Looking for a Shopney alternative?
In this article we'll show you the top Shopney alternatives you need to know about. Whether you're looking to switch your brand's app to another platform, or looking to build an app and researching the options, read on and make an informed decision.
Shopney Overview
Shopney is a no-code, drag-and-drop app builder for Shopify stores.
It allows you to build and launch an app in minutes (technically true), and extend your brand's reach on mobile without the effort and expense of hiring developers or an app development agency.
How Does Shopney Work?
Shopney gives you a visual UI builder that lets you compile a mobile app without writing code.
You'll start either with a template or a blank canvas, and drag and drop design elements onto your canvas to put together your user interface.
Then, you'll use Shopney's pre-built integrations to add additional functionality to your app, and to integrate it with other Shopify apps and tools, such as analytics tools, or marketing apps.
When you're happy with the app, you set it live. From here, it's up to you how to promote it and get users (such as submitting it to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store).
Shopney Pricing
Shopney works on a subscription model, with four pricing tiers:
- Silver: $99/mo
- Gold: $199/mo
- Platinum: $499/mo
- Enterprise: $999/mo
Each tier comes with a 30-day free trial.
Shopney offers integrations, features, and support starting from the Silver plan. Although it offers a limited number of mobile app themes and design element counts, it already includes unlimited rich push notifications and integrations like Google Analytics, Facebook Ads, and Facebook Messenger.
The Gold plan gives access to more advanced notifications and integrations like scheduled push notifications, abandoned cart notifications, Yotpo, and many more.
If you're aiming for more features, advanced integrations, and unlimited design elements count, you can opt into the Platinum plan. In this plan, you can also get exclusive service & support.
Finally, if you want multi-store support, custom integrations, dedicated design support, and a dedicated success manager, the Enterprise plan is for you.
Shopney Pros & Cons
On the positive side, Shopney is well-reviewed and has a solid suite of integrations, themes and features. Most customers say that it's very user-friendly, and their customer support is fast, friendly and helpful.
For a simple app that has the same product catalogue as your site, it could be a good option.
On the downside, Shopney is a template-based app builder with all the limitations inherent in that. It will never be able to truly "convert" your site into iOS and Android apps, and you'll never be able to reuse all your plugins, existing themes, and features in the apps. Your store will have to fit their mold - which for more complex and unique eCommerce businesses can be a real problem.
While Shopney is a good platform, and has a good suite of integrations - for some users it will be a highly limiting (not to mention fiddly) and suboptimal choice.
Here's a summary of the pros and cons of Shopney:
Pros:
- Easy to use.
- Decent feature set.
- High standard of customer support for an app builder.
Cons:
- Difficult to fully recreate your site's experience.
- Limited customization options.
- Not possible to integrate with any features that don't have a pre-built integration.
The Best Shopney Alternatives
Now we've had an overview of Shopney, how it works, its pricing, and its pros and cons, it's time to move on and start looking at some Shopney alternatives, starting with our own site-to-app service, MobiLoud.
#1: MobiLoud
MobiLoud is a different way to build an app for your Shopify store.
In our opinion (though we may be biased!), MobiLoud is the best way to convert your store into native eCommerce apps for iOS and Android, as well as the best alternative to Shopney.
Instead of building using a visual builder and pre-coded blocks, MobiLoud converts everything on your website to an app.
The content users see on the app is a live, functional copy of your website. Everything works the same and looks the same as it does on your mobile website, with a few minor tweaks and improvements that make the app feel like a 100% custom native app.
MobiLoud powers thousands of top apps, including multiple high-level Shopify brands. We let you convert your site into native eCommerce apps in just days (not just Shopify sites, but sites on any platform, such as PrestaShop or WooCommerce), for a fraction of the cost of custom development.
There are several key reasons why MobiLoud is for you:
- No templates, no blocks, no APIs - MobiLoud doesn't force you into a limiting template that makes your app look like every other. It also doesn't restrict your functionality to what the Shopify API allows. It's the closest you can get to a fully custom app, without spending hundreds of thousands on development costs.
