How to Check Shopify Store Traffic [7 Methods + 23,619-Store Study]

TL;DR: You can't see exact traffic for any Shopify store - but you can estimate it. We analyzed 23,619 stores and found that stores with 1M+ monthly visitors average 4.4 apps vs 2.2 for stores under 10k. Tech stack is your best indirect signal. Use a Shopify store database to filter by traffic tier, or check any store's traffic signals with the free Store Inspector extension.

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You want to check a Shopify store's traffic. Maybe you're researching competitors. Maybe you're an agency looking for leads. Maybe you're thinking about buying a store.

Here's what most guides won't tell you: traffic tools are less accurate than they claim. This is especially true for Shopify stores under 100k monthly visitors.

In this guide, we'll show you seven ways to estimate Shopify store traffic. We rank them by accuracy and share original data from 23,619 stores. You'll learn which signals connect to traffic - and which ones don't.

Important distinction: This guide focuses on estimating competitor traffic. If you want to check your own store's traffic, just go to Shopify Admin → Analytics → Overview. You have exact data there. See Shopify's analytics guide for more.

Why Check Shopify Store Traffic?

Before we get into methods, here's why people want to know competitor traffic:

Pick the method that fits what you're trying to do. Quick competitor check? Free tools work fine. Buying a store for six figures? Use multiple methods to double-check.

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The Accuracy Problem (Read This First)

Every traffic tool claims to be accurate. SimilarWeb says their data is "highly accurate." SEMrush promises "reliable traffic estimates." But independent studies have found big gaps between estimates and real numbers. Here's the reality:

How accurate are these tools really?

Why traffic tools struggle with Shopify stores:

1. Limited data - Tools like SimilarWeb guess based on people who use their browser extensions. Small sites have very few of these users to learn from.
2. Direct traffic is invisible - Repeat customers who type the URL don't show up in the data.
3. Email traffic is hidden - A store getting 40% of visits from Klaviyo emails won't show that in most tools.
4. Mobile app traffic varies - Some stores get lots of app traffic that tools miss.
5. Seasonality - A store's December traffic might be 5x their June traffic.

Bottom line: Use traffic estimates to compare stores ("Store A is bigger than Store B"), not for exact numbers. Always double-check with other signs.

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7 Ways to Estimate Shopify Store Traffic

Method 1: SimilarWeb (Industry Standard)

Accuracy: 30-50% | Cost: Free tier / $125+/mo | Best for: Stores over 100k visitors

SimilarWeb is what investors, journalists, and analysts use. When someone quotes a store's traffic, it probably came from here.

How to use it:

1. Go to similarweb.com
2. Enter the store's domain
3. See monthly visits, traffic sources, and top countries

What you get (free tier):

• Total monthly visits (estimate)
• Traffic trend (last 3 months)
• Where traffic comes from
• Top countries
• Bounce rate and pages per visit

Example: Checking allbirds.com shows ~3M monthly visits, 45% from the US, with organic search as the top channel.

Strengths:

• Industry standard, widely trusted
• Works well for larger stores (100k+)
• Shows where traffic comes from
• Free tier gives basic data

Limitations:

• Gets much less accurate under 100k visitors
• Free tier limited to 5 lookups/day
• Paid plans start at $125/month
• Doesn't show Shopify-specific data

Pro tip: If SimilarWeb shows "Not enough data," the store likely has under 10k monthly visitors. That's still useful info.

When to use it: Your first stop for any store. Get the rough number, then check with other methods.

When to skip it: Stores under 50k monthly visitors - the data isn't reliable enough.

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Method 2: SEMrush/Ahrefs Traffic Checker

Accuracy: 30-50% | Cost: $99-139+/mo | Best for: SEO-focused research

SEMrush and Ahrefs are SEO tools that also estimate traffic.

