SmartOptions Custom Options vs Varia: Product Options
Two Shopify apps, side by side: detected stores, momentum, reviews, plans, listed features and who runs each. Store counts as of Oct 28, 2026 for SmartOptions Custom Options, Oct 27, 2026 for Varia.
The short answer
- Both list a free plan. Paid plans start at $3.99/month for SmartOptions Custom Options and $4.99/month for Varia.
- SmartOptions Custom Options lists 8 features Varia’s listing doesn’t mention, including Add-ons, Conditional pricing, Multi-select.
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
- · 1 live option set
- · All option types included
- · Conditional show/hide logic
- · Email support
- · Smart product targeting
- · Text, dropdowns & color swatches
Micro
- · All option types included
- · Conditional logic, 5 levels deep
- · Inventory-linked choices
- · Price add-ons & percentage pricing
- · Priority email support
- · Smart product targeting
Smart Options
- · All option types included
- · Conditional logic, 5 levels deep
- · Inventory-linked choices
- · Price add-ons & percentage pricing
- · Priority email support
- · Smart product targeting
Free
- · Flat add-on amounts
- · One option set
- · Text, dropdown and checkbox fields
- · Unlimited drafts
Standard
- · Conditional fields
- · File uploads and colour swatches
- · Per-character and per-choice amounts
- · Product, collection and tag targeting
- · Unlimited option sets
Coverage counts what each App Store listing names. Every feature, checked off app by app, is in Shoplist.
See every featureSmartOptions lets you go beyond the built-in variant limit by adding unlimited custom fields to any product. Choose from 10 option types including text inputs, dropdowns, color swatches, date pickers, and more. Add-on amounts are automatically included as line items at checkout. Smart targeting applies option sets to specific products, collections, or all products.
Varia adds custom fields to your product pages and applies the extra amount at checkout with a Cart Transform function. Your store keeps one shared hidden product rather than one per option, so your catalog stays the size it should be and discount codes apply to real line items. Options include text, numbers, dates, dropdowns, checkboxes, color swatches with your own images, file uploads and conditional fields.
- 10 option types: text, dropdowns, color swatches, date pickers, and more
- Built-in surcharges for premium options on every store and inventory tracking
- One-click theme installation for all Online Store 2.0 themes
- Analytics dashboard to track option views, selections, and conversions
- Add-on amounts applied at checkout with no duplicate products in your catalog
- Discount codes keep working because options become real line items
- Text, dropdowns, swatches, file upload and conditional fields
- Fixed, per-character and per-choice amounts
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 |  SmartOptions Custom Options |  Varia |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | SmartOptions Custom Options | Varia |
|---|---|---|
| App Store rating | 4.8 ★ | Not published |
| App Store reviews | 22 | Not published |
| New reviews, 28 days | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Reviewers a year or more in | 0% | Not enough data |
Pricing
| Measure | SmartOptions Custom Options | Varia |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Lowest paid monthly plan | $3.99/month(ahead) | $4.99/month |
| Longest free trial | 7 days | 7 days |
| Plans listed | 3 | 2 |
Listing
| Measure | SmartOptions Custom Options | Varia |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify category rank | #34(ahead) | #360 |
| Shopify App Charts | #15 on Rookies in Product variants | #14 on Pricing moves in Product variants |
| Built for Shopify | Yes | No |
| Launched | Apr 1, 2026 | Sep 18, 2026 |
| Languages | 1 | 1 |
| Developer | Nerd Labs | Ravlin |
FAQ
SmartOptions Custom Options and Varia: common questions
- Is SmartOptions Custom Options or Varia cheaper?
- Both list a free plan. Paid plans start at $3.99/month for SmartOptions Custom Options and $4.99/month for Varia. 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?
- SmartOptions Custom Options lists 8 the others don’t mention, such as Add-ons, Conditional pricing, Multi-select, Premium upcharges. Varia lists 2 the others don’t mention, such as Custom pricing, Dates. 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 28, 2026 for SmartOptions Custom Options, Oct 27, 2026 for Varia; 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 28, 2026 for SmartOptions Custom Options, Oct 27, 2026 for Varia. 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.