To show a Shopify estimated delivery date, use an app such as Madgic Estimated Delivery Date for the product page, and turn on Shopify’s own estimated delivery dates under Settings > Shipping and delivery for checkout. Shopify’s native dates appear at checkout and in order emails but not on product pages, so most stores combine both.
A clear date answers “when will it arrive?” before the shopper has to ask. That builds trust on the product page and cuts “where is my order” emails after the sale. This guide covers the app route, Shopify’s native settings, Shop Promise, how to work out an honest date, and the rule US stores must follow when they state shipping times.
Where Shopify can show a delivery date
| Place | Madgic EDD app (ours) | Shopify native dates | Shop Promise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product page | Yes | No | Yes (badge) |
| Cart drawer | Yes | No | No |
| Checkout | No | Yes | Yes |
| Order confirmation email | No | Yes | Yes |
| Who can use it | Any store | Stores using supported rates | Qualifying US stores |
Option 1: Product page dates with Madgic Estimated Delivery Date
This is our app. It launched in July 2026, is free, and has no reviews yet. It shows an estimated delivery date widget on product pages and in the cart drawer, with a countdown to your cut-off time.
Steps
- Install Madgic Estimated Delivery Date.
- In Online Store > Themes > Customize, turn on the app under App embeds or add its block to the product template, and place it just below the Add to cart button where shoppers look before they buy.
- Set your processing time: how many business days you need to pack an order.
- Set the cut-off hour after which an order counts as the next business day.
- Mark the days you do not pack orders, usually weekends, and add your holiday calendar and any blocked dates.
- Style the widget: typography, color, icon and layout, plus an optional custom message.
- Open a product page before and after your cut-off hour and on a Friday to check the date moves as expected.
Not the best fit if you need dates inside checkout, different lead times per product, collection or country (for example made-to-order items next to in-stock items), or a mature app with a long review history. Its listing does not mention per-product or per-country rules; rule-based apps such as S Estimated Delivery Date Plus suit mixed lead times better. Essent Estimated Delivery Date (5.0 from 1,030 reviews) and SetuBridge’s ETA app (4.9 from 511) are stronger on track record; the comparison table below lists them.
Option 2: Shopify’s native estimated delivery dates (checkout)
Shopify offers three settings: Automated, Manual and None (Shopify Help Center). Dates show at checkout, in Shop Pay and accelerated checkouts, in the order confirmation email, and on the Thank you and Order details pages.
Set up manual dates
- Set your fulfillment time first: Same day, Next day, 2 business days, or a custom range. No dates show without it.
- Go to Settings > Shipping and delivery > Estimated delivery dates and choose Manual.
- Add transit times to your rates. Flat rates with transit times work in the US, Canada, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Germany and Australia.
- Place a test order and check the date at checkout.
Shopify counts Monday to Friday as business days, with a 12 pm cut-off in the time zone of the shipping origin. Weekends and holidays do not count as fulfillment time, but they are included when Shopify calculates the delivery date (Shopify Help Center).
Limits that hide the date
- Rates from third-party apps, dropshipping apps and negotiated FedEx rates are not supported.
- If checkout mixes eligible and ineligible rates, no dates show at all.
- Dates show only when inventory is above 0.
- A customized order confirmation email needs Shopify’s delivery date Liquid added back to the template.
Automated dates
Automated dates predict delivery from your own fulfillment history. They need a Basic, Grow, Advanced or Plus plan, at least one fulfilled domestic order, and a location in one of 33 eligible countries in the US, UK and Europe (Shopify Help Center). If the prediction is longer than 5 days in the US or 4 days in Europe, Shopify falls back to manual dates. Digital products, app pre-orders and subscriptions are excluded.
Option 3: Shop Promise (fast US shippers)
Shop Promise is a delivery badge for US domestic orders that can show on product pages, at checkout, in the Shop app and in emails. Shopify positions it for roughly the top 1% of its shippers (Shopify Help Center). To be eligible you need a Basic plan or higher, Shop Pay, Shopify Payments, the Shop channel installed and an active US fulfillment location; Shopify notifies eligible stores in the admin and keeps reviewing delivery performance (eligibility). Pre-orders and items with zero inventory are excluded. If you qualify, it is the strongest signal; if not, use Options 1 and 2.
