, but its next step is $99 a month, which is a steep jump for a new program.
Do you need a separate loyalty app with Recharge or Loop?
It depends on the plan. Recharge Plus includes loyalty rewards and a referral program, so some brands drop a separate app. Loop Pro adds gamified subscriber journeys and rewards, and Loop also integrates with Smile for a full points program. On either app’s entry plans, plan to keep a dedicated loyalty app if rewards matter to you.