Aisles / Email and SMS / Attentive
Attentive review and real cost
SMS, email, RCS and push marketing with two-tap signups, priced by quote through sales.
Verdict
Built for larger brands that want a managed, SMS-first program with strategy and compliance help. The catch is that prices come only by quote, and some reviewers describe contracts that are hard to leave.
Install it if
- High-volume brands that want SMS as a main revenue channel
- Teams that want hands-on strategy, onboarding and compliance support
- Stores already using Gorgias, Okendo, Rebuy or Loop Returns
Skip it if
- Small stores that want to see prices before talking to sales
- Merchants who want to switch tools without contract talks
- Stores that automate with Shopify Flow
Good
- 300 ordersQUOTEQuote only
- 2,000 ordersQUOTEQuote only
- 10,000 ordersQUOTEQuote only
List size, message volume, channels and AI add-ons set the bill, and Attentive gives a price only through sales2.
Public prices, billed monthly, checked October 8, 2026.
The eight checks
Attentive passes 4: read the fine print. What each check means.
- Free to start: passedThe listing offers a minimum 30-day free trial1.
- Prices public at every size: failedAttentive publishes no rates; pricing is tailored to list size, messages, channels and AI tools2.
- Built for Shopify: failedThe listing does not show the Built for Shopify badge1.
- Rated 4.7 or higher: passedRated 4.7 on the Shopify App Store1.
- 500+ merchant reviews: failed111 reviews on the Shopify App Store, below 5001.
- Works with Shopify Flow: failedShopify Flow is not listed under Works with1.
- You can take your data: passedAttentive documents public APIs and nightly CSV data feeds delivered over SFTP3,4.
- Security report named: passedAttentive's security page lists a SOC 2 Type 2 report5.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Includes | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free to install | Free to install; then by quote1,2 | Minimum 30-day free trial, then month-to-month or long-term agreements; SMS, email, RCS and push by package | Charges billed by Attentive outside the Shopify invoice; amount set by quote |
Attentive does not publish prices. It builds a plan around your message volume, list size, channels and AI products, and offers discounts when you bundle channels or AI tools2. The app is free to install with a minimum 30-day trial; after that you sign a month-to-month or longer agreement, billed by Attentive1. Without a quote we can't show a monthly cost for any of our three stores.
Usage charges: Usage-based and quoted: priced on messages sent, list size, channels and AI tools; AI Pro and AI Grow are flat monthly fees and AI Journeys is pay per click2.. Free trial: Minimum 30 days1.
How we worked out the bill
| Store size | Per month | Arithmetic |
|---|---|---|
| Small, 300 orders | Quote | Quote only: Attentive prices on list size, messages sent, channels and AI tools and publishes no rates2 |
| Growing, 2,000 orders | Quote | Quote only: no published rates for 20,000 email profiles or 16,000 texts a month2 |
| Large, 10,000 orders | Quote | Quote only: no published rates for 100,000 email profiles or 80,000 texts a month2 |
What it does
Attentive is a messaging platform for SMS, MMS, RCS, email and push, built around fast list growth with its two-tap signup units1. It segments by identity data tied to a phone number and offers AI tools for send time, segments and personalised journeys1,2. Every plan includes strategic planning, onboarding, deliverability help and a dedicated support team2.
On Shopify it works with Gorgias, Loop Returns, LoyaltyLion, Okendo, Rebuy and Zendesk1.
- SMS, MMS, RCS, email and push from one platform1,2.
- Patented two-tap signup units and more than 30 signup unit types1.
- AI tools for send time, segments, signup units and 1:1 journeys, some as paid add-ons2.
- In-house TCPA compliance experts and templates1.
- Strategic planning, onboarding and a dedicated support team on every plan2.
- More than 150 pre-built integrations2.
What merchants say
Attentive is rated 4.7 from 111 reviews, with 88% five-star ratings1. Merchants praise SMS revenue, list growth, deliverability and proactive account managers1. The few low ratings describe strict contracts with SMS exclusivity, message charges the merchant could not explain, and little control over billing inside the app6.
Complaints worth knowing
- A recent 1-star review describes a contract with SMS exclusivity, long lock-in and penalties for changing tools6.
- Another describes charges for 21,000 messages the merchant could not explain and slow answers from support6.
- A 2025 review says there is no in-app area for the subscription or invoice history6.
What the developer claims
Numbers the developer publishes about itself. We have not verified them.
- Industry-leading deliverability with above-average click-through rates1.
- 97% open rates for text messages2.
- Customer results on its pricing page, such as 28x program ROI for The Vitamin Shoppe and a 40% revenue increase from emails for Olly2.
- Unified SMS and email drives 6x spend, and Mobile ID boosts subscriber recognition by 20%2.
Your data
Attentive offers public APIs and nightly CSV feeds of events and conversions over SFTP; feed files are deleted after 30 days3,4. Its security page lists a SOC 2 Type 2 report and a pentest report, plus multi-factor login and SSO support5. It does not say there where data is stored5.
App languages: English. Works with: Checkout, Gorgias, Loop Returns, LoyaltyLion, Okendo, Rebuy, Zendesk. On the App Store since: July 2, 2020.
Other email and SMS apps
| App | Checks | 300 orders | 2,000 orders | 10,000 orders |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7/8 checks passed | $105 | $570 | $2,275 | |
| 6/8 checks passed | $95 | $515 | $2,034 | |
| 5/8 checks passed | $57 | $197 | $984 |
Sources
- Attentive: AI-led Email & SMS - Shopify App Store, Shopify App Store. Accessed October 8, 2026.
- Attentive pricing, Attentive. Accessed October 8, 2026.
- Introduction to Attentive APIs, Attentive Developer Docs. Accessed October 8, 2026.
- Attentive SFTP Data Feeds, Attentive Developer Docs. Accessed October 8, 2026.
- Attentive Security Status Page, Attentive. Accessed October 8, 2026.
- Attentive reviews (1-2 stars, newest), Shopify App Store. Accessed October 8, 2026.
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