Essential Free Shipping Upsell vs Essential Upsell & Cross Sellfor Shopify (2026)
Both Essential Free Shipping Upsell and Essential Upsell & Cross Sell are highly rated Shopify apps designed to increase Average Order Value (AOV) through upselling and cross-selling strategies. However, they cater to slightly different merchant needs and priorities. Essential Free Shipping Upsell primarily focuses on leveraging the psychology of free shipping to incentivize customers to add more items to their cart. It uses a progress bar to visually show customers how close they are to qualifying for free shipping, encouraging them to reach the threshold. It also includes basic cart upsell functionality. Essential Upsell & Cross Sell, on the other hand, takes a broader approach to upselling and cross-selling across the entire customer journey, from product page to cart and even post-purchase. Essential Upsell & Cross Sell emphasizes a wider variety of upsell and cross-sell techniques like frequently bought together (FBT) product recommendations, product bundles, and one-click upsells. It includes advanced features such as post-purchase upsell discounts and automatic promotions. This makes it more suitable for merchants seeking a comprehensive solution encompassing various strategies beyond just free shipping incentives. The higher number of reviews for Essential Upsell & Cross Sell (1004 vs 438) suggests it has a larger user base and potentially more established market presence.
At a Glance
Essential Free Shipping Upsell
438 reviews
Essential Upsell & Cross Sell
1,004 reviews
Detailed Overview
Essential Free Shipping Upsell
Increase Profits, AOV & Sales With A Free Shipping Progress Bar Cart Goal and Cart Upsell.
Key Features
- Placed Anywhere: product page, cart page, cart drawer, or as an announcement bar
- Boosts Average Order Value: add product upsells, cross-sells & cart upsell.
- Revenue-Oriented: track additional revenue generated by free shipping bar.
- Highly Customisable: customise cart goal progress bar or use pre-made styles.
- Extras: translations, different currencies and Online Store 2.0 themes support.
Essential Upsell & Cross Sell
One click upsell and cross sell. Show frequently bought together product upsell & related products.
Key Features
- Show frequently bought products (FBT), related products, product recommendations
- Post purchase upsell & cross sell: Product addons, bought together bundles
- Automatic discount promotions: Add discounts to upsell & "also bought" products
- Product page upsell: Add one click upsell & cross-sell products & BOGO bundles
- Cart upsell: Add upsell cart app, cross-sell & product add-ons to cart drawer
Feature Comparison
| Rating | 5/5 | 5/5 |
Rating Essential Free Shipping Upsell5/5 Essential Upsell & Cross Sell5/5 | ||
| Reviews | 438 | 1004 |
Reviews Essential Free Shipping Upsell438 Essential Upsell & Cross Sell1004 | ||
| Primary Focus | Free Shipping Incentive | General Upsell & Cross-sell |
Primary Focus Essential Free Shipping UpsellFree Shipping Incentive Essential Upsell & Cross SellGeneral Upsell & Cross-sell | ||
| Upsell Techniques | Free shipping progress bar, basic cart upsell | FBT, Related Products, Bundles, Post-Purchase Upsell, One-Click Upsell |
Upsell Techniques Essential Free Shipping UpsellFree shipping progress bar, basic cart upsell Essential Upsell & Cross SellFBT, Related Products, Bundles, Post-Purchase Upsell, One-Click Upsell | ||
| Customization | Cart goal progress bar customization | Customizable widgets, promotion rules |
Customization Essential Free Shipping UpsellCart goal progress bar customization Essential Upsell & Cross SellCustomizable widgets, promotion rules | ||
| Target Merchant | Merchants prioritizing AOV increase through free shipping threshold strategy. | Merchants seeking a broad suite of upsell/cross-sell tools across the customer journey. |
Target Merchant Essential Free Shipping UpsellMerchants prioritizing AOV increase through free shipping threshold strategy. Essential Upsell & Cross SellMerchants seeking a broad suite of upsell/cross-sell tools across the customer journey. | ||
| Ease of Use (Inferred) | Potentially simpler setup due to focused feature set. | Potentially steeper learning curve due to wider range of features. |
Ease of Use (Inferred) Essential Free Shipping UpsellPotentially simpler setup due to focused feature set. Essential Upsell & Cross SellPotentially steeper learning curve due to wider range of features. | ||
| Value Proposition | Increase AOV by incentivizing purchases through free shipping offers. | Increase AOV by utilizing various upselling and cross-selling techniques throughout the customer experience. |
Value Proposition Essential Free Shipping UpsellIncrease AOV by incentivizing purchases through free shipping offers. Essential Upsell & Cross SellIncrease AOV by utilizing various upselling and cross-selling techniques throughout the customer experience. | ||
Our Verdict
If your primary goal is to strategically leverage free shipping to boost AOV, Essential Free Shipping Upsell is likely the better choice. Its focused feature set simplifies implementation and focuses on a proven tactic. It is also ideal for stores with a relatively small product catalog. However, if you're looking for a more comprehensive upselling and cross-selling solution with a wider range of features, Essential Upsell & Cross Sell offers a more robust and versatile toolset, suitable for stores of all sizes. Merchants looking for post-purchase upsells or product bundling should opt for Essential Upsell & Cross Sell.
Common Questions
Which app is easier to set up?
Essential Free Shipping Upsell is likely easier to set up due to its more focused feature set. Essential Upsell & Cross Sell, while powerful, likely requires more configuration to fully utilize its range of features.
Which app offers post-purchase upsell opportunities?
Essential Upsell & Cross Sell explicitly offers post-purchase upsell and cross-sell functionalities, while Essential Free Shipping Upsell does not mention this feature.
Which app is better for stores with a small product catalog?
Essential Free Shipping Upsell would likely be more effective, as a cart goal is only truly effective if a customer can easily add to their cart.
Can both apps be used together?
While technically possible, using both apps together might create a confusing user experience. It's best to choose the app that best aligns with your overall upselling strategy.
Which app is better for increasing AOV?
Both can increase AOV, but they do so through different mechanisms. Essential Free Shipping Upsell leverages free shipping incentives, while Essential Upsell & Cross Sell utilizes a broader range of upselling and cross-selling techniques. The 'better' app depends on the specific characteristics of your store and customer base.
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