The Shopify App Store has thousands of apps, and every one of them promises more sales. So new store owners install ten, fifteen, twenty. A few months later, the store is slow, the monthly bill is bigger than expected, and half the apps are doing nothing.
We'd rather you start small. Here's what most new stores genuinely need, and what can wait.
Start with what Shopify already does
Before installing anything, check whether Shopify handles it already. Discount codes, abandoned checkout emails, basic email marketing (Shopify Email), inventory, gift cards, customer accounts, product recommendations in modern themes, and SEO fields for titles and descriptions are all built in or available from Shopify itself. That covers a lot.
App types most stores do need
Product reviews
Reviews build trust and add fresh content to product pages. Choose one that loads lightly and supports photo reviews.
WhatsApp chat or support
For Indian shoppers, WhatsApp is often the preferred way to ask a question before buying. A simple chat button is enough to start. See our WhatsApp guide.
Shipping and tracking
If you use a courier aggregator, its Shopify app handles labels, tracking and often COD. A branded tracking page reduces "where is my order?" messages.
Payment gateway
Your chosen gateway usually installs as an app or integration. Our payment gateway guide helps you choose.
Apps that can usually wait
- Spin-the-wheel and multiple popup apps
- Countdown timers and fake "someone just bought" notifications
- Several overlapping upsell apps
- Page builders, if your theme already has flexible sections
- Heavy animation or effects apps
Some of these can help later, once you have traffic and data. At launch, they mostly slow things down and clutter the design.
How to check any app before installing
- Do I need this, or does Shopify or my theme already do it?
- What does it cost each month as my orders grow?
- Recent reviews: do people mention speed issues or poor support?
- Does it work with Online Store 2.0 app blocks, so it can be removed cleanly?
- Test on a duplicate theme and compare page speed before and after.
Review your apps every quarter
Every few months, list your apps and ask which ones you actually used. Uninstall the rest, and check they didn't leave code behind in your theme. That's one of the most common causes of slow Shopify stores we see.
The simple rule
Every app should earn its place. If you can't say what it's doing for your sales or your customers, it probably shouldn't be there.
Need help choosing or cleaning up apps? It's part of our Shopify maintenance plan. Get in touch.