The best Shopify mobile app builder for most small and mid-size brands is one that publishes a native iOS and Android app for about $100 a month, lets you build before you pay and does not take a cut of your sales. On that basis, SimiCart, OneMobile, MageNative and Evlop all start publishing at $99/month, while Tapcart, Appbrew and Apptile cost more but add enterprise tools such as A/B testing, AI personalization or live selling. Superfans and Shopney have the largest review bases of the group, with 909 and 770 reviews (Shopify App Store, checked October 2026).
Disclosure: SimiCart is our product. We list it first because this is our blog, not because it wins every category. Every price, rating and review count below comes from each app’s own Shopify App Store listing, checked on October 5, 2026, and we name the cases where a competitor is the stronger choice.
Key takeaways
- Entry price to publish ranges from $19 to $599 a month. MageComp ($19 for a web-wrapper app, $29 native), Hulk ($79) and Ego ($79) are lowest; SimiCart, OneMobile, MageNative and Evlop start at $99; Tapcart starts at $500 and Apptile at $599.
- A “free plan” rarely means a free published app. SimiCart, Evlop and Ego let you build and preview free, then publish on a paid plan. OneMobile’s free plan uses OneMobile’s developer account.
- Read the fee lines, not only the monthly price. OneMobile lists an infrastructure fee on mobile revenue above a threshold, and Plobal lists a 3% success-based fee on its free Starter plan. SimiCart lists no success fee on any plan.
- Push limits differ at the same price. SimiCart Basic ($99) includes unlimited push notifications; MageNative Starter ($99) lists 5 and Hulk Basic ($79) lists up to 30.
- Enterprise brands have stronger options. Tapcart and Appbrew list A/B testing and AI personalization; Apptile, Superfans and Shopney list live selling.
How did we compare Shopify mobile app builders?
We scored each builder on seven criteria, using only its Shopify App Store listing, checked on October 5, 2026. Prices are monthly USD, before annual discounts.
- Price to publish: the lowest plan that puts your app on the Apple App Store and Google Play, not the price to install.
- Free plan: whether there is an ongoing $0 plan, and what it actually covers.
- Trial: the free trial length on paid plans.
- App Store rating and review count: a 5.0 from 50 reviews tells you less than a 4.9 from 900.
- Built for Shopify: Shopify gives this status to apps that meet its criteria for safety, performance, ease of use, merchant value and listing quality.
- Notable features: what the listing itself highlights, such as live selling, A/B testing or custom code blocks.
- Best for: the merchant profile each builder seems built around, which is our assessment.
Two limits: prices and review counts are an October 2026 snapshot, so check the listing before you sign up, and feature notes describe what each vendor lists; we did not build a production app on all twelve platforms. Since our 2025 version, Vajro has become Superfans and Tapcart’s plans have moved to $500/month and up.
Shopify mobile app builders compared: the master table
Here are all twelve builders side by side, as listed on the Shopify App Store, checked October 2026. “Price to publish” is the first plan that lists app store publishing.
| Builder | Price to publish | Free plan | Trial | Rating (reviews) | Built for Shopify | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SimiCart (ours) | $99/month (Basic) | Yes, build and preview only | 14 days | 4.5 (39) | Yes | Small and mid-size brands, no success fee |
| OneMobile | $99/month (Scale-up) plus infrastructure fee above $2,000 mobile revenue | Yes, on OneMobile’s developer account | 14 days | 4.8 (363) | Yes | AI app design and loyalty add-on |
| Tapcart | $500/month (Growth) | No | 7 days | 4.7 (341) | Not shown | Mid-market and enterprise DTC |
| Superfans (formerly Vajro) | $150/month (Starter) | No | 30 days | 4.9 (909) | Not shown | Community, drops and live sessions |
| Shopney | $149/month (Silver) | No | 30 days | 5.0 (770) | Not shown | AR, back-in-stock and live selling |
| MageNative | $99/month (Starter, 5 push) | No | 30 days | 4.8 (340) | Not shown | AR and landing pages at mid tiers |
| Plobal Apps | Starter free to install with 3% fee on in-app sales; Growth $199/month | Starter, with a success fee | 30 days | 4.8 (148) | Not shown | Mid-market brands, unlimited push |
| Appbrew | $199/month (Starter) | No | 30 days | 5.0 (75) | Not shown | DTC brands that want AI and A/B tests |
| Hulk | $79/month (Basic, up to 30 push) | Development stores only | 14 days | 4.4 (75) | Yes | Budget stores and B2B sellers |
| Evlop | $99/month (Starter) | Yes, build and preview | 14 days | 4.9 (54) | Yes | Teams that want custom code blocks |
| Apptile | $599/month (Plus) | No | Not stated | 4.9 (134) | Not shown | Live selling across social platforms |
| MageComp | $19/month (Embed) or $29/month (Native) | Yes, with 30-day test APKs | Not stated | 5.0 (56) | Yes | Very tight budgets |
“Not shown” means the Built for Shopify badge did not appear on the app’s card in the App Store’s mobile app builder category on October 5, 2026. For a side-by-side view of the eight most-listed builders, see our Shopify app builder comparison hub.
