Compare eCommerce Apps
We thoroughly test and compare similar eCommerce apps across a number of parameters to help you find the app best suited to your store.
App Comparisons
Simple Sample Data vs. SafetyTest: Which Is the Better Test Data Generator?
As e-commerce store owners, we know how vital it is for our sites to work flawlessly. That's why testing your e-commerce store is a crucial step to make sure customers won't run into any problems. Testing usually requires manually importing data, but apps to analyze dummy data can simplify that process. In this post, we compare two such apps, Simple Sample Data by Egnition and SafetyTest by Responsiveye, to help you determine which is better for testing your e-commerce store. Firstly, let's take a look at each of their features: Simple Sample Data vs. SafetyTest Feature Comparison Comparing features of test data generator apps for Shopify Quick setup Get started in minutes with a simple user interface and one-click installation Data themes Choose from different sample data sets to populate your store with more tailored dummy data Test extensive dummy data Generate data for a wide range of different functionalities Data item customization Customize the data you generate, whether it's for one, some , or all items Email notifications Receive an automated email if an issue is detected Easy Test Data Removal Delete dummy data easily in one click Special Features The main difference between these apps is that with Simple Sample Data, you can test all aspects of the shopping process, including when customers are able to select different sizes or customization options. This is a great feature because you can run in-depth testing to ensure every part of your site is working. What's more, you can select what type of products you want to generate using one of their three data set themes. The product data comes complete with images, descriptions, and collections. SafetyTest, on the other hand, only tests the checkout process and website performance using your own catalog of products. However, its most premium plan has the advantage of placing an order using a real payment. Ease of Use A critical consideration in our evaluation of the two apps is how easy they are to use and which one would save us more time. Both Simple Sample Data and SafetyTest simplify the testing process, but one requires fewer steps. Simple Sample Data has all the data you need built right into the app, and we found it very simple to run. All we had to do was select the data set we wanted to work with, and the app automatically generated it. It also only takes one click to delete that data later on. The user interface is simple and easy to understand—no special tech know-how is needed. But this is not to say that SafetyTest isn't user-friendly. What's convenient is that it runs tests automatically in the background. Simply install the app, and it will go to work, testing on a set schedule. If it encounters an issue, it will email you. It's a hands-off operation, and there's no interface to navigate. However, the difficulty is that it does not generate test data. To test a store in development, you'll need to manually import sample product CSV files. Quality of Customer Support With any Shopify app, it's important to have accessible customer service in case you run into trouble. Reaching Egnition, the developer of Simple Sample Data, is easy. You can contact them right from the app's interface using a support button in the bottom-right corner. Their website also has a handy support button to send them a direct message. Egnition offers support round-the-clock support, every day of the year, so you'll always be able to get immediate help. Unlike Egnition, SafetyTest does not promise 24/7/365 support. To reach them, you need to email [email protected] or contact them via the Shopify app store. They say they usually respond to emails within a few hours or up to one business day. Pricing Comparison Plans Free Plan 1st Tier 2nd Tier null For developers null,$15/month $0.99 for live stores,$49/month null Simple Sample Data is completely free for developers. For stores on a paid Shopify plan, there's a very affordable fee of $0.99. The great news is that this is a once-off payment instead of a monthly recurring charge. For SafetyTest, it's free for their basic plan, which includes a test every three days, one testing resolution, and one report email. At $15 per month, the Pro plan offers one test per hour, four resolutions, three report emails, and a live test preview. For $49 a month, the Pro+ plan will test your store every 12 minutes. In addition, you'll receive four resolutions and ten report emails. A great added feature of their top-tier plan is that the app will place a real $1 order. The Final Verdict Choosing the best apps for your Shopify store will always come down to weighing the features against the fees. We like that Simple Sample Data offers more functionality and saves time by generating dummy data, so you don't have to import files manually. It's also completely free to use as often as you like for development stores and easily affordable for paid stores. SafetyTest is also a user-friendly app with great added features like email notifications and real payment orders. However, this comes at a price. We also feel that it's missing important customization functionalities that Simple Sample Data offers. » Check out our Simple Sample Data review for more details
Robin Image Optimizer vs. All-In-One Image Master: Which Is Better for Optimizing Shopify Images in 2023?
