Balance SPD Split Payment alternative: Balance Due vs SPD Split Payment & Deposit
SPD has been on the Shopify App Store since 2017 and does four things: deposits, split-card payments, shared payments and instalments. If you need the other three, choose SPD. If you only need deposits done well, Balance Due is simpler, starts free and includes the follow-up.
In short: SPD Split Payment & Deposit is a four-in-one payments app: deposits, split-card payments, shareable payments and instalments, priced by the order value you process from $19 a month. Balance Due does deposits and instalments only, at a flat price from free, and adds an automatic fulfilment hold, retries and an overdue process after checkout.
The short version
SPD offers deposits with automatic balance collection on the due date, paying one order with two cards or a card and PayPal, sharing an order's payment between several people by email, and instalments, all behind a widget you style (as of September 2026). Its four plans, billed in USD, are set by order value processed each month: $19 for up to $1,000, $29 for up to $5,000, $49 for up to $10,000 and $99 for up to $50,000, with no additional fees. Balance Due does deposits and instalments only, and puts its effort into what happens after checkout: the fulfilment hold, retries, reminders and the customer page. Fewer features, less to configure, and the collection process is the product.
What each costs for high-value orders
A furniture maker taking 20 orders a month at $1,500 each processes $30,000, which puts it on SPD's $99 Scale plan. Balance Due's price depends on how many orders have an open balance at once, not on their value, so the same store with up to 30 open orders pays £19.99 on Starter. A store taking only a handful of deposit orders can stay on Balance Due's Free plan, while SPD starts at $19 a month on a live store.
Side by side
| Feature | Balance Due | SPD |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Flat monthly in GBP, £0 to £99.99, set by open payment plans | $19, $29, $49 or $99 a month, set by order value processed ($1,000 to $50,000), no additional fees, billed in USD |
| Free plan | Yes, up to 3 open payment plans | No, free on development stores and a 7-day free trial |
| Deposits with automatic balance charge | Yes, on Shopify Payments and PayPal Express | Yes, charged on the due date |
| Instalments | On Shopify Plus stores, Growth and Pro plans | Yes, through an instalment widget |
| Two payment methods on one order | No | Yes, two cards or a card and PayPal |
| Shareable payments | No | Yes, shared by email between several people |
| Product page | Theme app block showing pay in full or the deposit | Customisable widget and buttons |
| Fulfilment hold until paid | Shopify's own hold, automatic | Not stated on its listing |
| Retries and overdue process | After 1, 3 and 7 days, overdue flag and merchant alert | Not stated on its listing |
| Support | UK, email, one working day | Live chat on all paid plans |
| App Store status | Early access | Live since 2017, Built for Shopify, rated 4.7 from 142 reviews |
SPD details are taken from its Shopify App Store listing as of 20 September 2026. Pricing and features change, so check the listing before deciding.
When SPD is the better fit
- Customers ask to split an order across two cards, or a card and PayPal.
- Group gifting or shared purchases are part of your business.
- You want live chat support and an app with a long review history; Balance Due is in early access.
When Balance Due is the better fit
- You sell high-value orders and want a price that does not rise with order value.
- What matters is what happens after checkout: collection, retries, holds and reminders.
- You want to start free, with a flat GBP price after that.
SPD vs Balance Due questions
How much does SPD Split Payment & Deposit cost?
As of September 2026 its Shopify App Store listing shows four plans billed in USD, set by the order value processed with the app each month: Starter at $19 for up to $1,000, Basic at $29 for up to $5,000, Growth at $49 for up to $10,000 and Scale at $99 for up to $50,000, with no additional fees and a 7-day free trial. Check the listing for current pricing.
Does SPD have a free plan?
Not for live stores. Its listing says it is free for development stores, with a 7-day free trial on paid plans. Balance Due's Free plan covers up to 3 open payment plans on a live store.
Can Balance Due take split-card or shared payments?
No. Balance Due works inside Shopify's standard checkout, where the customer pays the deposit with one payment method. If customers need to split an order across two cards or share it between several people, SPD is the better fit.
How does each show the deposit option on the product page?
SPD uses a widget and buttons you can style. Balance Due adds a theme app block, placed in the theme editor, that shows pay in full or the deposit with live amounts and adds Shopify's purchase option to the product form.
Try it on a test order
The fastest comparison is a deposit order on your own dev store with Shopify's test gateway.