Shopify Tech Stack by Growth Stage: What 120,017 Stores Install at Every Traffic Tier
We mapped 120,017 Shopify stores to 5 growth stages and tracked which apps, themes, and pixels they adopt at each level. Original data, no recycled stats.
TL;DR:
- 79% of Shopify stores have no review app installed. That's 113,776 stores in our database with zero social proof on their product pages.
- Judge.me dominates with ~14,000 installs (9.8% of all stores), nearly 2.5x the next competitor. It wins every single niche.
- Stores with review apps have 41% higher lead scores (86 vs 61) and run 2.5x more total apps. Shopify Plus stores adopt reviews at 6x the rate of Standard stores.
- Beauty stores lead review adoption at 34%. Hobby and Automotive trail below 19%.
- Loox (~5,600 stores, 3.9%) and Yotpo (~5,400 stores, 3.8%) are nearly tied for second place, but attract very different store profiles.
- Yotpo stores are the most sophisticated: 58% also run Klaviyo, 25% have Yotpo Loyalty, and 13% use Gorgias.
- The biggest prospecting gap? 85% of stores with under 50K monthly visitors have no review app at all.
Every "best Shopify review apps" article gives you the same list. Judge.me, Loox, Yotpo, Stamped. They compare features, show pricing tables, and declare a winner based on opinions.
None of them show you what stores actually use.
We scanned 143,224 Shopify stores and recorded which review apps they have installed. Not which apps have the best feature lists. Not which ones paid for placement in a listicle. Which ones real stores chose, across every niche, traffic tier, and plan level.
The finding that should reframe how you think about this space? 79% of Shopify stores have no review app at all. That's not a rounding error. Nearly four out of five stores have zero social proof on their product pages, despite research showing reviews can increase conversion rates by up to 270%.
If you sell CRO services, Shopify development, or app implementation, those 113,776 stores are your market.
How We Collected This Data
We detect installed apps by scanning each store's public-facing code: JavaScript globals, script URLs, DOM elements, and tracking pixels. Our scanner identifies 72+ apps across categories including reviews, email marketing, loyalty, support, and analytics.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total stores scanned | 143,224 |
| Stores with app data | 143,222 |
| Review apps tracked | Judge.me, Loox, Yotpo, Stamped.io, Okendo, Fera, Reviews.io, Junip, Ryviu, Ali Reviews, Opinew, Growave |
| Detection method | Frontend script analysis (JavaScript, DOM, network requests) |
| Traffic data source | Estimated monthly visitors from multiple signals |
| Categories covered | 15 niches (Beauty, Fashion, Food & Beverage, etc.) |
What we can detect: Any review app that loads client-side scripts, widgets, or injects DOM elements on the storefront. This includes all major players: Judge.me, Loox, Yotpo, Stamped.io, Okendo, Fera, Reviews.io, Junip, and review import tools like Ryviu, Ali Reviews, and Opinew.
What we cannot detect: Shopify's deprecated Product Reviews app (removed from the App Store in May 2024), apps installed but not active on the storefront, and review widgets loaded via server-side rendering only. Our numbers are conservative. Actual review app adoption may be slightly higher than 21%.
The State of Review Apps on Shopify
Here's the headline: the vast majority of Shopify stores don't have a review app.
| Status | Stores | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Has review app | 29,446 | 20.6% |
| No review app detected | 113,776 | 79.4% |
Nearly four out of five Shopify stores have no detectable review app. Compare that to email marketing, where 62% of stores lack an email app. Reviews are even more under-adopted than email, despite being one of the simplest CRO wins available.
For context: the Spiegel Research Center found that displaying reviews increases conversion rates by up to 270%, with the effect strongest for higher-priced products. BrightLocal's 2024 survey found that 77% of consumers "always" or "regularly" read online reviews when browsing for local businesses.
This isn't just interesting data. It's a prospecting opportunity. If you're a Shopify agency pitching CRO services, a consultant recommending tech stacks, or a SaaS company building review tools, those 113,776 stores need what you offer. You can filter stores by review app status in the StoreInspect dashboard.
