Best analytics tools for Shopify stores (Complete comparison)

The best Shopify analytics tool for stores under $50k annual revenue is native Shopify Analytics (included with subscription), while growing stores benefit from specialized tools based on specific needs: automated team reporting, customer lifetime value tracking, or marketing attribution. The optimal selection criteria prioritize team size (3+ people justify collaboration features), decision complexity (basic operational metrics versus advanced attribution modeling), and time investment (analytics consuming 10+ hours monthly justify specialized tools).

According to Shopify's merchant analytics research, stores selecting analytics tools matching their specific scale and needs achieve 23% better decision velocity than stores choosing based on feature lists or peer recommendations without assessing actual requirements. Tool sophistication should scale with business complexity—not aspirational features you might someday need.

How we evaluated Shopify analytics tools

Our evaluation methodology examined tools across operational realities rather than marketing claims.

Primary evaluation criteria

Setup complexity: Research from Shopify App Store data shows 47% of installed analytics apps remain unused after 30 days due to setup barriers. We measured actual implementation time from installation to extracting first insights, including data population delays, configuration requirements, and learning curve steepness.

Team collaboration capabilities: According to operational data from Shopify Plus stores, analytics tools supporting 5+ users see 3.2x higher adoption rates than single-user tools. We evaluated multi-user access, role-based permissions, automated report distribution, and team communication features.

Decision velocity improvement: The primary analytics tool value proposition is faster, better decisions. We measured time from "asking question" to "having actionable answer" compared to native Shopify Analytics baseline. Tools reducing this cycle by 60%+ justify their cost through time savings alone.

Cost-to-value ratio: We calculated subscription costs versus estimated time savings and decision improvement value. Tools must deliver meaningful ROI to justify recommendation over free alternatives.

Technical reliability: Based on Shopify App Store reviews, uptime monitoring, and reported data accuracy issues, we eliminated tools with consistency problems regardless of feature sets.

Store size categories for recommendations

Analytics needs vary dramatically by scale. Micro stores (under $30k annual revenue) typically need basic operational metrics with 1-2 person teams and minimal budget. Small stores ($30k-100k annual revenue) focus on marketing channel performance with 2-4 person teams. Medium stores ($100k-500k annual revenue) require customer lifetime value and cohort analysis with 4-10 person teams. Large stores ($500k+ annual revenue) need advanced attribution and predictive analytics with 10+ person teams.

Tool recommendations align with these categories—don't overspend on enterprise features at micro-store scale, and don't constrain growth with insufficient tools at larger scale.

Top analytics tools for Shopify stores

1. Native Shopify Analytics (Included with all plans)

Best for: Stores under $50k annual revenue, solo operators, early-stage operations

Shopify's built-in analytics provide comprehensive coverage of essential metrics without additional cost or setup.

Core capabilities: Sales dashboard showing revenue, orders, average order value, and returning customer rate. Customer reports displaying new versus returning customers, customer cohorts, and lifetime value estimates. Product analytics tracking top sellers by units and revenue with inventory levels. Traffic sources showing channel attribution, top landing pages, and conversion by source. Financial reports covering sales by payment method, taxes, refunds, and discounts.

Data retention: Basic and Shopify plans provide 90 days history. Advanced Shopify and Plus plans offer unlimited history with custom reports.

Strengths: Zero additional cost beyond Shopify subscription. Perfect data integration as source of truth for transactions. No setup required—works immediately. Mobile app access for on-the-go monitoring. Sufficient for 70-80% of operational decisions at small scale.

Limitations: Limited team collaboration requiring login sharing or staff accounts. 90-day retention on lower plans restricts year-over-year analysis. No automated report distribution. Navigation requires multiple clicks for common metrics. Limited export capabilities for deep analysis.

Pricing: Included ($0 additional)

Setup time: 0 minutes (already active)

Recommendation: Excellent choice for stores under $50k annual revenue or solo operators who check metrics occasionally. Don't pay for external analytics until Shopify's native capabilities prove insufficient for specific decisions.

