Modalyst review: Is this a reliable dropshipping platform?

Dropshipping is a popular business model that enables entrepreneurs to run thriving stores without ever touching inventory, and the industry is estimated to be worth $476.1 billion by 2026. To become a successful dropshipper, you need a reliable dropshipping platform.

Modalyst is one of the largest dropshipping platforms, with over 10 million products. It is known for its large network of quality suppliers, user-friendly interface, and favorable return policies. But is it a good fit for you?

In this detailed review, we look at how Modalyst works, who it best suits, how to set up a dropshipping business on the platform, its standout features, pricing plans, and pros and cons. We also show you what users are saying about Modalyst and give you tips on how to make more money on the platform. Finally, we’ll show you how Modalyst compares to competitors.

By the end of this review, you will know everything you need to know about Modalyst and whether it's the right dropshipping platform for your business.

What is Modalyst?

Modalyst is a business-to-business online marketplace that provides a connection between suppliers and retailers. Retailers connect their online stores to Modalyst and access a wide range of suppliers and products to dropship.

Modalyst enables retailers to import products to their stores directly, markup and set a price, and fulfill orders. Retailers can know their inventory in real-time and track orders.

Who can use Modalyst?

Modalyst is best suited for all aspiring sellers interested in starting an ecommerce store and experienced online retailers looking to expand their consumer base and reach unexplored markets.

If you have a full-time job but are interested in making extra income through ecommerce, Modalyst is ideal for you. You can leverage the free plan with zero risk to learn how to establish, run, and earn from an online store.

Why do dropshippers use Modalyst?

Modalyst connects ecommerce retailers with suppliers through its dropshipping model. It scrutinizes the suppliers on the platform to ensure they deliver superior-quality products.

Here are some of the main reasons why dropshippers choose Modalyst:

Millions of quality products

Modalyst offers many product categories from which to choose. You can create multiple product lists to target various types of consumers. For example, if you’re passionate about fashion, Modalyst can help you segment your target market based on age, gender, and financial status.

A large consumer market

With Modalyst, you can access new markets that would otherwise have been difficult to penetrate. You can target consumers in various niches, whether they are interested in purchasing accessories, clothing, jewelry, or other product types. Modalyst has partnerships with hundreds of suppliers to ensure products reach your customers worldwide, whether in the US, Europe, Australia, or Asia.

An online inventory

With a few clicks, you can add virtual merchandise to your ecommerce store and watch it sell. Modalyst's dropshipping vendors will only display the products in stock for immediate shipment. This way, the platform avoids instances of stockouts and enables easy stock management.

The Ability to sell directly from your site

Modalyst helps you sell to different types of consumers directly from your store. You can set up a personal ecommerce website and post your selection of products; Modalyst will handle the rest.

A flexible products sync feature

You can create different product lists to sell at a time by conveniently switching out products, adding others, and syncing your lists. This flexibility lets you consistently offer potential customers the variety they crave by displaying new products that keep your online business vibrant.

Easily importable product details

With modalyst, you don’t need to write product details from scratch. You can conveniently import product titles, descriptions, dimensions, and photos into your online store. You can then personalize these details to ensure they are consistent with your brand's style and tone.

How to create a dropshipping business on Modalyst

Step 1: Set up your Modalyst account

The first step to creating a dropshipping business on Modalyst is signing up for an account. The process is pretty straightforward. Go to Modalyst.co and click “Start for free”. You will be redirected to the signup page.

If you have a Wix account, you can sign up for Modalyst using it. Click “Continue with Wix”, and you will be prompted to sign in to your Wix account. Once logged in, you will automatically be signed up for Modalyst.

If you don’t have a Wix account, click “Retailer”, then enter your email address, password, business name, country, and the platform you used to create your online store. If you have not yet created a store, click on “other” and then “still searching”.

Finally, click Sign up. Modalyst will automatically sign you in.

Step 2: Connect your online store to Modalyst

Now that you have a Modalyst account, the next step is to connect it to your store. Click “Connect Your Store” on the left side of your Modalyst dashboard just below the settings. You will be redirected to your store's page.

You can either connect to a store you linked during signup or add a new store. You will then be required to select the platform you used to set up your store. You will be redirected to that platform and must sign in to sync your store with Modalyst.