Top Shopify Review Apps by Actual Adoption
Here's what 143,224 stores actually use. We've consolidated duplicate detection entries (some apps appear under multiple script signatures) to show true adoption.
| Rank | App | Stores | % of All Stores | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Judge.me | ~14,100 | 9.8% | Best overall, strongest free plan |
| 2 | Loox | ~5,600 | 3.9% | Photo and video reviews |
| 3 | Yotpo Reviews | ~5,400 | 3.8% | Enterprise, integrated loyalty + reviews |
| 4 | Stamped.io | ~3,300 | 2.3% | Mid-market, NPS surveys |
| 5 | Reviews.io | ~800 | 0.6% | Google Seller Ratings integration |
| 6 | Fera | ~770 | 0.5% | Multi-platform review aggregation |
| 7 | Junip | ~590 | 0.4% | Clean UX, headless-friendly |
| 8 | Ryviu | 520 | 0.4% | AliExpress review imports |
| 9 | Growave | 504 | 0.4% | All-in-one (reviews + loyalty + wishlist) |
| 10 | Ali Reviews | 360 | 0.3% | AliExpress/Amazon review imports |
| 11 | Okendo | ~350 | 0.2% | Enterprise, attribute-based reviews |
| 12 | Opinew | 294 | 0.2% | Review imports + automation |
The takeaway: Judge.me isn't just the most popular review app on Shopify. It's nearly 2.5 times more popular than the second-place option (Loox). The gap between Judge.me and every other app is enormous.
Loox and Yotpo are effectively tied for second (3.9% vs 3.8%), but they serve very different audiences. Loox focuses on photo reviews and visual social proof. Yotpo is an enterprise platform with integrated loyalty, SMS, and subscriptions.
Stamped.io holds a solid fourth place at 2.3%, then there's a significant drop to the rest of the field. Reviews.io, Fera, Junip, and Okendo are all under 1%.
Judge.me vs Loox vs Yotpo: What the Data Shows
Instead of comparing feature checklists, here's what the data reveals about the stores that choose each platform.
Store Sophistication by Review App
The apps co-installed alongside each review platform tell you what kind of store chooses it.
| Metric | Judge.me Stores | Loox Stores | Yotpo Stores |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total stores | ~14,100 | ~5,600 | ~5,400 |
| Use Klaviyo | 39% | 51% | 58% |
| Use Gorgias (support) | 3.6% | 5.0% | 13.3% |
| Use Rebuy (upsell) | 2.8% | 3.9% | 9.1% |
| Use Smile.io (loyalty) | 9.3% | 8.3% | 6.8% |
| Use Yotpo Loyalty | 1.3% | - | 24.6% |
| Use Attentive (SMS) | 1.6% | 2.5% | 8.4% |
| Use Afterpay | 4.6% | 6.1% | 7.8% |
What this reveals:
-
Yotpo stores are the most sophisticated. 58% run Klaviyo (vs 39% for Judge.me), 13% use Gorgias for support, 9% have Rebuy for upselling, and 8% use enterprise SMS (Attentive). These stores invest heavily in their entire retention stack.
-
Loox stores sit in the middle. 51% use Klaviyo, and they index higher on loyalty apps (8.3% on Smile.io) and support tools (5% on Gorgias) than Judge.me stores.
-
Judge.me stores are more price-conscious but still serious. They have the highest Smile.io adoption (9.3%), which makes sense: both Judge.me and Smile.io offer strong free plans. The budget-friendly retention stack.
The Three Market Tiers
The data reveals three distinct tiers in the review app market:
1. The Value Champion: Judge.me Judge.me's free plan is genuinely useful: unlimited review requests, review widget, star ratings in Google, and basic customization. Stores that want reviews without a monthly bill choose Judge.me. It's also the default recommendation from most Shopify development agencies.
2. The Visual Specialists: Loox and Stamped.io Loox has carved a niche with photo and video reviews. Stamped.io offers a broader feature set including NPS surveys and checkout reviews. Both attract mid-market stores willing to pay for better presentation.
3. The Enterprise Platform: Yotpo and Okendo Yotpo offers reviews + loyalty + SMS + subscriptions in one ecosystem. Okendo provides attribute-based reviews and deep Klaviyo integration. Both target large DTC brands with custom pricing.