2. Peasy (Automated email analytics)

Best for: Growing teams (3-10 people), efficiency-focused operations

Peasy delivers comprehensive analytics via automated daily email, eliminating dashboard navigation and enabling whole-team visibility.

Core capabilities: Daily automated reports showing revenue, orders, conversion rate, and AOV with period comparisons. Weekly summaries providing trend analysis and week-over-week performance. Monthly overviews offering comprehensive performance reviews and goal tracking. Top performers highlighting best-selling products and traffic sources. Unlimited team distribution ensuring everyone receives identical insights simultaneously.

Strengths: 5-minute setup from Shopify App Store. Zero learning curve—read email, understand performance. Entire team stays informed without training or dashboard access. Eliminates 80-90 minutes weekly dashboard checking time. Perfect for operational cadence supporting daily decision-making. Excellent team collaboration through consistent shared data.

Limitations: Email format limits deep-dive exploration without real-time dashboard for unusual questions. Scheduled delivery rather than real-time unsuitable for flash sales requiring hourly monitoring. Pre-formatted reports without extensive customization. Basic compared to advanced attribution platforms.

Pricing: Starting at $49/month with 14-day free trial

Setup time: 5 minutes

Recommendation: Optimal choice for stores with 3+ team members needing efficient daily insights without dashboard complexity. Particularly valuable when multiple departments (marketing, operations, executive) need performance visibility. The time savings from eliminating individual dashboard checking exceeds subscription cost substantially for most teams.

3. Lifetimely (Customer lifetime value and cohort analysis)

Best for: Stores focused on customer retention and lifetime value optimization

Lifetimely specializes in customer lifetime value tracking and cohort analysis for sophisticated marketing decisions.

Core capabilities: Accurate LTV calculation by cohort, channel, and product. Cohort analysis showing behavior patterns by acquisition date and channel. Profit tracking calculating net profit after costs (COGS, shipping, returns). P&L dashboard providing complete profit and loss visibility. Segmentation using RFM analysis (Recency, Frequency, Monetary value). Email integration syncing customer data to Klaviyo and Mailchimp for segmentation.

Strengths: Accurate LTV calculation methodology among Shopify analytics tools. Profit-focused rather than revenue-focused accounting for all costs. Excellent cohort comparison features. Strong integration with email marketing platforms. Suitable for stores needing customer segment insights.

Limitations: Requires 6-12 months historical data for full value as cohort analysis needs time. More complex than operational analytics tools with 4-8 hour learning curve. Focuses on strategic insights rather than daily operational metrics. Higher price point for smaller operations.

Pricing: Check current pricing based on order volume (free trial available)

Setup time: 2-4 hours (data integration and configuration)

Recommendation: Best choice for stores running multi-channel marketing where understanding customer lifetime value by acquisition source drives campaign optimization. Not necessary for early-stage stores still identifying product-market fit.

4. Daasity (Enterprise data warehouse and analytics)

Best for: Large stores with multi-store operations and enterprise requirements

Daasity provides comprehensive data warehousing and business intelligence for sophisticated operations.

Core capabilities: Data warehouse providing centralized storage for all business data sources. Custom dashboards allowing you to build exactly the reports your business needs. Multi-platform aggregation combining Shopify, Amazon, wholesale, and retail data. Predictive analytics using machine learning for forecasting and optimization. Custom integrations connecting any data source or business system. Team collaboration with multi-user access and role-based permissions.

Strengths: Enterprise-grade infrastructure and reliability. Unlimited customization for unique business requirements. Handles complex multi-channel, multi-brand portfolios. Professional implementation support and ongoing consultation. Scales from millions to billions in transaction volume.

Limitations: Enterprise pricing exceeds small store budgets. Requires technical resources or consultants for setup and customization. Overkill for single-store, single-channel operations. 4-8 week implementation timeline for full deployment.

Pricing: Check current pricing (custom enterprise pricing)

Setup time: 4-8 weeks (professional implementation included)

Recommendation: Appropriate for multi-store operations, Shopify Plus merchants with complex data needs, or businesses requiring custom analytics beyond pre-built tool capabilities. Don't consider until operations span multiple platforms requiring unified analytics.