1. SimiCart: build free, publish from $99/month with no success fee
SimiCart is a no-code builder that turns a Shopify store into native iOS and Android shopping apps that stay in sync with the store. It is our product, part of BSS Commerce since July 2022, and our team has worked on ecommerce mobile apps since 2011. The Shopify listing went live on December 19, 2023 and carries the Built for Shopify badge.
Pricing (as listed, checked October 2026):
- Free ($0): build and customize with 20 design blocks, multiple languages and currencies, and preview the app on a real device. No publishing.
- Basic ($99/month): publish on iOS and Android, unlimited push notifications, product reviews, wishlist, product labels, live chat and quick add-to-cart.
- Pro ($149/month): 30 homepage blocks and customizable screens, two-level category page, smart app banner, app-exclusive discounts, loyalty program integration and an AI-powered shopping flow.
- Premium ($249/month): 50 blocks, a customization package, app design support and a dedicated success manager.
Paid plans have a 14-day trial and are billed through Shopify. There is no success fee or commission on any plan.
Standout features: drag-and-drop design blocks, real-device preview before you pay, unlimited push from the first paid plan, and integrations listed for Klaviyo, Omnisend, Judge.me and loyalty platforms. After you request publishing, the team processes the app within about 48 hours, and Apple and Google review typically takes another 2 to 3 days, according to our Shopify mobile app builder page.
Best for: small and mid-size Shopify brands that want to build free, publish from $99/month and keep every dollar of app revenue.
Limitations: SimiCart has the thinnest review base in this list, 39 reviews at 4.5, which is lower than most competitors here. The free plan does not publish an app. The listing does not offer A/B testing, AI personalization or live selling, and it does not advertise advanced analytics, so brands that need in-app attribution should ask support before committing. Smart app banners and app-exclusive discounts start on Pro rather than Basic. You can check every plan on our pricing page.
2. OneMobile: closest match on price, with AI app design
OneMobile is a Built for Shopify builder that leans on AI: AI app design, an AI sales assistant and AI campaigns. It joined the App Store on February 27, 2023 and holds a 4.8 rating from 363 reviews.
Pricing (as listed, checked October 2026): a Free plan with AI app design and 25 blocks that uses OneMobile’s developer account; Scale-up at $99/month; Brand-up at $299/month; Omni at $990/month. Paid plans list a 14-day trial. The listing also states an infrastructure fee on mobile revenue: on Scale-up there is no fee on the first $2,000 of mobile revenue and 2.9% after that, on Brand-up 1.9% after $10,000, and on Omni 1.2% after $100,000.
Standout features: an AI generator inside the drag-and-drop editor, automated push with AI, video shopping, and a free monthly OneLoyalty subscription on Omni.
Best for: merchants who want AI-generated design and a loyalty product from the same vendor.
Limitations: the revenue-based fee means your real cost grows with app sales, so model it at your expected volume. The free plan publishes under OneMobile’s developer account rather than your own. Our SimiCart vs OneMobile comparison puts the two $99 plans side by side, and our OneMobile review covers the builder in more depth.
3. Tapcart: strongest enterprise feature set
Tapcart is one of the longest-running Shopify app builders, on the App Store since April 11, 2017, with a 4.7 rating from 341 reviews. Its listing is aimed at larger DTC brands.
Pricing (as listed, checked October 2026): a 7-day free trial, then Growth at $500/month, Scale at $1,250/month and Enterprise+ at $2,850/month. There is no ongoing free plan.
Standout features: AI-personalized campaigns, recommendations and journeys; analytics, A/B testing and user segmentation on Scale; and a dedicated manager, Slack support, developer tools and a 99.99% SLA on Enterprise+. Integrations include Klaviyo, Gorgias, Recharge and Yotpo.