- Keep what works - you've already put hard work into optimizing your mobile website. Why lose your optimizations in the app? MobiLoud lets you keep everything you rely on to drive revenue and conversions, from apps and themes to custom-built features.
- Full service - MobiLoud is not just an app builder, it's a service. Everything is done for you, from configuring your apps, to the technical work, to testing, publishing and submitting your iOS and Android apps to the app stores.
- Easy to manage - moving forward, you'll add little to no work to your day-to-day. You'll continue to manage your website as normal - any changes you make will automatically reflect in your apps, and the MobiLoud team handles all the technical updates and bug fixes.
MobiLoud Pricing
There are two standard options to choose from:
- Startup - For fast launching and validation: $298/month (paid annually), plus a one-time $1,500 setup fee
- Growth - Perfect for more established businesses: $553/month (paid annually), plus a one-time $2,500 setup fee
We also have custom, corporate plan for more demanding projects. Read more about our pricing here.
MobiLoud vs Shopney
The biggest difference between MobiLoud and Shopney is that one lets you build an app for your store (with certain limitations baked in), while the other actually converts your store into an app.
The second option is far better. With MobiLoud, you can reuse all your existing apps/plugins, tech stack and custom-built features, and minor optimizations that drive revenue.
You'll never be able to transfer all the features from your site to your app with another option.
With Shopney (and other app builders), you're forced to work within the confines of the platform. You're limited by what the Shopify API allows, and which integrations Shopney provides.
The other big difference is the service element.
MobiLoud is full service. We do everything for you. You can configure and manage your apps through the MobiLoud dashboard, but you can also be 99% hands-off if you want, and let our team build and ship your apps in just a couple of weeks.
With Shopney, it's a DIY experience. There's a bit of freedom in this, sure, but it also means it's all on you to build an app you're happy with.
Though you can build an app in minutes, more likely it's going to take weeks of your time and headspace, constantly tinkering and fiddling until you get it somewhat right.
MobiLoud is just the best choice for serious eCommerce businesses. It adds no extra work to your plate, and produces a higher-quality result.
Want to learn more? Get a personalized demo now and talk it over with our team!
#2: Tapcart
Tapcart is a platform designed for businesses looking to create mobile apps specifically for Shopify. It eliminates the need for coding or technical expertise, making it a preferred choice for small and medium-sized eCommerce businesses.
Tapcart Pricing
Tapcart has three plans:
- Core - 15 blocks, basic features, and basic integrations - $200/mo
- Ultimate - unlimited blocks, advanced features, and integrations - $400/mo
- Enterprise - unlimited custom blocks, dedicated customer success manager, and premium integrations - $1K/mo
The more costly the plan is, the better app features and benefits you get.
#3: Mowico
Mowico is another simple and easy-to-use app builder for online stores that doesn't require any coding. It works well with platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce and will soon be compatible with PrestaShop, BigCommerce, and Wix.
It comes with useful features like Smile, Langify, and Judge.me, and also offers push notifications and AR shopping. However, it's important to note that Mowico also has limitations.
While it can create a basic eCommerce app with your products and logo, it cannot fully replicate the advanced features, design, and plugins of your existing web store. Instead of recreating your Shopify store entirely, it only pulls some relevant data from it. This means you are restricted to their pre-built integrations, which is restrictive compared to the web and MobiLoud.
Mowico Pricing
Mowico has three plans for each eCommerce platform. For Shopify, they have:
- Startup - basic features - $79/mo
- Growth - everything from Startup plus enhanced features - $399/mo
- Enterprise - premium features, custom feature integrations, and tailor-made development - custom
The pricing may vary for each eCommerce platform but keep in mind that, the more costly the plan is, the greater benefits you get.
#4: Vajro
Vajro is a Shopify-focused drag-and-drop app builder known for its affordability and focus on smaller eCommerce apps.
They use templates and drag-and-drop widgets to create branded apps that connect to Shopify through API. While user-friendly, some users may find the platform limits their ability to recreate their web stores accurately, even on higher-tier plans.