Step 3: Set your pricing rules

Pricing rules determine the profit margin you will gain per product. You can create different rules for various inventory sources, including:

Print-on-demand items
Indie brands
Trendy items
AliExpress
Alibaba
Beauty products

Modalyst offers two ways of marking up your product prices:

Multiplied Markup: This pricing technique places a multiplier on the product cost. For instance, if the total price of a product is $20 and has a multiplier of 1.5, it will be priced at $30.
Added Markup: A flat rate is added to the product cost in this pricing technique. Therefore, a product that costs $20 with an added markup of $1.5 will be priced at $21.5 in your store.

Step 4: Connect with Alibaba or AliExpress

Alibaba and Aliexpress are two of Modalyst’s main suppliers. They provide you with millions of dropshipping products.

After connecting your Modalyst account to either Alibaba or AliExpress, Modalyst will:

Update the products to reflect any changes in pricing and inventory.
Automatically synchronize orders in your store and Alibaba/AliExpress.
Process order payments and forward the order information to the provider.
Update your order status.
Synchronize the courier and tracking number.

Step 5: Find products for your store

Click on the “find products” link on your Modalyst dashboard to select the products you wish to sell. Select the product categories and the brands you prefer.

There is a filter to help you navigate the available products. You can filter products based on the supplier, shipping, and price.

The available supplier categories include:

Indie brands
Trendy brands
Aliexpress
Alibaba
Beauty

The shipping filter allows you to select suppliers based on where they ship to, where they ship from, and the general type of shipping they offer: free, fast, or 4-day shipping. For example, if you are looking for US suppliers, select the US in the “ship from” and “ship to” filters, and the products and suppliers that will show in the results will all be from the US.

Lastly, you can use the price filter to set product price ranges for your desired products.

You can also find products by filtering the most relevant products, best sellers, new arrivals, sorted product prices, and new brands based on the initial filtering categories.

Step 6: Add products to your import list

After you find the products you want to sell, Modalyst allows you to edit them in the Import list before adding them to your store. Some of the aspects you can customize include:

General information about product type, description, supplier, and product tags.
Product description, such as size, color, material, and where it was made.
Variants such as alternative product sizes and color dimensions.
Pricing information.
Images displaying the product.

Step 7: Add products to your sync list

When you add a product from your import list to the sync list, it gets published on your store. The sync list lets you filter and track published products in your store. Modalyst continuously updates product prices and inventory to ensure your products are always in stock.

Step 8: Start selling

Now that your products are live in your store, it’s time to start selling. When a client makes a purchase, Modalyst processes it and advances it for fulfillment by the dropship supplier. After the supplier dispatches the order, Modalyst automatically sends you and the client its details, such as the tracking number.

You can manage your orders on Modalyst’s order page. You can see the order’s status: open, fulfilled, canceled or partially canceled. You can also check the fulfillment status: pending sync to third-party supplier, pending payment, paid and pending fulfillment, partially fulfilled and fulfilled. You can also view the supplier of the purchased product on the order page.

Step 9: Add products to the archive list

Once in a while, you may need to remove products from your store. Modalyst’s archive list helps you do this. The archive list contains products removed from the sync list. Modalyst automatically removes these products after 30 days, but you can return them to your sync list before then.

Modalyst has made setting up a dropshipping business on the platform easy. The process is friendly to beginners and experienced dropshippers.

How to make more money dropshipping with Modalyst

Dropshipping is a competitive business, so you need to do what you can to stand out from the crowd. Here are a few tips to help you maximize your earnings.

Post exceptional product images

Your products create the first impression on buyers and show your professionalism as a seller. Stand out using high-quality photos, preferably with a white background, focusing on the product.

Remember that your buyers will solely rely on the photos you post to decide whether to buy your products. So, give it your best shot. Consider hiring a professional to enhance your images and show multiple angles of your products.

Create captivating product descriptions

Although Modalyst allows you to import product descriptions from suppliers, always check if you can improve them. Use SEO-friendly descriptions to make sure buyers find your products. Well-written product descriptions make it easy for shoppers to make purchases.

