Side-by-side comparison · 24 data points
Notify customers by restock alert when items are back in stock & create an out-of-stock waitlist.
| Back In Stock! Alert Engine | Shopify Messaging | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | ||
| Description | ||
| Screenshots | images | images |
| Languages | ||
| Platforms | ||
| Developer | ||
| Listed |
Reach more customers and drive sales through email, SMS, and WhatsApp marketing channels.
| Metric | Back In Stock! Alert Engine | Shopify Messaging |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.9 ★ | 4.7 ★ |
| Total reviews | 23 | ★ 4.5k |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing | Free plan available | Free to install |
| Built for Shopify | — | — |
| Pricing tiers | ★ 4 tiers | 1 tier |
| Listed features | 5 | 5 |
| Featured placements | — | 3 |
| Languages | 1 supported | 21 supported |
| Listed since | Dec 2024 | Apr 2020 |
Back In Stock! Alert Engine edges out Shopify Messaging on rating (4.9★ vs 4.7★), but the gap is small enough that pricing fit and feature differentiation should drive the decision more than the headline number.
Pricing entry tiers: Back In Stock! Alert Engine at Free plan available, Shopify Messaging at Free to install. Check each app's tier structure for the capacity limits you actually need before deciding — the headline number is the same shape, but the gating shape per tier (seats, usage volume, integrations) varies.
Shopify Messaging has the larger user base (4,467 reviews vs 23), which usually maps to broader integration coverage, faster bug-fix cadence, and a deeper bench of community workflow patterns. Back In Stock! Alert Engine's smaller cohort can be an advantage for niche workflows where the bigger app has accumulated bloat.
Recommended by size: small/early-stage merchants who need fast install and low risk should default to Back In Stock! Alert Engine; mid-market and enterprise merchants with specific feature requirements should evaluate both — Shopify Messaging's 4,467-review base may include the workflow context that matches your specific use case better than Back In Stock! Alert Engine's broader-but-shallower coverage.
This verdict is generated from the live marketplace data on this page — rating, review count, pricing tier, and category position all refresh from the canonical Shopify App Store listing every 24 hours. AppRanks does not accept payment to influence comparison outcomes; the methodology is documented on the About page and applies identically to every pair on the site.
Read each app's audit: Back In Stock! Alert Engine audit • Shopify Messaging audit
| Last updated | — | — |
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| Keyword | Back In Stock! Alert Engine | Shopify Messaging |
|---|---|---|
| email and | #24 | #16 |
| #58 | #2 |
Not featured in any section recently.
Both Back In Stock! Alert Engine and Shopify Messaging offer paid plans only. Back In Stock! Alert Engine starts at Free plan available; Shopify Messaging starts at Free to install. Compare the per-tier features in the Pricing section above before committing.
Back In Stock! Alert Engine has the higher average rating (4.9★ from 23 reviews) compared to Shopify Messaging (4.7★ from 4,467 reviews). Both are tracked daily by AppRanks, so the figures here update each refresh cycle.
Back In Stock! Alert Engine holds the higher average rating (4.9★ vs 4.7★). That is the one dimension AppRanks can separate them on here — read both apps' detail pages for the feature breakdown and recent listing changes.
Both apps are one-click installs from the Shopify App Store. Shopify Messaging has the deeper published review base (4,467 vs 23), which often — though not always — accompanies better-tested setup docs. AppRanks doesn't measure setup time directly: read the recent reviews on each app's detail page for user-reported install experience.
Back In Stock! Alert Engine typically suits early-stage and growth-mode teams based on its published review base (23 reviews). Shopify Messaging typically suits early-stage and growth-mode teams based on its published review base (4,467 reviews). A larger review base generally means the app has been exercised at scale — relevant if you are processing high volume or handling enterprise compliance requirements.
Migration support varies by app and category. Back In Stock! Alert Engine and Shopify Messaging both publish their export options on their marketplace listing pages (or in their support docs); some apps offer one-click import from competitors, others require CSV. The fastest check: search "import from Back In Stock! Alert Engine" in each app's help center. AppRanks does not track migration tooling directly — this is a category-specific capability worth verifying before commitment.
