SampleGuard ‑ Order Approval vs SpecQueue
Two Shopify apps, side by side: detected stores, momentum, reviews, plans, listed features and who runs each. Store counts as of Oct 13, 2026 for SampleGuard, Nov 12, 2026 for SpecQueue.
The short answer
- Only SampleGuard lists a free plan. Paid plans start at $129/month for SampleGuard and $9.99/month for SpecQueue.
Head to head
Momentum
New reviews each month
Review pace is the clearest public read on how fast an app is winning new merchants.
Free: Core
- · Approval history and audit trail
- · Approve or reject sample orders
- · Automatic approved/rejected tags
- · Block fulfilment until approved
- · Secure one-click manager approvals
Premium
- · Advanced routing by requester or rules
- · Audit reporting and workflow insights
- · Custom request fields and capture forms
- · Multiple managers and approval teams
- · Reminder emails and escalation flows
- · ShipStation Integration
SpecQueue Pro
Coverage counts what each App Store listing names. Every feature, checked off app by app, is in Shoplist.
See every featureSampleGuard stops selected orders from being fulfilled until they have been reviewed and approved. Create approval rules using order value, discount codes, customer tags, product tags, requester email and other criteria. Matching orders are held and routed to the right approver. Approvers can approve or reject orders in one click from secure emails, with every decision recorded in a clear audit trail.
SpecQueue helps merchants review orders against product-specific requirements before fulfillment. Create rules for required product details, load an order to see PASS or BLOCKED results, and identify the exact requirement that needs attention. Merchants can correct an effective value, restore the original value, or waive a specific issue when appropriate.
- Automatically flag sample orders that require approval
- Block fulfilment until a manager approves the order
- Approve or reject orders using secure email links
- Manage approvals in a dedicated manager portal
- Validate orders against product-specific requirements.
- See clear PASS or BLOCKED results with the exact issue needing attention.
- Correct values, restore originals, or waive specific order issues.
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 |  SampleGuard | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | SampleGuard | |
|---|---|---|
| App Store rating | 5.0 ★ | Not published |
| App Store reviews | 4 | 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 | SampleGuard | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Not listed |
| Lowest paid monthly plan | $129/month | $9.99/month(ahead) |
| Longest free trial | 14 days | 14 days |
| Plans listed | 2 | 1 |
Listing
| Measure | SampleGuard | |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify category rank | #120 | Not enough data |
| Shopify App Charts | Not on this week’s charts | Not on this week’s charts |
| Built for Shopify | No | No |
| Launched | Feb 25, 2026 | Sep 8, 2026 |
| Languages | 1 | 1 |
| Developer | GuardApps | qinglu kong |
FAQ
SampleGuard and SpecQueue: common questions
- Is SampleGuard or SpecQueue cheaper?
- Only SampleGuard lists a free plan. Paid plans start at $129/month for SampleGuard and $9.99/month for SpecQueue. Shoplist compares base prices only between monthly plans in the same currency; usage charges and annual plans vary, so check each plan’s limits.
- 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 13, 2026 for SampleGuard, Nov 12, 2026 for SpecQueue; 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 13, 2026 for SampleGuard, Nov 12, 2026 for SpecQueue. 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.