Why Wishlist Plus Falls Short for Shopify Stores
Wishlist Plus has its strengths, but when it comes to maximizing Shopify revenue, several key limitations become apparent. Here’s why merchants are looking for alternatives.
1. Wishlists Are Passive, Not Active Conversion Tools
Wishlist Plus lets customers save products for later — but “later” often means “never.” Studies show only 10–15% of wishlisted items are eventually purchased. Meanwhile, EA Email Popup & Spin Wheel actively captures emails at 8–15% opt-in rates, EA Bundles & Quantity Breaks increases AOV by 15–25% per session, and EA Free Shipping Bar & Upsell motivates immediate purchases. These tools convert traffic now, not “maybe later.”
2. High Cost for Low Direct Revenue Impact
Wishlist Plus pricing starts at $19.99/mo and goes up to $99.99/mo for premium features. For that investment, you get a browsing convenience feature. EasyApps offers free plans across all apps, with premium tiers starting at $9.99/mo. The ROI difference is dramatic: wishlists help some customers return, while email capture and upsells generate measurable, attributable revenue.
3. Email Capture Beats Wishlist Reminders
Wishlist Plus can send “back in stock” and price drop emails, but only to customers who created an account and added items. EA Email Popup & Spin Wheel captures emails from all visitors — including first-time browsers who haven’t committed to anything yet. A 10% opt-in rate on all visitors captures far more potential customers than wishlist-based retargeting.
4. Wishlists Require Account Creation
Wishlist Plus works best when customers create accounts, which most Shopify visitors don’t do. Guest visitors have limited wishlist functionality. EA Email Popup & Spin Wheel captures emails from all visitors regardless of account status, building your marketing list from 100% of your traffic, not just the small percentage who register.
5. Multiple Revenue Levers vs. Single Feature
Instead of one $20–$100/mo wishlist app, you could run EA Email Popup & Spin Wheel (email capture), EA Free Shipping Bar & Upsell (AOV boost), and EA Sticky Cart Drawer & Upsell (conversion rate improvement) — all on free plans — and impact three separate revenue metrics simultaneously.
EA Apps vs Wishlist Plus: Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | EA Apps | Wishlist Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | Yes — all EA apps have free tiers | Limited — 100 items, basic features |
| Email Capture | 8–15% opt-in rate with gamification | Only from account holders |
| Direct Revenue Impact | Email + upsell + shipping bar = multi-lever | Indirect — wishlist reminders |
| AOV Increase | 15–25% with EA Bundles & Quantity Breaks | Minimal direct AOV impact |
| Works for Guest Visitors | Yes — no account required | Limited without account |
| Gamification | Spin wheel, urgency timers, progress bars | None |
| Mobile Optimization | Touch-optimized across all apps | Responsive wishlist icons |
| Shopify-Native | Yes — all apps Shopify-exclusive | Yes — Shopify app |
| Monthly Cost (Premium) | $9.99–$14.99 per app | $19.99–$99.99 |
| Setup Complexity | Under 10 minutes per app | 10–20 minutes |
| A/B Testing | Yes — popup and bar variants | No |
| SMS Capture | Yes — built into EA Email Popup & Spin Wheel | No |
5 Reasons EA Apps Beat Wishlist Plus for Shopify Revenue
1. Active Revenue vs. Passive Browsing
Wishlist Plus helps visitors save items passively. EA apps actively convert visitors into subscribers and buyers. Email capture, upsells, and shipping bars create immediate revenue impact that wishlists cannot match. One EA Email Popup & Spin Wheel that captures 1,000 emails per month generates more attributable revenue than a wishlist feature used by 200 account holders.
2. Capture Emails from All Visitors
Wishlist Plus only captures data from visitors who create accounts or log in. EA Email Popup & Spin Wheel captures emails from every visitor who engages with the popup — including first-time browsers, mobile users, and guests. This means reaching 5–10x more potential customers.
3. Multi-App Free Stack Beats Single Paid App
Instead of paying $20–$100/mo for Wishlist Plus, run EA Email Popup & Spin Wheel, EA Free Shipping Bar & Upsell, and EA Bundles & Quantity Breaks on free plans. Three conversion tools impacting three revenue metrics, at zero cost, vs. one passive feature at premium pricing.
4. Measurable, Attributable ROI
EA Email Popup & Spin Wheel shows exact opt-in rates and subscriber counts. EA Bundles & Quantity Breaks shows accepted upsell revenue. EA Free Shipping Bar & Upsell shows cart uplift. Every metric is measurable. Wishlist Plus attribution is indirect and difficult to quantify — did the customer buy because of the wishlist, or would they have bought anyway?
