APO Product Options, Variants vs SM Product Options Comparison
Shopify merchants often face the challenge of offering customization with its default limit of 3 product options and 100 variants. To deliver advanced personalization—like custom pricing, conditional logic, swatches, or file uploads—you’ll need a dedicated product options app.
In this product options Shopify app comparison, we compare two powerful tools:
- APO Product Options, Variants (by Mageworx)
- SM Product Options
We cover features, UX, pricing, compatibility, and real‑world use cases to help you decide which app fits your store’s customization needs.
Overview of Each App
APO Product Options, Variants
APO Product Options offers a wide variety of field types and logic features—including automatic variant creation to bypass Shopify’s limits. It’s robust, customizable, and popular among stores with moderate to complex custom product setups.
- Text, dropdowns, radio buttons, checkboxes
- Color & image swatches
- File uploads and date pickers
- Conditional logic and option groups
- Automatic variant creation for inventory tracking
- Built-in price add-ons
- Templates for option sets
- Import/Export of settings
SM Product Options
SM Product Options is a modern, ultra‑fast app built for Shopify 2.0, offering a seamless UX, advanced logic, pricing formulas, and full compatibility with Shopify functions and storefront features.
- Drag‑and‑drop builder with live preview
- Color/image swatches, buttons, uploads, tooltips
- Advanced multi‑step logic and modular layouts
- Formula‑based dynamic pricing
- Integration with Shopify Functions and discount codes
- Edit‑in‑cart support and multi‑currency
- Import/Export option sets
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | APO Product Options | SM Product Options |
|---|---|---|
| Text, Dropdown, Checkbox Fields | ✅ | ✅ |
| Color & Image Swatches | ✅ | ✅ |
| File Upload Fields | ✅ | ✅ |
| Date Picker | ✅ | ✅ |
| Conditional Logic | ✅ | ✅ (Advanced) |
| Price Add‑ons | ✅ | ✅ |
| Formula‑Based Pricing | ❌ | ✅ |
| Automatic Variant Creation | ✅ | ❌ |
| Multi‑Step Forms | ❌ | ✅ |
| Edit‑in‑Cart | ❌ | ✅ |
| Shopify Functions & Discounts | ❌ | ✅ |
| Import/Export Option Sets | ✅ | ✅ |
| Shopify 2.0 Support | ✅ | ✅ |
Ease of Use
APO Product Options: Offers a comprehensive UI with many field types and logical grouping. Slightly technical in setup for variant generation and logic rules.
SM Product Options: Features a sleek drag‑and‑drop form builder, live preview, and modular logic that’s intuitive for merchants of all experience levels.
Use Case Scenarios
| Scenario | Recommended App |
|---|---|
| Personalized engraving or text | Both |
| Color/image swatches needed | Both |
| File uploads included | Both |
| Inventory management via variant creation | APO |
| Tiered pricing or advanced discounts | SM |
| Multi‑step product builder | SM |
| Edit customizations in cart | SM |
Pricing Comparison
| Plan | APO Product Options | SM Product Options |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | ✅ (limited) | ✅ (basic) |
| Base Plan | $14.99/month | $10/month |
| Advanced Logic / Functions | ❌ | $20/month |
| Variant Creation Included | ✅ | ✅ |
Support & Integration
| Support Feature | APO Product Options | SM Product Options |
|---|---|---|
| Email Support | ✅ | ✅ |
| Live Chat | ❌ | ✅ |
| Help Center & Docs | ✅ | ✅ |
| Theme Integration Help | Limited | ✅ |
| Onboarding & Custom Setup | Limited | ✅ |
Performance & Compatibility
APO: Fully compatible with most themes; variant creation adds backend flexibility, but storefront may load additional scripts.
SM Product Options: Ultra‑fast, lightweight storefront, optimized for Shopify 2.0, Functions, Shop Pay, and high‑traffic performance.
Real‑World Example
Store Type: Custom gift box with engraving and swatches
APO: Merchant uses automatic variant creation for each swatch and engraving combination, ensuring accurate inventory and fulfillment.
SM: Customer builds step‑by‑step gift box, chooses swatches, adds engraving, sees price change live, applies a discount, and edits options in cart.
Ratings & Reviews
- APO Product Options: 4.7 stars. Praised for field variety and variant automation; however, some users find UI dated.
- SM Product Options: 5 stars. Highly commended for modern interface, speed, advanced logic, and support.
Final Verdict
Choose APO Product Options if you:
- Need automatic variant creation for inventory and fulfillment
- Prefer structured option templates and backend inventory control
- Are comfortable with a more technical setup
Choose SM Product Options if you:
- Want a polished, drag‑and‑drop UX with live previews
- Require advanced pricing logic, discount, and Shopify integration
- Need a lightweight, performant solution for scalability
Conclusion
Both APO Product Options and SM Product Options expand Shopify’s capabilities beyond its variant limits. **APO** excels at inventory-driven variant workflows, while **SM** stands out with cutting-edge logic, UX, and Shopify-native optimization.
Make your choice based on your store’s needs—inventory control or enhanced UX and flexibility. Ready to get started? SM Product Options might be the game changer your store needs.