Best for: mid-market and enterprise brands with a developer team, a testing culture and a budget of $500 a month or more. If you need A/B testing, an SLA and procurement-ready security, Tapcart is a stronger fit than SimiCart.
Limitations: the entry price is five times the common $99 tier, A/B testing starts at $1,250, and the 7-day trial is the shortest here. See our Tapcart vs SimiCart breakdown or the longer Tapcart review.
4. Superfans (formerly Vajro): the largest review base
Superfans is the new name of Vajro on the Shopify App Store, at the same listing address. It has been listed since April 12, 2018 and has 909 reviews at 4.9, the most of any builder in this comparison.
Pricing (as listed, checked October 2026): Starter at $150/month and Unlimited at $1,000/month, both with a 30-day free trial.
Standout features: unlimited push notifications, app-only discounts and product drops, in-app live chat and size charts on Starter; live sessions on the app and Facebook; and custom feature development, Meta and Google Ads integration and multi-currency on Unlimited.
Best for: brands built around community, drops and live selling that value a long track record and lots of merchant feedback.
Limitations: there is a large gap between the $150 and $1,000 plans, and multi-currency and multi-language are listed on Unlimited. The listing did not show the Built for Shopify badge in our check. Compare the plans in our Superfans vs SimiCart page.
5. Shopney: highest rating at scale
Shopney turns a Shopify store into iOS and Android apps and has a 5.0 rating from 770 reviews, the strongest rating-plus-volume combination in this list. It has been on the App Store since July 5, 2019.
Pricing (as listed, checked October 2026): Silver at $149/month, Gold at $299, Platinum at $599 and Enterprise at $1,299, with a 30-day free trial.
Standout features: unlimited push and back-in-stock notifications from Silver; abandoned cart notifications, review integrations and multi-language on Gold; AR, barcode scan, segmented and AI push and loyalty integrations on Platinum; and multi-store support with professional design support on Enterprise. Klaviyo, Rebuy and Nosto are among its listed integrations.
Best for: brands that want AR or barcode features and care about a large, highly rated review base.
Limitations: multi-language and abandoned cart notifications start on Gold at $299, and AR starts on Platinum at $599. There is no free plan. Our Shopney comparison sets the entry plans against each other.
6. MageNative: same price points as SimiCart
MageNative has offered a Shopify app builder since September 1, 2017 and has 340 reviews at 4.8. Its three tiers use exactly the same prices as SimiCart’s paid plans, so the difference is in what each tier includes.
Pricing (as listed, checked October 2026): Starter at $99/month with 15 design blocks and 5 push notifications; Standard at $149 with 25 blocks, automated notifications and 5 landing pages; Premium at $249 with unlimited push, 20 landing pages, advanced analytics and AR. All plans list a 30-day free trial.
Standout features: segmented push, RTL support, app-only discounts and custom pages, and integrations with Algolia, Judge.me and Smile.io.
Best for: merchants who want AR and landing pages and plan to sit on the Premium tier.
Limitations: 5 push notifications on Starter is tight for a store that runs weekly campaigns; unlimited push is reserved for the $249 plan. There is no free plan. Details are in our MageNative vs SimiCart comparison.
7. Plobal Apps: the longest track record
Plobal has been listed since February 26, 2016, the earliest in this list, and has 148 reviews at 4.8.
Pricing (as listed, checked October 2026): Starter is free to install with a 3% success-based fee on in-app sales; Growth is $199/month; Essential is $499/month; Enterprise is $1,199/month plus 1% of in-app sales. Growth and Essential list a 30-day free trial.
Standout features: unlimited push notifications on every plan, abandoned browse campaigns and user-segmented notifications on Essential, and app personalization on Enterprise. Integrations include Klaviyo, Recharge and Yotpo.
Best for: mid-market brands that want unlimited push on every tier and a vendor with a ten-year history on Shopify.
Limitations: the free Starter plan trades a monthly fee for a share of app revenue, and the number of standard integrations is capped by plan (2, 4 and 7). See our Plobal vs SimiCart page.
8. Appbrew: AI growth tools for DTC brands
Appbrew launched on the App Store on July 8, 2022 and has a 5.0 rating from 75 reviews. Its pitch is AI-driven growth through Milo, its AI growth assistant.
Pricing (as listed, checked October 2026): a 30-day free trial, then Starter at $199/month, Pro at $599/month and Enterprise at $1,099/month.
