Thinking of leaving Bird?
Kite vs Bird: Grow your store without growing your bill.
Kite gives you unlimited orders and locations on every paid plan. Bird caps both.
- Zip validation from $5.99
- No per-order overage, ever
- Unlimited locations from $5.99
Support
Support that answers, from day one.
Every Kite plan includes email and chat support, with 24/7 support on Grow and above. Plus includes 1:1 onboarding and a dedicated support line, and the person answering is the founder who built the app.
What merchants say
★★★★★
"He [Sid, founder of Kite] responded quickly, identified the issues, and fixed everything."
Sugar Cookie Collective · Australia★★★★★
"Within 10 minutes of downloading Kite I had the help to be up and running!"
Little Lighthouse After Dark · United Kingdom★★★★★
"Every time I need help they are quick to respond, attentive to the needs and ready to help!"
Snazzy Santa · DenmarkWhat you actually pay for
Transparent pricing. No extra costs.
Know exactly what you'll pay before you install. Kite has fixed monthly plans, with no extra charges based on orders or locations.
Incremental plans for growing stores
Upgrade only when your business needs more.
- Kite: $5.99 → $9.99 → $14.99
- Bird: $19.99 → $49.99 → $99.99
The features you need start at $5.99
Get the essentials without paying for a higher tier.
- Kite: zip code validation on Grow at $5.99, order limits on Advanced at $9.99
- Bird: zip code validation starts at $19.99, order limits at $49.99
Direct support from the founder
Fast, personal help from the person who built the app.
- Email and chat support on every Kite plan, 24/7 from $5.99
- 1:1 onboarding included on the $14.99 Plus plan
- Bird sells 1:1 onboarding only on its $99.99 plan
Unlimited orders. Unlimited locations.
Your bill stays the same whether you take 30 orders or 3,000.
- Kite: every paid plan includes unlimited orders and unlimited locations
- Bird: orders capped by plan, an opt-in charge above your limit, and $5/month for each extra location
What it costs to match Kite
Priced for growing stores
Everything most stores need, on plans from $5.99.
Zip validation, order limits, per-product rules, priority support and a 1:1 onboarding call all sit on Kite plans between $5.99 and $14.99. On Bird the same list runs from $19.99 to $99.99. Bird ships a few things Kite does not, like an API and email and SMS notifications, and the table says so.
Kite vs Bird, feature by feature.
Every row read from both live App Store listings and Bird's own help centre.
| Compare Features | RecommendedKite | Bird |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan orders | 30 / month | 10 / month |
| Paid entry | $5.99 | $19.99 |
| Top standard tier | $14.99 | $99.99 |
| Orders on paid plans | Unlimited | Limited1 |
| Locations on paid plans | Unlimited | Metered1 |
| Overage charge | None | $0.10 per order1 |
| Delivery rates | ||
| Rates by price and weight | Yes. | Yes. |
| Zip / postcode validation | From $5.99 | From $19.992 |
| Rates by product, urgency, time | From $9.99 | From $49.99 |
| Multi-condition rates | From $14.99 | From $49.99 |
| Scheduling | ||
| Date and time slots | Yes. | Yes. |
| Cut-off and prep time | Yes. | Yes. |
| Blackout dates | Yes. | Yes. |
| Order limits per slot | From $9.993 | From $49.99 |
| Per-product prep, blackout and availability | From $9.99 | From $49.99 |
| Support | ||
| Email & chat support | Every plan | Every plan |
| 24/7 support | From $5.99 | From $19.99 |
| Priority support | From $9.99 | From $49.99 |
| 1:1 onboarding | From $14.99 | From $99.99 |
| Shopify rating | 5.0 | 4.9 |
| Operations | ||
| Multi-location | Unlimited from $5.99 | 1 to 20, then $5 each1 |
| Hide scheduling by product | From $5.99 | Free |
| Customer edits order after checkout | From $14.99 | From $99.99 |
- Bird's plan caps are 250, 1,000 and 2,500 orders and 1, 4 and 20 locations. Bird's pricing page states $0.10 per order over cap; one Bird help article states $0.05. The charge is opt-in.
- Zip validation's plan is stated on Bird's App Store pricing card; Bird's help centre does not list it.
- Order limits are on Kite's Advanced plan; the App Store listing does not name a plan for them.
See why merchants choose Kite for pickup and delivery.
Why switch
Why do merchants switch to Kite?
Four numbers. Every one of them checkable.
$5.99
Lowest paid entry
Kite's first paid plan. Bird's first paid plan is $19.99.
