8 Shopify Apps fast growing brands need in 2024
Ecommerce brands need technology. It's in the name (e)! But what technology do you need and what tools are a waste of time?
This list is not meant to be an objective evaluation of all tools in a given category & it's not meant to be exhaustive, for that type of list we'd recommend a resource like 1-800-D2C or the Shopify App Store. This also isn't a list of the most popular apps. We assume you've heard of leading tools like ReCharge, Gorgias, Klaviyo, Smile.io, Klarna etc and have a fairly good understanding of what they do.
This is a shortlist of up & coming tools that we've enjoyed working with at Junip and have heard nothing but positive things about from our thousands of brands. A set of tools we think will help your business & know won't waste your time.
Rivo - rivo.io
Rivo's loyalty & referral platform is deeply integrated with Shopify Plus, making it easy to create a program that fits your existing customer journey. They power programs for brands like Ridge, Hexclad, Pier 1 Imports & more.
Why they're exciting: loyalty & referrals is a space that has countless tools trying to completely reimagine the concept from the ground up. Rivo does none of that – the platform focuses on doing well understood concepts (points, referrals, VIP) well with strong tools, great support & fair pricing. Sometimes we don't need to reinvent the wheel.
Skio - skio.com
In 2020 Shopify turned the subscription market on it's head with the long awaited release of subscription APIs. This was a starting gun to see which teams could build subscription commerce natively within Shopify's checkout experience.
Why they're exciting: The Skio team ships. They've stood out in a crowded space with new product development (important) and animated cats (less important) with a team of engineers & commerce veterans. The platform isn't cheap, but they never claimed to be.
Commslayer - commslayer.com
Easily the earliest stage of any tools on this list, we want to note the app is still in beta – so don't expect a perfect platform. But the platform might never be perfect, the former founders of the reporting platform Lifetimely are brutally honest in describing their software as "cheap, not bad".
Why they're exciting: if a "cheap, not bad" alternative to existing platforms piques your interest & you're willing to deal with some growing pains, this could be your new help desk. They're giving away the base platform for free, have an open roadmap & plan to build AI functionality to empower your team.
Postscript - postscript.io
If Commslayer was potentially a little too early to make it onto this list, Postscript might be a little to late... but we're making an exception.
Why they're exciting: In a category filled with platforms set on doing a little bit of everything, Postscript sticks to their knitting – making brands more money with SMS. Their on-site opt in & AI functionality that deliver real results. If SMS is an important channel to you, Postscript should be on your list.
Fairing - fairing.co
The only tool in this list that's already gone through a rebrand (rip: enquire), Fairing makes it dead simple to ask customers questions post-purchase.
Why they're exciting: in a world where it's harder than ever to track customers & attribute purchases, zero party data (ie customers just actually telling you where they came from) can make or break your marketing. Fairing continues to pioneer in this space with Question Stream & integrated LTV reporting.
Wonderment - wonderment.com
Wonderment helps answer shipping questions, before they happen. Tracking pages & notifications keep customers in the loop on their orders so they never have to reach out to your team.
Why they're exciting: much like Rivo, Wonderment is building great tools with strong support & fair pricing for something that has become table stakes for ecommerce brands (order tracking & notifications). There are new concepts too (Delivery Promise, for instance) but they sit on top of a strong foundation.
Orita - orita.ai
Orita's app connects to your existing marketing tools (ie Klaviyo) and uses machine learning to identify & supress contacts unlikely to engage with your marketing. They help brands like Birthdate, Caraway & Huron improve their sending reputation while spending less money.
Why they're exciting: Orita's done-for-you data science gives brands access power they've never had before (and their free audit is a pretty easy way to give this tool a try).
Average Rating: n/a - Orita connects directly with your marketing platform
Junip - junip.co
We can't put ourselves on our own list... but we also can't not put ourselves on our own list... it's a tricky situation. Nevertheless we hear great things about ourselves! Especially our ability to gather more reviews (3x more photos & videos!) and use those reviews in every important channel.
Why they're/we're exciting: Similar to Rivo & Wonderment, Junip promises to deliver great technology, helpful support & fair pricing to solve a core part of your ecommerce experience (reviews).
Think we missed someone? Let us know @juniphq