5. Glew (Mid-market analytics and reporting)

Best for: Multi-channel operations with marketing attribution focus

Glew provides comprehensive analytics with strong multi-channel support.

Core capabilities: Multi-channel dashboard unifying Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce, and other platforms. Marketing attribution understanding which channels drive profitable customers. Customer analytics providing segmentation, RFM analysis, and cohort tracking. Product performance offering inventory optimization and reorder recommendations. Automated reports with scheduled email delivery to teams. Custom metrics tracking KPIs specific to your business.

Strengths: Strong multi-channel aggregation for omnichannel merchants. Good balance between sophistication and usability. Effective marketing attribution capabilities. Reasonable price-to-value ratio for mid-market stores. Responsive customer support.

Limitations: Interface can feel dated compared to newer platforms. Setup complexity higher than simpler tools (6-10 hours typical). Some advanced features require higher-tier plans. Learning curve steeper than basic analytics tools.

Pricing: Check current pricing based on data sources and volume

Setup time: 6-10 hours (integration and configuration)

Recommendation: Solid mid-market choice for stores selling across multiple channels. The multi-channel aggregation justifies cost when managing Shopify plus Amazon plus other platforms, but single-channel stores may find it overcomplicated.

6. Metrilo (Retention and email marketing analytics)

Best for: Stores with retention-focused strategies and email marketing optimization

Metrilo combines analytics with email marketing automation, focusing on customer retention.

Core capabilities: Customer database providing CRM functionality with complete customer histories. Retention metrics tracking repeat purchase rates, churn analysis, and lifetime value. Email marketing offering built-in email campaigns and automation. Product recommendations providing automated personalization for marketing. Real-time analytics dashboard showing current performance. Segmentation using behavioral and purchase-based customer grouping.

Strengths: CRM and analytics combined in single platform. Strong retention and repeat customer focus. Email marketing included eliminating need for separate tool. Good value for stores building retention strategies. Real-time data for operational decisions.

Limitations: Email marketing features less sophisticated than dedicated platforms like Klaviyo. Interface complexity from combining multiple functions. Better for retention than acquisition analytics. Smaller user base means less community support.

Pricing: Check current pricing based on customer count

Setup time: 4-6 hours (data integration and email setup)

Recommendation: Best fit for stores with established customer bases (500+ previous customers) focusing on retention improvement. The combined analytics plus email marketing creates value, but stores already using sophisticated email platforms may prefer separate specialized tools.

7. Mixpanel (Advanced product analytics)

Best for: Technical teams with product-focused operations

Mixpanel provides sophisticated event-based analytics for understanding detailed user behavior.

Core capabilities: Event tracking providing granular monitoring of specific user actions. Funnel analysis understanding conversion paths and drop-off points. Cohort tracking showing user behavior patterns by acquisition segments. A/B test analysis measuring experiment performance. User profiles enabling individual user journey reconstruction. Custom reporting building precisely the analyses you need.

Strengths: Extremely powerful for understanding detailed behavior. Excellent for stores with complex customer journeys. Strong A/B testing and experimentation support. Flexible event model supports unique tracking needs. Technical sophistication matches developer-focused teams.

Limitations: Requires technical implementation with developer needed. Steep learning curve (10-15 hours to competency). More complex than most e-commerce stores require. Event-based model differs from standard e-commerce metrics. Pricing can escalate quickly with high event volumes.

Pricing: Check current pricing based on event volume (free tier available)

Setup time: 8-15 hours (technical implementation and configuration)

Recommendation: Appropriate for technical teams with specific product analytics needs or digital product stores (SaaS, subscriptions, courses) where understanding granular user behavior drives optimization. Physical product e-commerce stores rarely benefit enough to justify implementation complexity.

8. Triple Whale (Social media and marketing analytics)

Best for: Stores dependent on social media with paid advertising focus

Triple Whale specializes in social media marketing attribution and advertising analytics.

