Best Shopify App for Clothing Store Guide
Practical comparison of top Shopify apps for clothing stores, with pricing, features, tradeoffs, and a decision checklist to help merchants choose
Overview
Search intent: “best shopify app for clothing store” is about finding the right apps to grow sales, reduce returns, and improve customer experience for apparel brands. This guide compares six widely used Shopify apps across categories that matter for clothing stores: marketing and automation, personalization and product options, social proof and reviews, subscriptions, loyalty, and customer support.
me (product reviews and UGC), Recharge (subscriptions for recurring apparel or replenishment), and Gorgias (helpdesk and live chat).
Key decision criteria: expected monthly revenue and budget, average order value and repeat purchase rate, product complexity (variants, size and color rules), need for subscriptions or recurring revenue, importance of social proof, and volume of customer support inquiries.
Quick summary: Klaviyo is best for growth-focused merchants who want advanced segmentation and lifecycle automation. io is best for brands that rely on loyalty and repeat purchases. Infinite Options is best when you need custom size/engraving/monogram fields or extra SKUs without theme edits.
me is the economical reviews and UGC builder for stores of any size. Recharge is the go-to for subscription models, and Gorgias works well for stores that need centralized, fast customer support. Use a combination: marketing + reviews + product options covers most clothing store needs.
Best Shopify App for Clothing Store Top Picks
Klaviyo
Overview and Positioning
Klaviyo is a market-leading email and SMS platform built for ecommerce. It integrates deeply with Shopify and is popular with apparel brands that want to automate lifecycle marketing: welcome flows, abandoned cart, browse abandonment, win-back, VIP segmentation, and personalized product recommendations based on browsing and purchase behavior.
Key Features and Strengths
- Advanced segmentation using purchase history, browsing behavior, and custom events.
- Email and SMS in one platform with unified customer profiles.
- Prebuilt ecommerce flows and templates for abandoned carts, product recommendations, and win-back.
- Deep Shopify integration: synced profiles, events, and revenue attribution.
- A/B testing, dynamic content, and analytics to measure campaign ROI.
Limitations and Tradeoffs
- Pricing scales with profile count; costs can rise quickly for stores with large lists.
- Some merchants find the learning curve moderate for advanced segmentation and custom events.
- Deliverability and creative reliance: results depend on good list hygiene and well-crafted campaigns.
Pricing and Value
- Free tier available (limits apply). Paid plans are profile-based; for reference, merchants with around 1,000 profiles typically pay in the $30 to $50 per month range, while 10,000+ profiles move into several hundred dollars per month. SMS pricing is additional and per message, region dependent.
- For higher-volume stores, Klaviyo often pays back through recovered carts and repeat purchases when flows are well set up.
Best For
- Mid-size clothing brands and fast-growing stores focused on retention and lifecycle marketing.
- Stores ready to invest time in segmentation and creative messaging.
- Merchants who want email and SMS in one integrated platform.
Smile.io
Overview and Positioning
io is a popular loyalty and referral program app focused on driving repeat purchases and word-of-mouth for ecommerce merchants. Clothing stores commonly use Smile to reward purchases, referrals, and engagement (reviews, social follows) with points, VIP tiers, and discounts.
Key Features and Strengths
- Points and rewards system configurable by action (purchase, referral, social).
- VIP tiers to incentivize higher spend and loyalty.
- Referral program templates to turn customers into advocates.
- Integrations with email marketing tools and reviews platforms.
- Simplified admin for configuring point values, earning rates, and redemption.
Limitations and Tradeoffs
- Advanced features like custom voucher logic and deep integrations may require higher-priced plans.
- Some merchants need developer help to match branding or multi-language deployment.
- Reporting is improving but may be less granular than analytics-focused platforms.
Pricing and Value
- Free tier available with basic points and referral features.
- Growth plan typically around $49 per month.
- Pro plan around $199 per month for more advanced controls and integrations.
- Pricing reflects that loyalty ROI is realized over months through repeat purchases.
Best For
- Apparel brands that rely on repeat purchases: essentials, basics, or DTC brands with high customer lifetime value.
- Stores wanting a turnkey referral program to boost acquisition costs.
Infinite Options (Shoppad)
Overview and Positioning
Infinite Options by ShopPad focuses on adding custom fields to product pages without adding new SKUs. Clothing merchants use it for custom text (monograms), add-on services, gift messages, size guides, or variant-like choices that do not require inventory tracking.
Key Features and Strengths
- Add unlimited custom fields: dropdowns, radio buttons, text boxes, checkboxes.
- Conditional logic on some plans or via custom setups.
- Seamless cart integration so selections appear on order notes and line item properties.
- Lightweight and stable with minimal performance impact.
