5 best Shopify pre-order apps (2026)
When a product isn't ready to ship, "Sold out" isn't always the message you want shoppers to see. A Shopify pre-order app can keep the product available for purchase, collect the order before stock arrives, and give shoppers a clearer idea of what happens next.
The five apps below take that basic idea in different directions. Some stay focused on pre-orders and payment options; others add restock tools, bundles, or broader storefront features. The useful question is less about which app has the longest feature list and more about what you actually need to run your next launch.
// How we picked
How we chose the five apps
There's a common starting point here: each app gives a Shopify store a way to take orders for products that aren't ready to ship yet. From there, the experience changes quite a bit. Payment rules, free-plan limits, B2B support, coming-soon options, bundle support, and testing can all affect which app makes sense for a particular store. We've kept the list focused on those practical differences rather than trying to turn five different products into one generic score.
// Comparison table
Five Shopify pre-order apps, side by side
| App | Best for | Standout | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|
| STOQ | A dedicated pre-order app with the longest track record | Free plan, then $10 covers 100 pre-orders a month with every feature unlocked | Free, then $10 |
| Notify Me! | Stores that want B2B pre-orders alongside consumer orders | D2C and B2B pre-orders with discounts and order notes, on the free plan | Free, then $9.90 |
| Timesact | Stores that want a generous free plan and hands-on setup help | 20 orders a month free, unlimited products, plus a guided video call | Free, then $5 |
| REZ | The cheapest way to unlock every feature | The $4.99 Basic plan already has everything unlocked | Free, then $4.99 |
| Sledge | Stores that want pre-order tied to a bundle and tested | Pre-order can sit on a bundle you've already created, and run as an A/B test | $29.99 flat |
Starting price is the lowest paid tier shown in the comparison. STOQ, Notify Me!, Timesact, and REZ also offer free plans with monthly limits.
// Option 1
STOQ, the longest-running specialist
STOQ has been on Shopify since 2021, and its pre-order toolkit has had time to fill out: availability dates, quantity limits, a progress bar, deposits, partial and split payments, deferred payments with reminders, and B2B pre-orders for stores on Shopify Plus. It also plugs into Shopify Flow and the checkout extension, so a pre-order can trigger downstream automation without custom code.
A couple of things are worth knowing before choosing it. Bundles aren't native. STOQ documents bundle setups through other apps rather than as a direct integration, and there's no built-in A/B test for the pre-order offer.
A good fit for: a well-established Shopify pre-order app, when deposits, split payments, or B2B ordering will get real use as the store grows.
// Option 2
Notify Me!, B2B pre-orders from the free plan
Notify Me! is interesting if a store sells to both regular shoppers and business customers. Its pre-order setup handles D2C and B2B orders, with discounts, order notes, and confirmation by email or SMS. The free plan covers 5 pre-orders a month; Kickstart at $9.90 adds partial payment, either a percentage or a fixed amount, plus full widget and email customization.
The pricing can become a consideration as volume grows: the next steps are $19.90 and $39.90, so a store can move through the tiers fairly quickly. Bundles aren't native, and there's no A/B testing for the offer.
A good fit for: stores where consumer and B2B pre-orders need to live in the same workflow, especially if partial payments will become useful later.
// Option 3
Timesact, the roomiest free plan
Timesact gives smaller stores quite a bit to work with before they need to pay. Its free plan covers 20 orders a month across unlimited products, with unlimited email sending, a Klaviyo connection, and coming-soon messaging. Paid tiers start around $5 to $7 a month and add split payments, deposits, a "0 down" pre-order option, and charging on fulfillment rather than at checkout. Reviewers mention the support team fairly often, including guided video calls for setup.
The pricing page takes a little attention because Flex plans are based on order volume while Fixed plans relate to the Shopify tier. Bundles and A/B testing are outside the core offering.
A good fit for: a store that's still figuring out its order volume, or someone who'd rather have a person walk through setup than troubleshoot everything alone.
