Courses Plus vs Loop Subscriptions Appfor Shopify (2026)
Courses Plus and Loop Subscriptions App, while both existing in the Subscriptions category on Shopify, cater to vastly different business models. Courses Plus is focused on enabling merchants to sell educational content, including online courses, digital downloads, and coaching programs. It provides tools for course creation (including AI-assisted quiz generation), student management, and certification. The Loop Subscriptions App, on the other hand, is designed for businesses selling physical goods or services on a recurring basis. It provides features aimed at boosting subscriber acquisition and retention through flexible bundles, personalized cancellation flows, and robust payment recovery mechanisms. Courses Plus is specifically targeted at educators, coaches, and subject matter experts seeking to monetize their knowledge. Its strength lies in providing a comprehensive platform for creating, delivering, and managing online courses. The Loop Subscriptions App is targeted at businesses that depend on recurring revenue from subscriptions, such as those offering subscription boxes or ongoing services. Its strengths lie in streamlining subscription management, minimizing churn, and maximizing customer lifetime value. While both apps offer subscription capabilities, they solve very different problems for very different merchant types.
At a Glance
Courses Plus
160 reviews
Loop Subscriptions App
503 reviews
Detailed Overview
Courses Plus
Create online courses & digital products with your store. Sell more via bundles and subscriptions
Key Features
- Create and sell your own online courses
- Provide tests and exams with quizzes (AI course and quiz creation available)
- Monitor customers progress and quiz scores, verify students' assignments
- Generate PDF certificates for students who successfully completed your courses
- Offer bundles, membership subscriptions, add managers for team enrollments
Loop Subscriptions App
Boost Subscriber Growth with an All-in-One Subscription App for Smart Offers, Bundles & Cancel Flows
Key Features
- Automation & Workflows: Boost scale, save time & cut errors
- Subscription Bundles & Build-a-Box Options: Lift AOV & loyalty
- Cancellation Flows: Save at-risk subscribers & slash churn
- Customer Portal: Empower users to manage orders, swaps & skips
- Payment Recovery: Auto retries & dunning reclaim lost revenue
Feature Comparison
| Rating | 4.9/5 | 5/5 |
Rating Courses Plus4.9/5 Loop Subscriptions App5/5 | ||
| Reviews | 160 | 503 |
Reviews Courses Plus160 Loop Subscriptions App503 | ||
| Primary Focus | Selling Online Courses & Digital Products | Managing Product/Service Subscriptions |
Primary Focus Courses PlusSelling Online Courses & Digital Products Loop Subscriptions AppManaging Product/Service Subscriptions | ||
| Key Feature: Course Creation | AI Quiz Creation, Student Management, Certificates | N/A (Not Focused on Courses) |
Key Feature: Course Creation Courses PlusAI Quiz Creation, Student Management, Certificates Loop Subscriptions AppN/A (Not Focused on Courses) | ||
| Key Feature: Subscriber Retention | Limited (Bundles and Subscriptions) | Personalized Cancellation Flows, Payment Recovery, Customer Portal |
Key Feature: Subscriber Retention Courses PlusLimited (Bundles and Subscriptions) Loop Subscriptions AppPersonalized Cancellation Flows, Payment Recovery, Customer Portal | ||
| Target Merchant | Educators, Coaches, Digital Content Creators | Businesses with Recurring Product/Service Subscriptions |
Target Merchant Courses PlusEducators, Coaches, Digital Content Creators Loop Subscriptions AppBusinesses with Recurring Product/Service Subscriptions | ||
| Ease of Use (Speculative) | Potentially steeper learning curve for course creation | Likely more straightforward for existing subscription models |
Ease of Use (Speculative) Courses PlusPotentially steeper learning curve for course creation Loop Subscriptions AppLikely more straightforward for existing subscription models | ||
| Value Proposition | Monetize knowledge & build a community | Boost subscription growth & reduce churn |
Value Proposition Courses PlusMonetize knowledge & build a community Loop Subscriptions AppBoost subscription growth & reduce churn | ||
Our Verdict
If you're an educator, coach, or digital content creator looking to sell online courses and digital products, Courses Plus is the clear choice. It offers the specific tools you need to create courses, manage students, and track their progress. The AI-powered quiz creation is a particularly compelling feature.
However, if your business revolves around selling physical products or services on a recurring subscription basis, the Loop Subscriptions App is the better option. Its focus on subscriber acquisition, retention, and payment recovery makes it ideally suited for maximizing recurring revenue and minimizing churn. The strong review count also suggests established reliability and functionality.
Common Questions
Can Courses Plus be used to sell physical products on a subscription?
While Courses Plus offers subscription functionality, its primary focus is on digital content. The Loop Subscriptions App is better suited for physical product subscriptions.
Does Loop Subscriptions App offer any course creation features?
No, Loop Subscriptions App focuses on managing product and service subscriptions, not course creation or digital content management.
Which app is easier to use for a complete beginner?
The Loop Subscriptions App might be slightly easier to pick up if you already have a subscription model in mind, as it focuses on optimizing an existing process. Courses Plus has course creation tools that will have a slight learning curve but also provide great creative benefits. It will depend on what you're more familiar with in your own business.
Which app has better customer support?
Based on the data provided, we cannot determine which app offers better customer support. More reviews often *correlate* with bigger teams that can offer better support, but that's not always guaranteed.
If I sell a blend of physical subscription boxes and access to online courses, which app should I choose?
This is a complex scenario. If the *primary* revenue driver is the physical subscription box, the Loop Subscriptions App is likely the better choice, though you may need to integrate a separate learning management system (LMS) for the course content. If the *primary* revenue comes from the course itself and the subscription box is more supplemental, Courses Plus might be the better option, with adjustments to integrate some subscription box tools if necessary. It's a good idea to try the free trial of both to test which one is a better fit for you.
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