How to use SEMrush:

1. Go to Domain Overview
2. Enter the store's domain
3. See "Authority Score" and traffic estimates

How to use Ahrefs:

1. Go to Site Explorer
2. Enter the domain
3. Check "Organic Traffic" estimate

How these differ from SimilarWeb:

These tools estimate traffic based on keyword rankings. They think: "This site ranks #3 for 'sustainable shoes.' That keyword gets 10k searches a month. So they probably get X visitors from it."

Strengths:

• Shows which keywords bring traffic
• Reveals their content strategy
• Great for SEO-heavy stores
• Includes backlink data

Limitations:

• Only shows organic (Google) traffic
• Stores using paid ads or email look smaller than they are
• Expensive ($99-139/month minimum)
• Often underestimates DTC brands

When to use it: When you want to understand a competitor's SEO strategy, not just their total traffic.

Example: A store might show 50k organic visitors in Ahrefs but get 200k total visitors. The other 150k come from paid ads and email. SEO tools miss that.

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Method 3: Chrome Extensions (FindNiche, Koala)

Accuracy: 40-60% | Cost: Free-$30/mo | Best for: Quick checks while browsing

Several Chrome extensions estimate Shopify store traffic. The most popular are FindNiche and Koala Inspector.

How they work:

1. Install the extension
2. Visit any Shopify store
3. Click the extension icon
4. View traffic estimate and other data

What FindNiche shows:

• Monthly visitor estimate
• Traffic trend over time
• Traffic sources
• Marketing channel analysis

What Koala Inspector shows:

• Traffic tier estimate
• Best-selling products
• Store age and product count
• Ad activity

Strengths:

• Convenient - check any store while browsing
• Often include Shopify-specific data (apps, theme)
• Free tiers available
• Quick for one-off checks

Limitations:

• Traffic data comes from the same sources (SimilarWeb API or similar)
• Accuracy varies widely
• Some data is stale
• Free tiers are limited

When to use it: Quick research while browsing competitor stores. Don't rely on these for important decisions.

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Method 4: Tech Stack Signals [Our Data]

Accuracy: 50-70% | Cost: Free | Best for: When traffic tools fail

This is where we have data no one else has. We looked at 23,619 Shopify stores and found clear patterns between tech stack and traffic.

The key insight: Stores don't pay $500+/month for apps unless they can afford it. A store running Klaviyo + Gorgias + Rebuy + Elevar isn't getting 5,000 visitors a month. That stack costs $500+ minimum. They need real traffic and revenue to justify it.

Why this works: Unlike traffic tools that guess from limited data, you can see what apps a store uses. And stores don't waste money on tools they don't need.

For more on this approach, see our guides on what apps top Shopify stores use and how to check Shopify store revenue.

App count by traffic tier (23,619 stores):

Specific apps that signal traffic tiers:

How to use this method:

1. Install Store Inspector (free)
2. Visit any Shopify store
3. Click the extension to see apps and pixels
4. Match against the tables above

Example: A store running Klaviyo, Gorgias, Judge.me, Rebuy, and Elevar = 5 apps. That's above average for even the 1M+ tier. Add in Meta Pixel, TikTok Pixel, Google Ads, and Pinterest Tag (4 ad pixels), and this store is likely doing 100k+ monthly visitors minimum.

Pixel count shows ad spend:

A store running pixels for Meta, TikTok, Google, Pinterest, AND Snapchat is spending serious money on ads across platforms. That means serious traffic.

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Method 5: Social Proof Check

Accuracy: 30-50% | Cost: Free | Best for: DTC and lifestyle brands

Social following often connects to traffic. Big social presence usually means real website traffic.

Instagram followers vs. typical traffic:

Caveats:

• Correlation, not causation
• Some brands buy followers
• B2B stores often have small social but significant traffic
• Engagement matters more than follower count

What to look for:

When to use it: As a sanity check. If SimilarWeb says 50k visitors but they have 500k engaged Instagram followers, the traffic estimate is probably low.

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Method 6: Ad Library Activity Analysis

Accuracy: 40-60% | Cost: Free | Best for: Paid ads-focused stores

Stores running lots of paid ads need real traffic to justify the spend. Ad activity shows budget, which connects to traffic.

