Purple Dot Alternative: Native Checkout Without Third-Party Branding
Three issues drive merchants to explore options
Purple Dot's architecture creates specific trade-offs that don't work for every merchant.
Separate Checkout by Default
By default, pre-orders go through Purple Dot's own checkout. Using your Shopify checkout instead is a Shopify Plus-only option, and in that mode Purple Dot is the only payment option for pre-orders.
- Separate checkout is the default mode
- Pre-orders stay in Purple Dot until exported, so Shopify reports don't see them until then
- Pre-order shipping rates are set in Purple Dot's portal
- Discount support is limited
- Shopify checkout mode needs Shopify Plus
Purple Dot Branding at Checkout
Purple Dot's pre-order experience carries "Pre-order protected by Purple Dot" wording, putting a third-party name in front of your shoppers at the point of purchase.
- "Pre-order protected by Purple Dot" wording on the pre-order experience
- A third-party name next to your brand at checkout
Sales-Led Enterprise Contract
Self-serve ended in February 2026. Purple Dot is now a sales-led enterprise contract with no self-serve plan: a flat all-in percentage transaction fee, depending on country, with pricing on request.
- No self-serve plan
- A percentage of every pre-order, including payment processing
- Pricing by quote from its sales team
- Some engineering effort to get started, per its docs
See how PreProduct compares
A detailed, honest comparison of features and capabilities.
Shopify App Rating
Based on 108 verified reviews on the Shopify App Store
4.4 from 36 reviews before leaving the Shopify App Store
Checkout Experience
Pre-orders go through your Shopify checkout on any plan, so discounts, shipping profiles and checkout apps work as they do for in-stock orders.
Pre-orders go through Purple Dot's own checkout by default. Using your Shopify checkout is a Shopify Plus-only option, with Purple Dot as the only payment option for pre-orders.
Shopify Discounts
Your existing discount codes, automatic discounts, and promotional rules apply to pre-orders just like regular orders.
Purple Dot's merchant FAQ lists support for some discount codes.
Shipping Profiles
Your Shopify shipping zones, rates, calculated shipping, and delivery rules work for pre-orders.
In separate-checkout mode, pre-order shipping rates are set in Purple Dot's portal, mirroring your in-stock rates or set just for pre-orders. Shopify Plus mode uses your Shopify settings.
Third-Party Branding
No "powered by" badges, external links, or third-party branding. Your buttons say what you want. Your checkout looks like your checkout.
"Pre-order protected by Purple Dot" wording appears on its pre-order experience.
PayPal and Payment Methods
Pre-orders go through Shopify's checkout, so PayPal works. Shopify itself blocks Shop Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay and local methods like Klarna on pre-orders, whichever app you use.
Purple Dot processes pre-order payments itself. In Shopify checkout mode (Plus only), it's the only payment option for pre-orders.
Shopify Flow Integration
Triggers on Scale Plus, actions on Scale and up. Trigger charges, release holds, tag customers and build your own workflows.
No Shopify Flow integration documented.
Payment Models
Charge-upfront, charge-later (vaulted card), deposits (custom %), capture-only, and multi-step payment plans (Scale Plus).
Full payment upfront, a deposit with the rest on ship, or the full charge on ship. In separate mode, funds are held until export; Shopify Plus mode charges in full at checkout.
Commission-Free Option
$259.99/month with 0% commission on unlimited pre-orders.
A flat all-in percentage transaction fee on every pre-order, priced by quote.
Orders and Fulfilment
Pre-orders are Shopify orders from the moment they're placed, so Flow, Klaviyo and your reporting see them straight away. Pre-order lines sit on hold, so a 3PL or ERP ships only what's ready; confirm yours respects Shopify fulfilment holds.
In separate-checkout mode, pre-orders stay in Purple Dot until exported to Shopify for fulfilment. In Shopify Plus mode, the order is created in Shopify with a hold.
Native Shopify architecture, better outcomes
PreProduct takes a different architectural approach with different trade-offs.
Native Shopify Checkout
Pre-orders run through your Shopify checkout on every plan, not just Shopify Plus.
- Discounts work normally
- Shipping profiles apply
- Shopify Functions and apps work
- Works on any Shopify plan
- Orders appear in Shopify admin
No Third-Party Branding
No "powered by" badges, external links, or third-party branding. Your pre-order flow looks like your store.
- Fully white-label experience
- Premium brand positioning maintained
- No external links on checkout
Five Flexible Charging Models
Match your charging model to each product launch's needs.
- Charge-upfront
- Charge-later (vaulted card)
- Deposits (custom percentage)
- Capture-only
- Multi-step payment plans (Scale Plus)
Commission-Free Pricing at Scale
Scale Plus at $259.99/month with 0% commission, published on our pricing page rather than quoted.