In traditional retail, customers are able to actually see, feel, and try on products. While e-commerce has completely transformed how customers shop, it can only offer photographs to entice buyers. That means the quality and look of those photographs are crucial for securing a purchase. Having optimized, consistent, and high-quality product images can make the difference between a potential customer clicking away or actually adding something to their cart. Image optimization apps, like All-In-One Image Master by Egnition and Robin Image Optimizer by Creative Motion make it easier to create standout product images for your Shopify store. Reducing the file size of images also speeds up loading time and helps your store index higher in search results. First, let's look at an overview of the features each app offers. All-In-One Image Master vs Robin Image Optimizer Feature Comparison Compare the features of image optimizing Shopify apps Automated bulk processing Optimize your images en masse instead of individually Resize images without losing quality Maintain high image quality while reducing image size Additional image editing Easily remove and add backgrounds Automatically generate alt text Increase your SEO with automated alt text 24/7 customer support Take advantage of 24/7 customer support, whenever you need it Both apps perform the basic but important function of optimizing Shopify product images to keep file sizes small and your store running smoothly. However, All-In-One Image Master stands out because it offers more functionality: Two resizing methods: Resize the image itself and keep its ratio or resize the canvas instead.Format choice: Choose between JPG and PNG.Pre-set rules: Set parameters to create a uniform look-and-feel. Ease of Use All-In-One image Master is dead simple to use and requires no professional image know-how. Simply upload your unprocessed image, then a series of options will appear. Just tell the app what you want it to do and it takes care of the rest, including adding your image automatically to your product description. You can review the optimized image for quality control and approve its alt text. While Robin Image Optimizer has fewer features than All-In-One Image Master, the features it does have are easy to use. Just open the app and upload all of your images that need to be optimized in one go. The app automatically resizes each image and makes them available to use on product pages. Quality of Customer Support We all know how critical customer support is when you encounter issues and how frustrating it is if you don't get feedback. All-In-One Image Master offers 24/7 support either through email ([email protected]) or through a dedicated live chat icon in the app. However, Robin Image Optimizer has fewer support options. On the app's website, there are support forums divided into two tiers: free support forum and premium support. This means your support level depends on your package. However, there's no guarantee of a quick answer. Pricing Comparison Plans Free Plan 1st Tier 2nd Tier 3rd Tier null null,$10 Fixed $3.99/m,$40 Fixed $6.99/m,$60 Fixed The pricing structure between these apps is quite different. All-In-One Image Master has a fixed pricing structure. Each plan comes with a certain number of credits you can use to optimize your images. These credits don't expire, so depending on your store and needs, you could make your credits last a while and won't have to pay every month. In comparison, Robin Image Optimizer uses monthly costs with a limited number of images you can optimize. Alternatively, you can pay an annual fee and save 14%. The Final Verdict Both All-In-One Image Master and Robin Image Optimizer will easily and quickly optimize images for your Shopify store. While Robin Image Optimizer is more affordable and has a higher limit of images you can optimize, its main functions are to resize and optimize images. If you need any other editing functionality, you'll have to invest in a second app. That's why All-In-One Image Master is our pick: its extra features, ease of use, and pay-you-go model make it a better all-around option to optimize your Shopify images. » Read our All-In-One Image Master review for more details
Heroku vs. AWS: Which Is Best for Business Startups?