Review Adoption by Store Size
Bigger stores are more likely to have review apps, but adoption never reaches even 50%.
| Traffic Tier | Stores | With Review App | Adoption Rate | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 50K/mo | 62,936 | 9,712 | 15.4% | 84.6% |
| 50K-200K/mo | 14,669 | 3,549 | 24.2% | 75.8% |
| 200K-1M/mo | 63,651 | 15,594 | 24.5% | 75.5% |
| 1M-5M/mo | 984 | 333 | 33.8% | 66.2% |
| 5M-20M/mo | 886 | 245 | 27.7% | 72.3% |
The pattern: Review adoption climbs with store size but peaks at the 1M-5M tier (34%), then actually drops at 5M-20M (28%). That dip at the top likely reflects enterprise brands building custom review solutions or using platforms like Bazaarvoice that we don't detect through frontend scanning.
For agencies, the sweet spot is the 50K-1M tier. These stores have enough traffic to generate organic reviews but 75% still don't have a review app. That's over 59,000 stores in our database that could benefit from social proof.
How Market Leaders Choose by Size
App preferences shift with store size:
| Traffic Tier | #1 App | #2 App | #3 App |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 50K | Judge.me (8%) | Yotpo (3%) | Loox (3%) |
| 50K-200K | Judge.me (10%) | Yotpo (5%) | Loox (5%) |
| 200K-1M | Judge.me (12%) | Yotpo (4%) | Loox (5%) |
| 1M-5M | Judge.me (11%) | Yotpo (10%) | Loox (7%) |
| 5M-20M | Judge.me (10%) | Yotpo (9%) | Loox (4%) |
Yotpo closes the gap at the top. Among stores with 1M+ monthly visitors, Yotpo nearly matches Judge.me (10% vs 11%). At lower traffic tiers, Judge.me's free plan gives it a commanding lead. This confirms Yotpo's positioning as the enterprise choice: stores that reach scale gravitate toward its integrated platform.
Which Niches Invest Most in Reviews
Review adoption varies dramatically by industry.
| Niche | Stores | Review Adoption | #1 App | Gap (No Reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beauty | 10,893 | 34.4% | Judge.me (15.5%) | 65.6% |
| Health & Wellness | 7,038 | 29.9% | Judge.me (12.6%) | 70.1% |
| Baby & Kids | 2,965 | 27.0% | Judge.me (13.5%) | 73.0% |
| Pets | 2,405 | 25.4% | Judge.me (12.1%) | 74.6% |
| Outdoor & Adventure | 4,254 | 23.6% | Judge.me (10.5%) | 76.4% |
| Electronics | 4,545 | 22.6% | Judge.me (11.7%) | 77.4% |
| Food & Beverage | 14,090 | 21.9% | Judge.me (10.5%) | 78.1% |
| Travel & Luggage | 519 | 20.4% | Judge.me (8.5%) | 79.6% |
| Sports & Fitness | 6,199 | 20.3% | Judge.me (9.5%) | 79.7% |
| Home & Garden | 18,912 | 19.9% | Judge.me (10.0%) | 80.1% |
| Jewelry | 10,382 | 19.7% | Judge.me (10.3%) | 80.3% |
| Fashion | 35,152 | 18.9% | Judge.me (8.7%) | 81.1% |
| Automotive | 2,846 | 18.1% | Judge.me (9.3%) | 81.9% |
| Hobby | 9,584 | 14.7% | Judge.me (8.1%) | 85.3% |
Three patterns stand out:
-
Beauty leads by a wide margin. One-third of Beauty stores have a review app, double the rate of Fashion or Automotive. This makes sense: beauty is a high-consideration, high-repeat-purchase category where social proof directly drives conversions. If you're pitching CRO services to beauty brands, reviews are the obvious starting point.
-
Judge.me wins every single niche. There's no category where a competitor takes the lead. This is different from email marketing, where Mailchimp beats Klaviyo in the Hobby niche. Judge.me's free plan gives it universal appeal across store sizes and verticals.
