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
Build or Buy a Store Locator & Dealer Finder on Shopify?
DEPENDSA store locator on Shopify depends on door count: build under roughly 300 locations with dev capacity; buy at 500+ where sync and analytics earn the fee.
Content & Storefront
Build or Buy Structured Data & Schema Markup on Shopify?
BUILDStructured data on Shopify is a BUILD for any store with a developer: the native structured_data filter plus a little theme code beats a schema subscription.
SEO & Site Performance
Sufio vs. Order Printer Pro: Which Invoice App Fits Shopify?
WAITInvoices on Shopify are a WAIT on the free first-party Order Printer; Order Printer Pro wins the app head-to-head for automation, Sufio for EU compliance.
Inventory & Operations
Build or Buy TikTok Shop & Social Commerce Channels on Shopify?
WAITTikTok Shop and social channels on Shopify are a wait: the platform channel apps are free, so spend on catalog data, feed rules and inventory sync instead.
ERP, Accounting & Integrations
TinyIMG vs. Crush.pics: Which Image Optimizer, or Neither?
WAITTinyIMG beats Crush.pics on features and reviews, but the native CDN already serves WebP or AVIF and resizes on request; pay only for AI alt text at catalog scale.
SEO & Site Performance
TinyIMG vs. Shopify's CDN: Do You Need an Image Optimizer App?
WAITShopify's CDN already serves WebP or AVIF and resizes on request; buy TinyIMG at $14–$49/month (verified Sep 2026) only for alt text at catalog scale with no dev.
SEO & Site Performance
Build or Buy Try-Before-You-Buy on Shopify?
WAITTry-before-you-buy on Shopify is a wait for most brands; only high-AOV, fit-driven catalogs clear the apps' program minimums and revenue shares.
Commerce Models
UpCart vs. iCart: Which Cart Drawer App Wins on Shopify?
BUILDThe theme's own cart drawer beats UpCart and iCart for mid-market stores; iCart wins the app head-to-head on price, UpCart on Built for Shopify depth.
Checkout & Conversion
UpCart vs. Native Theme Cart Drawer: Do You Need a Cart App?
BUILDThe theme cart drawer plus a sticky add-to-cart beats UpCart for most stores; buy UpCart at $29.99–$54.99/month (verified Sep 2026) only for tested in-cart offers.
Checkout & Conversion
UpPromote vs. GoAffPro: Which Affiliate App Wins on Shopify?
DEPENDSUpPromote wins on depth with a percentage-of-sales fee; GoAffPro wins on price with a flat plan; first-party Shopify Collabs covers creators-only programs.
Loyalty, Referrals & Retention