SMART Shipping Rates vs Advanced Shipping Rules
Updated · SMART Shipping Rates (E-TRADE PARTNER)
SMART Shipping Rates & Rules is the better fit if you want a Shopify app that can hide, show, move, rename, reorder, and sort checkout methods without Carrier Service, then add calculated rates and blending when Carrier Service is available. Advanced Shipping Rules by Bambri is a stronger alternative when you specifically need its product-group model, higher-plan postal subzones, or marketed real-time carrier rates, and you are fine that ASR publicly requires Carrier Service.
4.9 · SMART Shipping Rates does this with zones, calculated rates, and delivery customizations.
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Comparison basis
This comparison is based on public Shopify App Store and vendor documentation as of 2026-07-20. Trademarks belong to their owners. SMART Shipping Rates & Rules is not affiliated with Advanced Shipping Rules, Bambri, or advancedshippingrules.com.
Both apps help merchants express shipping logic that native Shopify settings struggle with. SMART's advantage for many stores is simple: checkout method control without Carrier Service, plus calculated rates when Carrier Service is available. Advanced Shipping Rules is a paid app with public strengths around product groups and real-time carrier rates, and it publicly requires Carrier Service for its rate work.
Quick comparison
| Area | SMART Shipping Rates & Rules | Advanced Shipping Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | E-TRADE PARTNER | Bambri |
| Pricing | Free to install | Public plans from about $9, $29, $59, and $99 |
| Reviews | 4.9 rating across 250+ reviews | About 4.9 rating across 288+ reviews |
| Carrier Service | Not required for Delivery customizations. Required for Shipping rates and Combined rates. | Publicly requires Carrier Service |
| Delivery method control | Hide, show, move, rename, reorder, and sort existing methods without Carrier Service | Hide/show rules are plan-gated; the lowest plan publicly lists no hide/show rules |
| Product conditions | Product, variant, collection, tag, SKU, and related conditions in SMART rules | Product groups are a public ASR strength |
| Postal targeting | Country plus optional city and postal code matching, including wildcard and range patterns | Postal subzones are available on higher plans |
| Rate blending | Sum, Cheapest, Most expensive, Average for tagged calculated rates | Markets blending, with blended-rate limits by plan |
| Real-time carrier rates | Not a SMART feature | ASR markets advanced real-time carrier rates |
| Support | In-app chat and support@etradepartner.io | Public materials emphasize email and phone support |
Why SMART is usually the better fit
- You can install and use delivery customizations immediately, even without Carrier Service.
- Hide, show, move, rename, reorder, and sort are part of SMART's delivery customization module, not locked behind a higher SMART plan.
- When Carrier Service is available, SMART still covers zones, cart and product based calculated rates, and rate blending.
- Method control is included in SMART, while ASR publicly plan-gates hide/show on its lowest plan.
- You get a clear docs path for delivery customizations, shipping rates, and combined rates.
Where Advanced Shipping Rules may still fit
- You want ASR's product-group architecture as your main shipping model.
- You need real-time carrier rates as marketed by ASR.
- You need postal subzones or other higher-plan ASR capabilities after checking the current plan matrix.
Carrier Service and plan gating
SMART delivery customizations do not require Carrier Service. SMART calculated shipping rates and combined rates do. Advanced Shipping Rules publicly requires Carrier Service. ASR also plan-gates important capabilities: the Lite plan publicly lists no hide/show rules, and higher plans unlock more product groups, blended rates, and postal subzones. If hide/show control is central and you want it without Carrier Service and without paid plan gating, SMART is the clearer fit.
How to choose
| Choose SMART if... | Choose Advanced Shipping Rules if... |
|---|---|
| You want checkout method control without Carrier Service. | You need ASR's product-group model as a core architecture. |
| You want hide/show and related method controls without paid plan gating. | You need ASR's marketed real-time carrier rates. |
| You want calculated rates and blending when Carrier Service is available. | You need postal subzones on an ASR plan that includes them. |
| You want to start from SMART docs and chat support. | You are already comparing ASR's paid plan matrix and prefer that stack. |
For SMART setup context, read What is included, Shipping rates and zones, and the rate blending guide.
Get method control without a paid shipping-rules plan
Install SMART Shipping Rates & Rules free for delivery customizations without Carrier Service, plus calculated rates and blending when Carrier Service is available.
Install free on Shopify4.9 stars · 250+ reviews · Built for Shopify
Frequently asked questions
›Is SMART Shipping Rates & Rules cheaper than Advanced Shipping Rules?
Yes for the SMART feature set covered here. SMART is a free app. ASR public plans start around $9 per month and go up to about $99 per month.
›Does SMART offer real-time carrier rates?
No. SMART focuses on app-calculated rates, zones, blending, and checkout method control. ASR markets real-time carrier rates.
›Which app is better for hide and show rules?
SMART includes delivery customizations without Carrier Service and without SMART plan gating. ASR also offers hide/show functionality, but public plan details show it is gated by plan, with the lowest plan listing no hide/show rules.
›Do both apps need Carrier Service?
SMART needs Carrier Service for calculated rates and combined rates, not delivery customizations. Advanced Shipping Rules publicly requires Carrier Service.