Bold Subscriptions has been around since the early days of Shopify subscription apps. Joy Subscriptions launched in August 2024 and has grown to 5,000+ merchants. These two apps represent different generations of subscription tooling — and the comparison is worth doing carefully if you are considering either one.
We built Joy Subscriptions, so read this with that in mind. We have tried to represent Bold fairly, but if you spot anything that seems off, check Bold's own documentation to verify.
| Category | Joy Subscriptions | Bold Subscriptions |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Fee | None | $49.99/month |
| Transaction Fee | 0% for first 6 months or first $1M revenue, then 1.5% | 1% on all subscription orders |
| Setup Fee | None | None |
| Flexible Billing Intervals | Yes | Yes |
| Smart Dunning | Yes | Yes |
| Customer Self-Service Portal | Branded, modern | Yes, customizable |
| Subscribe & Save | Yes | Yes |
| Build-a-Box / Bundles | Yes | Subscription boxes supported |
| Prepaid Plans | Yes | Yes |
| Product Swaps | Yes | Yes |
| Analytics | Core subscription metrics (Starter plan) | Standard analytics |
| Migration Support | Free, named contact, managed | Self-serve or agency |
| 24/7 Live Chat | Yes | No (business hours) |
| App Rating | 4.9 ★ (379+ reviews) | 4.1 ★ |
Bold charges $49.99/month from the moment you install it, plus 1% on every subscription order processed. Joy has no monthly fee and no transaction fee for the first 6 months or first $1,000,000 in subscription revenue — whichever gives you more time. After that introductory period, a flat 1.5% transaction fee applies.
Here is what that looks like at real revenue levels (Joy costs shown after the introductory 0% period ends):
| Monthly Recurring Revenue | Joy Cost (after intro period) | Bold Cost |
|---|---|---|
| $0 – $500 | $0 – $7.50 | $49.99 |
| $1,000 | $15 | $59.99 ($49.99 + $10) |
| $3,000 | $45 | $79.99 ($49.99 + $30) |
| $5,000 | $75 | $99.99 ($49.99 + $50) |
| $10,000 | $150 | $149.99 ($49.99 + $100) |
During Joy's introductory period (first 6 months or first $1M in subscription revenue), you pay $0 in transaction fees — making Joy dramatically cheaper than Bold while you build your subscription program. After the intro period, Joy is still cheaper at lower MRR levels, and the gap narrows at higher volumes. More importantly, Joy costs nothing during your critical early months — which is exactly when every dollar counts.
Both apps handle the essentials: recurring billing, flexible intervals (weekly, monthly, every N weeks), pausing, skipping, cancellation, and product swaps. Neither has a meaningful gap here for most use cases.
Joy's customer portal is built on a more modern foundation and merchants report it feels cleaner and more intuitive for end customers. Bold's portal is functional and customizable, though some merchants describe it as less polished.
Both apps include automated dunning to recover failed payments. Joy's dunning system is configurable — you set the retry intervals and notification messages. Bold's dunning is comparable in functionality.
Joy supports Build-a-box, letting customers assemble their own subscription boxes. Bold supports subscription box products, though the implementation differs slightly. If box subscriptions are central to your model, test both directly against your specific requirements.
Bold has a longer history and integrates with more third-party tools by default — particularly other Bold Commerce apps like Bold Upsell or Bold Loyalty. If your store relies on Bold's broader app suite, that integration value is real.
Joy's integration library is growing. If a specific integration is on your must-have list, check Joy's current integration page before deciding.
Joy is faster to set up for most merchants. The onboarding flow is designed for non-technical operators — you can have a subscription plan live within an hour in most cases. The admin interface is clean and the language is plain.
Bold has a longer setup process, partly because it has more configuration options. Merchants who are comfortable with technical settings or who have an agency helping them tend to find Bold manageable. Solo operators or small teams report more friction.
Joy holds a 4.9-star rating from 379+ merchants. Reviews consistently mention fast support, clean setup, and pricing transparency.
Bold holds a 4.1-star rating. The lower average reflects a mix of history: Bold went through a significant platform transition (from Bold v1 to the current version) that caused migration issues for some merchants. Recent reviews are more positive, but that history is visible in the aggregate rating.
Joy launched in 2024 without legacy baggage. That is an advantage in ratings, but it also means Joy has not yet been tested at the same scale over time that Bold has.
Bold went through a significant platform transition a couple of years ago that affected merchants on their older subscription product. Many merchants migrated through that process without issue, but some experienced disruption. If you are evaluating Bold today, the current version is a different product from what caused those problems. It is worth researching recent reviews specifically — within the last 6 to 12 months — rather than relying on older feedback.
Joy offers better pricing and a higher merchant satisfaction rating. Bold has a longer track record and suits merchants integrated with the Bold app ecosystem. For most new or switching merchants, Joy is the stronger starting point.
Yes. Joy provides free, managed migration with a named contact. The process typically takes 3 to 5 business days.
Joy has no monthly fee. The Starter plan charges 0% transaction fees for the first 6 months or first $1M in subscription revenue, then 1.5%. Bold charges $49.99/month plus 1% on every subscription order from day one. Joy is cheaper in virtually every MRR scenario, and dramatically so during the introductory 0% period.
Joy covers the core features most merchants rely on. Bold has tighter integration with other Bold apps and some configuration options that Joy does not yet match. Check Joy's current feature list if you have specific requirements.
Bold's 4.1 average reflects legacy reviews from a difficult platform transition. Recent reviews are generally more positive. Joy started fresh in 2024, which partly explains its higher rating.
For most merchants, Joy Subscriptions offers better value. Joy has no monthly fee — the Starter plan charges 0% transaction fees for the first 6 months or first $1,000,000 in subscription revenue, then 1.5% — versus Bold's $49.99/month plus 1% per transaction from day one. Joy also has a higher average rating (4.9 vs 4.1 stars) and more recent positive merchant reviews. Bold has been around longer and may suit merchants deeply integrated with other Bold apps.
Yes. Joy Subscriptions offers free migration support from Bold. The process involves migrating active subscribers, billing plans, and order history. Joy provides a named migration contact and manages the technical transfer. Most migrations complete within 3 to 5 business days.
The main differences are pricing and setup experience. Joy has no monthly fee (the Starter plan charges 0% transaction fees for the first 6 months or first $1M revenue, then 1.5%), while Bold starts at $49.99/month plus 1% transaction fees from day one. Joy has a cleaner, more modern interface that merchants report setting up faster. Bold has a longer track record and tighter integration with other Bold Commerce products.
Bold and Joy have comparable core features: flexible billing, customer portal, dunning, and product swaps. Bold offers prepaid plans and has a developer-friendly API. Joy adds Build-a-box bundles and a more modern self-service portal. Neither app dominates on features — the key differences are price and experience.
Bold's 4.1-star rating reflects a mix of factors. Historical migration issues when Bold transitioned to its current version affected many merchants. Some reviews cite slower support response times and a less intuitive admin interface. Joy launched more recently with a clean slate, which partly explains its higher starting satisfaction.
Join 5,000+ Shopify merchants using Joy Subscriptions. Free to install, no credit card required.