Order product samples

The main advantage of dropshipping is that you don’t have to handle products to make a sale. However, it’s good to be sure about the quality of your products. You can order product samples to know their quality, especially if you intend to work with a supplier for a long time. This will also help when setting the product price. You will know the quality of the product you are pricing.

Strategic marketing

Most operational expenses in running your dropshipping store should be allocated to marketing to boost your store’s visibility and conversion rate. You cannot know the amount required for marketing until you start the business. The amount you spend on marketing depends on your target market and niche products — some products are harder to promote than others. Some marketing strategies you can consider include encouraging customer reviews to improve buyers’ trust and targeted social media ads to increase your store’s visibility.

Now that you know how to make more money on Modalyst, let’s look at how much it will set you back.

How much does Modalyst cost?

Modalyst has three pricing plans: Hobby, Start Up and Pro.

The free plan, Hobby, allows you to sell a maximum of 25 products, which is quite limited.
The second plan, Start Up, costs $35 and includes an inventory of up to 250 products.
The highest plan, Pro allows you to sell unlimited products for a $90 monthly fee.

Is Modalyst worth it? The pros and cons of dropshipping with Modalyst

Pros:

User-friendly interface
Modalyst’s dashboard is easy to use. A menu on the left side of the dashboard will help you navigate every part of the website.
Large supplier network
Modalyst gives you access to more than one thousand suppliers. There are both US and non-US suppliers.
Free plan available
Modalyst has a free plan that can help beginners get a feel of dropshipping and decide if it is a good fit for them without spending any money. Anyone with an internet connection and a laptop can open an online shop and start selling.
Favorable return policies
Modalyst has a 14-day return policy, provided that the product is not damaged in any way and all the relevant tags are intact.
Global consumer market
Many consumers from emerging markets are gradually embracing online shopping. Modalyst allows its merchants to target a global audience by shipping ordered products worldwide.
Print-on-demand marketplace
Modalyst provides a print-on-demand marketplace that can help you expand your consumer base.
Transparent pricing structure
Suppliers on Modalyst charge fixed and transparent operational expenses. So, you can be assured of no hidden costs.
Well-thought-out search filters to find products
Modalyst has a filter to help you easily comb through product categories, available suppliers, best-selling products, new brands, and more. This makes it easy to choose the most lucrative and sustainable niche of products to sell.

Cons:

Premium suppliers are available only on the Pro Plan
Modalyst’s paid plans provide a wider network of suppliers than the free plan. In addition, premium suppliers are exclusive to the pro plan subscribers.
Limited ecommerce integrations
Modalyst offers native integrations with Wix, Shopify, Alibaba, and Aliexpress. It used to connect to BigCommerce but doesn't anymore. Modalyst can add value to the platform by adding more integrations to match competitors like Spocket and Dsers.
Transaction fees on dropshipping sales even for paid plan subscribers
Modalyst charges a 5%, 2% or 1% transaction fee for all purchases based on your subscription plan.

Reviews and ratings: What are users saying about Modalyst?

Modalyst’s reviews are mostly positive. It has a rating of 4.2/5 on Shopify from 660 users and 4.7/5 on G2 from 3 users.

However, it’s rated 2.8/5 on TrustPilot from 7 users, which is quite a low rating.

Modalyst users are particularly impressed with the easy-to-use interface. They also commend its 24/7 customer service support. In the review below, Patyrn is still happy with Modalyst after using it for five years because of its ease of use.

However, not all Modalyst reviews are positive. Among the unhappy customers is Grant. In his Trustpilot review, Grant complains about how Modalyst removed one of his products, causing him to lose ranking on Google. He continues to state that Modalyst’s customer support offered no help.

After a closer look into this issue, we noted many legitimate reasons why Modalyst deletes products, such as policy violations and supplier disagreements. Even so, deleting ranking products that are converting leads can be frustrating, especially if you've spent time and money promoting such products.

