Short version: both apps customize Shopify checkout, the Thank you page and payment and shipping methods. Checkout Plus prices by feature and goes further on order validation, post-purchase pages, surveys and languages. Smart Checkout Widgets prices by order volume with every feature on every tier, has a free plan for live stores, and puts checkout gifts and upsells on its cheapest plans instead of a top tier.
Checked on September 25, 2026 against both apps' public Shopify App Store listings. Prices and plans change, so confirm on each listing before you decide. We make Smart Checkout Widgets; we have tried to be fair, including where Checkout Plus is the better choice.
Feature comparison
| Capability | Smart Checkout Widgets | Checkout Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Hide, rename and reorder payment methods | Yes, every plan | Yes, Basic ($29) and up |
| Hide, rename and reorder shipping methods | Yes, every plan | Yes, Basic ($29) and up |
| Ready-made rule templates | 8 one-click templates (e.g. hide COD on large orders) | Not listed |
| Checkout validation, order limits, block orders | No | Yes, Basic ($29) and up |
| Thank you and Order status page blocks | Yes, every tier including free | Yes, Basic ($29) and up |
| Checkout page blocks (Shopify Plus stores) | Yes, every tier including free | Plus plan ($49) and up |
| Checkout upsells (Shopify Plus stores) | Yes, every tier including free | Advanced plan ($89) |
| Free gifts in checkout (Shopify Plus stores) | Yes: automatic, discount-code, or customer picks from several | Auto-add product/gift, Advanced plan ($89) |
| Post-purchase upsell page | No (Thank you page upsell block links to a new cart) | Yes, Basic ($29) and up |
| Surveys and forms | Custom fields and consent checks in checkout (Plus) | Survey & Forms, Advanced plan ($89) |
| Checkout branding (Shopify Plus stores) | In development | Advanced plan ($89) |
| Cart and checkout links | Via our sister app, CartRocket | Yes, all plans |
| Shopify Sidekick integration | Yes | Not mentioned on its listing |
| Integrations listed | None listed | Shopify Flow, Judge.me, Okendo, Yotpo, Discount Plus |
| Languages | English | 20+ languages |
| Free plan for live stores | Yes, up to 100 orders a month | No (free for development and staging stores only) |
| How pricing scales | By monthly orders: free, $29, $59. Every feature on every tier | By features: $29, $49, $89 (the top two require Shopify Plus) |
| Built for Shopify badge | Yes | Yes |
| App Store rating | 5.0 (4 reviews) | 5.0 (115 reviews) |
"Every plan" means every Shopify plan. Blocks on the checkout page itself, upsells and gifts inside checkout, and checkout branding need Shopify Plus in both apps, because Shopify only opens the checkout page to apps on Plus.
What each costs, in four real cases
The two apps price differently. Checkout Plus charges for the features you unlock; Smart Checkout Widgets charges for how many orders you take. That makes one cheaper for some stores and the other cheaper for others.
- Basic store, 60 orders a month, wants to hide Cash on Delivery. Smart Checkout Widgets: free. Checkout Plus: $29 a month.
- Shopify store, 400 orders a month, wants payment rules and a Thank you page banner. Both $29 a month.
- Plus store, 800 orders a month, wants free gifts and upsells in checkout. Smart Checkout Widgets: $29 a month. Checkout Plus: $89 a month.
- Advanced store, 5,000 orders a month, only wants payment and shipping rules. Smart Checkout Widgets: $59 a month. Checkout Plus: $29 a month. Checkout Plus is cheaper here.
Smart Checkout Widgets pauses widgets only once a store goes 25% over its plan's monthly order limit, and turns them back on when the store upgrades or a new month starts. Payment and shipping rules keep running. Growth and Advanced include a 7-day free trial, and so do Checkout Plus's paid plans.
Choose Checkout Plus if
- You need checkout validation or order limits, such as blocking PO boxes or capping quantities. Smart Checkout Widgets does not do this.
- You want a post-purchase upsell page between payment and the Thank you page.
- You need surveys, an admin in a language other than English, or integrations with Shopify Flow or review apps like Judge.me, Okendo and Yotpo.
- You are a high-volume store not on Plus that only needs rules and Thank you page content: its flat $29 Basic plan beats our volume pricing.
Choose Smart Checkout Widgets if
- You are a smaller store: everything is free up to 100 orders a month.
- You are on Shopify Plus and want gifts and upsells in checkout without paying for a top tier.
- You want shoppers to choose their free gift, or gifts tied to a discount code, not just one product added automatically.
- You want to start from templates: hide Cash on Delivery on large or international orders, add delivery times to a shipping rate, hide express at weekends, each one click plus Save.
- You use Shopify Sidekick: ask it why a payment method is missing, or to set up a rule, and it answers from the app.
How to decide in an afternoon
- List the three checkout changes you actually need this quarter.
- Check which plan of each app covers all three, and what it costs at your monthly order volume.
- Install both on a development store (both are free there) and build the same rule or block in each.
- Place a test order on mobile and check the Thank you page too, not just checkout.
Frequently asked questions
Is Smart Checkout Widgets a Checkout Plus alternative?
Yes, for checkout blocks, Thank you and Order status page content, payment and shipping method rules, and checkout gifts and upsells. It does not do checkout validation, order limits, post-purchase upsell pages or surveys, which Checkout Plus does.
Which is cheaper, Checkout Plus or Smart Checkout Widgets?
It depends on your order volume and the features you need. Smart Checkout Widgets is free up to 100 orders a month and includes every feature on every tier; Checkout Plus starts at $29 and charges more for checkout customizations ($49) and upsells, gifts and branding ($89). For high-volume stores not on Plus that only need rules, Checkout Plus Basic at $29 can be cheaper.
Do both apps work without Shopify Plus?
Yes. Both offer payment and shipping method rules and Thank you and Order status page content on every Shopify plan. Blocks, upsells and gifts on the checkout page itself need Shopify Plus in both, because Shopify only allows checkout-page apps on Plus.
Can I try both before paying?
Yes. Both are free on development stores, Smart Checkout Widgets is free on live stores up to 100 orders a month, and both apps' paid plans include a 7-day free trial.