Limitations and Tradeoffs
- Does not create separate SKUs or inventory-managed variants; if you need inventory per option, you must create variants in Shopify.
- Advanced conditional logic beyond basic setups may require custom code.
- Styling may need adjustments to match premium themes.
Pricing and Value
- Typical pricing around $9.99 per month (confirm current price on Shopify App Store).
- Low cost makes it a strong choice for stores needing custom fields without developer time.
Best For
- Small to mid-size clothing stores that need add-on personalization (monograms, embroidery), size questions, or custom requests.
- Merchants who want low-cost, fast deployment without inventory complexity.
Judge.me
Overview and Positioning
me is an affordable review and user-generated content (UGC) app geared toward providing product reviews, photo reviews, and automated review requests. me to collect photo reviews for product pages and social proof.
Key Features and Strengths
- Free plan with core features and unlimited reviews.
- Photo and video review collection on paid plan.
- Automated review request emails and integrations with Shopify orders.
- Widgets for product pages, review badges, and structured data for SEO.
- Integrates with many page builders and marketing apps.
Limitations and Tradeoffs
- Design customization on the free plan is limited; paid plan unlocks more branding options.
- Advanced moderation workflows or enterprise-level features are beyond Judge.me’s scope.
- Less built-in loyalty integration compared to higher-end review platforms.
Pricing and Value
- Free plan with basic features and unlimited reviews.
- “Awesome” paid plan around $15 per month (billed annually) that adds photo reviews, widgets, and more customization.
- Very cost-effective for new and growing apparel stores.
Best For
- Small and medium clothing brands that need affordable review collection and UGC.
- Merchants who want SEO benefits from rich snippets and social proof without high cost.
Recharge
Overview and Positioning
Recharge is the leading subscription management platform for Shopify. Clothing stores use Recharge for subscription boxes, recurring basics (socks, underwear, essentials), or membership-style replenishment products.
Key Features and Strengths
- Full subscription lifecycle management: recurring checkout, payment handling, customer portal.
- Multiple subscription models: fixed interval, prepaid, and build-your-own subscription boxes.
- Integrations with Shopify, Shopify Payments, and major gateways.
- Dunning management, analytics, and pro support for scaling subscriptions.
Limitations and Tradeoffs
- Setup can be more complex than standard product pages; merchant needs to design subscription UX and flows.
- Pricing and fees can be significant at scale; switching subscription platforms later can be work-heavy.
- Some newer Shopify features and checkout customizations require coordination.
Pricing and Value
- Starter plans typically around $39 per month; platform fees or revenue percentage may apply depending on plan and store size.
- Pricing often includes additional transaction or gateway fees for recurring billing processing.
- For subscription-first apparel brands, Recharge often pays back through predictable recurring revenue and higher LTV.
Best For
- Brands selling subscription boxes, replenishable basics, or curated monthly apparel.
- Merchants that prioritize predictable recurring revenue and retention strategies.
Gorgias
Overview and Positioning
Gorgias is an ecommerce-focused helpdesk and live chat tool. It centralizes customer interactions from email, chat, Facebook, Instagram, and SMS, with automation rules to handle common clothing-related queries like sizing, returns, and order status.
Key Features and Strengths
- Multichannel inbox unifying email, live chat, social DMs, and voice.
- Macros and automation to auto-respond to common questions and create tickets.
- Deep Shopify integration to view orders, refunds, and customer info inline.
- Rules and workflows to assign tickets, tag customers, and save agent time.
Limitations and Tradeoffs
- Pricing can be expensive for high-ticket resolution volume because plans are based on number of tickets or agent seats.
- Some advanced automation requires setup and testing to avoid misrouting.
- Smaller stores may find simpler inboxes (like Shopify Inbox) adequate.
Pricing and Value
- Entry-level plans often start around $60 per month for basic usage and a limited number of monthly tickets; higher tiers and add-ons increase costs.
- ROI comes from faster resolution, fewer negative reviews, and higher conversion on chat-enabled product pages.
Best For
- Growing apparel stores with moderate to high support volume that need centralized responses and automation.
- Merchants running multiple channels (Instagram DMs, Facebook) for customer service.
How to Choose
Decision checklist
- Business model: Are you subscription-based, one-off purchases, or a mix? If subscriptions are core, prioritize Recharge.
- Growth goals and retention: If increasing repeat purchases and LTV is a priority, combine Klaviyo with Smile.io.
- Product complexity and personalization: If you offer monograms, embroidery, or complex non-inventory options, Infinite Options is essential.
- Social proof needs: If you rely on product photos and social UGC, Judge.me (photo reviews) or a paid UGC solution is critical.
- Support and operational scale: If customer messages are growing across channels, Gorgias will save agent time and reduce churn.
