Use contribution, not revenue
A $100 attributed order does not create $100 of value. Apply gross margin before comparing the order with software cost.
Free tool · no login
Shopify app
ROI calculator.
Translate an app fee into the incremental orders, contribution profit, and operator time it must create before it earns a permanent place in your stack.
Decision model, not attribution magic: your inputs stay in the browser and are not stored. Use conservative estimates and test the app against a documented baseline.
APP ROI TEST / CONTRIBUTION BASISLIVE TOOL
6-MONTH TEST COST$494
MODELED CONTRIBUTION$1,223
NET VALUE+$729
MODELED ROI147%
DECISION SIGNALClears a 2× value target
The modeled benefit is $729 above cost.
BREAK-EVEN LIFT0.1incremental orders / month after time savings
SETUP PAYBACK1.3 moif the monthly benefit holds
Use incremental orders only: orders that would not have happened without this app. Revenue is converted to contribution using your gross-margin input; attributed revenue is not the same as profit.
Put the result into the full app audit ↗Three rules
Make the app prove value after the sale.
Count only the difference
Use orders the app caused above the baseline—not every order that passed through an app-controlled touchpoint.
Time must be reclaimed
Hours saved count only when the workflow actually disappears or the released capacity is used for higher-value work.
This model is an editorial decision aid, not financial advice or a promise of causality. It excludes taxes, payment processing, refunds, discounts, financing cost, and downstream retention unless you incorporate them into conservative inputs.
The model
What the calculator actually does.
Total test cost
(Monthly app fee × evaluation months) + setup and migration cost.
Modeled contribution
(Incremental orders × average order value × gross margin × months) + (hours saved × hourly value × months).
ROI and payback
ROI is net value divided by total test cost. Setup payback uses monthly benefit after the recurring subscription.
Before you install
Write the proof plan while the baseline still exists.
Choose one primary job for the app: create incremental orders, prevent a measurable loss, or remove operator work. Save the pre-install baseline, the exact plan price, implementation hours, and the date the test starts.
For conversion tools, prefer a controlled experiment or a comparable holdout. When that is impossible, use a conservative before-and-after window and record promotions, traffic changes, stockouts, and seasonality that could explain the result.
At the end of the window, keep, downgrade, replace, or remove the app. “We already installed it” is not evidence.
Questions operators ask
Should I use revenue or profit to calculate Shopify app ROI?
Use contribution profit, not attributed revenue. This calculator multiplies average order value by gross margin before comparing incremental orders with the app's subscription and setup cost.
What counts as an incremental order?
An incremental order is one that would not have occurred without the app. Orders merely touched by a popup, review widget, email, or upsell are not automatically incremental.
How long should I test a Shopify app?
Use a window long enough to cover a representative buying cycle and any setup period. Document the baseline before installation, choose one primary success metric, and include migration and operator time in the cost.