How to check:

1. Go to Meta Ad Library
2. Search for the brand name
3. Count active ads and check run times

What ad activity tells you:

The math: A store running 50+ ads with some running for months is probably spending $50k-$200k/month on ads. At $20-50 per customer, that's 1,000-10,000 new buyers each month from ads alone. Total traffic is 5-10x that number.

Also check:

• TikTok Creative Center for TikTok ads
• Google Ads Transparency for Google ads

For a complete guide on ad research, see our post on how to spy on competitor ads.

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Method 7: Review Count Back-Calculation

Accuracy: 30-50% | Cost: Free | Best for: Product-level estimates

Reviews can indicate sales volume, which connects to traffic. If you know the review rate, you can estimate orders.

The formula:

Estimated Orders = Total Reviews ÷ Review Rate

Typical review rates:

Example: A product page shows 2,000 reviews. Assuming a 3% review rate:

2,000 ÷ 3% = 66,667 orders for that product

If average conversion rate is 2%, that's:

66,667 ÷ 2% = 3.3 million visitors to that product page

Warning: This method has big limitations. Reviews pile up over time (a 5-year store vs 1-year). Some stores import fake reviews. And review rates vary a lot by product type.

When it's useful: Comparing products, not getting exact traffic. "Product A has 5x more reviews than Product B" is meaningful even if the exact numbers are off.

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Traffic Benchmarks by Category [Original Data]

Different categories have different traffic patterns. Here's what our 23,619-store analysis shows:

Key insights:

1. Health stores have highest traffic per category - subscription models drive repeat visits
2. Jewelry has lowest traffic but highest AOV - few visitors, big orders
3. Fashion is largest but most variable - ranges from 1k to 10M+ visitors
4. Food relies heavily on email - traffic tools underestimate these stores

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What Traffic Tier Actually Means

Traffic numbers are abstract. Here's what each tier means in real terms:

For agencies and vendors: The 10k-50k tier is often the sweet spot. These stores have real budget ($50k-$250k/month revenue) but founders still make fast decisions. Skip the enterprise tier unless you're ready for long sales cycles.

For store owners: Knowing where competitors sit helps you set goals. If you're at 20k visitors and competitors are at 200k, you have room to grow - but you'll also face different challenges at that scale.

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How to Cross-Check Traffic Estimates

One source isn't enough. Here's how to combine methods for a reliable estimate.

Real example: We checked a mid-size skincare brand using all methods. SimilarWeb said 85k monthly visitors. But they run Klaviyo, Gorgias, Rebuy, and 5 ad pixels. Their Instagram has 120k engaged followers. Meta Ad Library shows 40+ active ads, some running 60+ days. Our verdict: they're doing 150k-200k visitors, not 85k. The tech stack doesn't lie.

Step 1: Get the Baseline

Start with SimilarWeb or a Chrome extension. Note the estimate but don't trust it yet.

Step 2: Check Tech Stack

Use Store Inspector to see apps and pixels. Does the stack match the traffic estimate?

• SimilarWeb says 500k but only 2 basic apps? Estimate is probably high.
• SimilarWeb says 20k but they run Klaviyo + Gorgias + Rebuy + 6 pixels? Estimate is probably low.

Step 3: Validate with Social/Ads

Check their Instagram following and Meta Ad Library. Does ad activity match the traffic claim?

• 500k traffic estimate but no active ads and 5k Instagram followers? Suspicious.
• 20k estimate but 50+ active ads running for months? Traffic is higher.

Step 4: Look for Public Data

Some stores share metrics publicly:

• Press releases ("We reached 1M customers")
• Podcast interviews (founders often share numbers)
• Case studies from apps they use
• Investor announcements

Step 5: Assign Confidence Level

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Tool Comparison: Which One Should You Use?

Our recommendation by use case:

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FAQ

Can I see exact traffic for any Shopify store?

