Best Landing Page Builder for Shopify: Do You Really Need One?
If you are scaling a Shopify store, you eventually hit a wall. You want to build a custom landing page for your new product launch, or maybe a high-converting advertorial for your Facebook ads. You go to the Shopify theme editor, and... it's stuck.
The default theme sections just don't give you the design freedom you need. So, you do what everyone else does: you search for the best landing page builder for shopify.
You find the big names: Shogun, PageFly, GemPages. They look great, until you see the price tag ($39-$99/month) and the impact on your site speed.
In this honest comparison guide, we will break down the top landing page builders on the market. We will analyze their features, pricing, and performance. But we will also introduce you to a "secret third option" - a way to build custom pages without the monthly subscription bloat.
The Criteria: How We Ranked Them
We evaluated these tools based on four factors critical to merchants:
- Ease of Use: Can a non-techie build a page in 30 minutes?
- Performance: Does the app slow down your site (Core Web Vitals)?
- Cost: Is the monthly fee justified?
- Design Freedom: Can you actually build anything you want?
1. PageFly (The Popular Choice)
Price: Free plan available (1 page); Paid starts at $24/mo.
PageFly is the most installed page builder on Shopify. It uses a grid-based drag-and-drop system that is very powerful but has a steep learning curve.
Pros: + Massive library of templates. + "Global styling" lets you save font/color presets. + Good free plan for beginners.
Cons: - Speed: It injects a lot of code into your theme, which can hurt load times. - UI: The interface feels cluttered and overwhelming for simple tasks. - Cost: To get unlimited pages, you are paying nearly $100/month.
2. Shogun (The Enterprise Choice)
Price: Starts at $39/mo.
Shogun is the heavyweight champion, used by brands like MVMT and K-Swiss. It is robust, reliable, and includes A/B testing features on higher plans.
Pros: + built-in A/B testing (Split testing). + "Sync" feature for multi-store brands. + Extremely stable editor.
Cons: - Expensive: The useful features are locked behind the $149/mo plan. - Lock-in: If you uninstall Shogun, your pages often break or become uneditable.
3. GemPages (The Designer's Choice)
Price: Starts at $29/mo.
GemPages offers a more "free-form" design experience compared to PageFly's strict grid. It feels a bit more like design software (Figma/Photoshop).
Pros: + "Image to Layout" AI feature (promising but new). + Very flexible design capabilities. + Cheaper starting price for decent features.
Cons: - Code Bloat: Like the others, it relies on heavy JavaScript libraries. - Learning Curve: Requires some understanding of padding/margins to look good.
4. Replo (The Developer's Choice)
Price: Starts at $99/mo.
Replo is the new kid on the block, designed specifically to work with Shopify 2.0. It is incredibly powerful but aimed at advanced users who want "React-like" control.
Pros: + Clean code output (faster than Shogun/PageFly). + Library of high-converting "Unbounce-style" templates. + Deep integration with Shopify metadata.
Cons: - Price: Very expensive entry point. - Complexity: Not for the faint of heart.
Tired of Monthly Page Builder Fees?
Build custom landing pages with native Shopify sections — pay once, own forever.
The Hidden Problem with Page Builder Apps
While these apps are powerful, they all share the same fundamental flaws:
1. The "Subscription Trap"
You stop paying, you lose your pages. Or worse, the pages stay, but you can't edit them anymore. You are renting your store's design, not owning it.
2. The "Speed Tax"
Most page builders work by loading a massive external stylesheet and JavaScript file. Google hates this. We often see stores drop 10-20 points on PageSpeed Insights after installing a page builder.
3. The "Editor Disconnect"
You have to leave Shopify to use them. You are designing in a separate window, and the fonts often don't match your theme perfectly. It creates a disjointed brand experience.
The Alternative: Shopify Sections (The "No-App" Method)
What if you could build custom landing pages inside the native Shopify editor, without a monthly fee?
With Shopify Online Store 2.0, you can. You just need better Sections.
How It Works
Instead of an app, you purchase standalone sections (like a "Hero Banner," "Testimonial Slider," or "Comparison Table") that plug directly into your theme code.
Why this beats Page Builders:
- Price: You pay once (e.g., $9). You own it forever. No monthly fees.
- Speed: These sections use "Liquid" code, which is native to Shopify. Zero external scripts. Lightning fast.
- Workflow: You edit everything in the Shopify "Customize" theme editor. It's seamless.
Case Study: Building a Landing Page with Section Store
Let's say you want to build a sales page for a new sneaker drop. The Old Way (Shogun): Pay $39/mo, spend 2 hours learning the tool, fight with font settings. The New Way (Section Store): 1. Buy a Video Hero Section ($9). 2. Buy a Feature Grid Section ($9). 3. Buy a FAQ Section ($9). Total Cost: $27 (One-time). Result: A fully custom page that loads instantly and matches your theme perfectly.
Ready to Build Your Landing Page?
Get Hero, Feature Grid, and FAQ sections for less than one month of Shogun.
When Should You Use a Page Builder App?
We aren't saying PageFly and Shogun are useless. They have their place.
Use a Page Builder App if: 1. You are a large enterprise (making $1M+/year) and need complex A/B testing features. 2. You need a radically different design that ignores your theme's header/footer completely (e.g., a standalone funnel). 3. You have a dedicated designer who refuses to work in the Shopify editor.
Use Section Store Sections if: 1. You want to keep your monthly costs low ($0/mo). 2. You care about Google PageSpeed scores. 3. You want a design that feels integrated with your brand, not "pasted on." 4. You are comfortable using the standard Shopify visual editor.
Top 3 "Must-Have" Sections for Landing Pages
If you decide to go the native route, here are the sections you need to replicate the functionality of a page builder:
1. The High-Impact Hero
Standard theme banners are boring. You need one with split-screen layouts, countdown timers, or video backgrounds. Recommended: Section Store Hero Section.
2. The "Trust" Cluster
A section that combines star ratings, logos, and a guarantee badge. Page builders have this built-in; most themes don't. Recommended: Trust Badges
3. The Accordion FAQ
Essential for long-form sales pages to handle objections without cluttering the layout. Recommended: FAQ #17
Want a High Converting Theme Without Monthly Subscription?
Browse over 700 theme sections in the Section Store app.
Get The Free App →No subscription. Pay once for sections you decide to use.
Conclusion: Own Your Design, Don't Rent It
The search for the best landing page builder for shopify often ends in a monthly subscription you forget to cancel. In 2025, you don't need to rent your layout.
The Verdict:
- Best for Power Users: Replo (expensive but powerful).
- Best for Beginners: PageFly (good free plan).
- Best for ROI & Speed: Section Store (Native sections).
Stop letting monthly fees eat your profit margins. Browse our library of premium Shopify sections and build your next landing page for the price of a lunch.
Ready to Ditch the Monthly Fees?
Try Section Store free for 14 days. Pay only for sections you keep.
Interested in the perfect product page? Read our complete guide on product page customisation.
