The best Shopify apps for new stores

A new Shopify store doesn’t need twenty apps. Each one adds cost and can slow your pages down. In the first months, you need a handful that help you win trust, capture visitors and keep customers informed. Here’s where to start.

1. Product reviews

Social proof matters most when nobody knows your brand yet. A review app that sends requests after delivery and shows stars on product pages is the first install for most stores. Judge.me is a common pick because it’s quick to set up and cheap to run.

2. Email capture

Most first-time visitors won’t buy. A simple pop-up offering a small discount turns some of them into subscribers you can email later. Keep it to one pop-up, and don’t show it the second someone lands.

3. Email

You need a welcome email and an abandoned checkout reminder. Shopify Email covers both inside your admin, so you don’t need another paid tool yet.

4. Order tracking

New customers worry more about whether their order is on its way. A tracking page and shipping updates cut “where is my order?” emails and build trust for the next purchase.

What can wait

• Loyalty programmes: worth it once you have repeat buyers to reward.
• Subscriptions: only if your product is something people reorder.
• Advanced upsells: start with Shopify’s built-in product recommendations.

Keep it light

Before you add any app, ask what job it does and whether a free plan or Shopify’s built-in tools already cover it. Remove apps you’ve stopped using, since some leave code behind.