-
Fashion has surprisingly low adoption (19%). Despite being the largest niche in our database (35,152 stores), only 19% have a review app. Given how important customer photos and sizing feedback are for fashion purchasing decisions, this represents a massive opportunity. That's 28,500+ fashion stores without product reviews.
What Stores Without Reviews Look Like
We compared stores with and without review apps across key metrics.
| Metric | With Review App | Without Review App | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average lead score | 86.2 | 61.3 | +41% |
| Average apps installed | 3.3 | 1.3 | +154% |
| Average tracking pixels | 6.5 | 4.0 | +63% |
| Average products | 1,939 | 1,676 | +16% |
| Shopify Plus rate | 92.6% | 61.3% | +31pp |
| High traffic (1M+) share | 2.0% | 1.1% | +0.9pp |
Stores with review apps aren't just bigger. They're more invested across every dimension. They run 2.5 times more apps, track 63% more pixels, and score 41% higher on our lead fit scoring system.
The Shopify Plus gap is particularly striking: 93% of stores with review apps are on Shopify Plus, compared to 61% without. This doesn't mean review apps cause stores to upgrade. It means serious stores invest in everything: better plans, more apps, more tracking, and yes, reviews.
If you're building prospect lists, filtering for "has review app" is a quick way to find stores that spend money on tools. Filtering for "no review app + high traffic" finds stores that need your help.
Shopify Plus vs Standard: Review App Adoption
The gap between Shopify Plus and Standard stores is dramatic.
| Segment | Total Stores | With Review App | Adoption Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify Plus | 96,967 | 27,264 | 28.1% |
| Standard Shopify | 46,255 | 2,182 | 4.7% |
Shopify Plus stores adopt reviews at 6x the rate of Standard stores. Among Plus stores, Judge.me leads at 13.4%, followed by Loox and Yotpo tied at 5.2%, then Stamped.io at 3.2%.
On Standard Shopify, overall review adoption is just 4.7%. Judge.me still leads (2.4%), but the numbers are small across the board. This aligns with what we see in the co-occurrence data: review apps are part of a broader investment pattern. Stores on Standard Shopify tend to run fewer apps overall.
The Review App Tech Stack: What Top Stores Run Together
Review apps don't exist in isolation. The best-performing stores pair reviews with email marketing, loyalty programs, and support tools. Here are the most common combinations.
Review + Email Marketing (Most Common Pairings)
| Stack | Stores |
|---|---|
| Judge.me + Klaviyo | 5,381 |
| Loox + Klaviyo | 2,573 |
| Yotpo Reviews + Klaviyo | 2,366 |
| Stamped.io + Klaviyo | 1,491 |
| Judge.me + Mailchimp | 1,272 |
| Judge.me + Omnisend | 664 |
| Yotpo Reviews + Mailchimp | 550 |
Klaviyo dominates the email side of these pairings. The Judge.me + Klaviyo combination (5,381 stores) is the single most popular review + email stack in our database. This makes sense: Judge.me sends review request emails that feed into Klaviyo's automation flows. Both have generous free tiers, making them the go-to budget retention stack.
How Review Apps Fit Into Retention Stacks
From our email marketing study, we know the most common full retention stacks:
| Reviews | Loyalty | Stores | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Klaviyo | Yotpo Reviews | Yotpo Loyalty | 669 |
| Klaviyo | Judge.me | Smile.io | 643 |
| Klaviyo | Loox | Smile.io | 240 |
| Attentive | Yotpo Reviews | Yotpo Loyalty | 190 |
| Klaviyo | Yotpo Reviews | Smile.io | 176 |
Two dominant patterns:
- The Yotpo ecosystem: Stores that pick Yotpo Reviews tend to add Yotpo Loyalty (25% do). Keeping reviews and loyalty in one ecosystem simplifies integrations.
- The budget stack: Klaviyo + Judge.me + Smile.io (643 stores). All three have strong free tiers. This is the affordable retention stack that punches above its weight.
