Subscriptions
& Bundles.

Yes. Shopify Payments supports recurring billing through Shopify's native billing API. You'll need a certified app that uses either the Shopify Billing API or Checkout Extensions to handle automatic charges correctly. Third-party gateways like Stripe and Braintree are also compatible.

Absolutely. Most subscription apps let you configure a welcome discount (e.g. 20% off the first delivery) that automatically reverts to the standard price from the second renewal onward. This boosts sign-up conversion without permanently impacting your margins.

Through a self-serve customer portal accessible from their Shopify account. From there, subscribers can change delivery frequency, pause, skip a shipment, update their shipping address, or cancel — without ever contacting your support team. This significantly reduces ticket volume.

Apps compatible with Online Store 2.0 integrate via app blocks in the theme editor and work with virtually all modern themes. For older themes (Debut, Brooklyn, etc.), minor Liquid code customization may be required to display subscription options correctly on the product page.

The best apps include automated retry logic: multiple charge attempts over a few days, customer notification emails, and a link to update payment details. Some offer smart retry — attempting the charge at times when success rates are statistically higher based on card activity patterns.

Yes. You can set multiple cadence options (every 2 weeks, every 4 weeks, every 2 months…) and let customers adjust their frequency from the portal at any time. You can also tie different discount rates to each frequency to incentivize shorter cycles.

It depends on the app. Discounts applied at initial checkout generally work well. However, discount codes on recurring renewals require the app to manage its own discount logic — this is handled independently from Shopify's native discount system and varies by platform.

Migration requires exporting a CSV of active subscribers (customer ID, product, frequency, next billing date) and importing it into the new app. Most platforms offer a migration tool or dedicated support. Note: payment tokens are not portable — customers will need to re-enter their card details if you switch payment gateways.

Tax rules apply to each renewal just like a regular order — VAT or sales tax is calculated based on the shipping destination at the time of billing. Shopify handles tax calculation automatically if your tax settings are properly configured. Be sure to verify your obligations in each country you ship to, especially for EU distance selling (OSS scheme).