STOQ vs Essent (Essential Pre-Order): which preorder app is right for your store?
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STOQ vs Essent: full comparison
The differences that matter
Both apps cover the basics of preorders and restock alerts. Here's where the choice comes down.
STOQ collects the balance; Essent leaves it to you
Essent takes deposits, but the remaining balance is collected manually in your Shopify admin (one order at a time or in bulk), and each campaign uses one payment model, so customers can't choose.
STOQ saves the card and charges the balance automatically on the date you set or when the order ships, and retries a failed charge instead of leaving you to chase it. Customers can choose full payment or a deposit, or reserve now and pay later.
Reach customers by SMS and Klaviyo, not just email
Essent sends back-in-stock and preorder messages by email only, and integrates with Omnisend and Shopify Flow — but not Klaviyo.
STOQ sends by email and native SMS, and triggers your Klaviyo flows directly (plus Omnisend and Mailchimp), so a restock text lands in minutes and your messaging runs through the tools you already use.
Built to scale
Essent has no public API, SDK, headless support, or Dev Mode, and its analytics are basic email stats (sent, delivered, opened).
STOQ ships a read-and-write API, headless support, and Dev Mode for custom storefronts, and reports the full funnel for preorders and back-in-stock — signups, conversions, and the revenue you recovered — so you can plan production, not just send an alert.
Switching is simple
Switching to STOQ doesn't mean starting over. If you have signups in another app, bring them with you, and your customers keep getting restock alerts on time. Three steps:
