Build vs. Buy on Shopify
Build, buy, customize, or wait — decided with numbers. Capability-by-capability verdicts with honest 3-year cost math.
Custom wins on 3-year cost or fit — with maintenance counted honestly.
The app wins your scenario — we say so plainly.
Buy the app, build the glue: very often the honest mid-market answer.
Shopify is shipping this natively. Don't spend yet; we'll tell you when it flips.
Latest Decisions
Omnisend vs. Brevo on Shopify: Which Email Platform Wins?
BUYOmnisend wins the head-to-head for lifecycle email plus SMS; Brevo wins for web push or an existing Brevo CRM; Shopify Email covers campaigns and basic flows.
Email, SMS & Push
Omnisend vs. Mailchimp on Shopify: Which Email App Wins?
BUYOmnisend wins for Shopify lifecycle programs with SMS (free to $16–$59/mo entry tiers, verified Sep 2026); Mailchimp for a general toolkit; Shopify Email for basics.
Email, SMS & Push
Pirate Ship vs. Shopify Shipping: Is the Free Label App Worth It?
WAITPirate Ship is a WAIT on Grow, Advanced or Plus with Shopify Payments: Shopify Shipping is included, with $200 insurance per label (verified Sep 2026). Buy on Basic.
Shipping, Delivery & Fulfillment
Printify vs. Gelato on Shopify: Which Print-on-Demand App Wins?
BUYPrintify wins for single-market Shopify print-on-demand stores thanks to provider choice; Gelato wins when a third or more of orders ship outside your home region.
Commerce Models
Refersion vs. ShareASale (Now Awin): Which Wins on Shopify?
BUYRefersion beats ShareASale for a Shopify affiliate program you recruit yourself. ShareASale now means Awin: $49/mo + 3.5% and no Shopify app (verified Sep 2026).
Loyalty, Referrals & Retention
Refersion vs. Tapfiliate: Which Shopify Affiliate App Wins?
BUYTapfiliate's flat tiers beat Refersion's percentage-of-sales pricing once affiliate sales pass a low crossover; Refersion wins below it; creators wait on Collabs.
Loyalty, Referrals & Retention
Refersion vs. UpPromote: Which Shopify Affiliate App Wins?
BUYUpPromote beats Refersion on price at every affiliate-sales volume and carries 3,670 reviews; Refersion wins on cookie-free tracking; creators start on Collabs.
Loyalty, Referrals & Retention
WooCommerce vs. Shopify: Should You Replatform?
BUYReplatforming to Shopify pays when platform ops cost more than a plan: Basic $39 to Plus from $2,300/mo (verified Sep 2026). Stay put while your stack is stable.
Platform & Architecture
Should You Build or Buy Reviews Syndication on Shopify?
BUYSyndication is a buy where retail distribution exists: Google Customer Reviews is free, Trustpilot starts at $1,188/yr (verified Sep 2026); nobody builds a network.
Reviews & UGC
Riskified vs. Shopify Protect: Do You Need a Fraud Guarantee?
WAITShopify Protect covers fraud chargebacks on US Shop Pay orders free; Riskified earns its unpublished quote only where exposure sits outside those walls.
Trust, Legal & Compliance