Shopify pre-order apps let merchants sell products before they are physically ready to ship, whether that means an item is still being manufactured, sitting in a container on a ship, or simply sold out and waiting on a restock. Instead of showing a plain “sold out” label, these apps swap the add-to-cart button for a pre-order or notify-me option, so the sale still happens and the customer relationship does not go cold. Merchants lean on the best pre-order apps for a simple reason: waiting for inventory to physically arrive before accepting a single order leaves money on the table. Pre-orders let a store generate sales before stock lands, validate real demand before committing to a big production run, spread out inventory risk, and build anticipation around a launch. Customer patience with stockouts is thinner than most merchants assume. McKinsey’s consumer research has found that when a preferred item is out of stock, a large share of shoppers simply tries a different brand or store, and many keep that new habit going. That is the exact leak a good pre-order setup is built to plug. As more merchants lean on Shopify pre order workflows to protect that revenue, the number of Shopify pre order apps on the Shopify App Store has grown right along with it. In this guide, we compare ten of the most widely used pre order apps Shopify merchants actually install, looking at features, pricing, ease of use, ratings, payment options, integrations, and which type of store each one suits best.
Why Are Pre-Order Apps Essential for Shopify Stores?
Generate Sales Before Inventory Arrives
Manufacturing delays, customs holds, and long shipping lanes are normal parts of running a store. A pre-order app lets a merchant open orders while a product is still on the water or on the factory floor, so revenue starts flowing before the stock physically sits on a shelf.
Test Product Demand Before Investing in Inventory
Placing a large purchase order is a financial gamble if nobody has confirmed they actually want the product. Pre-orders act as a live demand signal. If a new SKU collects strong pre-order numbers, a merchant has real evidence to size the next production run correctly.
Reduce the Risk of Overstocking
Overstocking ties up cash in products that may need to be discounted later. Pre-order data gives a merchant an early, actual number of committed buyers, which is a far more reliable input for purchasing decisions than a forecast alone.
Create Buzz Around New Product Launches
A pre-order window naturally builds anticipation, which works especially well for fashion brands, electronics, limited-edition drops, beauty launches, seasonal collections, and any kind of scheduled product release.
Improve Customer Engagement
Modern pre-order tools go beyond a simple button. Features like pre-order confirmation messages, expected shipping dates, back-in-stock alerts, email and SMS notifications, and waitlists keep customers informed and reduce support tickets asking “where is my order.”
Improve Cash Flow
Apps that support upfront payment or partial deposits let merchants collect revenue weeks or months before a product ships, which helps fund production or freight costs instead of waiting on cash that has not arrived yet. Shopify itself frames pre-order apps around this exact combination: increasing sales, building excitement, and forecasting demand before stock exists.
What Does the 2026 Market Trend Say About Shopify Pre-Orders?
Shopify’s Pre-Order App Ecosystem Is Growing
The Shopify App Store now carries a dedicated pre-order and back-in-stock category, and the range of tools inside it has expanded well past a basic “coming soon” button. Merchants can now pick from apps built around partial payments, waitlists, automated notifications, presales, and full deposit workflows, all within the same category. That growth reflects how normal Shopify pre order selling has become, moving from a workaround a few brands used during shortages to a standard part of running a store.
Pre-Orders Are Becoming More Than a “Coming Soon” Button
The apps gaining traction in 2026 tend to bundle several jobs into one tool: pre-orders, back-in-stock alerts, waitlists, deposits, and customer notifications all running from a single dashboard instead of four separate apps stitched together.
Partial Payments and Deposits Are Gaining Attention
For expensive or made-to-order products, forcing full payment upfront can quietly kill conversions. That is why more Shopify merchants are actively looking for flexible workflows that let a shopper pay in full, pay a deposit now and the balance later, or lock in a purchase with a small holding payment while production finishes.
Customers Expect Better Transparency
Shoppers are far more comfortable placing a pre-order when a store clearly states the expected delivery window, current pre-order status, payment terms, and its cancellation or refund policy. Vague timelines are one of the fastest ways to trigger support tickets and chargebacks.
The Shopify App Market Is Highly Competitive
The Shopify App Store now lists well over 18,000 published apps, and that number has grown by more than 50 percent year over year according to recent app-store tracking data. That scale makes choosing the right pre-order tool harder, not easier. With this many pre order apps Shopify merchants can pick from, they are not simply choosing “an app,” they are picking a workflow that has to match how their store actually operates, from checkout to fulfillment to customer support.
