Beyond Basic: Finding the Perfect FBT & Upsell Apps for Shopify Plus with Custom Designs

Hey there, fellow store owners! Let's talk about something that comes up a lot in the Shopify community: finding that perfect "Frequently Bought Together" (FBT) app. You know, the kind that not only boosts your average order value with smart recommendations and discounts but also looks fantastic and seamlessly integrates with your brand. It's a surprisingly tricky quest, as one of our community members, as_spike, recently highlighted.

as_spike kicked off a great thread, asking for FBT apps with multiple design options and robust discount capabilities, specifically for a Shopify Plus store. The big pain point? Many apps feel a bit too "basic" in their design. If you've felt this frustration, you're definitely not alone!

The Core Challenge: Beyond "Basic" FBT Designs

The sentiment about limited design options really resonated with the community. As Easify-Ariel put it, "Many of them do a good job recommending related products and applying discounts, but the design options can feel quite limited, especially for stores that care a lot about branding and visual consistency."

Moeed hit the nail on the head with a critical insight: "every FBT app boxes you into its own widget designs, so 'multiple designs' really just means picking from that app’s presets, not real control. That’s exactly why you land on 'basic design' no matter which one you try, it’s just the nature of app widgets." This is super important to understand – true custom design often means going beyond a simple FBT widget.

Top Picks for Shopify Plus & Design Flexibility

When you're on Shopify Plus, you've got more power and flexibility at your fingertips, and the community had some excellent, battle-tested recommendations for leveraging that:

Rebuy Smart Cart: The Premium Plus Powerhouse

Time and again, Rebuy Smart Cart came up as the top contender for Shopify Plus stores prioritizing design and robust functionality. SectionKit and Mustafa_Ali both highlighted it as the "best option for Plus stores with excellent design flexibility and strong discount support" and having a "premium UI." Moeed agreed, noting it gives "the most control over how the widget looks," though he wisely pointed out it's "on the pricier side." If you're serious about deep customization and maximizing AOV on Plus, Rebuy is definitely one to explore first.

BOGOS: Free Gift Bundle Upsell – Flexible Designs & Discounts

Ellie-BOGOS jumped in with a strong recommendation for BOGOS: Free Gift Bundle Upsell. This app seems to tackle the design limitation head-on by supporting multiple designs across various upsell types, not just FBT. Think Product Add-ons, Checkout upsells (crucial for Plus stores!), and even Thank You page upsells.

Ellie-BOGOS shared some great visuals:

• Product Add-on → tick to choose the add-ons customers want & receive discount for it

• Frequently bought together

• Checkout upsell → show an upsell widget, or customers enter a code to automatically add the upsell to the cart

• Thank you page upsell

It also offers very flexible discount types (percentage, fixed, cheapest item free, tiered) and multiple design options per upsell type to match your brand style:

SellMore - Post Purchase Upsell: A Comprehensive Toolkit

rutvik_shop brought up SellMore - Post Purchase Upsell, which sounds like an all-in-one solution. It doesn't just do FBT; it's a broader upsell toolkit covering bundles, AI recommendations, quantity breaks, and tiered discounts. What's really cool is its ability to show offers across multiple touchpoints: product/cart, post-purchase, thank-you page, order status page, and – for Plus stores – even the checkout itself. This kind of flexibility in offer placement can make a huge difference in conversion rates. Plus, it has built-in analytics and a free plan to get started.

Thinking Outside the FBT Box: The Bundle Builder Approach

Easify-Ariel offered a fantastic alternative perspective: if you're finding traditional FBT widgets too basic, why not consider a "bundle-builder approach"? Apps like Easify Box Bundle Builder BYOB allow you to create curated product bundles with more control over how they're presented. This can make the offer feel like a natural part of your theme, rather than a generic pop-up. Customers often appreciate clearly seeing what's included and their savings, potentially leading to better engagement.

Solid Alternatives & Customizable FBT Widgets

Even if you're not ready for a full-blown bundle builder or a premium solution, there are still strong options that offer more design flexibility than the "basic" apps as_spike encountered:

• Frequently Bought Together by Code Black Belt: This app was mentioned multiple times (by SectionKit and Mustafa_Ali) as a solid, simpler, and good cheaper option that still provides multiple design choices. It's often cited as a great overall choice for FBT and discount bundles.
• EasyBoost: Product Showcase: asif_ShopiDevs recommended this one, specifically highlighting its "Frequently Bought Together" section with customizable layouts. You can tweak the appearance, spacing, colors, and product card layout to match your store's design. They even provided a live demo link so you can see it in action: EasyBoost Demo Site. This sounds like a good starting point if visual consistency is key.

Key Considerations for Your Store

No matter which route you go, remember these points:

1. Theme Integration: How cleanly does the app integrate with your existing Shopify theme? The goal is for it to feel native, not bolted on.
2. Discount Flexibility: Does it support the types of discounts you want to offer (percentage, fixed amount, tiered, BOGO, etc.)?
3. Placement & Touchpoints: Where can you display the offers? Product pages are standard, but checkout, cart, post-purchase, and thank you pages can be powerful for Plus stores.
4. Analytics: Does the app provide insights into offer performance? You need to know what's working!

Ultimately, finding the right FBT or upsell app, especially for a Shopify Plus store, involves balancing design needs with powerful functionality. Don't be afraid to try a few with free trials or free plans. The community's insights clearly show that while true "unlimited design" might be elusive for widget-based apps, there are fantastic options out there that offer significant customization and strategic advantages. If you're just getting started with your own online venture, remember that choosing the right platform is half the battle; Shopify provides a robust foundation for growth, and these apps help you build on that success.