Top Shopify Apps Every New Store Should Install in 2025
Starting a Shopify store is exciting, but with over 8,000 apps available, choosing the right ones feels overwhelming. Most stores run 15-25 apps and suffer from slow loading times, and 74% of shoppers abandon slow sites. This guide reveals exactly which apps new stores actually need, which ones to avoid, and how to keep your store fast while adding powerful features. You'll get the three golden rules successful store owners follow, plus our curated list of the best apps for 2025.
The 3 Golden Rules for Choosing Apps When You're New
When you're starting out, these three rules will save you from expensive mistakes and keep your store performing at its best.
Rule 1: Speed Beats Features Every Time
It's tempting to install every cool app you find, but here's what happens: each app adds code to your site. Some add just a few milliseconds, while others can slow your pages by 3-5 seconds. That might not sound like much, but even a 1-second delay costs you 7% of your conversions.
Think of it this way - would you rather have a store with 20 fancy features that takes forever to load, or a fast store with 5 essential features that actually converts visitors into customers?
Before installing any app, ask yourself: Will this app make me more money than I might lose from slower page speeds? If the answer isn't a clear yes, skip it.
Pro tip: Test your site speed before and after installing each app using Google PageSpeed Insights. If you see a big drop, that app might not be worth it.
Rule 2: One App Per Job
This rule is simple but crucial: don't install multiple apps that do the same thing. Two review apps won't give you better reviews - they'll just conflict with each other and slow down your site.
It's like hiring two people to do the same job. They'll probably get in each other's way, and you'll pay twice as much for the same result.
Stick to this approach:
- One review app
- One email marketing app
- One SEO app
- One live chat app
If your current app isn't working well, replace it with a better one. Don't just add another app on top of it.
Rule 3: Great Support Matters More Than Perfect Reviews
When you're new, you'll have questions about how to set up and use your apps properly. An app with amazing 24/7 support will help you succeed, even if it has slightly fewer 5-star reviews than the competition.
Look for apps where developers respond quickly to questions and actually help solve problems. Check recent reviews to see how developers handle complaints - do they ignore them or work to fix issues?
Remember, you're not just buying an app - you're getting access to a support team that can help your business grow.
The Only Apps You Actually Need to Start
Here's the truth: you don't need 20+ apps to launch a successful store. In fact, too many apps will probably hurt you more than help you.
Most new stores only need apps in these four categories:
Marketing & Traffic: Something to help bring visitors to your store and capture their contact information for future marketing.
Store Optimization: Tools that make your site faster and easier to find on Google.
Trust Building: Apps that help new visitors feel confident about buying from you.
Sales Boosting: Simple tools that encourage customers to buy more or complete their purchase.
Start with one good app in each category. You can always add more later as your store grows and you understand what your customers actually want. Here are the top 5 essential apps you should install in 2025.
1. PageFly - Landing Page Builder
What it does: PageFly lets you create professional-looking pages without any coding skills. Instead of being stuck with your theme's basic layout, you can build custom product pages, landing pages, and home pages that actually convert visitors into customers.
Why new stores need it: Your theme might look nice, but it probably wasn't designed specifically for your products or audience. PageFly gives you over 100 pre-made templates that you can customize with drag-and-drop editing. You can add countdown timers, customer testimonials, and product showcases - all the elements that help convince visitors to buy.
The best part: PageFly includes many features built-in, so you don't need separate apps for things like countdown timers or testimonial sliders. This keeps your site faster while giving you more design flexibility.
Pricing: Free plan available, paid plans start at $24/month
2. TinyIMG - SEO & Image Optimizer
What it does: TinyIMG tackles two critical problems at once - it makes your images load faster and helps your store rank higher on Google.
Why new stores need it: Large image files are one of the biggest reasons why new stores load slowly. TinyIMG automatically compresses your product images by up to 50% without making them look worse. It also adds lazy loading, which means images only load when customers scroll to them.
On the SEO side, TinyIMG scans your store for problems like missing alt text, broken links, and poor meta descriptions. It even auto-generates SEO-friendly descriptions for your images.
Real impact: Faster loading images mean better customer experience and higher Google rankings. Better SEO means more people can find your store organically.
Pricing: Free to install, billing plan starts at $14/month
3. Rivyo - Reviews & Loyalty App
What it does: Rivyo combines two powerful features in one app - it helps you collect product reviews and run a loyalty program that rewards customers for purchases, reviews, and referrals.
Why new stores need it: Social proof is everything in ecommerce, and Rivyo makes it easy to collect reviews with photos and videos from real customers. The app can even import reviews from Amazon and AliExpress to give your new store instant credibility. Plus, the built-in loyalty program encourages customers to come back and spend more.