Standout features: native apps with Milo, unlimited push, search, wishlist and analytics on Starter; AI-assisted blocks, personalization and A/B testing on Pro; custom design, multi-currency and subscription management on Enterprise.
Best for: DTC brands with a growth team that will actually run experiments and personalization.
Limitations: A/B testing and personalization start at $599, and multi-currency is listed on Enterprise. The review base is still small. Our Appbrew vs SimiCart comparison covers the entry plans.
9. Hulk Mobile App Builder: low entry price, B2B support
Hulk is a Built for Shopify builder listed since April 17, 2020, with a 4.4 rating from 75 reviews.
Pricing (as listed, checked October 2026): a free Development plan for partner development stores only; Basic at $79/month with up to 30 push notifications; Pro at $149 with unlimited push, advanced reporting and live chat; Pro+ at $249 with abandoned cart automation, upsells and cross-sells. Paid plans list a 14-day trial.
Standout features: templates with real-time preview, app-exclusive offers, B2B selling with multi-currency and languages, and 40+ integrations.
Best for: budget-conscious stores and B2B sellers that send a limited number of campaigns.
Limitations: the 30-push cap on Basic means most active stores will need Pro, which costs $149. Its 4.4 rating is the lowest in this list.
10. Evlop: custom code blocks for technical teams
Evlop is a Built for Shopify builder listed since February 25, 2022, with a 4.9 rating from 54 reviews.
Pricing (as listed, checked October 2026): a free tier with a 14-day trial to build, connect and preview; Starter at $99/month; Professional at $249/month; Business at $499/month.
Standout features: unlimited design elements, multi-language and multi-currency and abandoned cart notifications on Starter; custom blocks written in HTML, CSS, JS and Liquid plus back-in-stock alerts on Professional; and B2B features, advanced analytics and Klaviyo on Business. The listing also mentions RTL support and hands-on help through the App Store and Google Play launch.
Best for: stores with a developer or agency that wants to drop custom code into a no-code app.
Limitations: custom blocks start at $249, and Klaviyo is listed on the $499 plan. The review base is small.
11. Apptile: built around live selling
Apptile joined the App Store on August 15, 2022 and has a 4.9 rating from 134 reviews. Its listing focuses on live commerce and AI-generated features.
Pricing (as listed, checked October 2026): Plus at $599/month and Enterprise at $1,199/month. The listing does not state a free trial or a free plan.
Standout features: 300+ design tiles, live selling across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, AI Pop Clips and unlimited push on Plus; live auctions, giveaways, co-hosted livestreams, a visual dev editor and a dedicated designer on Enterprise.
Best for: brands where live shopping is a core sales channel and the budget is $600 a month or more.
Limitations: it has no plan below $599, which puts it out of range for most small stores.
12. MageComp: lowest listed price to publish
MageComp is a Built for Shopify builder listed since September 1, 2022, with a 5.0 rating from 56 reviews. It has the lowest listed paid prices of any builder here.
Pricing (as listed, checked October 2026): a Free plan with basic app design and 30-day APKs for testing; Starter: Embed App at $19/month; Native at $29/month. Both paid plans list app store publishing.
Standout features: real-time store sync, shoppable videos, abandoned cart push, Arabic and multi-currency support, and the option to publish under your account or MageComp’s.
Best for: very small stores that want an app at the lowest possible monthly cost.
Limitations: the $19 Embed App plan is described as a website wrapped in an app shell, not a native app, so compare it carefully with the $29 Native plan. The review base is small.
Also worth a look: Ego Mobile App Builder
Ego is the newest builder we checked: it launched on April 6, 2026 and already has 69 reviews at 5.0, with the Built for Shopify badge. Its Free plan covers the editor and live preview; publishing starts on Growth at $79/month. Six months on the App Store is a short track record, so weigh that against the price.
What does a Shopify mobile app really cost?
The real cost is the builder’s plan, plus any revenue-based fee, plus Apple and Google developer fees, so compare 12-month totals.
- Builder plan: $19 to $599 a month for the first plan that publishes, across the twelve builders above.
- Revenue fees: OneMobile lists 2.9% on Scale-up after the first $2,000 of mobile revenue; Plobal lists 3% on Starter and 1% on Enterprise. SimiCart lists no success fee.
- Store accounts: $99 per year for the Apple Developer Program and a one-time $25 for Google Play, when you publish under your own accounts.
