Comparison
Skio vs Stay AI
Skio vs Stay AI for Shopify subscriptions — Skio post-acquisition uncertainty (Recharge bought April 30 2026) and Stay AI retention case data. Verified May 2026.
Skio
"The subscription platform top Shopify brands graduate to" — modern, Shopify-native subscriptions.
Stay AI
"Top Shopify Subscription App" — fuel subscription growth with retention intelligence.
Affiliate link. Pricing and terms are set by the vendor. details
On this page
At a glance
Both Skio and Stay AI are post-2020 entrants challenging Recharge in the Shopify subscription space — but as of mid-2026 the comparison is reshaped by ecosystem context. Skio was acquired by Recharge on April 30, 2026 for $105M cash (TechCrunch, PR Newswire); it operates as a distinct product but roadmap consolidation is expected within 12-24 months. Stay AI remains independent and ships an AI-driven retention positioning anchored on the OLIPOP case study (26% churn reduction, 35% revenue growth after Recharge migration). Both quote a Pro tier at $499/mo. The decision is less about pricing and more about which platform you want to be on as the subscription category consolidates.
Quick stats
Starting price
Skio
$499/mo
Stay AI
$499/mo
Rating
Skio
9/10
Stay AI
9.1/10
Integrations
Skio
6
Stay AI
12
Ownership status (verified 2026-05-30)
Skio
Acquired by Recharge April 30, 2026 ($105M cash); operates as distinct product
Stay AI
Independent; Series A-stage
Entry pricing
Skio
$499/mo Pro
Stay AI
$499/mo Pro
Affiliate program
Skio
No public affiliate program
Stay AI
No public affiliate program
Headline case study
Skio
Pre-acquisition customer roster (60+ G2 reviews, 4.9/5)
Stay AI
OLIPOP — 26% churn reduction, 35% revenue growth post-Recharge migration
Pricing
Skio
$499/mo
- up to
- —
- Model
- flat
Tiers: Monthly Plan $599/mo (or $499/mo annual) + 1% transaction fee + $0.20 per subscription order; Enterprise custom Pricing gotchas: Per-order fee $0.20 adds up fast (10K orders/mo = $2,000 extra); transaction fee 1% on subscription GMV stacks on top of platform fee. Free plan: No—14-day free trial Verified 2026-05-30
Stay AI
$499/mo
- up to
- —
- Model
- flat
Tiers: Monthly Plan $499/mo + 1% transaction fee + $0.19 per subscription order (single published tier); custom for higher volume Pricing gotchas: Single published paid tier — $499/mo minimum applies regardless of order volume. Free plan: No—30-day free trial Verified 2026-05-30
Skio and Stay AI sit in a similar price band.
Skio: Pro $499/mo (small brand); Enterprise $1,499/mo + custom. Pricing unchanged post-acquisition announcement. Stay AI: Pro $499/mo; Enterprise $1,499/mo + custom. The two platforms ship the same headline price tiers — at this layer pricing is not the deciding factor. Both lack a sub-$499 tier, so neither is appropriate for sub-$30K MRR subscription deployments — see Recharge vs Skio or Recharge vs Stay AI for those.
Features
Skio
- Native Shopify Checkout (passwordless) — Passwordless login via 4-digit SMS or email code; native checkout (no iframes)
- Build-a-Box (multi-type) — Static, dynamic, and sectioned build-your-own subscription boxes
- Multi-Step Cancel Flows — Convert cancels into pauses / swaps / saves with multi-step retention flows
- Automated Journeys — Welcome flows, win-backs, upsell campaigns on autopilot
- Group Subscriptions / Family Plans — Multi-member subscription support (family plans, gift subscriptions)
- Tiered Discounts and Free Trials — Tiered subscription discounts, free trials, gift subscriptions
Stay AI
- ExperienceEngine — Personalizes subscriber experience: dynamic carousels, in-portal banners, A/B tests
- RetentionEngine — AI-personalized cancel flows: pauses, discounts, surprise gifts to save churners
- WinbackEngine — Automated reactivation campaigns triggered by churn-risk signals
- Predictive Churn Alerts — Identifies high-risk subscribers before cancellation
- Digital Punch Cards — Gamified milestone-based rewards built into subscription program
- Self-Optimizing A/B Testing — A/B tests that auto-optimize over time as winners emerge
Shopify integration
Skio
Deep native Shopify integration; Shopify App Store; built on Shopify's Subscriptions API and native checkout; designed for Shopify Plus; Skio, a Recharge Company
Stay AI
Deep native Shopify integration; Shopify App Store; built for Shopify and Shopify Plus subscription brands; native checkout integration
Integrations
Only Skio
- BigQuery
- Sendlane
- Shopify Flow
Both
- Rivo
- Shopify
- Shopify Plus
Only Stay AI
- AfterSell
- Bubblehouse
- Inveterate
- NoFraud
- Richpanel
- Slack
- Tapcart
- Wonderment
- Zaymo
Customer support
Support rating (aggregated from independent review platforms like G2, Capterra, Shopify App Store): Skio 9.6/10, Stay AI 9.7/10. This is an editorial composite of channel availability, response speed, and resolution quality — see the individual reviews below for specifics.