Judging by the whopping 255 billion mobile app downloads in 2022 alone, it doesn't take much to connect the dots: e-commerce stores, especially startups, have a lot to gain by developing their own app. This can be an incredible way to engage your audience and lead them into your funnel. But, the question is: which tool should you use to help you get started? To help you make the best choice for your unique business situation, we'll compare two platforms that have helped millions of businesses get their app ideas off the ground: Heroku and AWS. Heroku vs. AWS Feature Comparison A basic overview of the key features of Heroku and AWS Multi-language support Customer service is available in several different languages besides English. Scalability Easily expand or downsize the resources your application requires. Metrics and analytics Extract data insights to measure the performance of your apps. Extensibility Extend the system's capability without modifying the original code base. Revert to previous versions Use rollbacks to revert to prior releases when faced with bad deploys. Access to additional internal tools Help your team or client's developers easily manage apps in production. Community Ask questions, exchange ideas, and learn about best practices from other users. Fast deployment Get your apps up and running quickly by deploying code from preferred channels. Available worldwide Deploy apps in various geographic regions, including Asia. Special Features Heroku is designed to help developers quickly build and deploy applications. One of its most notable features is Heroku Pipelines, an integrated continuous delivery tool that allows you to automate the deployment of code changes from one environment to another. Additionally, you can connect Heroku apps with Salesforce CRM via Hero Connect, a bi-directional data synchronization service that simplifies the development of custom Salesforce apps. On the other hand, AWS offers a robust and scalable platform for hosting applications and services. Its unique services that you can leverage to build more powerful apps include: Amazon S3: A highly-scalable object storage service that saves and retrieves any amount of data Amazon EC2: A scalable virtual server that gives you instant access to on-demand computing resources Ease of Use Ease of use is a top priority for busy startups, as it can help you avoid spending hours figuring out how to use a new platform or service. Here's how Heroku and AWS fare in this respect: Heroku Heroku is known for the simplicity of its framework and interface. Using this platform, you can get your application up and running with a few commands and maybe a git push. The platform automates many of the processes involved in setting up a runtime environment, including database, server, OS, and monitoring tools. What's more, Heroku's elementary control system makes creating new software versions a breeze. AWS While AWS offers a user-friendly management console, there are too many options for services. This paradox of choice can leave you confused and make you spend more time on deployments than you'd like. Plus, many AWS management functions require manual execution, so you may need a DevOps team or the resources to handle the whole EC2 infrastructure. Quality of Customer Support Customer service is essential for troubleshooting and getting the most out of a platform to improve your bottom line. Fortunately, both Heroku and AWS offer various support options, though their quality may vary. Heroku Heroku offers different support channels, including: Documentation repositoryA search tool for relevant help articlesHelp deskPremium online support According to user reviews, Heroku’s customer service is typically high quality, with sharp front-line CS reps and a technical support team willing to solve even the most complicated problems. AWS AWS is renowned for providing a comprehensive range of exceptional customer support services, including: 24/7 phone and email supportKnowledge baseAccess to a community forum Satisfied customers laud AWS's support for its speedy response times and effective solving of complex issues. Pricing Comparison While both platforms offer a free tier, their pricing models for paid plans differ. Heroku With Heroku, your pricing plan will depend on the type of app you want to develop. Based on your 'dyno' use, you can choose from the following plans: Eco (max $5/month): This plan comes with 1,000 dyno hours and it's meant for testing ideas or running intermittent-use apps.Basic (max $7/month): This plan is ideal for running small projects and concepts.Standard 1X (max $25/month): The Standard 1X plan is perfect for lightweight apps and APIs that can boot with 512MB RAM.Standard 2X (max $50/month): You can choose this plan for greater web concurrency or if your requirements include more CPU or 1GB RAM.Performance M (max $250/month): Coming with 2.5GB RAM, this plan is perfect for optimizing concurrency.Performance L (max $500): This plan is best for complex business needs such as building latency-sensitive, high-traffic apps. AWS AWS' pricing structure relies on a pay-as-you-go model that lets you select and pay for services based on your unique needs. For example, you can get access to Amazon Athena for $5.00 per TB of data scanned and $0.35 per DPU-hour billed. If you need renewed access after that, you can purchase it again and have it reflected in your payment. You can even save by taking advantage of their volume-based discounts or committing to using a specific amount of a service (measured in $/hour). AWS' pricing model allows you to stop using their services at any time, and the price you pay will depend on your individual usage. However, you can get an estimate using the pricing calculator on their website. Final Verdict: Where Should You Start? As both Heroku and AWS have their advantages and drawbacks, your decision will ultimately come down to your specific needs, business model, goals, budget, and the like. However, here's our takeaway—because Heroku specializes in app development and is geared toward offering you this service, it may be a better option if you're only looking to develop an app. On the other hand, AWS is a bigger platform with more services, so it's potentially a better option if you need multiple services for your startup.
