What does Northbeam do?
Northbeam is a premium Tracking & Analytics app for Shopify. As a leading solution in the Tracking & Analytics space for Shopify, it typically provides the following core capabilities:
Pros & Cons of Northbeam
What it gets right
- • Considered the gold standard for enterprise attribution
- • Excellent for multi-channel omnichannel brands
- • Highly accurate forecasting
Where it falls short
- • Starts at $1,000/month
- • Requires significant ad spend (>$50k/mo) to justify the cost
- • Complex onboarding
The Pricing Trap: How Northbeam Scales
"Northbeam is built and priced for the enterprise. It scales on pageviews and revenue, meaning high-traffic, low-converting stores pay a massive premium."
Architectural Verdict
Unlike Northbeam, which relies heavily on browser-side scripts and pixels that are easily blocked by iOS and ad-blockers, CAPI Shield & GTM Server-Side utilizes a pure server-to-server architecture. This guarantees up to 20-40% higher data accuracy by completely bypassing browser limitations.
How to migrate to CAPI Shield & GTM Server-Side
Migrating away from Northbeam requires following this exact architectural path to prevent data loss and ensure a seamless cutover:
- Step 1: Export all historical data (CSV/JSON) directly from the Northbeam admin dashboard before canceling your subscription to prevent data loss.
- Step 2: Install and configure CAPI Shield & GTM Server-Side, using our free blueprint to map your existing data structures to the new system.
- Step 3: Run both systems in parallel for a 7-day testing phase to verify data parity, then officially uninstall Northbeam from your Shopify store.
