Assaf Shalin
Co-founder & Developer, Koala Apps
Assaf Shalin is a co-founder of Koala Apps and one of the developers behind Koala Inspector. He builds the tools that let Shopify sellers see what is actually working in other stores, from installed apps and themes to best-selling products. On the blog he covers the technical side of store research: how competitor research really works, what public store signals can and cannot tell you, and how to turn them into decisions.
Connect on LinkedIn41 articles by Assaf
August 3, 2026
Best Anstrex Alternatives
Anstrex alternatives compared on real vendor pricing, what each tool actually covers, and whether it runs in your browser. See which one fits Shopify store research.
July 29, 2026
Best Dropispy Alternatives
The best Dropispy alternatives compared on price, free tier, and what each tool actually tracks. See which ones stop at the ad creative and which show you the store behind it.
July 28, 2026
UUSpy (Now UNISPY): What the Shopify Spy Extension Actually Shows
Searching UUSpy lands you on a Chrome listing published as UNISPY. Here is what the extension reports on a Shopify store, the free versus paid picture, and its limits.
July 23, 2026
How Much Do Shopify Apps Cost? What Top Stores Actually Spend (Koala Data)
In Koala's data the typical top Shopify store runs 13 apps and spends about $5,500 a month on them. See the real spend distribution, the apps stores install most, and what a new store should budget.
July 16, 2026
The Most-Used Shopify Themes in 2026 (Koala Store Data)
The most-used Shopify themes in 2026, ranked by how many live stores run each in Koala's data. Trademark and Dawn lead, with a profile of every top theme.
June 10, 2026
How to Find Winning Facebook Ad Creatives by Spying on Competitors' Shopify Stores
Find winning Facebook ad creatives by spying on competitors' Shopify stores. A step-by-step workflow using the Meta Ad Library plus Koala Inspector.
June 9, 2026
What Apps Do the Top Shopify Stores Actually Run? Here's How to Check Any Store
Top Shopify stores lean on a few app categories: reviews, upsell, email, and page builders. See which apps any store actually runs with Koala Inspector's app detector.
April 28, 2026
Stop Overpaying for Data When You Can Spy Smarter
Minea is an ad library, not a Shopify store analyzer. Here are smarter, cheaper ways to spy on competitors including tech stacks, products, and traffic.
October 14, 2025
Best Pipiads Alternatives
The best PiPiADS alternatives for dropshippers, ranked with a price and best-for comparison table. See which tools are free, and why store research beats ad-only spying.
September 29, 2025
7 BigSpy Alternatives for E-commerce and Dropshipping
Compare 7 free and paid BigSpy alternatives. See why Shopify sellers switch to Koala Inspector: one click shows any store's products, apps, theme, and ads.
September 29, 2025
Koala Inspector vs PPSPY
Koala Inspector vs PPSPY compared side by side. Features, pricing, and real differences so you can pick the right Shopify spy tool for your store.
September 28, 2025
Koala Inspector vs Pipiads
Koala Inspector is free for Shopify competitor research; Pipiads is a paid TikTok ad-spy tool. Compare features and pricing side by side, then install Koala Inspector free.
September 26, 2025
Best Minea Alternatives for Ad Intelligence and Product Research
Compare the top Minea alternatives for ad intelligence and product research. See pricing, features, and which tool fits dropshippers, agencies, or brand teams.
September 26, 2025
ShopHunter Alternatives: The Best Free Pick for Dropshippers
ShopHunter starts at $50/month. Koala Inspector is the best free ShopHunter alternative for Shopify store analysis, product research, and competitor tracking.
September 26, 2025
Koala Inspector vs Bigspy
Koala Inspector vs BigSpy compared head-to-head. Which tool fits your research workflow, budget, and growth stage as a Shopify seller?
September 25, 2025
Koala Inspector vs Dropispy
Koala Inspector: free Shopify store, app and product research. Dropispy: paid Facebook ad spy with a big creative library. See which one you actually need.
September 22, 2025
Koala Inspector vs Minea
Free Shopify store spy or paid ad-research platform? Compare Koala Inspector vs Minea on features, pricing, and which one fits your competitor research in 2026.
August 22, 2025
Koala Inspector vs ShopHunter
Koala Inspector or ShopHunter? One installs free from Chrome, the other is a paid Shopify sales tracker. See the features and pricing side by side before you pick.
August 22, 2025
Koala Inspector vs TrendTrack.io
TrendTrack charges for trend and ad research. Koala Inspector reads any Shopify store's products, apps and traffic for free. Compare both and pick yours.