10 Best Pre-Order Apps for Shopify in 2026
Before the individual breakdowns, here is a quick side-by-side comparison based on current Shopify App Store listings and public reviews.
| App | Shopify Rating | Free Plan | Starting Price/Month | Partial Payment | Back-in-Stock Alerts | Best For |
| STOQ | 5.0/5 (2,900+ reviews) | Yes | $10 | Yes | Yes | All-round flexibility |
| Timesact | 5.0/5 (1,700+ reviews) | Yes | Custom/tiered | Yes | Yes | Large catalogs |
| REZ Preorder | 5.0/5 (1,300+ reviews) | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Waitlists |
| PreOrder Globo | 4.9/5 (1,800+ reviews) | Yes | $19.90 | Yes | Yes | Global/multilingual stores |
| Essent Preorder | 5.0/5 (1,100+ reviews) | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Small stores, easy setup |
| Notify Me! | 4.9/5 (3,400+ reviews) | Yes | Free | No | Yes | Waitlist + wishlist combo |
| Amai PreOrder Manager | 4.4/5 (530+ reviews) | No | $12.95 | Yes | Yes | Presales & launches |
| Downpay | 5.0/5 (80 reviews) | No | $29 | Yes | No | High-ticket, custom products |
| Early Bird | Built for Shopify badge | Yes | Custom/tiered | Yes | Yes | Limited drops & campaigns |
| PreProduct | 5.0/5 | Yes (+ commission) | $15 | Yes | No | DTC pay-later launches |
Note that G2 coverage for Shopify-specific pre-order tools is often thin compared to the Shopify App Store itself, so this table leans on Shopify App Store ratings, which reflect a far larger and more relevant sample of actual merchants using these apps day to day.
STOQ – Best for All-Round Flexibility
STOQ holds a 5.0-star rating across roughly 2,900 reviews and is listed among Shopify’s “Built for Shopify” apps, a badge reserved for tools that meet strict performance and integration standards. Its main draw is flexibility: a merchant can run pay-now pre-orders, deposit-based partial payments, or simple notify-me waitlists from one dashboard.
Key features: pre-order and back-in-stock buttons, partial payment and deposit collection, multi-market inventory support, demand analytics, native integrations with Shopify POS, Flow, Klaviyo, and Omnisend.
Pricing: free plan covering 10 pre-orders and 30 notification emails a month; paid plans range from roughly $10 to $69 a month with no added transaction fees.
Pros: generous free tier, strong review volume, flexible payment models. Cons: higher usage tiers cost more as order volume grows.
Best for: stores that want one app to cover pre-orders, deposits, and back-in-stock in a single setup.
Timesact – Best for Large Catalogs
Timesact is built for merchants running anywhere from a small catalog to tens of thousands of SKUs. It automatically toggles products between pre-order, backorder, and back-in-stock states as inventory levels change, without a merchant manually flipping switches on each listing.
Key features: automated pre-order and restock flow based on livestock levels, partial payment via Shopify Selling Plans, countdown timers, order tagging, and a guided setup call with a support specialist.
Pricing: flat or dynamic monthly pricing based on Shopify plan and order volume; no separate transaction fee on top of subscription cost.
Pros: strong automation for high-SKU stores, responsive human support, no theme code edits required. Cons: more setup depth than a simple plug-in-and-go app.
Best for: apparel, beauty, and electronics brands managing large or fast-changing catalogs.
REZ Preorder, Back In Stock – Best for Waitlists
REZ carries a 5.0-star rating from over 1,300 reviews and focuses heavily on capturing demand through waitlists before converting that interest into actual pre-orders.
Key features: notify-me and pre-order buttons, deposit or partial payment collection, automated back-in-stock emails, and conversion analytics that show demand by product.
Pricing: free plan available, with paid tiers unlocking higher volume and custom branding.
Pros: simple setup, praised support team, useful demand-tracking dashboard. Cons: feature depth is lighter than more automation-heavy competitors.
Best for: stores that want to build and convert restock waitlists without a steep learning curve.
PreOrder Globo | Back in Stock – Best for Global, Multilingual Stores
Globo’s app carries roughly 1,800 reviews at a 4.9-star average and stands out for multilanguage support, which matters for stores selling across several regions from one Shopify storefront.
Key features: pre-order scheduling by date or inventory level, partial payments, multilingual widgets, custom delivery-date messaging, and automatic order tagging.
Pricing: free starter plan for up to 10 pre-sales; paid plans scale up to around $19.90 a month for the full feature set.
