If you want more repeat customers, higher LTV, and a direct retention channel you fully control, a mobile app is one of the strongest moves a Shopify brand can make.
Until recently, building an app meant high budgets and long timelines. That’s no longer true. Today, just about any Shopify brand can launch a mobile app, easily, with no writing code or hiring developers.
This guide breaks down the best Shopify mobile app builders available today; how they work, what they offer, and which one is the best fit to help you launch a branded mobile app.
Why Your Shopify Brand Should Have a Mobile App (And How to Choose the Right App Builder)
For most Shopify brands, the main reason to launch a mobile app is simple: an app gives you a direct connection with your best customers.
The app puts your brand on their home screen. It gives you a direct line through push notifications. You can reach out and drive repeat sales with no algorithms, no inbox competition, no CPMs.
That direct access consistently leads to more repeat purchases, stronger retention, and more profitable customer relationships.
App builders make this possible without hiring developers or an agency (which can cost tens of thousands of dollars, at a bare minimum).
You can get a real, fully functional mobile app, for the cost of what you might make in sales in one morning.
Key Considerations Before You Get Started
Before choosing a builder, there are a few basics to keep in mind:
- How much control do you want? Some tools are hands-on, DIY builders; others do everything for you.
- How complex is your store? Custom themes, apps, or headless setups rule out certain platforms.
- How much work can your team handle? Some platforms require work to build and manage layouts, plus regular updates to the app. Others automatically sync with your site.
- What’s your budget and ROI forecast? Some tools let you go live for less than $100. But keep in mind that cheaper tools are likely to come with more work, and more restrictions (which may cap your growth).
Once you’re clear on those points, evaluating the tools becomes much easier.
Below, we break down the top Shopify mobile app builders: what they offer, who they’re built for, and what sets each one apart.
The Top 6 Shopify Mobile App Builders
To help you navigate the landscape, we’ve reviewed the six leading Shopify app builders and what makes each one different.
Below, you’ll find a quick, practical breakdown of their core features, strengths, and ideal customer profiles.
1. MobiLoud
MobiLoud is a Shopify mobile app builder made to convert your Shopify store into an app; not rebuild it.
This is a different approach from most Shopify app builders. Instead of giving you a DIY editor and asking your team to build and maintain the app, MobiLoud handles the entire process for you.
It’s a fully-managed service designed for brands that want a high-quality mobile app without taking on the work or complexity themselves.
The app mirrors your site in real time, meaning every product update, every design change, and every new feature you add to your store automatically appears in the app.
It requires minimal work to maintain, there’s no app-specific layout to manage, and no risk of the app drifting out of sync. This approach can save you a small, but meaningful amount of weekly effort managing the app; which can make a major difference to your ROI.
Key Features:
- Fully managed, done-for-you service
- Directly converts your Shopify site into iOS and Android apps
- Real-time sync with your existing site
- Integrates all your Shopify apps, integrations, even custom features into the app
- Unlimited push notifications
- Dedicated support and strategic guidance
Pricing: Starts at $549/mo, plus a one-time setup fee.
Best for: Mid-market brands and up; brands with complex sites or custom features; teams that want a premium, fully-managed service without the technical overhead.
2. Tapcart
Tapcart is one of the more polished Shopify app builders, made for brands that want a highly designed, customizable mobile experience.
It’s built around a drag-and-drop editor that lets marketers create branded app layouts, product pages, and home screens without touching code.
Brands that care a lot about aesthetics (or want control over every part of the app’s layout) tend to appreciate the flexibility Tapcart brings. It also includes strong push notification tools, automation options, and performance analytics.
However, Tapcart does come with a higher price point, and the platform is best suited to stores already doing enough volume to justify the ongoing investment in both cost and team time. Unlike website-syncing approaches, Tapcart apps require you to build and maintain layouts inside the editor, which creates some extra operational overhead.
Key Features:
- Drag-and-drop editor for full design control
- Large catalog of Shopify integrations
- Automated and segmented push notifications
- Features tailored toward higher-volume Shopify brands
- Dedicated support on upper-tier plans
Pricing: $250+/mo. Most brands realistically looking at $500/mo minimum (more for premium integrations).
Best for: Growing and established Shopify stores that want a visually customizable app, have the team resources to manage it, and are comfortable with a higher monthly investment.
3. Shopney
Shopney may appeal to Shopify brands that want a clean, functional mobile app without getting deep into customization or complex setup.
Its strength is simplicity. You choose a theme, adjust it with a drag-and-drop editor, and you can have a working app in just a few days.
The platform offers an affordable entry point for stores with straightforward needs. For brands that want more advanced features, like AI-driven push notifications, live selling, or broader integrations, Shopney does offer them, but they sit on the higher-tier plans.
And because everything is built on fixed templates, you’re somewhat limited by the layouts and components Shopney provides, even at the premium levels.
For some Shopify stores, that tradeoff works: fast to launch, easy to manage, and enough flexibility to cover the essentials. But brands with highly custom stores, complex UX needs, or heavy app stacks may find the template-based structure more restrictive.
