Courses Plus vs Shopify Subscriptionsfor Shopify (2026)
Courses Plus and Shopify Subscriptions, while both operating within the subscription category on Shopify, cater to distinctly different merchant needs. Courses Plus is tailored for merchants looking to create and sell online courses, coaching programs, and other digital products. It provides tools for course creation, assessment, and student management, along with subscription capabilities for recurring revenue. Shopify Subscriptions, on the other hand, is designed for merchants who primarily sell physical products and want to offer a subscription option for recurring purchases. The key difference lies in their core functionality. Courses Plus focuses on educational content and digital product delivery, incorporating subscriptions as a monetization method. Shopify Subscriptions directly integrates with the core Shopify platform to provide an easy way for merchants to offer recurring sales of their existing physical products, while providing customers with options to manage their subscriptions. Therefore, the choice between the two depends on the primary product being offered: knowledge-based content (Courses Plus) versus physical goods (Shopify Subscriptions). Courses Plus is a complex all-in-one solution, enabling users to create and deliver courses to customers who complete exams, verify assignments, and manage their progress. Shopify Subscriptions is more streamlined. It allows users to offer auto-billed subscriptions (renew weekly, monthly or yearly) with discounts and customizable email templates for order confirmations or payment reminders.
At a Glance
Courses Plus
160 reviews
Shopify Subscriptions
266 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
Shopify Subscriptions
Increase customer lifetime value and establish predictable revenue with Shopify Subscriptions
Key Features
- Offer auto-billed subscriptions (renew weekly, monthly or yearly) with discounts
- Allow your customers to cancel, skip, or pause subscriptions
- Use customizable email templates for order confirmations or payment reminders
- Access reporting to analyze your store’s subscription performance
- Easily transfer existing subscription contracts to Shopify Subscriptions
Feature Comparison
| Rating | 4.9/5 | 3.4/5 |
Rating Courses Plus4.9/5 Shopify Subscriptions3.4/5 | ||
| Reviews | 160 | 266 |
Reviews Courses Plus160 Shopify Subscriptions266 | ||
| Primary Use Case | Selling Online Courses & Digital Products | Selling Physical Products via Subscription |
Primary Use Case Courses PlusSelling Online Courses & Digital Products Shopify SubscriptionsSelling Physical Products via Subscription | ||
| Course Creation Tools | Yes (Videos, Quizzes, Assignments, Certificates) | No |
Course Creation Tools Courses PlusYes (Videos, Quizzes, Assignments, Certificates) Shopify SubscriptionsNo | ||
| Customer Subscription Management | Yes | Yes (Pause, Skip, Cancel) |
Customer Subscription Management Courses PlusYes Shopify SubscriptionsYes (Pause, Skip, Cancel) | ||
| Target Merchant Type | Educators, Coaches, Digital Content Creators | Merchants Selling Physical Products (e.g., coffee, cosmetics) |
Target Merchant Type Courses PlusEducators, Coaches, Digital Content Creators Shopify SubscriptionsMerchants Selling Physical Products (e.g., coffee, cosmetics) | ||
| Ease of Use | Potentially more complex due to extensive features | Potentially easier to set up for basic subscription functionality |
Ease of Use Courses PlusPotentially more complex due to extensive features Shopify SubscriptionsPotentially easier to set up for basic subscription functionality | ||
| Value Proposition | Monetize knowledge and build an eLearning business | Increase customer lifetime value with recurring revenue for physical products |
Value Proposition Courses PlusMonetize knowledge and build an eLearning business Shopify SubscriptionsIncrease customer lifetime value with recurring revenue for physical products | ||
Our Verdict
For merchants focused on selling online courses, digital products, or coaching programs, Courses Plus is the clear winner. Its comprehensive course creation, assessment, and management features are essential for delivering a robust learning experience. The subscription functionality is a valuable addition for generating recurring revenue from course access. The fact that the app has a significantly higher rating, 4.9/5 compared to Shopify Subscriptions, supports this recommendation.
On the other hand, if a merchant primarily sells physical products and wants to offer subscription options for recurring purchases, Shopify Subscriptions is the more suitable choice. Its seamless integration with the Shopify platform and focus on subscription management for physical goods make it a straightforward solution. While the rating is lower, the larger number of reviews suggests wider adoption and potentially a broader range of use cases, albeit with possibly varying levels of satisfaction among users.
Common Questions
Which app is better for selling weekly workout classes?
Courses Plus is more appropriate. It allows you to create and manage the content of your workout classes, incorporating video, schedules, and potentially quizzes or assessments. Shopify Subscriptions is not designed to create or manage class content, only subscriptions.
Can I sell a physical book subscription with Courses Plus?
While Courses Plus supports digital downloads, its primary focus is on online courses and digital learning experiences. While technically possible, Shopify Subscriptions is much more suited for managing subscriptions for physical goods like books.
Which app is better for offering discounts on recurring coffee bean orders?
Shopify Subscriptions is the better option. Its focus on subscription management for physical products, including applying discounts to recurring orders, is specifically designed for this purpose.
Does Courses Plus offer features for student assessment and grading?
Yes, Courses Plus provides tools for creating quizzes, monitoring student progress, verifying assignments, and generating PDF certificates for course completion.
Does Shopify Subscriptions provide tools for creating course content?
No, Shopify Subscriptions focuses solely on managing subscriptions for products sold on your Shopify store. It doesn't offer any features for creating or managing educational content.
Get More From Your Shopify Store
Run audits for SEO, CRO, PageSpeed, and AI visibility. Get a clear report and actionable fixes.
Try Fix My Store