AppOfWeb vs Tapcart: Is Tapcart Really Worth $250–$1,200/Month for Your Shopify Store?

You want to convert your Shopify store to a mobile app. That's a great idea. Mobile apps drive more sales, bring customers back more often, and give you a direct line to shoppers through push notifications.

You've probably already heard of Tapcart — it's one of the biggest names in the Shopify mobile app world. Big brands love it. The reviews are mostly great. It looks impressive. But then you see the price — $250 to $1,200 per month — and you think... 'Wait, do I really need to spend that much?'

Short answer: No. You don't. Meet AppOfWeb — a fully managed Shopify mobile app service that gives you a native iOS and Android app, a dedicated project manager, and hands-off support for just $99/month. In this post, we break down exactly how Tapcart and AppOfWeb compare — so you can make the smartest decision for your business.

What Is Tapcart?

Tapcart is a DIY Shopify mobile app builder. That means they give you a drag-and-drop tool, and YOU build and manage the app yourself. It syncs with your Shopify store in real time, lets you send push notifications, and gives you a nice-looking app. Tapcart is great for larger eCommerce brands with a dedicated marketing team who has the time and resources to manage an app on an ongoing basis.

But here's the thing most people don't realize until after they sign up: With Tapcart, you are doing most of the work yourself. You design the app. You manage the content. You set up push notifications. You figure out what blocks to use. You troubleshoot issues. And you're paying a LOT for that privilege.

The Pricing Problem with Tapcart

Let's talk numbers. This is where things get uncomfortable for Tapcart.

Plus a 'success fee' — Tapcart also charges 1.75% to 2.5% of every sale made through your app, on top of the monthly price. The more your app grows, the more you pay Tapcart. You also need an Apple Developer account ($99/year) and Google Play account ($25 one-time) just to publish your app.

No success fee. No percentage of your sales. No hidden charges. Just $99/month, flat.

AppOfWeb vs Tapcart: Full Comparison

The Biggest Difference: Hands-Off vs Hands-On

With Tapcart, you get a tool — a great tool, but still a tool. You're responsible for designing the app layout, setting up push notifications, updating content, managing integrations, and troubleshooting issues. If you're a founder already wearing 10 different hats every day, who has time for all that?

AppOfWeb is a fully managed service. They build your app from scratch, publish it to both stores, handle all updates and maintenance, and give you a dedicated project manager. When something needs changing, you tell your project manager — done. You focus on your business. They handle the app.

Real Cost Comparison Over Time

Savings vs Tapcart Core over 3 years: $5,436. Savings vs Tapcart Enterprise over 3 years: $32,436. With AppOfWeb, your fee never changes. It's always $99/month, no matter how much you sell — while Tapcart's success fee means their cost grows as your app grows.

What Real Users Say About Tapcart

Real Tapcart users have noted: 'It's pricey for what you get' — many feel the basic plan doesn't justify $250/month. 'Android apps lag behind iOS' — multiple reviewers note fewer features and more bugs on Android. 'Launching took longer than expected' — Apple Developer setup and approval can delay your launch significantly. 'You need a team to manage it' — solo founders and small teams often feel overwhelmed. 'The success fee adds up fast' — as your app sells more, 2.5% becomes a serious additional cost.

What AppOfWeb Does Differently

AppOfWeb was built for Shopify store owners who want results without the headache. It's fully managed from day one — no tools to learn, nothing to design or manage. You get a dedicated project manager from the very beginning at $99/month (Tapcart only gives you one at $1,000/month Enterprise). There are no success fees. Ever. AppOfWeb is 100% focused on Shopify, delivering better, more specialized results for Shopify merchants.

AppOfWeb Uses Advanced Webview Technology — And That's a Big Deal

Here's something most people miss when comparing Shopify mobile app builders: the technology underneath the app matters a lot. Tapcart builds a custom native app — it essentially rebuilds your store from scratch inside a new environment. That sounds impressive, but it creates a real problem: your Shopify theme, apps, and customizations don't automatically carry over. You have to re-integrate things manually, and many Shopify apps are simply not compatible with Tapcart's native layer.

AppOfWeb works differently. It uses Advanced Webview technology — the same approach used by MobiLoud, one of the most trusted names in mobile app conversion. Instead of rebuilding your store from scratch, AppOfWeb wraps your existing Shopify website inside a beautiful native app shell. This means your real, live website is what powers the app — every Shopify app you use, every theme customization, every widget — it all works automatically inside the mobile app, right out of the box.

Think of it this way: your website and your app are always perfectly in sync — because they ARE the same thing. You update your website, your app updates instantly. You add a new product, a promotion, or a new section — it appears in the app immediately. No delays, no re-syncing, no rebuilding. That's a massive advantage over custom native apps like Tapcart, where your website and app are two separate things that need to be maintained independently.

Webview App vs Custom Native App: Why Webview Wins for Most Shopify Stores

For most small and medium Shopify stores, Advanced Webview is the smarter choice. You get a polished, App Store-ready mobile app that perfectly mirrors your live store — without rebuilding anything or worrying about compatibility. And because AppOfWeb is fully managed on top of that, you never have to touch any of it yourself.

Who Should Choose AppOfWeb?

AppOfWeb is the perfect fit if you want a mobile app but don't have time to manage it, if you're a small or medium business without a dedicated marketing team, if you're a founder wearing multiple hats, if you want to convert your Shopify store to a mobile app without a tech background, if you're budget-conscious and looking for maximum value, or if you want a real human project manager — not just a ticket system.

Who Should Choose Tapcart?

Tapcart makes more sense if you're a large brand doing $10M+ in annual revenue with a dedicated marketing or tech team, you want the deepest customization and are willing to pay for it, you have the budget for $500–$1,000/month plus a success fee on every sale, or you need enterprise-level integrations and developer tools. Tapcart is a great product — it's just very expensive and very hands-on.

Final Verdict

Tapcart is a premium product built for premium brands with premium budgets. But the vast majority of Shopify store owners are hard-working entrepreneurs who want a mobile app that works — without spending thousands of dollars a month or hours managing a DIY tool. That's exactly who AppOfWeb was built for.

Same result: a beautiful, native iOS and Android app for your Shopify store. Different experience: fully managed, dedicated support, zero stress. Different price: $99/month vs $250–$1,200/month. If you want to convert your Shopify store to a mobile app and want someone to handle everything — AppOfWeb is the smartest choice in the market today.

Final Scorecard

Want to convert your Shopify store to a mobile app without the DIY headache — and without paying Tapcart's premium price? AppOfWeb gives you a fully managed iOS and Android app with a dedicated project manager for just $99/month. Visit appofweb.com to get started today.