How to Sell Subscriptions on Shopify: A Complete Guide

Quick Answer:
To sell subscriptions on Shopify, you’ll need a subscription app like Recharge, Loop, or Seal to enable recurring billing. These apps integrate with your product pages and let customers choose delivery frequencies, manage their own subscriptions, and pay automatically.

Make sure your product solves a recurring need, offer flexible plans, and focus on retention by letting users skip or pause instead of canceling. Selling subscriptions is one of the best ways to build predictable revenue and increase customer lifetime value in ecommerce.

Selling subscriptions on Shopify isn’t just a smart move for recurring revenue — it’s a proven way to increase customer lifetime value, improve cash flow, and build stronger relationships with your audience.

Whether you’re launching a digital product, offering subscription boxes, or bundling services, Shopify gives you the tools to do it — but only if you know what you’re doing.

In this guide, we’ll break down every step you need to sell subscriptions on Shopify successfully. From choosing the right tools to setting up your subscription model and optimizing for retention, you’ll learn how to make subscriptions a sustainable, scalable part of your ecommerce business.

Why Sell Subscriptions on Shopify?

Subscription models have taken over ecommerce for a reason: they create consistent income and reduce the need to constantly acquire new customers. The economics of subscriptions are hard to ignore, especially when it costs five times more to acquire a new customer than to keep an existing one.

Here’s why ecommerce brands are leaning into subscriptions more than ever:

• Predictable revenue: Subscriptions make cash flow smoother and forecasting easier. You can plan better because you know what’s coming in.
• Higher lifetime value: Subscribers spend more, stay longer, and are more loyal than one-time buyers.
• Improved inventory planning: With recurring orders, inventory management becomes more predictable.
• Better customer relationships: Subscribers tend to be more engaged. You have more touchpoints to create value over time.

A recent study from UnivDatos found that the subscription ecommerce market is projected to reach $904.2 billion by 2026. As more consumers shift toward convenience and personalization, this model will only grow in importance.

What Products Work Best with Subscriptions?

Not every product is a good fit for subscriptions. The key is to solve a recurring need or offer ongoing value that customers are happy to pay for on a regular basis.

Here are product types that typically perform well in a subscription model:

If your product is used daily, runs out regularly, or offers ongoing digital value, it’s likely a good candidate. If your product is something people buy once every few years, subscriptions will probably feel forced.

What You Need to Start Selling Subscriptions on Shopify

Shopify doesn’t support subscriptions natively on its core platform. You’ll need to use a third-party app that integrates with Shopify’s checkout and allows recurring payments.

Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

1. A Subscription App from the Shopify App Store

There are dozens of apps available, but only a few stand out when it comes to performance, flexibility, and support.

Top subscription apps for Shopify:

These apps plug directly into your Shopify store and add subscription functionality to your product pages. They also provide dashboards for managing recurring orders, billing, customer portals, and more.

Look for these key features:

• Multiple subscription plans (monthly, bi-weekly, quarterly)
• Automatic recurring billing
• Customer self-service portals
• Dunning management (handling failed payments)
• Email/SMS notifications for upcoming orders

Be aware that if you’re not on Shopify Plus, your checkout experience will be more limited in terms of customization. Some apps use workarounds (like separate checkout flows) that can feel clunky if not properly integrated.

2. A Product Page Optimized for Subscriptions

Just installing a subscription app isn’t enough. You need to make sure your product pages are designed to highlight the value of subscribing versus buying one-off.

Best practices:

• Clearly show subscription savings (e.g. “Subscribe and save 15%”)
• Add a toggle between one-time and subscription purchase options
• Offer multiple delivery frequencies (every week, month, or 60 days)
• Use urgency or bonuses (e.g. “First order ships free for subscribers”)

Here’s an example layout:

This helps customers feel in control — and that’s one of the top factors in reducing subscription churn.

Setting Up Your Subscription Workflow

Once your app is installed, it’s time to build out the full subscription experience. This includes how people sign up, how they’re billed, and what happens when payments fail.