Pros: genuinely useful multilingual support, flexible tiered pricing, long track record on the Shopify App Store. Cons: branding removal and higher limits require a paid tier.
Best for: stores selling internationally that need pre-order messaging in more than one language.
Essent Preorder Back in Stock – Best for Small Stores and Easy Setup
Essent has built a 5.0-star rating from over 1,100 reviews largely on the strength of a genuinely simple setup process. Merchants repeatedly mention getting a working pre-order button live within minutes.
Key features: pre-order and presale buttons, back-in-stock waitlist alerts, custom styling to match a store’s theme, and quick embed-based installation.
Pricing: free plan available, with paid upgrades unlocking higher order volume and additional customization.
Pros: very fast setup, highly rated support, clean interface for non-technical merchants. Cons: best suited to simpler pre-order needs rather than complex multi-step deposit flows.
Best for: small or new Shopify stores that want a working pre-order button without a steep setup curve.
Notify Me! Back in Stock Alert – Best for Combined Waitlist and Wishlist
With over 3,400 reviews and a 4.9-star rating, Notify Me! is one of the most widely installed apps in this category, largely because it bundles restock alerts with wishlist functionality in a single tool.
Key features: waitlist and wishlist widgets, pre-order buttons, low-stock counters, and email or SMS restock alerts.
Pricing: free plan available; paid tiers add SMS notifications and higher email volume.
Pros: massive review base for confidence, dual wishlist and waitlist function, straightforward theme integration. Cons: partial payment support is more limited than dedicated deposit-focused apps.
Best for: stores that want restock alerts and a customer wishlist feature working together.
Amai PreOrder Manager + Notify – Best for Presales and Product Launches
Amai’s pre-order tool carries a 4.4-star rating from over 530 reviews and is built around launch-style presale campaigns rather than always-on pre-order buttons.
Key features: auto-scheduled pre-orders based on stock level, replacing “Buy Now” with “Coming Soon” during launch windows, quantity-limited urgency messaging, and 24/7 live chat support.
Pricing: plans start at $12.95 a month with a free trial available.
Pros: clean launch-campaign workflow, useful urgency features, part of a broader Amai app suite for stores already using their other tools. Cons: no permanently free plan.
Best for: brands running scheduled product drops or limited launch windows.
Downpay: Partial Pay & Deposit – Best for High-Ticket, Custom Products
Downpay holds a 5.0-star rating from its review base and is purpose-built for merchants selling expensive, made-to-order, or long-lead-time products where forcing full payment upfront hurts conversion.
Key features: deposit and split-payment collection, stored card on file for automatic balance charging, a self-serve customer portal, and Shopify Flow integrations for automating balance collection.
Pricing: plans start at $29 a month and scale with total order value processed, up to $249 a month for higher-volume stores.
Pros: purpose-built deposit logic, no outside financing or credit checks involved, strong review sentiment. Cons: pricing scales with order value, which can add up quickly for high-ticket catalogs.
Best for: furniture, custom goods, and other high-ticket product lines that need deposit-based checkout.
Early Bird: Preorder & Restock – Best for Limited Drops and Campaigns
Early Bird is structured around time-boxed pre-order campaigns rather than a permanent always-on button, which fits brands that run seasonal drops or scheduled restocks rather than continuous pre-selling.
Key features: campaign-based pre-order setup with specific start and end dates, $0 deposits or partial payment options, automatic deferred balance collection, and delay or early-arrival email updates.
Pricing: free plan available, with paid tiers for higher order volume and advanced automation.
Pros: clear campaign structure, no commission on sales, good fit for seasonal merchandising calendars. Cons: less suited to stores that want pre-order always active on every out-of-stock item.
Best for: fashion drops, seasonal collections, and made-to-order items with defined launch windows.
PreProduct – Best for DTC Pay-Later Launches
PreProduct is built specifically for direct-to-consumer brands running deposit-based or pay-later launches, and it keeps the entire checkout experience inside native Shopify checkout rather than redirecting to a third-party page.
Key features: pay-in-full, pay-later with a stored card, or deposit-based checkout, all processed through Shopify’s own checkout flow, plus reporting on pre-order performance by product.
Pricing: free starter plan with a small commission on orders; paid plans scale for higher-volume brands.
Pros: checkout stays fully native to Shopify, well suited to brands running deferred billing, praised support. Cons: the free tier’s commission structure may cost more than a flat monthly fee once volume grows.
Best for: DTC brands that want deposit or pay-later pre-orders without leaving Shopify’s checkout.
