Metafield Expiry Scheduler vs VariantPulse
Two Shopify apps, side by side: detected stores, momentum, reviews, plans, listed features and who runs each. Store counts as of Oct 14, 2026 for Metafield Expiry Scheduler, Oct 23, 2026 for VariantPulse.
The short answer
- Only VariantPulse lists a free plan. Paid plans start at $4.99/month for Metafield Expiry Scheduler and $14/month for VariantPulse.
- VariantPulse lists 5 features Metafield Expiry Scheduler’s listing doesn’t mention, including APIs, Auto-sync data, Custom workflows.
Head to head
Basic
- · Auto actions on date/datetime fields
- · Changes within 60 min of expiry
- · Execution history (last 30 days)
- · Preview affected items before run
- · Unpublish, Draft, or Archive
Free
- · 10 scheduled events per month
- · 7-day execution history
- · Cancel pending events
- · Publish and unpublish scheduling
- · Target channels and markets
Pro
- · 30-day execution history
- · 7-day free trial
- · Calendar view of all events
- · Everything in Free
- · One-click undo within 24 hours
- · Unlimited scheduled events
Business
- · 7-day free trial
- · 90-day execution history
- · Bulk multi-variant scheduling
- · CSV Bulk Variant Uploader
- · Everything in Pro
- · Priority event processing
Coverage counts what each App Store listing names. Every feature, checked off app by app, is in Shoplist.
See every featureSome products should stop showing on a set date: seasonal items, limited-time drops, flash sales, event products, and food past its best-before date. Removing them by hand is easy to forget. Metafield Expiry schedules it for you: add a date or date-time metafield to a product, choose to unpublish, set to draft, or archive, and the app checks hourly and acts when the date passes.
Shopify lets you control which variants are visible on each channel and market, but there is no way to schedule when they appear or disappear. VariantPulse fills that gap. Set a date and time, pick your channels, and your variants publish or unpublish automatically. Perfect for seasonal launches, flash sales, regional rollouts, and product retirements.
- Auto-unpublish (Online Store) or draft/archive when metafield date/time passes
- Use existing metafields set via Bulk Editor, CSV import, or other tools
- No Shopify Flow workflow required
- View an activity log of products updated by the app
- Schedule variant publish and unpublish with date and time precision
- Target specific channels and market catalogs per event
- Bulk schedule multiple variants across channels in one action
- Recurring schedules for daily, weekly, or repeating variant rotations
All the numbers
Every figure, side by side
A green dot marks the app ahead on a measured figure. Estimates, gaps and apps that leave no storefront trace never take the lead.
Adoption
| Measure |  Metafield Expiry Scheduler |  VariantPulse |
|---|---|---|
| Detected stores | Not published | Not published |
| Net store change, 28 days | 0 | 0 |
| Stores added, 28 days | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Big-brand share | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Top store categories | Not published | Not published |
| Top store countries | Not published | Not published |
Reviews
| Measure | Metafield Expiry Scheduler | VariantPulse |
|---|---|---|
| App Store rating | Not published | Not published |
| App Store reviews | Not published | Not published |
| New reviews, 28 days | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Reviewers a year or more in | Not enough data | Not enough data |
Pricing
| Measure | Metafield Expiry Scheduler | VariantPulse |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Not listed | Yes |
| Lowest paid monthly plan | $4.99/month(ahead) | $14/month |
| Longest free trial | 30 days | 7 days |
| Plans listed | 1 | 3 |
Listing
| Measure | Metafield Expiry Scheduler | VariantPulse |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify category rank | #564 | #323(ahead) |
| Shopify App Charts | Not on this week’s charts | Not on this week’s charts |
| Built for Shopify | No | No |
| Launched | Mar 12, 2026 | Jun 30, 2026 |
| Languages | 12 | 1 |
| Developer | simple-extensions | Scratch Labs |
FAQ
Metafield Expiry Scheduler and VariantPulse: common questions
- Is Metafield Expiry Scheduler or VariantPulse cheaper?
- Only VariantPulse lists a free plan. Paid plans start at $4.99/month for Metafield Expiry Scheduler and $14/month for VariantPulse. Shoplist compares base prices only between monthly plans in the same currency; usage charges and annual plans vary, so check each plan’s limits.
- What features does each app list that the other doesn’t?
- Metafield Expiry Scheduler lists 2 the others don’t mention, such as Conditional logic, Custom triggers. VariantPulse lists 5 the others don’t mention, such as APIs, Auto-sync data, Custom workflows, Inventory levels. A feature missing from a listing may still be supported; this compares what each App Store listing says.
- Where does this comparison’s data come from?
- Shoplist crawls Shopify storefronts to detect which apps each store runs, and reads each app’s Shopify App Store listing for reviews, pricing, features and integrations. Store counts are as of Oct 14, 2026 for Metafield Expiry Scheduler, Oct 23, 2026 for VariantPulse; estimated figures are labeled.
How Shoplist compares apps
Store counts come from Shoplist’s crawl of Shopify storefronts, which detects the apps each store runs; they are as of Oct 14, 2026 for Metafield Expiry Scheduler, Oct 23, 2026 for VariantPulse. Reviews, ratings, plans, features and integrations come from each app’s Shopify App Store listing. 28-day figures are labeled when estimated, and a figure that is missing or estimated never decides who leads. Read the methodology.