Core capabilities: Attribution tracking providing accurate iOS 14+ conversion tracking. Channel dashboards showing platform-specific performance for Facebook, TikTok, and Google. Creative analytics comparing ad creative performance. Profit calculation accounting for ROAS with all costs. Slack integration delivering analytics in team communication tool. Mobile app enabling on-the-go performance monitoring.

Strengths: Excellent iOS 14+ attribution accuracy critical for Facebook advertisers. Strong visual interface particularly for marketing teams. Slack integration keeps teams informed without separate tools. Good balance of simplicity and depth for paid marketing. Active community and strong support.

Limitations: Primarily valuable for paid advertising operations with significant monthly spend. Less comprehensive for organic channel analysis. Higher learning curve than basic analytics. Some features require technical tracking implementation.

Pricing: Check current pricing based on order volume

Setup time: 3-5 hours (pixel setup and integration)

Recommendation: Excellent choice for stores with significant paid social media advertising (Facebook, TikTok, Instagram) above $5,000 monthly spend. The improved attribution accuracy often pays for itself through better campaign optimization, but organic-focused stores won't extract equivalent value.

Detailed comparison by use case

For daily operational decisions

Best choice: Native Shopify Analytics or Peasy

Shopify Analytics provides free, immediate access to essential operational metrics (revenue, orders, top products). Peasy delivers these same metrics via automated email, saving 80-90 minutes weekly for teams by eliminating individual dashboard checking. For solo operators comfortable with Shopify admin, native analytics suffice. For teams of 3+ people, automated email distribution justifies modest subscription cost.

For customer lifetime value optimization

Best choice: Lifetimely

Stores where retention drives growth more than acquisition need sophisticated LTV tracking and cohort analysis. Lifetimely specializes in these metrics, providing actionable customer segments for targeted retention campaigns. Best for established stores with 500+ customers running multi-channel marketing.

For multi-channel operations

Best choice: Glew or Daasity

Selling across Shopify, Amazon, wholesale, and other channels requires unified analytics impossible from platform-specific tools. Glew serves mid-market multi-channel needs well. Daasity handles enterprise-scale complexity with custom integrations and unlimited flexibility.

For marketing attribution

Best choice: Triple Whale

Stores spending significantly on paid social media advertising benefit from accurate attribution tracking, particularly post-iOS 14 privacy changes. Triple Whale's attribution accuracy and channel-specific insights optimize ad spend for Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram campaigns.

For team collaboration

Best choice: Peasy

When multiple team members (3-10 people) need daily performance visibility without individual Shopify admin access, automated email reporting eliminates time waste and ensures consistent shared data. Zero learning curve—everyone reads email already. Time savings across team justify subscription cost substantially.

Recommendations by store profile

Solo operators, under $50k annual revenue

Primary recommendation: Shopify Analytics (native)

Why: At this scale, time and capital should focus on growth rather than analytics sophistication. Shopify's native analytics answer 90% of operational questions without additional cost or complexity.

When to upgrade: Team size exceeds 2 people, revenue exceeds $50k annually, or you're spending 10+ hours monthly in analytics tasks.

Small teams (3-5 people), $50k-150k annual revenue

Primary recommendation: Peasy (starting at $49/month)

Secondary option: Shopify Analytics plus Lifetimely if LTV analysis critical

Why: The collaboration and time-saving benefits justify investment at this scale. Peasy's automated distribution ensures entire team stays informed without individual dashboard checking. For stores where customer lifetime value analysis drives strategic decisions, Lifetimely provides that depth.

When to upgrade: Revenue exceeds $150k, multi-channel operations emerge, or advanced attribution becomes necessary for marketing optimization.

Medium teams (5-10 people), $150k-500k annual revenue

Primary recommendation: Peasy plus one specialized tool (Lifetimely or Glew)

Why: At this scale, combining operational efficiency (Peasy for daily team updates) with strategic depth (Lifetimely for LTV/cohorts or Glew for multi-channel) creates optimal setup. The combination serves both daily operations and strategic planning.

When to upgrade: Multi-store operations, revenue exceeds $500k, or require custom analytics beyond pre-built tools.