How to Choose the Right Review App
Based on the data and ecosystem analysis, here's a practical framework:
Choose Judge.me if:
- You want the best free plan in the market (unlimited review requests, Google rich snippets)
- You're just starting out or budget-conscious
- You plan to pair with Klaviyo, Smile.io, or other apps with free tiers
- You want the widest Shopify compatibility and fastest setup
- Budget: Free (Forever Free plan) or $15/mo for Awesome plan
Choose Loox if:
- Visual social proof matters for your product (beauty, fashion, food)
- Photo and video reviews are central to your conversion strategy
- You want referral features built into your review system
- Budget: $9.99/mo (Beginner) to $299.99/mo (Unlimited)
Choose Yotpo if:
- You're an established brand ready to invest in a full retention platform
- You want reviews + loyalty + SMS in one integrated ecosystem
- You have the budget and team to configure an enterprise tool
- You already use (or plan to use) Yotpo Loyalty
- Budget: Free (limited) or custom enterprise pricing
Choose Stamped.io if:
- You want NPS surveys alongside product reviews
- Checkout reviews and customizable widgets matter to you
- You're mid-market (not budget, not enterprise)
- Budget: Free (limited) to $149/mo (Business)
Choose Okendo if:
- Attribute-based reviews (fit, quality, value) are important for your products
- You need deep Klaviyo integration with review data flowing into email segments
- You're on Shopify Plus with a dedicated development team
- Budget: Custom enterprise pricing
Start with any review app if:
- You currently have none. The gap between "no reviews" and "any reviews" is far larger than the gap between Judge.me and Yotpo. Based on conversion research, adding reviews to product pages can increase conversions by 65-270% depending on product category and price point.
Prospecting Angles: Finding Stores That Need Reviews
If you sell CRO services, Shopify development, or review app implementation, this data tells you exactly where to look.
The Low-Hanging Fruit
Stores with 50K-1M traffic but no review app: 59,177 stores in our database. These stores have proven traffic and real customers generating orders, but no system to collect and display reviews. They're actively leaving conversions on the table.
Fashion stores without reviews: 28,500+ stores. Fashion is the largest niche in our database and has relatively low review adoption (19%). Customer photos and sizing feedback directly impact fashion purchase decisions.
Stores running Klaviyo but no review app: Klaviyo + reviews is the most natural pairing in Shopify. If a store has invested in email marketing but skipped reviews, they're missing the review request emails that drive the highest review volume. These are warm prospects who already invest in their tech stack.
By Niche Opportunity
Hobby stores (85% gap): Only 15% have a review app. If you specialize in hobby or craft ecommerce, this vertical is wide open.
Automotive stores (82% gap): Nearly four out of five auto parts stores have no reviews. Parts compatibility and fitment feedback are critical for automotive purchases, making this a particularly strong pitch.
Jewelry stores (80% gap): Jewelry is a high-consideration, high-AOV category where reviews significantly impact purchase confidence. Only 20% of jewelry stores have a review app despite the category's natural fit.
You can find stores matching these criteria in the StoreInspect dashboard by filtering on app presence, traffic tier, and category.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular review app for Shopify?
Judge.me is the most popular with approximately 14,100 installations across 143,224 stores (9.8% adoption). Loox is second at ~5,600 stores (3.9%), Yotpo third at ~5,400 stores (3.8%). Judge.me wins every single niche category in our database, from Beauty to Automotive.
How many Shopify stores use a review app?
Only 20.6% of Shopify stores have a detectable review app (29,446 out of 143,224 in our dataset). The other 79.4% (113,776 stores) have no review tool on their storefront. This makes reviews the most under-adopted CRO tool in the Shopify ecosystem, behind even email marketing (38% adoption).
Is Judge.me better than Loox for Shopify?
It depends on your priorities. Judge.me has the best free plan in the market (unlimited review requests, Google rich snippets, no product limits) and 2.5x more installations than Loox. Loox specializes in photo and video reviews with stronger visual presentation. If budget matters, Judge.me. If visual social proof is critical for your product category, Loox.
Is Judge.me really free?
Yes. Judge.me's Forever Free plan includes unlimited review requests, a review widget, star ratings for Google rich snippets, and manual social push. The paid Awesome plan ($15/mo) adds photo reviews, Q&A, coupons for reviewers, and custom forms. Many stores run successfully on the free plan, which partly explains Judge.me's market dominance.
Which review app do enterprise Shopify stores use?
