Whittle guide
Shopify SEO apps compared (2026)
An honest comparison of Shopify SEO apps: Smart SEO, SEO King, TinySEO, Avada, SearchPie, Plug in SEO and Whittle, using each app's App Store listing.
Short answer: Most Shopify SEO apps now cover the basics: AI meta tags, alt text, image compression, structured data and broken link fixes, and many have added llms.txt or "AI search" features. They differ on AI product descriptions, blog tools, rank tracking, whether every change can be undone, and price. Pick on those, at the plan your catalog actually needs.
Disclosure: we make Whittle, one of the apps below, which is in Shopify App Store review. Competitor details come only from each app's Shopify App Store listing, checked October 31, 2026. "Not stated" means the listing doesn't mention it, not that the app can't do it. We left out two apps whose availability on the App Store we couldn't confirm that day. Check current details before you choose.
Names to know
- TinyIMG is now TinySEO ("Tiny SEO Speed Image Optimizer").
- Smart SEO by Sherpas Design now lists as "Smart SEO AI & Image Optimizer".
Features side by side
| Feature | Smart SEO | SEO King | TinySEO | Avada | SearchPie | Plug in SEO | Whittle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI meta titles and descriptions | Yes | Yes | Yes (Advanced) | Not stated | AI SEO tags | Yes | Yes |
| AI product descriptions | Yes | Not stated | Yes | Not stated | Yes (Premium) | Yes | Yes |
| Image alt text | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Image compression | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not stated | Yes |
| Structured data (JSON-LD) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Broken links and redirects | Yes | Yes | Yes, including 301s | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes, including 301s and CSV import |
| llms.txt | Yes | Yes | Yes (Advanced) | Not stated | Yes | Not stated | Yes |
| Checks if AI assistants name your store | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Yes (weekly on paid plans) |
| Google Search Console | Yes | Yes | Yes (Expert) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rank tracking | Not stated | Yes | Not stated | Not stated | Yes (Enterprise) | Not stated | Yes (Pro and up) |
| Blog tools | Not stated | Not stated | AI blog builder | On-page checks | Not stated | Not stated | Audit, rewrites, merges and writer (Growth) |
| One-click undo for every change | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Yes |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Pricing at a glance
| App | Paid plans (as listed October 31, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Smart SEO | $14.99, $24.99 and $49.99 a month; 7-day trial |
| SEO King | $9.99, $13.99 and $16.99 a month by page count |
| TinySEO | $14, $23 and $49 a month; 7-day trial |
| Avada | $34.95 and $99 a month; 7-day trial |
| SearchPie | $39 and $99 a month; 7-day trial |
| Plug in SEO | From $4.99 a month, up to $79.99; 7-day trial |
| Whittle | $19, $39 and $79 a month; 14-day trial |
Which fits which store
- SEO King if price matters most and you mainly need meta tags, alt text and Search Console data.
- Smart SEO for a long-established all-rounder with llms.txt and Sidekick support.
- TinySEO if page speed and image optimization come first.
- SearchPie if you want deep schema options.
- Plug in SEO if you want a do-it-yourself audit with a low entry price and expert calls on higher plans.
- Avada if you want an AI audit agent and consulting on its top plan.
- Whittle if you want to see whether AI assistants recommend you, blog cleanup, and the clicks and orders each fix earned, with every change undoable. See Whittle.
What to check before you install
- What happens to your store's content if you uninstall, and whether changes can be undone.
- How many AI generations the plan includes for your catalog size.
- Whether the app adds structured data your theme already outputs, which creates duplicates.
- Whether it shows results you can measure, not just a score.