Key takeaways
- Shopify has no native side-by-side product comparison feature.
- “Compare at” pricing shows original vs. sale price on a single product - not product vs. product.
- For multi-product comparison, use a comparison app or build a custom comparison table with Fudge.
- Comparison pages are most valuable for stores selling multiple similar products (plans, supplements, tech).
Buyers comparing similar products want to see differences clearly, without opening multiple tabs. A comparison table answers “why this one over that one” in a single glance.
Why you can trust us
We’ve worked on product architecture and conversion optimisation for hundreds of Shopify stores. We also built Fudge — an AI storefront editor with a 5.0 rating on the Shopify App Store.
Does Shopify have a built-in product comparison feature?
No. Shopify does not have native functionality for side-by-side product comparison.
The closest native feature is compare-at pricing - this shows a crossed-out original price next to the sale price on a single product. It’s a pricing display tool, not a product comparison tool.
For actual product-vs-product comparison, you need one of three approaches.
Option 1 - A comparison table in a page or product page section
The most straightforward method for stores that need a static comparison between a specific set of products.
Build a comparison table as a section on a page or product page. Include rows for the key attributes buyers care about and columns for each product.
What to include in a comparison table:
- Product name and image
- Price
- Key specifications (size, weight, material, ingredients, capacity)
- Feature presence/absence (tick/cross format works well)
- Star ratings or review counts
- Call-to-action buttons per column
The challenge: Shopify’s native page editor doesn’t have a table section. You can add a basic HTML table in the rich text editor, but it won’t be styled to match your theme.
For a properly designed table that looks native to your store, use Fudge.
Option 2 - A product comparison app
Several apps in the Shopify App Store add product comparison functionality:
- Buyers can select 2-4 products on collection pages
- A comparison drawer or modal opens showing the attributes side by side
- Often includes automatic spec pulling from product data
Search for “product comparison” in the Shopify App Store. These apps vary in customisation options and price.
Related: Add Metafields to Shopify Products.
Related: Customize Your Shopify Product Page.
Best for: Stores with large catalogues where buyers need to compare across the category (e.g., electronics, supplements with different formulations, furniture with spec variations).
Option 3 - Build a custom comparison table with Fudge
For a comparison table that’s native to your theme - matching your fonts, colours, and layout - Fudge can build it.
Example prompts:
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“Create a comparison table section on our protein powder page comparing our three products side by side: price per serving, protein per serving, flavours available, key ingredients, and a Buy button for each.”
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“Build a product comparison table for our mattress collection page. Columns for each mattress model, rows for firmness, materials, height, warranty, and price. Add a ‘Best for’ recommendation row.”
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“Create a ‘Our plans’ comparison page comparing Starter, Growth, and Pro. Three columns with a feature list, pricing row, and CTA button per column.”
Fudge generates this as native Liquid code. Draft for review, publish when ready.
Related: Fudge Page Builder.
Related: Add Custom JavaScript in Shopify.
When is a comparison page worth building?
High-value cases:
- Multiple SKUs with similar names - “Advanced Formula vs. Original vs. Extra Strength”
- Subscription tiers or plans - clear feature differentiation per plan
- Tech products - processors, cameras, speakers with spec-based decisions
- Mattresses, furniture, appliances - where spec differences directly affect buying decisions
Lower-value cases:
- Products that differ mainly by colour or size (buyers can see this in variant selectors)
- Stores with fewer than 5 products (comparison adds less value at smaller catalogues)
- Commodity products where price is the only differentiator
What is the difference between “compare” and “compare at” in Shopify?
Compare at price - a field on each product that stores the original/RRP price. When set higher than the current price, it displays as a strikethrough price next to the sale price. This is a single-product pricing display feature.
Product comparison - showing multiple different products side by side so buyers can evaluate their options. This is what requires an app or custom implementation.
The two features are unrelated in Shopify, despite the naming overlap.
How do I add a “compare at” price in Shopify?
The “Compare at price” is a strikethrough price that shows the original cost alongside a sale price. To add it: go to Products → select the product → scroll to the Pricing section and enter a value in the Compare at price field. Set the actual sale price in the Price field. Shopify will automatically show both and calculate the discount percentage. See our guide on updating variant names in Shopify if you want to show compare prices per variant.
FAQ
No. Shopify has "compare at" pricing for a single product, but no native multi-product comparison feature. For side-by-side comparison, describe the table to Fudge ("compare these three protein powders by price per serving, grams of protein, and flavour") and it generates a native section pulling product attributes into a styled grid. Alternative: a comparison app from the Shopify App Store.
3–4 columns on desktop, 2 columns on mobile. Past 4, comparison tables become hard to scan and require horizontal scrolling on most screens. For larger comparison sets (e.g., 10+ products), use a filterable comparison page where shoppers select up to 4 to compare side-by-side.
App-based comparison tables can — they typically inject JavaScript that runs on every page. Native comparison tables built directly in your theme add negligible weight (just HTML/CSS). For performance-sensitive stores, prefer the native build over app installation.
Both work; depends on intent. Collection-page comparison helps shoppers narrow within a category. Dedicated comparison pages (e.g., "Compare our skincare range") are better for SEO and link-building since they target comparison-intent queries directly. Most stores benefit from both.
Yes — define metafields for the attributes you want to compare (e.g., weight, material, feature_x). The comparison table reads these via Liquid and renders them automatically per product. This scales — adding a new product with the right metafields populates into the table without manual updates.