$0
Extra order fees
No charge for extra orders on any Kite plan, ever.
Unlimited
Locations
On every paid plan from $5.99 a month. No per-location fee.
5.0
Rating
On the Shopify App Store. Bird is at 4.9.
Real cost
Your monthly cost at three store sizes.
See the monthly cost for three typical store sizes. We've used Bird's plan limits so you can compare the real plan prices without overage charges. On Kite, $5.99 Grow already includes zip code validation, and order limits come in on Advanced at $9.99.
At Bird's Essential ceiling1 location, right at the cap
Kite
Grow$5.99/mo
billed monthly · zip validation included
- Zip code validation
- Unlimited orders and locations
- 24/7 email and chat support
Bird
Essential$19.99/mo
right at the cap, no overage
- 250 orders a month
- 1 location
- Zip validation included
At 250 orders a month, your estimated first-year cost with Kite is
$71.88 vs $239.88 on Bird
You keep $168 a year
Monthly price × 12, before either app's annual discount.
Bird Essential at $19.99 covers exactly 250 orders and 1 location. Go over either and an upgrade, or the overage charge, applies.
At Bird's Growth ceiling6 locations, 2 over Growth's included 4
Kite
Advanced$9.99/mo
billed monthly · locations unlimited
- Unlimited orders and locations
- Order limits per slot
- Zip code validation
Bird
Growth$59.99/mo
$49.99 + 2 extra locations x $5/mo
- 1,000 orders a month
- 4 locations included, 6 needed
- Order limits per slot
At 1,000 orders a month, your estimated first-year cost with Kite is
$119.88 vs $719.88 on Bird
You keep $600 a year
Monthly price × 12, before either app's annual discount.
Bird Growth includes 4 locations at $49.99. A fifth and sixth location add $5/mo each, $59.99 total. Kite's Advanced plan at $9.99 carries both the order limits and the per-product prep and blackout rules this scenario compares. Growth also bundles Google Calendar sync, which Kite does not sell.
At Bird's Scale ceiling20 locations, right at both caps
Kite
Grow$5.99/mo
billed monthly · no order or location cap
- No order cap on paid tiers
- No location cap on paid tiers
- Zip code validation
Bird
Scale$99.99/mo
right at both caps, no overage
- 2,500 orders a month
- 20 locations included
- 1:1 onboarding call
At 2,500 orders a month, your estimated first-year cost with Kite is
$71.88 vs $1,199.88 on Bird
You keep $1,128 a year
Monthly price × 12, before either app's annual discount.
Bird Scale is the top standard tier: 2,500 orders and 20 locations. Go over either and Enterprise pricing, or the overage charge, applies. Scale also includes the 1:1 onboarding call and everything in Growth; on Kite the onboarding call sits on Plus at $14.99.
At Bird's Essential ceiling, 1 location, right at the cap: Kite $5.99 a month, Bird $19.99 a month, a saving of $168 a year at monthly prices. At Bird's Growth ceiling, 6 locations, 2 over Growth's included 4: Kite $9.99 a month, Bird $59.99 a month, a saving of $600 a year at monthly prices. At Bird's Scale ceiling, 20 locations, right at both caps: Kite $5.99 a month, Bird $99.99 a month, a saving of $1,128 a year at monthly prices.
Scheduling
Order limits and product rules, from $9.99.
Two controls most pickup and delivery stores need on day one, and what each app charges to switch them on.
Order limits start at $9.99 on Kite
Both apps let you limit orders per slot or per day. On Bird you need the $49.99 plan. On Kite it is included in Advanced at $9.99.
$49.99 against $9.99, a $40 a month difference, for a feature many pickup and delivery stores need from day one.
Per-product rules from $9.99
Need two days to prepare a custom cake? Only available on Fridays? Kite lets you set product-specific prep times, available days and blackout dates on Advanced at $9.99.
Bird puts prep-time and blackout-date overrides on its $49.99 plan. Choosing which fulfilment methods a product allows is on Bird's free plan.
Which one fits
Which one is right for you?
Both handle pickup and local delivery. Here is how we would help you decide.
Choose Kite if
- You want zip validation on a $5.99 plan and per-slot order limits on a $9.99 one, rather than $19.99 and $49.99.
- You run more than one location and refuse to pay per location.
- Your order volume is real and you want a flat bill that does not move with it.
- You want a 1:1 onboarding call without buying a $99.99 plan.