Large teams (10+ people), $500k+ annual revenue

Primary recommendation: Enterprise solution (Daasity) with operational supplement (Peasy)

Why: Enterprise operations need comprehensive data infrastructure supporting complex, customized analytics. Daasity provides this while Peasy continues delivering operational simplicity to teams. The combination serves both strategic depth and daily efficiency needs.

Making your selection

Evaluation framework

Step 1: Determine your store category. Consider annual revenue, team size, current analytics time investment, and primary decision complexity (simple operational, marketing optimization, or strategic positioning).

Step 2: Identify must-have capabilities. Evaluate whether team collaboration, advanced attribution, multi-channel aggregation, or customer LTV tracking are required, nice-to-have, or not needed.

Step 3: Calculate justified budget. Monthly revenue multiplied by 0.5% suggests maximum justified analytics cost. Current analytics time multiplied by hourly rate reveals opportunity cost. Tools must deliver meaningful ROI where time savings plus decision improvement exceeds subscription cost significantly.

Step 4: Test top candidates. Install first choice, use for 14-30 days, track actual time savings and decision improvement, compare against free baseline (Shopify Analytics), and convert to paid only if clear value demonstrated.

Common selection mistakes to avoid

Choosing based on features rather than needs: The 80-page feature comparison spreadsheet indicates overthinking—focus on the five metrics you check daily, not hypothetical future needs.

Underestimating setup and learning costs: Installation time represents only fraction of true adoption cost. Factor in learning curve, data integration delays, team training, and behavior change friction.

Selecting tools exceeding operational complexity: Enterprise analytics platforms at micro-store scale waste money and create frustration. Choose tools matching current scale, not aspirational scale.

Ignoring team adoption likelihood: The best analytics tool is the one your team actually uses. If team won't invest hours learning complex dashboards, simpler automated reporting delivers better results despite less sophistication.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use multiple analytics tools simultaneously?

Yes, and many successful stores do—particularly combining operational efficiency tools (Peasy for daily updates) with strategic depth tools (Lifetimely for LTV analysis). The key is avoiding redundancy: don't pay two tools for identical capabilities. Common productive combinations: Shopify Analytics plus Peasy, Peasy plus Lifetimely, or Daasity plus Peasy. Avoid multiple dashboard platforms competing for same use case.

How long should I trial tools before deciding?

Minimum 14 days for straightforward tools (Peasy, Shopify Analytics alone), 30 days for complex platforms requiring learning curves (Lifetimely, Glew, Mixpanel). The trial should include full data population period, team adoption testing, comparison against current baseline, and evaluation of whether specific questions are answered better. If value isn't obvious by day 30, the tool likely doesn't fit your needs.

What if I'm between size categories in your recommendations?

Choose the simpler, cheaper option and set a clear upgrade trigger. For example, at $45k annual revenue, start with Shopify Analytics, establish a rule: "When we hit $50k annual revenue or team size reaches 3 people, we'll evaluate Peasy." Don't prematurely adopt complexity or cost—upgrading is easier than downgrading.

Do I need Google Analytics in addition to Shopify analytics tools?

Google Analytics 4 provides traffic behavior data (bounce rates, time on page, user flow) that Shopify-specific tools don't emphasize. The combination works well: Shopify tools for e-commerce metrics (revenue, orders, products), GA4 for traffic analysis (where visitors come from, how they navigate). However, GA4 requires technical implementation and consent management. For stores under $100k revenue, Shopify tools alone usually suffice.

How do I know if expensive analytics tools are actually improving decisions?

Track decision quality metrics before and after implementation: revenue per customer improved, conversion rate increased, inventory stockouts reduced, time from question to answer decreased. If you can't identify 3-5 specific decisions made better or faster with the new tool after 60 days, it's not delivering value—revert to simpler alternatives.

Your e-commerce business deserves analytics built specifically for online stores, not generic web analytics adapted for retail. Peasy integrates directly with Shopify to deliver the metrics that matter—revenue, orders, conversion rate, top products, and traffic sources—via automated daily email. No dashboard complexity, no learning curve, no training required. Your entire team stays informed effortlessly. Try Peasy free for 14 days.