How to Set Up Subscriptions on Shopify (Step by Step)

Who it is for

Stores selling repeat-purchase products

Time needed

Two to three hours, plus testing

What you need

A supported gateway and theme

Subscriptions look simple from the outside: a checkbox on the product page that says "Subscribe and save 10%". Behind it sit payment rules, renewal timing, customer emails, cancellation flows and inventory planning. Get those wrong and you collect angry emails instead of recurring revenue.

This guide shows how to set up subscriptions on Shopify with the free Shopify Subscriptions app, step by step, and when a paid subscriptions app is worth it. App details, requirements and admin paths come from the Shopify Help Center, Shopify.dev and the Shopify App Store, as checked on 7 November 2026.

Pick your subscription model first

The model decides your discount, your product page and which app you need. Choose before you install anything.

Replenishment is where most Shopify stores should start. It's the easiest to explain, and the free app handles it well. Curated and build-a-box models need extra logic, and that's where paid apps earn their fee.

Check the requirements before you start

Shopify lists several requirements for the Subscriptions app. These catch more stores than any setup step.

• A supported payment gateway. Shopify Payments, PayPal Express, Authorize.net, Adyen (with an existing Adyen approval) or Stripe (select merchants only). If you use PayPal Express without Shopify Payments, third-party transaction fees apply.
• A recurring payment method. Customers need a method that can be charged again. Local, manual and many non-card methods may not be available for subscriptions.
• A supported theme. Your theme must support sections and blocks. Shopify lists any Online Store 2.0 theme it built, the Horizon family, Debut 15.0 or later and Brooklyn 17.0 or later.
• Supported channels. Subscription products sell on the online store, Shopify POS, the Shop app and custom storefronts.
• Staff permissions. Anyone managing it needs the apps and sales channels permission.

Shopify also notes a few limits worth knowing up front. Bundles aren't compatible with the app. Gift cards and app-based discounts apply to the first payment only by default. Customers are billed the day after the subscription is due, at 10:00 AM store time.

Shopify Subscriptions or a paid app?

There are many subscription apps. These three cover most decisions I help stores make.

The free app is rated 3.8 from 895 reviews on the App Store. Reviewers mention limits such as shipping rates not recalculating when a subscription changes, and due dates that can't be moved. Appstle is rated 5.0 from 9,219 reviews and Recharge 4.8 from 3,156 reviews. Prices are as listed on the App Store on 7 November 2026.

How to set up Shopify Subscriptions, step by step

These steps use the free Shopify Subscriptions app. Paid apps follow a similar order.

1. Install the app. Add Shopify Subscriptions from the Shopify App Store. It then appears under Apps > Subscriptions.
2. Create a plan. Go to Apps > Subscriptions, click Plans, then Create plan. Enter a Title, which customers see on the product page, such as "Deliver every month, save 10%". Add an Internal description for your own notes.
3. Attach products. In the Products section, search for and add the products the plan applies to.
4. Set the discount and frequency. In Discount and frequency options, choose a discount type (Percentage off, Amount off or Fixed price), then enter a delivery frequency in weeks, months or years.
5. Add options if needed. Click Option to offer more than one frequency, such as every 2, 4 or 6 weeks. You can also set a specific billing day, or end the subscription after a set number of orders, from 2 to 1,000.
6. Save the plan and repeat for any other product groups.

Add the subscription widget to your product page

Customers can't subscribe until the option shows on the product page. On an Online Store 2.0 or theme-block theme:

1. Open the theme editor. Go to Online Store and click Edit theme.
2. Open the product template used by your subscription products.
3. Add the block. Under Product information, click Add block and choose Subscription widget. Place it just above the add to cart button.
4. Style it to match your theme, then click Save.
5. Check App embeds. On these themes, turn off the Subscription widget toggle under App embeds so the widget displays correctly.

On vintage themes, only Debut 15.0+ and Brooklyn 17.0+ are supported, and you add a snippet to the product template in the code editor. If your theme is older than that, it's usually time for a theme update anyway.