No. Shopify keeps traffic data private. All methods are estimates based on indirect signs. The only way to see exact traffic is if the store shares it with you or you have access to their analytics.

How accurate is SimilarWeb for Shopify stores?

For stores over 100k monthly visitors, SimilarWeb is typically within 30% of actual numbers. For smaller stores (under 50k), accuracy drops to 50-70% off or worse. Always treat it as directional, not precise.

What's the most reliable free method?

Tech stack analysis via Store Inspector. Unlike traffic tools that guess from limited data, you can verify exactly what apps and pixels a store runs. Match against our traffic tier tables for a reasonable estimate.

Why do some stores show low traffic but have expensive apps?

Usually means the traffic tool is wrong. A store paying $500+/month for Gorgias + Rebuy + Elevar has real revenue, which means real traffic. Trust the tech stack over the traffic estimate.

How do I check my OWN Shopify store traffic?

Go to Shopify Admin → Analytics → Overview. You have exact data - no guessing needed. For deeper insights, connect Google Analytics 4 via the Google & YouTube channel app.

Do Shopify spy tools show accurate traffic?

Most spy tools (PPSPY, Koala, etc.) pull traffic data from the same sources as SimilarWeb. They're not more accurate - they just package the data differently. Their Shopify-specific features (apps, themes) are more reliable than their traffic estimates.

What traffic do I need to be considered "successful"?

Depends on your niche and business model. A jewelry store doing 10k visitors at 1% conversion with $500 AOV makes $50k/month. A fashion store needs 100k visitors at the same conversion with $50 AOV to match that. Traffic is one metric, not the only one.

How do I know if a competitor is successful?

Look for multiple signs at once: traffic tier 50k+ (or right for their niche), premium apps (Klaviyo, Gorgias), ads running 30+ days, active social media, and reviews piling up. One sign isn't enough. Multiple signs together mean real success.

Is checking competitor traffic legal?

Yes. You're using public data and estimation tools. You're not accessing private data or hacking anything. This is normal business research.

Why don't traffic tools work well for small stores?

Traffic tools guess based on people who use their browser extensions. For a store with 5,000 visitors a month, maybe only 2-3 of those people have the extension installed. That's not enough data to make a good guess.

Can I hide my store from traffic estimation tools?

Not really. Your store is public by design. You can't stop SimilarWeb from tracking you. The best approach: accept that competitors can estimate your traffic just like you can estimate theirs. Focus on building a better business instead.

What's "good" traffic for a Shopify store?

Based on our data:

• Median store: Under 10k visitors (most stores are small)
• Growing store: 10k-50k visitors
• Established store: 50k-200k visitors
• Scaled brand: 200k-1M visitors
• Major brand: 1M+ visitors

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Summary

Here's how to estimate Shopify store traffic:

Key findings from our 23,619-store analysis:

Our recommended approach:

1. Start with SimilarWeb - Get the ballpark estimate (free)
2. Check tech stack - Use Store Inspector to see apps and pixels
3. Match to traffic tier - Compare against our data tables
4. Validate with ads/social - Check Meta Ad Library and Instagram
5. Assign confidence - Do signals agree or contradict?

The most reliable signal is tech stack. Stores don't pay for enterprise apps they don't need. A store running Klaviyo + Gorgias + Rebuy + 6 pixels has real traffic - regardless of what SimilarWeb says.

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Related Posts

• How to Check Shopify Store Revenue - Estimate competitor revenue using similar methods
• Best Shopify Spy Tools - Complete comparison of 10 competitor research tools
• How to Analyze Shopify Competitors - Full competitive analysis framework
• What Apps Do Top Shopify Stores Use? - Tech stack patterns by revenue tier

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Need to analyze stores at scale?

StoreInspect has 23,619+ stores with traffic tier data, tech stack details, and verified contacts. Filter by traffic tier, category, and apps - then export your leads.

Browse the Database →

Want to check a single store for free?

Install Store Inspector - our free Chrome extension. See apps, pixels, themes, and traffic signals in one click.