How to Research Shopify Apps a Competitor Uses Without Asking Them

A competitor's Shopify store shows clues about the apps behind it: review widgets, upsell pop-ups, chat bubbles, payment options. Many apps also load scripts you can spot. Here's how to find them, all from what the store publicly shows its visitors.

1. Use a detector

Shopify Theme Detector shows a store's theme name and the popular apps it recognizes from the page's scripts, across about 50 apps: reviews (such as Judge.me, Loox and Yotpo), page builders (PageFly, GemPages), upsells, chat (Tidio, Gorgias), email and SMS (Klaviyo, Omnisend, Attentive), loyalty programs, buy-now-pay-later options, tracking pixels, search and subscriptions (ReCharge). Apps outside its list won't appear, so use the manual checks too.

2. Look at the page source

1. Press Ctrl + U on a product page to view its source.
2. Press Ctrl + F and search for script addresses, or for words like "reviews", "upsell", "bundle" and "loyalty".
3. App scripts usually load from the app company's own address, which often names the app.

3. Check DevTools

Open DevTools (F12), go to the Network tab, filter by JS and reload. Each outside address is a service the store uses. Search an unfamiliar one to find the app.

4. Read the visible clues

• Review widgets often say "Powered by" in small text.
• Product pages: bundles, "frequently bought together", size charts, countdown timers and sticky add-to-cart bars usually come from apps.
• Cart and checkout: upsell offers, gift wrap, Afterpay or Klarna messages.
• Emails: sign up for the newsletter and check the email's footer and links for the sending service.
• Addresses with /apps/ in them are app pages served through the store.

What you can't see

Many apps work only behind the scenes: inventory, shipping labels, accounting, wholesale and reporting. Some apps also load only on certain pages, so check the homepage, a product page and the cart.

Use what you find wisely

• Look for patterns across several successful stores, not one.
• Copy the idea, not the store's text, images or design.
• More apps aren't better. Each one adds scripts that can slow the store. See checking a Shopify store's speed.

See also detecting Shopify apps, identifying a store's theme and finding stores in your niche.