// Option 4
REZ, the cheapest way to unlock every pre-order feature
REZ keeps its paid entry point simple. The $4.99 Basic plan unlocks the full feature set, including deposits, partial and split payments, payment schedules and reminders, coming-soon and back-order types, and conversion analytics. The free plan covers 20 pre-orders and 30 pre-order confirmation emails a month, with onboarding help from the founder directly.
REZ is newer than the other apps here, having launched in 2025, so its review base is smaller. Free-plan limits are also worth checking against the current App Store listing before committing. Bundle pre-orders and A/B testing aren't part of the offering.
A good fit for: smaller stores that want the paid plan to open up the whole pre-order toolkit without moving through several feature-gated tiers.
// Option 5
Sledge, pre-order tied to a bundle, and tested
Sledge approaches pre-orders as part of a wider storefront toolkit. The pre-order campaign can use a bundle you've already created in Sledge, so the bundle and pre-order don't have to be handed between two apps. Payment can be full or partial, with an amount to pay now and a due date for the balance. There's also Create A/B inside the pre-order campaign, which lets two versions of a launch run at the same time. Change the discount, button rule, or another campaign detail, split the traffic, and see which version gets the better result.
The trade-off is straightforward. There's no free plan, and pricing starts at a flat $29.99. Pre-order payment options are also simpler than STOQ's or Timesact's: full or partial with a due date, but no deposits, split payments, or B2B pre-order on Shopify Plus. It's a fair trade only if pre-order is one of several jobs you'd otherwise be paying separate apps for.
A good fit for: stores that want to sell bundles through pre-order, test the launch while it's running, and potentially replace several separate storefront apps with one plan.
// Which one fits you
Which Shopify pre-order app fits your situation?
- You want an established specialist with deep payment options. STOQ.
- You need B2B and consumer pre-orders together. Notify Me!
- You want more room on a free plan. Timesact, 20 orders a month across unlimited products.
- You want the paid cost as low as possible. REZ opens its full feature set at $4.99.
- You need a bundle pre-order or an A/B-tested launch. Sledge, particularly if it can replace other storefront apps too.
Questions, answered
What's the best Shopify pre-order app?
There's no single best option for every Shopify store. STOQ is a strong choice when payment flexibility and a long track record matter; Notify Me! stands out for B2B alongside consumer orders; Timesact gives smaller stores a generous free starting point; and REZ keeps its full paid feature set inexpensive. Sledge is the specialist here for bundle pre-orders and A/B testing, although it doesn't have a free plan.
Are there free pre-order apps for Shopify?
Yes. STOQ, Notify Me!, Timesact, and REZ all have free plans with monthly limits. The exact allowance varies, but they give a store a way to try pre-orders before moving to a paid tier.
Can you run a Shopify pre-order on a bundle, not just one product?
Usually, the bundle is handled by a separate bundle app and the pre-order app works alongside it. Sledge is different on this list because bundles and pre-orders live in the same app, so a campaign can use a bundle you already built.
Do Shopify pre-order apps support partial payments?
Several apps here support partial or split payments, including STOQ, Timesact, REZ, and Sledge. The setup is different in each case: Sledge lets you set the amount due now and the balance date, while Timesact and REZ add options such as 0-down pre-orders or payment schedules and reminders.
Which Shopify pre-order app is cheapest to start?
REZ has the lowest paid entry point at $4.99 a month, followed by Timesact at around $5 to $7. STOQ starts at $10 and Notify Me! at $9.90. Sledge starts at $29.99 with no free plan, but that price covers pre-order alongside search, filters, bundles, and reviews rather than a pre-order tool alone.
Choose around the way your store actually sells.
All five run into the same Shop Pay gap at checkout. Past that, the difference is depth versus reach: STOQ, Notify Me!, Timesact, and REZ specialize in pre-order alone. Sledge ties the launch to a bundle, tests it while it's live, and keeps it beside search, filters, and reviews on one $29.99 flat plan.
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