Key benefits: You get both review management and customer retention in one app, which means fewer apps slowing down your site. The automatic review request emails help you build up social proof quickly, while the loyalty points system turns one-time buyers into repeat customers.
Pricing: Plans start around $9/month with a free trial available
4. P: Volume Discounts & Bundles
Pareto Volume Discounts & Bundles helps Shopify store owners boost their Average Order Value by offering various discount options.
Why new stores need it: New stores struggle with low average order values since customers often buy just one item at a time. This app solves that problem by making it easy to offer bulk discounts (Buy 3, get 20% off) and suggest related products at the perfect moment - right when customers are ready to buy. The bundle features help you package products together naturally, while the checkout upsells can boost your revenue without being pushy. For new stores trying to maximize every sale, these features can significantly increase your average order value from day one.
With a perfect 4.9/5 rating from 249 reviews, it's clear that merchants are finding real value in this app.
The power:
- Supports many discount types (tiered pricing, BOGO, volume discounts)
- Simple interface that works right inside your Shopify admin
- Customize how your product bundles look and function
- Get help anytime with 24/7 live customer support
- Effectively increases your average order value through smart upselling
Pricing:
- Free plan available for basic needs
- Premium plans start at $8.99/month
- Paid options include unlimited discount campaigns, one-click upsells, and live chat support
This app is perfect for Shopify merchants who want to maximize sales using proven discount and bundling strategies, all backed by responsive customer support.
5. Klaviyo - Email Marketing
What it does: Klaviyo helps you build an email list and send targeted marketing messages based on customer behavior.
Why new stores need it: Email marketing typically generates 20-30% of revenue for ecommerce stores. Klaviyo automatically sends emails to people who abandon their cart, welcomes new subscribers, and follows up with customers after they buy.
The power: Unlike basic email apps, Klaviyo knows what products people viewed, what they bought, and how much they spent. This means you can send super-targeted emails that feel personal and relevant.
Pricing: Free for up to 250 contacts, then scales with your list size
Apps You Should Avoid as a Beginner
Not every app will help your store succeed. Here are the types of apps that often hurt new stores more than they help:
Apps That Slow Down Your Store
Some apps load heavy scripts and animations that can add 3-5 seconds to your page load time. This includes many fancy popup apps, auto-playing video widgets, and complex animation apps.
Red flags to watch for:
- Apps that add lots of visual effects
- Multiple popup or banner apps
- Apps that load on every page when you only need them on specific pages
Duplicate Apps
Never install two apps that do the same job. Common mistakes include:
- Running two review apps at the same time
- Having multiple SEO apps active
- Installing several popup or chat apps
This creates conflicts, slows down your site, and wastes money.
Outdated Apps
Apps that haven't been updated in 6+ months might not work properly with newer Shopify features. Always check when an app was last updated before installing it.
Magic Bullet Apps
Be skeptical of apps that promise unrealistic results, like Get 1000 visitors for $5 or Instantly increase sales by 300%. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Expensive Apps Without Clear ROI
Some apps cost $100+ per month. As a new store owner, avoid expensive apps unless you have a clear plan for how they'll pay for themselves.
How to Keep Your Apps Working Perfectly
Installing apps is just the beginning. Here's how to make sure they keep helping your store instead of hurting it:
Remove Apps You Don't Actually Use
Every month, go through your app list and ask: Have I used this app in the last 30 days? If not, uninstall it. Many store owners discover they're paying for apps they completely forgot about.
Important: After uninstalling an app, check if it left any code in your theme files. Some apps leave behind code snippets that can slow down your site even after the app is gone.
Test Your Site Speed Regularly
Use Google PageSpeed Insights to check your site speed monthly. If you notice it getting slower, one of your apps might be the culprit. You can temporarily disable apps to test which one is causing problems.
Research Your Competitors' Apps
Here's a smart strategy: use tools like Letsmetrix's free Shopify App Detector to see what apps successful stores in your niche are using. Instead of randomly testing apps, you can learn from stores that are already working.
For example, if you see that top stores in your industry all use the same review app or upsell tool, that's a strong signal that those apps actually work.
Track Your App Performance
For paid apps, track whether they're actually making you money. For example:
- Email marketing app: How much revenue comes from email campaigns?
- Upsell app: How much extra revenue does it generate per month?
- SEO app: Are you getting more organic traffic?
If an app isn't clearly helping your business, consider alternatives or remove it entirely.
Keep Your Apps Updated
Check your apps occasionally to make sure they're still being maintained by their developers. Apps that stop getting updates can break or become security risks.
The Bottom Line
The right apps transform your Shopify store from basic to brilliant. Remember the three golden rules: speed beats features, one app per function, and support matters most. Start with our Shopify apps that solve real problems, avoid common pitfalls, and audit regularly. Your goal isn't having the most apps - it's having the right ones that help you serve customers better and grow faster.