Pros & cons
Skio
Pros
- Native Shopify checkout — no iframes, no password resets
- Build-a-Box for customizable bundles
- Outstanding CSM support
Cons
- $99/mo entry kills testing economics for <100-order brands
- Documentation thin/outdated, troubleshooting requires CS
- Acquired by Recharge for $105M April 2026 — roadmap independence uncertain
Stay AI
Pros
- AI-driven RetentionEngine — OLIPOP reduced active churn by 26% and grew subscription revenue 35% after leaving Recharge, per Stay AI case study
- Drag-and-drop no-code customer portal
- High-touch white-glove migration team
Cons
- Single $499/mo + transaction fee plan — high floor
- No multi-tier pricing for smaller brands
- Smaller ecosystem vs. Recharge
When each one wins
Winner: Stay AI
New 2026 deployment, independence preferred
Stay AI remains independent post-Skio acquisition; OLIPOP case study provides published retention math; AI-driven retention is the explicit category positioning. For brands committing to a 3+ year subscription platform, the absence of an open parent-company question is itself a feature.
Winner: Skio
Need specific Skio-side feature (CSV pricing, customer-portal UX)
If Skio specifically solves a pricing-model or customer-portal-UX problem that Stay AI does not match, stay through 2026 — re-evaluate at Q2 2027 when Recharge-side roadmap signals firm up. The acquisition does not erase product quality, but it does introduce a roadmap-convergence horizon.
Winner: Stay AI
Sub-$30K MRR subscription revenue
Neither platform is well-positioned below this threshold (both gate at $499/mo), but Stay AI ships the cleaner story for early-stage brands evaluating long-term commitments. For sub-$30K MRR the honest answer is "neither yet — start on Recharge Standard at $25/mo and migrate up when retention is the bottleneck."
Our verdict
Neither tool is a partner — both pages render as editorial-only and PartnerAlternatives surfaces Recharge as the partner option in this category. For 2026 new deployments, Stay AI is the cleaner independent bet — published OLIPOP retention math, no parent-company question, AI-driven retention is the explicit positioning. Skio is the right pick only if its specific feature set (CSV pricing, customer-portal behavior) solves something Stay AI does not — and only with a re-evaluation calendar invite for Q2 2027 when Recharge-side roadmap signals firm up.
Similar tools worth comparing
Recharge
"The world's leading subscription platform, powering 71% of subscriptions sold on Shopify stores" — Recharge homepage (getrecharge.com, May 2026).
8.1/10from $25/moRead reviewYotpo
"Loyalty, Reviews & AI Visibility For Ecommerce" — eCommerce retention marketing platform.
8.3/10from $79/moRead review
Related comparisons
- Loop SubscriptionsvsSkio
For new 2026 deployments, Loop Subscriptions is the cleaner independent bet — no parent-company question, UX-led subscriber-portal positioning, $99/mo entry tier that scales predictably. Skio is the right pick only when its specific feature set solves something Loop does not, AND with a calendar invite to re-evaluate at Q2 2027 when Recharge-side roadmap signals firm up. Neither is a partner — both pages editorial-only.
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- Loop SubscriptionsvsStay AI
Neither tool is a partner — both pages render editorial-only and PartnerAlternatives surfaces Recharge as the partner alternative in this category. For brands $20K-$100K MRR subscription revenue, Loop Essentials at $99/mo is the cheaper functional choice and ships UX-led subscriber-portal features. For brands $50K+ MRR subscription revenue where active churn is the measured leak, Stay AI Pro at $499/mo becomes evaluable — OLIPOP case study math applies. Below $20K MRR, neither is the right answer — start on Recharge Standard at $25/mo and migrate up when retention or UX is the actual constraint.
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- RechargevsStay AI
For brands under $30K MRR subscription revenue, Recharge Standard at $25/mo + per-transaction fees is the only honest choice — Stay AI Pro at $499/mo cannot pay back at that scale. Above $30K MRR subscription revenue where active churn is a measurable revenue leak, Stay AI becomes evaluable: the OLIPOP case study suggests the retention delta covers the price step-up at meaningful scale, but case-study results are top-end outcomes, not median ones. Pilot the migration on a 90-day window with churn instrumented before committing.
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- RechargevsSkio
For new subscription deployments in 2026, default to Recharge — it is the post-acquisition continuing platform with the active affiliate program (Lasso, 90-day cookie window). For existing Skio merchants, no immediate forced migration was announced, but treat the next 12-24 months as a stay-or-migrate window: stay if Skio specifically solves a pricing or feature edge you rely on, migrate if you want long-term roadmap certainty. Either way, evaluate what specifically broke for you on the platform you would migrate FROM before signing a new contract.
Open