Try FreeProduct customizer apps on Shopify use two fundamentally different pricing models: flat per-order fees (a fixed dollar amount per order regardless of order value) and percentage-based fees (a percentage of each order's value). The pricing model you choose directly impacts your profit margin — and for merchants selling premium products, the difference can cost thousands per year.
The core problem with percentage-based pricing is simple: it punishes success. The more valuable your products, the more you pay. A $150 custom jacket costs the same effort to process through a customizer as a $15 custom sticker — but percentage-based apps charge 10x more for the jacket.
How Do the Two Models Work?
Flat per-order pricing (BrandLift model). You pay a fixed fee per order — typically $0.25–$1.00 depending on your plan tier. A $20 order costs the same as a $200 order. Your customizer cost is predictable and doesn't scale against your revenue.
Percentage-based pricing (Zakeke, Customily model). You pay a percentage of each order's value — typically 1.5–1.9%. As your average order value or volume increases, your fees increase proportionally.
The Premium Product Problem
Percentage pricing creates a perverse incentive: the more premium your products, the more you're penalized. Here's the real cost comparison:
| Product Price | Zakeke Fee (1.8%) | BrandLift Fee (flat) | You Save with BrandLift |
|---|---|---|---|
| $20 t-shirt | $0.36 | $0.50 | -$0.14 (Zakeke cheaper) |
| $35 hoodie | $0.63 | $0.50 | $0.13 |
| $45 custom hat | $0.81 | $0.50 | $0.31 |
| $75 jacket | $1.35 | $0.50 | $0.85 |
| $100 premium item | $1.80 | $0.50 | $1.30 |
| $150 custom product | $2.70 | $0.50 | $2.20 |
At $20 average order value, percentage pricing is slightly cheaper. The crossover point is approximately $28 — above that, flat pricing saves money on every order. Since the average custom product on Shopify sells for $35–$50, flat pricing wins for the vast majority of merchants.
The Volume Multiplier
The gap compounds at volume. A merchant processing 500 orders per month at a $45 AOV:
| Model | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Zakeke (1.8% per order) | $405 | $4,860 |
| BrandLift (flat $0.50/order, Pro plan) | $250 + $79 subscription = $329 | $3,948 |
| Annual savings | $912 |
At 1,000 orders per month at $45 AOV:
| Model | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Zakeke (1.8% per order) | $810 | $9,720 |
| BrandLift (flat $0.25/order, Scale plan) | $250 + $149 subscription = $399 | $4,788 |
| Annual savings | $4,932 |
The savings increase as your volume and AOV grow — exactly when you need your costs to stay controlled, not scale against you.
Which Model Is Better for Storefronts?
For decorators running client storefronts, flat pricing is the clear winner. Storefronts generate high volumes of orders across multiple stores. A decorator with 15 active storefronts processing a combined 300 orders per month:
- Percentage model at $50 AOV × 1.8%: $270/month in fees
- Flat model at $0.50/order: $150/month in fees (+ subscription)
The flat model also makes storefront pricing calculations simpler — you know your exact per-order cost, making it easy to set retail prices and calculate margins for each client's store.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do some apps use percentage-based pricing?
Percentage pricing aligns the app's revenue with the merchant's revenue — the app makes more when you make more. This sounds fair in theory, but in practice it means the app's revenue grows automatically without delivering additional value. Your 500th order requires the same app functionality as your 5th.
Does BrandLift have any percentage-based fees?
No. BrandLift uses flat per-order fees across all plans. Your $150 custom jacket costs the same to process as your $15 custom koozie. See our complete pricing breakdown for plan details.
What about Shopify's own transaction fees?
Shopify charges its own payment processing fees (2.4–2.9% + $0.30 on Shopify Payments). These are separate from your customizer app fees and apply regardless of which customizer you use. BrandLift's flat fees are in addition to Shopify's standard fees — but they don't add another percentage on top.
Written by Rob Diederich, Founder of BrandLift & Kodiak Decorated Products.