Head-to-head · September 2026
Surf7 Simple Catalog vs External Store for Shopify
External Store for Shopify comes out ahead, winning 4 of 7 head-to-head checks against Surf7 Simple Catalog.
Surf7 Simple Catalog
Surf7 Simple Catalog is a clean, focused catalog plugin for WordPress built by Surf7.net.
External Store for Shopify
Display Shopify products on your WordPress blog. How it works?
| Metric | Surf7 Simple Catalog | External Store for Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | <10 | 2K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 80 | 425 |
| Download trend | -41.2% | +4.2% |
| Rating | — | 3.4/5 |
| Reviews | 0 | 5 |
| Health score | 60/100 | 49/100 |
| Last updated | 1 month ago | 7 months ago |
| Tested up to | WP 7.1.2 | WP 6.9.9 |
| Support resolved | — | — |
| Requires PHP | 8.1+ | Any |
| First released | Aug 2026 | Apr 2018 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Surf7 Simple CatalogExternal Store for Shop…
Choose Surf7 Simple Catalog if…
You care most about health score, last updated and tested up to.
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
- Small user base (<10 active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- Needs PHP 8.1 or newer
Choose External Store for Shopify if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
- Low rating so far — 3.4/5 from only 5 reviews
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.9 (latest is 7.1)
Both compete in: catalog
FAQ
Surf7 Simple Catalog vs External Store for Shopify: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Sep 30, 2026
Which is better, Surf7 Simple Catalog or External Store for Shopify?
External Store for Shopify comes out ahead, winning 4 of 7 head-to-head checks against Surf7 Simple Catalog. Choose Surf7 Simple Catalog if you care most about health score, last updated and tested up to. Choose External Store for Shopify if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
Is Surf7 Simple Catalog more popular than External Store for Shopify?
External Store for Shopify is the more popular of the two with 2K+ active installs, compared with <10 for Surf7 Simple Catalog.
Can I use Surf7 Simple Catalog and External Store for Shopify together?
Both plugins cover catalog, so most sites only need one. Running two plugins that do the same job can cause conflicts and slow your site down — pick the one that fits best and remove the other.
Are Surf7 Simple Catalog and External Store for Shopify free?
Yes. Both are free to download from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Either may also offer paid upgrades from its developer.
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