As a worked example, SimiCart Basic for a year is $1,188 in plan fees plus $99 for Apple and $25 for Google, about $1,312 in the first year with no share of sales. For a deeper breakdown, read our guide to Shopify mobile app pricing.
Is a mobile app worth it for a Shopify store?
An app is worth it when you already have repeat customers you can bring back with push notifications and app-only offers. Shopping is already mobile-first: Adobe reported that 56.4% of US online holiday transactions in the 2025 season took place on a smartphone, up from 54.5% in 2024, out of $257.8 billion spent online from November 1 to December 31.
That does not mean every store needs an app. A mobile site serves first-time visitors from search and ads; an app serves people who already like your brand enough to install it. To see the build process first, read our guide on how to turn a Shopify store into a mobile app.
How do you choose the right Shopify app builder for your store?
Start with your budget and the one feature you cannot live without, then shortlist two builders and use their trials. These rules of thumb follow from the listings above:
- Choose Tapcart if you are an enterprise or fast-growing DTC brand that needs A/B testing, segmentation, developer tools and an SLA, and $500+ a month fits.
- Choose Superfans or Shopney if a large base of merchant reviews matters most to you, or you need live sessions (Superfans) or AR and barcode scan (Shopney).
- Choose Appbrew or Apptile if AI personalization or live selling across social platforms is the core of your plan.
- Choose MageComp, Hulk or Ego if the lowest monthly price is the deciding factor and you accept a smaller review base or tighter limits.
- Choose SimiCart if you are a small or mid-size brand that wants to build and preview free, publish native iOS and Android apps from $99/month, get unlimited push from the first paid plan and pay no success fee.
During any trial, check that your key Shopify apps work inside the app, who owns the Apple and Google developer accounts, and how updates work after launch.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Shopify mobile app builder in 2026?
It depends on your size and budget. Tapcart and Appbrew list the most enterprise features, Superfans and Shopney have the most reviews, and SimiCart, OneMobile, MageNative and Evlop publish from $99/month. SimiCart, our product, suits smaller brands that want a free build plan and no success fee.
Which Shopify mobile app builder costs the least to publish?
MageComp lists the lowest prices: $19/month for an app that wraps your website and $29/month for a native app. Hulk and Ego start at $79/month, and SimiCart, OneMobile, MageNative and Evlop start at $99/month (Shopify App Store, October 2026). Add Apple’s $99 yearly fee and Google’s $25 one-time fee if you publish under your own accounts.
Can I build a Shopify mobile app for free?
You can build and preview for free with several builders, but publishing almost always needs a paid plan. SimiCart’s Free plan lets you design with 20 blocks and preview on a real device; publishing starts on Basic at $99/month. Plobal’s Starter plan is free to install but takes a 3% success-based fee on in-app sales.
Do Shopify app builders charge a percentage of sales?
Some do. OneMobile lists an infrastructure fee on mobile revenue above a threshold on each paid plan, and Plobal lists revenue fees on its Starter and Enterprise plans. SimiCart states no success fee on any plan. Always read the plan details on the listing before you sign up.
Does Shopify have its own mobile app for my store?
Not a branded one. Shopify’s Shop app is a shopping and delivery tracking app that shows products from many brands, not an app with your name on the home screen. For a branded store app you use a builder like those above, or a developer team using Shopify’s Storefront API and Checkout Kit.
How long does it take to launch a Shopify mobile app?
With a no-code builder, the design can take a few days and store review a few more. With SimiCart, the team processes a publishing request in about 48 hours, then Apple and Google typically take another 2 to 3 days. Timelines vary by builder and by how quickly you approve the final build.
What does Built for Shopify mean for a mobile app builder?
It is a status Shopify gives to apps that meet its criteria for safety, performance, ease of use, merchant value and listing quality. In our October 2026 check, SimiCart, OneMobile, Hulk, Evlop, MageComp and Ego showed the badge in the mobile app builder category. It is a useful quality signal, but not a replacement for testing the builder yourself.
Bottom line
No single builder wins on every criterion. Tapcart leads on enterprise tooling, Superfans and Shopney on review volume, MageComp on price, and Apptile on live selling. If you are a small or mid-size Shopify brand that wants a native app without a revenue share, SimiCart lets you build your Shopify app free and preview it on your phone, then publish from $99/month when you are ready. Compare all plans on our SimiCart plans page before you decide.
