Essential Free Shipping Upsell vs SMART Checkout Rulesfor Shopify (2026)
Essential Free Shipping Upsell and SMART Checkout Rules are both Shopify apps that aim to improve the checkout experience, but they tackle different aspects. Essential Free Shipping Upsell focuses on incentivizing customers to spend more to reach free shipping thresholds, using a progress bar and cart upsells to increase Average Order Value (AOV) and overall sales. Its strength lies in its ability to boost revenue by leveraging the psychology of free shipping and cross-selling/upselling opportunities. This app targets merchants looking to increase their AOV and overall sales through strategic incentives and add-ons. SMART Checkout Rules, on the other hand, centers on providing merchants with granular control over the checkout process itself. It allows for the dynamic adjustment of payment and shipping options based on a variety of conditions, such as customer tags, cart value, or product selection. Its key strength is the ability to customize the checkout flow to suit specific business needs, prevent high-risk orders, and streamline the customer experience for different customer segments. This app is best suited for businesses with complex checkout requirements, B2B operations, or those seeking to mitigate risks associated with certain order types.
At a Glance
Essential Free Shipping Upsell
438 reviews
SMART Checkout Rules
66 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.
SMART Checkout Rules
Control payment, shipping, and discounts with checkout rules for a cleaner, dynamic checkout flow.
Key Features
- Block or hide checkout methods by customer tag, country, value, or products
- Create rules to sort or rename payment and shipping options dynamically
- Prevent high-risk orders or apply logic to block COD, PayPal, or Credit Card
- Streamline checkout flows for B2B, international, or rule-based segments
- Apply smart shipping or discount logic by cart total, tag, or delivery method
Feature Comparison
| Rating | 5/5 | 4.9/5 |
Rating Essential Free Shipping Upsell5/5 SMART Checkout Rules4.9/5 | ||
| Reviews | 438 | 66 |
Reviews Essential Free Shipping Upsell438 SMART Checkout Rules66 | ||
| Primary Goal | Increase AOV through free shipping incentives & cart upsells | Control and customize the checkout flow dynamically |
Primary Goal Essential Free Shipping UpsellIncrease AOV through free shipping incentives & cart upsells SMART Checkout RulesControl and customize the checkout flow dynamically | ||
| Target Merchant | Merchants looking to increase sales and AOV with incentives. | Merchants with complex checkout rules (B2B, high-risk) requiring customization. |
Target Merchant Essential Free Shipping UpsellMerchants looking to increase sales and AOV with incentives. SMART Checkout RulesMerchants with complex checkout rules (B2B, high-risk) requiring customization. | ||
| Key Feature: Conditional Logic | Limited to free shipping threshold; based on order value | Extensive: based on customer tags, country, value, products, and discounts |
Key Feature: Conditional Logic Essential Free Shipping UpsellLimited to free shipping threshold; based on order value SMART Checkout RulesExtensive: based on customer tags, country, value, products, and discounts | ||
| Customization Focus | Customizable free shipping bar & upsell display | Customizable payment and shipping options at checkout. |
Customization Focus Essential Free Shipping UpsellCustomizable free shipping bar & upsell display SMART Checkout RulesCustomizable payment and shipping options at checkout. | ||
| Value Proposition | More sales and profit through upselling and free shipping incentives. | Improved checkout experience & fraud prevention through checkout rules. |
Value Proposition Essential Free Shipping UpsellMore sales and profit through upselling and free shipping incentives. SMART Checkout RulesImproved checkout experience & fraud prevention through checkout rules. | ||
Our Verdict
For merchants primarily concerned with increasing sales and Average Order Value (AOV) through strategic incentives, Essential Free Shipping Upsell is the better choice. Its focus on the free shipping progress bar and cart upsells provides a direct and effective method for encouraging customers to spend more. The higher rating and significantly larger number of reviews also suggest a broader user base and generally positive experience.
However, for businesses with more complex checkout requirements, such as B2B operations, international shipping, or the need to prevent high-risk orders, SMART Checkout Rules is the superior solution. Its ability to dynamically adjust payment and shipping options based on a wide range of conditions offers a level of control and customization that Essential Free Shipping Upsell simply cannot match. Though it has fewer reviews, its focus on checkout flow optimization makes it invaluable for specific business needs.
Common Questions
Does Essential Free Shipping Upsell offer checkout customization beyond the free shipping bar?
Yes, it also offers integrated cart upselling and cross-selling features that directly impact the cart and checkout process by displaying recommended items.
Can SMART Checkout Rules prevent fraudulent orders?
Yes, one of its key features is the ability to prevent high-risk orders by blocking certain payment methods or shipping options based on predefined rules.
Which app is easier to set up and use?
Essential Free Shipping Upsell is likely easier to set up for basic free shipping promotions, while SMART Checkout Rules requires more configuration for complex scenarios.
Does Essential Free Shipping Upsell offer A/B testing for its free shipping bar?
The description doesn't explicitly state A/B testing capabilities. However, it highlights customization options, which allow for testing different visuals and threshold values manually.
Can SMART Checkout Rules be used to offer different shipping rates based on customer segments?
Yes, it can apply smart shipping logic based on cart total, tag, or delivery method, effectively allowing different shipping rates for different customer segments.
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