Shopify mobile app: Tapcart, Vajro, Plobal, Shopney, Appbrew vs a custom native app
A mobile app isn't a luxury anymore. Loyal customers buy more often in an app, and push notifications get opened more than email. The fastest way to get one on Shopify is an app builder: you can be on the App Store within days.
That's how we started on our own brand too. Then we hit design and feature limits and wrote our own native app on Shopify's official APIs. Below: the popular builders, and the difference between the two routes in plain words.
Five popular builders, October 2026 pricing
| Tool | Monthly price | Stands out for | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tapcart | $500 · $1,250 · $2,850 | Best-known name on Shopify, strong block editor. | Per its help center, once uninstalled the app gets stuck on the launch screen. |
| Vajro (now Superfans.io) | $150 · $1,000 ($10,000/yr) | High ratings, design and launch support included. | Unlimited features sit in the top plan. |
| Plobal Apps | $0 + 3% of sales · $199 · $499 · $1,199 + 1% | Has a free starter plan. | The free plan takes a cut of in-app sales. |
| Shopney | $149 · $299 · $599 · from $1,299 | No long commitments, subscription can be paused. | Multi-store and design support only on the top plan. |
| Appbrew | from $199 · from $599 · from $1,099 | Accounts and listing fully yours, AI assistant built in. | Code access is Enterprise-only. |
All good, working products, and sensible for a quick start. But they share one thing: you pay every month and the app isn't really yours. It's rented.
What does three years cost?
On a mid-tier plan at list price, roughly: Plobal Growth ~$7,200, Shopney Gold ~$10,800, Tapcart Growth ~$18,000, Appbrew Pro ~$21,600, Superfans Unlimited ~$36,000. Add Apple's $99/yr developer fee and Google's one-time $25, which you pay either way.
Custom native app: pay once, own the code
- You pay once. One-time development fee, no monthly rent.
- The code is yours. We hand over the source. Tomorrow you can continue with another team.
- No design ceiling. Screens built for your brand, not a template. Any feature, any integration.
- Your own accounts. Published on the App Store and Google Play under your developer account.
- Fully Shopify. Products, cart, checkout and customer accounts run on Shopify's official APIs.
Optionally, a small monthly support plan has us handling iOS and Android updates, store reviews and small changes.
When is a builder the better call?
If you want to test an app first and budget is tight, starting with a builder makes total sense. Plobal's free plan or Shopney's entry plan are a good trial. A custom app becomes the smarter move once the app drives a real share of sales, when you want custom design or a feature builders don't offer, or when the monthly bill starts to sting.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between native and webview?
A native app uses the phone's own components and feels faster and smoother. A webview shows your website inside an app shell. We build native.
Who handles App Store review?
We do. We publish under your developer account and manage reviews and updates.
Will it match our current Shopify store?
Yes. The app reads from Shopify's official APIs, so products, prices and stock always match the store.
Kaynaklar / Sources (25.10.2026): tapcart.com/pricing · apps.shopify.com/shopify-mobile-apps · superfans.io/pricing · apps.shopify.com/vajro · apps.shopify.com/plobalapps-mobile-application · shopney.co/pricing · appbrew.tech/pricing · help.tapcart.com (account & billing)