1. Create Your Subscription Plans

Using your app’s dashboard, set up your subscription options. You can create multiple frequencies and pricing tiers depending on your product.

Example:

• Plan A: $19/month for monthly coffee
• Plan B: $54/3-month bundle with 10% off
• Plan C: Annual plan with bonus items ($199/year)

Make sure pricing is clearly communicated. Avoid hidden fees or tricky terms.

2. Set Up Email and SMS Notifications

Use email marketing tools like Klaviyo or Omnisend to remind customers about upcoming renewals, delivery dates, and order confirmations. Combine that with SMS platforms like Postscript for better engagement.

Top messages to set up:

• Subscription confirmation
• Upcoming renewal alert
• Shipment tracking
• Payment failed
• Pause/cancel confirmation
• Winback emails (after cancellation)

3. Enable Customer Self-Management

Let customers:

• Change their delivery frequency
• Update payment methods
• Skip a month
• Pause or cancel without contacting support

Making cancellations difficult increases churn in the long run and is now being cracked down on by regulators in both the US and EU.

How to Reduce Subscription Churn

The #1 killer of subscription models is churn — when people cancel their subscription or let it lapse. Industry-wide, the average churn rate is between 5-10% per month, depending on the vertical.

Here’s how to keep your churn under control:

Offer More Flexibility

Allow customers to skip months, change delivery frequency, or pause instead of cancelling. People are more likely to come back when they feel they have control.

Add Loyalty Incentives

Create VIP perks for subscribers who stay for 3, 6, or 12 months:

• Free gift with every 3rd order
• Exclusive discounts or early access to new products
• Birthday bonuses
• Referral credits

Improve Failed Payment Recovery

30% of churn is due to failed payments.

Use apps like Churn Buster or your subscription platform’s built-in tools to:

• Retry failed payments automatically
• Send friendly follow-up emails
• Provide a one-click fix link for card updates

Use Analytics to Spot Drop-Off Points

Monitor your churn by:

Data gives you the power to fix what’s broken — and double down on what’s working.

Real-World Examples of Shopify Subscription Success

Let’s look at some actual brands using Shopify for subscriptions.

Who Gives A Crap (Toilet Paper)

• Uses Recharge with Shopify
• Focused on eco-friendly products with regular use
• Grew to over $50M/year in recurring revenue
• Subscribers receive regular shipments of paper products with flexible delivery options

Huel (Meal Replacement)

• Offers recurring delivery of nutritionally complete meals
• Emphasizes cost savings, convenience, and health benefits
• Lets customers customize delivery schedule
• Strong onboarding funnel + post-purchase education reduces churn

Native (Deodorant)

• Used subscription model to lock in loyal users
• Combines product personalization with simple delivery cadence
• High repeat purchase rate due to consumable nature

These brands succeed because their products are naturally suited to repeat use — and they’ve built experiences that support convenience and trust.

Legal and Compliance Requirements

Selling subscriptions also comes with legal responsibilities — especially in the US and Europe.

Key rules to follow:

• You must clearly disclose that it’s a recurring charge
• Cancellation should be as easy as signing up
• Display price, billing frequency, and renewal terms before purchase
• Send confirmation emails with billing info
• Let users cancel online without needing to email or call support

California’s Automatic Renewal Law and the US Federal Trade Commission have cracked down on “trick and trap” subscription practices. Stay compliant or you risk legal action and chargebacks.

Should You Launch a Subscription Model?

Not every store should jump into subscriptions — but if your product fits the model, the upside is massive.

Ask yourself:

• Does my product solve a recurring need?
• Can I consistently deliver value?
• Do I have the support systems in place (fulfillment, retention, support)?
• Can I offer flexible terms customers actually want?

If the answer is yes, this model can turn your store into a predictable, cash-generating machine.

Final Thoughts

Selling subscriptions on Shopify is more than just installing an app — it’s about delivering consistent value and building long-term relationships with your customers. By choosing the right tools, optimizing your user experience, and putting retention strategies in place, you can turn your ecommerce store into a subscription powerhouse.