Recharge
Subscription billing for Shopify — the default for sub box and replenishment brands.
Our take
Recharge is the default subscription platform on Shopify and the math usually still works at any meaningful subscription revenue line. Category leader status means deepest integration ecosystem and most app compatibility. Transaction fees stack on top of the monthly bill though, which becomes the gripe at scale — Bold or Stay AI become worth comparing once you cross $100K/mo in subscription revenue.
Pros
- Category leader with deepest subscription feature set
- Integrates with everything in the Shopify ecosystem
- $277M raised, $2.1B valuation — platform longevity isn't a risk
- Strong founder-led product roadmap and developer ecosystem
Cons
- Transaction fees stack on top of the $99/mo Standard bill
- $499/mo Pro tier with 1% of revenue becomes painful at scale
- Churn surface is less proactive than Stay AI's predictive model
- Standard dunning recovery flow less aggressive than newer competitors
Best for
- Shopify brands with a subscription SKU as a meaningful revenue line
- Sub-box and replenishment brands that need deep subscription feature set
- Operators who value integration ecosystem depth above all
Not for
- Brands above $200K/mo subscription revenue (compare Bold for flat pricing)
- Subscription brands with bad churn surfacing the cost (try Stay AI)
- Brands wanting the absolute lowest cost (use Bold or look at Shopify subscriptions)
Pricing
Entry: $99/mo Standard
Mid-tier: $499/mo Pro + 1% of revenue
Top alternatives
- Bold Subscriptions — Flat pricing wins as you scale; older + battle-tested platform. · head-to-head comparison →
- Stay AI — Best-in-class churn prediction model; dunning recovery built in; founder-led product velocity. · head-to-head comparison →
- Arcads — Best avatar quality on the market; deepest demographic actor library.
Related deep-dives
- How to audit your Shopify tech stack in 30 minutes (2026)
- How to cut your Shopify app spend without breaking anything (2026)
- Shopify Plus cost breakdown (2026): is it worth it for your brand?
- Shopify vs Shopify Plus: when to actually upgrade (2026)
- Recharge vs Bold Subscriptions: which AI ad creative tool should you use?
- Recharge vs Stay AI for supplement brands (2026)
- Recharge vs Stay AI: which AI ad creative tool should you use?
Category
Subscriptions and Memberships — Recurring billing for Shopify. The right pick is mostly a function of revenue volume.
Want to see how Recharge stacks against the rest? See the full 2026 stack →
Disclosure: links above may be affiliate-tracked. We may earn a commission if you sign up after clicking. No effect on what you pay or which one we recommend — picks are based on operator economics, not commission size.