Seguno vs. Mailchimp: Ease of Use, Pricing, Features, and Support
In today's digital world, mastering email marketing is a must for any company. The days of writing out a general email and manually sending it are over; now, crafting unique emails and automating flows for individual customers is the key to marketing success. Two leaders in this sphere are Seguno and Mailchimp. Mailchimp is one of the oldest platforms out there and is widely used on everything from WordPress blogs to vast e-commerce stores. Its easy learning curve and generous but limited free package attract users from all industries. Seguno, the new kid on the block, has recently seen a big spike in users as it caters specifically to Shopify stores and provides them with a plethora of integrations and automations. In this post, we'll compare the two so you can decide which one works the best for you. Special Features While both platforms see eye to eye with many features, each provides some key functionalities as they focus on a certain type of customer. Mailchimp does not just focus on email marketing but provides a complete marketing solution that aims to meet all the needs any online marketer will ever have. From the website builder and domain name registrar to advanced analytics, Mailchimp caters to all use cases. Seguno, being a Shopify-only service, does an excellent job of integrating with all aspects of Shopify. All the data stays on Shopify, reducing the risk of customer data compromise and streamlining the data protection compliance process. Ease of Use Mailchimp prides itself on being easy to set up and manage. Extensive documentation makes understanding all the different features easy. Setting up things like referrals does require you to do some reading to understand them well, but once you understand how to do it, it's smooth sailing from there. Seguno makes it very simple to set up and manage email marketing in one seamless process. Its purpose-designed integration is intuitive for new users while also providing powerful features for advanced marketers. The admin side of things directly integrates with Shopify, and setting up campaigns and referral programs is similar to Mailchimp. Quality of Support Being the most popular email marketing platform can be both a blessing and a curse, and Mailchimp often suffers from bad reviews due to its overloaded support system that caters more to high-value customers and slacks on the masses of free customers. Arguably one of Seguno's strongest selling points is its excellent user-centric support service. Seguno provides best-in-class support even to non-paying customers. Value for Money Seguno wins out in the bang-for-buck category if Shopify is all you'll be using. Its free option covers most features you'll want, with its premium fully-featured package costing only $10. All users, from basic to advanced, will find the premium package a worthy upgrade and will give you everything you need without spending a lot just to get features. Mailchimp offers a free option that's very generous in terms of contacts limit, allowing you to have up to 2,000 before having to shell out some cash. Its Essentials package is only $11 but doesn't give you all the features you might want. If all you're looking at doing is setting up a small shop and sending the odd monthly newsletter, then Mailchimp's Essential package is all you'll need. Pricing Comparison Pricing Comparison Seguno's free option, capped at 250 subscribers, gives you most features except the advanced, multi-email automations and premium templates. From there on, you pay $10 per 1,000 subscribers and get the full suite of features including advanced campaigns, premium templates, and remailing non-openers. Mailchimp's free option has limited support, no custom branding, and no A/B or multivariate testing analytics. Once you pay for the Essentials option, which costs $11 for 500 contacts, you can create multi-step "journeys" for customers, design custom email templates, and receive 24/7 online support. The $17 for 500 contacts Standard option adds on more customization, behavioral targeting, and further optimizations. Finally, the Premium option provides you with all the advanced features, phone support, and up to 10,000 contacts. However, this top option does cost $299, which is not affordable for most small-time shop owners. Conclusion: Which Email Marketing App Is the Best? In the end, whether you choose Seguno or Mailchimp depends on what you need your email marketing platform to do for you. If you're just a Shopify owner and want advanced features without spending a lot of money outright, Seguno is your best bet. If you're looking for a full suite of features that covers everything from building a website to integrating with custom software, Mailchimp is the way to go. If you're just looking for a solid free tool to get you started, both are excellent choices—but be aware of the cost of upgrading to advanced tools and more subscribers/contacts if the need arises later.