Among stores with 1M+ monthly visitors, Yotpo nearly matches Judge.me (10% vs 11%). Yotpo's integrated platform (reviews + loyalty + SMS) appeals to enterprise brands with larger budgets. Okendo also gains share at the enterprise level, valued for its attribute-based reviews and deep Klaviyo integration. Stamped.io holds steady at 2-3% across all tiers.
Do review apps increase Shopify conversions?
Research from the Spiegel Research Center shows displaying reviews can increase conversion rates by 65-270%, with the effect strongest for higher-priced products. In our data, stores with review apps have 41% higher lead scores and run 2.5x more total apps, indicating they invest in growth more broadly.
What happened to Shopify's built-in Product Reviews app?
Shopify removed the Product Reviews app from the App Store in May 2024 and will discontinue it entirely by May 2025. Stores still using it need to migrate. Our data shows the market has consolidated around Judge.me (for budget stores) and Yotpo/Loox (for mid-market and enterprise). If you're still on the deprecated Shopify app, Judge.me offers a free import tool.
Which Shopify niches have the highest review app adoption?
Beauty leads at 34.4%, followed by Health & Wellness (29.9%), Baby & Kids (27.0%), and Pets (25.4%). These are all high-consideration, repeat-purchase categories where social proof directly impacts buying decisions. Hobby (14.7%) and Automotive (18.1%) have the lowest adoption despite strong use cases for reviews.
Can I use Judge.me with Klaviyo?
Yes, and it's the most popular review + email combination in our dataset (5,381 stores). Judge.me sends review request emails that integrate with Klaviyo's automation flows. You can trigger Klaviyo flows based on review events and include review content in email campaigns. The Loox + Klaviyo (2,573 stores) and Yotpo + Klaviyo (2,366 stores) pairings are also common.
Which review app is best for photo reviews?
Loox is purpose-built for photo and video reviews, and stores that prioritize visual social proof tend to choose it. Loox stores have the highest co-installation rate with visual-oriented apps. Judge.me also supports photo reviews on its paid plan ($15/mo). Yotpo and Stamped.io include photo reviews in their premium tiers.
How do review apps affect Shopify store speed?
Review apps load JavaScript widgets on product pages, which adds some page weight. The impact varies by app. Judge.me is known for lightweight widgets. Yotpo and Loox load larger scripts for their richer widget experiences. If page speed is a primary concern, check your Core Web Vitals before and after installation. The conversion lift from reviews typically outweighs the minor speed impact.
How can I find Shopify stores that need a review app?
Use a Shopify store database with app filtering. Filter for stores with no review app plus meaningful traffic (50K+ monthly visitors). There are over 59,000 stores matching this criteria in our database. You can further narrow by niche, Shopify Plus status, or existing tech stack to find the best-fit prospects.
Key Findings Summary
| Finding | Data Point |
|---|---|
| Stores with no review app | 79.4% (113,776 stores) |
| #1 review app (Judge.me) | 9.8% adoption (~14,100 stores) |
| #2 review app (Loox) | 3.9% adoption (~5,600 stores) |
| #3 review app (Yotpo) | 3.8% adoption (~5,400 stores) |
| #4 review app (Stamped.io) | 2.3% adoption (~3,300 stores) |
| Lead score: review users vs non-users | 86 vs 61 (+41%) |
| Apps installed: review users vs non-users | 3.3 vs 1.3 (+154%) |
| Highest adoption niche | Beauty (34.4%) |
| Lowest adoption niche | Hobby (14.7%) |
| Shopify Plus review adoption | 28.1% (vs 4.7% Standard) |
| Most common review + email stack | Judge.me + Klaviyo (5,381 stores) |
| Biggest gap by traffic tier | Under 50K (85% have no review app) |
| Stores with 50K-1M traffic, no review app | ~59,000 stores |
Find Shopify Clients Worth Your Time
Search by niche, traffic, and tech stack. Export with verified emails.
![Best Shopify Popup Apps in 2026 [191,742-Store Study]](/images/blog/best-shopify-popup-apps.webp)
![How Many Shopify Stores Are There in 2026? [183,417-Store Analysis]](/images/blog/how-many-shopify-stores-are-there.webp)