- You are a florist, grocer, butcher or similar, and scheduling is a daily job, not a nice-to-have.
Stay on Bird if
- You need Shopify POS built into the scheduling app.
- You need Google Calendar sync or a REST / JavaScript API.
- You need built-in email and SMS notifications to customers.
- You want a vendor that has been around since 2022 and you are happy to pay $19.99 to $99.99 for that.
Migration
Switch to Kite in a day.
You'll need to reconfigure a few things, but you won't need to rebuild your store. Here's what to do.
Install Kite
Install Kite from the Shopify App Store.
Turn on the app embed
Open your theme editor and turn on the "Date Time Picker" app embed for your cart.
Set up your fulfilment
Add the fulfilment options you offer: pickup, local delivery and shipping. Then set your prep times and cut-off times.
Move your rules from Bird
Copy your zip-code rules and blackout dates across. Blackout dates are included on Kite's free plan. Zip-code rules are on the Grow plan at $5.99.
Test, then uninstall Bird
Place a test order and check the full customer journey. Once everything looks right, uninstall Bird. Kite uses a theme app block, so you don't need to edit your theme code. If you have a custom sticky cart or an unusual checkout setup, the widget may need a little adjustment. Our support team can help with that.
FAQ
Questions merchants ask about Kite and Bird
What's the main difference between Kite and Bird?
Price. Kite starts at $5.99 a month, Bird at $19.99, and the features most stores use cost less on Kite. Bird has a few extras Kite doesn't, like an API and customer notifications.
How much do Kite and Bird cost?
Kite's paid plans are $5.99, $9.99 and $14.99 a month. Bird's are $19.99, $49.99 and $99.99. Both have a free plan: Kite's covers 30 orders a month, Bird's covers 10.
How do I switch from Bird to Kite?
Five steps, and most stores do it in a day. Install Kite. Switch on the Date Time Picker app embed in your theme editor. Add your pickup, delivery and shipping options with your prep times. Copy your zip rules and blackout dates over from Bird. Place a test order, and when it looks right, uninstall Bird.
Can I try Kite while Bird is still installed?
Yes. Installing Kite doesn't remove Bird or touch its setup. Add Kite, configure your fulfilment options and rules, and place a test order to check the full customer journey before you make it live to customers. Uninstall Bird only once everything looks right, so you're never without a working scheduler mid-switch.
Can I limit how many orders I take per slot?
Yes. On Kite you can cap orders per slot or per day from the Advanced plan at $9.99. Bird lets you do the same, but only on its $49.99 Growth plan.
Can I use Kite for more than one location?
Yes, and there's no limit. Add as many locations as you run, on any paid Kite plan from $5.99 a month. On Bird, the number of locations depends on your plan, from 1 up to 20, and each one past that costs $5 a month extra.
Do I have to pay extra for zip code validation?
On Bird, yes. It's on the $19.99 Essential plan, and the App Store listing is the only place Bird states which plan it's on. On Kite it's included from Grow at $5.99.
Does Kite send email or SMS order notifications?
No. Shopify's own order emails still go out as normal, but Kite doesn't add its own. Bird sends both email and SMS, with SMS available on paid plans for stores in the US, UK, Canada or Sweden.
Does Bird have a free plan?
Yes, on the App Store listing. It covers 10 orders a month and one location. Kite's free plan covers 30 orders a month.
What happens if I go over my order limit on Bird?
Two options: move up to the next plan, or pay a small fee for each extra order. Bird's pricing page lists that fee as $0.10 an order, though one of its help articles says $0.05. The fee is off unless you turn it on, so by default you just hit the limit and stop. On Kite's paid plans there's no order limit at all.
Does Kite have an API?
No. Bird does, with a REST and a JavaScript API for custom storefronts. If you need to connect a custom build or another system to your scheduling, Bird is the better fit today.
Keep comparing
Before you decide
Kite vs Zapiet
Scheduling and delivery rates are two separate Zapiet subscriptions. See it side by side.
Kite vs Pickeasy
Pickeasy prices locations by tier and gates rate calculation behind a $9.99 upgrade. See how it compares.
Kite vs Flare
Flare's listing bands its plans by monthly sales, from $39. See how Kite compares.
Bird's listing
Still deciding? Read Bird's own listing on the Shopify App Store.
See the price difference on your own store.
Install Kite free and set up your first fulfilment window in minutes.
Free plan · no credit card · up to 30 orders a month · or book a free migration call
Spot something wrong or out of date? Tell us at support@kitelane.com and we'll correct it.