- Starter: Free + 5% commission
- Scale: $99.99/month, 0% on the first $5,000 of monthly paid pre-order revenue, then 0.5%
- Scale Plus: $259.99/month + 0% commission
Automation With Shopify Flow
15 Shopify Flow actions (Scale and up) and 16 triggers (Scale Plus) plus native automations.
- Listing Manager auto-creates pre-orders (Scale and up)
- Auto-charge when inventory is added (Scale and up)
- Auto-release fulfillment holds
- 16 Flow triggers (Scale Plus), 15 actions (Scale and up)
Support and Migration Help
Email support on every plan, developer support from Scale up, and a step-by-step guide in the docs for moving off Purple Dot.
- Email support on every plan
- Developer support on Scale and up
- Setup check with a developer before go-live (Scale Plus)
- Purple Dot migration guide
Why brands love PreProduct
Real reviews from verified Shopify merchants.
"Game changer for us. PreProduct has transformed the way our small team is able to manage pre-orders. It's been a massive operational unlock. The app itself is intuitive, fast to implement, and fits seamlessly into our existing workflows."
"Run, don't walk and install PreProduct! We've been a very long time looking for the perfect pre-order app and can happily report we've found it! The deferred payment options and flexibility are absolute game changers."
"Glad I went for this pre-order app. Very flexible and well thought out functionality. Also the customer service is some of the best I've experienced - friendly and highly responsive."
"This app has enabled us to integrate Shopify preorders with our legacy ERP. The ability to defer charging customers for preordered items until we are ready to ship is an amazing feature. We also love the feature that allows customers to manage their order's preorders themselves. Another great feature of this app is the ability to prevent preorder items from being mixed into carts with non- ..."
"Brilliant app that changes the game for out of stock items, really love the usability of this and it works like a charm. Oli is extremely responsive and helpful for support, 100% would recommend!"
Common questions
Is PreProduct FTC compliant like Purple Dot claims to be?
FTC compliance depends on your operational practices, not your software. The FTC requirements are straightforward: clearly identify pre-orders, state shipping timeframes, and keep customers updated with the ability to cancel if delays occur. PreProduct uses Shopify's native checkout and provides tools for all FTC requirements: customizable pre-order messaging, shipping date displays, email automation, and customer portals where buyers can see order status and request cancellations. Purple Dot's escrow approach is a legitimate business model choice, but it's not an FTC requirement.
Why does Purple Dot use a separate checkout instead of Shopify's?
Purple Dot transacts the pre-order itself, so by default it runs its own checkout and holds funds until the order is exported for fulfilment. Shopify Plus stores can instead run pre-orders through their Shopify checkout, with Purple Dot as the only payment option and the order created in Shopify on hold. In separate-checkout mode, pre-order shipping rates are set in Purple Dot's portal, discount support is limited, and Shopify doesn't see the order until it's exported.
Does Purple Dot show its branding on pre-orders?
Purple Dot's pre-order experience carries "Pre-order protected by Purple Dot" wording. Ask its sales team whether that can change under your contract. PreProduct has no third-party branding on any plan.
How does Purple Dot's pricing compare?
Purple Dot ended its self-serve plan in February 2026. It's now a sales-led enterprise contract with a flat all-in percentage transaction fee, which includes payment processing, and pricing on request. PreProduct publishes its plans: Starter is free plus 5%, Scale is $99.99/month with 0% on the first $5,000 of monthly paid pre-order revenue then 0.5%, and Scale Plus is $259.99/month with 0% commission.
What happens to my existing checkout customizations with Purple Dot?
In Purple Dot's default separate-checkout mode, pre-orders don't go through your Shopify checkout, so checkout apps, Shopify Functions and checkout extensions only run on in-stock orders. Shopify Plus stores can use Purple Dot as a payment provider in their own checkout instead. With PreProduct, every pre-order runs through your Shopify checkout on any plan.
How Do I Move From Purple Dot to PreProduct?
Follow our Purple Dot migration guide. It maps each Purple Dot payment setup to a PreProduct one: pay upfront to charge upfront, charge on ship to charge later on a vaulted card, split payments to deposits, and the waitlist to capture-only. Pre-orders still sitting in Purple Dot need completing there first. Pre-orders already pushed to Shopify can be brought across with the migration feature.
Comparing Purple Dot with more than one app? See our Shopify pre-order app round-up for 2026 picks by use case.
Ready to switch to native Shopify pre-orders?
Start free on the Starter plan, or try Scale or Scale Plus free for 7 days on the Shopify App Store.
Starter
$0.00
USD / month
+5% of paid pre-order revenue
Take me to the Shopify app
Take pre-orders from your e-commerce/Shopify storefront
Unlimited pre-order listings
Charge customers upfront, later or via deposit
Customise pre-order front-end & email campaign
Customer portals
Pre-ship upsells add-on available
Email support
Scale
$99.99
USD / month
+0% commission on up to 5k of monthly paid pre-order revenue, then 0.5% afterwards.
Start your 7-day free trial
Everything in Starter
Listing Manager automation access
15x Shopify Flow actions
16 Shopify Flow triggers
10+ Klaviyo events
Developer support
Scale Plus
$259.99
USD / month
+0% commission
Everything in Scale
0% commission
API access
Multi-step payment plans and pay-early
Setup check with a developer before go-live (Zoom)