Modalyst alternatives for your dropshipping business

1. Spocket

Spocket is a dropshipping platform that focuses on EU and US markets. Both Spocket and Modalyst work pretty much the same way. However, there are some differences between the two platforms:

Modalyst has a free plan that allows you to select up to 25 products, while Spocket does not have a free plan. It offers users a 14-day trial for all its four pricing plans.
Spocket is more expensive than Modalyst. Its pricing starts from $39.99 to $299.99 monthly, while Modalyst charges 0 to $90 monthly. Spocket does not take commissions from your sales — you receive the full product cost. On the other hand, Modalyst takes a 5%, 2%, or 1% transaction fee on sales based on your subscription plan.
Spocket offers more integrations than Modalyst. Spocket directly integrates with Shopify, Wix, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Amazon, Square, Squarespace, Ebay, Aliexpress, Alibaba and Ecwid. Modalyst, on the other hand, only integrates directly with Shopify, Wix, Alibaba and Aliexpress.
Both Modalyst and Spocket offer US and EU suppliers. However, Spocket provides a wider range of US and EU suppliers.

Based on these differences, Spocket is a better dropshipping platform than Modalyst, especially for US and EU store owners. Its main downside is the high price point.

2. Zendrop

Zendrop is a dropshipping platform best known for its excellent customer support. It is rated 4.8/5 from 10,029 reviews on Shopify and 4.6/5 from 5,471 reviews on Trustpilot.

Zendrop and Modalyst offer free plans, limited to 25 monthly products. They also have three pricing plans. Zendrop offers a free plan, a $49/month plan, and a $79/month plan. Modalyst provides a free plan, a $35/month plan, and a $90/month plan. We noted that Zendrop’s $49/month plan offers more value for money than Modalyst’s $35/month plan, as it allows you to sell unlimited products. Modalyst lets you sell unlimited products on its highest plan for $90/month.

Both Zendrop and Modalyst offer simplified solutions with print-on-demand services and fast shipping. However, Modalyst offers you access to international consumers with suppliers from diverse parts of the globe, while Zendrop mostly focuses on US customers.

Zendrop only integrates with Shopify and Clickfunnels, while Modalyst integrates with Shopify, Wix, Aliexpress and Alibaba. So, Modalyst offers more integrations.

Zendrop and Modalyst have their pros and cons. Zendrop offers more value for money in its pricing but fewer integrations. The better platform of the two depends on your particular business needs.

Is Modalyst the right choice for your business?

Modalyst is a reliable and user-friendly platform for dropshipping.

If you want to start an online store or expand your existing consumer base, Modalyst might be a suitable option. In particular, the platform is best suited for store owners focusing on accessories, fast fashion, and trendy products.

However, Modalyst’s limited integrations and commissions for product sales on top of a subscription fee are not ideal. There are better dropshipping platforms available without such drawbacks. You need to find the best one before you begin your dropshipping journey.

Become dropshipping pro by learning from the experts

Like most businesses, learning from someone who has successfully done it helps you avoid many mistakes and increases your chances of success. Dropshipping is no different.

With so many pitfalls and odds stacked against you, it isn't easy to make it as an independent beginning dropshipper. Dropshipping is highly competitive because of its low entry point. You will also be competing with major brands selling the same products as you.

Therefore, knowing all the dos and don'ts is important before diving in. Proper preparation will prevent you from having sleepless nights. You need to have a competitive edge to become successful. The best way to gain this advantage is by joining one of Whop’s dropshipping communities run by experts, some earning eight figures a year.

There are plenty of Whop experts to choose from — some sharing their knowledge in communities, others with online courses. The choice of which expert you go for is entirely up to you.

Guarantee your dropshipping success by learning from an expert today.

Explore dropshipping on Whop

Frequently asked questions about Modalyst

Do Modalyst suppliers have a universal returns policy?

Modalyst suppliers must accept returns within 14 days of the customer's receipt of the product.

If a return or exchange is necessary, it’s advisable to message the supplier immediately. Reach out to Modalyst’s support team for assistance if you don’t receive a response within 48 hours.

How do I handle refunds for returns on Modalyst?

If your customer decides to return a product, the first step is to contact the supplier directly. Modalyst’s suppliers are typically responsive. As long as the return reason aligns with their policy, they will likely issue a refund without a problem.

Who covers the return shipping costs on Modalyst?

If a customer wishes to return a product for reasons not related to defects or discrepancies, the buyer is responsible for the return shipping fees. However, if the item received was damaged or did not match the description on Modalyst, the supplier should cover the return shipping costs.