Decision flow (short)
- Need recurring revenue? Choose Recharge as primary.
- Need sophisticated personalization and recovery flows? Choose Klaviyo for email/SMS.
- Need low-cost reviews and photo UGC? Start with Judge.me.
- Want to reward repeat buyers and referrals? Add Smile.io.
- Need extra product options without more SKUs? Add Infinite Options.
- Need centralized support to scale? Add Gorgias.
Quick Comparison
Feature | Klaviyo | Smile.io | Infinite Options | Judge.me | Recharge | Gorgias — | —: | —: | —: | —: | —: | —: Pricing (typical) | Free tier; $30+ /mo for ~1k profiles | Free; $49 /mo Growth; $199 /mo Pro | Around $9.99 /mo | Free; $15 /mo Awesome | Starter ~$39 /mo (plus fees) | Starter ~$60 /mo Best for | Email/SMS lifecycle & retention | Loyalty and referrals | Custom product fields and personalization | Affordable reviews and UGC | Subscriptions and recurring billing | Multichannel customer support
Pricing estimates are examples. Check each app listing for current pricing and billing cycles.
Pricing Breakdowns (Consolidated)
Klaviyo
Free tier with limits on contacts and sends.
Paid tiers scale with active profiles; expect $20 to $200+ per month depending on list size. SMS is charged per message.
Smile.io
Free tier for basic loyalty and referrals.
Growth: about $49 per month.
Pro: about $199 per month.
Infinite Options (ShopPad)
Typical plan: roughly $9.99 per month.
Often includes a free trial.
Judge.me
Free plan with unlimited reviews.
Awesome plan: around $15 per month (annual billing cheaper).
Recharge
Starter plan: about $39 per month.
Enterprise pricing varies by revenue and feature needs; expect additional processing fees.
Gorgias
Entry plans start around $60 per month; higher tiers increase with ticket volume and agent seats.
Note: All pricing is approximate. Apps may change pricing, charge transaction fees, or offer usage-based billing. Confirm current rates on the Shopify App Store and app vendor pages before committing.
Decision Checklist (Practical)
- Budget and runway: Start with free or low-cost core apps (Judge.me, Infinite Options) if budget constrained. Add Klaviyo once you have repeat customer potential.
- Customer lifetime value (CLTV): If CLTV is high, investing in Klaviyo and Smile.io yields higher returns. If CLTV is low, focus on acquisition efficiency.
- Product complexity: If you need inventory-tracked variants for each option, create Shopify variants; if not, use Infinite Options to capture preferences without extra SKUs.
- Volume of support: If you get regular inquiries about sizing, returns, or order changes across channels, prioritize Gorgias to reduce response times.
- Growth model: If subscriptions are a strategic channel, build on Recharge early to capture recurring revenue and customer retention.
FAQ
Which Single App Delivers the Most Immediate ROI for a Clothing Store?
me or a simple email capture/pop-up paired with automated abandoned cart flows delivers fast returns. Reviews increase conversion; abandoned cart recovery via email/SMS recovers lost revenue. me is low-cost and quick to implement, while Klaviyo requires setup but scales ROI well.
Can I Use Multiple of These Apps Together Without Conflicts?
Yes. me (reviews), Infinite Options (product fields), Recharge (subscriptions), and Gorgias (support) each cover different functions. Watch for overlapping notifications and duplicate webhooks; follow integration guides and test in a staging theme where possible.
What Should a Small Clothing Store Install First?
me free), a basic marketing capture tool (shopify email or a lightweight Klaviyo setup), and a product options app if you need personalization (Infinite Options). Add loyalty (Smile) and subscriptions (Recharge) as customers and repeat purchase behavior emerge.
Will Infinite Options Increase My Order Management Complexity?
Infinite Options attaches selection data to order line item properties and order notes. It does not create separate SKUs or inventory, so fulfillment teams must read customizations per order. For simple personalization like monograms, this reduces complexity.
For inventory-tracked options, keep using variants.
How Do I Measure Whether a Loyalty Program is Worth the Cost?
Track repeat purchase rate, average order value for loyalty members, and customer lifetime value before and after launching. io and discount redemptions. A 5-10% lift in repeat purchase rate often covers the app cost for growing DTC apparel brands.
Are There Free Alternatives to Klaviyo for Email and SMS?
Shopify Email covers basic email campaigns for free or low cost for many merchant tiers, and Privy offers free popups and email capture. For SMS, platforms like Postscript or Attentive have free trials but generally charge per message. Klaviyo offers advanced segmentation that usually outperforms basic tools as a store scales.
Further Reading
Optimize Your Store Profits
Try Profit Calc on the Shopify App Store — real-time profit analytics for your store.