Who Can Benefit from Shopify Pre-Order Apps?
New product launches get to generate demand and revenue before a single unit has shipped. Fashion and apparel brands use pre-orders for limited drops, seasonal lines, and customized pieces, gauging real demand before committing to a production run. Electronics and gadget sellers rely on pre-orders to keep collecting orders through long manufacturing or shipping cycles. Crowdfunded or independent product brands use pre-order numbers as proof of demand to secure early revenue. Small businesses with limited inventory avoid losing a sale simply because a bestseller temporarily ran out. High-ticket or custom product sellers benefit most from apps offering deposits or partial payments, since customers are not forced to pay the full amount before the item even exists.
How Do Pre-Order Apps Benefit Shopify Merchants?
Pre-order tools turn an “out of stock” moment into a potential sale instead of a lost one, and they replace guesswork with real order data when forecasting demand. That data also reduces the risk of ordering more stock than customers actually want. Automated restock and shipping-date notifications keep customers informed without extra staff time, while limited pre-order windows can add genuine urgency around a launch. On the operations side, automation removes a lot of manual work around order tagging, customer notifications, and inventory updates that would otherwise eat into a small team’s day.
How to Choose the Best Pre-Order App for Your Shopify Store?
Finding the best pre order app for Shopify comes down to matching a tool’s payment logic and automation depth to how your store actually runs, not just picking whichever app has the most reviews. Start by identifying your pre-order model. Do customers pay in full upfront, or does the product need a deposit with a balance due later? Are pre-orders limited to specific products, or do you need them running across an entire collection during a drop?
From there, check payment options carefully. Full payment, partial payment, deposits, and automatic balance collection are not all supported equally across apps, and this is often the single biggest differentiator.
Look past the advertised monthly price. Some apps add transaction fees, order limits, or charge extra for premium features like SMS notifications, so the real cost only becomes clear after checking the fine print.
Confirm the app works cleanly with your specific Shopify theme, checkout setup, Shopify Payments, and any email or SMS tools you already run, since a pre-order button that clashes with your theme creates more support headaches than it solves.
Evaluate how the app handles customer communication around order confirmation, estimated shipping dates, delays, and restock updates, since this is what actually keeps customers calm during a wait.
Consider ease of setup realistically. A cheaper app that needs a developer to configure correctly may end up costing more than a slightly pricier app you can set up yourself in an afternoon.
Read recent reviews rather than just the overall star rating, paying attention to recurring comments about support responsiveness, bugs, theme compatibility, and refund handling.
Finally, think about scalability. An app that works fine at 50 pre-orders a month may need a different pricing tier, or a different app entirely, once volume climbs into the thousands.
Which Shopify Pre-Order App Should You Choose?
| If You Need… | Consider… |
| Simple pre-orders | Essent or REZ |
| Pre-orders + back-in-stock alerts | STOQ or PreOrder Globo |
| Partial payments or deposits | Downpay or STOQ |
| Large-volume, high-SKU stores | Timesact |
| Budget-friendly, free-plan option | Essent, REZ, or Notify Me! |
| Product launches and presales | Amai PreOrder Manager |
| Limited-edition drops | Early Bird |
| Pay-later DTC checkout | PreProduct |
| Waitlist plus wishlist combo | Notify Me! |
| Multilingual, global stores | PreOrder Globo |
Final Verdict
There is no single best pre order app Shopify stores can all agree on, and there is no single best pre-order app for every Shopify store. The right pick depends on your store size, product type, payment model, and budget. A free or basic app like Essent or REZ is often enough for a small store running its first pre-order campaign. A growing brand juggling large catalogs, deposits, or international customers will usually get more value from a tool like Timesact, STOQ, or Downpay, where automation and payment flexibility carry more of the operational load. Whichever direction fits your store, test the app on a small batch of products before committing to a long-term plan, since real customer behavior during checkout tells you more than any feature list.
Also read: Pre-order success depends on more than just the checkout button. A slow signup process can quietly cost you conversions, so it’s worth checking our guide to the best social login apps for Shopify, which let shoppers log in with Google, Facebook, or Apple instead of a new password. On the back end, pre-order revenue often lands weeks before a product ships, so it also helps to see our roundup of the best Shopify QuickBooks integration apps to keep deposits and partial payments reconciled without manual entry.
Ready to turn upcoming products into sales? Compare the features, pricing, and integrations of these Shopify pre-order apps and choose the one that best fits your store’s workflow.