August 20, 2025
18 Best Shopify Spy Tools
Looking for a Shopify spy tool? We ranked 18 ways to see a competitor's products, apps, theme, traffic and ads, with Koala Inspector free at #1.
July 25, 2025
Shopify App Detector: How to See Which Apps Any Store Uses
A Shopify app detector names every app a store runs. Here is the one-minute method, what it can and cannot see, and what most stores actually install.
June 23, 2025
Dropshipping vs Reselling: Which Is Better?
Compare dropshipping vs reselling on startup costs, margins, control, and risk so you can pick the right model for where you are right now.
May 30, 2025
How to Analyze and Outsmart Your Shopify Competitors
Learn how to run a Shopify competitor analysis step by step. Spot pricing gaps, find winning products, and decode competitor traffic with real tools.
May 23, 2025
Dropshipping vs Wholesale: Choosing the Right Model for Your Online Business
Dropshipping and wholesale both have real tradeoffs. Here is a clear breakdown of startup costs, margins, inventory, and which model fits your situation.
May 23, 2025
Dropship.io vs Koala Inspector: Complete Comparison Guide
Dropship.io is a paid research suite. Koala Inspector is a free Chrome extension for Shopify store and product research. Compare both before you pay a cent.
May 16, 2025
Sell The Trend vs Koala Inspector: The Ultimate Dropshipping Tool Comparison
Sell The Trend vs Koala Inspector compared side by side. Features, pricing, and real use cases so you pick the right tool for your dropshipping store.
May 14, 2025
Dropshipping Vs Ecommerce: What's The Difference?
Dropshipping vs traditional ecommerce compared on startup costs, margins, inventory, branding, and risk. Find out which model fits your goals.
May 1, 2025
BuiltWith vs Koala Inspector: Choosing the Right Tool for eCommerce Competitor Analysis
BuiltWith identifies the tech behind any website. Koala Inspector is the free, Shopify-focused choice for sellers who want a store's theme, apps, and products.
April 17, 2025
10 Best Sell The Trend Alternatives
Compare the 10 best Sell The Trend alternatives for 2026. Honest breakdown of features, pricing, and which tool fits your dropshipping stage.
April 15, 2025
6 Best Alternatives to AdSpy in 2026
The 6 best AdSpy alternatives for 2026, compared by price, database size, and fit. Includes free options and the best pick for Shopify dropshippers.
April 11, 2025
5 Best Dropship.io Alternatives
Compare the 5 best Dropship.io alternatives for 2026. Koala Inspector is the free way to research winning products and competitor stores. See pricing and best fit.
April 3, 2025
Best Alternatives to SpyFu for SEO Analysis
Not happy with SpyFu? Compare 7 alternatives for keyword research, competitor analysis, and Shopify spy tools - including free options.
March 31, 2025
Best BuiltWith Alternatives in 2026
BuiltWith starts at $295/mo. The best free alternative for Shopify research is Koala Inspector. Compare 5 tools by price, features, and best use case.
September 16, 2024
How to Use the Koala Inspector?
A step-by-step guide to every Koala Inspector feature. See competitor traffic, ads, apps, products, and store changes from one Chrome extension.
April 2, 2024
How to Spy on Shopify Competitors (And Why You Should Do It!)
Learn how to spy on Shopify competitors: track their best-selling products, ad campaigns, pricing, and apps with free tools including Koala Inspector.
January 16, 2024
The Power of Koala Inspector Live Trends
How to use the Koala Inspector Live Trends tab to spot rising products on any Shopify store, compare month-over-month sales shifts, and act before a trend peaks.
November 9, 2023
How to Detect Shopify Themes On Any Store
Free Shopify theme checker. Find which theme any store runs in seconds, even renamed or custom themes. See the manual method and why a one-click detector beats it.
May 18, 2022
Ali Hunter and Koala Inspector
Ali Hunter and Koala Inspector together give you competitor revenue, traffic, apps, themes, and ad campaigns in one workflow. Here's how to use both.
March 28, 2022
Saturation Inspector vs Koala Inspector
Saturation Inspector vs Koala Inspector: key differences compared side-by-side so you can pick the right Shopify research tool for your dropshipping store.
March 7, 2022
Wappalyzer vs Koala Inspector: Which tool is the better fit for your Shopify ecommerce shop?
Wappalyzer vs Koala Inspector compared side by side: pricing, Shopify app detection, theme detection, product analysis, and store traffic. See which fits your needs.
July 22, 2021
How to Get Shopify App Discounts with Koala Inspector
Koala Inspector's App Discounts feature gives you partner pricing on top Shopify apps for landing pages, email marketing, and dropshipping automation.