Vajro Pricing
Vajro has four plans:
- Starter - basic features and integrations - $99/mo
- Core - advanced features and integrations - $249/mo
- Premium - premium features and integrations - $499/mo
- Plus - premium features, integrations, and priority support - $999/mo
The more costly the plan is, the better app functionalities and benefits you get.
#5: Appmaker.xyz
Appmaker.xyz is a capable eCommerce app builder for Shopify and WooCommerce businesses, with many plugins and third-party connections.
On the downside - it's quite expensive and the reliance on pre-built blocks, templates, and widgets will limit you. Although there's some customization options, you won't fully replicate your web store due to its reliance on boilerplate front ends and standardized APIs.
Appmaker.xyz Pricing
Appmaker.xyz has two plans:
- Pro - custom integrations, app launch assistance, and enterprise support - $1K/mo
- Plus - everything in the Pro plan, and additional premium blocks, dedicated customer success manager, and priority support - $2K/mo +1% success fee
The more costly the plan is, the better app features and benefits you get.
Learn more: get a detailed breakdown between MobiLoud and Shopney here.
The Common Issues with App Builders
We've looked at the top five Shopney alternatives (plus a brief overview of the pros and cons of Shopney itself).
These app builder platforms all (with the exception of MobiLoud) have a big flaw, if you're a serious brand looking to build an app that will elevate your business.
With app builders, you're forced into a straightjacket with your app. You can only do what the platform allows you to do, in terms of design, functionality and integrations.
You won't be able to fully recreate what makes your site successful, and the customer experience on app and website will be inconsistent.
This is something that David from Rainbow Shops had trouble with when looking for an app builder.
“The app needs to be at least as functional as the website. It doesn’t need to be better than the website, but the user experience can’t be worse.”
It's not just the app builder's fault - these platforms utilize the Shopify API to pull your store's data into the app, and the API itself is limited.
If you've done any custom work to build a great customer experience, you'll likely lose all that work if you build your app with an app builder. Rainbow Shops is the perfect example.
They had a custom sort order that boosted conversion rates by 15%, but with their previous platform, they couldn't bring that same custom sort order into the app. The default sorting options were so basic, they lost significant revenue and ultimately lost customer trust through a frustrating in-app experience.
“The hybrid solutions on top of Shopify are just too limited. The Shopify API only enables certain things and all the major providers of hybrid apps for Shopify had limitations that the Shopify API would not let them get around.”
If you understand that your app can be the second most valuable revenue source for your brand, after your website, you'll realize the importance of:
a) getting your app experience on par and synchronized with your web experience;
b) having the freedom to make incremental changes that translate to a big boost in conversions and revenue.
Why MobiLoud is the eCommerce App Solution You Need
Serious eCommerce businesses need a solution like MobiLoud.
We let you actually recreate your website as an app. You can take everything from your site, including integrations with niche tools, custom features, payment gateways and more.
We let you build the app you want, with no limitations.
The best part is, it takes little to no effort. With app builders or custom-built apps, you've got another platform to worry about. You're doubling or tripling your workload, as you now need to manage and update this new platform.
With MobiLoud, everything is done for you - not just the setup (we configure the app, build it, test it, and even provide custom UX improvements for your mobile website), but maintenance and updates as well.
Managing an app is a huge headache, and most businesses don't think about what this will cost on a recurring basis. Our team does all of this for you, keeping your app fast, current and bug-free.
We've helped a number of successful eCommerce brands launch amazing mobile apps, including Rainbow Shops, SYN•DI•CATE, Bestseller and John Varvatos.
You can do the same for you brand, and have your own branded app in less than a month.
Get Started with your eCommmerce Mobile App Now
More than 2,000 businesses have used MobiLoud to build mobile apps, and you can too.
There's no risk - we do everything for you, there's little to no work added to your plate, the expense is low for any business doing consistent revenue. We also have a 60-day money back guarantee, and we guarantee your apps will be accepted by the app stores.
The best time to start is right now. Just book a free discovery call to talk to one of our app experts. We'll discuss your needs, show you how it works, and help you understand if MobiLoud is right for you.