Set up the cancellation policy and customer accounts

When you set up subscriptions, Shopify adds a purchase options cancellation policy that customers must accept before buying. It shows on the cart page, in express checkout and in the checkout footer. Edit it in your store policies so it says, in plain words, how to skip, pause and cancel.

Then give customers a way to manage their plan. Go to Settings > Checkout, click Edit next to your configuration, select the Apps icon and find Subscriptions. Add:

• The Subscription management page in customer accounts, and a link to it in the account menu.
• The Order action button on the orders and order status pages.
• The Manage subscription link on the thank you page.

Customers can then resume, skip or cancel, and update their payment method and shipping address, without emailing you. If you haven't set up the new customer accounts yet, see setting up customer accounts on Shopify.

Test before you announce it

1. Place a real subscription order with a card you own, on mobile and desktop.
2. Check the confirmation email for the plan name, the next billing date and the manage link.
3. Skip, pause and cancel from the customer account to confirm each works.
4. Check the order in your admin and confirm it routes to fulfillment like any other order.
5. Refund the test order and cancel the contract.

Price the subscription so it pays

A subscribe-and-save discount comes straight out of margin on every renewal, so set it with your numbers in front of you. Work out your margin per order after product cost, packaging, shipping and payment fees, then decide what a repeat customer is worth to you compared with a one-off buyer. I usually start stores at 5% to 10% and test from there. Go higher only if your margin can carry it for every future order, not just the first.

Check whether free shipping still makes sense on subscription orders. Reviewers of the free app note that shipping isn't recalculated when a subscription changes, so a customer who drops below your free shipping threshold may keep free delivery. Set a threshold that your subscription order size clears comfortably. The profit margin calculator helps you check the numbers.

When you need a custom build

Developers build subscription features on Shopify's subscription APIs: selling plans define how a product can be bought on a recurring basis, subscription contracts record the agreement with each customer, and customer payment methods store the card for future orders. A custom app makes sense when you need logic no app offers, such as renewals tied to a service schedule or a portal built around your product. Custom apps start from $800 with my Shopify app development service, and every project gets a fixed quote. For most stores, though, an existing app is cheaper. My guide on custom apps vs app subscriptions helps you decide.

Common mistakes

• Using an unsupported gateway, then finding the widget won't appear or renewals fail.
• Hiding the cancel option. It drives chargebacks and complaints. Make cancelling easy and offer skip or pause first.
• Discounting too deep. A 25% discount on a 40% margin product loses money once shipping is in.
• Selling bundles as subscriptions in the free app, which doesn't support them.
• Forgetting stock. Renewals happen whether or not you have inventory. Forecast renewals before every billing day.

Subscription setup checklist

• Model chosen and app picked to match it.
• Supported gateway active and tested.
• Theme supports sections and blocks.
• Plans created with clear titles, discounts and frequencies.
• Subscription widget placed above add to cart.
• Cancellation policy written in plain words.
• Subscription management added to customer accounts and the thank you page.
• Test order placed, skipped, paused, cancelled and refunded.
• Margin checked per renewal, including shipping.

Next steps

Launch with one product and one plan, watch renewals and cancellations for two billing cycles, then add frequencies and products. If renewals fail or the widget won't behave on your theme, send me your store for a free review and I'll tell you what's blocking it.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. Shopify Subscriptions, Shopify Help Center
2. Shopify Subscriptions considerations, Shopify Help Center
3. Adding and editing subscription plans, Shopify Help Center
4. Shopify Subscriptions, Shopify App Store
5. Recharge Subscriptions App, Shopify App Store
6. Subscriptions, Shopify.dev

Related services and work

Written by Ashraf Siddik

I'm a Shopify developer and CRO specialist. I have built and improved Shopify stores since 2018, completed more than 1,000 projects, and hold a 4.96 average rating across 719 client reviews.

About me · Client reviews