5. Urgency and Psychology Drive Action
Wishlists encourage delay: “save it for later.” EA apps encourage action: spin for a discount (urgency), add this item to get free shipping (motivation), this product pairs well with your cart (relevance). Action-oriented psychology consistently outperforms passive features in ecommerce.
Cost Comparison: Wishlist Plus vs EA Apps
| Setup | Monthly Cost | Key Features | ROI / Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wishlist Plus Free | $0 | Passive — 10–15% purchase rate | Low |
| Wishlist Plus Starter ($19.99/mo) | $19.99 | Passive — wishlist reminders | Low–Moderate |
| EA Email Popup & Spin Wheel + Upsell + Shipping Bar (free) | $0 | Active — 8–15% capture, 15–25% AOV lift | High |
| EA Suite Premium | $29.97 | Active — full feature set | Very High |
How to Switch from Wishlist Plus to EA Apps
Step 1: Install EasyApps Conversion Tools
Install EA Email Popup & Spin Wheel for email capture. Add EA Bundles & Quantity Breaks for AOV boost and EA Free Shipping Bar & Upsell for cart motivation.
Step 2: Configure Each App
Set up spin wheel prizes and triggers. Configure upsell product recommendations. Set your free shipping threshold. Each app takes under 10 minutes to configure.
Step 3: Evaluate Wishlist Plus Necessity
Run both systems for 30 days. Compare the revenue impact of EA apps vs. Wishlist Plus. Most merchants find the active conversion tools deliver far more measurable ROI.
Step 4: Remove Wishlist Plus If Redundant
If EA apps deliver better results (they typically do), cancel Wishlist Plus and save $20–$100/mo. Redirect that budget to marketing or premium EA app tiers for even more features.
💡 Pro Tip: Run EA apps for 7–14 days before removing Wishlist Plus. This gives you direct comparison data to confirm the revenue impact of switching.
Who Should Keep Using Wishlist Plus?
Wishlist Plus may still make sense for stores with very high-ticket items ($500+) where purchase consideration spans weeks, stores with a high percentage of returning account holders who actively use wishlists, or brands in fashion/apparel where “save for later” is a core shopping behavior. For most Shopify merchants, active conversion tools deliver superior ROI.
Ready to Boost Your Shopify Revenue?
EasyApps conversion tools deliver measurable results from day one. Free plans, 10-minute setup, Shopify-native performance.
Install Free →8–15% email capture. 15–25% AOV lift. Zero risk.
💡 Ready to put this into practice? Shopify's free 3-day trial — then $1/month for 3 months, plus 1% of sales back in credits — is long enough to set it up and see the numbers. Start your free trial → (affiliate link)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wishlist Plus worth it for Shopify?
Wishlist Plus serves a niche purpose but delivers low direct ROI compared to active conversion tools. At $19.99–$99.99/mo, you get a passive browsing feature. EA Email Popup & Spin Wheel (free plan) actively captures 8–15% of visitors as email subscribers, delivering measurably higher revenue impact.
What is the best Wishlist Plus alternative for Shopify?
Rather than replacing Wishlist Plus with another wishlist app, consider replacing it with active conversion tools: EA Email Popup & Spin Wheel for email capture, EA Bundles & Quantity Breaks for AOV boost, and EA Free Shipping Bar & Upsell for cart motivation.
Do wishlists increase conversions on Shopify?
Wishlists have a modest indirect conversion impact — 10–15% of wishlisted items are eventually purchased. Direct conversion tools like gamified popups (8–15% capture rate), upsell popups (15–25% AOV increase), and free shipping bars (10–20% cart uplift) deliver significantly higher measurable impact.
Can I use EA apps instead of a wishlist app?
Yes. EA Email Popup & Spin Wheel captures emails that you can use for retargeting campaigns (similar to wishlist reminders but reaching more people). EA Bundles & Quantity Breaks increases cart value directly. EA Free Shipping Bar & Upsell motivates immediate purchases. Together, these replace and exceed wishlist functionality for revenue generation.
How much does Wishlist Plus cost vs EasyApps?
Wishlist Plus costs $19.99–$99.99/mo. EA Email Popup & Spin Wheel, EA Bundles & Quantity Breaks, and EA Free Shipping Bar & Upsell each have free plans. Running all three EA apps on free tiers costs $0 and impacts three revenue metrics. Premium EA tiers start at $9.99/mo per app.