Key Features:
- Straightforward drag-and-drop builder
- Clean, conversion-friendly design templates
- AI-powered and segmented push notifications (higher tiers)
- In-app chat and live selling (higher tiers)
- Integrations with many popular Shopify apps
Pricing: Starts at $149/mo, up to $1,299/mo for full feature set.
Best for: Shopify brands with simple needs that want an easy, fast, and lower-touch way to launch a mobile app, and are comfortable working within preset templates as they grow.
4. Plobal Apps
Plobal Apps positions itself as an AI-powered mobile commerce platform with a strong focus on growth and personalization.
It offers many of the higher-end features Shopify brands look for; automated push campaigns, personalized recommendations, deep analytics, and a flexible editor that allows both drag-and-drop layouts and custom code via “Code Blocks.”
The analytics tools are a particular strength, giving teams visibility into user behavior, revenue performance, and engagement trends directly inside the platform.
The tradeoff is complexity. While Plobal is more flexible than simple app builders, it also requires more setup and ongoing work to get the most out of it. Brands expecting a plug-and-play experience may find the platform more involved than they expected.
Key Features:
- AI-powered automation and personalized push campaigns
- Strong analytics and performance insights
- Drag-and-drop builder with optional custom code blocks
- Automated marketing workflows
- Dedicated success support on higher-tier plans
Pricing: Starting at $199/mo, up to $1,199/mo
Best for: Shopify brands that want deeper personalization, stronger analytics, and the ability to add custom functionality, and have the team resources to manage a more flexible, hands-on platform.
5. MageNative
MageNative is one of the most budget-friendly ways for a Shopify brand to launch a mobile app. The low starting price makes it especially attractive for smaller stores or early-stage businesses that want to test the waters without committing to a big monthly cost.
MageNative comes with the basic features you expect from a drag-and-drop builder; push notifications, Shopify app integrations, live selling.
That said, MageNative is best suited for straightforward Shopify setups. The builder and layouts are more rigid than those offered by premium platforms, and handling more complex themes or heavy app stacks can be challenging.
For brands with simple requirements, the value is excellent; for more advanced needs, the limitations become more noticeable.
Key Features:
- Low-cost entry and accessible pricing
- Drag-and-drop builder with no coding required
- 40+ integrations with popular Shopify apps
- Advanced add-ons like AR, barcode scanning, and image search
Pricing: Starting at $49/mo, up to $249/mo for the Premium plan.
Best for: Startups, small Shopify stores, and budget-conscious brands that want an affordable, no-frills way to launch a mobile app and don’t require extensive customization.
6. SimiCart
SimiCart is one of the most accessible entry points into the Shopify app builder market.
It clocks in at an even lower cost than MageNative (though both start at $49/mo for published apps). For new or early-stage stores that want to explore mobile apps with minimal risk, that’s a major advantage.
The platform covers the basics well: a simple drag-and-drop builder, unlimited push notifications, product review integrations, and live chat. It’s designed to be easy to set up and maintain, and the free-to-start model makes it appealing for brands that want to experiment before investing.
However, SimiCart’s simplicity comes with limits. The builder is more rigid than mid-market tools, and advanced customization options are limited.
For stores with complex themes, large product catalogs, or a need for highly tailored UX, the platform may feel restrictive. But for straightforward Shopify stores, especially new ones, it delivers solid value.
Key Features:
- Free plan to build and preview your app
- Straightforward, no-code builder
- Unlimited push notifications (paid plans)
Pricing: Starts at $49/mo, up to $199/mo.
Best for: New and emerging Shopify stores, budget-conscious brands, and teams that want a risk-free way to test or launch a simple mobile app without heavy customization needs.
TL;DR: Which Shopify App Builder is Right for You?
Choosing the right mobile app builder depends on your brand's size, budget, technical resources, and strategic goals.
The table below provides a high-level summary to help you compare the platforms at a glance.
| App Builder | Best For | Price Range | Key Differentiator |
|---|---|---|---|
| MobiLoud | All Brands – Especially w/Custom Features, Unique Design | $549+ | Fully-managed service. Full feature parity with your site. |
| Tapcart | Shopify Plus & Enterprise | $500+ | Customizability. |
| Shopney | Mid-Market & Growth | $149 - $1,299 | Fast launch, ease of use, AI features. |
| Plobal Apps | Data-Driven Brands | $199 - $1,199 | AI-powered, deep analytics, custom code. |
| MageNative | Small Businesses & Startups | $49 - $299 | Affordable entry, extensive integrations. |
| SimiCart | Budget-Conscious Brands | $49 - $299 | Affordable entry point. Simplicity. |
Consider what’s most important to you:
- A full conversion of all your site’s features, with a done-for-you service to support you? (MobiLoud)
- Design flexibility; more customization options, with the trade-off of more work to manage? (Tapcart)
- Mid-market drag-and-drop options? (Shopney/Plobal Apps)
- Entry-level options that let you go live for less than $50/mo? (MageNative/SimiCart)
Each brand is unique. Each brand will inevitably value certain features more or less than others.
Understand this and pick the tool that fits best with what your brand is trying to achieve by launching a mobile app.
