Comparison
Shopify's built-in importer is free and works well when your file already matches its format. Simple CSV maps other column names and shows a five-row preview. Pro and Scale can schedule repeat imports.
The short answer
Shopify's importer expects an exact column structure and headers. If you're re-importing a CSV you exported from Shopify, it usually works as-is and costs nothing, provided the file stays under Shopify's 15 MB limit. How many variants fit depends on the amount of variant data and the length of your descriptions. In practice, that can be roughly 5,000–10,000 variants. If your data comes from a supplier feed, another platform or a spreadsheet with different column names, you'll spend time manually reshaping it to fit. Shopify shows a small preview of the first product and the total number of variants before import, but it doesn't show how every column was mapped. Simple CSV handles the reshaping with a mapping UI and shows mapped example rows before you commit. It becomes a paid app above 100 rows.
| Capability | Shopify native importer | Simple CSV |
|---|---|---|
| Accepted file formats | CSV with Shopify's exact product headers and structure | CSV, XLS or XLSX, including a supported file inside a ZIP archive. Excel imports read the first worksheet |
| Preview before import | Shows the first product and total variant count, but not how every column was mapped | Shows mapped example rows before you commit |
| Match existing products | Matches by Handle only | Exact matches by SKU, barcode, handle or Shopify ID |
| Import source | Manual file upload only | CSV or Excel file upload or URL |
| Row limit | 15 MB per file. Practical capacity varies with variant data and description length (often roughly 5,000–10,000 variants) | Up to 100 rows/file on the Free plan. Unlimited on Pro and Scale |
| Repeat / scheduled imports | Not available. Re-upload manually each time | Free supports manual repeat imports. Pro and Scale can run imports on a schedule |
| Import feedback | Confirmation email after processing. No live progress view | In-app progress plus created / updated / skipped counts |
| Cost | Free forever | Free for files up to 100 rows. $19–$49/month for unlimited rows and scheduled automation (14-day free trial) |
For the full native workflow and Shopify CSV column reference, read the complete Shopify product CSV import guide .
Choose Shopify's importer when
Choose Simple CSV when
Simple CSV compares SKU, barcode and handle values exactly after ignoring letter case and surrounding spaces. Prefixes do not count as matches. If the same exact SKU or barcode belongs to more than one product, the row is skipped and the import log explains the conflict instead of choosing a product.
What changes in practice
A supplier column such as product_name must be changed to Shopify's expected header and placed into the expected product CSV structure. Repeat that preparation whenever the source changes.
Map product_name to Title and review the example rows before importing. For a stable URL feed, Pro and Scale let you save the setup and run it on a schedule.
Both routes create or update products in Shopify. The difference is the preparation and control around the import. Start with Shopify's built-in tool when your file is already compatible. Move to Simple CSV when the recurring work is reshaping files and checking mappings.
For a one-time import
If you only need to get one supplier feed or spreadsheet into Shopify a single time, you don't need to buy anything. Here are two free ways to do it.
Paste your column headers and a couple of sample rows into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini and ask it to reformat your file into Shopify's exact product CSV structure. Once it's in that format, upload it through Shopify's free importer. No app is required. This route still has the native importer's limits. There is no mapping preview and existing products are matched by Handle only.
I have a product feed in CSV format that I need to reformat for Shopify's product import tool. Here are my current column headers and three sample rows:
[PASTE YOUR CSV HEADERS AND 2-3 SAMPLE ROWS HERE]
Convert this into a CSV that matches Shopify's exact product import format, using these columns in this order: Handle, Title, Body (HTML), Vendor, Product Category, Type, Tags, Published, Option1 Name, Option1 Value, Option2 Name, Option2 Value, Option3 Name, Option3 Value, Variant SKU, Variant Grams, Variant Inventory Tracker, Variant Inventory Qty, Variant Inventory Policy, Variant Fulfillment Service, Variant Price, Variant Compare At Price, Variant Requires Shipping, Variant Taxable, Variant Barcode, Image Src, Image Position, Image Alt Text, Gift Card, SEO Title, SEO Description, Variant Weight Unit, Status.
Rules:
Generate a unique "Handle" for each product (lowercase, hyphenated,
no special characters) based on the title.
Leave a column blank rather than guessing if the source data doesn't map to it.
Repeat the Handle for each variant row of the same product, per Shopify's convention.
Set "Published" to TRUE and "Status" to "active" unless I say otherwise.
Output the result as a downloadable CSV file, not a table.AI output can drop or truncate rows on larger files. Always open the result and spot-check it against your original before importing.
If you'd rather not touch the CSV by hand, install Simple CSV and start the 14-day free trial on Pro. Map your existing column names straight to Shopify fields, preview the result and run the import. Then switch back to the Free plan or cancel before the trial ends. There is no row limit or ongoing cost if this is a one-time job.
If you end up importing regularly, keep the subscription. Scheduling and unlimited rows are what you're paying for at that point.
Map your existing columns in Simple CSV and review the data before you run the import.