Estimated delivery date apps compared
| App | Free plan | Paid from | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madgic Estimated Delivery Date | Free | n/a | A free product page widget with holidays and countdown |
| Essent Estimated Delivery Date | 1,000 views/mo | $4.99/mo | Many templates, product page to checkout |
| Estimated Delivery Date ‑ ETA | 100 ETA views | $6.99/mo | Checkout ETA (Plus features on the $19.99 Premium plan) |
| S Estimated Delivery Date Plus | 1 rule | $4.99/mo | Rule-based dates, with a checkout extension on its top plan |
| C‑EDD: Estimated Delivery Date | 100 products | $4.98/mo | Dates in the visitor’s time zone |
Data checked October 14, 2026 on each Shopify App Store listing. For longer reviews of each tool, see our list of the best delivery date Shopify apps.
How to work out an honest date
An app or setting only shows what you enter, so the numbers matter more than the widget. Use this formula:
Estimated delivery = order date + processing days + carrier transit days + 1 buffer day, skipping the days you or your carrier do not work.
- Measure processing time from your last 30 to 50 orders: the days between order and fulfillment. Use the slower end, not the average.
- Measure transit time from tracking data on the same orders, split by zone or country if you ship abroad.
- Match your cut-off to the carrier. Shopify suggests planning around pickup; if your carrier collects at 4 pm, finish packing before then (Shopify Help Center).
- Show a range such as “Oct 20 to Oct 23” when transit varies by more than two days.
- Use the same numbers everywhere. Enter the same processing time and cut-off in your app and in Shopify’s settings, so the product page, cart and checkout show the same date.
- Review the numbers every month and before peak season, when carriers slow down.
The US rule on stated shipping times
The FTC’s Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule says you need a reasonable basis for any shipping time you state, and must ship within it; if you state no time, you must ship within 30 days (FTC). If you cannot meet the date, you must tell the buyer and offer a new date or a cancellation with a full refund. The rule covers shipping dates; delivery promises still fall under the FTC’s general ban on deceptive claims. This is general information, not legal advice. Another reason to add a buffer day.
Common problems and fixes
Weekends counted as working days
A date that lands on a Sunday usually means weekends were left on as working days. Exclude the days you do not pack from processing time. For transit, exclude Saturday only if your carrier service does not deliver that day. Then test on a Friday afternoon.
The widget went live before setup
Some reviewers in the 1 and 2 star reviews of one ETA app say it showed default dates the moment it was installed, and others mention widgets clashing with their theme. Keep the widget disabled until your processing time and holidays are set.
Out-of-stock variants still show a date
Shopify’s native dates hide when inventory is 0, but some widgets do not. Hide the widget for pre-order or sold-out items, or show a separate message.
No date at checkout
Check for an app rate or a FedEx negotiated rate among your shipping options. One ineligible rate hides dates for all of them. Our guide to cart and checkout problems lists other checkout fixes.
FAQ
Can Shopify show an estimated delivery date on the product page without an app?
Only through Shop Promise, if your store qualifies. Native estimated delivery dates appear from checkout onward, so most stores use an app for the product page. A custom Liquid block is possible, but it needs a developer and breaks easily when your rates or holidays change.
Is the estimated delivery date the same as shipping time?
No. Shipping or transit time is how long the carrier takes. The delivery date adds your processing time, cut-off, weekends and holidays.
Do I need Shopify Plus?
Not for native manual dates or product page apps. Some apps limit checkout dates to Shopify Plus, so check the listing.
How often should I update my delivery estimates?
Monthly, and before holidays. Add peak-season holidays to your app calendar early.
Show your delivery date today
Want a free delivery date widget with cut-off countdown and holiday rules on your product pages? Install Madgic Estimated Delivery Date from the Shopify App Store. For more shipping tools, browse our orders and shipping apps list.
